Cannot install Any Mods; maybe in need of a patch?

[Mobius22]

Okay, firstly, I'd like to apologize because I assume that someone (many) have asked this question, but the search I just tried gave me a list of mods people wanted to install and was not even specific to Fallout, so, rather than read through a thousand pages for a somewhat specific question, I'll just ask anyway.

 

I recently bought the Game of the Year edition of Fallout 3 on Steam during the summer sale; when I installed a mod using the Fallout Mod Manager (although I now think I did so incorrectly); I tried starting a new game, and it froze within a minute every time. I uninstalled the mod completely - and uninstalled the game from my system - and tried another after re-installing the game. This time, I used the package manager tool in FMM, yet I still have the same problem as before. What's worse, after deactivating the mod the vanilla game now has the same problem; I'm going to try to reinstall again; I do recall the store page in Steam saying that the game was "not optimized for Windows 7" so it could be the case that the dang thing just wont run on my machine (which makes no sense to me - "not optimized" does not mean "incompatible" - although I am admittedly technologically ignorant).

 

I'm pretty sure that it is a software issue of some sort, because I also bought New Vegas at the same time, and it works fine; in fact, I downloaded a mod to it that is running no problem whatsoever.

 

Any help would be appreciated, and, once again, apologies for asking a question that has probably been asked a million times before.

[Purr4me]

 

What's worse, after deactivating the mod the vanilla game now has the same problem; I'm going to try to reinstall again; I do recall the store page in Steam saying that the game was "not optimized for Windows 7" so it could be the case that the dang thing just wont run on my machine (which makes no sense to me - "not optimized" does not mean "incompatible" - although I am admittedly technologically ignorant).

Then this:

 

I'm pretty sure that it is a software issue of some sort, because I also bought New Vegas at the same time, and it works fine; in fact, I downloaded a mod to it that is running no problem whatsoever.

Ok, Steam uses an overlay, screen changes controlled Via remote server. Fallout 3 does not, Question here is? If your fallout 3 game from steam? if so, it should run too, But...IF not !, retail and steam are not compatible out of the box.

summer sale huh....... History follows.

Retail utilizes GFWL. "Games For Windows Live", as it was designed from x-box series in the core of the game. GFWL does not use the same direct-x data as retail or , in your case, the servers updated data verses the retail game.

Again, if the game is steam? it should run, no problem. that's controlled VIA the steam servers, but you can have still a bug in the main files.

here we are: where is the games "all located" I bet they are all in C:\program-files and folders, (x86) common-files\apps\steam etc....if so. no fo3. not a real good thing to do. Not on Windows 7.

 

If so. many things need to change for fallout 3, NV stays put, fo3 can be programed out, else where and it will operate better and rely one the systems graphics settings instead of steams settings. So, reinstall it, outside the system controlled directory.

kitty.........still puzzled by this.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Purr4me

[geoflo]

Hi, I believe in keeping it simple.

FO3 Steam edition will be a beast if you do not do the right things if installing to win7. Uninstall FO3 completely from your system if you have used the standard install procedure.

Re install using "custom settings" and install to for example, c:\games\.

Now here is something that has worked well for me and has not crashed since. Also install the official 1.5 FO3 patch. What this does is because the game does not function well with win7 and the patch repairs files to work. Then put the Official 1.7 FO3 patch over the top of that. The game runs really well. After you get out of the vault, install all the official DLC's then and only then, say once you get to Springdale or Megaton. After they activate, and you'll know because messages come up on your screen then you can start installing mods, but be careful as to which ones you use. Do one at a time and not like I did and dumped a whole load on. If you have trouble still. You may have to tweak your FO3.ini file in the "users Dir" of My Games/ FO3. But try this first and see what happens.

[M48A5]

There are many posts here and elsewere covering your problems. Here are two of the best post with advice on correcting them.

http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1465357-installing-fallout-3-with-windows-78-and-xp/

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/652876-fallout-3-modding-and-you/

[Mobius22]

Okay, now, stupid question: how do install the game somewhere other than the standard steam folders? It isn't as obvious as I thought it would be.

 

Plus, as for installing patches, shouldn't it be auto-patched (again, through steam) to the latest official patch? This last question is more of curiosity than anything that actually has to be answered here.

[M48A5]

There are instructions on steam on how to move the game out of the steam folder.

 

The only relationship Fallout 3 has with steam is that steam has it available for sale. Fallout 3 is a Game for Windows Live game, therefore steam does not have any patches for Fallout 3.

After downloading and install the game, you still need to go to the Bethesda Softworks website and download and install the 1.7 patch. You will also have to go to the Windows Live website and download the latest Games for Windows Live client. You need this for the game to run, however you do not need to use Games For Windows Live active to run the game. There is a disabler available here in the Nexus. If you use FOSE it will deactivate GFWL and if you use FOMM, there is an option to disable GFWL.

[Mobius22]

So I went to the steam website looking for a how-to on installing games elsewhere, but this is what I got:

 

Q: "I'd like to have Steam install my games on a different location on my hard drive or to a different drive altogether. How can I do this?"

 

A: "Steam installs to the following folder by default:

C:\Program Files\Steam

Files for games installed on Steam are stored in the following folder:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\

During the installation of Steam, you have the option to install Steam to a location other than the default. Since Steam relies on the game files residing in the SteamApps folder, your game files will go to whatever folder you have Steam installed in. The game files must be in the SteamApps folder in order to function."

 

This seems to preclude what you're telling me, so I'm guessing the fact that it is not a steam game means that there is a workaround.

 

Would it possibly work to get the game to work in the steam folder? It's starting to look like my other option is to simply copy and paste the entire game, which my gut tells me will not work.

 

Also, I do think I will be using FOSE simply because so many mods use it.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Mobius22

[M48A5]

I think you are overlooking or don't understand this sentence: "During the installation of Steam, you have the option to install Steam to a location other than the default."

What this means is you can choose the location on your hard drive for installing Steam. Once Steam is installed in a location other than "Program Files" (many people use C:\Games) that is where your games that are download from Steam will be installed.

Edited July 26, 2013 by M48A5

[Mobius22]

Alright, now that I've gone back and done everything I should've done in the first place (and some things I shouldn't have; like accidentally cancel the move operation for my entire Steam library and ultimately having to just delete it and start over - exactly what I had feared) the vanilla game runs very well. So I'm going to go ahead and say problem solved. Thanks a ton for the help.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Mobius22