Another change with fullscreen windowed mode, was that it cuts the audio when you tab away. Some may see that as a feature, but if you're waiting for a game to start, and you tab out to browse, check email etc, you will not be able to hear when the game is about to begin.
Would be lovely if the old behaviour could be reversed, or at least add an option to make the audio play even when you alt tab away.
The old behavior would be nice, the whole reason to use borderless mode is to have that kind of behavior.
At least you guys didn't break it as much as planetside 2 did, they broke it once near end of beta and then it's been so bugged its impossible to use and will break your computer ever since.
I didn't mind the sound still going on alt tab, if I wanted to mute it I just shift+tabbed to get the overlay up, which muted the game. (Only issue was that you could still here rail guns NOOO).
EDIT: After googling for work around fixes (as I've done so before for a different game) I found an improved version of a script I used to use (had to fix a bug though) which will remove the border from a window and stick it in the top left corner.
Instructions:
1. Change to normal windowed mode.
2. Run the script below (install autohotkey first)
3. Press Winkey+W while NS2 is selected or Ctrl+Alt+W while your mouse is over it (if the first step didn't work or you don't have a winkey) to remove the border. The hotkey is a toggle btw.
4. This bit is weird, you may have noticed it hangs off screen at the bottom right a bit even though it's in the top left corner, just go to options and change the resolution of the game down one, then change it back. Should fit now. I have no idea why it does this, doesn't happen with any other window, must be an NS2 issue.
dushanBreaker of GamesJoin Date: 2011-10-30Member: 130202Members, NS2 Developer, Squad Five Blue, Pistachionauts
I'll see if we can get the SDL guys to change the fullscreen windowed behavior - I don't like how it works now either. If they can't do that, we'll just use a windowed mode and some platform specific code to hide the borders.
Re: audo while the game doesn't have focus - I was not aware this is something people wanted. What's the use case? I can certainly add an option for this.
The reason we might want audio while alt-tabbed is so that we can hear a round-start countdown or we hear the sound come back on after map loading finishes. It's less of an issue if you can keep the game visible while focused on another window, but it's always nice to have a secondary method.
Those are the two reasons I usually alt-tab to begin with, I'm waiting to get into the game in one way or another, and I want to be able to know exactly when to tab back. I just afked a round because I came to the forum briefly while waiting and didn't know it started (and we got rushed apparently).
I'll see if we can get the SDL guys to change the fullscreen windowed behavior - I don't like how it works now either. If they can't do that, we'll just use a windowed mode and some platform specific code to hide the borders.
Re: audo while the game doesn't have focus - I was not aware this is something people wanted. What's the use case? I can certainly add an option for this.
If you do just use code to remove the borders, make sure to disable the alt drop down menu. Something I noticed with the fix I posted above, is my map key is ALT, and every time I press it and then any other key I get beep spammed.
Wasn't using windowed mode before as crossfire and dx9 is a no go in such case but I do believe this should work fine now that dx11 is in. I currently find myself using the steam overlay rather then alt tabbing as alt tab in full screen sometimes gets my audio stuck on broadcast which can be awkward when I'm talking to people.
I'd much rather alt tab out of the game while waiting for the round to start. Having sound to go with this is preferable. I've always used this a lot in source games and mmos pretty much can't go without. Having sound to go with it is a good way to know when you need to refocus attention to your game.
this is just annoying, i cant alt tab or ctrl + alt + delete to bring up the task manager. i liked it the other way personally. and to give dushan my personal reason why this feature is nice is to alt+tab to pause or turn down music or the radio station i have going in the background... i cant do this anymore because of this change for the worse in my opinion...
@dushan treating the game like a voice chat program, esp in cases like developing/playtesting mods. If you aren't in game you cant hear requests from a modder etc. Out of game audio would be very nice. Also, for idling in a server alone to get empty servers started
DC_DarklingJoin Date: 2003-07-10Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
I myself am complaining about the sound not playing @Ironhorse.
But from my understanding 'we' are complaining about windowed mode not being a true window. As in, let the Ns2 window overlap with lets say your browser if you alttab, not minimize.
