Fallout 3 patched, first add-on due Jan. 27

In addition to the Operation Anchorage date, Bethesda announced a patch for all three versions of Fallout 3: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows-based PCs. The update (v1.1) addresses a variety of bugs encountered in the sprawling game, which can be played for more than 40 hours and re-creates dozens of square miles in and around the ruins of Washington, DC. The problems were sources of criticism for the game, which GameSpot crowned as 2008's Role-Playing Game of the Year and PC Game of the Year last month. A full list of issues addressed is below.

BUG FIXES
--Friends notification no longer causes the game to pause. (PlayStation 3)

--Fixed occasional crashes during loading and waiting.

--Friendly or neutral NPC health bars, when taking damage, no longer flicker repeatedly.

--Fixed issue where certain NPCs would occasionally disappear from the game.

--Fixed issue where dead NPCs would occasionally come back to life.

--Fixed rendering issue with the Gatling laser gun's tracers.

--Fixed issue where the haircut menu would occasionally not appear properly.

--Added ability to remap your VATS and Pip-Boy buttons.

--Fixed rare load/save issues that would cause NPCs to behave incorrectly.

--Fixed issue where quest objectives would occasionally not update properly due to talking activators, intercoms, and conversations.

--Using radaway repeatedly from the Pip-Boy's Status Menu no longer crashes the game.

--Players no longer gets stuck in level-up menu if their skills are maxed out.

--Fixed issue where multiple followers would occasionally not load into an interior.

--Fixed rare issue with getting stuck in VATS mode.

--Fixed rare crash with fighting NPCs with corrupted data.

--In-game radios will now play properly if player was listening to the radio in the Pip-Boy first. (PlayStation 3)

--Fixed rare crashes while loading and saving games.

--Fixed rare issue where player would fall through the floor while in VATS.

--Fixed occasional crash after scoring a critical hit in the head with a Railway Rifle.

--Prevent NPCs from inadvertently dying from falling.

--Fixed occasional issue where the controller would stop working properly.

--Fixed crashes related to repeatedly equipping and dropping clothing and armor into the world.

QUEST FIXES
--Fixed several instances where quest item stayed in inventory permanently after completing quests.

--Fixed an issue where the distress message would occasionally not play in Trouble on the Homefront.

--In the Waters of Life quest, the Citadel gate will open properly if the player fast-travels away after exiting the Taft Tunnels but before reaching the Citadel gate with Doctor Li.

--For the Home Sweet Home quest, the broken protectrons in Big Town become active at the proper time.

--In The American Dream quest, fixed specific issue that prevented players from accessing their belongings in the locker by the door if they left the room first.

--Fixed infinite caps exploit in Strictly Business quest.

--Fixed rare instance where Dad would have no valid dialogue during The Waters of Life quest.

--Prevent issue during the Finding the Garden of Eden quest where player would fade to black, instead of traveling to Raven Rock, while in combat with a follower.

--Fixed several XP speech exploits with certain NPCs.

--Fixed XP exploit with a robot in Fort Bannister.

--Fixed issue where player's controls can become locked permanently during The American Dream.