Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

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George Geczy
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Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by George Geczy »

In SRU and SRGW some users have experienced graphics issues in Windows 10, and these are generally attributed to graphics driver issues that can be resolved either with game option adjustments or driver updates. Here are some resolutions to the most common problems encountered by players:

- Screen Lock up when starting game from the menu - Intel GPUs (ie Intel HD Graphics 620, etc)
There is an issue with the Intel 2018 video drivers. These are still the most current drivers automatically installed by Windows 10, although they are many versions behind the current Intel GPU drivers.
You can find your current driver version by running DXDIAG (type "dxdiag" in the search or run box in Windows), click on the "Display 1" tab, and you can see your driver version.
The Intel driver version should start with at least "25." (currently most recent at this writing is 26.20.100.6861) If your version is older than 25, then this is the problem, and you need to update the driver.

The download page for the latest Intel Video Driver is here: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/downlo ... duct=96551

Select one of the choices under "Available Downloads" - using the .exe is usually the easiest to install.

- Freeze up when Alt-Tabbing
Some people have reported issues with Alt-tabbing out of and back into the game. These would be the solutions to try:

a) Running an Intel GPU? Make sure you have the latest driver (see above)
b) In the Game / Options / Graphics settings, make sure "Run Game in Windowed Mode" is set. If your game resolution is the same as your desktop resolution, it will look like full screen, but will be more compatible with alt-tabbing and overlays.
c) Check Game / Options / Graphics settings and turn on "Active Window Focus (Experimental)".

- Graphics artifacts and corruption
This is for when the game runs but graphics look corrupted. This happens differently on certain video cards and video driver versions.

a) Check Game / Options / Graphics settings and make sure the "Video Driver Buffer Fix" is checked.
b) Try setting "Use Hardware Vertex Processing" on or off.

- Slow Frame Rates, especially at certain zoom levels.
This can happen with certain video cards and drivers.

a) In Game / Options / Graphics settings, set Graphics Resolution to Low
b) Try setting "Use Hardware Vertex Processing" on or off.
c) Try turning off "Use 3D Terrain"

- Ensure you're using the correct video hardware (GPU).
In some systems you will also be able to switch between a discrete GPU (NVidia/AMD) and the Integrated GPU (ie Intel). Make sure you select the discrete GPU for your system.

For example, with the nVidia control panel installed, in your Windows Notification bar (bottom left) find NVidia Settings, select it and your NVidia Control Panel comes up. Go to "Manage 3d Settings". Look for "Preferred Graphics Processor". Select NVidia.


After you make a Graphics Options change you will need to exit normally (Back / Quit) and then restart the game for the settings to be saved and take effect.
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

Since I am away from my normal computer I am using an older machine. GXT 680 and I7-920. I am also getting crash or freeze when I alt tab. I have tried the suggested fixes and no joy. I have decided to not alt tab.

I noticed something interesting today. I was playing the insider build of SR:TGW and was able to alt tab without issue. I always thought the engine was exactly the same between the two. Oddly enough, if I play SRU, 1914 The Great War I still crash. This is the same start on both versions, with the same graphics settings, one crashes, one does not.

What would be the difference on the same start on each game? It seems like it is something in SRU which is not in SRU:TGW otherwise TGW would not work.
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

Any thoughts on the fact SR:TGW alt tabs fine, SRU locks up? One would think it has to be something in SRU which is not present in TGW and that may help narrow it down?
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by George Geczy »

GIJoe597 wrote: Jan 08 2020 Any thoughts on the fact SR:TGW alt tabs fine, SRU locks up? One would think it has to be something in SRU which is not present in TGW and that may help narrow it down?
Over the holidays we had a mix-up with the SRGW insider build version push. That's cleared up now (everything insider & public is all on the latest build). So maybe this makes SRGW have the same problem now?

If that's the case, I would suggest trying to play with some of the graphics options a bit more, the should be *more* flexible in the latest build, and so maybe the combination that works (windowed mode, hw vertex, active window focus) just needs to be set right.

Drop a response with what results you get.

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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

I shall fiddle with it now but my point was, SRU should Alt tab nicely if they both use the same engine, yes? Since it does not, I suggest it is something unique to SRU, which is not in TGW which causess it. I thought this might be clue to the problem. What specifically is in SRU that could make this happen?
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

Further testing, both SRU and SRGW are using the following;
  • Windows 10 Home
  • SRU version 9.1.250
  • SRGW version 10.1.250 (subbed to insider build)
  • Sandbox: 14 The Great War
  • Nvidia Driver 441.87 Jan 6, 2020 release date
  • NVidia GeForce GTX 680
  • Motherboard MSI X58 Platinum SLI = MSI MS-7522
  • CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920@2.67GHz 4 Cores, 8 Logical Processors
SRGW will alt tab without issue, regardless of graphics setting. With everything checked, or nothing checked it works. Some items selected do improve the alt tabbing, but under no instance does it hang/crash/freeze.

