Screen freezes but game keeps playing? [SOLVED]

[Xbob42]

Hi, I make it about 15-40 seconds into gameplay, and then the action just freezes, but I can still control my character (I can tell by the sound) and everything aside from the visuals appears to chug along as normal.

I've just upgraded to Windows 10, so I'm hoping it isn't a compatibility issue, I know plenty of people on Win 10 who are playing it just fine.

I've completely uninstalled my old driver and am using the up-to-date WHQL nVidia driver.

My specs are:

i7 920 @ 3.4GHz
12GB RAM
GTX Titan Black
Game is installed to an SSD.
I do have a second monitor, have yet to try disabling it, will try it after this post as I hadn't thought of it until I did a mental checkdown of things I've done.

I've tried in both fullscreen and windowed.

Tried with vsync on and off.

Tried with all settings maxed and minimized.

I've tried running at 2560 x 1440 and 1920 x 1080, though I haven't tried lower yet.

I've tried standing still, going to the upgrade machine, going down to a mission, etc. It seems I can sit in menus forever, but actual gameplay will trigger the freeze well before a minute has passed.

Probably tried a few other things, got a little frustrating and quit for a while.

Also, if I may add a couple other tech issues:

Vsync seems to work sometimes and not so well at other times. I have tried using the Steam overlay for FPS and half the time vsync will properly set itself to 144Hz for my monitor and the other half it'll lock to a weird number like 66, occasionally 60 flat.

Even at 144Hz, the character motion seems... jerky. Is this normal? Like, it seems like frames of animation are missing when jumping, his motions aren't silky smooth like I'd expect. A design decision or indicative of a problem on my end?

[Xbob42]

UPDATE: Problem appears to be related to the Steam overlay somehow. Running the game directly from the .exe solves the freezing issue completely. But I can open and see the overlay fine before the freeze happens via Steam. Weird.

Windows 8 compat mode and Admin make no difference.

[danthat]

Thanks for the update. Not sure what I can do about this, but I'll have a Google :)

[Xbob42]

UPDATE 2: Problem solved! Turns out it was never on your end at all, I first noticed when it happened in Rocket League after I switched it to fullscreen windowed mode. Prior it occasionally went black if I alt-tabbed in that game, but I figured it was some weird conflict.

But no, that game and this one ended up having the same problem. And you know what that means! The problem was on my end.

I ended up visiting several posts on the nVidia forums, and finally came across this:

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/861374/geforce-drivers/upgrading-to-windows-10-read-me-first-/

Basically, not disabling Windows automatic driver updates for my video card and also installing my own drivers was causing unseen conflicts, I didn't even realize Windows WAS downloading drivers automatically. So I uninstalled everything nVidia related, turned OFF the automatic driver updates, rebooted, installed the proper drivers I downloaded myself once more and EVERYTHING cleared up!

A very specific solution to a very specific problem. Ah well! Less work on your end! :D

[danthat]

PLeased to hear it's sorted, thanks for the heads up :)

[RIP Val Kilmer]

Another windows 10 issue? 2 days after the OS is released? Color me the exact opposite of surprised.

[Xbob42]

Originally posted by Agent Pothead™:

Another windows 10 issue? 2 days after the OS is released? Color me the exact opposite of surprised.

Wow, you predicted that a new OS would have some issues at launch. You must be a psychic or something!

[RIP Val Kilmer]

Originally posted by Xbob42:

Originally posted by Agent Pothead™:

Another windows 10 issue? 2 days after the OS is released? Color me the exact opposite of surprised.

Wow, you predicted that a new OS would have some issues at launch. You must be a psychic or something!

I just find it humorous how many people are using an OS 2 days after launch, on a game that it doesn't official support, and having problems is all. Especially considering how bad of an OS windows 10 is, but that's neither here nor there.

[Xbob42]

Originally posted by Agent Pothead™:

Originally posted by Xbob42:

Wow, you predicted that a new OS would have some issues at launch. You must be a psychic or something!

I just find it humorous how many people are using an OS 2 days after launch, on a game that it doesn't official support, and having problems is all. Especially considering how bad of an OS windows 10 is, but that's neither here nor there.

Windows 10 is fine, and you don't stop gaming just because you update your OS. OS drama queens are great.

