Official forums for BZFlag.org

Hi fellow tankers,

I have a couple of issues with bzflag.
1. screen goes darker randomly during gameplay. It happens at random times, sometimes it doesn't occur for weeks, sometimes 3 times in 1 minute.
It happens only in bzflag. To fix it, I need to go into game options>display>..., change brightness and it is OK for a while.
All power saving options under OS are turned off.
bzflag version 2.4.18 (happened on other versions too)
OS: win 10 x64, latest updates, fresh install
Machine: acer, i5 6th gen with onboard intel 520. (happened on other machines too, Win 10/Win 7 x64, intel CPUs, onboard graphics and also one with nVidia 1050)
Current graphics driver: 25.20.100.6618 (08/03/2019) Also happens on older drivers.

2. To avoid FPS dropping fron (~100 to under 30 sometimes after a tank explodes of there are more players on the map), I have set in game option to Energy saver to FPS limit, but it does not save the option when re-launching bzflag. Have to cycle to another option and back to FPS limit to activate it.

also sound is choppy sometimes. I'll make another post for this.

Any ideaas?

Thanks,
alc

Ditto for me too re screen going dark and same fix.

Windows 10 x64, fully up to date.

Just noticed this. I am now missing the option to adjust brightness all together.

#1 Confirmed that you are missing that option.

#2 Unknown for sure what the fix is, so I am Guessing possible fixes..

---

#1 To use the config file?

As as example shot length. In the GUI shot length is more limited than what is in the config file.

#2 Download and compile from source code?

As as example I downloaded and compiled from source code on my Unix/Linux system and I do not have that issue.

I have reinstalled bzflag, issue still there.

I've had a look through the .cfg file, but couldn't see anything related to brightness level. Not sure if I could add a line to set the brightness.

I am running Win10 v1903 x64, everything up to date, including drivers.

Forgot to mention, now my screen is dark at all times.

If the brightness option is missing, it's not a config issue. It means that SDL is failing to set the brightness, so the option is being disabled. When this happens, BZFlag does write out the SDL error to stdout, but you won't normally see that. Open a command prompt and run:
Then go to the display settings menu just to be sure, and exit the game. See if there's anything in the bzflag-error.txt file on your desktop.

Thanks blast.

I now have the option to adjust brightness back.
bz is still starting dark and after adjusting the brightness either way and back, it goes to normal.

Log contains 1 line:

I was not able to reproduce it on a Windows 10 laptop with a i7-4610M / Intel HD 4600 (also hybrid with some AMD Radeon chip) on either Windows 10 build 1803 nor the May 2019 update, but that's two generations of Intel older than yours. I was thinking that was my most recent system with the option of Intel graphics, but I realized my file server has a Skylake-S (6th gen Core) based Xeon with Intel HD P530. I will try to replicate it on that system, but that's a bit more tedious as it'll involve some drive removals/swaps.

Hi blast.

Sorry I didn't mention this. I have since moved to an i5 7200 with HD620 running Win10 x64 1903.
When I was missing the option to change brightness it was on this machine.
When I start the game it starts dark. I change the brightness one step up or down and it goes to normal.
I ocasionally get the screen going dark in game (laptop plugged in), but not as often as before.
Video driver version: 26.20.100.6890.
If you want remote access, we can arrange it.

Also could not reproduce the issue with an Intel HD P530.

Pesky_UK wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2019 9:03 pm Ditto for me too re screen going dark and same fix.

Windows 10 x64, fully up to date.

I get it on my Surface Pro 3 (Intel HD Graphics Family). My "fix" was to change the cfg file to read only and that seemed to stop it from happening but since the latest Win 1903 update it's started again, at least once per game.

I recently noticed that if I do minimise (F4) after launching the game and then switch back to it, the brightness is as it should be.
It's quicker than going through the menu and adjunsting the brightness.

I still have to change Energy Saver options to take effect before playing.
For example, I keep it on Vertical Sync, but if I play without changing it to Off or FPS Limit and back, FPS will go to something like 200+ and drop to ~30 when there is intensive activity on screen.
It I change it to either VSync/FPS limit before playing, FPS will be capped at 60/30 fps without dropping.

alcatraz wrote: ↑Sat Aug 10, 2019 11:47 am I still have to change Energy Saver options to take effect before playing.
For example, I keep it on Vertical Sync, but if I play without changing it to Off or FPS Limit and back, FPS will go to something like 200+ and drop to ~30 when there is intensive activity on screen.
It I change it to either VSync/FPS limit before playing, FPS will be capped at 60/30 fps without dropping.

This is a known bug which was already patched in our development code. It will be fixed in the next release of the game.