AGS Not Responding when told to run (Solved.. I think)

Started by ManicMatt, Mon 29/10/2018 20:44:03

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ManicMatt

This is probably more of an advanced problem, but I am not an advanced user.

For reasons unknown to me, as a few days ago in this one room (I haven't needed to test the game in any other room since then), whenever I tell AGS to run the game within the editor, most of the time it now shows the expected pop ups, but then nothing. you click on the program window and it now fades out and says (Not Responding), but I've found if I wait about 30 seconds or more, it will eventually run the small window (in full screen mode, it behaves the same).

I have tested this same room quite a lot previously when I was building the "skeleton" of my game.

I don't seem to have a crash dump file generated if I close AGS when it's not responding, although I don't have a program that can read those anyway.

This is both worrying and frustrating.

I don't know whether to risk upgrading to the latest AGS or what, I didn't want to upgrade with this project, just incase.

I'm using AGS 3.4.1. Windows 8.

I always have iTunes running playing music which on occasion makes AGS say "audio hardware failed to initialize" or something like that, which I assume is because I'm listening to music on my pc. But that hasn't caused me any issues as my game has no sound yet. Just thought I'd mention that.

I just tried testing my game with Ego starting in a different room, and it seems to run fine, from running it five times. So it's possible it has something to do with starting in that room.

Any ideas??


Lewis

Difficult to tell without diagnostics. But it doesn't sound like an AGS issue on the surface. AGS usually pretty swiftly tells you when something's not scanning properly, and crashes straight to desktop with an error.

Does the problematic room load okay when you move to it in-game?

Does the game compile okay?
Returning to AGS after a hiatus. Co-director of Richard & Alice and The Charnel House Trilogy.

Crimson Wizard

Very hard to tell, but two options that come to mind are antivirus blocking game exe from running or a very long loop in the script.

Quote from: Lewis on Mon 29/10/2018 21:43:11
Does the problematic room load okay when you move to it in-game?
This would be interesting to find out.

ManicMatt

#3
I'll try these things in the morning and get back to you! I didn't have any issues entering room so far, but I haven't done it much, so I'll try going in and out several times.

I only use Windows Defender, I know you can tell it to exclude certain files, I tried excluding ags already but is it the game itself that needs excluding, I'll try that.

If it's a game loop, wouldn't it stall every time, rather than just seemingly random times? I don't know if there's a pattern I haven't seen, like editing the script that does it.

UPDATE: It just stalled from running it starting in a different room.. If I run it a second time, it's fine. Third time, fine again. Fourth, okay again.

I just made a few changes, guess what? Stalling again. But now it runs fine.

UPDATED UPDATE: I added the process of the game itself to Windows defender's exclusions and AGS seems to fire it up quicker than even when it wasn't stalling! So hopefully that was the issue and this isn't just toying with me. I did update Defender recently, too.

UPDATING UPDATE: It just stalled again..

Lewis

At this stage I think it's safe at least to say it's not an AGS issue. I recommend backing up the game and doing some Windows / hard drive diagnostics. Good luck!
Returning to AGS after a hiatus. Co-director of Richard & Alice and The Charnel House Trilogy.

ManicMatt

Thanks. Maybe, but it's odd that it's only when I test it, no other programs I use have any issues. I'll have a deeper look at my OS processes and so on.

Lewis

It *could* be AGS conflicting with something else on your setup, of course. But it doesn't sound to me like there's anything wrong within your AGS project.
Returning to AGS after a hiatus. Co-director of Richard & Alice and The Charnel House Trilogy.

Crimson Wizard

Have you installed any system updates shortly prior to this happening?
I've heard someone on Windows 10 had troubles with AGS recently, where software driver kept switching between working and non-working, but they solved it by setting AGS editor "compatibility mode" to Windows Vista (or XP).

ManicMatt

#8
Yeah, it sure is odd Lewis.

Nope, no system updates, I have auto update switched off and update it every now and then.

I realised when it says not responding, on processes I can right click and tell it to produce a DMP file. I just need to upload it to this OSR website as I have no means of reading it on my pc, and theres a Microsoft program but it was over 2gb!


Update: I um.. went back to the windows defender exclusions and realised id told it to ignore acwin that's in the same folder, not the ags,exe. whoops. So now it seems to have fixed it, no problems all day yesterday.

Now I've probably jinxed it by telling you all hah.

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