This problem started to arise when I upgraded my Ubuntu distribution to 12.04 LTS.
I have decided to attempt to configure my system to resemble a desktop environment similar to Ubuntu 10.04 simply by installing gnome-panel because I'm too used to this kind of desktop environment and am simply unwilling to use Ubuntu (both non-2D and 2D) for the somewhat confusing interface it has. From what I understand, this issue doesn't arise all that often in a Ubuntu 2D environment, which I never use, and arises mainly in the Classic gnome panel environment, which is where I spend most, if not all of my time in.
Anyways, my problem stems from when I am in my Full Screened Spiral Knights application and I attempt to alt-tab to another application. Once I am finished in my neighboring application, I click on my minimized Spiral Knights application window and am greeted with a black screen and then nothing but my desktop. I can click on my minimized application again and get the same results. At this point, I have to end my spiral knights application via right clicking the minimized window and clicking close. I have never experienced anything like this; it is very bothersome.
Additionally, I've been faced with an occasional issue of full-screening my spiral knights application where I would unclick and click the check box again to make it full screen; I like to call this pseudo-fullscreen. I've been able to use this method of full-screening my game up until I upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. This time, when this issue of this pseudo-fullscreen occurs, I often have to restart my spiral knights application once or twice to properly fix it. You can tell this is annoying after a while.
Could I trouble for some help?
System Info:
Release: Linux Ubuntu 12.04 (precise)
Kernel: 3.2.0-40-generic (#64-Ubuntu SMP Mon Mar 25 21:22:10 UTC 2013)
GCC version: 4.6 (x86_64-linux-gnu)
Xorg version: 1.11.3 (27 February 2013 02:07:42AM)
CPU Vendor: GenuineIntel
CPU count: 2
CPU Model: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8700 @ 2.53GHz
CPU Frequency: 2534.000 MHz
NVidia Driver version: 304.88
I understand that my situation may be unique and therefore may not be able to be helped.
I've narrowed my scope of what might be causing this problem however. This problem can come from either the refresh rate modifications of the game, or the actual gnome-panel itself. I'm thinking it's the latter because I've seen some threads be posted about the gnome-panel showcasing various issues.
I may try downgrading to an earlier version of the gnome panel and see if that changes anything. I don't suppose you'd be able to provide any insight, Helios, or any other knight?
EDIT:
So I've noticed that my workplace switcher (Bottom right hand corner of my screen), by default, has a number of workspaces totaling four workspaces at a given time. When starting spiral knights, I notice that my workspace count goes down to one, all of my applications show up on a single screen, and I'm left to question myself why that is. I strongly think that my workspace number decreasing might lead me in the right direction.