Just got a fresh install of BZFlag 2.4.26 for Windows on my Asus Vivobook Pro laptop.
Here are my specs for what it's worth:
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 7 155H 3.80 GHz
GPU: Nvidia RTX 3050 6GB
Installed RAM 16.0 GB (15.4 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
OS: Windows 11 Home
Frontier FiOS 5G internet, 50+Mb up/down
Basically my issue is if I press certain buttons like the volume keys while playing bz the screen fades to black for a few seconds before coming back. Also does this if I try to alt-tab to another window to change music or check a discord notification or whatever rather than just quickly and smoothly hopping over to another window. Also I was a having a huge pain scrolling through the chat properly because anytime I would try to scroll to the bottom to see the most recent stuff, it would keep bouncing back up making it really hard to keep up with current stuff. Trackpad drivers are up to date so not sure what the issue is there but it was driving me nuts! Would love to get these issues ironed out so I can get back into the swing of playing bz, it's been foreverrrrrrrrr
Screen blacks out during gameplay + squirrelly scrolling
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Zehra
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Re: Screen blacks out during gameplay + squirrelly scrolling
Linux user here, so I can't test/duplicate this. My best guess is that "BZFlag" is dimming when it's not the "main window". See related links: I have enabled a feature in W11 that I cannot find to disable again. It causes any inactive/unselected window to dim, leaving only the active window bright and viewable. reddit and background windows dimmed. answers.microsoft
Copied quote from reddit:
Copied quote from reddit:
-ZehraGot it! Finally ound the solution and it's only for ASUS computers. They did an update the same time I installed Windows 11. It's: The setting is under "MyASUS > Customization > General > Target Mode". Target Mode: When enabled, the brightness of the active window will remain unchanged, whereas non-active areas will be dimmed for power saving and minimize possible OLED display aging.
Some useful references:
Map editor and tool list (summary)
Prefab and BZW help threads index
Map releases index
Some of my BZFlag related stuff.
BZList.net Modern HTML5 server stats site.
BZFlag has a cycle every 1-3 years. Activity drops/stops and resumes some time after. It returns to 90% of what it was.
We see late in 2013, the following thread: Why are there only like 30 people playing BZFLAG at one time.
Let's say 2014 starts with 30 players:
With a cycle length of:
3 years: 2017=27 players, 2020=24 players...
2.5 years: mid-2016=27 players, 2019=24 players, mid-2021=22 players.
I think the cycles get shorter as time goes along, but the bigger issue is eventually that activity will not be able to sustain itself in the long run, as nobody waits an hour for people to show up.
Map editor and tool list (summary)
Prefab and BZW help threads index
Map releases index
Some of my BZFlag related stuff.
BZList.net Modern HTML5 server stats site.
BZFlag has a cycle every 1-3 years. Activity drops/stops and resumes some time after. It returns to 90% of what it was.
We see late in 2013, the following thread: Why are there only like 30 people playing BZFLAG at one time.
Let's say 2014 starts with 30 players:
With a cycle length of:
3 years: 2017=27 players, 2020=24 players...
2.5 years: mid-2016=27 players, 2019=24 players, mid-2021=22 players.
I think the cycles get shorter as time goes along, but the bigger issue is eventually that activity will not be able to sustain itself in the long run, as nobody waits an hour for people to show up.
Re: Screen blacks out during gameplay + squirrelly scrolling
Does it gradually fade to black, or do you just mean the screen goes black?
"In addition to knowing the secrets of the Universe, I can assure you that I am also quite potty trained." -Koenma (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Re: Screen blacks out during gameplay + squirrelly scrolling
I believe it was a gradual but quick fade to black over the full screen. Maybe I can try to capture a quick video next time I have time to play. Fwiw it happened a lot more on badgerking and Clay Hills than it did on Mystic Valley for whatever reason.
I poked around the MyAsus app for the Target mode setting mentioned earlier which it turns out was already disabled, so not that one I guess. But I did install a few driver updates and adjust some of the function keys since my volume buttons are on F1 F2 F3 (normally they are volume buttons unless I use the Fn key). I'm wondering if it has anything to do with conflicting key mappings or my laptop switching GPUs which would be weird for a game ss simple as bzf, definitely shouldn't need the RTX to run that. Or maybe it's some other weird thing I wouldn't know about, idk
For the trackpad scrolling, GEP basically told me that it's been broken for years and has just been ignored for years. I used to play with the trackpad on my old Macbook Pro all the time without any issues from around 2011-2014 so I guess something broke between then and now. Plugging in an external mouse seems to fix it for now but it really would be nice to have a viable trackpad option again too.
I poked around the MyAsus app for the Target mode setting mentioned earlier which it turns out was already disabled, so not that one I guess. But I did install a few driver updates and adjust some of the function keys since my volume buttons are on F1 F2 F3 (normally they are volume buttons unless I use the Fn key). I'm wondering if it has anything to do with conflicting key mappings or my laptop switching GPUs which would be weird for a game ss simple as bzf, definitely shouldn't need the RTX to run that. Or maybe it's some other weird thing I wouldn't know about, idk
For the trackpad scrolling, GEP basically told me that it's been broken for years and has just been ignored for years. I used to play with the trackpad on my old Macbook Pro all the time without any issues from around 2011-2014 so I guess something broke between then and now. Plugging in an external mouse seems to fix it for now but it really would be nice to have a viable trackpad option again too.
Re: Screen blacks out during gameplay + squirrelly scrolling
Fading to me seems odd since that wouldn't be a normal resolution mode switch. My original thought was that maybe some third-party On Screen Display software is taking focus away from the game and causing it to minimize. Could be that MyASUS software. Does that also replace/enhance the built-in Windows OSD?
If the game is using the GeForce chip, the game client should list that as the OpenGL Driver in the chat console when you start the game.
As for the touchpad, I don't think I was aware of that issue. I'm not seeing any problem on either of my Lenovo Yoga 11e laptops (one running Windows 10 and the other Debian 11) nor on my Dell Latitude 3400 (running Debian 12). As a workaround, you could just use the page up/down keys, or hit the End key to scroll to the end immediately.
If the game is using the GeForce chip, the game client should list that as the OpenGL Driver in the chat console when you start the game.
As for the touchpad, I don't think I was aware of that issue. I'm not seeing any problem on either of my Lenovo Yoga 11e laptops (one running Windows 10 and the other Debian 11) nor on my Dell Latitude 3400 (running Debian 12). As a workaround, you could just use the page up/down keys, or hit the End key to scroll to the end immediately.
"In addition to knowing the secrets of the Universe, I can assure you that I am also quite potty trained." -Koenma (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Re: Screen blacks out during gameplay + squirrelly scrolling
Finally solved the issue. Must be an issue with the Intel chip because when I set bzflag to launch with the Nvidia chip instead the volume keys now function normally.