protonscr

Keyboard stops working if Steam overlay is used a few times

steamclosed 3rd party gameoverlay
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#5471 · opened 2018-04-30 by headlesscyborg · updated 2020-08-14 · 8 comments · github
Hheadlesscyborg 2018-04-30 github

Your system information

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

In the last weeks I've been experiencing a weird issue - keyboard input stops working in specific games if I use the Steam overlay a few times. An example - I start a game, create a lobby and invite some friends using the Steam overlay. Then they join, I can use in-game lobby chat to say "hello". Then I invite a few more people using the Steam overlay and suddenly the game doesn't recognize any keyboard input, I can't type into in-game chat anymore, I can't use my keyboard to control in-game menu although keyboard still works perfectly in Steam overlay. Then I can't move using WASD.
An interesting thing is that my XBOX 360 Wireless controller still works. Also, mouse still works.

This only happens in these games:

  • Dawn of War 3
  • Tomb Raider (2013)
  • Left 4 Dead 2
  • XCOM 2 WOTC

Tomb Raider is basically a certainty - it happens everytime. We (a few people) play every Saturday and I (as a lobby creator) have to play with my Xbox controller because keyboard stops working sooner or later as I use Steam overlay to send/reveive messages. The only workaround is restarting the game, then I can play with mouse and keyboard as long as I don't use the Steam overlay.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Launch one of the games I mentioned above (for example Tomb Raider)
  2. Create a private lobby
  3. Invite friends using the Steam overlay
  4. Use Steam overlay a few times

What I've tried:

  • Disabling Steam overlay = it happened anyway when I minimized the game (TR 2013) using "alt+tab" to invite my friends
  • Launching the game in windowed mode = didn't help
  • Disconnecting my Xbox 360 USB receiver = didn't help

Terminal output:

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2018-04-30 github

Hello @thedarkfighter413, can you completely close steam, then run steam with STEAM_OVERLAY_LOGGING=1 steam from a terminal and attach /tmp/gameoverlayrenderer.log after reproducing the issue?

Possible duplicate of #4066.

Hheadlesscyborg 2018-04-30 github

@kisak-valve Hello, sure. Here is the file.
gameoverlayrenderer.log

Hheadlesscyborg 2018-05-22 github

It happens to me now everytime in Left 4 Dead 2, Medieval 2: Total War, Total War: Shogun 2 + the games I mentioned above. Any workaround? I lost 2 hours of progress in a Total War game because someone sent me a message, I replied and then and I was unable to save the game without keyboard. Also, people kick me from L4D2 and call me a "f****** console noob" because I have to play with a controller.

Oomaskery 2018-09-02 github

Hello, I've also experienced this issue and am able to provide gameoverlayrenderer.log files - although in my case it seemed to generate many files with PIDs in the filename - I've attached them all. It also emitted gameoverlayui.log, would those also be useful?

gameoverlayrenderer.16451.log
gameoverlayrenderer.16489.log
gameoverlayrenderer.16493.log
gameoverlayrenderer.16514.log
gameoverlayrenderer.16517.log

I'm trying to play Two Point Hospital, and I believe I'm on Ubuntu 18.04. I'm not sure of the exact steps to reproduce, but my actions are broadly:

  • Be playing the game
  • Be in conversation with a steam friend
  • Open steam-overlay occasionally to answer received messages from steam friend
  • Suddenly find that, in steam-overlay, I am unable to type into the steam chat window anymore
  • Close the steam-overlay
  • At this point I believe the game will no longer accept keyboard input, but the mouse is fine
  • Re-open steam-overlay, which now allows steam's chat window to allow keyboard input
  • At this point the game definitely is no longer accepting keyboard input

Please let me know if I can provide any more information or answer any questions that could help lead to a solution :)

Hheadlesscyborg 2018-10-14 github

I am still experiencing this issue. Do you need anything from me to fix it?

Cchutchatut 2018-12-18 · hidden on GitHub github

Kubuntu 18.10:
Enter key create new line instead of return.
4, 6, 2, 8 on the Numpad not working. (registered as Numpad)

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2020-07-03 github

Hello @headlesscyborg, @omaskery, are either of you still experiencing this issue on an up to date system?

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2020-08-14 github

Closing pending feedback.

Nothing extracted yet.