Big Box changing monitors after exiting a game

[Johnny T]

Hi all,

I've just started setting up SWP (Skill With Prizes) Quiz Machines as a platform in my Launchbox/BigBox build. These are quiz games like Who Wants to be Millionaire and 100 vs 1 etc.

They are exe files and just run directly (without an emulator). However they quite often open at a different resolution to my monitor - for instance 800 x 600 - due to their age.

On my cabinet I have two monitors - a marquee and a main monitor. I'm running the latest Win 10 and the latest BigBox.

All the quiz machine games launch fine but I've noticed on quite a few of them, when I exit the game and go back to the main monitor, Big Box has moved on to my marquee monitor? 

Anyone know why this would happen and how to prevent it?

These quiz games are just like running old DOS games so I'm assuming it's maybe a problem that others have come across before?

[faeran]

Hi @Johnny T. Not entirely sure why it would be doing that. I'd be interested to know exactly how your monitor configuration changes as you go through the process of opening and closing these types of games. Maybe you can open up windows display settings and keep an eye on it while it's happening.

Is this something that is happening randomly with games or you can trigger it, every time, with specific games in your collection?

Also, would be nice to know if the Big Box primary screen changes, or remains the same:

[Johnny T]

34 minutes ago, faeran said:

Hi @Johnny T. Not entirely sure why it would be doing that. I'd be interested to know exactly how your monitor configuration changes as you go through the process of opening and closing these types of games. Maybe you can open up windows display settings and keep an eye on it while it's happening.

Is this something that is happening randomly with games or you can trigger it, every time, with specific games in your collection?

Also, would be nice to know if the Big Box primary screen changes, or remains the same:

Hi Faeran (congrats on your recent appointment - well deserved mate  ) 

Thanks for getting back to me. It's only the Quiz Machines and it's only certain ones. The "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here" is a definite culprit and there's a couple of others.

I *think* it's repeatable but won't know until I fire up the cabinet again which should be this weekend but I'll definitely check the Primary Screen setting hasn't changed.

I might be able to get up to my cabinet tomorrow evening and, if I do, I'll post back my findings then.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

Cheers ?

[Johnny T]

On 6/22/2021 at 4:51 PM, faeran said:

Hi @Johnny T. Not entirely sure why it would be doing that. I'd be interested to know exactly how your monitor configuration changes as you go through the process of opening and closing these types of games. Maybe you can open up windows display settings and keep an eye on it while it's happening.

Is this something that is happening randomly with games or you can trigger it, every time, with specific games in your collection?

Also, would be nice to know if the Big Box primary screen changes, or remains the same:

Hi Faeran,

Apologies for the late reply. Unfortunately I've got a million and one RL things going on at the moment and I'm struggling to find any time to do anything else....

However, I *did* do a bit more investigation yesterday and found that on one particular game the monitor changes. However, when I go into the BB settings the monitors are still set correctly.

At least now I can replicate the issue and know what game (at least one game - there may be a few others in the "Quiz Machine" playlist) is causing the issue. I know that some of these quiz machines are only Win XP compatible so I'm assuming it's something to do with that.

I'll experiment (hopefully this weekend all being well) with running in different compatibility modes etc and just see if I can get any further.... 

Just wanted to give you an update. Thanks ?