[#80-#84] All tables - Flipper sometimes doesn't flip

[Psy-Q]

I have this situation where I'm definitely pressing the correct key or button, but the flipper will not move. This happens maybe twice in a 10 minute game. It's often only one of the flippers,

First I thought it was my wireless controller's receiver (8bitdo SN30 Pro Plus) but I get the same phenomenon via USB and even when using the keyboard. The keyboard is mechanical so I can hear and feel that the switch has been actuated,

I tried some other games and no problems there. This is on Linux via Steam.

Edit: Might have found a hint: It's usually worst when there are some background things happening. I had some tabs open in Firefox, and after I closed Firefox, the problem didn't appear again. Is the input loop quite sensitive?

[BlondFace]

I have had this phenomenon before, but less often, maybe once an hour. I’ve been suspicious of the keyboard so far, but it is possible that this error related to something else.
Maybe this behavior is also part of the simulation?

[Psy-Q]

I'm glad someone else is seeing this too, I thought I was going mad!

Did you ever try quitting all other programs and running only Steam and ZP? Did that improve things?

[Mart]

Is everybody in this topic on Linux?

[BlondFace]

I experienced this under Windows gameplay.

[BlondFace]

I’ve been playing this board under linux in recent days and this symptom has happened more often. Most of the time I noticed it in hard situation when I had to use the nudge at the same time as the flipper. But in fact, I can’t decide if I made a mistake or actually miss the flipper.

Perhaps developers could trace during a longer time period whether the flippers responds to each keystroke.

[SepSev]

I have been running into this frequently on Linux as well. It happens for me using a keyboard when pressing both shift keys at the same time to raise both flippers then the left flipper will rise and the right won't. Seems to happen every 5th or so time that both are pressed at the same time. It makes the multiball heavy modes like Lamp Hunter rather frustrating.

I booted into Windows 10 and couldn't reproduce the issue during a couple Lamp Hunter rounds. In both cases I was using a keyboard and not a gamepad.

[SepSev]

I should add this is still happening on update [#81.1] and is likely related to or a duplicate of this other reported issue:
"[#78] flippers cannot be activated simultaneously"
https://steamcommunity.com/app/444930/discussions/10/1743388044210544188/

[SepSev]

Still frequently happening on Linux in update 82. It makes the multi ball panic and flail strategy difficult :P

[dhoplaros]

Originally posted by Mart:

Is everybody in this topic on Linux?

Same here, Linux, since update 82. Only happened with the left flipper for me, or at least only noticed the left flaking.

[ezequieluk]

I've been experiencing this issue from day one on Linux (natively), too. I've also noticed the same behaviour when running the game under wine (as a separate steam installation, of course), using 'winetricks steam' and using 'winetricks dxvk_master'.

This issue happens whichever key mapping I use. For example, I've mapped the two flippers to the left and right shift keys, and also tab (left) and backspace (right) (of course, mapping the "overlay" combination to use a value different than "shift+tab"). No matter what combination(s) I use, the right flipper does not activate in about 20%-30% of cases when I press the left and right flipper keys simultaneously.

I use the "GB" (UK) keyboard layout, and I've also tried disabling IBus and XIM in the "input method framework" applet under the "Xfce Settings", so I don't think it's related to that.

I've also seen that 'xev -event keyboard' shows every single key being pressed properly, and never missing a "KeyPress" or "KeyRelease" event for any of the keys I've mapped to events in the game. So I don't think it's a X11 or USB (kernel module(s)) driver problem.

I've also tried with four different keyboards: my built-in laptop keyboards (on two different laptops), a cheap USB keyboard, and a "non-ghosting"+"multi-chord" gaming keyboard I've recently purchased. I've tried connecting every one of those keyboards to every USB port I have available on both laptops (both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports). I'm always seeing the same result. Therefore, I don't think it's a hardware-related problem, or a driver-related problem.

Now, here's the thing. I don't see this issue when using my "EasySMX ESM-9100" USB controller (particularly, on XBox-360 mode, with leds 1+2 on) when configured as a steam controller (using the main UI). I don't see "missing" events at all: flippers can be activated simultaneously every time, without (apparent) failures.

For the record, I'm using Linux Mint Xfce edition versions 19.2 (amd64) on Lenovo X240 (laptop, 8GB RAM, intel graphics), and 19.3 (tricia, amd64) on Lenovo T530 (laptop, 8GB RAM, intel graphics). I haven't seen any issues on other games, including under wine.

It's a real pity, as I've bough several table packs for Zaccaria Pinball, and I'm otherwise very happy with this game. For now, I guess I have no other realistic option than using my game controller.

Please, developers, do fix this issue as soon as you can. There are many Linux users that (would?) love to play your pinball game.

[Sagebrush]

I've noticed a similar issue where the right flipper will suddenly turn off and back on again, very quickly, once, while the assigned button is held. In my case, I'm using an 8bitdo M30 mostly via bluerooth, on Windows. I can't yet rule out whether or not it's the controller's fault.

[Psy-Q]

This problem is still here, whether on keyboard or controller. I'd go so far as to rate the game as unplayable since you never know if your action registers or if you're gonna lose a ball for no reason.

[nil]

It's probably not this, but I'll throw it out there in case it's useful to anyone.

I had similar where the flipper wouldn't activate after nudging. I've got a KVM (USB/HDMI) switcher which can be activated by scroll lock + scroll lock + number, but it also gets triggered by ctrl + ctrl + number. So when using ctrl to nudge, I'd often hit the switcher's trigger of ctrl + ctrl, and the next keypress would just be eaten. So I'd sometimes save the ball from draining with a couple of nudges, only to watch it roll off the end of the unresponsive flipper.

Solved by plugging the keyboard into the non-keyboard USB input of the switcher, and using the button on the switcher instead of the keyboard sequence to switch.

[Alistair]

At #87 - This issue is still present

[Sorthious]

This happens when more than 2 keys are pressed simultaneously. For instance, lets say you have one flipper button depressed, then you press Nudge and the other flipper at roughly the same time. At this point, either the Nudge or the other Flipper will trigger, but not both. It seems to be an issue with Input Polling not addressing more than 2 keystrokes at a time. I'm not a programmer, so sorry if I am describing the problem incorrectly. This problem has existed since I bought this game.