I haven't tried to play much after v1.34 because of this:

If you have made a savegame in versions before v1.33, then loaded that savegame in v1.33 and saved in v1.33, that savegame is potentially corrupt. The best thing is to revert to one of the savegames made earlier with v1.32 or before.

I had downloaded the fix, then v1.33, and I assumed that my game was corrupt. I hadn't saved the game after I encountered the black map, and when I reloaded the game the map was fine. But I'm assuming that the saved game is still potentially corrupt, even if the bug hasn't occurred (after my reloading) and I patched up to 1.34. This is true, right?

Oh, please, oh please, tell me that as long as the black map hasn't occurred yet, and I patch to 1.34 I won't have a problem... PLEASE?!?! This really has the potential to EASILY win one of my "favorite game of all time" awards... But I just don't think I can start over again, right now, after all the time I put into it...