Your opinion/experience or expertise is wanted

[prensa]

Bazerk83 - Hello!

 

The unofficial fallout 3 patch is very, very stable.

 

The one thing that got it a bad name was a bug in the Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp.

 

That causes CTD's on any saves near Rivet City & Project Purity.

 

There's a really simple fix for that using FO3Edit posted here:

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?showtopic=401813

 

The UF3P fixes a vast amount of minor & large issues that the official patches don't even go near.

 

There's texture fixes, mesh fixes, dialogue fixes. Check out the detailed log & you'll be astounded. :)

 

As long as the UF3P's plugins are loaded high, as close to Fallout 3.esm & the DLC's as possible, the worst that mods loaded after will do is overwrite some of it's fixes.

 

Fallout 3 stutter remover, there's a bug with the Fallout 3 that on some set ups can cause a strange skipping of frames effect. Like a film jumping several frames. Quite jarring.

 

It never happened on my old dual core but was very noticable on my newer quad core so I tried Fallout Stutter remover & it solved the problem. Smoothed the game out nicely (I use the FSR_4-0-7 version).

 

So only use it if you have that skipping frame effect. That's not to be confused with simple lagging in high detail areas.

 

If you don't have that problem then don't bother. :)

 

FOSE - Some mods use this (Stutter Remover needs it for a start), the extended scripts it refers to are extra commands made available to mod makers to achieve new effects in game.

 

Really comes down to whether or not you want to use mods that require it. On it's own it won't do anything at all.

 

The only real negative about it is on lower powered machines you may notice a tiny lag. Some do some don't. I did on my old dual core but do not on the new quad & so I use it now.

 

Creative Alchemy - Basically Microsoft changed how sound is handled on Vista & Win7 meaning many sound cards need a "bridge" to play sounds as intended in some games. Alchemy helps Creative cards handle this. I find that Alchemy improves my sound on Fallout 3 & aslo, along with a changed setting in my AC3 Filter, stopped Radio stuttering.

 

Alchemy is not without it's minor side effects though so I'd say if you're happy with the sound you have & are experiencing no issues then dont use it.

 

If it aint broke don't try & fix it. :)

 

ffdshow - Many video/audio programs install this as a side dish. If you have no sound issues or video playback issue, don't worry about it.

 

If you do have it, you need to make sure Fallout 3 is in it's exception list.

 

Go to the Start menu - All programs & locate ffdShow folder.

 

Within that open "ffdShow Audio decoder configuration" & a window will open.

 

Within that left click on Directshow control.

 

Tick the box "Don't use ffdshow in:" then click on the Edit box to it's right.

 

In the window that comes up, if Fallout3.exe is not listed, click on the Add button & navigate to the folder where your Fallout3.exe is located & select it. Click OK at the bottom.

 

Click Apply on the main ffdShow just to be sure then Ok to close that.

 

Repeat the above for "ffdShow Video decoder configuration" that can be found in that same place.

 

You say you've got CTD troubles, you've probably heard about the multi core bug & fix but I'll mention it just in case. :)

 

Fallout 3 has trouble with multi core computers, mainly with ones that have more than two cores & use hyperthreading.

 

If you have a multicore & you freeze before CTD's it may be that.

 

There's a fix, you need to edit the Fallout 3 .ini file, NOT the Fallout_default.ini in your Bethesda Softworks\Fallout 3 folder.

 

The one you want to change is:

 

For XP:

 

My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\

 

For Vista & Win7:

 

Documents\My Games\Fallout3

 

The file you want will be called:

 

FALLOUT.ini

 

Open the .ini with Notepad & change this line:

 

bUseThreadedAI=0

 

to:

 

bUseThreadedAI=1

 

& insert this line under it:

 

iNumHWThreads=2

 

Save & close your ini.

 

All I'd add to that is if you're using MMM (Great mod) don't go to high with your spawn setting.

 

Set too high for your computer to handle & you'll get CTD's.

