Troubleshooting#

Start with ibf doctor#

ibf doctor

It checks each part and prints a fix for what fails: your Python and the client library; the game folder and its executable's build; the shim, the steam stub and the host, and whether their version matches the package's; the profiles; ibf.toml; the last log. With the game running it also asks the framework inside it: its version, its Direct3D hooks, its profile, its bot pads.

ibf doctor --in-game

drives the running game through a checklist, in about a minute: the menus answer a bot pad, the Navigator starts a versus match, two example bots play a round, and a bot killed mid-round frees its pad within a quarter of a second. Leave the game alone while it runs.

The logs#

ibf\logs\ in the game folder:

• shim.log: whether extension.dll found and loaded the host, and why not;
• ibf-<date>-<time>-<pid>.log: everything the framework did in one run, the game's own log lines among them (as game), and every bot's (as bot:<name>);
• crash-<time>.dmp: written if the game crashes; with the symbols zip it shows where.

ibf logs -f follows the newest run's log live, and the console (F2) shows it in the game.

Common problems#

ibf setup waits for the Steam download forever. Steam must be running and signed in with the account that owns the game, and the download_depot line must be pasted into the Steam console (it opens at steam://nav/console). The download shows no progress bar; the Downloads page's network graph moves. If it was done before, --source <folder> with the folder Steam printed skips the wait.

The game starts without the framework (no status bar). ibf doctor says which part is missing. The usual causes: the game was updated or verified by Steam, which puts the protected Inversus.exe and Valve's steam_api.dll back (run ibf setup again); ibf.toml has a syntax error (the log and ibf doctor name the line); IBF_DISABLE=1 is set; or an antivirus removed or blocked extension.dll or ibf_host.dll (allow the game folder).

The game ignores my keyboard and mouse. That is on purpose, so typing elsewhere cannot steer a match bots are playing. Press F5 (the status bar shows "input on"), with the game window in focus.

ibf run says the pad is not a bot pad. Bots can only play the slots listed in [input] bot_pads of ibf\ibf.toml, which the game reads when it starts. ibf setup sets [0, 1]; restart the game after changing it.

ibf run says the pad belongs to another client. Another bot holds it: stop it, or take the pad with --force. ibf cmd bots lists who plays what.

A bot loads but does nothing in the menus. On purpose: a bot's pad is neutral outside play. Start matches with ibf match, or by hand (F5, then the menus); a bot that should drive the menus sets menus = True.

ImportError: ibf_client.dll ... was not found or "would not load". The package for the other bitness was installed: a 64-bit Python needs the win_amd64 wheel, a 32-bit one the win32 wheel.

"ABI" errors (the host speaks another bridge version). The game has the framework of another release than the package: ibf setup again updates the game's files.

The game is slow while bots play in lockstep. Lockstep waits for the slowest bot every tick; that is its purpose. ibf cmd bots shows each bot's latency. Use real time for normal play.

A plugin does not load. The plugins console command says why: no file, not a 32-bit DLL, no ibf_plugin_entry, declined, or faulted (and where).