Update: New Fallout 3 DLC Broken, Again

[John Funk]

Update: New Fallout 3 DLC Broken, Again

Reports have flooded the inter-tubes from irritated PC gamers who are unable to install the latest Fallout 3 DLC, Broken Steel.

Broken Steel? More like, Broken DLC, ha!

...right, sorry. Anyway, it seems like Bethesda really can't catch a break with Fallout 3's DLC. First, PC gamers reported that installing Operation Anchorage was "three times [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89115-Installing-Fallout-3-DLC-Is-Like-Giving-Birth] before it all went smoothly.

This time around, it seems that the pendulum has swung back in the opposite direction, with PC fans feeling the sting: After downloading the files, the installation stops and displays an error message: "Not a cryptographic message or the cryptographic message is not formatted correctly. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8009200D)." Now, for those of you who don't speak Computer Error, this is essentially a fancy way of saying "YOU DANG SCREWED SOMETHING UP, SON."

The problem was first reported on the admitted [http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=986322&st=0&p=14264590&#entry14264590], "Note I am even getting the same issue :" in response to player concerns.

It might not be all Bethesda's fault, though, to be fair. The PC updates are delivered through Microsoft's Games for Windows Live program, and that's hardly error-free. Even so, it feels like they really ought to test these things more thoroughly next time. Once is a simple mistake, twice is a bit less understandable - three times? It's almost comical at this point.

Update: Yep, it's a Games for Windows Live problem. Bethesda's Pete Hines told Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5240794/pc-broken-steel-error-is-a-games-for-windows-live-problem]: "We're seeing the same error folks have reported, which is a Games for Windows Live DRM install error. Microsoft is working on fixing it, and we'll let everyone know once we've verified it." Unfortunately, it seems that 360 owners are having their own issues, with some reportedly unable to activate Project Purity. D'oh.

(Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/fallout-3-broken-steel-dlc-is-yes-broken-on-pc/])

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[Onyx Oblivion]

Well, this sucks. They'll fix it quickly though.

 

[Clemenstation]

Apparently there's some kind of problem with the 360 achievements as well, although speculation has it that the issue is on Microsoft's end, not Bethesda's.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Apparently there's some kind of problem with the 360 achievements as well, although speculation has it that the issue is on Microsoft's end, not Bethesda's.

Yeah. No achievements for it. My list wasn't updated this morning. I didn't get any of the content, but I still have the achievements viewable in my list, even without the ability to get them. But no new achievements today.

 

[ShadowKirby]

Apparently there's some kind of problem with the 360 achievements as well, although speculation has it that the issue is on Microsoft's end, not Bethesda's.

Weeeeellll since I don't care for achievements, I guess I'll get it now.

 

[GoldenShadow]

Damnit, I was off of work today and looking forward to playing this.

 

[Fruitloops89]

Hmmm, kinda glad I didn't upgrade to the PC version until after all the expansions were out. Gotta let them get the kinks out first.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Did no one actually see this coming? LOL. I knew it was going to be fubared from the get go. Gonna wait a couple weeks to purchase them all myself. Damned MS and Bethesda! Get your shit together. It's happened every time now.

Yep. It's like they only test the final build for one system or the other.

 

[milomalo]

well all i have to say...

KARMA!!

this is what you get if you neglect some console over other...

i want DLC on my ps3...

 

[Ophiuchus]

I was just on the Marketplace getting this week's Rock Band DLC when I realised I'd left myself short of points to get Broken Steel... but then I remembered the mess of the last two and figured it might be a good idea to check up on here to see if this had gone the same way.

Cheers for confirming my cynicism. God knows I love Bethesda more than any other developer (except maybe Harmonix) but this is all a bit daft. I'll give it a few days before downloading.

Incidentally, I have the PC version too (thanks to The Escapist/GamersGate for their prize draw) but it's mainly for mods and such so I'm not bothering with the DLC... at least not yet.

 

[JakubK666]

And for every company like Valve and Blizzard who take ages but make well polished games, we get a Bethesda that despite taking just as long to create stuff, makes products that could as well stay another year or two in the Q&A deparment.

 

[Somethingfake]

Microsofts GFWL again? Jeez, why don't they just give up?

 

[cobrausn]

Ah, DRM ensuring neither pirates nor paying customers get to play the game. Genius.

 

[Cousin_IT]

all these cock ups with the DLC just reassures me that waiting till either they release them all on a CD or just plain ignoring them is the right way to go for me.

 

[sheic99]

Ah, DRM ensuring neither pirates nor paying customers get to play the game. Genius.

I'm pretty sure the pirates are the only ones who are playing it right now.

 

[Captain Urahara]

*continues waiting for a Fallout 3 GOTY Edition for the 360*

 

[GonzoGamer]

well all i have to say...

KARMA!!

this is what you get if you neglect some console over other...

i want DLC on my ps3...

This being the only piece of exclusive dlc I would've been interested in(across all games), I can't say I feel too sorry either; or surprised. Hopefully MS will find that paying for exclusive dlc isn't worth it in the long run and they'll start spending that money on something that will really benefit their customers: like a machine that doesn't self destruct.

Then again if this pack is as shallow as a lot of the other exclusive dlc out there (fallout, gta), you shouldn't feel too left out; it's only been a bunch of crap so far. This looks like it might be different: when they finally get it working.

 

[cainx10a]

Microsofts GFWL again? Jeez, why don't they just give up?

I can't play DoW2 / GTA 4, or any games that has GFWL support, online. It just won't let me connect, I don't understand WHY we need this 3rd party piece of poop to ruin the game for some.