Spacebar keeping me from playing games.

November 17, 2007 10:36 PM

My spacebar works when I type. However, when I try to play certain games, such as the recently mentioned Manifold, or some of the downloadable games from Big Fish Games, where the spacebar is used as a game control, nothing happens. I've tried two different keyboards, no difference. I'm running XP, if it makes any difference.
posted by korej to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Is it that it doesn't work on it's own, or in combination with other keys? I've had some buggy keyboards that couldn't pass some of the key combinations I use while gaming.
posted by Good Brain at 2:02 AM on November 18, 2007

Does it work when pressing Shift + Spacebar?

or

Does it work in another Windows profile?

I looked through some forums and found people having this type of issue in Word and with some Adobe software, but no answers saying 'xxxx fixed my issue.' If it works in another Windows profile, you might look at blowing this one out and recreating it (if it is worth it to you).
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 2:39 AM on November 18, 2007

Response by poster: Good Brain - it doesn't work on its own - and I'm guessing it isn't the keyboard itself, since I've tried a couple now

B(oYo)BIES - nothing for shift +spacebar, and I don't have another windows profile set on this computer.

will keep trying - thanks!
posted by korej at 7:56 AM on November 18, 2007

You're sure the flash game has the focus? Do other keys work, or are you just playing using a mouse?
posted by dhartung at 12:52 PM on November 18, 2007

This wouldn't happen to be a wireless keyboard would it?
posted by datacenter refugee at 1:06 PM on November 18, 2007

Response by poster: dhartung - yes, I believe I'm in the right window - I can move about. so far I haven't found one that uses other keyboard keys besides space that the space doesn't work on

datacenter refugee - no, one was usb, the other test keyboard was ps2
posted by korej at 5:27 PM on November 18, 2007

"and I don't have another windows profile set on this computer."

Are you not willing to create another profile to determine whether it is an issue within the current profile? Is this profile that you are in Admin? If you do create a second priofile, I would make it Admin. I am not saying to use this profile if it works. I am saying that it will help you rule out some of the possibilities.

If it does work in the new profile, you can rule out the game itself and your hardware.

If it does not work in the profile, you are either looking at the game or the hardware (or drivers).
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 6:01 PM on November 18, 2007

Response by poster: no problem making a new profile, just hadn't yet.
did last night, and it does not work - I'd be willing to write it off as the game, but there's a few games that this happens with.

I can check drivers next.

so, I guess that's one more bit of testing.
posted by korej at 11:48 AM on November 19, 2007