Alt-Tab? heres a tip.

[vote for pedro]

We all have had trouble Alt-tabing only to see the "invisable" enamy kill us...or ither wierd stuff. Well the usuall solution was to reconnect to a server...but on a full server this may mean loosing your spot. I was in Vent one day, and Iceman told me a trick to stop this problem....go into console and type "record alt-tab".....this records a demo named "atl-tab" then rigth after type "stop" this stops the demo. this should fix the problem without you leaving the server. Just make sure after you do this a lot...go into your c:>program files>steam>steam apps>[your user name]>teamfortress 2>tf....folder. you will see a lot of files named "alt-tab", "alt-tab2", "alt-tab3"...etc. you can delete all of these.


just a tip!

 

[Darth]

Thanks! Everytime i would record a demo, it would like stop for a few seconds and i would see a couple of things being reset!

 

[DarkNecrid]

Yes, demos fix this problem because it recaches all the models and makes them appear again.

 

[ln(e)]

1. Run in window mode.
2. Set launch option '-noborder'.

Problem solved.

 

[PuddinPop]

Windowed mode can be a real performance hit and is basically impossible for lower end systems. So there is a problem there. Although alt-tab is a huge drag on the same systems so...

I prefer my performance.

 

[Existence.]

Yep, that works great.

An easier way, for all the lazy ones out there (including myself. ) is this lil script you can put in your autoexec.cfg.

Alias altabfix "record bugfix; wait 15; stop"
bind "F9" "altabfix"

You can bind "F9" to a different key if you want.

 

[N1ghtmare]

Yes, demos fix this problem because it recaches all the models and makes them appear again.

so is there not a comand to just force a reload of the models and texutres? (without the demo part)

 

[Darth]

so is there not a comand to just force a reload of the models and texutres? (without the demo part)

yes there was command, my bro told me about it, i just forgot, when i remember it again ill let you guys know.

 

[B-Wreck]

Windowed mode can be a real performance hit and is basically impossible for lower end systems. So there is a problem there. Although alt-tab is a huge drag on the same systems so...

I prefer my performance.

I guess my computer isn't a lower end system... but it's certainly not amazing... core 2 duo E4400.. meh 3 gigs ddr2 667 mhz ram and recently added an nvidia 8800 gt in there... I play windowed with on average 30 fps... enough for me to play well and it'll top out around 50 fps.. but in the midst of alot of action down to the teens if not the 20s... but I play windowed mode and I usually have alot of other things going on at the same time... My computer just couldn't take the alt-tabbing... it made my computer run really hard b/c i'd alt tab alot... but windowed mode seems to be working efficiently for me. I'd definitely recommend it if you have a computer good enough to sustain it. Just my 2 cents.


But then again I am using a 22" monitor and I don't like FPS games that large on my screen so that's my real reason to want it... but it seems to work better windowed for me.

 

[DarkNecrid]

so is there not a comand to just force a reload of the models and texutres? (without the demo part)

mat_reloadallmaterials
mat_reloadmaterial
mat_reloadtextures


The first loads both materials and textures, the second just materials, and the last just textures. Most of the time you'll want to use the last one for the invisible models I do believe, but sometimes wireframing can occur on levels and you'll want to use reloadallmaterial. (it's generally just safer and easier to use allmaterials to make sure anyways, but expect a couple second performance hit)

Enjoy.

 

[Tattis]

Yep, that works great.

An easier way, for all the lazy ones out there (including myself. ) is this lil script you can put in your autoexec.cfg.

Alias altabfix "record bugfix; wait 15; stop"
bind "F9" "altabfix"

You can bind "F9" to a different key if you want.

Yeah, I've started doing something similar to that. I used to just open the console and type the stuff on, but this is much easier. Great tips!

 

[koolaid]

thnx

 

[Kr00Ked]

Thanks for the tip pedro!

In my life I've learned to avoid alt tabbing, even with 4 gigs of ram it just never turns out good.

 

[TcVinsky]

I just have this bookmarked
http://www.edgegamers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39822
this works for tf2 also
It pretty much explains whats going on and how to fix it

 

[foxtrotniner]

Using Alt+Tab without messing up your game, a tutorial

Using Alt+Tab without messing up your game, a tutorial:

Here's a tutorial on how you can use Alt+tab without messing up your game.

Step 1. Start up TF2 and click on Options

Step 2. On the video tab, select "Run in a Window" under the Display Mode option and press apply. (eww nasty windows border, we will get rid of that keep your shirt on)

Step 3. Now exit TF2 and go back to your desktop

Step 4. Click on Steam and pull up your games menu. Right Click on Team Fortress 2 and click Properties.

Step 5. Click on the "Set launch Options" button

Step 6. in the box enter "-noborder", press ok and close the TF2 properties box.

Step 7. Start TF2 and enjoy!, you should not see an ugly windows border and Alt+tab works without minimizing your game so it won't be messed up. Now you can Alt+tab and check on Ventrilo or Pull up the eGO website in firefox. Alt+tab to get back into the game

Warning, Some slow computers will respond really slowly doing this. If you have a core 2 duo computer it should be fine while doing this method.