 

Lower setting will still produce big battles. :)

 

I favour 1 - 2 slightly Increased myself.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Prensa

Edited March 29, 2012 by prensa

[Bazerk83]

Presna

 

Firstly, thank you so much for your in depth reply I really appreciate it.

 

All of the things you've mentioned are things that I have done and I'm STILL having CTD's after an hour or less. I only have a couple of mods running right now which are FWE + Darnified and the compatibility patch to work them together. I've done literally everything I can find on the net and I did have UF3P installed on my previous installation and it still CTD'd.

 

I wouldn't mind if I only got one every 3-4 hours or even after 2. It's just so frustrating and I feel like I've practically drained all my options on a solution.

 

I'll put UF3P back on and see what happens.

 

I read a website that describes how shockingly bad the installation of Fallout 3 in regards to what it does and changes on your system. Apparently, it doesn't like SATA drives... which is what I have, the memory leaks seem far too extensive to fix which tells me I'll forever have CTD's no matter what I do and the whole issue with codec makes it seem like I can't have ANY media players on my system and might even have to uninstall every other game I have.

 

Personally I think that's an absolute shambles on Bethesdas part that they could screw this up so badly after making such a great game.

 

 

I dunno.... I can't bring myself to give up but at the same time I've wasted so many of my days off trying to figure this out.

 

:(

[Bazerk83]

Also, I went through the FO3edit tutorial you made and the first part I had no problems changing but on the part where you instruct people to expand the UF3P broken steel.esp,

 

worldspace

Worldspace

000003c Wasteland

00002DB4 Cell

Persistent

 

mine stops at 000003c Wasteland and 00002DB4 Cell does not exist. What should I do?

[Bazerk83]

Lol, interesting development.

 

After installing UF3P + broken steel fix + FO3edit changes I deleted my merged patch, activated UF3P, ran BOSS, created a new merged patch then activated it, ran masterupdate with the remastered esps DEACTIVATED. Ran the game and played for a solid 2 hours and all the places I expected to CTD.... I didn't.

 

 

Funny thing now is, I CTD on exit to main menu or exit to windows. Wasn't occuring yesterday and these are the only big changes I've made since.

 

MasterUpdate did have an error stating the remastered esps need to be loaded before the merged patch but that's incorrect according to the mod creator.

 

 

Thoughts?

[prensa]

Bazerk83 - Hello!

 

"Also, I went through the FO3edit tutorial you made and the first part I had no problems changing but on the part where you instruct people to expand the UF3P broken steel.esp, "

 

That's come up before, it's because there are two versions of that Unofficial Broken Steel patch out there.

 

I posted a fix for that bit on the other version in that thread, I should really add it to the bottom of the main post.

 

Copy & paste this into the FormID window at the top of FO3Edit:

 

0001f1f3

 

& press Enter/Return.

 

That should take you direct to the setting.

 

The column you want to make the changes to will be the "Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp" one.

 

Just follow the instructions from:

 

"Once again it's the Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp column we want to modify. "

 

That will sort it. :)

 

"Funny thing now is, I CTD on exit to main menu or exit to windows. Wasn't occuring yesterday and these are the only big changes I've made since."

 

CTD on exit is pretty common, I get it now & again. Happened on Oblivion & Morrowind too.

 

At least you're not getting CTD's during gameplay, that's the main thing. :)

 

If it happens every single time, it would suggest a mod is responsible.

 

In that case, an untick & check each is the best way to find the culprit.

 

Fallout Stutter Remover has a "clean" exit function built into it, but I don't know if you're using that.

 

If you used that you go to:

 

Fallout 3\Data\fose\plugins

 

Open sr_Fallout_Stutter_Remover.ini in Notepad & change:

 

bFastExit = 0

 

To:

 

bFastExit = 1

 

There's also the console command to quick exit.

