Odd problem since 5/21 patch

[Chuckles]

Running into an odd issue since the 5/21 patch. The first EQ instance I load runs fine, but any other instance flickers randomly, and will freeze up for 5-10 seconds (window title/task in Task Manager show as "not responding", screen black, grey with athe little spinning Vista "wait" icon if I click into the instance) if the instance is in the background. I don't go linkdead, and the "frozen" instances still respond to macro commands over EQBCS, so they aren't truly locked up.

This occurs whether I am running 2 accounts or 5, and only since yesterdays patch (I've been 5 boxing all week with no issues). Nothing has changed system-wise since I was boxing earlier this week (other than the EQ and MQ2 patches). Rebooting did not help.

I'm about to start the standard troubleshooting sequence (unload MQ2, WINEQ2, etc), but I was hoping someone might have already fixed this, or run into it in the past.

Key info:
Vista 64 Ultimate
Core I7-920
12 GB RAM
GTX 280
EQBCS + EQBC Interface
WinEQ 2.15 Lite
MMOLoader

 

[mjtizzle21]

happening to me a bit also while boxing 3-6. i got windows 7. idk wut it is but if im in WinEQ and i use the control alt # key it auto goes to window, skips the lag part it gets when clicking it @ task bar. Maybe MQFPS messed up or somethin?

 

[SiegeTank]

Just started using WinEQ couple of days ago and probably bad timing on my part, reading the above. Lots of oddities, like losing the border (regardless of whether i set borders on or off), not being able to move windows (regardless of whether they're locked or not), really bad resolutions on a really good setup, etc. I'm going to stop using it for now as who needs to spend an hour playing around with an add-on "utility" (definition, "utility": makes life easier, not harder!) before being able actually to play the GAME.

 

[JimJohnson]

I just loaded up using WinEQ2 a few hours ago and my settings still work fine.

Your distortion is from a setting change. If you use Fullscreen emulated make sure you have same desktop resolution as you do in game.

All Add Ons take time to set up. once set up they do enhance your game play to some degree.

 

[Chuckles]

Lost the internet last night shortly after I posted, so I wasn't able to dig into this as I would have liked until this morning. It appears to be an EQPlaynice issue.

My results with 2 EQ instances:

No MQ2/No WinEQ2 = No issue
No MQ2/Yes WinEQ2 = Issue

After that I started playing with WinEQ2 settings. Since I was seeing some weird things in Task Manager (the 2nd account task was moving around in the task manager applications tab), I thought it might be something wrong with EQPlaynice.

No MQ2/Yes WinEQ2/Yes EQplaynice = Issue
No MQ2/Yes WinEQ2/No EQplaynice = No Issue
Yes MQ2/Yes WinEQ2/No EQplaynice = No Issue

Just to confirm the problem I turned EQPlaynice back on, reloaded WinEQ2 and the 2 accounts (this time with MQ2 on), and the issue reappeared.

I'm recently back in the game after a long hiatus, so I am wondering if there is a conflict with the framerate limiter SOE put into the EQ code - is there a way to configure or disable that?

On my way over to the WinEQ2 forums to let Lax know about the issue.

 

[JimJohnson]

Lost the internet last night shortly after I posted, so I wasn't able to dig into this as I would have liked until this morning. It appears to be an EQPlaynice issue.

My results with 2 EQ instances:

No MQ2/No WinEQ2 = No issue
No MQ2/Yes WinEQ2 = Issue

After that I started playing with WinEQ2 settings. Since I was seeing some weird things in Task Manager (the 2nd account task was moving around in the task manager applications tab), I thought it might be something wrong with EQPlaynice.

No MQ2/Yes WinEQ2/Yes EQplaynice = Issue
No MQ2/Yes WinEQ2/No EQplaynice = No Issue
Yes MQ2/Yes WinEQ2/No EQplaynice = No Issue

Just to confirm the problem I turned EQPlaynice back on, reloaded WinEQ2 and the 2 accounts (this time with MQ2 on), and the issue reappeared.

I'm recently back in the game after a long hiatus, so I am wondering if there is a conflict with the framerate limiter SOE put into the EQ code - is there a way to configure or disable that?

On my way over to the WinEQ2 forums to let Lax know about the issue.

what are your settings for EQPlaynice under General/Foreground/Background

 

[htw]

Also, just to make sure, you aren't using MQ2FPS at the same time right?

htw

 

[mjtizzle21]

if using wineq should we always have mmofps off?

 

[Chuckles]

Was playing around some more, ended up having the problem with EQPlaynice unloaded, but only on 1 of the 4 accounts running....which is odd. The way the task moves around in the Taskbar and in the Applications tab of Task Manager almost makes me wonder if the issue is caused when the process thread is being shunted from one core to another...pure speculation, really. Just annoying the crap out of me because it's interfering with my double-XP leveling.

MQ2FPS is not loaded.

For EQPlaynice, foreground and background are both set to FPS limiter at a frame rate of 40, and 1 out of x frames with 1-1 for the foreground and 1-2 for the background.

With 4 or 5 accounts up, I really don't even need to limit the rendering, and I prefer to keep the frame rate high so the macros in the background are more responsive.

 

[htw]

if using wineq should we always have mmofps off?

For wineq2 pro, & using eqpn integration, yeah. If you use free wineq2, I thought it did not use eqpn integration then (although you could always use the eqpn client I guess).

Anyway, always just use 1 of them, whether it is eqpn integration via wineq2, or eqpn itself, or mq2fps.

htw

 

[JimJohnson]

With 4 or 5 accounts up, I really don't even need to limit the rendering, and I prefer to keep the frame rate high so the macros in the background are more responsive.

Your render rate doesnt effect your macros
Foreground
fps limiter
40
1 out of x
1

Background
fps limiter
30
1 out of x
30

 

[JimJohnson]

From MQ2 IRC

<fearless> dont_know_at_all: plugin blocking the web thing? yes please
<fearless> dont_know_at_all: the browser fucks up my wineq sessions so they blink and non responsive for minutes at a time when I switch sessions.

Looks like the major issue you are having could be caused by the new retarded window they added.

 

[SiegeTank]

I find that the more software plug-ins and add-ons you use the more it complicates your life. I couldn't play without MQ2 now, or wouldn't want to, so that one's locked in. But once I added WinEQ I started getting "grief." I was considering trying the beta of ISBoxer, since I'd love to be able to send commands to non-foreground windows without changing focus but installing that was getting to be a nightmare as well.

My preferred type of add-on is hardware, i.e. install things which are transparent to the software. This is why I like programmable keyboards, X-Keys and the like. Even X-Keys was better when the macros were stored IN the device rather than in a program on your PC. Fortunately you can still emulate that with the newest X-Key devices.

That's just me, though. I program for a living but I still prefer to deal with hardware. LOL

 

[Zero0003]

JJ you heard of anything of a fix for it?

 

[Chuckles]

So anyway, had some more time to figure out what this problem was caused by. Turns out that the boxes that were having issues had sound turned off in WinEQ2 (under each profile you have the option of "On" or "Off" for sound). Turned sound on for all profiles, issue went away...why this would suddenly be an issue after the patch, I have no idea, but there it is. It is not the new welcome screen pop-up.

 

[htw]

So anyway, had some more time to figure out what this problem was caused by. Turns out that the boxes that were having issues had sound turned off in WinEQ2 (under each profile you have the option of "On" or "Off" for sound). Turned sound on for all profiles, issue went away...why this would suddenly be an issue after the patch, I have no idea, but there it is. It is not the new welcome screen pop-up.

Good catch Chuckles, thanks for sharing your findings, in case others want to try it if they are having a similar issue.

htw