# Fallout 3 graphics problem **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 21, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440 "2012-10-21T18:46:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/1 "2012-10-21T18:46:09Z")
My friend is playing Fallout 3 & is having graphics problems- She’s on a PC operating Windows XP, I believe. This is the problem in her words- Find out why Fallout 3 graphics suck. For some reason the Quantum Nuka Cola doesn’t glow anymore, the water doesn’t look like water. Is this a settings problem? Is there a fix? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/2 "2012-10-22T02:09:13Z")
Get a better graphics card? ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/3 "2012-10-22T02:15:30Z")
If it’s a somewhat newer graphics card, you may need to set all the graphics settings manually, since the autodetect won’t recognize the card and will err on the side of setting everything super low. I haven’t played FO3 on a newer machine, but that’s what I had to do to get Oblivion looking decent. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/4 "2012-10-22T11:01:26Z")
First thing to try when having graphics issues: Make sure she’s running the latest drivers form Nvidia/AMD depending on the type of GPU she has. Then make sure her graphics setting sin-game haven’t been reset/have changed for some reason. Stopping by the support forums for the game would be my next stop to make sure it isn’t some known issue a lot of people are having problems with. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/5 "2012-10-22T16:19:49Z")
She let me know that she got it fixed, but didn’t say how. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/6 "2012-10-22T17:10:25Z")
For some reason I remembered this entry from Nukapedia: > **[Nuka-Cola Quantum (Fallout 3)](https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Nuka-Cola_Quantum_(Fallout_3))** > > Nuka-Cola Quantum is a consumable item in Fallout 3. Nuka-Cola Quantum was created in October 2076 by the Beverageer Division at Nuka-World. It was a byproduct of Project Cobalt, which began in 2076 when the Nuka-Cola Corporation engaged in weapons... > [@](#): > > For PC players running either on lower-end computers or those who have turned down effects due to FO3 crashing, the rendering of the blue glow of Nuka-Cola Quantum is not clear unless HDR is on. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/7 "2012-10-22T21:34:51Z")
Fallout 3 came out in 2008. That’s a long time gaming-wise. Maybe all the strontium decayed? IANANP. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fallout-3-graphics-problem/638440/8 "2012-10-24T21:14:06Z")
Probably sympathetic glitching so she’ll feel the pain of PS3 players who get a suuuuper shitty port of every Bethesda game.