If pressing the ps3 button brings up the menu the game hasn't frozen yet.
Delete your gamedata and play without reinstalling the patch.[best done on a a new game]
Don't overwrite files save create new save data.[you can always delete old saves later]
Turn off autosave on travel.
Booting the ps3 in safemode and restoring the file system can clear away corrupt data smoothing things out for awhile.
*Especially helpful if you save in the area giving you the most problems before restoring the file system*

There is such thing as a game cache and its cleared whenever you quit the game, but not when you load a save. Some have advised that quitting the game completely before reloading will smooth things out in the long run.

We all know the game has problems but making a dozen different topics to &&)*&)*% about it solves nothing and does nothing.

Really frustrating when game companies abuse the patch ability. Used to be that patches were to correct unforeseen bugs either with new hardware, or software upgrades/expansion packs. Now game companies release broken/bugged games and then decide wether or not to patch it. The way I see it, if by the time they release the final DLC for New Vegas, if the game has not been fixed, they will not fix the game.

Unfortunately game companies, having gone past the initial rush of sales would not see it profitable to continue dumping money into supporting their product, since anyone who wanted the game would have already bought it. Just as unfortunate are the consumers who (myself included) have continued to purchase software from companies who release bugged games. Fallout 3 NEVER saw a final patch to completely address the issues plaguing it. Even when you call the number printed in the back of the manuel for technical and customer support, the representative has no knowledge of any of the bugs that you report other than extended play of more that a few hours will cause the game to start to freeze. They will always respond that a patch is in the process and will be released soon. However there have been no such patches announced in the past weeks with the exception of the patches released for the PC.

I just hope I remember this when the next game form Bethesda is released, because they have given me no reason to continue to purchase their buggy products. Just seems that you can't have an awesome game that works at the same time.

So for now I will continue to wander the wasteland carrying Boone's Sniper Rifle, hoping one day I can return it to him. Avoiding certain locations that always cause the game to lock up. Hoping that I will actually be able to finish Fallout: New Vegas.

I can sympathize. The quality problems are SO much worse than Fallout III. In Fallout III there were frequent freezes, usually 2-3 per night of play. In NV it happens twice as often, in more situations including going through doors and travelling (even during saving), and there are countless new problems more due to play mechanics. My companions are idiotic, show poor judgement, won't follow orders, and get lost constantly. The game fails you on the NCR track if you upgrade Mr. House's robots by just making the ambassador gone. It took me an hour to figure that out and lots of lost time. Which means if you want the explanation of what happened to Vegas you have to lose the NCR track or you need to roll time back afterward. Very annoying.

As a software engineer, this game makes me feel ashamed for my profession. If I produced software like this, Lockheed would have fired me years ago with good reason. The shame of it is it's so compelling a game if only the quality was better.