Uhm.. i was just in the casino gambling, then i left, boone was gone, and i was confronted by the ceasar guy, now boone is nowhere to be found?

I'm begging for help on this one too, hah. But my problem? MY problem is that I can't ENTER the Casino. I need to go back in for the main storyline. Yet the game freezes whenever I click any of the options when the guard tries to confiscate my weapons. I've been scouring the internet to see if this is a common problem, or if I need to run up to Best Buy for a new disk. The pinned topics didn't have anything on them. This thread is the closest I've seen.

I couldn't go in before. So I decided to do other stuff. Maybe after doing a bunch of other quests it'll let me in. I tried again today after a good 4 more hours of play. Nope- still freezes. I've tried arming weapons, taking them off, different times of day, choosing every one of the dialogue options (give weapons, keep hidden weapon, no, I'll leave), and even entering from different doors. Nothing.
So... I'm stuck.

Edit: You guys talking about the hat?...You're right maybe. I ditched my cowboy hat (not the one from the quest though) because it wore down. So I used it to repair something else. Now I use a Boomer's Cap and I can't get into that hotel. That might be it! Quick, someone tell me where to find those hats hah.

No kidding, I want to see if an old cowboy hat will let me return.

The old cowboy hat that I found was in the Caravan Supply area north of the strip. Where Ringo from the beginning of the game is located. I had to steal it where the vendors are located. It's on a shelf next to all of the first aid kits. There should be two hats.

Just use a stealth boy and snag them both. One should be an old cowboy hat.

Yeah.

So I just did the side mission where
*early side-mission spoilers*
you have to get Primm a new sheriff ( I was holding off on that, wanting to finish the main quest on hardcoe mode, turn it off, then do side quests normally). Well I saved my game after completing the mission and making the Convict the man with the plan. Then I killed his and took his 'Desperado Cowboy Hat.' Put it on...
Doesn't work guys. That had at least doesn't. So I'm still looking for one that will!

The old cowboy hat was definately the fix for my black screen crash when attempting to get into the Vegas strip. I finished the hat quest for the twins and turned in the hat for my reward and to finish the quest. Ever since that point, I was unable to get into the strip. Black screen crash at least 50 times while troubleshooting.

I then found the old cowboy hat where I said it was located in a previous post and I am no longer having any issues while wearing the hat. I have gone to all casinos, finished a few missions and hasn't black screen crashed on me once.

Another key is Mcafferty's hat, which is the exact same as the old cowboy hat. This has fixed other people's problem, as long as you kill him and don't complete the quest, you can wear his hat without any issues.

Note: This doesn't solve all black screen issues, but if you were able to go into the Strip and then killed McCafferty and no longer can access the strip, this will probably help.

I'm just confused on why this isn't happening to everyone in the entire world who's playing on the 360. Maybe the majority of people didn do this specific side quest? Which quest is it anyways? I haven't entered the strip yet so please be gentle with spoilers.

Damn. The Cowboy Hat thing didn't help me. My entire Xbox (can't even click the Xbox Guide Button) still freezes when the guy wants to confiscate my weapons as I go into a casino. Aw.
:(

The quest that crashed it for me and many other people was Debt Collector. It has multiple portions, and didn't mess my game up until the hat. You'll know once you've done the quest.

So once I actually receive the hat I'm screwed? Or just don't finish it?

When you enter the casino, how many companions do you have with you. I only took one with me, as Ed-E and a human were causing lag and freezing issues when zoning in for me. I sent Ed-E back to the Casino 38 and haven't had any issues since, other than having to wear the Hat everytime I zone in and out of the Strip.

I only have... blast I think the name is Veronica? The BoS girl with the epic power fist? Except I lost her so I don't actually know WHERE she is. But apparently she's still technically following me. I suppose I can try to find her and let her go though, thanks for the advice.

When you get the hat, I suggest not wearing it and zone in and out of the strip a few times. See if it crashed to black screen. Make sure you have multiple save games to back up. If it does crash once you have the hat, put it on, then zone in and out. If it works, I would suggest keeping the hat and not finishing the quest until it's patched.

Also have a save before taking the quest, just to be safe.

Thanks for the help, I always have 10 saves with me.

The Crimson Caravan area?

Well I'll be damned. Wearing the old cowboy hat fixes getting into the strip if you kill Caleb McGafferty for the Wrangler Twins side quest. Screen blacked out and froze over 50 times without the hat, and when I got one and wore it, it worked just fine. Thank you very much joshcorv for telling me where that hat was!

Just an update, still have the occasional freeze every several hours, but my xbox isn't the newest, so I just restart it. But I've noticed as well it seems to run smoother, as well as loads seem quicker when I'm wearing a magic hat

Still having some troubles w/the Strip and some quests, even with my hat. I finished the quest "Beyond the Beef" zoned into the strip and saved. Now I can't load either my save game on the Strip or the auto save in the strip after the quest.

I went ahead and loaded the save before the quest, completed the quest and left the strip completely. Saved and reloaded. Loaded just fine. It does appear that the strip has some issues, but at least I can still get back in and finish the game.

This idea works for me thanks you for the solution on this side quest(the magical hat to the strip) i can now get into the strip again no more black screens of crash. To the poster who killed everyone at the Casino in freeside at the twins place all in the name of finding the hat I was i seconds away from slautering them to find the hat also till i read your post. Again to the poster who killed the old guy at goodsprings for his hat same thing he was three seconds form death till i read your post as well you both have saved NPC lives today feel proud again thanks for the solution. I can resume playing

Had to update mid-game just now, lets hope a bunch of stuff got fixed.

After downloading the patch, I started this quest you all are referring to where you have to kill the guy with the hat.

1) Started quest, went to the Strip, killed the guy and got the hat.
2) Didn't put it on, went to Freeside, then straight back to the Strip. Didn't freeze.
3) Went back to Freeside. Turned in the hat to the Garrets.
4) Went back to the Strip. Didn't freeze.

Hopefully I did everything that would have usually caused the freeze that you're all experiencing because that would mean that it's been fixed. It may not wprk for those that've already started the quest.

Anyone know if the Xbox 360 update fixed the hat glitch?

I had this issue with my game freezing entering a Casino, and the update most certainly fixed my issue! In fact, I went ahead and beat the main plotline a few minutes ago!