DC_DarklingJoin Date: 2003-07-10Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
We shall just bug every pt on the planet till they nagged so much @ the devs head that it will be changed..
Uhm I mean uhm... We shall bravely keep bumping this.. yes, that was it. :P
...Well, what SHOULD happen when you alt tab is the window stays visible and whatever you alt tabbed to appears on top of it, like any window of any program, except it has no border (and probably is the same res as the desktop). What actually happens is the window gets hidden from view and muted (it used to keep playing sound when alt tabbed too which was useful), which is extremely annoying and pretty much means it's the same thing as fullscreen except without taking over your monitor so it alt tabs faster. You can't just "click" back into it either.
EDIT: If you want to see what I mean, use borderless mode in ns2 and alt tab. Then run TF2 with a -noborder launch parameter and set it to windowed mode (might need to restart the game). See the difference.
EDIT2: Or, ANY game that has borderless mode for that matter. Hell, even b251 of NS2.
Join Date: 2010-02-13 Member: 70557Members, Reinforced - Supporter
Comments
Would be lovely if the old behaviour could be reversed, or at least add an option to make the audio play even when you alt tab away.
At least you guys didn't break it as much as planetside 2 did, they broke it once near end of beta and then it's been so bugged its impossible to use and will break your computer ever since.
EDIT: After googling for work around fixes (as I've done so before for a different game) I found an improved version of a script I used to use (had to fix a bug though) which will remove the border from a window and stick it in the top left corner.
Instructions:
1. Change to normal windowed mode.
2. Run the script below (install autohotkey first)
3. Press Winkey+W while NS2 is selected or Ctrl+Alt+W while your mouse is over it (if the first step didn't work or you don't have a winkey) to remove the border. The hotkey is a toggle btw.
4. This bit is weird, you may have noticed it hangs off screen at the bottom right a bit even though it's in the top left corner, just go to options and change the resolution of the game down one, then change it back. Should fit now. I have no idea why it does this, doesn't happen with any other window, must be an NS2 issue.
https://dropbox.com/s/bf1lhk9ovb4ncee/YABT.ahk
The sound still gets muted on alt tab though, can't fix that, guess they changed it.
If anyone can figure out how to not require the 4th step (find the cause) that'd be great.
Re: audo while the game doesn't have focus - I was not aware this is something people wanted. What's the use case? I can certainly add an option for this.
Those are the two reasons I usually alt-tab to begin with, I'm waiting to get into the game in one way or another, and I want to be able to know exactly when to tab back. I just afked a round because I came to the forum briefly while waiting and didn't know it started (and we got rushed apparently).
If you do just use code to remove the borders, make sure to disable the alt drop down menu. Something I noticed with the fix I posted above, is my map key is ALT, and every time I press it and then any other key I get beep spammed.
Wasn't using windowed mode before as crossfire and dx9 is a no go in such case but I do believe this should work fine now that dx11 is in. I currently find myself using the steam overlay rather then alt tabbing as alt tab in full screen sometimes gets my audio stuck on broadcast which can be awkward when I'm talking to people.
I'd much rather alt tab out of the game while waiting for the round to start. Having sound to go with this is preferable. I've always used this a lot in source games and mmos pretty much can't go without. Having sound to go with it is a good way to know when you need to refocus attention to your game.
Where do I sign up.
So uhm.. fix!
/nags
Can someone explain in one concise sentence what the request is?
But from my understanding 'we' are complaining about windowed mode not being a true window. As in, let the Ns2 window overlap with lets say your browser if you alttab, not minimize.
Uhm I mean uhm... We shall bravely keep bumping this.. yes, that was it. :P
Anyone?
EDIT: If you want to see what I mean, use borderless mode in ns2 and alt tab. Then run TF2 with a -noborder launch parameter and set it to windowed mode (might need to restart the game). See the difference.
EDIT2: Or, ANY game that has borderless mode for that matter. Hell, even b251 of NS2.
EVERYTHING @Ghosthree3 said.