Update issues?

[jeffplum]

This is happening to me too, aaarrgghh!! I originally installed the Osmos demo through Steam earlier today. It started happening on that but I thought it was just because I'd reached the end of the demo! Then I uninstalled the demo (through Steam), restarted my computer, bought the full game (yay!) and when I loaded it up it is still doing it.

It has what appears to be three screens overlaid, one is titled "Thanks for playing the Osmos demo", another is titled "Osmos Update", another might be a levels screen or achievements. I'm sending a screenshot. I've tried deleting the user directories from "My Documents" but no luck. The buttons on the update screen ("Y" and "N") do not respond. In fact the game appears to continue playing under this "overlay", as I could hear the sound effect relating to me slowing down time and going to normal speed with the right mouse button. Hope this helps.

[Meal Worms]

Hey gang,

Thanks everyone for your posts. I haven't been able to reproduce this issue locally, but I've got a code change that I think will address it.

Before we roll it out live, I'd like to test with some of you to make sure it actually addresses the issue. If anyone is interested in receiving a test Steam .exe with a potential fix, please email me at daveburke@hemispheregames.com and let me know what email address I can send the new .exe to?

Thanks for your help all! We're almost there on this issue.

Dave

[jeffplum]

Dave, I think I've figured out what my problem was! I disabled Steam Friends In Game and now there are no more flickering pop-ups or overlays! I did this because I remember there being a problem in Left 4 Dead similar to this. Been playing 20 mins with no problems.

[Meal Worms]

jeffplum, that's a HUGE tip dude! Just posted this to the FAQ, with credit to you

Just to be certain this is the valid 'fix', can anyone else verify that this helps them out too? If so, I'll take up the issue with Valve.

Thanks!
Dave

[IronMike]

Hi everyone

I'm experiencing the same issue : a menu flashes for about one second asking for an update.
It can happen while I'm on the start screen or while I'm playing (arrrrrgh !).
When it happens on the start screen, I've noticed that sometimes the background disappears, sometimes the screen is darkened as if the gamma was set very low. When it happens in the game, I've noticed that the game was still running (making me lose the level...). Sometimes, after the update menu has gone away, the zoom is considerably focused on my "bubble" (my bubble covers all the screen).
As jeffplum says, the update menu does not respond to keyboard nor mouse input.

I first play at the demo, it seems that the problem occurs when I've finished the demo levels.
I bought the full version on Steam but the problems is still there.

I tried to modify the config.cfg in my profile, setting the promptAllowUpdatesOnStartup to "0". No effect (the problem appears immediately).
I tried to rename my config.cfg (instead of delete it) et change the promptAllowUpdatesOnStartup in the config.cfg located in the steam directory. No effect.
I tried the Jeffplum's workaround (disable the Steam friend notifying), I could play for almost twenty minutes without any popup but... it finally happened...

Between each test, I closed Osmos AND Steam.

IronMike

PS: I'm french, I hope my english is quite comprehensible...

[Hwee]

I have tried to follow JeffPlum's suggestion by turning off Steam Friends, but I'm still getting the problem. I even tried running Steam in offline mode but still I get the update screen. Has anyone else resolved the problem by fiddling with Steam settings? If so could they post what they did.

Thanks,
Hwee

[jeffplum]

Yes, I must concede that although turning off Steam Friends has stopped the problem for the majority of the time, it is still happening sometimes. I can alleviate the problem when it does occur by hitting [esc] to the menu, changing from fullscreen to windowed. Also turning on V-Sync stops it for a while too. On one occasion after following these steps, it started flickering again, but turning back to fullscreen stopped it from happening. I know it definitely started this flickering after I got a Steam achievement (unlocking all zones), maybe it is something to do with the Steam overlay after all. It is still disruptive to gameplay but not stopping play like it was before I turned off Steam Friends. There is a new element to the problem, however - now the game sometimes zooms right in to the blue mote when the screen starts flickering. This can be fixed by trying the above steps.

All these experiences are using the adjusted Osmos.exe that Dave sent me yesterday. I wish I knew more about programming!

I should apologize because it seems like I keep saying "Yeah! It's fixed! Wooo!" and then finding out it's still not completely fixed! However, the problem as it stands is intermittent, and only seems to occur after some time in the game.

[HoosTrax]

Edit: Sorry, I meant to post this in another thread !

[jeffplum]

Should this thread be merged with Osmos Support main thread?

[Meal Worms]

@ IronMike
@ hwee
@ jeffplum : When the flicker reappeared again after having gone away for 20 minutes or so, were there any other Steam popups on the screen at the time (e.g. an achievement popup, a friend message, etc)? Because we still may have an issue with the Steam overlay stuff...

Thanks,
Dave