shift-tab (steam HUD) not working in L4D2

[ʀеʟах.ѕιʟєɴϲє]

Hey,

about a week or two ago my shift-tab stopped working in l4d2. If i try to shift-tab to access messages etc, it flickers (you can see it) but it goes back to the game with serious FPS lag (until you try to shift tab again). when it flickers and dissapears you have no time to answer a message, join an invite, nothing.

I run a multi-game steam gaming group with L4D2 as or primary game - and this is ruining my little organization, I can't invite, manage events, members can't grab server info, i can't answer messages, etc etc.

I've Tried to Fix It By:

* Removing Steam (deleting all files except steam.exe, userdata, and steamapps) - didn't help
* I took the liberty of uninstalling my graphics (and sound) drivers, I driver sweeped my PC, and re-installed - this didn't help (helped my graphics tho :D)

* I also disabled, re-enabled the steam hud, changed toggle buttons, etc (steam options) - didn't help

* Re-Starting the game doesn't even temporarily fix it, I just have to keep spamming shift-tab (or alternate button), and maybe after the 10th attempt it will stay (but just that one time).

* and last but not least - it's not a background application - a steam official post said "background apps may break your overlay", I have none of the known apps that break it - and when i go into game, i have the most minimal of apps running (microsoft, razer, steam is it.)

I have over 2,800 hours in L4D2, and this problem just started happening to not just me but lots of people, and no fix?

[Slayersoft]

Same problem :(

[ZOMBOID]

Sameeeeee :-(

[ʀеʟах.ѕιʟєɴϲє]

I'm meeting several L4D2 players a day that do too, and i don't understand why this is being ingnored by valve. -.-

[Emensi]

I have the same problem only in L4D2 btw. VALVE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE!

[ʀеʟах.ѕιʟєɴϲє]

okay, there was an update this morning, (i didnt check the update notes), but i figured the overlay issues we're included,

i did the update and loaded L4D2, and its not flickering, my overlay jst works (no flickering etc)

so hopefully the problem is fixed.

[Emensi]

Still flickers for me in-game, but not in the menus of the ld42 game. But during a match, it flickers and this is after teh update.

UPDATE: Actually the update hadn't been applied yet, thought it had been. The flicker issues seems to have been resolved. Yaya, thx Valve!

[boogerjuice]

I've been encountering the same issue. What I've found is that it seems Steam is getting confused when you shift+tab and considers any Steam windows you have open to be on your desktop? So I just alt+tab to my desktop, or run L4D2 in a window instead of full-screened, and I'm able to interact with my Steam windows that way.

Hope that helps until it's fixed!

[morpheus]

Same problem here, I can't use steam cloud during the game.