Problems with the patch.

[andyauthor]

Hi. I downloaded the patched version of Tempest 4000 for PC and there are still problems. First, the invisible powerup icons are still invisible as are any bonus points (i.e. when you warp through the tunnel at the end of each level, you get points for each successful hole you fly through, those points are still invisible.) Why was this not addressed? Second, before the patch the game was way too fast, now the game is way too slow. It's so slow that voices sound garbled, when a "flipper" catches you and takes you down the web it takes almost 30 seconds to complete the journey, and because of the slow speed of the game input lag is now an issue. Another issue is before you get to a new web you can actually shoot and your ship reaches the web before the shots do and I've actually killed myself with my own shots that I fired before my wedge reached the web. With the length of time it took to get this patch, is there any hope of another one coming that will address these problems? Things like spinner support and VR are trivial in my mind, but the issues I brought up should have been addressed (especially the invisible powerups, how are you supposed to play the game if you can't see the powerup icons?) It's like trying to play Pac-Man without being able to see the dots. Is there any hope that these issues will be fixed? If not, I'm going to have to turn Atari in to the Better Business Bureau to get my money back because Steam won't give me my money back because I've had the game too long and put too many hours into it. Please give me some good news.

Thanks,
Andy

[gilesgoat]

Andy I don't know what to say ..

Except this patch been tested by a company which has a testing team ( it's a testing company ) and they conducted a lot of tests LOT MORE of what I can do with the limited HW resources I have.

Honestly I have no idea what makes it go so bad on your PC, the problem with PCs there seems to be 'millions of different vars' it gets near impossible to nail them all down.

There is only so much I can test/do/try/verify I really have no idea why your PC configuration seem to act so odd on it, I suppose 'by fiddling a bit with this and that' there has to be something that can make it work given the fact that there are lot of other PCs out there, including mines, where the stuff works.

I hope you'll get a refund, even that I don't have any power about it, the whole T4K 'business side' it's totally out of my hands.

This project at this point it almost 'drained 1/2 of my life out of it' .. 'it's PC, it's chaos' .. it gets to a point I truly don't know any more what to do ..

[noodles]

Some people just won't acknowledge that the Frankenputer (aka the "PC") is impossible to test for in all it's variations and combinations of hardware.

Andy, grow up and accept that you are incredibly unlucky or get another PC.

[PVB]

Welcome, andyauthor, to the fluffiest forums on the net!

Although there’s been no posts in it since July, you may want to post in the official support forums here:

http://minotaurproject.co.uk/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=22
(you’ll need to register there)

As with any bug reports, you should give as much info on your PC as possible, e.g.

OS:
Processor:
Memory:
Graphics card:
Monitor make/model:
Screen res and refresh rate:
V-sync enabled?:
DirectX:
Hard drive storage:
Sound Card:
Is everything fully updated and patched?

Then game details. such as game mode, was it a new game or restart, does pausing and unpausing solve issue or make it worse? etc, etc.

[WiteWulf]

Some people just won't acknowledge that the Frankenputer (aka the "PC") is impossible to test for in all it's variations and combinations of hardware.

Andy, grow up and accept that you are incredibly unlucky or get another PC.

Dude, there's no need for that!

The guy's got a problem with something he's paid for and is, quite politely I think, feeding back on it.

Back off, okay?

[Misfit]

Welcome, andyauthor, to the fluffiest forums on the net!

Although there’s been no posts in it since July, you may want to post in the official support forums here:

Except I'm pretty sure elsewhere Giles said there won't be another T4k patch...

[PVB]

Welcome, andyauthor, to the fluffiest forums on the net!

Although there’s been no posts in it since July, you may want to post in the official support forums here:

Except I'm pretty sure elsewhere Giles said there won't be another T4k patch...

Which is worse than swearing at customers, saying they’re playing it wrong.

