Android - Bug Restarting TPA after quitting causes "Not responding" system message

[jaredmorgs]

Problem

If you exit TPA then start the game up again within a few seconds, the game often fails to load.

Reproducable

For me it's 100%.

Hardware

SGS2, as per my profile information.

TPA Version

1.0.6, with all updated table data downloaded.

Steps to reproduce

1. Start the game, and wait until it gets to the table select screen.
2. On the table select screen, press the H/W back button to exit back to the home screen.
3. Wait anywhere between 1-10 seconds and restart the game.

Actual results

The screen turns black. If you leave the device alone, the screensaver activates.

When you try to unlock the device, a dialog box appears asking you whether you would like to Wait, Report or OK (close the dialog and return to the homescreen).

Expected results

The game restarts without error

Workaround

Wait for about 3 minutes before attempting to restart.

or

Close all running applications before attempting to restart TPA.

In GoLauncher, you do this the following way:

1. Tap the Applications menu.
2. Tap the Running menu tab.
3. Tap the paintbrush icon near the memory bar to close all running apps.

Additional Info

After you use the back key to exit out of the app, the game continues to run as a phantom process.

This is what I see in my Running Apps window after exiting out using the back key. This doesn't disappear until a good three minutes.

 

[jaredmorgs]

With the latest update, this issue seems to have fixed itself. I do observe that the Pinball Arcade icon remains in the Running Apps for a while after closing.

I think having a proper "Exit" button that gracefully terminates the game, and doesn't send it to the background would be a better solution (unless I misunderstand how TPA is managed in Android tasking).