Automatron DLC - Freeze at Door in Mechanist Lair (NOT CTD)

[yatz]

After searching through the forums and a general internet search, I've found only one other person so far that has had this issue (and that was a post on Reddit).

 

As you start entering the sub-levels of the Mechanist's Lair, just past the "decontamination arches converted to laser traps" (http://i.imgur.com/5e7LNkV.png), take a right and open the 2nd M-SAT door (http://i.imgur.com/EEsjww1.png), you will come across a typical maroon metal double-door (http://i.imgur.com/vzKXmsL.png). I can walk up to the door and everywhere in the room. However, the moment I open the door, the game freezes (no crash/CTD, and yes, there is a difference for "that guy").

 

If I stand at a distance, I can order Ada to open the door (http://i.imgur.com/NGkiCNy.png) and I can see inside the room (http://i.imgur.com/4WUI9yC.png). However, once the door is open, it then freezes the moment I get anywhere even near the door (whereas before I could go right up to the door). If I console into no clipping mode, the game freezes anytime I get close to this area - I have not found a way to get around it enough to even get beyond this area without the freeze (i.e., just skip it somehow with TCL).

 

The Papyrus log ALWAYS states the following between the point I open the door and when the game freezes:

 

[06/21/2016 - 10:57:39PM] warning: Property Alias_RoboMed on script DLC01:Fragments:Quests:QF_DLC01LairJB_0100AE0D attached to DLC01LairJB (0100AE0D) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property

[06/21/2016 - 10:57:39PM] error: Property Alias_AssaultronMed01 on script DLC01:Fragments:Quests:QF_DLC01LairJB_0100AE0D attached to DLC01LairJB (0100AE0D) cannot be bound because <nullptr alias> (5) on quest DLC01LairJB (0100AE0D) is not the right type

I've opened up the DLC in FO4Edit and the CK and couldn't find anything that helped me understand why these specific errors were occurring (something just isn't clicking) or if they are just benign and ignorable and the real error isn't captured.

 

The only other instance of this issue I've found is this Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/comments/4hkiwc/crash_when_entering_mechanists_lair. No one responded to the post, but the individual figured out the issue by disabling "hyperthreading" via the Fallout 4 Configuration Tool (they had apparently enabled it via the tool prior to this). I've never used the tool and I have never heard of "hyperthreading" in Fallout: multi-threading, yes - hyperthreading, no. However, I downloaded the Configuration Tool from the Nexus anyway and couldn't find a "hyperthreading" setting, so I'm assuming either I'm blind or that setting was replaced with the proper nomenclature or removed entirely in future releases of the tool.

 

Assuming at this point that the individual was possibly just using the wrong terminology, I played around with the multi-threading settings, both from the INI and the console (e.g., tmta and tmtrdfl). No, I did not think this would actually help since most (if not all) multi-threading is disabled by default, but to ensure I checked everything, I played with various combinations of on and off, in game and via INI, just in case. No helpy helpy.

 

So, now of course it's mod time. I have 182 mods, including 147 plugins, all managed via NMM. Just for reference: (1) I manage over 800 mods in Skyrim with no issues, (2) I have had no issues with this group of 182 mods for the entire game, and (3) I have completed the entire game, 2nd playthrough (approx 700 hours), without one freeze or CTD - no joke - NOT ONE. Until now.

 

Next steps of course are to disable all the plugins, verify game file integrity, reset INI files, blah, blah. Did everything EXCEPT disabling ALL mods (basically, I didn't disable the texture only mods that have no plugins). Just too many texture mods and don't want to go down that route unless I have too. I did make sure I was on the latest version of all my mods and that applicable Automatron DLC patches/versions were installed where applicable (that can be a new main mod file, an option in the FOMOD installer, a separate patch download, etc. - but all confirmed set for the Automatron DLC as supposed to be for those mods that required it). None of this helped.

 

Starting thinking about textures and meshes. However, if I can have Ada open the door and look inside, including down into the lower area, it would strike me as profoundly odd that a texture, mesh, lighting, shadow or related item could be the culprit because they should have caused the crash with Ada opening the door also in that case.

 

Went back to a Pre-DLC save, rushed through just what was needed in the DLC to get back to this point (no consoling, just did the bare minimum in game as quickly as possible) and as soon as I got back to this door, same freeze.

 

Lastly, yes, I am aware of the CTD issue where leaving the lair at the end, or fast traveling to County Crossing, and other similar things caused people to CTD. This is NOT that issue. HOWEVER, because I'm thorough, I installed the mod that patched the icon for that - no help. Removed all mods that affect any part of the UI, the map, etc. - no help. Deleted the entire contents of the Interface folder - no help. Didn't think any of this would help, because this issue is not that issue, but hey, at least I tested it, right?

 

I'm at a complete loss. Any help would be appreciated. :sad:

 

 

[k3nr3n]

Heya yatz,

 

I had the same problem as you did. I did have hyperthreading disabled though, but not through the FO4 Config Tool. I had these commands in a bat AutoExec file that runs everytime I run the game. I've since removed them (for the duration of the Mechanist Lair playthrough) and it seems to have worked fine for me. Perhaps you could give it a try?

 

The commands are:

 

tMta ON

tMtrdfl ON

tMtr ppld

 

I'm not really sure if I successfully disabled them all the first time I tried it. I did it through the console. The only command that seemed to change was tMta ON. I typed in tMta off and a message returned that it was turned ON when it was OFF before.

[Grzemeck]

I had an exact same problem. Was losing all hope after I uninstalled all mods, reinstalled whole game and the freeze still occurred in the same spot.

Solution proposed by k3nr3n worked like a charm. Thanks :)

Also, yatz, the reddit poster you have linked already found the solution. Again, multithreading was the cause.

Hopefully people experiencing this issue will find those posts in the future.

[Deleted12855895User]

Have you tried disabling any remove fog or scrap mods?
They made the walls and floor invisible for me. It might help you.
It sounds like it may be a distant object or scene loading problem as when you walk closer to the door area it freezes. (Probably when objects load at their set load distance and a mod may be interfering).

[raajdon]

Tmta on worked for me as well