[noodles]

Some people just won't acknowledge that the Frankenputer (aka the "PC") is impossible to test for in all it's variations and combinations of hardware.

Andy, grow up and accept that you are incredibly unlucky or get another PC.

Dude, there's no need for that!

The guy's got a problem with something he's paid for and is, quite politely I think, feeding back on it.

Back off, okay?

Sure, and threatening to go to the better business bureau is being nice about his problems with the game ? Please.

[PVB]

The BBB looks like a USA version of Fair Traders schemes over here to find a decent plumber, or someone like the Consumer Council. Not sure any would deal with bugged video games.

[andyauthor]

Here are some of my system specs. Not sure if this helps diagnose my issue at all. Giles, let me know if this tells you anything. My computer is about 8 months old so I'm pretty sure I don't need a new computer. It's an MSI Apache Pro gaming computer. The O/S is 64 bit Windows 10. The processor is an Intel Core i7-7700 HQ CPU running at 2.80GHz. It has 16 GB of RAM, I believe the Direct X is 12 or 13, I can't remember which. My refresh rate is 120GHz and it is locked at that (I already tried lowering it to 60GHz and it won't let me, that is how I know it is locked at 120.) My resolution is 1920 X 1080 (I select this on the 'refresh rate' screen provided by the patch. I've tried the next two setting down to see if that would make a difference and it doesn't.) My graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070. I don't know what my sound card is but it runs DVN AUDIO. I also verified the files on Steam and it gave me no issues. I also tried uninstalling the game and reinstalling it and that didn't help at all. This computer runs Nex Machina and Soulcalibur VI without breaking a sweat so there is no reason this computer can't run Tempest 4000 properly. As far as contacting the BBB, what would you do if you paid $20.00 for a defective game on Steam, and Steam won't give you your money back because you've had the game too long while waiting for a patch, and Atari won't return any of your emails? What would be my next course of action? I'm being very level headed and reasonable at this point and not going into a profanity laced tirade because I want to see if there is a solution to my issue, so Giles, can you help me?

Thanks
Andy

[PVB]

This computer runs Nex Machina and Soulcalibur VI without breaking a sweat so there is no reason this computer can't run Tempest 4000 properly.

Whilst I don’t know the specifics of any of those games, a PC that can play one game won’t necessarily play another just as well.

e.g. No Man’s Sky is very GPU heavy, so a lot of so-called gaming PCs have great difficulty running it at decent framerates, but run many others at max res and graphics settings.

Let’s hope you get it sorted out.

[andyauthor]

Nex Machina is notorious for needing a "beefy" computer in order to run it. I was interested in Polybius but now I probably won't buy it when it comes out on Steam because I will probably have trouble with that game too since it's coming from Llamasoft. In fact after this experience I probably won't buy anything with Llamasoft, Jeff Minter, or Atari's name on it ever again.

Andy

[Whiteball]

Is it a gaming laptop?
Sometimes these default to (or flick between) the onboard CPU graphics and any discreet GPU.

Before patch was on discreet, so ran fast but now for some reason it is using the CPU option and struggling?

Just trying to think of anything that may help...

[Portland]

Is it a gaming laptop?
Sometimes these default to (or flick between) the onboard CPU graphics and any discreet GPU.

Before patch was on discreet, so ran fast but now for some reason it is using the CPU option and struggling?

Just trying to think of anything that may help...

That's worth exploring. I've had games change settings post patches/expansions on occasion and my lappy has a 1070. To the Nvidia Control panel!

[andyauthor]

Yes, this is a gaming laptop, I had to go with a laptop for space reasons in my bedroom, I would not know where to go with the tower if I went with a traditional computer and a separate keyboard, monitor, mouse, and speakers. When I bought the game day one it was running so fast that all I had to do was 'tap' the left analog stick and the wedge would spin all the way around to the other side of the web. Now with the patch, the game Is running so slow it's like it's stuck in mud. So what are you suggesting that I do?

Thanks
Andy