Machine Party fixes: black screen, crashes, controllers, and Vulkan

This is an online room-join problem. Use the dedicated Machine Party online fix: room join and ID help for the full room, invite, version, firewall, and host-switching checklist.

1. Connect the controller before launching the game and close other controller-mapping tools.
2. In Steam, open Library → Machine Party → Properties → Controller. Test the default setting first, then try enabling Steam Input.
3. For an Xbox-compatible pad, also test with Steam Input disabled; double translation can cause missing or repeated inputs.
4. Disconnect extra pads, wheels, virtual controllers, and handheld companion devices, then relaunch with one controller.
5. Confirm the controller works in Steam’s own input test.

In local mode, several controllers join from the Local lobby. If a pad does not create a player slot, use the controller troubleshooting guide to check duplicate mappings and device order.

1. Steam Library → right-click Machine Party → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
2. Install the latest stable graphics driver, then restart the computer.
3. Disable overlays one at a time: Discord, GPU recording, performance monitoring, and third-party injectors.
4. Make sure the GPU supports Vulkan. The official minimum requirements explicitly require Vulkan support.
5. Try a clean reboot and close heavy background applications. The Windows minimum lists 8 GB RAM.

v1.5 renderer option: Start with the normal launch option. If graphics still fail, try the separate Direct3D 12 launch option from Steam.

If one specific minigame always crashes, include its name in the bug report.

1. Wait only while the game is still responding; close a permanent black screen instead of leaving it running indefinitely.
2. Update the graphics driver from Nvidia, AMD, or Intel rather than relying only on Windows Update, then restart the PC.
3. Verify game files and remove any unofficial launch options, injectors, or replacement DLL files.
4. Press Alt + Enter once to test windowed mode if the game responds but the display stays black.
5. On laptops, force the game to use the discrete GPU through Windows Graphics settings.
6. Disable overlays and recording filters one at a time, then check the pinned “Temporary fix for graphical issues” thread in the Steam discussions for the developer’s newest workaround. Version 1.5 also updated Godot to 4.5.2 and added a Direct3D 12 launch option; start with normal mode, then test D3D12 only if the graphics issue persists.

If the screen is black immediately after an update, verify the files before reinstalling the entire game.

Missing invites and room-ID fallback steps belong to the online room-join fix. Use that page for Steam Overlay, privacy, version, and connection checks.

Use the pinned “Bugs & Issues — Report them here” discussion. Include:

• A one-line summary and the exact minigame or menu where it happened.
• Steps that reproduce the problem.
• Expected result versus what actually happened.
• Windows or Linux version, CPU, GPU, RAM, controller model, and game version.
• Whether you were host or guest and how many players were connected.
• A screenshot, short video, and the latest game log if available.

Do not post passwords, Steam login details, private IP addresses, or another player’s personal information.