"Brain Dead" Quest Bug help

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Hey everyone, I need some help in figuring out how to fix this problem.

So I'm currently trying to do the Brain Dead quest, but I'm stuck in trying to talk to Maxwell in the crime scene.

For some odd reason, I was not able to interact with any of the quest-related members, with them only been given a prompt that "They are currently Busy". I've tried scouring the internet for a solution, but it seems even after a few years have passed there doesn't seem to be a solution to this problem.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[Bored Peon]

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Brain_Dead

If all the NPCs are busy it means they are busy trying to process a scripted scene.

Your best bet would be to load a save prior to entering the Vault.

If that is too far then you next choice would be exit the vault reset the quest to stage 300 and try again.

I can not give an exact console command because the quest ID has the XX value in it which can be different for each person depending on the order they loaded their DLCs.

Be vary wary of the vault elevator it has a known endless loading screen issue. So after finishing the quest make a save before leaving.

[The Inept European]

From hazy memory... I think I had a similar issue.. and it's as simple as you need to do what Maxwell suggests and search the room for physical clues. These then unlock dialog options.

Or could be a pure bug as BP says.

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Brain_Dead

If all the NPCs are busy it means they are busy trying to process a scripted scene.

Your best bet would be to load a save prior to entering the Vault.

If that is too far then you next choice would be exit the vault reset the quest to stage 300 and try again.

I can not give an exact console command because the quest ID has the XX value in it which can be different for each person depending on the order they loaded their DLCs.

Be vary wary of the vault elevator it has a known endless loading screen issue. So after finishing the quest make a save before leaving.

I do have a save file where I am standing before the elevator, so that's not a problem for me.

But even after I have gone to that save file, they always end up the same, they were always busy with processing the scripted scene, so its not much of a help.

Santiago Avida will always stay at the crime scene, Maxwell staying next to him, and all of them not being able to talk to.

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Originally posted by The Inept European:

From hazy memory... I think I had a similar issue.. and it's as simple as you need to do what Maxwell suggests and search the room for physical clues. These then unlock dialog options.

Or could be a pure bug as BP says.

Unfortunately, the second answer is correct. it is a pure bug. I did search the room for physical clues, and uncovered everything, including the red paint. but you will still be refused communication from Maxwell because he is "Busy".

[Bored Peon]

So what you need to do nwo is try the console command approach.

The first thing you need to do is find out which DLC slot Far Harbor was placed in to know the value for XX.

Open the console and type: help maxwell 4
it should return a refid that looks like this xx0338ec and the first two digits are XX.

The type in this for changing stages puttign in the value for XX.
setstage xx036763 300

Also keep in mind it helps to zone into an area after using the setstage command.

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

So what you need to do nwo is try the console command approach.

The first thing you need to do is find out which DLC slot Far Harbor was placed in to know the value for XX.

Open the console and type: help maxwell 4
it should return a refid that looks like this xx0338ec and the first two digits are XX.

The type in this for changing stages puttign in the value for XX.
setstage xx036763 300

Also keep in mind it helps to zone into an area after using the setstage command.

Actually its fine now, I've managed to fix it myself.

As for your solution, I did try that beforehand, but it doesn't really do change anything as everyone will still be stuck in the "Busy" position.

Thanks for the help, though.

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by Lord of Pain Valak:

As for your solution, I did try that beforehand, but it doesn't really do change anything as everyone will still be stuck in the "Busy" position.

Thanks for the help, though.

Yeah I had a feeling when the stage list started at 300 something was amiss. Most quests start at liek 0, 50, or 100 stage. Which means there is probably a stage that occurs as soon as you enter the cells and someone editing the wiki did not add it. Which means resetquest xx036763 probably would have worked better.

Originally posted by Lord of Pain Valak:

Actually its fine now, I've managed to fix it myself.

How did you end up fixing it? That way anyone searching the forums or internet can see your solution.

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

How did you end up fixing it? That way anyone searching the forums or internet can see your solution.

It was surprisingly simple - while the bug is happening, just leave the vault and teleport to a faraway section of the map (Entering a building can help too), and then walk back. Maxwell will be back in front of the Vault 118 door and now we can interact with him and the rest of the cast.

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by Lord of Pain Valak:

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

How did you end up fixing it? That way anyone searching the forums or internet can see your solution.

It was surprisingly simple - while the bug is happening, just leave the vault and teleport to a faraway section of the map (Entering a building can help too), and then walk back. Maxwell will be back in front of the Vault 118 door and now we can interact with him and the rest of the cast.

So basically you left the area long enough for the scripts to time out and reset. I was not aware they had scripts that timed out, most scripts never time out.

The scripting that Kinggath did for SSCQ has timers like that.

Speaking of which are you running any script heavy mods like Sim Settlements? That could have been the cause because your scripting is starting to back up. You should up the multithreading from 10 to something higher to process scripting faster.

[DouglasGrave]

There's an earlier quest stage (10) which appears to track whether the player has left the entryway, which may have been the problem. That, or the startup stage (5) before it.

You can use ShowQuestStages (SQS) for a quest if you need to see which stages it already has set.

[The Inept European]

Leave the cell and come back is always worth trying with any problem.

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by The Inept European:

Leave the cell and come back is always worth trying with any problem.

Well as I was saying if the script has a time out then you need to out wait it. Not even sure you have to actually leave the cell for it to time out.

SSCQ has the timers in it because it keeps the Jammer from breaking when you try to set up an attack. Also something to do with the walk away, as in the player walks off mid dialogue.

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

So basically you left the area long enough for the scripts to time out and reset. I was not aware they had scripts that timed out, most scripts never time out.

The scripting that Kinggath did for SSCQ has timers like that.

Speaking of which are you running any script heavy mods like Sim Settlements? That could have been the cause because your scripting is starting to back up. You should up the multithreading from 10 to something higher to process scripting faster.

As for mods, I don't really use a lot of mods. most of them are either just bug fixes, or small QoL changes.

but I do have mods such as "We are the Minutemen", "Vault-Tec Workshop Overhaul", "Armorsmith Extended", and "Armor and Weapon Keywords". maybe some of them are the cause of it?

[Bored Peon]

I think the only scripted mod you listed was We are the Minutemen. Does that one spawn any extra mobs or allow more npcs? Or was it just extra gear?

[Lord of Pain Valak]

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

I think the only scripted mod you listed was We are the Minutemen. Does that one spawn any extra mobs or allow more npcs? Or was it just extra gear?

No, its more or less just a faction overhaul. there's no new quests, it does introduce new minuteman class, but that's it. it shouldn't be related with far harbor at all.