Getting F.E.A.R. MP Working - Guide

[x0rsw1tch]

Okay, you bought the Steam version of F.E.A.R. and obviously Valve neglected to mention that multiplayer is not working. Here are some simplified steps to get things going...

1. You need the retail version of some of the archives that contain game data. You can do this by extracting the files from the F.E.A.R. Combat 1.08 retail patch (http://www.filefront.com/6050863/F.E.A.R.---v1.07---v1.08-Patch-US/). The actual files you need in the archive are:

FEARL_1.ARCH00
FEARL_2.ARCH00
FEARL_3.ARCH00
FEARL_4.ARCH00
FEARL_5.ARCH00
FEARL_6.ARCH00
FEARL_7.ARCH00
FEARL_8.ARCH00

Or you can install F.E.A.R. Combat (http://pdl.warnerbros.com/projectorigin/fearcombat_en_107.exe) (1.8GB).


To make things easier, I created an archive you can just extract into the folder. You can download them here (http://xntek.com/fear_steam_fix.rar) (3MB).

To access the files, navigate to this folder:

C:\<steam folder>\steamapps\common\fear ultimate shooter edition

If you want, you can backup the original files to another folder at this point.

Just copy/paste the files into this folder.


Now for the easy part. If you bought the game before, you can use your retail CD-Key. If you dont have a copy, you will need to sign up for F.E.A.R. combat and get one. You can do so here (http://projectorigin.warnerbros.com/fearcombat/main?act=register1).

There are two ways you can put the CD key into the game. The easiest way is to open up the game, goto multiplayer, then click on client options at the top. Click on the CD Key text and put in your CD-Key with the dashes.

The other way is to open up the key.ini file in this foler:


Windows 7 / Vista
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Monolith Productions\FEAR

Windows XP / 2000
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Monolith Productions\FEAR

Enter your key onto the end of the 2nd line so it reads something like this...

[FEAR]
CDKey=XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Startup the game and you're good to go!

[noname875]

Great guide :)

[classicoke]

great stuff!

but it clearly says in the store page that the steam release supports multiplayer.

but for the average consumer, that dont know much about, or isnt willing, to jump through hoops to access one of the steam supported modes of play this is really bad and we need a fix.

[HaVok]

Wow that was 2 easy... Thanks so much man! I dont care much for the PM multi as that has 8 servers and FEAR has over 300. THANKS! +rep

[noname875]

Agreed, they should fix it, especially for perseus mandate.

[Magi]

+ Rep Man, that was simple. Just DL his archive and extract here C:\<steam folder>\steamapps\common\fear ultimate shooter edition. so easy and worth it. (although valve should have fixed this)

[joker23]

Not at home, so I didn't get to try it, but a preemptive "Thanks!" for putting together the archive and the post.

[x0rsw1tch]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Hopefully, valve will actually fix the problem, but this will do for now lol. :D

[Painseeker]

Works perfectly, I can get into games just fine. Thanks for the fix :D

Too bad my connection is awful today...I can't play online with 1800 ping ._.

[sebasvisser]

please change the OP, u only need to replace file 7 and 8.. (FEARL_7.arch00 ... etcetc)
which u can download from http://www.sebasvisser.com/files/fixsteamfear.rar
and explain to me why the original fearL_7 is 118 mb large and ur fix is only 3 mb..
now i appreciate the time spent to fix this, i dont understand the difference

if u dont trust the download be free to download the original files from joinfear.com which takes painstakingly long..

btw i also emailed this solution to steamsupport so who knows they may grow balls and fix this all together with proper files in their own gamepackage...

ur welcome..

[The_Thing]

Thank you so much for this!

[Vagrant]

Thanks a lot. This should be sticky'd.

[hund_]

http://www.sebasvisser.com/files/fixfearsteam.rar

[Knights]

bump... Should of been done before releasing it...:o

[ThePointMan]

THANKS ALOT STICKY THIS

[x0rsw1tch]

please change the OP, u only need to replace file 7 and 8.. (FEARL_7.arch00 ... etcetc)
which u can download from http://www.sebasvisser.com/files/fixsteamfear.rar
and explain to me why the original fearL_7 is 118 mb large and ur fix is only 3 mb..

The reason is that the child archives are only update patches to the master archive which is FEARL.Arch00. I did not include that file because it is not necessary - besides it is about 100MB.

FEAR is only complaining about FEARL_7.Arch00, and I included each child archive "just-in-case". I didn't try one file at a time to see if it would complain about any other file, so I did it all the FEARL_* files at once.

If you are really concerned about it, here are the file hashes - compare them with yours and do a virus scan ;) So you know, the files came from the full cumulative 1.00_1.07-1.08 retail patch (which is about 800MB).

