I got Fallout and Fallout 2, and Fallout 2 has worked fine for me. However, when I try to play the original game, the screen is constantly going black with my mouse revealing the map levels. The game mechanics still seem to function normally, it's just sort of annoying to need to sweep over the screen to know what I'm doing. Anyong know how I can fix this?

This is always the first question I ask anybody who's having these type of issues: Are you running the game in compatibility mode?

This is usually the second question I'm then required to answer: What is that?/How do I do that?

Answer: right click on the .exe file, go to "properties" and then a small window pops up. Click on the "compatibility" tab look for the little check-box under "compatibility mode" and choose Windows 98/ME from the drop down menu.

hehe. Sorry I probably should have realized that. Thanks

Hope it works, it's solved most of my issues over the years.

eh... actually it didn't seem to work (I think it was already running in compatability mode for 98, so I switched it to 95 and the problem persisted).

Next question: Which install did you do? The largest one? Did you patch the game? If so which patch?


Anyway, What I'd try next if I were you (I know I had this same problem and solved it somehow):

1) Can you go into your GPU control panel and do any tweaking?

2) Can you try switching from Dual Core to single for the game?

Also, give this a shot:

Originally Posted by Azurial @ GameBanshee:

"Right click your desktop, and select properties. From that click on Settings, select 16bit as the color quality. Change the resolution to 800x600 - not everyone will need to change the resolution. Apply the changes and exit out of the program.

Right click the Fallout icon, and select properties. Click on the Compatibility tab, and check the Compatibility mode box. Under the section where it says Display settings check the "Run in 256 colors" and "Run in 640 x 480 screen resolution" boxes. Next click Apply then Ok to apply the changes, and exit out of the program.

Next click start, and the click run. Type in msconfig and hit enter. At the top there are several tabs. Click the right-most one marked "Startup". There is a buttom marked "Disable All" located on the bottom-right just above the button marked "Help". Click on "Disable All" then "Apply" and "Ok". You will need to restart your computer."

(did this help?)

That black screen issue is unfixable, I think. Easy way to work around is to hit C to get to the char screen and then exit and all will be as it should. Irritating as hell, that black screen.

Are you using the widescreen patch?

I was wondering the same thing. I'm not sure if it was that patch or another patch but that blackscreen issue has been completely resolved for me for some time, and on the same computer I experienced it about a year ago.

I still get that bug on occasion with both Fallout 1 and 2, whether or not I'm running it in compatibility mode (and also the messed-up colors bug.)

The easiest solution I've found (apart from going to another screen, like the PIPBoy and Character Sheet, etc) is to alt-tab out of the game to the desktop, and then back into the game. That usually clears up any graphics problems I've come across in the games.

There is a program you can use to constantly refresh your screen, you don't notice it in game and it stops the screen from going black all the time. Gimme a minute while I try and find it.

EDIT:

Here is the program you use to fix it:

http://translate.google.ru/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.labo-asso.com%2Fphp%2Foutils%2Ffallout.php&sl=fr&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Just have it running in the background before you play the game.

And here is a thread where I encountered the same problem and was told what to do: (just in case you need instructions)

http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48737

Hope that helps.

The easiest and quickest way to circumvent this, is to just bring up the character sheet, back to the game the "fog of war" bug thing will be gone.
But probably the best course of action is to go to NMA and download the latest patches (there are also some fan made ones and the incredibly awesome "restoration project" for FO2 which imo is a must).