 

Open the console in game by pressing the button under Esc & type:

 

qqq

 

Just remember to save beforehand. :)

 

Like I say though, if the crash on exit happens every single time, it is best to track down which mod is behind it.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Prensa

Edited March 30, 2012 by prensa

[Papajack55]

I'm running Win7 and having no problems at all, except one. I have the custom races, can't get past the two weeks part where your supposed to get up off the gurney. I got CREBSOR installed. Last of course, as instructed, and I have to run FOSE for the few mods that require it, other than that, no problems. It used to work no problem.

 

Any help on that one?..

[Bazerk83]

That's come up before, it's because there are two versions of that Unofficial Broken Steel patch out there.

 

I posted a fix for that bit on the other version in that thread, I should really add it to the bottom of the main post.

 

Copy & paste this into the FormID window at the top of FO3Edit:

 

0001f1f3

 

& press Enter/Return.

 

That should take you direct to the setting.

 

The column you want to make the changes to will be the "Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp" one.

 

Just follow the instructions from:

 

"Once again it's the Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp column we want to modify. "

 

That will sort it. :)

 

 

Prensa

 

I tried this and a popup box kept coming up saying "range check error" and when i close it it keeps coming back over and over and the only way I could stop it was to close FO3edit.

 

What would you suggest?

 

P.S. sorry for the late reply I've been ridiculously busy recently!

[arewesailingblind]

Let's see. My system is Windows 7 x64. Other than the random default crash on the intro movie after making a new game-- I don't have stability issues. My version is the steam version of Fallout 3 (and New Vegas as well) and I only run two downloaded mods, the vault 1 mod and a fast travel mod. Mind you, I had to do the "I have also edited the ini file to allow with the bUseThreadedAI=1 & iNumHWThreads=2 (inserted into bottom of general section)." Thing, because it hates multi core systems. Memory is not an issue, Since I have 16GB of RAM installed with a ready boost drive active too-- I don't mind it leaking memory some.

 

I had FOSE installed once while testing out more elaborate mods, but I didn't like having to run FOSE+FOMM all the time. The default launcher is more convenient for me. Merging and using unofficial patches and stuff like you mentioned could cause stability issues I guess? But yeah, I know that the game is bug ridden in areas, esp. the darn geck editor lol. Thankfully the bugs have been staying away from me lately.

Edited April 3, 2012 by arewesailingblind

[Sarissi]

I used to get game freezes in Vault 101 during the initial part of the game, until I learned about FOMM and creating FOMODs from folders, plus using LAA to enable the 1 bit flag in Fallout3.exe (nothing else is needed), Load order importance, and using F03Edit to make a merged patch. I also have the number of threads set to 4, which is half of my 8 thread Core i7. For the most part, my game runs as smooth as the finest silk, except in interior cells (houses) in Arefu and Greyditch (so far), where I get that annoying game stops responding on twitching the mouse, and this is totally random. The occasional game stops responding on the black screen during cell transfer in those two locations, but, not in Marigold Station and tunnels.

 

The only crash I get is at GNR Plaza when the bus explosion effects begin: crash to black screen every time. It took me two days of real time to figure out a workaround: run into the plaza before you hear the behemoth to add the map marker. Fast travel immediately to the Chevy Chase marker. Fast travel back to GNR plaza marker to turn the behemoth into mincemeat.

 

I suspect these problems are due to memory leaks.

 

Intel Core i7 860, 16 GB DDR3, EVGA nVidia GTX460 2GB, WIndows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. No overclocking.

[Bazerk83]

Hmmmm.

 

Sarissi,

 

You've brought up a couple of questions I'm wondering about now.

 

1. Is ANY mod folder able to be turned into a FOMOD? I know how to make fomods but is every mod able to do that? I'm sure though that obviously any mods I've downloaded that only has 1 0r 2 files in it aren't worth fomod'ing right?

 

2. Talking of memory leaks, I have 4GB DDR2 RAM. I'm guessing this isn't nearly enough to stop CTDs caused by memory leak right? This is probably the part of my specs that is weakest.