PC game using AUTOPAUSE

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MrPlow

Hi Guys

Is it a good or bad thing to use AUTOPAUSE in PC game?

Should I just leave the game in a running state or pause it if the user switches windows?

Comp:
Speccy-48k, Speccy-128k, Amigas, PCs

erico

I guess pause it if a user switches windows is a better choice, but that may depend on the nature of the game/application you have.

Suppose you have a game where there is some grieving, let´s suppose a simcity kind of game, then you may want to have autopause false, your user might wanna check something else while his orders are being carried away. So ye, it depends on the focus your game requires of the player.

Most of my games are autopause true as they are quite the instant action type.

But minecraft, for example, specially played online, goes on while I check a wikki or something of that sort, I have to safeguard myself before doing so. 

bigsofty

I use Autopause too, it's handy if another window grabs focus from the game, eg. backup or antivirus.
Cheers,

Ian.

"It is practically impossible to teach good programming style to students that have had prior exposure to BASIC.  As potential programmers, they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration."
(E. W. Dijkstra)

MrPlow

Grand so - Thanks  - Autopause True it is! :)

Any Mac users available to help beta test my Steam game?? I have free keys.
Comp:
Speccy-48k, Speccy-128k, Amigas, PCs

erico

I recall I had certain problems with autopause on a mac on the last working glb version.
I think it was related to the fact the the mouse had to be clearly over the game window otherwise the app pauses, without clicks.
I think I had to build with autopause false.

You sure want to test on a mac to be sure.

MrPlow

Thanks Erico!
Okay didn't get to test on mac for real but my wifes Mac is Snow Leopard and I install Wine and Steam and got the game working but in that mode the Autopause caused problems. So I had a re-think and believe Autopause false better...as users might also be peeved if the game keeps pausing when they want to flick from app to app (in non-timed play).

:) I am still looking for willing gunea pig to test real-mac steam install ...
"Bueller?, Bueller?"
Comp:
Speccy-48k, Speccy-128k, Amigas, PCs