Yes, you CAN spawn out of MOO3

JonahFalcon · February 10, 2003, 17:15

You can spawn out of Master of Orion III -

Press the Windows key - it'll spawn out of MOO3.

Then, when you want to return, ALT-TAB to the MOO3 game.

Simple as that.

Main_Brain · February 10, 2003, 17:32

Glad to hear that

Crostoneman · February 10, 2003, 18:17

Are you sure that will work? Sometimes hitting the windows key tends to do weird things. Just imagen that you needed a break, hit the windows key, and you see the Human naked in his full glory.

JonahFalcon · February 10, 2003, 18:17

Sometimes the graphics will be screwy - but that's easily fixed as it autocorrects when you pass the mouse over.

If you enter a different screen, the graphics will repair totally.

Sometimes you'll get a black "DirectX" screen - just quickly ALT-TAB. It'll go to the regular graphics.

leiavoia · February 10, 2003, 22:27

Jonah, if you are playing the "beta burn", ALT-TAB is enabled, but for the final press run, i believe it's toast, so don't get everyone's hopes up unless you are playing the final off-the-press stamped copy.

JonahFalcon · February 10, 2003, 22:48

No, I'm using the final press CDs, and I spawn by simply doing the Windows key. In fact, I'm spawned out as we speak.

leiavoia · February 11, 2003, 01:15

i'll have to try that. i've got both copies now. if it's true, i know some people who are going to have a cow [bad pun] - and a few more who are going to have a cow, but for the opposite reason.

JonahFalcon · February 11, 2003, 01:36

One thing - if you get the DirectX screen, close all web pages and other stuff you were doing and press ALT-TAB.

The game RESISTS being spawned, but it can be done. Just have to practice.

gunnergoz · February 11, 2003, 02:38

Will you so-and-so's with copies - review or otherwise - stop crowing about it? Sheeesh, it's so frustrating! And I'm not a damn bit bitter...

Lee Johnson · February 12, 2003, 12:07

And if your keyboard doesn't have a Windows key, I imagine that Ctrl-Esc will also work. I have one of those sturdy old-style PS2 keyboards... no Windows keys.

Grumbold · February 12, 2003, 13:22

For Windows illiterates, what is the difference between Alt-Tab and using the Windows or ctrl-Esc keys?

Craig P. · February 12, 2003, 15:03

Hitting the Windows key equates to clicking on the start menu. I'm not sure the active application is given the opportunity to stop you from doing it. Alt-tab will switch among running applications. Apparently, there's a level of support for blocking it.

Cedayon · February 12, 2003, 15:14

I'm not sure how windows handles all of those key combinations, but most of them are just signals that pass by the app on their way to the OS, and the app can usually intercept them and perform whatever they want to instead (like, for instance, nothing at all). Some signals, like ctrl-alt-delete, are not interceptable, afaik. Not sure about the windows key/start key. All I know is that I will find a way to switch out of MOO3 to whatever other app I please... but it doesn't look like I'll have too hard a time.

Thanks for letting us know, JF

Skanky Burns · February 13, 2003, 05:54

The windows key == Ctrl Esc. Its the same code that goes from your keyboard to the computer, one is just easier to "type".

Harry Seldon · February 13, 2003, 11:43

Quote:

The windows key == Ctrl Esc

Very cool. I never knew that.

Daveybaby · February 13, 2003, 12:05

And as a result of that 'benefit', every keyboard now sold on the planet now has a spacebar which is too small, with the added bonus of allowing you to completely screw your CS match at the slightest slip of the finger.

IMO the 'windows keyboard' is not only the most arrogant creation ever made by microfoft, its also the most irritating.

Cedayon · February 13, 2003, 12:23

I had a problem with hitting the windows key when trying to hit "alt" for some FPS's... so I took a screwdriver and popped out the offending windows key and disabled it... I could do the same with the other one, and just ctrl+esc if I wanted to send that signal, but it hasn't proven necessary.

MDA · February 13, 2003, 15:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Daveybaby
IMO the 'windows keyboard' is not only the most arrogant creation ever made by microfoft, its also the most irritating.

Haven't Mac keyboards had the same thing since way back?

They could have been smarter about which ideas they took from Macs.