Bug Possible Flipper bug Android Tablet

[enduser2941]

Hey guys,

I am not sure if this is a bug in the game or an issue with my tablet, but here is my problem. When I play most tables, I have a problem with the left flipper. When I tab the screen on the left side to make the flipper flip, it flips up then drops back down immediately but ONLY when the ball is right on top of the flipper. This means that I can not fold the left flipper up to make calculated shots. I do not have this problem with the right flipper. With the right flipper, I can hold the ball as long as I want, and I can hold the left flipper up as long as I want providing that the ball isn't on the flipper. As soon as the ball comes near the left flipper, it drops right down. If I am trying to hit the ball with the left flipper as the ball is coming down to the flipper, as soon as I touch the screen regardless of whether I hold my finger on the screen, the flipper just flips, meaning it flips up to hit the ball then drops right back down while holding my finger on the screen.

Again, this only happens with the left flipper, and it doesn't happen on all tables.- Cactuc Canyon, Central Park, Class of 1812 play with out issue. while is Harley Davidson, Funhouse. Genie, Monster Bash and many others. My left flipper just flips and doesn't allow me to hold the ball. I don't know if this has happened to others or not, if it has, I would love for someone to reply to this thread.

I also play Pinball Arcade on Steam (Windows) and my Samsung Galaxt Note 3 (Android) and I do not have the problem on those devices. This would lead me to believe that the problem is device oriented, however, the tables it occurs on and the ones that it doesn't are consistently the same. This means that I ALWAYS have the problem on the same tables every time, and I NEVER have the problem on the tables I don't have the problem. I just don't know but I could use some help on this one. Any ideas? I am hoping that a Pinball Arcade Dev could comment on this one.

Thanks!!

John

 

[jaredmorgs]

Hey guys,

...

Again, this only happens with the left flipper, and it doesn't happen on all tables.- Cactuc Canyon, Central Park, Class of 1812 play with out issue. while is Harley Davidson, Funhouse. Genie, Monster Bash and many others. My left flipper just flips and doesn't allow me to hold the ball. I don't know if this has happened to others or not, if it has, I would love for someone to reply to this thread.

I also play Pinball Arcade on Steam (Windows) and my Samsung Galaxt Note 3 (Android) and I do not have the problem on those devices. This would lead me to believe that the problem is device oriented, however, the tables it occurs on and the ones that it doesn't are consistently the same. This means that I ALWAYS have the problem on the same tables every time, and I NEVER have the problem on the tables I don't have the problem. I just don't know but I could use some help on this one. Any ideas? I am hoping that a Pinball Arcade Dev could comment on this one.

Thanks!!

John

Hi John, and welcome to the forum.

Unless I misunderstood your OP, you have quoted tables that have no issues. Can you throw us a couple that you can repeatedly replicate the flipper bug on?

With bug reports, it is also best to provide the Device name, and version of Android OS you are running.

For example, I'm using:

Nexus 7 2013, Android 4.4.2, ART Runtime, Stock ROM with Root

Now some troubleshooting steps.

1. Redownload the table files by Tapping Settings > Manage Tables.
2. Tap on the button and confirm that you want to delete the table file (note this does not delete any achievements, just the RES file, which is the DLC package for the table).
3. Redownload the table.
4. Repeat the flipper test with the newly-downloaded table.

It's possible that you might have got a corrupted download or some other funny business with those affected tables.

Another thing to try is to change the orientation of the tablet when you play. So if you hold it portrait normally, change to landscape orientation and see if the touch issues can be replicated.

If the flipper issue on the left improves, or the issue moves to the right flipper (right of the screen), that would indicate a potential issue with the digitizer (the layer of the touchscreen that detects touches).

You can work around this by using a hardware controller such as the Moga Pro or Pocket. See the stickied thread about controller support in the Android forum. Because hardware controllers access the controller API directly, there is no interaction with the touchscreen, and therefore no issue.

Hope this info helps. Ryan Routon (our favourite Android Dev) may be able to shed more technical light on the issue, if none of my suggestions play out for you.

 

[Baron Rubik]

Here's an app which lets you visually test your touch inputs, and will help rule out a digitizer problem.
(Multitouch Visible test)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.batterypoweredgames.mtvistest

Sounds like corrupt data, as Jared said, if it only happens on certain tables, and when the ball is near the left flipper.

It's worth noting, TPA has a maximum simultaneous touch input limit of 2 points, I don't know why. So even though my device can handle 10 simultaneous touches (shown in the app above) if I hold up both flippers I can't nudge by touch input in addition to the 2 touches for the flippers.

