Small Bug Report - MBP

[diabolusneil]

Okay, after a bit of testing, I would like to make a small bug report for Marble Blast Platinum.

Windows 1.14 and Mac 1.20
- When a nuke explodes in a level, and if you exit the level, and go back into the level quickly, the game crashes.
- When you're playing a level with the demo thing running, if you restart the level with the respawn key (Mac 1.20) or press ESC then Restart, the game won't think you restarted the level, even though you did.
- When your marble gets stuck between a moving platform and a ground, the music stops and momentarily plays when you restart the level. Can only be fixed if you exit the level and go back to the main menu.

Windows 1.14
- When there's a level with a teleportation pad, the game lags a lot. Doesn't not happen on a Mac.

If you wish I provide video proof of these bugs, then tell me.

[ProMarbler]

Not so sure about the first one, but nukes (as well as mines), especially large ones, have been known to crash the game on detonation. Would need an example.

Second one I believe was fixed in 1.50. I think it got an exclusive mention and demonstration by Matan in the latest video, too.

Third one is when the audio gets overloaded with input from the collision and blocks out other received audio input, as far as I can see it, while not actually ceasing the stream of data it receives. Afterwards, buttons only play music as they are being moused over or clicked (as I can recall), but not while, so that keeping the mouse there will not make it play again (Perhaps some state it is in?). The music can actually be restarted by opening the jukebox and stopping, replaying the song, but it won't fix the audio mess.

For the last one, it's because the default renderer for Windows is DirectX, and it sucks at rendering the shape for some stupid reason. Macs only use OpenGL, and it can render it quite smoothly. Windows also has OpenGL, switch to that renderer when playing (It might use slightly more video memory, though.). Teleport training will be much smoother, check it out!

Most of those seem to be limitations with the game/hardware. I find that 16-bit can be smoother, but the GUIs in fullscreen look really bad. There may be ways in the game or engine that may help, but I wouldn't know.

[Jeff]

Pro Marbler, thank you for taking the time to explain to him the changes and what can be done and not.

Do you need an option that keeps 32 bit for GUI screens and 16 bit in game? That probably can be done with some torque script hacks, just say if you need it and maybe we can talk about doing it for 1.50. ( Obviously you want best performance )

Okay, audio issues.

The Torque Game Engine sucks at multithreading. the engine likes a single thread to process everything, and on windows, the thread is even locked to 64 frames per second at a max. The audio in the Engine, I believe, runs on its own thread, as well as dts animation sequences. Most of the audio code (98%) is either in the openAL32.dll file or in the marbleblast.exe which we can not modify. The rest is basically just telling the engine what volume percent we want to hear, what sounds to play at specific events, ect. We do not have the source code to such files, and would be illegal to have it if we did. Because of this, you will have to well, live with the audio issues just like the rest of us.

And lastly, teleport issue? Try openGL as Pro Marbler said.

[ProMarbler]

That seems to make sense. The audio file statement applies the same to the Mac version and the like, right?

The 16-bit thing was just something that annoyed me, the GUI just gets lines streaking across it in an ugly manner. Don't bother wasting your time on something like that unless you know of an easy, non-breaking fix. But with all the changes made to the game, I suppose there's bound to be a little lag.

[Jeff]

I never did it, but honestly it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours of trial and error to come up with a non-breaking way.

And yes, the audio driver it uses is universal.

[Ticket2Ride]

As for the music, it really stops when there's ridiculously rapid collision sound, which usually happens when a moving platform squeeze the marble against any solid thing.

[Don.Gato]

Oct 9, 2013 14:17:07 GMT diabolusneil said:

If you wish I provide video proof of these bugs, then tell me.

I don't believe you, liar. I want proof.


(just kidding)

[ProMarbler]

I could foresee a way to resolve the platform situation by making the sound only trigger a certain amount after a set interval, so at to not overload it and stuff. If possible, would something like sound every .05 or .1 second be okay? I know I can hold down the reset level key and not break it.

[StewMan46]

Oct 9, 2013 14:17:07 GMT diabolusneil said:

- When you're playing a level with the demo thing running, if you restart the level with the respawn key (Mac 1.20) or press ESC then Restart, the game won't think you restarted the level, even though you did.

The game doesn't think you are restarting because the dialog won't show in the demo recording. It's not a bug, but just something that happens in Marble Blast.

[Jeff]

Collision sounds are controlled by the engine, the sound file and a few things are exposed to script afaik. So no fixing that.

[ENlGMA]

The music bug is normal in Marble Blast. This is patched in MBP, as in MBG the music never restarts. Also, you can restart the music by using the Jukebox.

[ProMarbler]

I believe the jukebox is actually in 1.20, but I may be wrong. And we all know that bug exists, regardless of version.

[ENlGMA]

Oct 10, 2013 21:08:39 GMT ProMarbler said:

I believe the jukebox is actually in 1.20, but I may be wrong. And we all know that bug exists, regardless of version.

I play 1.20, that's why I mentioned the Jukebox.

[Ticket2Ride]

Strange... why do I feel like I've used the jukebox on MBP Windows version?

[ENlGMA]

Oct 11, 2013 10:56:46 GMT Ticket2Ride said:

Strange... why do I feel like I've used the jukebox on MBP Windows version?

Hrm... Maybe you've seen it in a video? Also, let's get back on topic before the topic gets locked.

[IsraeliRD]

Ctrl+ F5-F8 are jukebox control keys on Windows 1.14. Read the manual people