[RIP Val Kilmer]

Originally posted by Xbob42:

Originally posted by Agent Pothead™:

I just find it humorous how many people are using an OS 2 days after launch, on a game that it doesn't official support, and having problems is all. Especially considering how bad of an OS windows 10 is, but that's neither here nor there.

Windows 10 is fine, and you don't stop gaming just because you update your OS. OS drama queens are great.

Wow. I don't even know where to start responding to that so I'm just not going to bother.

[Xbob42]

Yeah, thought so. Every time a new OS hits there's some angry group with a laundry list of issues. Happened with 98, XP, Vista, 7, 8 and now 10. Get over it and stick with threads where your opinion is relevant. No one wants to hear your OS rants.

[RIP Val Kilmer]

O_o Um, okay now I have to respond. I'm guessing you are on the free version of Windows 10? You realize you are stuck using only microsoft approved drivers? That you cannot disable windows update? That windows 10 sends personally identifying information back to microsoft to track your usage across mulitple pcs and to sell metadate to advertisers? That you cannot disable telemetry data unless you have the server package? That you cannot disable realtime protection for longer than 3 days? That microsoft has access to your entire computer and all folders just in the name of "complying with applicable law". I mean I can literally spend hours here describing why using the free version of Windows 10 is a horrible idea. If you are on the paid version of Windows 10, that is slightly less horrible, but you are still basically installing a giant privacy vacuum. It's basically the Facebook of Operating Systems. If you are willing to install Windows 10, you basically get what you deserve at this point.

[Xbob42]

That read exactly like someone who got all of their Windows 10 information from a Buzzfeed scare "listicle."

1. There is no difference between "free" and "paid" Windows 10. There is Windows Home, and Windows Pro. You get one or the other depending on what version of Windows 7/8 you upgraded from. The "paid" version you're talking about is Windows Pro, which is what I have because I had a previous version of Windows that was equivalent.

2. I can and have installed whatever drivers I want. That's kind of what this thread was about. If you're talking about driver signature, only Kernel-level drivers need a signature, with most drivers being user-level. I'm not too terribly devastated that kernel-level drivers require a signature, though I could see it bothering some.

3. You can disable all information being sent to Microsoft, and are given the option for each and every type of information sent to MS *at the time of installation* in clear and easy to understand text. Nothing is sent in secret or without the ability to disable it.

4. I have completely disabled realtime protection, what on Earth are you talking about? It'll turn itself back on if you use the basic control panel, but if you install another security suite, or (if you're a power user and actually want it disabled entirely) just disable it permanently via gpedit.msc. About 20 seconds more work than it should be, sure, but not a huge deal.

It sounds like most of your complaints are that you either don't use Windows 10 and get all your information second-hand or (or maybe and) you laughably think you have true privacy on any version of Windows, or on the internet at all. No. You do not. You have no idea what Valve is doing with whatever info they have on you. You only know what they tell you. That's part of being online these days. You protect yourself as well as you can, make yourself informed, but don't ever fool yourself.

[RIP Val Kilmer]

Do you know how I know you didn't even read the EULA for the operating system you installed?

[Wild]

Originally posted by Xbob42:

UPDATE 2: Problem solved! Turns out it was never on your end at all, I first noticed when it happened in Rocket League after I switched it to fullscreen windowed mode. Prior it occasionally went black if I alt-tabbed in that game, but I figured it was some weird conflict.

But no, that game and this one ended up having the same problem. And you know what that means! The problem was on my end.

I ended up visiting several posts on the nVidia forums, and finally came across this:

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/861374/geforce-drivers/upgrading-to-windows-10-read-me-first-/

Basically, not disabling Windows automatic driver updates for my video card and also installing my own drivers was causing unseen conflicts, I didn't even realize Windows WAS downloading drivers automatically. So I uninstalled everything nVidia related, turned OFF the automatic driver updates, rebooted, installed the proper drivers I downloaded myself once more and EVERYTHING cleared up!

A very specific solution to a very specific problem. Ah well! Less work on your end! :D

I don't have nVidia, but the problem keeps happening, and the solution didn't help. Any ideas?

[Wild]

It happens mainly with Robocraft, but I've had it happen with some other Steam games, as well.