Main story progression ... when does Act 3 start?

[BigBlueWolf]

No spoilers, please!

I did the "Search and Destroy" mission which ended with meeting Hanako in the motel room via her proxy messenger. I got the impression she'd contact me eventually, but no quest has triggered yet. I think I was around level 21 or so when In finished it.

Since then I've done a ton of side quests and gigs, including really long ones like working with Panam and River and the mayor candidate guy and his wife. I recently hit level 30.

I peeked at the names of the main quests without reading about them. "Tapeworm" and "Nocturne Op55N1", but neither of these are listed in my journal. I'm assuming their triggers are level-based? It just seemed I've gone a really long time without a main story mission to follow up.

[Phynrae]

There's still one person you haven't helped: Judy.

If you want to progress in the story, you'll want to pursue her questline aswell.

[Graf Erik]

Nocturne starts Act 3, thats the point of no return. From there you have to pick a path, and the available choices depend on which missions you completed, and how.

SInce I guess you found Hellman, and you talked to Hanako, then you still need to find Evelyn.

[BigBlueWolf]

Yes, thanks to you both! I was confused by the journal and thought talking to Judy was the beginning of the Phantom Liberty DLC.

[Silverbane7]

Yeah, the way they set the quest journal info can be confusing.

The phantom liberty quest section will point to what needs to be done to start that expansion content.
The bare minimum you need to have done is help Panam (find Hellman), help Judy (find Evelyn), help Takemura (to talk to Hanako) and follow the trail to Pacifica (from helping Judy)

Those are the things that let you both start the expansion content, and, get you to the point where you can choose to start chapter 3.
Though I would suggest you enjoy all the rest the game has to offer (gigs for Fixers, side quests, the hidden Easter egg gem hunt, and generally enjoy the City) before you head to that meeting.

Also, be carefull at the point if no return.
(Not game story spoilers, but game mechanics)

Walk, don't run. The game makes a special save at this point. So you can come back again if you want to go back and make a different choice, or keep doing content.
(A bit like how you load a save after beating Gannon in Zelda, and you have a * beside the save, but mister ginger chaos is still there to be beaten)

If you are too quick (The default jog speed) sometimes the game starts saving outside the elevator, but ends when you are inside.
The game puts you into a peace mode (no weapons, no cyberdeck use, no jumping or sprinting or using heal items or grenades, probably won't let you use optical cammo or faceplate ether)

Some folks reloaded the save, found they were stuck in this state.
They could keep going, choose a new ending path. But not go back and walk away to do left behind content (since V couldn't fight, they die)
I suggest folks make a back up save, manually.
I also suggest that players face the tarrot card on the wall when they do, so the image is part of the thumbnail (as a way to remember exactly what save it is, and why its saved just there) and this works for console too (save thumbnail system I mean. To jog your memory)