Control dropouts... keys stop working momentarily...?

[Trekkie]

I've had this problem since I started using PR 1.1 on my Windows 7 desktop. Whether the game's performing well or badly, certain controls will randomly stop working... like, I won't be able to select my medkit either by key or using the scroll wheel, and that'll last for a few seconds, and then I can do it again. Keyboard keys, mouse keys, even movement. Any ideas? I'm not sure if there's a more proper term for this problem. I never had the problem with BF2.

Here's my specs:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
System Model HP Compaq dc7900 Convertible Minitower
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9400 @ 2.66GHz, 2667 Mhz, 4 BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard 786G1 v01.16, 05/03/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 7.81 GB
Available Physical Memory 6.33 GB
Total Virtual Memory 15.6 GB
Available Virtual Memory 13.7 GB
Page File Space 7.81 GB

[Trekkie]

I must be calling this problem the wrong thing... I can't be the only one having this problem. I can't rely on my "run" key (left shift) ...it'll stop working for maybe 10 seconds at a time, at the most. That seems to be as long as it lasts for any one command. But it can be switching to a specific weapon with the mouse, keys, or both, or selecting a kit... my left-click stops working, but then I get out of kit selection and it works again, go back into kit selection and it still takes a few seconds to start working again.

So it's not keyboard keys or mouse buttons that are temporarily losing their binding... it's the commands themselves that are being interrupted. Maybe a networking problem? Could it just be due to lag?

[LITOralis.nMd]

I'm stumped.

There has never really been any issues with input lag for BF2 nor any BF2 mods.

Are you sure you're not running any background programs that hook input directly to HID compliant devices?

[Trekkie]

Thanks for the tip, I'll look into that.

Here's another piece to the puzzle: I've found I can never right-click on "build" or any of the other commands that pop up. I can click on them, I can grab kits from crates and stuff, but I can never build anything because I can't get that sub-menu that gives you fences, fobs etc.

[Trekkie]

...and I have another even weirder thing to report... which before I thought was just me tripping out but now I realize it's true...

the keys for parts of my kit will actually change across the numbers during the game... so suddenly #1 becomes #2, #2 becomes #2, and so on... the weapons will all shuffle over to the right along the numbers, and then go back. So I'm trying to grab my medkit and up pops a grenade instead... I go for my gun and I get my knife...

[Psyrus]

Two questions:

1. What kind of keyboard do you have?
2. Do you type in any languages aside from English on your PC, using Windows IME?

[LITOralis.nMd]

Also, do you have any type of touchscreen or touchpad or Wacom , etc... installed?

[Trekkie]

"Do you type in any languages aside from English on your PC, using Windows IME?"

That could be a great catch! Yes I use DVORAK, and it doesn't tend to interfere with that stuff, but I'll make sure my keyboard switching shortcut is turned off and try the game with standard US QWERTY as the default.

But the other thing is, since I installed a very PR-friendly video card, this problem has been reduced significantly, and what I'm noticing now is that it's mostly my "run" key (shift) that is failing to catch sometimes.

"Also, do you have any type of touchscreen or touchpad or Wacom , etc... installed?"

Nope no additional input devices, just my USB mouse and...

"What kind of keyboard do you have?"

I was using a Dell USB keyboard at first, then I switched to an eMachines serial port one, and that didn't seem to change anything. USB bus is off the hook.

The keyboard layout thing and the background tasks thing could still be it... but the effect of a nice video card is confusing the matter for me. I think there's a few input issues here and they're overlapping. Certainly somebody else is experiencing sketchiness of the shift key at least?

[Trekkie]

Aha #1: The thing about not being able to build stuff as squad leader was a user error... I was just doing it wrong.

Aha 2: After installing a proper video card, all the dropouts and weapons keys shifting across the number row have stopped. The only control problem that remains is the run key.

I'm gonna try a solution to another control problem that somebody clued me into: when the G key doesn't work when trying to drop a kit, you hold down T, right-click, and then G works again. I'm gonna try the same trick with my run key and see if it works.