SRU: Under no circumstance will this version alt tab without hanging/crashing/freezing. No combination of graphics selections allow the ability to alt tab successfully.

My point all along is, if these are same engine, what specifically is it about SRU that causes this.

This is a computer I am using currently as I am away from my home computer. I will not be using this device much longer as such will not suffer this issue. I provide this info here in the hope it will help others who will continually have the issue.
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by George Geczy »

GIJoe597 wrote: Jan 09 2020 My point all along is, if these are same engine, what specifically is it about SRU that causes this.

This is a computer I am using currently as I am away from my home computer. I will not be using this device much longer as such will not suffer this issue. I provide this info here in the hope it will help others who will continually have the issue.
Very curious, and thanks for reporting this.

The video code in the two versions is 100% identical. It is either in the default registry settings that steam installed, or something in the steam configuration, or something in Windows possibly related to its compatibility layers.

Still investigating.

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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

I sincerely hope this helps narrow it down in some way.
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by evildari »

in WIN10 try to disable "fullscreen optimization" in the games properties compatibility tab (especially if the game does not run in windowed mode)
maybe this helps some...
my mods
http://www.bgforums.com/forums/viewtopi ... 79&t=25932 (even techs and units for everyone - AI will own you too)
http://www.bgforums.com/forums/viewtopi ... 79&t=29326 (MARSX2)
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

Changing the fullscreen optimization had no effect. I even checked/unchecked various setting to see if it would kick in. Game will still hang/freeze while playing audio in the back ground. Hopefully I will be back on my gaming systems within the next two weeks.
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by GIJoe597 »

Update: A user on Steam posted the below which solved my alt tab issue. Apparently Win 7 is the key as I had already tried everything else.
DBH*Whismerhill*{SSgt} wrote:Hi,
SRU was working fine when I had win7
upgrading to win10 gave me some issues : among them :
I had the issue that the screen freeze-up when alt-tabbing
with an nvidia RTX 2070
so of course solution a) didn't apply
solution b) didn't help (but was already enabled)
solution c) active window focus resulted in immediate crashes : https://prnt.sc/qr41ln

[h1]description of the issue[/h1]
the game rendering is"frozen" (game still runs in the background, respond to clicks & keypresses: e.g. space to unpause, and then I hear units fighting each other) but the game window doesn't refresh anymore.

[h1]Solved with :[/h1]
running SRU in win7 compatibility mode and admin rights


[h1]Walkthrough :[/h1]
1 - go to your steam library
2 - right click on supreme ruler ultimate and select properties
3 - local files & then browse local files
4 - right click supremerulerultimate.exe and select properties
5 - go to the compatibility tab
6 - enable windows 7 compatibility mode, admin rights & validate (OK)
(see screenshot)

https://prnt.sc/qr479a


Sidenotes: in game I run the game in a window as well
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by l4rs88 »

I'm using an integrated Intel UHD 620 and even with the latest drivers (26.20.100.7985)I'm still experiencing screen lockups After a couple of seconds from the start of the game. The only fix Is uncheck "Use hardware vertex processing" but It makes the game unplayable due to the extremely low FPS...
Anything else I can try?
My CPU Is an I7 8565U with 8gb of Ram
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by number47 »

I am encountering a strange issue...had no problem until my radeon rx 480 died and I replaced it with GTX1660Super from Nvidia. Now I can play without issues only the first time I start the game after computer restarts. Meaning, if I turn my pc on, play the game (with no issues), quite the game to windows and want to play again with no issues I have to restart the pc. Otherwise, I get black screen flickering or still black screen while the game runs in the background. Try playing with graphic settings withing the game but the only way to avoid issues is as I explained, to restart the pc.

Since this started after I changed gpu, I checked that I have the latest drivers (previous one removed with DDU), and I have no issues with other games that I have currently installed. Anyone have any ideas what to try next? I keep my pc running 24/7 so it is tiresome to restart it every time I want to play SRU...
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by Balthagor »

I'd suggest playing around with some of the graphics settings in the game options. One of them might solve your issue.
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Re: Resolving Graphics Issues, Alt-Tab, Lockups

Post by pedroac20 »

Hello, I was absent for a while and did not update the game, I recently updated and since that update, the maps have graphic errors, they do not load correctly and they are totally uneven; I don't know what could be happening. I haven't been able to play a single game, the maps are not distinguishable, I wish they could help me find some solution.
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