Widescreen Gaming Forum

I found what I think was the major and/or last instability issue with my playing FO3:

Video card's memory, I own 2 BFG 8000GTX OC2 editions and they're set to 1000mhz/stick vs the 900mhz for a stock version of the cards. Once I'd set them to 950mhz the game hasn't crashed since. I could then even push the graphics settings much higher now that its been identified. To confirm this I fired up Oblivion and its now as well entirely stable with insane max settings.

My newly established environment: Max detail, 2xAA/16xAF @ 3840x1024 maintains 60FPS normal(v'synced), 50 in Vats and 45 under extreme duress.

Hardware in the sig.

My newly established environment: Max detail, 2xAA/16xAF @ 3840x1024 maintains 60FPS normal(v'synced), 50 in Vats and 45 under extreme duress.

Are you sure you set 16xAF, because I can only see 15 as max in the launcher? Or did you set it directly in the config file or nHancer?

But maybe, because I only have a 8800 GTS.

Wondering if anyone else has the following issue:

The game runs fine for me but for some weird reason when i talk to certain characters (Not all), the game lags to a crawl, around 3 fps, until the conversation finishes, at which point the game returns to its full speed, around 50 fps...

Any idea, anyone else has this problem???

Are you sure you set 16xAF, because I can only see 15 as max in the launcher? Or did you set it directly in the config file or nHancer?

But maybe, because I only have a 8800 GTS.

Nah my apologies it is '15' in the settings of the game as well for me.

I was going to attempt to make a surround-friendly font, but apparently the most recent version of "BSA Commander" (nifty program for packing and unpacking Oblivion data files) is unable to read the .bsa files used in fallout 3 :(

@CY:G - I believe you are a fellow SoftTH user, and I have been playing Fallout 3 with no problems including conversations. Only thing I can guess is perhaps AA is kicking in during converstations? SoftTH and AA don't get along. I am using nVidia 1.78.13 drivers.

Also different from others, I am running 3840x1050 with fDefaultFOV=135.0000, and so far have had no issues with unable to click red button, fonts, fuzziness, etc.

My only complaint with the game is you can re-assign keys for PipBoy, but have to still hit TAB to exit PipBoy, what up with that? Same for "enemy targeting", you have to hit "E" to exit that mode...

Since I assign keys to numpad (numpad 5 and numpad 7 respectively), it is a pain to reach across to TAB and "E" all the time...

Played quite a few hours, even took out a super brute and got his mini-gun (used flamethrower and couple of grenades) but wow, this game is slow paced and will take forever...kinda like Oblivion I guess (but better, I played Oblivion for like 30 minutes and uninstalled it, waaaaayyyy too slow paced for me, Fallout 3 is tolerable so far, but not sure how long I can devote time to it, I am more a fast paced gamer like Dead Space)...

I found a BSA unpacker for Fallout 3.

Requires me to install ~100mb of java runtime before I can execute its 70k ass tho...

For those trying the windowed mode, which seems more stable but less framerates, you can use MaximizedWindow so no top bar visible.
Arguments e.g. 10 3840 1024

Also Interface Mod - Revelation is nice, but has a problem with the Repair Service offset. I already contacted the author if he can solve this.
Don't forget to edit your Fallout.ini for this mod.
EDIT: Here is the fix from the author

For those trying the windowed mode, which seems more stable but less framerates, you can use MaximizedWindow so no top bar visible.
Arguments e.g. 10 3840 1024

Also Interface Mod - Revelation is nice, but has a problem with the Repair Service offset. I already contacted the author if he can solve this.
Don't forget to edit your Fallout.ini for this mod.
EDIT: Here is the fix from the author

Wow! Thanks for the window mode link. I was looking how to do this and couldn't figure out how.

Hey, can you please tell me where the repair service offset xml is to go?
Cheers

Hey, can you please tell me where the repair service offset xml is to go?
Cheers

Extrct the archieve of the mod and look thru all folders overwriting the file with the same name.

In case it helps anyone else out, played around with the below settings and am now happy with the following with SoftTH at 4320x900. This gives me the HUD and most menus on the center screen, PipBoy large enough to easily read, and Terminals reduced enough to be able to click on the Power button.

Thanks to all the above that provided the locations and values to tweak.

I didn't think I would play this game that much, but last few days been playing alot, so probably will finish the game after all. Its not as exciting as Dead Space, but it does have some cool weapons, mini-nukes are my new favorite weapon!


%USERPROFILE%My DocumentsMy GamesFallout3

FALLOUT.INI
===========

fDefaultFOV=130.0000

fPipboy1stPersonFOV=55
fDefault1stPersonFOV=55.0000

iSafeZoneXWide=770
iSafeZoneYWide=15
iSafeZoneX=770
iSafeZoneY=15

fRenderedTerminalFOV=0.15

fRenderedTerminalZoom=55


FalloutPrefs.ini
================

iSize W=4320
iSize H=900

NOTE: Edit to match your resolution

I didn't think I would play this game that much, but last few days been playing alot, so probably will finish the game after all. Its not as exciting as Dead Space, but it does have some cool weapons, mini-nukes are my new favorite weapon!

You're nuts, not as exciting as Dead Space? That game is about exciting as knocking on wood. I got up to the first boss before I realized the rest of the game is just going to be the same walk down the corridor and shoot the zombies in the limbs (cause you know, apparently shooting off their head isnt enough).

