When jumping between frames, sometimes the last frame is visible, sometimes not

[Volnaiskra]

I'm making a loading screen for my game, for when it goes from the menu frame to the engine frame. To create a smooth transition for the player, I create a loading graphic in the Menu frame, just before I "jump" to the Engine frame. This graphic remains on screen (frozen) while the Engine frame loads. Then, the first thing the engine frame does is create a similar graphic, and starts animating it as parts of the level are loaded in. So basically, even though Fusion has left one frame and loaded another, the screen displays a single, unbroken graphic during the whole process.

The problem is that this doesn't always work. About 5-10% of the time (seemingly randomly) the graphic disappears while the Engine Frame loads, and for a few seconds its background color is shown instead, until the events eventually load up and place the graphic there again. So basically, it's supposed to do this (and usually does):






...but occasionally, it does this:





I can't do anything to change the appearance of these situations, other than to change the background color in the properties. For example, changing the color via a "start of frame" event or placing Active Objects in the Frame Editor don't work, I guess because the grey background appears before any of that that stuff gets processed.

Does anyone have an idea of what could be causing this and/or how to get around it?

[defisym]

Interesting, seems like a wipe issue of displaying. Don't know check keep previous frame in frame properties would make any difference.
Currently my loading screen is, put a loading image on the top of all layers in actual engine frame, and destroy it in an always event. I can't recall the detail but IIRC fusion will render all start of frame content for transition then into actual frame. So maybe your assets are too heavy.

[danjo]

perhaps, and its a big perhaps; something on your engine frame is loading up at start (probably big or intensive) and its just your pc delaying sometimes, maybe a memory issue, maybe access issue & could be why its random. otherwise, its a hard one to know without knowing what your game is doing along with fusion.

[Volnaiskra]

....Don't know check keep previous frame in frame properties would make any difference.

I just tried it, and unfortunately not. Direct3D: don't erase background if the frame has an effect doesn't help either.

I can't recall the detail but IIRC fusion will render all start of frame content for transition then into actual frame...

I'm not sure what this means. Do you think I should try and enable a frame transition?

perhaps, and its a big perhaps; something on your engine frame is loading up at start (probably big or intensive) and its just your pc delaying sometimes, maybe a memory issue, maybe access issue & could be why its random. otherwise, its a hard one to know without knowing what your game is doing along with fusion.

That definitely sounds feasible. The weird thing is that the grey-screen either happens for ~2 seconds, or it doesn't happen at all. If it was a straight-up loading delay then I would expect it to sometimes be a little longer, sometimes a little shorter, but always there. But it's like it actually behaves differently 5-10% of the time. Maybe it's some sort of access issue like you suggest.

[defisym]

I'm not sure what this means. Do you think I should try and enable a frame transition?

My game use the same logic as yours for fake loading screens, the only difference is I enabled transition - fade out.maybe it worth trying.

[contra]

You say that loading this graphic is the first thing the engine frame does, but have you tried making it the only thing it does? For the very first fps I mean. Like maybe you could delay/deactivate the loading of the level etc. and for the first fps only have it create the loading graphic and see if that makes any difference. Just spitballing ideas here.