Clicking "off game" and switching out of view

WillzZz

Not necessarily an NS2 problem.. but I don't remember it happening in other games (I don't play many games).

Does anyone know why this happens? It'll shoot me out of game and decide I have right clicked on my desktop (or whatever). Is it some magic key combo I don't know about? It happened twice in a row just now, but it's very rare otherwise. Maybe once a day or less. When I try to make it happen on purpose it never happens. I use default binds.

Frothybeverage

Turn off stickykeys.

WillzZz

Good idea, but I just checked and it's not on.

Frothybeverage

Are you using more than one monitor?

WillzZz

Yeah. I'm not sure how it could happen otherwise, but I also don't know how it happens in NS2.

Ghosthree3

Sometimes the mouse doesn't get trapped in the game, so when you spin around in the game, the mouse moves off on to your other monitor. Not NS2 specific, and usually goes away as soon as you click on the game (in the task bar) again.

Frothybeverage

It happens in L4D as well, and it is really, really annoying.

kalakuja

You could check the monitor id number. I had them messed up in my old setup, the primary monitor always had monitor id#2. Fixed by starting windows with different monitor plugged in untill you get the numbering right.

Adambean

Hm this could be exactly why my NS2 also loses focus randomly. Usually as alien, but never while commanding or as a spectator. I'll disable my 2nd monitor (a TV mainly for Media Player Classic) and try again.

The windows flag key + P shortcut (WIN+P) is also very nice for quickly enabling/disabling a 2nd monitor.

Update: Just played a game on summit. Problem didn't happen once for 3 rounds. Looks like multiple monitors was indeed the cause of my issue, well spotted Frothybeverage

Adambean

Another update: Turns out nVidia graphics drivers crashing could also be to blame. Today on Mineshaft these loss of focuses became way too frequent. Literally every 10 seconds, making the game unplayable. After a couple of minutes I just pressed F10 in a "f-this" mood, only to catch a balloon saying "Display driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 314.07 stopped responding and has successfully recovered."

I shall search this message board for solutions. I can safely say NS2 is the only game I have causing a display driver crash though. Minecraft without a frame limiter doesn't cause this, though NS2 capped at 61 FPS (using 'maxfps', no V-sync) does.

Adambean

For the record, this issue happens a LOT less since build 243. Even playing as alien on mineshaft, I've had this issue twice throughout the entire free weekend (and I've been playing loads since Thursday).

ScardyBob

Multi-monitor issue. Has happened to me on more than one occasion, typically when I'm moving my mouse extremely fast or at the right edge of my screen (where my 2nd monitor is located).

Adambean

I've gotten into the habit of disabling my TV before opening NS2 now, which could be why the issue next to never happens any more. I should try it a few times in its' regular mode.

This issue did occur twice without a 2nd monitor enabled. It could be caused by another application (Skype?) trying to steal focus when someone signs in. (random thought)

Adambean

Heh you're probably bored of hearing from me about this now, but good news, since build 240 this issue hasn't happened to me once -- even with multiple monitors enabled.

A new issue has arisen where NS2 will completely halt my computer (alt+tab / win-key doesn't respond too), but I'm not sure if it's related. Only had it twice since build 240. Only recovery option is a hard power reset upsetting my RAID controller -- it then takes about an hour to boot as it's doing a RAID verification at the same time

Regnareb

I have a multi monitor setup since more than 10 years now, it never happened to me (if you take out the games that does that even with one monitor).
Always had ATI cards though, don't know if this is related.

VGA/DVI and DVI/HDMI and even VGA/DVI/HDMI setups.

Adambean

Always been on nVidia here with multiple monitors. The TV on HDMI is technically the primary monitor, which could have been the cause. The main monitor on DVI is technically a secondary monitor.

WillzZz

Hasn't happened to me in weeks. It was pretty rare, though.

Adambean

Bumping because this issue has come back since build 249, and is very frequent. (5+ times a round)

Interestingly I've noticed a bunch of failed WinVNC connections in my event log. (trying to use protocol 3.3 or 3.4 when RealVNC only allows protocol 4+) These could be related as there are also events from Desktop Window Manager:

"A request to disable the Desktop Window Manager was made by process (4)"
"The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because composition was disabled by a running application" <- NS2 being the application in question perhaps?

