2 Control issues, and slightly buggy physics

[Ampa]

Let me preface this by saying I like the game very much, and am enjoying my first play through…

However it does feel to me that a couple of things are slightly 'off'.

1) It feels that there is a slight delay between hitting the jump key and the character actually jumping. It is only a fraction of a second, but is enough to make the fine control needed for the jump puzzles less smooth and enjoyable than it should be. Compare this with a game like Super Meat Boy where the jumping feels very tight by comparison.

Does anybody else feel this, or is it a quirk of my system?

2) I was hoping to play the game using my xbox 360 wired controller but find that the lack of any deadzone means that even the tiniest non-centering of the thumb stick will cause the character to slide again destroying the fluidity of the platforming.

Unfortunately Microsoft's woefully inadequate drivers do not allow the deadzone to be changed, and when I tried alternative drivers (x360c by Morii[www.jonnys-place.com] - which do allow for deadzone adjustment) I experienced the controller being stuck moving constantly Up + Left rendering the game unplayable.

Admittedly I've not tried remapping to the D-Pad which is perhaps a better way to play the game?

3) The physics system does seem a little quirky at times with characters popping through each other when things get a bit squashed. Also characters often stick or judder against the edge of moving platforms.

4) On level 4.10 where John has to jump from the final vertically moving platform to the final horizontally moving platform, it is impossible to jump before the platform has stopped rising, and indeed waiting for John to land after the involuntary hop that he makes (conservation of momentum) Sticky rising platform. Watch from the 40s mark

Thanks for a great game, perhaps these rough edges can be smoothed?

[Ampa]

UPDATE 1
I just ran the game again and rather than selecting "fantastic" graphics, chose "fastest" and it runs beautifully.

Wow - my system isn't cutting edge, but I am amazed that it lags with such minimal graphics.

I'll play about to find which setting is the best of both worlds.

UPDATE 2
Was just talking to the friend who gifted me the game, who found the controls in Thomas to be tight. In his words, the game "has one of the best jumps around"

So what is going on when I play and get such poor performance?

It isn't a gamepad thing, cos it affects keys just as much as my controller.

[thestrayestcat]

I have the same issues, mine doesn't even register that I've hit the jump key and my poor little rectangle just runs into its doom. This is despite me me having hitting the jump key Very Hard. Thankfully this only happens sometimes.

But it's still such a charming little game that I really can't complain.

[Toysoldier]

Try multiple control setups. I know on my keybard I am unable to press the left arrow key and have the others register. It is a problem with how keyboards read input.

Are you able to jump with no other keys pressed down?

[Ampa]

Nope, on that one particular platform I can't jump vertically or sideways while it is in motion (though I can walk left and right). As soon as it stops control kicks back in and I can jump again.

Didn't come across this issue anywhere else in the game.

[Rohaq]

I had the same issue, and managed to solve it.

I decided to check my Device Manager, clicked View, then Show Hidden Devices, and found an old VJoy Virtual Gamepad under my Human Interface Devices.

I right-clicked and uninstalled it, then uninstalled my 360 controller for good measure. I plugged back in my 360 controller and let it reinstall, and it solved my issues in the game.

[dagr]

Originally posted by Ampa:

4) On level 4.10 where John has to jump from the final vertically moving platform to the final horizontally moving platform, it is impossible to jump before the platform has stopped rising, and indeed waiting for John to land after the involuntary hop that he makes (conservation of momentum) Sticky rising platform. Watch from the 40s mark

worst moment in this game