F1 2012 F1 2012 still carrying a bug from F1 2010: Involuntary game pause

[Sk3ptik0n]

This is an issue I have been having with the F1 2010/11 and now 12 from the very beginning. In fact, I had vowed not to buy F1 2012 at all. The reason I did was because I tried the demo and this issue did not show up, so I hoped that it was fixed.
it wasn't.
The issue is this: During game play the game will Pause out of the blue as if someone had pressed the "pause" or the "ESC" keys.

Sometimes it feels like it pauses due to controller inputs, but then again at time it will pause while no one is at the controls, such as when the car is being driven by the AI in the pits and I am physically away from the wheel and pedals (or the keyboard).

The other bizarre thing is that in all 3 cases (10/11/12) this issue does not show up for the first few days at all, even though I am using the same controller in the same way and nothing really changes.

The other symptom of this issue is that after it starts affecting the game one can see the screen flickering as if there was an old fashioned stripped wire making a false contact and you can see the "pause" menu screen appear for one photoframe but then it continues to play.

So not only the game pauses frequently (on average every 10 to 15 seconds when this issue presents itself) but in between pauses one can see that several times it almost brings up the pause menu, but it doesn't. Just like a flickering car headlight or light bulb.

it makes no sense.

In the Codies forum last year I found another fellow with exactly the same problem, but no response from Codies. I even made a video of it and posted it there, but apparently they already got my $50 so what do they care?

Here is a video I took tonight of this issue. It's pretty poor and the game starts "pausing" around the 55 mark
Here is a link to the video on youtube a few seconds before the game pauses by itself. After that it continue pausing it several times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=biwK9ABQ-s8#t=50s

All along I have been thinking there is a chance that my controller is sending a signal somehow that pauses the game. I have been looking for a program that could capture these inputs to see what is being transmitted to the game interface. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know. I actually enjoy F1 2012 more than its predecessors. I am really upset that once again this issue is present.

 

[morsify]

This happens when something happens in the background on your pc. You can stop it if you find out what it is.
For example, if you have Windows auto updates switched on, if this should start in the background, it will pause the game. If there are 10 updates, it will pause 10 times, afte reach download/installation. Switch off these things and it will be cured

 

[Ho3n3r]

This is an issue I have been having with the F1 2010/11 and now 12 from the very beginning. In fact, I had vowed not to buy F1 2012 at all. The reason I did was because I tried the demo and this issue did not show up, so I hoped that it was fixed.
it wasn't.
The issue is this: During game play the game will Pause out of the blue as if someone had pressed the "pause" or the "ESC" keys.

Sometimes it feels like it pauses due to controller inputs, but then again at time it will pause while no one is at the controls, such as when the car is being driven by the AI in the pits and I am physically away from the wheel and pedals (or the keyboard).

The other bizarre thing is that in all 3 cases (10/11/12) this issue does not show up for the first few days at all, even though I am using the same controller in the same way and nothing really changes.

The other symptom of this issue is that after it starts affecting the game one can see the screen flickering as if there was an old fashioned stripped wire making a false contact and you can see the "pause" menu screen appear for one photoframe but then it continues to play.

So not only the game pauses frequently (on average every 10 to 15 seconds when this issue presents itself) but in between pauses one can see that several times it almost brings up the pause menu, but it doesn't. Just like a flickering car headlight or light bulb.

it makes no sense.

In the Codies forum last year I found another fellow with exactly the same problem, but no response from Codies. I even made a video of it and posted it there, but apparently they already got my $50 so what do they care?

Here is a video I took tonight of this issue. It's pretty poor and the game starts "pausing" around the 55 mark
Here is a link to the video on youtube a few seconds before the game pauses by itself. After that it continue pausing it several times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=biwK9ABQ-s8#t=50s

All along I have been thinking there is a chance that my controller is sending a signal somehow that pauses the game. I have been looking for a program that could capture these inputs to see what is being transmitted to the game interface. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know. I actually enjoy F1 2012 more than its predecessors. I am really upset that once again this issue is present.

Yeah I never had it with 2011/2010, so I'm guessing it's any one of your inputs, i.e. your controller/wheel/pedals, mouse, keyboard etc.

Try playing it with keyboard only, after plugging out your other controllers, and if it does it again, you know it isn't your controller.

 

[Alberto Casado]

That seriously sucks, but I never heard anybody else having such problem, and you are suffering it with 3 different games (so a huge lot of people had chances to), my feeling is that it is some problem of your rig and not the game. (Keep in mind I don't defend anything that CM does lightly )

Some suggestions:

- (not likely) if it happens together with other input, such as changing gear, you might have a double bind
- identify which key or button you have bound to the 'pause' action. Is it the same than in other games? Do you have the same problem in those? Rebind pause to another key/button and see if it keeps doing it
- check if it keeps happening when you use other controllers, or when you unplug your keyboard
- look if you ever installed one of those programs that translate key presses into others, or your wheel profiler has some translation for a particular movement/press, or you have some windows accessibility option enabled

edit: and yeah, the obvious windows update, virus program, etc

 

[morsify]

Please see my post above, I am not saying there is no other possible cause, but I recommend checking this first before blaming the game or the controller. It was happening to me, and I discovered Windows was updating in the background.
It will happen whenever:
you receive an email
Windows updates (maybe several updates in a row, so multiple pauses)
Windows messenger or similar
Antivirus updates or scans
ANY other program in the background that does something, taking control for an instant.
Just turn off unwanted programs, make sure Windows and AV is up to date before playing, and it should be cured.

