I have a hidden door activated by a pullchain in a player accessable location. The door opens to a corridor leading to a load door to an area I don't want accessable until a certain quest stage.
I can't make up my mind.

Should I inactivate the pullchain until the quest stage making the chain suddenly appear later?
Substitute an unconnected pullchain so it's there but does not open the door until the real chain is substituted later?
Let the chain work but lock the load door?

Would be my vote. I tend to notice when stuff like that just "appears" in a quest, and that kind of thing has always annoyed me in games. You could also have a little message like that its stuck or too rusty or something?

Thanks, I think I'll go that way.