Fallout 3 - Game of the year edition <--- it wont launch!

[Pepo]

I bought the game, i installed it but it wont run... i have windows 10, any ideas why?
(if theres already a topic giving an answer, i would really appreciate a link)

[Unseen]

Try the D3d fixes but keep in mind not all d3d files are the same some are the same name but are configured differently.

This can majorly confuse someone new to patching this as you'll put the d3d in the folder and think it doesn't work but they actually do depending on which ones configured right for your system.

If your fallout 3 game won't even boot up on windows 10 it might be something else. Mine was the new game crash which crashed at the loading screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpP3ePDY_8A

This video includes links to the DLL fixes.

[Seven7]

always start here: Fallout Anniversary Patcher
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/24913

game not launch from box becouse Bethesda-Microsoft made a cartel with Intel, AMD nVidia and removed native DirectX 9 support from drivers and Windows (in W10 - partially, in W11 - completely) - also Xbox app in background interfere with steam versions of Fallout 3 and NV in order to force lazy users to buy the game on Xbox - they made official fixes only for this versions
game engine not support Surround sound, only stereo 2.0 (as most old games)
also, sometimes Dotnet Prewiew Update messed up with Fallouts

[Unseen]

I seriously doubt bethesda is organizing an app glitch to sell xbox copies.
I think its the usual pc nonsense, nothing different from lucasarts terrible ports of force unleashed. Billion dollar companies who couldn't be bothered to fix things.

But games for 50 cents from indie companies have achs, cards, and full resolutions, this is just how these huge companies are and fan feedback means nothing to them. Still great devs love bethesda games but their publishing skills are absolutely awful.

[Planewalker]

Weird part is that the goty works ootb on linux via proton, go figure. :|

[Pepo]

Originally posted by Planewalker:

Weird part is that the goty works ootb on linux via proton, go figure. :|

Go figure indeed

[Shadowrun]

i took a long time away from fallout 3 but just came back to it recently. i want to mod it this time, for real, and so i've been reading up and learning a lot. i collected this list of troubleshooting steps you could follow that i'm planning to include in a modding guide i'm writing right now. i also run windows 10 but the game pretty much ran right out of the box for me :)

i use an older GPU though, so maybe your problem lies in your graphics driver. at any rate, try this list of solutions if you're still stuck.

also, it would be helpful if you provide your system specs. in steam, click HELP at the very top menu then select SYSTEM INFORMATION. you can copy and paste that into here. it can provide clues as to what the problem is, to the people who know what they're looking for.


-------------------------------------------------

If it crashes then follow these steps. After each step, try to run the game again to see if that step solved the problem:


1.) Lower all the graphics settings then try again. Lower them ALL THE WAY so we can be 100% sure if it was the problem or not. Leave it turned down until we discover what the problem is.

You can also try using just these settings:

- Launch the game in Windowed Mode by selecting Options from the Fallout 3 Launcher and ticking the Windowed box under Mode. You can also try lowering your resolution (both desktop and game setting to match each other) to see if that helps.
- If using dual monitors, disable your second one from your Windows display settings. You can also try setting the same resolution on both and see if that works.
- Ensure that the resolution of the game matches that of your display monitor by selecting Options from the Fallout 3 Launcher and selecting the correct resolution under Graphics Adapter and Resolution.


2.) If you run an anti-virus program then make sure it has Fallout 3 ALLOW permissions or DISABLE the firewall / anti-virus while you troubleshoot the problem. This will ensure that we can rule it out as cause of the problem while we continue.


3.) From Bethesda, the makers of Fallout 3: "Please also note that we do not support game enhancement software. If you use game enhancers such as Gamebooster or Raptr, we recommend that you disable these programs while running Fallout 3."

* Also reported to cause Fallout 3 crashes: teamspeak "overwolf", ASUS xonar "gx" & GamerOSD.


4.) If you use an Intel Chipset Graphics Adapter then you should install this mod straight away and see if that helps:

Intel HD graphics Bypass package
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/17209

Also, this mod that I'm installing as part of the load order fixes this anyways.

Fallout Anniversary Patcher (REQ: Visual C++)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/24913


5.) Edit your Fallout.ini file
Fallout 3 was not developed for use on PCs with more than two cores. If your PC has more than two cores, please also try the following steps:

Open your My Documents folder.
Under My Games, open the Fallout 3 folder and select the fallout.ini file.
In the fallout.ini file, find the following line: bUseThreadedAI=0.
Change this line to read: bUseThreadedAI=1.
If the line doesn't exist, add it under the [GENERAL] section
Add another line directly AFTER it that reads: iNumHWThreads=2.
Run the game.


6.) Locate your Fallout3.exe file. Not the shortcut on your desktop, we want to edit the actual file located in your steam install directory. An example:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 3 goty\Fallout3.exe

We are going to right-click on this file and select PROPERTIES. Click the COMPATABILITY tab. Check the box that says "Run this program in compatability mode for" and select Windows XP (service pack 3) from the drop-down menu. A little further down you can also check the box that says "Run this program as an administrator". Click apply then click OK. Now try to run the game again by double-clicking or executing the EXE file we just modified, Fallout3.exe.

If it worked then you can do the same thing for "FalloutLauncherSteam.exe" and launch your game through the launcher if you want.


7.) Check to see if your display drivers are up to date and update them if necessary. Reboot the PC after updating then try the game again.

- For nVidia (GeForce) users: https://www.nvidia.com/download/index.aspx
- For AMD (Radeon) users: https://www.amd.com/en/support
- For Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/detect.html


8.) If you are running on Windows 7 or 8 Bethesda also recommends this:
Make sure to install .NET Framework v4 ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17718 ) and the DirectX June 2010 Redist ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17718 ).


