Hi All,
What Skuzzy is saying is happening is most likely what is occurring............
I've seen this happening & have also pretty much eliminated it from occurring on my box.
This is due to Windows OS'es assigning running processes and their threads (read programs here, such as AHIII, Windows Update or your AV, monitoring software such as MSI AB, HWINFO & hardware drivers, etc) a CPU priority ranking to allow Windows OS (or any OS) to determine process\thread importance for available CPU processing time in percentage as CPU processing resources are limited to the number of physical CPU cores on die. Most running processes are assigned CPU priority as "Normal" or lower, except Windows itself (self-assigned CPU priority of "High"....which includes Windows Update) and most\all AV software is also assigned CPU priority of "High". This assignment ensures that these processes and their threads get the needed CPU processing time to operate continuously w\o interruption, for understandable reasoning. If a condition arises in which either 1 of these higher ranked running processes need additional CPU processing time and the CPU cores are all busy so no additional CPU core processing is available, then Windows will look to see which of the running processes that has a CPU priority ranking of "Normal" (less than "High") or lower that doesn't have a critical component necessary for operation (such as a hardware component's driver) that the OS can then momentarily shut down (minimize) to free up the necessary CPU processing time for the higher ranked running critical process (or processes) to run, then after the critical instructions are completed the OS will then allow the shut down\minimized process to return to normal operation. AHIII does take up quite a bit of CPU processing time when it is running so it will usually be the process that Windows will momentarily stop if another higher ranked running process over AHIII needs additional CPU processing time due to the way the AHIII game client is coded (allows the game to be momentarily minimized w\o physical shut down......called Alt-Tab.......).
So yes, the 2 software culprits that most often is causing the OS to tell AHIII to auto minimize will be either Windows Update or some other function within Windows itself (especially w\ Win 10 as you can't stop WU & other parts of it from randomly running as you can w\ the older versions of Windows OS'es) or your AV software, but in reality, ANY running software process\threads that has a higher CPU priority ranking assigned in the OS over another can have this happen to it IF there isn't extra available CPU core processing capability for Windows OS to assign to it.
This is the designed purpose of process\thread ranking within the Windows OS or any OS for that matter. This ranking can be seen thru the Windows Task Manager to a certain extent (which is what Skuzzy is referring to to find out which running process, thus the program, is the 1 that out ranked AHIII....will be at the top of the running process list above either aceshigh11.exe\aceshigh9.exe).
All this is telling you is that you're running out of total available CPU core processing capability (read you got more stuff running taking up all the available CPU core processing capability onboard your computer than the OS can assign w\o having to shut something else down).
To mitigate this from occurring going forward you will either have to 1.)remove\shut down other running programs\processes that aren't needed when AHIII is running to free up necessary additional CPU core processing capability OR 2.)assign AHIII a higher CPU priority ranking upon startup which will force Windows OS to look at other running processes to do this to when required...this does indeed work but it also has it's limits OR 3.)increase the CPU core clock speeds to try to increase CPU core IPC to help the CPU cores to complete instructions faster...called OC'ing & has it's limits OR 4.)increase the number of
operational physical CPU cores (HT\SMT is
not the remedy BTW) onboard to provide the additional CPU core processing capacity to allow Windows OS or any other OS to allocate freely w\o having to shut down any currently running processes......best method to apply but Windows OS (even Win 10) does need some help at this time from the user in order for it to do this properly, until MS refines Windows OS well enough so that it can do this seamlessly w\o user input (which will only be Win 10 getting any future refinements).
This is 1 of several reasons why I auto-apply a CPU priority rank of "High" to AHIII game client executable upon startup thru a Windows CMD-created shortcut for the game....this puts the game client's running process\threads on the same CPU priority ranking level as the Windows OS itself which will severely limit\eliminate this from occurring to AHIII while it is running & can somewhat improve actual game operation.......but is still
dependent on the total available CPU core processing capability to take full advantage of it. The more available physical CPU cores there are, the more options are available to accommodate additional devices\software needs SEAMLESSLY.
This is a fact...not fiction. Has always been true....server operations has proved this for years. Just now coming into focus for CONSUMER operations..........
In short, if you're running a computer nowadays using a CPU that has 4 or less physical CPU cores on die you will be more & more at the mercy of this (and other things) occurring going forward, especially if using Win 10 OS (this OS really needs more than 4 physical CPU cores available to really strut it's stuff), as there is only so much you can do to offset the issue w\o causing yourselves other operational issues\choices that IMHO you don't need as well. Also, if you desire that AHIII continue to develop in a fruitful, meaningful way going forward you really should include this aspect in any future computer upgrade plans as a TOTAL package as the vast majority of users in here use your computers for more than just this game........and HTC needs to see it's client base (us paying users) to be in a position to allow them to make additional worthwhile investments in their product that they know their client base's systems can handle when they do so.
It's not just all about a GPU here. This is my POV of the situation, just to clarify................
You might want to keep this in mind as you look forward to adding more devices\software to your existing computers going forward..........
Just putting this out here in an attempt to be helpful. I know this is\can be a sore subject for some but this is a subject that really needs to be addressed in an objective manner w\o induced bias or prejudice.......... The costs are coming down w\ every advancement & the pace is quickening along w\ the choices of manufacture growing..........
Is it perfect? No, and neither is anything else prior, present or future TBH. Is it getting better? The answer is yes as it HAS to improve.....it's the very nature of this industry\business or it would've been dead LONG AGO. The REAL issue here is whether the PACE\QUALITY of improvement is fast enough\good enough for all to consider moving towards it...............
The train has already left the station......the industry has set the course & has set the agenda........the rest is up to you\us to decide......
Oh BTW, Happy belated New Year to all!
