Every so often when I'm playing multiplayer a flashing icon in the lower right tells me that I have lost my connection or something. However when this happens the game seems to stop listening for ANY input, including the ESC key, meaning that I can't bring up the menu to exit the game and instead have to CTRL-ALT-DEL and end the process.
Now the strange part is that the sound and animations still work (The spinning CP thing for example)... So the game isn't really frozen, so why doesn't the ESC key work?
The flashing icon is display when your game ping is getting high. The game is not connecting with the server in a timely manner and may have lag. When there is extensive lag with a server, sometimes it seems the computer freezes when it really doesn't. In reality, it is waiting for game data from the server and has gotton so behind, it is not paying attention to your input. I think this is what may be happening. It it stays in this state from 2 minutes, then the computer is most likely frozen.
Turning down your graphics settings may help if its just lag, but if your computer is freezing, hopefully the coming patch will solve it.
If it's lag, fine, but at least let me exit the game or try to start a new one...
Having a loss of internet connection make the game not respond to ANY commands or input is absolutely crazy!
I'm experiencing this problem as well actually. I've tried turning down all the graphics and turning off the sound but none of them seem to work. I've also tried disabling my firewall to see that if that anything but apparenlty it doesn't. So far I really have no clue as to why my swbf 2 is crashing. Hopefully lucasarts will solve this problem with the upcoming patch.
Well at least I know I'm not the only one with this problem.
Fortunately, it doesnt happen all the time to me but often enough to becoming really annoying.
Like some of you, after the game froze up I'd have to crtl alt del to shut the program down and reboot, but I've found that if I just disconnect the DSL cable from computer the game will reset itself after a few seconds and a message box will pop up stating that I lost connection with the online servers and to try again. At that point I just re-log on to the online server.
It's not a solution to the problem, but it makes it easier to get back to playing after the game freezes as soon as possible.
And I guess it makes it easier for me since my DSL cable is plugged into my wireless router right next to my monitor.
Ok I read the Help files that come with the game and in it they (the game developers) already foresaw some people may run across this particular problem.
These are some tips they recommmended:
1. Disable any programs that may be running in the background (while playing)
2. Disable your screensaver options (while playing)
3. Have a webpage open already connected to the internet.
4. Check your firewall settings and insure that the game isnt being blocked by your securtiy program.
5. Choose game servers with the lowest ping rating.
6. Choose game servers that are PC dedicated.
There were some other tips in the Help sections of BF2 but I can't remember them all.
Anyways, I went ahead and followed the steps they suggested and VIOLA! I had no freeze up problems at all last night. There was still a little lag problem but I never froze up again.
I went as far as logging onto a server with a large amount of users and was still able to continue onto the next missions without freezing up.
Reason for step number 3: Your internet settings might be set to auto-disconnect when not in use for a prolonged period of time. Leaving a page open may help your computer in determining that you are still using the internet connection.