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Mac MAC Issue: Lag with STEAM Overlay

Twobit

Member
Jan 3, 2011
11
0
Good Day All,

I have been experiencing an issue with Killing Floor on my new [2week old, Mid 2010 edition] MacBookPro 7,1 (13"):

  • Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz
  • 4GB Memory
  • NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics - 256MB
  • Snow Leopard (fully updated)
  • Running on Mains
When ever the STEAM Overlay (default: SHIFT+TAB) is used [in game or main menu] the overlay is extremely slow and the mouse is overly sensitive. For example: if i try type a message to a friend, it takes around 5 seconds from when I enter the letter before it shows up on the screen.

This is fine, Im not really using the STEAM overlay for chatting in game... However.....

When I am in KF and I obtain an achievement, the entire time the achievement popup is displayed (Slide up, pause, slide down) my KF is lagging. As soon as the popup disappears its fine.

I have tested about 9 other Mac Games and none have this issue. I even opted in to the latest steam beta client... No luck.

I have checked the TripWire and Steam forums (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1657036), however I was unable to find this issue mentioned. Does anyone have a similar machine without this issue?

I attempted to:

  1. Updated drivers (already the latest)
  2. Reinstall STEAM and d/l KF
  3. Defragged the drive and STEAM files for KF
  4. Removed the .blob file
  5. Disable Expose and Spaces
  6. Stop all other background apps
  7. Cold Start (shut down for 3 hours, boot on power)

I hope that this can be resolved, without "get a PC" or "use bootcamp"... :D
 
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Hi r1g3l,

At least another user has this issue, i thought I was going crazy... Hopefully it might be fixed when the XMAS edition is removed later this week....


Update: I see that the Mac Store should be out this week [ http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/12/16macappstore.html ]. It is rumored to run on Snow Leopard 10.6.6 (minor update). and include some OpenGL tweaks.

I will also check my EFI Firmware version, as a recent update is available for my MacBook Pro 7,1 [ http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1331 ]. I think I have already updated this, but will double check.

Twobit
 
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I also have a mid 2010 MBP 13" and experience the same problem. It only takes a person logging in (giving a small popup notice in the right corner) for the game to drop to 1FPS for several seconds.
I dont have a sollution for the problem, but at least it seems to be something common and nothing wrong with your machine :)
Hope someone has a sollution :)
 
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Hi W00kiE.

At least it appears to be repeatable. I attempted to update the Nvidia drivers, but (luckily?) apple control that via Software Update and not through Nvidia's website - so it would not install (no suitable device).

I am a little worried about installed a modified driver (which includes the hardware ID) on my mac as every other game functions perfectly...

I tested last night and a friend logging in also lags the game. The only temporary solution is to disable the overlay... which its one of the reasons I use STEAM....

I guess if 10.6.6 (it is rumored that 10.6.6 contains the Mac Store) is released in the US on 6 Jan we can test that.. Well for Australia is out on 7 Jan... http://www.apple.com/au/mac/app-store/

Regards
Twobit
 
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I have the same issue on a MacBook Pro 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM, OS X v10.6.5.

Hi R1g3l,

What size MacBookPro do you have? Is it also a 13" (similar to W00kiE and I)? Do you know revision your MBP is (or year/month it was purchased)?

It will be interesting to see if any other Macs have this issue (iMac, MBP 15"/17", MB (plastic white one)).

I recall the TRIPWIRE developers using a 15" 5.1 MBP for testing the port.

Twobit
 
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has anyone found a solution yet?

Hi artistacos,

Can you post your Mac specs/model/OSX version so that we can provide as much detail to TRIPWIRE as possible?

I have tried again, but I still have the same issue... I even attempted to repair permissions (utilities > disk utlities), but that did not help. I am waiting to test when the XMAS special is completed... Following on from that, the rumor is OSX 10.6.6 should be released this week.

If neither of these work, then I am out of ideas!

To stop the lag, you can disable the Overlay for Killing Floor, but then you can not chat in-game.


UPDATE 1: The update to remove the XMAS chars did not solve the slow down issue.... Awaiting the rumored 10.6.6 update later today.

Twobit
 
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I have had some time to install most of my MAC enabled games, here is a list of the games I have tested with the STEAM Overlay:


  1. Killing Floor
  2. Half-Life 2
  3. Half-Life 2: Death Match
  4. Half-Life 2: Episode 1
  5. Half-Life 2: Episode 2
  6. Counter-Strike: Source
  7. Day Of Defeat: Source
  8. Portal
  9. Team Fortress 2
  10. Left For Dead
  11. Left For Dead 2
  12. Eve Online
  13. Flight Control HD
  14. Poker Night at the Inventory
  15. World of Goo
  16. Eets - No Overlay?
  17. Madballs in...Babo: Invasion
  18. Swords and Soldiers HD

Non-STEAM Games with Overlay:

  1. Starcraft 2
  2. UT2004 Demo - Fails when running through steam :-(

Overall, I have tested 20 games on my MacBook Pro and only Killing Floor has this lag issue... Sadly the UT2004 demo fails to load via steam on Snow Leopard.

Has anyone else had this issue on another game?
 
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I also have this problem, always die when someone enters the steam / game / talk to me. Only for KF

Hi jamanta,

Can you post more details about your mac?

  1. Model (iMac, MacBook, Macbook Pro, Air, etc)
  2. Hardware: CPU, RAM, GFx
  3. OS Version: Leoperd (10.5.X), Snow Leopard (10.6.X)


I have tried the latest Snow Leopard update (10.6.6) on the Steam Beta (new update out yesterday) and KF without the XMAS modifications... The issue is still present.

Twobit
 
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Hi jamanta,

Can you post more details about your mac?

  1. Model (iMac, MacBook, Macbook Pro, Air, etc)
  2. Hardware: CPU, RAM, GFx
  3. OS Version: Leoperd (10.5.X), Snow Leopard (10.6.X)


I have tried the latest Snow Leopard update (10.6.6) on the Steam Beta (new update out yesterday) and KF without the XMAS modifications... The issue is still present.

Twobit

MacBookPro7,1
Intel Core 2 Duo 2,4 GHz(P8600)
4 GB 1067Mhz DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce 320M
Snow Leopard 10.6.6
 
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