Spinning Dagger Of Death Research

[theslink2000]

This thread will contain minor spoilers so beware!

 

Ok, I've been playing Uncharted 2 for a month or so now, have got all but 4 of the original trophies and have spent a bit of time online. I got half way through my hard play through (up to A Train To Catch) then when I tried continuing I got the Spinning Dagger (refered to here after as the SD).

 

When I tried to continue the music began skipping and the SD wouldn't leave, so in summery this is a loading bug, oh and I had patch 1.09 installed.

 

So I tried quitting the game using the PS button and the PS3 reset with the three fast beeps but didn't boot back up, I had to power off at the mains.

 

So where's the research I hear you ask, well in my infuriating quest to solve this seemingly random problem I've been testing various scenarios to see if I can understand it.

 

First a quick observation, if the game SD's before the Naughty Dog logo the PS button quit game function causes the PS3 to reboot and it will reload the XMB, however if it does it whilst loading the actual game levels it will do the same but not reload the XMB.

 

Firstly after trying to continue repeatidly the SD problem worsened and moved from the Continue option to the game load so I never got to the Naughty Dog logo.

 

Ignoring the obvious disc cleaning issues which I tried I first tried rebuilding the PS3's database, you can find how to do this fairly easily through Google but if you really want to know post and ask, however this made no difference the game still wouldn't load.

 

Second I deleted the Uncharted 2 game data, not the saves, not the patch the game data (weighs in at around 306MB), this still made no difference.

 

Next I deleted the 1.09 patch (about 607MB), the game now loads but continuing still SD's on me.

 

Now I tried manually restarting the most recent chapter (Keep Moving), the intro movie plays but when you skip it or it finishes bang we're back to SD.

 

Next I tried loading a much earlier chapter (A Hard Place) and what the hell it loads and plays fine. I skipped the movie with Drake meeting Chloe and Flyn and it worked fine.

 

Now after climbing the train and this movie I quit to the menu and try loading the latest chapter (back to Keep Moving) and it doesn't SD it just goes blank and when I pause I get the menu as if I paused a movie. Selecting skip movie froze the menu for about 10 seconds then we're back to SD.

 

So I try reloading the previous chapter (One Way Out) and it plays the intro movie then SD's but for some reason the XMB comes back after the reset.

 

After this I have backed up my save files to a pen drive then deleted the most recent ones (basically my hard play through ) and am starting again from the beginning on hard and will report my findings back here as I progress. So far chapter 1 loads fine and I can skip the into movie but whilst I'm doing this can people please post when in the game they first experienced the SD so maybe we can try to find a pattern

 

Hopefully together we can figure this out!

Edited April 26, 2011 by theslink2000
Added spoiler warning

[theslink2000]

Oh I forgot to summarise so far:

 

Currently I believe it is a bug in the patch that damages save files, but this is by no means conclusive yet.

[theslink2000]

Just had the game crash whilst trying to skip the movie in chapter 4 (The Dig) as Drake enters the hut and finds the research but the game continued fine after a reset.

[theslink2000]

After this crash in chapter 4 the music began skipping and looping as it does when the game SD's but I was still playing and managed to continue the gun fight until I died when it seemed to sort itself out. However after completing the fight I moved up the hill to the temple where you normally find the dagger and when I got to the entrance I found it hadn't loaded. I've included some photos here:

 

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/theslink2000/IMAG0119.jpg

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/theslink2000/IMAG0120.jpg

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/theslink2000/IMAG0121.jpg

 

But I'm wondering if this is unrelated as I am playing the game unpatched and maybe this is just some of the original bugs in the game. I cannot answer this until the PSN is restored and I can repatch the game, anyone know anything useful?

[theslink2000]

After a reset it worked and I got into chapter 5 but just after Chloe saves Nate using a rocket launcher and you have to find a way round the plank between two buildings didn't register any solid ground at the other end and when I tried jumping for it Nate fell through the buildings into nothingness. Seriously is Uncharted 2 the most buggy professional game out there or what?

 

I've decided that these issues are most likely fixed with the patches so I'm going to wait until the PSN is restored so I can repatch the game and fingers crossed at least it will be playable then cause if this is how it was when Naughty Dog released it they should be ashamed of themselves.

[Thunderfury]

Holy cow, you're going all out with this research thing, huh? It's only happened to me a couple times, and I just reset the system and no more problems.

[theslink2000]

If it had only happened to me once I probably would have left it too but it made itself a big problem and I can't find a proper answer anywhere so I thought I'd have a go. Out of interest bud when did it happen to you?

[ShinobiHotsuma]

I never had any of these problems. Only thing I can think of that might help you is it seems for you at least from what I read that it only happens when you skip a cutscene. It may be that by doing that the game does not have enough time to load the data for the next area. Try playing without skiping the cutscenes and see if that helps any.

[theslink2000]

Thanks for the thoughts bud, it did cross my mind cause on my first play through I didn't skip anything obviously but this did start unprovoked on a continue but I've also played chapter 1 with and without skipping and it's been fine but in other places it seems more random and problematic. But you may well have a point so I will investigate more but once I can repatch the game cause I think a lot of these glitches are probably patched issues.

 

Oh on another note I bought the game new and the disc has been well looked after.

[spudalls]

Man you really are having some issues, mine has never missed a beat on patch 1.09 are you running current 3.60 firmware?

[mepatrick]

me too... never experienced any prolems at all.. im doing my last playthrough for crushing and this is my 3rd playthrough (easy, hard, crushing).