Yeah I am enjoying Dead Space but it is starting to get a tad repetitive! I'll be onto FC2 when I am back from Oz,.......or FO3 argh chices choices and by then L4D will be out as well :)

Yeah I am enjoying Dead Space but it is starting to get a tad repetitive! I'll be onto FC2 when I am back from Oz,.......or FO3 argh chices choices and by then L4D will be out as well :)

You can put FC2 on the back-burner with no real loss...get on to FO3 :)

[quote]Yeah I am enjoying Dead Space but it is starting to get a tad repetitive! I'll be onto FC2 when I am back from Oz,.......or FO3 argh chices choices and by then L4D will be out as well :)

You can put FC2 on the back-burner with no real loss...get on to FO3 :)

Gotta agree on FC2. At first I was pretty hot on it... but it has gotten quite repetitive. Eurogamer had an interesting point on that in their review. He mentioned once he started approaching encounters differently (i.e. using the terrain/fire/explosives) to kill people in unexpected ways, the game got much more fun.

There is some truth to that... but still... not yet sure on a final verdict.

I starting FO3 last night and might stay with it a bit....

Ok... I *think* I may have come across the answer to our font problems.

I found a program called Oblivion Font Generator which allows you to take standard TrueType fonts in Windows and export them as FallOut3 font files.

As an experiment, I created a font for use with the computer terminals and was able to hack without a problem.

Here are my results:



This font is an exported Franklin Gothic Medium at 20 point. I have not yet had a chance to see if it overflows on a terminal that has long story narration as I just left the Vault. :)

If you want to try it, here is a link to the font I used:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?md4uzmmkjim

Extract the two files into your main Fallout3 folder (you'll have to create texturesfonts under the Data directory):

c:Program FilesFallout3Datatexturesfonts

Then, in your Fallout.ini file, change:

bInvalidateOlderFiles=0 to:

bInvalidateOlderFiles=1

and change the font line to:

sFontFile_5=TexturesFontsFranklinMedium_20.fnt

The terminal font is now switched to the new one.

Here is the program to export new fonts:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?gzcenl4mmqz

Make sure you set the Version dropdown box to Ascent Metric.

Remember.... you can't edit FO3 fonts with this program.... but you can CREATE new ones from whatever fonts are on your computer.

Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

Wazoo

[quote]
I didn't think I would play this game that much, but last few days been playing alot, so probably will finish the game after all. Its not as exciting as Dead Space, but it does have some cool weapons, mini-nukes are my new favorite weapon!

You're nuts, not as exciting as Dead Space? That game is about exciting as knocking on wood. I got up to the first boss before I realized the rest of the game is just going to be the same walk down the corridor and shoot the zombies in the limbs (cause you know, apparently shooting off their head isnt enough).

I have played enough of both games to find things I like about both. I have yet to jump back in my seat furiously pawing at the keyboard in vain as a creature impales my now limp form and then rends me in half in Fallout 3 like happened many a time in Dead Space.

I can guarantee that I will play thru Dead Space again from scratch trying different weapons next time. I highly doubt I will play Fallout 3 again, too many long sequences of trying to figure out where to go next, too much time shuffling inventory, searching boxes, and repairing weapons.

I also like how in Dead Space the game continues on when you are in inventory, unlike the unrealistic pause of PipBoy and the VATS combat.

Gamespot gave both games a 9.0, both games are worth playing.
http://www.gamespot.com/reviews.html?type=reviews&platform=5

Of course all of the above is: in my humble opinion.

I have played enough of both games to find things I like about both. I have yet to jump back in my seat furiously pawing at the keyboard in vain as a creature impales my now limp form and then rends me in half in Fallout 3 like happened many a time in Dead Space.

I can guarantee that I will play thru Dead Space again from scratch trying different weapons next time. I highly doubt I will play Fallout 3 again, too many long sequences of trying to figure out where to go next, too much time shuffling inventory, searching boxes, and repairing weapons.

I also like how in Dead Space the game continues on when you are in inventory, unlike the unrealistic pause of PipBoy and the VATS combat.

Gamespot gave both games a 9.0, both games are worth playing.
http://www.gamespot.com/reviews.html?type=reviews&platform=5

Of course all of the above is: in my humble opinion.

The reason Fallout 3 pauses during VATS is more of an homage to the original games than anything, and the PipBoy thing just makes sense.

With more weapons than you can actively assign hotkeys to, aid systems, radiation, and the massive scale of the PipBoy in general, it makes no sense to keep the game running while you're fumbling with the interface, especially since the in-game time actually affects what you can do.

[quote]I have played enough of both games to find things I like about both. I have yet to jump back in my seat furiously pawing at the keyboard in vain as a creature impales my now limp form and then rends me in half in Fallout 3 like happened many a time in Dead Space.

I can guarantee that I will play thru Dead Space again from scratch trying different weapons next time. I highly doubt I will play Fallout 3 again, too many long sequences of trying to figure out where to go next, too much time shuffling inventory, searching boxes, and repairing weapons.

I also like how in Dead Space the game continues on when you are in inventory, unlike the unrealistic pause of PipBoy and the VATS combat.

Gamespot gave both games a 9.0, both games are worth playing.
http://www.gamespot.com/reviews.html?type=reviews&platform=5

Of course all of the above is: in my humble opinion.

The reason Fallout 3 pauses during VATS is more of an homage to the original games than anything, and the PipBoy thing just makes sense.

With more weapons than you can actively assign hotkeys to, aid systems, radiation, and the massive scale of the PipBoy in general, it makes no sense to keep the game running while you're fumbling with the interface, especially since the in-game time actually affects what you can do.

Hmm, you know, I think they game would be much more intense and fun if action continued during PipBoy, would prevent switching weapons and using Aid in the middle of a fight. VATS needs to pause but it does break the action, though the different view animations of the VATS combat never gets old, Ghoul skull corner pocket!