 

[Baron Rubik]

If it's a Samsung tablet, this user had problems with flippers sticking (especially the left) and screen shots auto activating.
He managed to solve his problems in this post here...
http://digitalpinballfans.com/showthread.php?p=129298
PSA - Galaxy Note 2014 (10.1)

 

[DrainoBraino]

I had this same problem with the Samsung S4 mini phone. The flippers would bug out and not stay up when held. Called samsung tech support several times and posted about it here, but to no avail. Did some seraching on tech forums and found similar complaints about the touch screen on certain samsung products, but no fixes. So I traded it in for an htc one, so much happier now.

 

[enduser2941]

Hi John, and welcome to the forum.

Unless I misunderstood your OP, you have quoted tables that have no issues. Can you throw us a couple that you can repeatedly replicate the flipper bug on?

Thanks jaredmorgs, I did in fact list some of the tables in which the problem occurs.. The examples in my post were "Harley Davidson, Funhouse. Genie, Monster Bash and many others".

With bug reports, it is also best to provide the Device name, and version of Android OS you are running.

I did list some of this data, but to clarify with some additional info, I am running the following:

HP Slatebook 10 X2 PC, Android OS v4.3 (Not sure what the runtime is) Stock ROM no ROOT.

Now some troubleshooting steps.

1. Redownload the table files by Tapping Settings > Manage Tables.
2. Tap on the button and confirm that you want to delete the table file (note this does not delete any achievements, just the RES file, which is the DLC package for the table).
3. Redownload the table.
4. Repeat the flipper test with the newly-downloaded table.

I did this for Moster Bash, which I actually downloaded for the first time earlier today and it actually played much better. It didn't show the flipper problem until way late in the table. Now I do not know if the scores are true, meaning when it says I have the top score on a table, I do not know if the top spot really means I did better then anyone who ever played that table or if the other scores it shows just arbitrary or what but on Monster Bash, with the flipper actually working correctly I killed the table. My score was 317,117,910 putting me in the number one spot and giving me 158 Hall of Fame Points..

It's possible that you might have got a corrupted download or some other funny business with those affected tables.

Do to the amount of tables affected, I don't think this could be the case as it happens to a lot of tables, and I am not the only one who has experienced this problem.

Ok well oddly enough, now that I have reported this, and I have removed and reinstalled all the tables that were having this problem, it is not showing up often enough for me to run through these other trouble shooting tips, though I can tell you that from my earlier testing of this, I did not seem to have the problems when trying this in Portrait mode on the tabled. I also do not have this issue when I tested the same tables on my Samsung Galaxy Note 3, nor did this happen on my only Samsung Galaxy Note 1.

You know it's kind of like that strange noise your car makes, so you take it to the mechanic, and it no longer makes that noise, and the mechanic things you have gone nuts, but you sweat it makes that noise!! lol

Another thing to try is to change the orientation of the tablet when you play. So if you hold it portrait normally, change to landscape orientation and see if the touch issues can be replicated.

If the flipper issue on the left improves, or the issue moves to the right flipper (right of the screen), that would indicate a potential issue with the digitizer (the layer of the touchscreen that detects touches).

You can work around this by using a hardware controller such as the Moga Pro or Pocket. See the stickied thread about controller support in the Android forum. Because hardware controllers access the controller API directly, there is no interaction with the touchscreen, and therefore no issue.

This does sound exactly like what the issue would be... I don't know if I have a hardware controller, I will have to read that thread to see if the device that I have which is a bluetooth enabled hand held keyboard / touchpad, or my bluetooth enabled keyboard would qualify and work in this condition. However, this would kill my game play as I have been dying for the longest time to have a large handled tablet to play just this game. I won a sweeps stakes and one of the items I won was this HP SlateBook 10 X2 (10in Android 4.3 tablet), so this has been exactly what I wanted to play this game... I just thought about it.... This tablet comes with it's own detachable keyboard... Why I NEVER thought to try using this to test the theory with the digitizer, I will never know! Geesh! I will have to try this and get back to you. We will see how that handles things.

Hope this info helps. Ryan Routon (our favourite Android Dev) may be able to shed more technical light on the issue, if none of my suggestions play out for you.

This has been VERY helpful!!! Thank you so much! I will keep running some tests to get you some more definitive information and I will post back here once I have some!....

Here's an app which lets you visually test your touch inputs, and will help rule out a digitizer problem.
(Multitouch Visible test)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.batterypoweredgames.mtvistest

Sounds like corrupt data, as Jared said, if it only happens on certain tables, and when the ball is near the left flipper.

It's worth noting, TPA has a maximum simultaneous touch input limit of 2 points, I don't know why. So even though my device can handle 10 simultaneous touches (shown in the app above) if I hold up both flippers I can't nudge by touch input in addition to the 2 touches for the flippers.

