First, sorry if this should be in PC Hardware/Software (that forum seemed more "official game only"?)


I'm playing a somewhat modded game. FO3 v1.7, Win XP SP3, low end graphics card. (1680x1050, low settings, etc)

load order:



My problem is..... Every time I approach Arlington Library (haven't been there yet, can't fast travel), I get a CTD. Distance is.... about when I'm at the highway barrier, approaching the library from the Arlington Arms. Only thing I can think of is that it's trying to load something when I get in range, and failing.

(In case it was a random spawn issue, I waited a bunch of days before trying again. New npc spawn outside Arlington Arms, but still had the crash when approaching the Library.)

The only other repeatable error I've had in the game so far was similar - trying to get the satellite dish from the Museum of Technology. Approaching that part of the museum, I'd get a CTD (down the hall from the bottom of the rocket room, down the hall from the planetarium, etc - crash every time I got near the next room.) The odd part is, I was able to get the dish - by going noclip and approaching through the floor.

(Haven't tried that yet with the Library, not sure why. Probably because it's open world, and not an interior map? Which probably makes no difference.)

Could this be a mod issue? Never had anything like this happen on previous installs, but those were earlier versions of FO3 and other mod sets. FOOK, WMK, and Groovatron are all new for me.

Thanks.

You could try disabling all mods (backup the save), letting the cells respawn to be sure and then try to get there.
It could be a mod-related problem.

However it is not necessarily caused by a mod.
I had the same problem once in one game happening at Jefferson memorial.
Only way to continue the main quest was teleporting into the memorial.

I read that it happens occasionally that a cell gets corrupted during playing, which is what causes the crashes.
Allegedly there is not much you can do about it once it has happened.

Thanks.

Guess I'll try both ways, disabling all mods or approaching from below. See if either helps.

LOADF ORDER TIPS

[X] Fallout3.esm
[X] BrokenSteel.esm
[X] Lings.esm
[X] CALIBR.esm
[X] FOOK2 - Main.esm
[X] FOOK2 - [[censored]] World And Neighbourhood Kit.esm
[ ] FOOK2 - [DIK] DLC Improvement Kit.esm
[X] LingsFinerThings.esm
[X] Megaton House Expansion Basic.esp
[X] FOOK2 - Main.esp
[ ] FOOK2 - [DIK] DLC Improvement Kit.esp
[X] FOOK2 - [EVE] Energy Visuals Enhanced.esp
[ ] FOOK2 - Mothership Zeta.esp
[X] WeaponModKits.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - BrokenSteel.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - FOOK.esp
[X] LingsFinerThings.esp
[X] Wasteland_Seductress.esp
[X] Persona_and_Secret.esp
[X] Dark_Temptress.esp
[X] ClearSkies_v2.esp
[X] The Groovatron.esp
[ ] MyFOOK2 - No [censored] Victims.esp
[ ] MyFOOK2 - Black & White Tranquility Lane.esp
[ ] Merge1.esp
[X] Merge2.esp

Not sure what merge2.esp is....Is that a patch you made yourself?

if so I would recommend getting http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11336 and use the bashed patch method. It has proven to be the most stable merging method for my own use.

I also can not see why any of these would cause a problem. You may have a corrupt cell.

Good luck on finding your problem. I do highly recommend you make that changes I have made to your load order.

Thanks for the tips.

Merge2.esp is a merged patch made with FO3Edit, as suggested/required by the instructions for Weapon Mod Kits. It said to do it, I did it.
(merge1 is just an eariler version.... WMK says you need to update your merged patch anytime you make any changes to your mod set.)

------
Both approaching from below, and trying without any mods (just Fallout.esm and BS.esm), didn't work. Also tried approaching from the north - got a CTD about halfway down the side of the Citadel, so it looks like there's an issue with the Library/Citadel cell. And it's not a mod issue. So, any further questions, I'll do in Hardware/Software.

Thanks again.