Black Screen With Projector

[Clubs Deuce]

I have been trying to play Nier: Automata using my projector, but it's proven impossible so far. When the game boots up, the projector briefly loses the connection, but it comes back after a few seconds, does it again at the title screen, but then once I try to actually start the game, it loses connection and can't find it anymore. I get sound, so I know the game is still playing, but the screen remains black, and just flashes every few seconds.

I've tried downloading FAR, and either it didn't work or I wasn't using it right. Does anyone have any advice for this?

[Aemony]

Alt+Enter, once or twice, to switch to window mode. That should allow you to configure the game correctly.

[Clubs Deuce]

Tried it. No go. Like I said, I can work my way through the menus, but once I start playing the game proper it goes to a black screen, regardless of windowed, fullscreen, or resolution settings...

[Aemony]

That makes no sense... The only reason why the screen would go black is if the projector loses the signal or the signal is out of range (an unsupported resolution) for the projector.

If you launch the game in window mode and have it running in window mode, does the same issue occur when you start playing the game proper?

[Clubs Deuce]

Yeah, same issue. I've tried switching between windowed and fullscreen, starting and keeping it in each, no good regardless.

From the projector's standpoint, it does say that it's lost the signal, but I don't understand why. I've tried it in resolutions I know work, and it plays fine until the game itself starts up so I don't know what the issue is.

[Aemony]

That is really weird... I understand why it happens in fullscreen, because the port friggin sucks. But in windowed? Huh, no clue...

What resolution, refresh rate and scan mode (interlaced/progressive) are you running the actual Windows desktop in?

[Saint Beignet]

When I start up my game on a monitor, it starts up windowed in a black screen. I have to click on the window so that it maximized Nier:automata or else it will continue in windowed mode.

The thing that's happening on your projector is the same thing that's happening on my TV when I play on a 1080p tv... the tv will flash and say "changing resolution" even though my desktop is native 1080p. Install the FAR Fix and when you launch using your monitor, reset the resolution of your desktop to 1080p if it's not native. Then when you're launching on a projector, reset the device to default. Hopefully that fixes things...

Last resort; run in big picture mode?

[Clubs Deuce]

1920x1080 and 60Hz. Don't know how to check scan mode...

[Clubs Deuce]

Both projector and laptop run in 1080, and I've tried running the FAR Fix with it, nothing's worked. I'm really stumped as to what even is the deal.

[Aemony]

Originally posted by Clubs Deuce:

1920x1080 and 60Hz. Don't know how to check scan mode...

The scan mode is probably Progressive then.

Check out my guide for how to install FAR the automatic way:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=914437196

Then try it out again. FAR actually forces the game to output as Progressive scan, which solves issues on some equipment where the game for some unknown reason tries to output using Interlaced scan. I had that issue myself on my HTPC, so it might be the same that you're experiencing.

If you still experience the issue after having installed FAR the automated way then please post your game folder -> logs -> modules.log and dxgi.log to pastebin.com and link those here. They will tell us what the game is actually attempting to output to.

[Clubs Deuce]

https://pastebin.com/KZzpgjuA

https://pastebin.com/UbyHNkGq

Also determined that the same issue happens when attempting to play Subnautica, if that means anything.

[Aemony]

Originally posted by Clubs Deuce:

https://pastebin.com/KZzpgjuA

https://pastebin.com/UbyHNkGq

Also determined that the same issue happens when attempting to play Subnautica, if that means anything.

Ah, if it happens with Subnautica as well then the issue isn't directly tied to NieR. What are your specs and what type of cable are you using between the computer and projector? It might be an issue with the scaling in your display driver settings, or it could possibly be a hardware issue with the cable or something.

[Clubs Deuce]

Using what I imagine is just a standard HDMI. Pasting my dxdiag output, not sure what else you might be looking for.

https://pastebin.com/M17BRBbP

Some additional testing reveals it seems like it's doing it with just about any 3D game, as well as certain 2D games, which I'm guessing have heavy particle effects or something? I have tried switching to my integrated card as well to the same results. Also tried using the HDMI to play Subnautica on a different comp with the same cable, worked perfectly (aside from poor performance due to comp specs). Updated both graphics card drivers as well, just to be sure.

[Aemony]

Okay, so this seems to a hybrid gaming laptop (NVIDIA Optimus) with an iGPU (the Intel GPU) and a dGPU (the Nvidia GPU). What that means in practical terms is that the iGPU is responsible for the ports on the laptop, while the dGPU should be used as a render card.

These kinds of laptops are heavily reliant on OEM specific GPU drivers that includes configuration tailor to the chipset and combination of iGPU and gGPU of your laptop.

Your additional testing shows that it might be an issue with the communication between the iGPU (which handles the ports) and the dGPU (which renders more intense graphical stuff).

I would recommend you to check the support page for your laptop and download the latest available drivers. Then use DDU[www.wagnardsoft.com] to clean your currently installed drivers before you install the latest drivers from your OEM.

After that, test things out and see if it resolves the issue. IF it does, then you can make an attempt upgrading the Nvidia drivers to the latest available from http://www.geforce.com/. However DO NOT touch the Intel drivers, as they're stable enough as it is.

If it still doesn't work then I would suggest you contact the OEM support for your laptop and check with them if this issue with the HDMI port is a known issue, and how to resolve it.

[Clubs Deuce]

downloading my graphics drivers from online now. Are there any others I should be getting?

[Aemony]

No, not if those OEM drivers includes drivers for both the Intel chip and the Nvidia chip. They usually do that since both relies on one another.

If they have separate driver packages, be sure to install Intel first before installing the Nvidia ones.