The infamous Black Screen
vizioNz
InversionNS2.com Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24595Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester
InversionNS2.com Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24595Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester
<div class="IPBDescription">Need input from the community!</div>Hey everyone,
So, ScardyBob and I are trying to figure out a "how-to" to reproduce the black screen so we can help solve the issue and have UWE fix it once and for all! It has been hurting public and competitive play heavily in the recent months and I want to try and put all these awesome brains together and help UWE check this PITA bug off their list once and for all.
Any suggestions/input for anyone?
So, ScardyBob and I are trying to figure out a "how-to" to reproduce the black screen so we can help solve the issue and have UWE fix it once and for all! It has been hurting public and competitive play heavily in the recent months and I want to try and put all these awesome brains together and help UWE check this PITA bug off their list once and for all.
Any suggestions/input for anyone?
Comments
It only seems to happen client side when the round is restarted (om_restartround). Is there a command to restart round on a server that is not running GameOvermind?
Which team won, what were you when you died? What state were you in? (hp, armor, did you destroy something at game end?)
Which hive/cc was destroyed last?
One thing I've noticed is when I black screen, is that others who also blackscreened have their voice boxes displayed as if they are still on a team (yellow or blue),rather than no-team grey. Could this be indicative of players being caught in a transitional step between the last game and the server controlled movement into the ready room?
Apart from that I noticed that voice is still working if I get a blackscreen, you probably already know that BUT I got a Blackscreen as I was a marine and while the real round was running I could hear the alien team speaking and they also could hear me with voice (but just me! and they saw my name in marine blue)! Very strange, maybe that piece of the puzzle helps somebody how as a more overall picture of the game/engine code.
you will just have to go about killing the hive or command chair to try and reproduce it. or another suggestion is if turning off cheats still ends the game keep doing that till it does it.
also voice and chat never seam to work for me when it happens.
Apart from that I noticed that voice is still working if I get a blackscreen, you probably already know that BUT I got a Blackscreen as I was a marine and while the real round was running I could hear the alien team speaking and they also could hear me with voice (but just me! and they saw my name in marine blue)! Very strange, maybe that piece of the puzzle helps somebody how as a more overall picture of the game/engine code.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think the reason why they were able to here you is because the initial 15 second round after the om_restartround is completed has cheats enabled (which allows all talk), then after the second restart, you are no longer able to hear each other.
You have have black screened after the initial restart and was able to communicate with them while you had a black screen :)
Which team won, what were you when you died? What state were you in? (hp, armor, did you destroy something at game end?)
Which hive/cc was destroyed last?
One thing I've noticed is when I black screen, is that others who also blackscreened have their voice boxes displayed as if they are still on a team (yellow or blue),rather than no-team grey. Could this be indicative of players being caught in a transitional step between the last game and the server controlled movement into the ready room?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These are the algorithms that I am trying to create to better assist UWE with fixing it. If anyone can help test this, I would greatly appreciate it! I do not get back from work until later tonight, so I will be unable to test until then :sadface:!
You have have black screened after the initial restart and was able to communicate with them while you had a black screen :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, I guess a was not clear enougth. But with:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I got a Blackscreen as I was a marine and while the<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--> real round<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--> was running I could hear the alien team speaking...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I meant the real game state >after< that countdown. Also the other players were really wondering about that ^^
I meant the real game state >after< that countdown. Also the other players were really wondering about that ^^<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Was the server running GameOvermind?
you will just have to go about killing the hive or command chair to try and reproduce it. or another suggestion is if turning off cheats still ends the game keep doing that till it does it.
also voice and chat never seam to work for me when it happens.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
156 ran one of our servers without ovrmind for a while to see if it was ovrmind related and people were still getting blackscreens, so I don't think its caused by the admin mod. I suspect that since it most commonly happens after the 15s round reset, since ovrmind can do this very easily, it just makes it more common.
Also, as vizionz mentioned, if anyone can record a video or screenshot of a blackscreen happening (including a look at the console), it would greatly help us track this annoying bug down.
<blockquote>Script Error: lua/NetworkMessages_Server.lua:59: attempt to index local 'player' (a nil value)
          lua/NetworkMessages_Server.lua:59</blockquote>
It almost always happens for several players at the same time.
And I find that it happens alot more often for me, when I for example look at the map or the scores or something. Basicly when I'm touching anything.
Hope the devs can use this thread to find the problem.
Yeah it was on HBZ and also just in the moment the round started as usually but I didn't disconnected for reading in the console and then I could hear the aliens taking about what they are doing currently and I just tried if they could here me also, and they could ^^ Maybe you could try it your self next time to proof that, maybe it was just a random bug but I don't think so.
Relevant/not who knows.
<3
[B186] Black Screen Bug has appeared with status Started<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<3
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah! Did they finally found a way to reproduce it or the reason?
Yeah! Did they finally found a way to reproduce it or the reason?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
After much testing we are on the right track to figuring out how this happens and how we can stop it. No promises for 186, but I'm sure UWE would love to fix this once and for all!
Stay tuned :)
Blackscreen is really that annoying when you play alot. :)
I don't mind playing 185 a bit longer :P
Edit: The delivered tasks for 186 is already looking great!
+1
-black screened after a very short game
-aliens won, skulk-rushed MS: destroying infantry portal(s)
-round took around 2mins
-i was on the aliens team
-previous game; marines won (long round/1hrish?)
Console error messages:
ViewModel:GetPoseParam(arm_loop): Parameter name doesn't exist - Client
GetLightsForPowerPoint(powerPoint): Couldn't find location entity named - Client
That's not to say you should stop reporting suspicious behaviour, just make sure you're dressed for the occasion.
That's not to say you should stop reporting suspicious behaviour, just make sure you're dressed for the occasion.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
lol
On a serious note, I'd like to buy a vowel - Overmind.. Ovrmind.. it drives my OCD insane, yes, I accuse you of this! :D
On a serious note, I'd like to buy a vowel - Overmind.. Ovrmind.. it drives my OCD insane, yes, I accuse you of this! :D<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
haha, yeah, I hear you! It does tickle my pickle that for some reason the E was dropped. Maybe there is something behind it like when your Welding and trying to type you can't type the letter E? Who knows!
Anywho, has anyone else got any console dumps for us to supply UWE with more information? Come on guys, we all hate it but very few are participating in getting error reports!
To produce black screens, do the following:
<blockquote>- Create your own server
- Join a team (do not stay in ready room)
- In console type "cheats 1"
- In console type "reset"
- Repeat the reset command until you black screen.
- Disconnect and if your console shoots out any error codes, please post them here!
* Repeat the above process and gather as much as you can. The console doesn't always produce script errors :(</blockquote>
If you don't mind, could you produce a system or reproducing the issue or provide some screenies? That way I can try to reproduce the issue on my end :)