[solved]: EVGA OC utility E-LEET causes missing mouse updates when keys pressed

[tronchaviones]

[update]
It happens with more games, like Valve's Portal, and the solution is to quit E-LEET. See post #8
[/update]


When I move the mouse while pressing forward or strafe keys, the game loses mouse updates very frequently (from every few seconds to several times a second) so the perceived movement is not a smooth turning, but a random turning-straight-sudden_big_turn-turnig-straight-sudden_big_turn movement very disorientating.

The only way to keep orientation on the initial tunnels of Penumbra: Overture it to release the keyboard, turn using only the mouse, then stopping the mouse to go forward...

This happens with the version sold on The Humble Indie Bundle, over Windows 7 64-bit, core i7-860 @4.0GHz, 4GB ram, GTX 275 using a G15 keyboard and G7 mouse, and with all drivers updated.

No graphics options change solves the bug. Changing USB report rate to 125Hz, 200Hz or 500Hz and checking other USB ports does nothing also (mouse and keyboard are connected to differents ports, without any hub).


How can we overcome this bug? It is extremely irritating...

[jens]

Do you have any older wired keyboard/mouse to try and see if that makes a difference? The GX are USB but wireless right?

[NeatNit]

The G15 keyboard (Excellent keyboard! I have one too!) is wired, but the mouse is wireless.

[tronchaviones]

Do you have any older wired keyboard/mouse to try and see if that makes a difference? The GX are USB but wireless right?

It took time, but I managed to get an ancient non-USB keyboard and mouse (a ball mouse!), both with PS2 connector. Since my motherboard has only one PS2 connector, I have tested three hardware configurations:
- wired USB G15 + wireless USB G7
- wired PS2 keyboard (acer 6312-TA) + wireless USB G7
- wired USB G15 + wired PS2 ball mouse (genius easy mouse PS/2)

over two software environments:
- Windows 7 Entreprise 64-bit
- Windows XP prof. 32-bit

...and the lost updates bug remains unchanged, always with rock-solid 60fps. It is worse when I keep pushed several keys (eg, W(forward) + D(strafe) + LShift(crouch-toggle off)). Moving the mouse without pressing any key the animation is smooth as silk, without lost updates.

[jens]

Hm, I don't have any suggestions how to solve the problem. It seems to be something hardware/software combo specific but no idea really. I had heard a few times before about similar problems but thought those users all got it due to the wireless.

Other games work fine if you do same type of combos? 3 keys + mouse

[tronchaviones]

Other games work fine if you do same type of combos? 3 keys + mouse

Yes, I always use the same configuration layout, and my left hand tend to use all the available fingers without this problem, including games where the fps fall below the screen refresh rate (and I own really a lot of action / shooting 3D games).

Is there any command line switch available to enter some "debug mode", to see a timestamped dump of what mouse and keyboard events your engine receives? Or maybe another developers game based on the same engine, to check if it shows the same bug?

[jens]

Penumbra are the only games using the engine. There is as far as I know not a debug mode with that type of details either I'm afraid.

[tronchaviones]

Problem solved.

The bug appeared on another game (Portal, which had run perfectly on my previous ASUS motherboard with same keyboard and mouse), and I managed to trace the problem to its origin: The EVGA overclocking utility E-LEET v1.06.5, that come with my new EVGA P55 FTW motherboard. Updating to its current version (v1.07.2) doesnt help, but killing it does

So it was not a Penumbra bug at all. Sorry for the mistake. Now the animation is smooth and the mouse responsiveness is perfect.

Thread's title updated.