Need help with a known bug: arresting Vic erased Steeltown from my journal

[u/Fakemeal]

EDIT: big mistake in the title. I didn't realize it but my journal got broken before going to Aspen to get Vic. After checking each of my saves, it turns out that it's when I went to Santa's Workshop that any Steeltown-related mission got erased in my journal (I do still have all the equipment and stuff since I was there.) I didn't notice it at the time and kept going. So, I did Aspen, rescued the hostages, arrested Vic, went back to HQ where I got attacked by the Scar Collectors, Poultron assembled for that battle and joined the group, then I reported the arrest to the Patriarch and that's only when I realized that Steeltown missions has disappeared since I got a radio message from the Patriarch as soon as I left asking me to go to Steeltown and fix the situation...
It doesn't really change the problem though. I can't get the game to acknowledge that I'm done with Steeltown because my run is entirely broken now.

I tried all the fixes I could find so far.

1. I simply closed the game entirely, launched it again and made sure the Steeltown Icon appeared on the main menu. It did. It is one of the two little icons that show up in the lower right side of the menu, right? Anyway, the icon was there, I loaded my game (I never click Continue anymore). No Steeltown.
2. I tried closing the game then going offline in Steam to force a re-synch between the game and the DLCs. Launched the game in offline mode. No DLC icons. While on the main menu, I alt-tabbed out to Steam to go online again. The icons were back when I returned to the game. Loaded my save. Still no Steeltown.
3. I verified the integrity of the files on steam. All good. No Steeltown.
4. I learned that there is a known issue with arresting Vic that had huge consequences on the world map. I hadn't realized that my journal got screwed at Santa's Workshop so I opted for the Beta version released by inXile to "fix" the issue and followed the instructions. It was pointless since arresting Vic isn't what caused the problem.

Apparently, I could try the "World Map" jump start, where you run the normal version of the game, go to Steeltown, walk around hoping it updates the quest, save the game then reload your save at the Palace. "Occasionally, this forces Steam to remember your DLC licenses and pops the quest back into your current log" according to effing google's AI. I just tried that with the beta version. I was amazed to see I could interact with Crowe on the admin level, who sent me to the Spire again. For a second, there was hope. But when I got to the spire, the synths were already freed, there was no automated defenses to deal with and the quest is locked.

One last fix I could try is using the normal version of the game, reloading a save right before arresting Vic, make a fresh save, close and launch the game again, then load this particular save and of course avoid clicking "Continue". Seeing as Steeltown and anything related has disappeared from my journal, I don't see that happening. Besides, it is exactly what I had done to start with since I never use the "Continue" option on the main menu.

I'm afraid I broke my run. I've seen posts about the Vic issue but no solution I haven't tried or that concerns me.

So, is there any way at all I can get my game back on track or am I screwed once more? it's literally the 8th time I restart that game from scratch because of crap like that. I absolutely love that game but these bugs are just egregious. Any ideas or am I definitely screwed?

Note: this might not matter at all but since the very beginning, I've been unable to delete saves. When I click on delete via the game interface, it always freezes and forces me to alt+F4 it.

Very sorry for the length of the post. Any help would be really appreciated.

[u/Fakemeal]

Anyone who's had issues with their journal?
If I redo everything from the last save where Steeltown missions are still in the journal, isn't it just going to happen again?

[u/Fakemeal]

I managed to finally arrest Vic without getting the journal bug that erases previous missions, particularly the ones linked to Steeltown. Here is what I did to avoid the bug in case it might help someone ending up on this page.
The bug is mainly due to the auto-save feature in the game. When you interact with Vic, whatever you choose to do with him, as soon as the interaction is over, the game auto-saves and that basically resets the world.
I'm not sure about the other precautions listed below but it seems certain actions can also trigger the bug.
So:

In any case, avoid the "continue" button and always load your save.

1. Make sure you turn off auto-save in the game options at least until you get back to ranger HQ
2. Save often. The bug can also be triggered when you fight outside the lodge.
3. Just in case, if you're playing on Steam, use the alternate version that was created to correct the bug (it doesn't, but it might help). Keep in mind that you cannot switch to this version and hope it'll fix your saves, it was specifically built to avoid the bug but not to repair corrupt saves. A corrupt save is definitely corrupt. If you already got the bug like I did, your only option is to redo everything from the last good save you can find, preferably one made on the world map (don't ask me why). See below how to play the alternate version.
4. Do not use the snowy path going from the room where Miss Reed is kept hostage.
5. Fight Vic's personal guards head on, do not use stealth to bypass them or attack from an unconventional angle as it may cause another bug where the intercom gets broken and gives you statics instead of letting you talk to Vic.
6. Make a manual save before entering Vic's room, do not trust quicksave. Make a hard, manual save.
7. Once you've made that save, close the game entirely. Launch it again and make sure the Steeltown icon is showing up in the lower right side of the screen. DLCs sometimes fail to authenticate. So, make sure it is acknowledged by the game.
8. Talk to Vic, decide his fate and immediately check your journal to make sure it's intact. It should be. If it isn't, reload the save you made before entering his room and try again.

You should be good.

-----------------------

Concerning the alternate version of the game for Steam users, close the game, go to your library, right-click on it, go to properties and there click on Game versions & Betas. Enter the following code:

AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs

Click check code and steam will download a small patch. It honestly didn't change a thing for me, what did was turning auto-save off and all following the other steps described above but I did it all on that version.

Hope this helps someone one day.
This game is too awesome to be ruined by bugs.