File: FEARL_1.ARCH00
MD5: 2f56520d2177eafa913f4f5eae36689d
SHA-1: d17a90f9f35f4f3c186c0436cb2f95e9d8c19480

File: FEARL_2.ARCH00
MD5: a370c4a86914601b710e202d00e40bfa
SHA-1: 1b0ae0b8b22849c2d0013c27f40ec3e0e24b46c0

File: FEARL_3.ARCH00
MD5: 42fedd287fc42c1c87a791457967ccb3
SHA-1: f4ccf6fa1770327cb669b28d63abbb75a374cab3

File: FEARL_4.ARCH00
MD5: 83f405a34d5c38be5f7390037ebdb0c7
SHA-1: b3ddfcdd4c6c53a04cab095eabcefd9d63b532c2

File: FEARL_5.ARCH00
MD5: 2143cf84d021c2d7710a5ee8fb270c3b
SHA-1: 689218dfd22179ba78c5c7d7d422018225d4801a

File: FEARL_6.ARCH00
MD5: 13fa83a78b85b7da8e6d86f4f03d888e
SHA-1: f35d8b31b4abe7bc2d209e618c7bc35f6394c7fd

File: FEARL_7.ARCH00
MD5: a2b66c359b843a9a841f0e20babafcdf
SHA-1: c7cee35cb1e36e384f2b0f8c3b7b5edd9f428f01

File: FEARL_8.ARCH00
MD5: 55ec90375934cf22e8c0f50319eb0720
SHA-1: 9bf61182b3f547cbe73a06a2acb11673e36e6b5e

btw i also emailed this solution to steamsupport so who knows they may grow balls and fix this all together with proper files in their own gamepackage...

Heres to hoping! :D

[HaVok]

Bump, and Sticky this. Nobody needs to hold their breath for VALVe

[Mr_Fayce]

Sticky.

Thanks, +rep

[JD2]

explain to me why the original fearL_7 is 118 mb large and ur fix is only 3 mb.
Because he used archives from FEAR Combat which is multiplayer only instead of the retail version of FEAR which also contains the single-player content. Plus at least one of the archives in the Steam version of the game obviously contain different content than the retail version.

That's why if you use this fix as he posted it, it will break your single-player game because you will be missing content. You are losing 118MB of content and replacing it with 3MB. To truely fix the game so that it fully works in single-player and multiplayer, you have to replace all of your archives with ones from the retail version. And, that would defeat the purpose of installing the game from Steam in the first place.

It's been years since I modded FEAR, and I no longer have any of the games installed, so I can't tell you "off the top of my head" which archives contained what. But, it you go replacing archives in your Steam FEAR installation with ones from FEAR Combat, you will lose content needed for single-player. Combat contains a lot of small "dummy" archives that are only used to pass integrity checks on the server. That might be why the replacement from Combat is only 3MB.

If Valve ever fixes this problem properly, you will most likely have to redownload almost all of the files for FEAR 1 and Perseus Mandate.

[x0rsw1tch]

Because he used archives from FEAR Combat which is multiplayer only instead of the retail version of FEAR which also contains the single-player content.

Not true. As I stated in this (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15112511&postcount=16&highlight=cumulative+retail+patch) post (I added highlights to the URL) I used files form the 1.08 cumulative retail patch.


That's why if you use this fix as he posted it, it will break your single-player game because you will be missing content.

Uhhh, no. (as stated before) The master FEARL file gets untouched with the archive, only updates to the child entities to FEARL in the archives are changed - and since they are changed with versions from the retail patch, it wont break single-player..


But, it you go replacing archives in your Steam FEAR installation with ones from FEAR Combat, you will lose content needed for single-player.

Indeed, which is why I didnt do that ;)

Heres the FEARL files before updating...


05/22/2010 10:26 PM 114,951,668 FEARL.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:06 PM 214 FEARL_1.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:24 PM 214 FEARL_2.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:08 PM 6,081,873 FEARL_3.Arch00
05/22/2010 11:17 PM 214 FEARL_4.Arch00
05/22/2010 11:17 PM 3,065,242 FEARL_5.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:13 PM 214 FEARL_6.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:06 PM 884,103 FEARL_7.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:53 PM 1,583,421 FEARL_8.Arch00

Heres the files after the update....


05/22/2010 10:26 PM 114,951,668 FEARL.Arch00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 214 FEARL_1.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 214 FEARL_2.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 6,081,873 FEARL_3.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 214 FEARL_4.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 3,065,242 FEARL_5.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 214 FEARL_6.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 901,351 FEARL_7.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 883,997 FEARL_8.ARCH00


Not much difference. Only FEARL_7 and FEARL_8 are different. And this is form the 800MB cumulative retail patch I kept around for the retail version

[Knights]

Bump in the night.... :o

[JD2]

05/22/2010 10:06 PM 884,103 FEARL_7.Arch00
05/22/2010 10:53 PM 1,583,421 FEARL_8.Arch00[/code]

Heres the files after the update....