 

[Kristian Nenov]

This is an issue I have been having with the F1 2010/11 and now 12 from the very beginning. In fact, I had vowed not to buy F1 2012 at all. The reason I did was because I tried the demo and this issue did not show up, so I hoped that it was fixed.
it wasn't.
The issue is this: During game play the game will Pause out of the blue as if someone had pressed the "pause" or the "ESC" keys.

Sometimes it feels like it pauses due to controller inputs, but then again at time it will pause while no one is at the controls, such as when the car is being driven by the AI in the pits and I am physically away from the wheel and pedals (or the keyboard).

The other bizarre thing is that in all 3 cases (10/11/12) this issue does not show up for the first few days at all, even though I am using the same controller in the same way and nothing really changes.

The other symptom of this issue is that after it starts affecting the game one can see the screen flickering as if there was an old fashioned stripped wire making a false contact and you can see the "pause" menu screen appear for one photoframe but then it continues to play.

So not only the game pauses frequently (on average every 10 to 15 seconds when this issue presents itself) but in between pauses one can see that several times it almost brings up the pause menu, but it doesn't. Just like a flickering car headlight or light bulb.

it makes no sense.

In the Codies forum last year I found another fellow with exactly the same problem, but no response from Codies. I even made a video of it and posted it there, but apparently they already got my $50 so what do they care?

Here is a video I took tonight of this issue. It's pretty poor and the game starts "pausing" around the 55 mark
Here is a link to the video on youtube a few seconds before the game pauses by itself. After that it continue pausing it several times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=biwK9ABQ-s8#t=50s

All along I have been thinking there is a chance that my controller is sending a signal somehow that pauses the game. I have been looking for a program that could capture these inputs to see what is being transmitted to the game interface. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know. I actually enjoy F1 2012 more than its predecessors. I am really upset that once again this issue is present.

I see that you play your game on windowed mode. Play it on full screen. When it's in window mode, when something happens, it highlights it and 'minimizes' your f1. And on minimize it always pauses. Alt + Enter.

 

[Ho3n3r]

I see that you play your game on windowed mode. Play it on full screen. When it's in window mode, when something happens, it highlights it and 'minimizes' your f1. And on minimize it always pauses. Alt + Enter.

Wow, good spot

 

[blanes]

Sorry cause I know this is not a joke post but why in blue hell are you playing in windowed mode ? That is obviously the source of your problem due to windows priority settings as stated above.

Also I had a similar problem with being unable to run any codemasters games in DX11 mode and it took a long time for me to figure out it was one simple program running in the background ( an internet usage meter app for my isp exetel ) .

These type of win probs can be the most frustrating !

 

[Sk3ptik0n]

INdeed, I asked myself the same question yesterday after watching muy own video "Why the hell am I playing in windowed mode?".

I don't know. It installed that way and I intend to switch tonight when I have a chance to play again.

The reason I never noticed is that I play GTR2 and rFactor both in Windowed mode, so I am used to it (For those two games, I have to play windowed or all hell breaks loose in my leagues, long story).

As far as being a background program, I agree completely. In fact, while the "ESC" key will pause the game, "Alt-tab" also has the same effect, or in other words, losing focus will pause the game, while many other games just keep on playing if their window loses focus.

Interestingly, I did find other folks with the same issue. There were 4 or 5 of us on the Codemaster's forums last year, but the post is no longer available.
Then thre is this guy:
http://community.codemasters.com/t5/F1-2011-Technical-Assistance/pause-bug-on-game-play/m-p/8442#M8

and this video:

both with the same issue.

By the way, these are two videos I shot last year with F1 2011 showing the same issue. I believe at the time I was not in windpowed mode:

Also, I found this thread about a problem with the Pause screen in Max Paine 3 that is absolutely identical to this issue:
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2728936
(warning: it's a bit long) I think some of the fixes may even apply to this issue and they too were discussing background programs stealing focus.

I will check background program later tonight and put the game in full screen.

Any other suggestions as to utilities I can use to see what may be stealing focus?

Thank you so much.

 

[blanes]

I always have found that the standard Windows Task Manager is the best place to start and also if you google 'windows services not needed' and read the first couple of search results you may find, as I did, that there are many programs that can be safely turned off.

Good Luck as I do know how frustrating it is to find these problems.

 

[Sk3ptik0n]

Well, I think I found a permanent solution. I just ordered a new SSD and more RAM. The latter is not going to help but the SSD is going to allow me to install window 7 nice and fresh so that these gremlins hopefully will all go away.

Incidentally, I may also have solved the "pause" problem by stopping a bunch of unnecessary background programs, but I can never be sure because in the past this issue seemed to disappear for days until it came back with a vengeance.
I may just be in a period of remission.

 

[Graham Laing]

I always use Gamebooster before playing any game. Apart from a bunch of default stuff that gets disabled, you can add other programs too. I stop my IMAP email for instance.

When your gaming is finished, you use it to re-enable it all again, with just one click

http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html

 

[Sk3ptik0n]

I have gamebooster. However, I found that in some cases it made my system unstable. Now that I am installing win 7 again, I'll try to keep track of everything that runs and maybe use GB again but this time making sure it does not terminate necessary processes.