iOS - Bug Strange behaviour

[Slam23]

Had a couple of minor issues this week with latest TPA (on latest iOS, iPad Air 2), I just report them here for anyone who happens upon them also:
- I posted a 18B HSII game that initially seemed to give me 1000 HOF points but in my HOF list it was 943. Using the HOF restore button fixed this, hurray for the button
- Via manage tables I downloaded all updated tables and then I saw that I missed High Speed from my list. I downloaded that one too, but got in a loop in which I could keep downloading that table. It showed in my table list afterwards, but when I started it, only the UI showed for the table, and a black screen behind it. When I tried to start the table itself, TPA crashed. Loaded back up, downloaded the table again (now I couldn't download it multiple times, just once), and everything worked again.
- In longer games I had a couple of moments in which the flippers wouldn't respond, both on the left and right side. This happens from time to time, it's not table-specific, nor a problem unique to my iPad (I can reproduce it on another iPad). Only thing that I can think of beside a software problem is that the touch areas get a bit smudgy after prolonged games and won't take input that easily anymore. Haven't had a chance to try to clean those areas in a running game to see improvement, because it's an infrequent behaviour and only lasts a couple of seconds. It's difficult to reproduce. It can happen at very inopportune moments

 

[pinballrocks]

- In longer games I had a couple of moments in which the flippers wouldn't respond, both on the left and right side.

Same here, except I noticed it a lot more often and with the flippers also sticking as if I was pressing and holding. It has caused me to lose balls unexpectedly. I noticed it started after updating my iPad to iOS 9.

 

[Chris Dunman]

Had a couple of minor issues this week with latest TPA (on latest iOS, iPad Air 2), I just report them here for anyone who happens upon them also:
- I posted a 18B HSII game that initially seemed to give me 1000 HOF points but in my HOF list it was 943. Using the HOF restore button fixed this, hurray for the button
- Via manage tables I downloaded all updated tables and then I saw that I missed High Speed from my list. I downloaded that one too, but got in a loop in which I could keep downloading that table. It showed in my table list afterwards, but when I started it, only the UI showed for the table, and a black screen behind it. When I tried to start the table itself, TPA crashed. Loaded back up, downloaded the table again (now I couldn't download it multiple times, just once), and everything worked again.
- In longer games I had a couple of moments in which the flippers wouldn't respond, both on the left and right side. This happens from time to time, it's not table-specific, nor a problem unique to my iPad (I can reproduce it on another iPad). Only thing that I can think of beside a software problem is that the touch areas get a bit smudgy after prolonged games and won't take input that easily anymore. Haven't had a chance to try to clean those areas in a running game to see improvement, because it's an infrequent behaviour and only lasts a couple of seconds. It's difficult to reproduce. It can happen at very inopportune moments

Same for me guys.

I have to manually download each time, restore HOF points etc.

My flippers will only freeze when Game Centre finally completes its logon process. Is this the same for you?

Personally I think the whole issue relates to the IOS 9 Game Centre problem some users are facing. A quick Google returns some forum comments relating to others facing the same thing, although not TPA related.

I've found that once kicking TPA off, leave it a while, when Game Centre finally logs on, then I'll download High Speed, Restore HOF and I'm ready. Bit of a pain but perhaps IOS 9.1 will solve the problem

 

[pinballrocks]

I do suspect it has something to do with Game Center. However, even after doing what you suggested (leaving TPA alone for a while after launching) I'm still encountering flipper unresponsiveness, mostly with the right one now.

It's still not consistent and absolutely frustrating, since it makes playing confidently very difficult and losing balls just when you think you're on top is infuriating to me.

 

[pinballrocks]

I found a way to reliably reproduce the problem of unresponsive flippers, though it requires a bit of patience and an older table.

On Attack From Mars if you can get to the Video Mode special where you shoot descending saucers before they land, you'll notice very clearly and reliably that the flippers, especially the right one, stops responding.

I hope this gets addressed with the next patch?

 

[pinballchris]

I haven't played much in a few months to see issues with HOF points and downloads, as my desire to play has dwindled. But I have seen flipper issues, especially a lag occasionally.

 

[WhiteChocolate]

I do suspect it has something to do with Game Center. However, even after doing what you suggested (leaving TPA alone for a while after launching) I'm still encountering flipper unresponsiveness, mostly with the right one now.

It's still not consistent and absolutely frustrating, since it makes playing confidently very difficult and losing balls just when you think you're on top is infuriating to me.

i can only chime in cuz you mentioned game center there... i'd been encountering -something- like this a good amount the past few months... here's what i wrote a bit offline to post when i found a current appro-thread...




hey just a mention, along with ipad-discussed half/no-launches - i have seen this more recently on my ipod, circa iOS 6... it seems to get hung up/unresponsive sometimes during "game center" check-in.

can often get a blank black screen lately, yet the "pb wizard" guitar theme starts up playing... sometimes i try a "soft-relaunch," that is without purposefully quitting TPA, i just try to launch it again; i can't remember this ever resulting in a proper launch... hafta just fully quit the app, then try to relaunch... which isn't always guaranteed to! more so than ever lately; used to be before, that worked just fine as long as one restarted a second time...

just since the last one or two table updates, i'd noticed it becoming a more prevalent prob... with a bit of effort, when it doesn't launch right off the bat, it can take two/three blank-screen launches to try to get it right. i'd look around the apple "game center" log-in area; seems like when it does get up right, it's cuz i see the iOS game-center "welcome" notice just then... put in some extra log-messages 'round there and see what's happening!


p.s. i usually have my ipod connection OFFline, so if there's some sensitivity outside of the game center around there, you should also look around that part maybe too!

 

[Chris Dunman]

Updated to IOS 9.1. Game centre issue fixed, TPA is working perfectly bat the need to update High Speed from the Manage Tables function which I've read will be addressed in next TPA update. Happy again