Looks like I may need to disable VNC server while playing NS2. Still odd that no other game I play is effected by this.

IronHorse

Thanks for the update, but given how we have little means to reproduce the issue, it's gonna be on you to do the investigating! :-P
Goodluck and let us know.
Thanks

Edit : be doubly sure to disable any and all overlays

Adambean

Doesn't appear to be VNC/RDP causing this. I ran NS2 and got in a ready room, then had one of my other computers VNC and RDP to it.
I'll keep an eye on the clock when this next happens and be sure to check out the event log.

turtsmcgurt

welp, some of you are getting a bit closer to the fix.

Lower your windows send and/or mouse DPI and raise your in game sens. Happens in nearly every game I've played until I fixed it. My assumption as to why it happens is that the game attempts to lock your cursor in the game, usually the center, but it doesn't disable it. Every whenever milliseconds it places your mouse in the center of your screen. So if you flick your mouse to the side your 2nd monitor is on andclick before it can replace your cursor, you click off the screen. Note it only happens if you have dual monitors and only on the side of your 2nd monitor.
So the idea is to lower the distance your desktop cursor moves, but maintaining your in game sens.

Typed on my phone, I see some red squiggly lines but I can't be bothered.

TL;DR: lower windows send and/or DPI, while raising your in game sens.

Adambean

I have had this happen when my 2nd monitor is disabled too, though it is much more rare. That could have just been a coincidence with the builds that were coming out at the time though.

Adambean

Having checked the event viewer at the exact times, it appears to be nVidia display driver crashes causing this.

"Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered."

I also had switched off both RDP and VNC services so it won't be those.

I have been using nVidia driver version 314.22 (GTX560Ti), but I'll update to 320.18 and see how that goes.

IronHorse

Googling this issue yields a lot of results... the nvidia driver stopped responding issue seems well documented and vast.

Be careful with 320 version, people have reported issues with ns2.
goodluck and thanks for updating us on your investigation

Adambean

No problem. Unfortunately updating drivers didn't help entirely. Just had a click-out on the exact moment of destroying an exosuit marine. (I was a skulk biting it with a fade) Literally the instant it went -boom- NS2's window focus was lost.

What I'll do next time I play is have nVidia Inspector running to log the GPU's sensors. There could be an overheating issue. (though I hope not)

Adambean

Meh, the GPU temperatures hardly rise a few degrees during NS2 play. The GPU consumption never hits 100% in NS2 though so there isn't any reason for it to.

On a more related note this particular thread at the GeForce forums could be exactly the same issue I'm having. There is even multiple mention of Natural Selection 2, and also downgrading to drivers 306.23 can be a temporary workaround.

It would be interesting to see if cards overclocked by manufacturer are the common factor in all of this, and more importantly if increasing the GPU input volts by 0.06 really does fix it. 2nd post on page 2 claims +0.06V fixed this completely. This is a very modest boost so I'll happily try this out and report back, and the fan rarely surpasses 50% at maximum load so there is plenty of room to cool off additional heat.

Adambean

Increasing the GPU volts from 1.037 to 1.087 appears to have somewhat fixed this. Upping by 0.06V (to 1.097) didn't appear possible via nVidia inspector.

Today during the intense heat (lol) in the UK I'm trying again as it's currently 31c in this room. Attached screen shots show a graph dip where 2 nVidia driver crashes happened, however I noticed that the GPU volt change in nVidia Inspector doesn't save persistently so that'll be why. Kinda makes the 2 attachments irrelevant... I'll try again now in the high heat at the correct GPU volt.


Edit: Yep, pushing GPU volts back up to 1.087 fixed it again. Also attached a screen shot with CoreTemp, looks like even in a 31c room my computer is not overheating.

IronHorse

Glad you found the fix!

Weird that a voltage settings decides your ability to click off screen??

Ghosthree3

This takes 2nd place for weirdest fix. 1st place being a friend discovering having a CD in the drive caused net lag.

Adambean

It'll be because the card is factory overclocked, and the voltage wasn't high enough to provide enough energy for stable operation at higher frequencies. The same rule applies to the CPU too, only that your computer completely freezes/crashes instead of just a display driver crash.

IronHorse

So downclocking your GPU should be recommended in the case of frequent display driver crashes.. interesting.