9.) Validate your game files. Right-click Fallout 3 from your Steam game library and select PROPERTIES. Select LOCAL FILES. Click "Verify integrity of local game files".


** If you still can not get the game to run then you will need to seek solutions other than this guide. I would recommend doing a search for your problem on the forum and also a search engine like Google or something. Look for things like this:
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/23631

[Pepo]

At this point, im willing to try anything, nexus.mods didnt fix the issue and bethesda solutions couldnt be applied since it wont let me run the game as administrator.
Thx a lot Shadowrun for taking the time.

[Shadowrun]

yea no problem. report back and let me know how it's going. i'm subscribed to the topic now.

[Seven7]

Fallout Anniversary Patcher (REQ: Visual C++) ALREADY include ALL thechnical fixes:
Intel HD graphics Bypass package, ini fix, and few other thechnical fixes and addons for advanced modding

Redundant Mods
A list of mods made redundant by the patcher.

Large Address Aware Enabler and other 4GB/LAA patchers
Mod Limit Fix
Games for Windows Live Disabler and other GFWL workarounds
Intel HD Graphics Bypass and other Intel GPU workarounds (including Fallout 3 Windows 10 Fix which is the same thing repackaged)

i.e. FAP need just gameplay fixes like Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch

and for old games like Fallout 3, the older the driver, the BETTER - since NATIVE DirectX9 support is broken\removed in the new ones.

[Aceshot]

So i had the same problem of the launcher to open and not opening the game. I discovered i was able to launch the game with a few steps.

This is on a clean install of the game with the latest patch, latest graphics drivers and no mods too.

You need:
1. Open the Nvidia Control Panel
2. On manage 3D settings go to the program settings tab.
3. Add Program then add the Fallout 3 launcher
4. Select your gpu on to force the game to launch on your gpu

Note that you also need to add the main game to the program settings tab and select your gpu.

Hope this helps!

[darklordsdaughter]

I installed the anniversary patch, edited the ini files (in both my documents and the steam folders), set the game to run as admin and in compatibility mode with windows 7, which got me past the black screen crash to the loading screen crash.

The thing that finally got the game running past the 'Bethesda' slide was deleting the fallout 3 folder in 'My Documents' with all the settings and old saves in it (no big loss to me).

[Carinth]

I just use this https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/21888
Takes a moment to do and works on all versions.
https://youtu.be/IoMpD3eYQXw

[Seven7]

Originally posted by darklordsdaughter:

I installed the anniversary patch, edited the ini files (in both my documents and the steam folders), set the game to run as admin and in compatibility mode with windows 7, which got me past the black screen crash to the loading screen crash.

The thing that finally got the game running past the 'Bethesda' slide was deleting the fallout 3 folder in 'My Documents' with all the settings and old saves in it (no big loss to me).

for latest W10 and 11 better result compatibility mode with windows Vista work better (eah, M$ broken it too)
for next time try not delete folder with saves - just 3 *.txt files(you must delete file with rendering info after each crashes) and ini + check security permissions to that folder

Originally posted by Terminal:

I just use this https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/21888
Takes a moment to do and works on all versions.
https://youtu.be/IEBVXYnYimk

this mod also redundant

Originally posted by Seven7:

Fallout Anniversary Patcher (REQ: Visual C++) ALREADY include ALL thechnical fixes:
Intel HD graphics Bypass package, ini fix, and few other thechnical fixes and addons for advanced modding

Redundant Mods
A list of mods made redundant by the patcher.

Large Address Aware Enabler and other 4GB/LAA patchers
Mod Limit Fix
Games for Windows Live Disabler and other GFWL workarounds
Intel HD Graphics Bypass and other Intel GPU workarounds (including Fallout 3 Windows 10 Fix which is the same thing repackaged)

i.e. FAP need just gameplay fixes like Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch

and for old games like Fallout 3, the older the driver, the BETTER - since NATIVE DirectX9 support is broken\removed in the new ones.

dudes you use redundant fixes = messed up with game even more
stop doing this, use

Originally posted by Aceshot:

So i had the same problem of the launcher to open and not opening the game. I discovered i was able to launch the game with a few steps.

This is on a clean install of the game with the latest patch, latest graphics drivers and no mods too.

You need:
1. Open the Nvidia Control Panel
2. On manage 3D settings go to the program settings tab.
3. Add Program then add the Fallout 3 launcher
4. Select your gpu on to force the game to launch on your gpu

Note that you also need to add the main game to the program settings tab and select your gpu.

Hope this helps!

for first run if you want play vanilla - and do NOT have problem with hardware config it's enough
for other cases - use Fallout Anniversary Patcher first

Originally posted by Planewalker:

Weird part is that the goty works ootb on linux via proton, go figure. :|

nothing weird - proton have VKD3D-Proton analogue of DXVK DX9 to DX12\Vulkan wrapper - new Intel Ark drivers use it for Windows too - becouse old Intel HD\UHD drivers was coded in Intel Russia - year ago Intel closed it, without paying developers, and blocking the ability to download drivers...
so when the presentation of new discrete video cards took place in the summer, Intel screwed up - the new video cards did not have game drivers written by Russian programmers

[Carinth]

Actually the one I mentioned is the only one that updates the fallout default ini allowing the game to generate new updated fallout ini's with changes not included in any other mods and the 4gb patch can be used with the fose to make it 4gb laa also, not included in other mods.
Even the anniversary patch doesn't update the ini's or patch fose.