Bug High score entry completely unwieldy (PC)

[Epsilon]

I use a PS4 controller that is seen by the PC as a 360 controller, and I normally have to use the left and right triggers (instead of bumpers) to enter initials, but when I try to do it on this game it is just totally wacky. It will enter a value as soon as I press the trigger, and sometimes if I hold it down it will change letters and other times not. It's completely unusable. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also (not really a bug), I can't seem to figure out how to use the side buttons with the controller. The controller setup screen shows the left and right triggers as second flipper buttons but there's no mapping for any special buttons. Am I just missing something?

 

[Gemini]

Judge Dredd has two extra buttons beside the flipper buttons on its cabinet in real life which act as "launch" buttons and also act as entering high score initials. This makes Judge Dredd the only table in Pinball Arcade where the second flipper buttons act as initial-entry buttons, which means if you have both your regular flipper buttons AND second flipper buttons mapped to the triggers, you're going to run into issues. In fact, there's other problems you'll encounter by having the mapping like this, such as auto-activating Magnasave on the Black Knight and Black Knight 2000 tables any time you flip the flippers.

The way it SHOULD be mapped is to have the controller bumper buttons act as your second flipper buttons. Make sure this is how it's set in Pinball Arcade itself and also make sure whatever drivers you have in place to run your PS4 controller on your PC are able to translate those properly. You can check that by going into your "Devices and Printers" in the control panel, right click on your controller in the device list which pops up and select "Game Controller Settings", then select "Properties" from the window which shows up, which should let you test all the buttons and each axis and make sure they're all working. :B

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Judge Dredd has two extra buttons beside the flipper buttons on its cabinet in real life which act as "launch" buttons and also act as entering high score initials. This makes Judge Dredd the only table in Pinball Arcade where the second flipper buttons act as initial-entry buttons, which means if you have both your regular flipper buttons AND second flipper buttons mapped to the triggers, you're going to run into issues. In fact, there's other problems you'll encounter by having the mapping like this, such as auto-activating Magnasave on the Black Knight and Black Knight 2000 tables any time you flip the flippers.

The way it SHOULD be mapped is to have the controller bumper buttons act as your second flipper buttons. Make sure this is how it's set in Pinball Arcade itself and also make sure whatever drivers you have in place to run your PS4 controller on your PC are able to translate those properly. You can check that by going into your "Devices and Printers" in the control panel, right click on your controller in the device list which pops up and select "Game Controller Settings", then select "Properties" from the window which shows up, which should let you test all the buttons and each axis and make sure they're all working. :B

I have re-mapped my X360 controller from using the triggers to using the bumpers for the flippers. The game automatically switched the triggers to the "second" flipper buttons. This is for comfort and also for actual gaming purposes: the bumpers being digital have minimal response time, the triggers being analog take longer to respond. In a game where fractions of a second count for timing, I'd rather have immediate response time than have to wait. Also, I found using the triggers would sometimes lead to the flippers "sticking" and other problems. So, I switched.

In most games, including BK and BK2K, this isn't a problem, because the second flipper buttons aren't used for entering initials (BK because it's scripted not emulated and the ROM doesn't cater for entering initials, BK2K because it only uses the 'Start' button.)

In the last two games, it's been a problem. In No Fear, the buy-in button is used for some "cheat/easter egg"/other purposes during the game, and can also be used as the 'Enter' button when entering initials. By default, this is mapped to the left bumper. By re-mapping the flippers from the triggers to the bumpers, this switches the mapping of the buy-in button to the left trigger. Likewise in JD, the "fire" buttons are re-mapped to the left and right triggers. Jack*Bot also does something similar, but I'm assuming the buy-in button isn't also an 'Enter' button when entering initials since I've never had a problem entering initials there. Also in Jack*Bot, I re-map the buy-in button to 'Select'.

With me so far ... ?

Anyway, TPA "forgets" your re-mapping when you're entering initials, and forces you to use the triggers. This is a bug/feature I've mentioned on numerous occasions and never had any acknowledgement of. FS fixes this, and all our problems go away.

Alas, we're stuck with what we have. There are two solutions:
1. Go back to the default mapping. Well, as I explained, I'm not going to do that. I chose the mapping I have because I play better with it.
2. Re-map the alternate left/right buttons. In Jack*Bot and NF you're not going to miss anything by doing this, I've yet to figure out when I need the button in NF, and in Jack*Bot it's just a case of getting used to its new position. For JD those buttons have a use, they move the Chain Link so you can, say, line up Sniper when the next Chain Link start is at the Sniper Tower etc. So maybe map to the D-pad left/right, if that's allowed.

 

[suffocater]

So, other tables seem to work now with the normale flipper buttons (shoulder on x360 controller), but this thing is still a big fail. Good job I say.