purchase on Steam or GoG. My copy was originally purchased through Direct2Drive back in the day. I can still download it from them drm free, but only because I purchased it back when it was available. I also have a GoG copy.
When installing the patch make sure you navigate to the main Vampire folder. In Windows 7 it is found C:\Program Files (x86)\Activision\Vampire – The Masquerade Bloodline. Evidence of a successful patch is a fire background, blood hovering around the mouse pointer and raining blood platelets and a version number in the upper left hand side of the screen under the name in the character creation page.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." Ecclesiastes 9:10