10/10/2006 08:03 PM 901,351 FEARL_7.ARCH00
10/10/2006 08:03 PM 883,997 FEARL_8.ARCH00

If you read the quote to which I replied, you would havce seen that my post was based upon sebasvisser's assertion in his previous post that a 118MB FEARL_7.ARCH00 file was being replaced by a 3MB FEARL_7.ARCH00 file with your patch. If that is not the case, then no it won't break the game. However you are still replacing ~2.3MB of content with ~1.7MB of content so, there is going to be some difference in the game afterwards. But without the actual files I can't tell what that specific difference is.

[x0rsw1tch]

If you read the quote to which I replied, you would havce seen that my post was based upon sebasvisser's assertion in his previous post that a 118MB FEARL_7.ARCH00 file was being replaced by a 3MB FEARL_7.ARCH00 file with your patch. If that is not the case, then no it won't break the game. However you are still replacing ~2.3NB of content with ~1.7MB of content so, there is going to be some difference in the game afterwards. But without the actual files I can't tell what that specific difference is.

Yeah, I don't think he understood what was being said originally. Especially considering that I never mentioned the FEARL.Arch00 in the first place.

I have no idea the difference between the two files (FEARL_8)... Its probably nothing of consequence. Considering its from the retail patch, it could just be junk removal or higher compression.

In any case, I did state that the files could be backed up, just in case.

[JD2]

Yeah, I don't think he understood what was being said originally. Especially considering that I never mentioned the FEARL.Arch00 in the first place.
Actually I looked into this a little more, and it appears that the 118MB FEARL_7.Arch00 file was being distributed by someone else as a supposed fix for Steam's multiplayer. I don't know the original source of that file though. It may have come from FEAR Combat.

it could just be junk removal or higher compression.
.Arch00 files don't use compression so it is not that. It could possibly be some Steam-related DRM or something similar, but without looking at the actual files I wouldn't be able to tell.

[revoc]

I think I am going to wait to see if Valve fixes this before I buy. No need to reward them for this. It might go on sale by then anyhow. :)

[trojanrabbit.gg]

Yup... This works all right!:D Only problem is, their is nobody playing...:mad::(

[JD2]

Yup... This works all right!:D Only problem is, their is nobody playing...:mad::(
There are a few populated servers right now including two in the US.

See http://www.game-monitor.com/search.php?game=fear&num=100

[Codine]

FEAR has always had a consistent population, mostly because it became free.

It's a shame I'll probably never get to try Perseus Mandate online. That included all the new weapons for online.

But I cant believe monolith would release such a half assed pack. Atleast it was only $10 but still, you expect your stuff to work.

[ChrisD]

Hey all,

I'm trying to get keys from the publisher. If all goes smoothly I hope to have a fix in tomorrow.

Cheers,
Chris

[MenaceInc]

Hey all,

I'm trying to get keys from the publisher. If all goes smoothly I hope to have a fix in tomorrow.

Cheers,
Chris

Awesome, great to hear.
Give 'em hell for us :cool:

[tunguska47]

great stuff!

but it clearly says in the store page that the steam release supports multiplayer.

but for the average consumer, that dont know much about, or isnt willing, to jump through hoops to access one of the steam supported modes of play this is really bad and we need a fix.

ur right i am one those people that are to lazy to do all that just to get the online to work

[noname875]

Hey all,

I'm trying to get keys from the publisher. If all goes smoothly I hope to have a fix in tomorrow.

Cheers,
Chris

Thanks alot :D
We will definitely appreciate not having to go through this whole guide just to get multiplayer working :)

[ChrisD]

Hello all,

I've updated the archive files for the MP portion of the game. It should automatically update the following files for you:
FEARL_7.ARCH00
FEARL_8.ARCH00

I've also added the developer and Homepage to the properties tab in Steam.

You'll still need to get a key at joinfear.com, at least until next week.
Depending on the opinions of the publisher, we may add Fear Combat as a separate download available to you as well. I'm unsure of what issues might be present running MP from the build we have. The only downside would be that it's another 3GB download. Well...and it wouldn't launch Combat from the Multiplayer option in the game menu.

One thing mentioned was a concern that the Base game and expansions install all together, rather than individually. I'm afraid that will not change. I know 16GB is pretty sizable, but the installer I was working with plunks them all down at once.

Happy mayhem!

