Blackout error when playing Fallout

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Dresnar

It Wandered In From the Wastes
Hey there, I'm new here! I just decided to join today since i'm a huge Fallout fan since I bought it a few years ago. Anyhow my problem is Fallout 1 won't run right on my computer. I've checked the other disscussions and followed the installation for Fallout on XP. The game runs but the screen turns black and only bits on the screen that are moving on the curson scrolls over are visible, then it fades into black again.

I'm not sure what is wrong, but its been awhile since I played Fallout on my old ME pc( I just beat the 2nd one and so I wanted to try the first again). I only changed the compatibility for windows 95 and still no luck. Any help would be much appriciated, thanks! :) - Dresnar
 
Is it any different from the stuff in this and this thread? You tried disabling your hardware acceleration already?
 
Sorry! :S

I'm sorry about that, ok here are my system specs:

Pentium 4
ATI Radeon 9800 Graphics Card
512 RAM
Sound Blaster Live!
Windows XP

and my Fallout is a 1.1 version.

I tried reducing the hardware acceleration but that wasn't any help. I know its not the cd however as I played it on my old windows ME pc with less than average system specs. But it seems from the posts that if you have this problem its pretty much unsolveable lol. Sorry for the trouble tho, don't dip me in the vats please :P.
 
I would try turning off backround programs, worked for some other guy. And there is also a way to get out of the black screen... just hit "c" or go into your character screen and return back to your game

Thats what i do because no matter what i do, i still get it every 4hrs or so
 
Ok thanks, I haven't tried turning off external programs yet but I'll try it quick and see. Good idea! :)
 
I believe now, having isolated that it wasn't the DirectX refresh conflict problem (;)), that the problem may lie in the focus of the game.

I can't say for certain, but TweakUI might help. It is one of the Windows power tools that you can download from Microsoft's site that will allow you to fine-tune some aspects of Windows XP. In TweakUI, under General->Focus, check "Prevent applications from stealing focus." I have found that this may help with some refresh problems with programs that are used to being run exclusively. It is a good thing to do so anyways, as it will prevent programs like AIM from bumping you out of a game.

With this, also set the priority of the game to the highest possible in the Task Manager.
 
Ugh..I tried both the TweakUI and set it to "Prevent applications from stealing focus" as well as setting the Fallout game at high priority in the tax manager but still the same problem. I'm not sure if theres gonna be anything that can change this blackout stuff..Your help is much appriciated tho guys! :)
 
Torgulf said:
Hi. Smile

I had the same problem until recently (using Win XP Home SP1), when I figured out that it could be activities/animated stuff on the desktop causing it. Idea I realize that it may sound stupid, but hear me out.

First I tried to play it with DC running in the background, which made that ZoneAlarm tray icon blink like crazy (and I got about one blackout every two seconds). So I closed down everything and restarted, with nothing running; not a single blackout.

Later on, I forgot MSN on while I was playing it, and it mysteriously blacked out two times. Upon closing it I noticed that two received messages had popped up. Ze pattern. Idea

So my suggestion is: close down everything before you play it and run it in windows 95 compability mode in 640x480, 256 colors (I haven't changed anything else, except for installing the patch). That's what I do and it works fine for me. Don't mind me Hope that helps. Smile
Click to expand...
 
Try changing your windows theme to classic instead of xp. This solves some problems on some games.
 
Ok, good idea I'll try that, thanks!

Edit: I tried that and still the same. I'm not sure if anything will cure it, it's just weird how it works on some windows XPs and not others.
 
Any other advice? I'm not sure if there is really anything else I can do to get it to work. I downloaded a DOS emulator to play it in DOS but there weren't any instructions so I doubt I will get that to work. I also tried using the run feature in the startup menu but it also had the same problems.
 
you have an ATI Radeon 9800 Graphics Card, right? Well fallout is an 8-bit game, and most ati's all have the same problem with 8-bit games, unless you have the old tnt cards...I think it is possible to manualy set your direct drivers to run 8-bit palettized surfaces (make sure you set your antitailising method 2x2) like I did with my geforce

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/ATI_Tray_Tools/1086738656/1

Get that program and play with your direct3d settings, your problem is video card related, and theres an option on this program that can fix your problem, but I dont know what it is because I dont own an ati, nor have I used this program before (i use rivatuner, its for nvidia's)

I would play around with the antiliasing and texture modes (make sure 8-bit is enabled!)

Thats all i can help you with...
 
Ugh..I downloaded that and tried it on both 8 bpp and 16 bpp with multiple refresh rates and no change. I think it has something to do with the video card as well as some people have no problem with running Fallout on their computer, Fallout 2 runs fine on my computer however.
 
Would you please stop double-posting, it's annoying and serves no purpose if the time difference between two posts is half an hour.

Also, you may want to do a DOS-install, and then use DOSBOX to play it.
 
Dresnar said:
Ugh..I downloaded that and tried it on both 8 bpp and 16 bpp with multiple refresh rates and no change. I think it has something to do with the video card as well as some people have no problem with running Fallout on their computer, Fallout 2 runs fine on my computer however.
Click to expand...

I have never used that program ever before, since i dont have an ati card... but you should also play with the antitailising, other than that your on your own
 
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