[theslink2000]

As far as I'm aware I'm on the latest firmware cause it doesn't really give you much choice buy to update does it? But as I've theorized in previous posts I think the graphical glitches and errors are things that patch 1.09 would normally cure but I had to delete this to make the game load again so until the PSN is restored (thank you bad tempered hackers of the internet) hopefully on may 3rd I can't test that theory but I have read else where about people having similar problems with the game post launch and on patch 1.03 and the like.

 

What patch did you guys start playing it on?

[ShinobiHotsuma]

I played SP offline so I never installed the updates until I was done with the SP. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe all the patches only effected the online MP tweaking the online gameplay such as health, grenade blast radius and the rate of damage/fire of some weapons increase or decrease. Also to patch up holes in the MP maps glitchers used to get cheap kills online.

[theslink2000]

I always thought that patches affected the game as a whole, but in all fairness it depends on what they were working on cause I know I've played games without an online component that have had patches. Basically a patch would be to remedy an issue with any aspect of the game but you're right the online component would be a large part of that but I would deffinately thinklk the single player was also patched.

 

Does anyone know if Naughty Dog ever published details on what each patch was intended to remedy? Cause I've read elsewhere that 1.09 was designed to cure the SD issues.

[theslink2000]

Ok then, I managed to repatch the game earlier and it's playing perfectly, all the glitches have stopped and I've now got past where the SD first struck me on my original file. For the minute it appears that I am bug free again but only time will tell.

 

Once I've managed to clear it I will reinstate my original save file that had the SD issue first and see if its changed at all but for now I think we've established something at least:

 

The original game as it comes and unpatched is incredibly unstable and glitch and Naughty Dog must have known this on release but due to time pressures etc they put it out anyways and patched the worst of it before anyone really noticed. This isn't really a problem a lot of developers do this but Uncharted 2 was VERY buggy if my experiences are anything to go by.

 

As for the SD, I'm still working on it for now but I think we're getting somewhere.

[theslink2000]

Right, I've cleared Hard and am on chapter 14 on Crushing (god that train boss...) and so far no more problems. I know this is probably what most people experience the whole way through but once I've got the platinum I will experiment with the old save files that were SD before I restarted my Hard play though and then hopefully I will be able to give my best advice at least.

[schrumpelsack]

i've just delete the patch files and now it works.

I think the patch is the main problem

[theslink2000]

i've just delete the patch files and now it works.

I think the patch is the main problem

 

Cool, now we're finding some consistency so maybe we're on to the answer

[Wodenshot]

I'm having the same problem with Uncharted 2. At first I thought it was my blu-ray laser dying, but after replacing the laser I'm still getting the "spinning dagger of death" after almost every match. I can play L.A. Noire just fine.

 

I tried backing-up then deleting my Uncharted 2 game saves. However, it's still stalling after the online match with the black screen and spinning dagger in the lower right corner.

 

I dumped-out of the game, got the beeps and the console restart. However, I checked and I still don't have any save files present. Apparently, the game is stalling while attempting to write or refresh the save file.

 

Any thoughts?

[Henrich29]

I'm having the same problem with Uncharted 2. At first I thought it was my blu-ray laser dying, but after replacing the laser I'm still getting the "spinning dagger of death" after almost every match. I can play L.A. Noire just fine.

 

I tried backing-up then deleting my Uncharted 2 game saves. However, it's still stalling after the online match with the black screen and spinning dagger in the lower right corner.

 

I dumped-out of the game, got the beeps and the console restart. However, I checked and I still don't have any save files present. Apparently, the game is stalling while attempting to write or refresh the save file.

 

Any thoughts?

Delete and reinstall the patch.

Let's see if it works.

[SAAD80GB]

The worst I had was a cutscene freeze on a blank screen. I shut off the system from behind, and had to do the checkpoint again

[johnnyunit]

Strange....I've had the SD a few times, but all when I first bought the game. I am now finally getting back to this game to defeat crushing mode thanks to my newly aquired platinum trophy obsession, and haven't encountered any glitches whatsoever. I have not had such luck with L.A. Noir. I fell through at least 10 buildings and or sidewalks (?!) before finally getting the platty on that. Love the game, just not the glitching in the middle of a case that I was pretty close to 5-starring!

Found it quite awesome that you took the time to research this SD problem though! Kudos, my friend!

[McGarnigle]

I'm gonna bump this thread in case anyone is having similar issues.

 

It's definitely patch 1.09 that's causing it. Strange though, because I've been playing this game for many hours online over the last month or so, and only now has this 'Spinning Dagger of Death' affected me. Anyway I deleted and reinstalled the patch and now it's working OK. Hopefully it holds up long enough for me to finish up my 100%.

[trophyPS3]

Sorry to hear lots of you.

 

I agreed it is seem like with Version 1.09 patched. Very interests that is why no problems before version 1.09. Seem like 1.09 troubles after all. Why no problems before that version to almost players and myself but then almost players turn up problems with version 1.09. Must be version 1.09 problems. Believe it.

 

I am playing God of War Collection Volume II - Ghost of Sparta (just completed Chains of Olympus last night) at moment. Just done and completed with God of War III last week, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One few days before God of War III and Uncharted 3 in last few weeks ago.

Edited January 24, 2012 by trophyPS3

[LordTurkeyhead]

I know that I am late to the party, but I have to disagree that 1.09 is the sole cause of this issue. I played through the single player campaign without loading any patches and had this occur to me during my crushing run (luckily only 1 time). I tried several methods to work around this, but had to manually shut-down the PS3 from the button on the back so when it booted up it came to the PS3 has been shut-down down improperly screen. This sent the PS3 into a corrupt file fix screen and solved my problem.