Yes, you CAN spawn out of MOO3

[JonahFalcon]

You can spawn out of Master of Orion III -

Press the Windows key - it'll spawn out of MOO3.

Then, when you want to return, ALT-TAB to the MOO3 game.

Simple as that.

[Main_Brain]

Glad to hear that

[Crostoneman]

Are you sure that will work? Sometimes hitting the windows key tends to do weird things. Just imagen that you needed a break, hit the windows key, and you see the Human naked in his full glory.

[JonahFalcon]

Sometimes the graphics will be screwy - but that's easily fixed as it autocorrects when you pass the mouse over.

If you enter a different screen, the graphics will repair totally.

Sometimes you'll get a black "DirectX" screen - just quickly ALT-TAB. It'll go to the regular graphics.

[leiavoia]

Jonah, if you are playing the "beta burn", ALT-TAB is enabled, but for the final press run, i believe it's toast, so don't get everyone's hopes up unless you are playing the final off-the-press stamped copy.

[JonahFalcon]

No, I'm using the final press CDs, and I spawn by simply doing the Windows key. In fact, I'm spawned out as we speak.

[leiavoia]

i'll have to try that. i've got both copies now. if it's true, i know some people who are going to have a cow [bad pun] - and a few more who are going to have a cow, but for the opposite reason.

[JonahFalcon]

One thing - if you get the DirectX screen, close all web pages and other stuff you were doing and press ALT-TAB.

The game RESISTS being spawned, but it can be done. Just have to practice.

[gunnergoz]

Will you so-and-so's with copies - review or otherwise - stop crowing about it? Sheeesh, it's so frustrating! And I'm not a damn bit bitter...

[Lee Johnson]

And if your keyboard doesn't have a Windows key, I imagine that Ctrl-Esc will also work. I have one of those sturdy old-style PS2 keyboards... no Windows keys.

[Grumbold]

For Windows illiterates, what is the difference between Alt-Tab and using the Windows or ctrl-Esc keys?

[Craig P.]

Hitting the Windows key equates to clicking on the start menu. I'm not sure the active application is given the opportunity to stop you from doing it. Alt-tab will switch among running applications. Apparently, there's a level of support for blocking it.

[Cedayon]

I'm not sure how windows handles all of those key combinations, but most of them are just signals that pass by the app on their way to the OS, and the app can usually intercept them and perform whatever they want to instead (like, for instance, nothing at all). Some signals, like ctrl-alt-delete, are not interceptable, afaik. Not sure about the windows key/start key. All I know is that I will find a way to switch out of MOO3 to whatever other app I please... but it doesn't look like I'll have too hard a time.

Thanks for letting us know, JF

[Skanky Burns]

The windows key == Ctrl Esc. Its the same code that goes from your keyboard to the computer, one is just easier to "type".

[Harry Seldon]

The windows key == Ctrl Esc

Very cool. I never knew that.