Dude, its not that big a deal. it freaked me out too, the first time it happened, but what is occouring during that black screen period is it is populating the world based upon your prior decisions. Loot, bodies, faction adjustment, et cetera.
I don't think it is a problem with the algorithms, I think the game is capped on how much memory it allocates to the process. Just start the game, have a smoke or pour a cup of joe, and within about a full minute your game will be loaded. Just doing something else for a second while it cold boots your custom environment -you'll notice the warm boots for game loads take no time to load at all.
I haven't finished the game yet, just got it myself a week or so ago, but these little hatches everywhere are freaking me out (especially the one on the roof of the burnt out outpost where you find the gems near the first dying guard you meet after escaping the goblin prison), so I have been running around planting weapons around all of them, and in prison cells/barrels et cetera to ensure if anything happens to my character again, I have recourse. I've noticed the more things I change and position, the longer my load time is (incrementally, seconds really, have never needed more than a minute and a half to load).
Anyway man, relax, all is as it should be. If it makes you feel better, tap escape a few time while you are waiting. I find that soothe me anyway :D
Post edited February 17, 2010 by Elkor_Alish