I decided to buy a game, rather than the usual alternative.Went to Best Buy, laid down my money for Fallout New Vegas (pc) and took it home.

Then the shite started Take 5 minutes and try to imagine yourself doing the same...

PART 1

1.Insert DVD, it prompts me for the key registration code in the box.I enter that.
2.Computer tells me that Steam software/server will install, rather than the game.
3.Steam installs, tells me that I should create an account.I make up a name and password, Steam then tells me I already have an account
4.Steams tells me my account name and then asks for password.I can't recall either so ask for them to send password to my email.
5.Email says - paste this code and answer 'secret question about favorite pet' to change existing password, rather than just give me old password
6.If I can't recall account name, password...chances are the secret question answer is not happening either.It will not let me create a new account no matter what I try.
7.Finally, I luck out on the secret pet's name (fuckyou) and Steam installs it's little program.


PART 2


1.Steam then starts downloading the game files from it's server Keep in mind I have BOUGHT THE DVD with the game install files on it.
2.Steam on Friday night at 6pm is very busy.I get about 23 kbs and the download cuts off a handful of times saying - Steam is busy or Steam can't complete the download at this time.
3.I get really angry and shut down Steam, explore the DVD on my computer and find the setup.exe for the damn game.
4.The game installs within 12 minutes from the DVD (about 7 gigs worth) on my awesome computer, as compared to 60 minutes using online Steam to get about 20% of the game files.
5.Steam updates the game..apparently.I have no idea because it doesn't tell me the patch versions or what further files have been installed
6.I find that as a pc user, I MUST run Steam each time I play the game, it will not start unless Steam is first initialized.Keep in mind that I'm playing the single player campaign, no online tournaments or venues.



PART 3


1.Fallout New Vegas is an awesome game.Like Oblivion and Fallout 3, the world is immense and there's lots to do with inventory and choices regarding factions etc.
2.THEN...after about 10 hours of playing, the game won't start.It freezes on the load screen every time.I check the task manager and sure enough 'falloutnv launcher' is not responding.
3.So I restart and restart and restart...and then I get back to my current save.This happens each time I play.I go to load my save and the launcher crashes every 5 out of 10 tries.
4.So then I go online and type "fallout new vegas launcher" .....and only get that far before I see about 8 million Google results telling me that other users are having the same problem.
5.I'm a savvy pc gamer so I try about 5 different things to bypass the launcher and or Steam.I get a good result for about about 3 days then it's back to the frozen load screen.


MORAL - After reading for hours about the problem, I understand that it's the Steam portion of the game screwing things up.It's a Catch 22 though...you need to run Steam as the game will not run alone and Steam is causing the game launcher failure.

Go ahead..take 10 seconds and Google this "falloutnv launcher not working"

I feel sorry for people who can't be online for whatever reason.They'll buy the same DVD, go home, try to install it and find that a net connection is necessary to both install and play the game, each and every time.

:

next game will be pirated..at least then I know the illegal copy will bloody well start