Chris

[Keaton Kitsune]

I am wanting to buy the game, should I buy it now? Or should I wait till this whole Multiplayer thing is sorted out?... and hopefully Perseus Mandate MP will work?

[JD2]

I am wanting to buy the game, should I buy it now? Or should I wait till this whole Multiplayer thing is sorted out?... and hopefully Perseus Mandate MP will work?No Perseus Mandate still won't work with these changes.

[JD2]

I've updated the archive files for the MP portion of the game. It should automatically update the following files for you:
FEARL_7.ARCH00
FEARL_8.ARCH00

You've updated them to what? Why was there a difference between the Steam version and the updated retail version to begin with? The two files in the Steam release were larger. Why? What specifically was in them versus the replacements?

Depending on the opinions of the publisher, we may add Fear Combat as a separate download available to you as well.
That really isn't necessary if you provide a CD key and the correct files for the Steam version of FEAR to connect to standard FEAR servers. It would just waste space and make things more confusing.

[your evil twin]

The most important thing is CD keys for Perseus Mandate.

It's possible to play normal FEAR multiplayer using the free FEAR Combat cd keys, but there's no way for us to get Perseus Mandate CD keys, except buy actually going and buying a retail version of Perseus Mandate, which rather defeats the point of buying it on Steam. ;)

I'm sure it won't be that hard for the publisher to provide a free FEAR Combat cd key for every that bought FEAR on Steam, since they create new CD keys all the time for everyone that signs up for FEAR Combat. The trickier part will be getting them to give out a million FEAR: Perseus Mandate cd keys. (The alternative would be to patch the game so that it works with FEAR Combat CD keys instead. Dunno if that's possible.)

[MADDOGGE]

I agree the name needs to be changed to 'F.E.A.R. Ultimate Shooter Collection' to reflect what I purchased and what is on my receipt.

MP working fine for me now. I didn't have to enter any key and haven't done any of work around fixes. Then again I have never been asked for a cd-key anyway only informed I can't play because of a missing file when attempting to play MP. Like I said though, working fine now.

[JD2]

I didn't have to enter any key and haven't done any of work around fixes.
If you ever had the retail release of FEAR previously installed on your PC, that would account for not needing a CD key now since the file which stores the key isn't deleted upon uninstallation of the game.

[micahpharoh]

Worked great for me. Thanks a ton.

[MenaceInc]

Yeah it's still in registry that's why he's had no problems with the multiplayer.

Also I hope ChrisD read my last post because I think removing the expansions makes perfect sense since you can't seperate the downloads so there's just no need for them to be in the games list.

Perhaps suggesting F.E.A.R. to be renamed to F.E.A.R. Ultimate Shooter Collection was a pointless idea though.

What of launching the expansions though?
I seriously hate games on Steam that have a multiple launch menu setup. Like Quake 1. When you launch it, a window comes up asking if you want to run Quake, GLQuake, QuakeWorld or GLQuakeWorld. It's ridiculous. Seperating the download the same way that the quake expansions are down should be easy enough but I doubt that due to licensing issues Steam could do it themselves. It's something that probably has to be done by the publisher before it's given to Steam.

[Firetaffer]

Can someone get a Fear combat serial key for me? When I try to get mine it says enter your zip code, even though I already did. Maybe New Zealand postal codes aren't supported? :-PPPP.

Thanks in advance.

[Knights]

Can someone get a Fear combat serial key for me? When I try to get mine it says enter your zip code, even though I already did. Maybe New Zealand postal codes aren't supported? :-PPPP.

Thanks in advance. Try putting in 90210 <--- Hollywood zip code...

[Codine]

Correct CD Keys for perseus mandate would be great if we could get those.

[Firetaffer]

Try putting in 90210 <--- Hollywood zip code...

Sweet man thanks.

[Odyssey1319]

Any news on the CD keys yet Valve?

For the original F.E.A.R., we just need to plug in CD keys from F.E.A.R. Combat, which you can get here (http://projectorigin.warnerbros.com/fearcombat/main). As for Perseus Mandate, we need to wait on Valve.

[**havok**]

Thank you, this helped out!

[Wiesshund]

You would think if the publisher was going to offer its games on steam (not like steam/valve is just arbitrarily compiling other peoples stuff to sell at thier counter) the publisher would make sure to provide the needed materials to sell the product.

Or alternately allow valve to generate cd-keys and forward the keys to (i suppose WB now?) said publisher after the sale.

I guess combat keys work with fear expansion 1 since its only an add on?

Expansion 2 we are kind of screwed on.

I know some people thought it was funny to tell people they were dumb for buying an older game and expecting to get the MP content regardless of the fact it was advertized as having it, i suggest they look at quake1 half-life etc.
Hell even activisions old battlezone still runs online.

All games released well before 2005