TGB 1.1 Mac Bug: Mouse visibility when window hidden
by Vern Jensen · in Torque Game Builder · 08/05/2006 (10:30 pm) · 7 replies
Run any Torque Game Builder game, example, or even the editor, in OS X. Now push the yellow OS X window button to hide the window. The mouse will be hidden any time it moves inside the area the window used to occupy!
Also, the entire rest of the system slows to a crawl, even when Toruqe Game Builder (or one of its examples) is in the *background*, *hidden*. This is ridiculous. My customers will not be happy if they can't hide the program, check some email, and return to the game, without it slowing the rest of their system to a crawl when the game is hidden. No other OS X program does this. Torque should NOT hog system resources while it's in the background.
Also, the entire rest of the system slows to a crawl, even when Toruqe Game Builder (or one of its examples) is in the *background*, *hidden*. This is ridiculous. My customers will not be happy if they can't hide the program, check some email, and return to the game, without it slowing the rest of their system to a crawl when the game is hidden. No other OS X program does this. Torque should NOT hog system resources while it's in the background.
#2
Ok:
There are 2 preferences that control how much CPU time Torque allows itself to take.
$pref::timeManagerProcessInterval is the minumim number of milliseconds per frame, when in the foreground.
$pref::backgroundSleepTime is the minumim number of milliseconds per frame, when in the background.
To make Torque behave better when in the background, set $pref::backgroundSleepTime to about 1000 - 2000.
Torque is more like a movie player, than an email viewer, when it comes to processor time usage when in the background. There are objects on screen and updating constantly, and so cpu time is needed constantly. The pref is there for your tweakage, so YOU can decide how much or little time to take in the background.
That said, I'll change the pref for you, ok?
Bug #2047, and #2048.
Share and Enjoy.
/Paul
09/04/2006 (5:43 pm)
Hmm... this used to be in the docs, but I can no longer find it. Odd..Ok:
There are 2 preferences that control how much CPU time Torque allows itself to take.
$pref::timeManagerProcessInterval is the minumim number of milliseconds per frame, when in the foreground.
$pref::backgroundSleepTime is the minumim number of milliseconds per frame, when in the background.
To make Torque behave better when in the background, set $pref::backgroundSleepTime to about 1000 - 2000.
Torque is more like a movie player, than an email viewer, when it comes to processor time usage when in the background. There are objects on screen and updating constantly, and so cpu time is needed constantly. The pref is there for your tweakage, so YOU can decide how much or little time to take in the background.
That said, I'll change the pref for you, ok?
Bug #2047, and #2048.
Share and Enjoy.
/Paul
#3
The default (in 1.1 & 1.1.1) for backgroundSleepTime seems to be 25. Setting it to 1000-2000 (the actual number didn't make a huge difference) lowered TGB's processor usage to 30-35% while in the background (on a 70Mb game I'm nearly finished creating). Much better than the 65-85% I had been getting. It's still pretty bad, but at least you can check your email without having OS X stutter and grind to a degree that is unacceptable to the average user.
09/04/2006 (7:47 pm)
Thank you, Paul. The default (in 1.1 & 1.1.1) for backgroundSleepTime seems to be 25. Setting it to 1000-2000 (the actual number didn't make a huge difference) lowered TGB's processor usage to 30-35% while in the background (on a 70Mb game I'm nearly finished creating). Much better than the 65-85% I had been getting. It's still pretty bad, but at least you can check your email without having OS X stutter and grind to a degree that is unacceptable to the average user.
#4
In any case, is there a way to specify that your Torque game should take *no* processor time while in the background? What if I just have a static image that doesn't need updating? Is there some value for backgroundSleepTime that's best for that situation?
Although, I've noticed 1.1.1 greatly improves this area.
09/04/2006 (10:32 pm)
Thanks for the reply Paul. Is the mouse invisibility issue I reported earlier going to be looked at?In any case, is there a way to specify that your Torque game should take *no* processor time while in the background? What if I just have a static image that doesn't need updating? Is there some value for backgroundSleepTime that's best for that situation?
Although, I've noticed 1.1.1 greatly improves this area.
#5
09/05/2006 (1:31 pm)
@Vern: Bug #2054, #2048 and #2047.
#6
09/07/2006 (2:56 pm)
Resolved bugs #2054, #2048 and #2047.
#7
09/07/2006 (4:57 pm)
Thank you, Paul. 
Torque Owner Don Schaper
XIX Software
The issue of hogging system resources while minimized, which should be one of the highest priority tasks for the (one and only) Mac guy at GG, is a continuing embarrassment. If this huge bug isn't fixed soon, I will have no choice but to release my game without the ability to run it in windowed mode.