I am not promising that this will work, but it has for me in reference to your first problem of game halting when loading an area.
I copy the auto-save to MPSaves and load it as a multiplayer, go to the next area, save, copy that save over to Save folder and load that game. Presto Maxo!!!!!
Give that a try.
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\"Ahh, the sweet feel of something somebody else paid for.\"<p>:skeleton1:<br />ULockit I Stealit<br />Fighter/Theif and Master of Own Domain
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