You know, your last statement makes a lot of sense, in fact the place I notice this the most, is during multiball... So perhaps this is a situation where I am hitting the screen to fast and it's not registersing some of my taps because of the limitation of only 2 inputs at once. Is this something that could be upped to say 4 or 6? Is there a situation where more the 2 simultanious hits would actually be bad? I mean it your hitting the 2 points, and trying to "bump" the table, you may actualy want more then 2 simultanious hits.

If it's a Samsung tablet, this user had problems with flippers sticking (especially the left) and screen shots auto activating.
He managed to solve his problems in this post here...
http://digitalpinballfans.com/showthread.php?p=129298
PSA - Galaxy Note 2014 (10.1)

I know that my tablet is not doing a screen shot, however, this gives me one more thing to check on my tablet to see if something else maybe activating in the background when the left flipper is hit since this is only effecting the left flipper as best I can tell. I do know for a fact, that I am not activating the screenshot though.

I had this same problem with the Samsung S4 mini phone. The flippers would bug out and not stay up when held. Called samsung tech support several times and posted about it here, but to no avail. Did some seraching on tech forums and found similar complaints about the touch screen on certain samsung products, but no fixes. So I traded it in for an htc one, so much happier now.

Seems DrainoBraino has had similar problems with a Samsung device as well. Not sure what it is with Samsung... I love their devices. TPA Dev, do you guys have any Samsung devices that you QA or Beta test with? Might be good to have just due to the number of complaints surrounding the Samsung devices and TPA

Guys, thank you all so much for your help thus far. Everyones post has been extremely helpful in trying to track down the problem. I promise you that I am not crazy, and I will make my car make that funny noise next time I bring it to the shop for repair!! lol

I hope I can narrow the problem down in a short time and whether the problem is mty device, or in the code, one way or another, we will figure out what is going on. I will continue my due diligence towards getting an answer! Thanks again!!

John

 

[Baron Rubik]

You know, your last statement makes a lot of sense, in fact the place I notice this the most, is during multiball... So perhaps this is a situation where I am hitting the screen to fast and it's not registersing some of my taps because of the limitation of only 2 inputs at once. Is this something that could be upped to say 4 or 6? Is there a situation where more the 2 simultanious hits would actually be bad? I mean it your hitting the 2 points, and trying to "bump" the table, you may actualy want more then 2 simultanious hits.

I've been asking why the touch input limit hasn't been increased for years now, and unfortunately haven't ever received an answer.

Good news is, if you connect a controller to your tablet, more than 2 controller inputs are accepted and your nudging becomes analogue. Give it a try.

 

[enduser2941]

Hey Baron Rubik, do you work for TPA or just a long time TPA user? I am just curious... Also I will try connecting a controller and see if that helps, however, since I have reinstalled those few tables, the problem appears to be gone for now... Why? I don't really know unless there really was something corrupt, but if that's the case, I just have no idea how it becomes corrupt, unless there is something weird going on in the code that is some how causing the corruption. I spent many years working closely with developers, and the only time we ever saw a behavior similar to this is when there is a very hidden bug in the code that could cause some kind of memory leak, or some other underlying problem that due to the app running, perhaps so data is not getting purged and over time things accumulate eventually causing the data to be corrupt. Too much information for this thread, but I'll try and keep track of if and when the problems start reoccurring and I will track what has happened that can be leading up to the problem. I'll let you guys know.

Thanks for every ones time!!

John

 

[jaredmorgs]

Hey Baron Rubik, do you work for TPA or just a long time TPA user? I am just curious... Also I will try connecting a controller and see if that helps, however, since I have reinstalled those few tables, the problem appears to be gone for now... Why? I don't really know unless there really was something corrupt, but if that's the case, I just have no idea how it becomes corrupt, unless there is something weird going on in the code that is some how causing the corruption. I spent many years working closely with developers, and the only time we ever saw a behavior similar to this is when there is a very hidden bug in the code that could cause some kind of memory leak, or some other underlying problem that due to the app running, perhaps so data is not getting purged and over time things accumulate eventually causing the data to be corrupt. Too much information for this thread, but I'll try and keep track of if and when the problems start reoccurring and I will track what has happened that can be leading up to the problem. I'll let you guys know.

Thanks for every ones time!!

John

Like Ryan said. A dirty download. Simple as that.

CDN had been touchy lately.

 

[Baron Rubik]

Hey Baron Rubik, do you work for TPA or just a long time TPA user?

Just a pinhead.

Controller is awesome with TPA on Android just for having analogue nudging, but physical buttons make a massive difference too.

Get yourself a Nico playpad pro, or Moga Pro for wireless without root, or ps3 with a wire via usb/otg adapter.