Ello, ello!

Without asking me Steam installed FNV to C:\Playthings\Steam\SteamApps\common\fallout new vegas

I do not want it there and I cut and pasted all files to C:\Playthings\Fallout - New Vegas

This presents the problem that trying to play the game results in an Application Load Error 5:0000065434 because Steam, who did not let me choose my install directory, created a registry (something my 60 IQ can never wrap itself around). I tried to fix it with Advanced System Care 4 and finding any entry regarding New Vegas and choosing to fix it, which accomplished nothing.

Is there still some way for me to have FNV in the folder I want it to be in? This is a minor problem, but it really really bothers me that I can't have FNV in the Playthings folder with all my other pc games.

Here is another gripe: After I installed FNV, Steam seemed to download the whole game for no reason.

Nah, not significant enough...

Just joking. Unfortunately I know of no way to install it into a completely different folder outside of the Steam folder. Now maybe there is one, but I doubt it.

As for your second problem, this is something that happens a lot but it can be circumvented. If I remember correctly, once Steam starts to download it you cancel the download and put Steam into offline mode.
Then just start the install again from the DVD and you should be fine.

Steam will not ask you where you want to install the game. It will install any steam game in its own directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\fallout new vegas).
If you want your steam games in a specific place then you'll have to install the steam directory there.

YOu used advanced system care to Fix the fallout 3 new vegas registry entries? Why? You shouldnt have to fix any registry entries pertaining to the game. The game needs these entries to work correctly.
I certainly wouldnt trust a thrid party program to know the proper value of these entries or whether or not you need them.

It shouldnt be downloading the entire game again once it is installed. It DOES download patch updates for the game. That may have been what you saw.

I would uninstall the game completely. Remove the local content and delete the fallout 3 nv directory completely. Follow the path above. Then reinstall the game. If you have a dvd then use the setup program or auto-start menu
from the dvd.

My IQ is 60. I assumed that after I moved the files then Advanced System Care would find the new location of my .exe files and fix the registries to point to their new location, because there was no proof that it wouldn't. I had a warm feeling in my chest, so I know it wasn't just thoughts in my head. But in retrospect I believe now that that feeling was not caused by inspiration but by an entity that I allowed to hoodwink me because of my misdeeds.

So yes, maybe it was a mistake for me to run that insidious program, but the correct path would be given to me because I continued to have conviction, and it serves as real evidence of a larger intervention. So now the right thing to do is uninstall and reinstall. Just wait till I get to modding my first game and sorting the conflicts by hand ( and belief ) with NVEdit. Thanks for your help! I'm a bit hungry, I think I'll have some bread and fish.

It is possible to do this if you are using windows xp or windows 7.

If it's windows 7 you are in luck with minimal effort. google for "windows 7 symbolic links". you should get a heap of links to read through.

essentually what you want to do. is move the files once steam has downloded them to where ever you want it to be. then create a symbolic link FROM the steam apps\common TO the new fallout directory.

i.e you call the symbolic link "fall out new vegas" and make it point to the new destination directory C:\programs\whatever\fallout new vegas\

you should end up with a file that when you double click on it will jump into the new location and steam treats it as if it was in the old location.

if it's windows xp you'll need to get a program to help you do this but there are heaps out there. if you keep looking through the links in the google search you should come across two or three programs that'll work fine to create a sym link. If you think this is too hard for you then don't move the folders around.