Game Reports

[JonPurpleHaze]

The Arcade program was recently upgraded and many non-working or duplicate games were deleted, over 200 were added or updated this week!

Please report any problems or suggest the proper category for any Games, this would be a huge help!

Take a look at a new Game called National Treasure Pinball in the Pinball Category!

[leuzier13]

First off try to save them before you delete them plz.but these are the ones I know of under the new games 1)baseball 2)baseball-hit'em high,this one I found on left side of screen for new games.3)mind tree.they all worked for me in the past so it could be my computer,but I think all the games would not load for then. but anyways try fix before delete please. and on a side note,thanks for the casino credits.norman/Leuzier13

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks for the bug reports!

I believe the games you mentioned have been fixed and due to your information many of others will be working again!

Just discovered that any new v32 game that is installed, wipes out the entire gamedata folder for all previously installed games that needed that dang folder.....

There were 30 that were previously deactivated and I'm restoring a backup of the "gamedata" folder that contains information for over 800 of the existing Games.

[JonPurpleHaze]

Originally Posted by blahblah2006

Duplicate, Bookworm in the wordgames cat, is never ending and exactly the same as the game next to it also called bookworm but the one next to it is timed and does end. Basically the first never ending one is not needed.

Thanks for the information!

Originally Posted by blahblah2006

Ok, I would just like to share a theory with everyone.

Sooooo many games are not saving my high scores, i mean, sooooooo many!. Theres nothing wrong with the games because i am playing games with high scores on them already.

My theory is anytime a game is "replayed" it does not seem to save my score sometimes !!! roflmao .. Yep confusing and silly but true. The first time i play any game my scores are saved, but upon returning to the game it does not. UNLESS I REFRESH IT! and start again. It may also be i do not leave a comment and hit the back button.. I dunno..

You tell me, the thing is, the score is only saved on the first play or after the refresh most times (not always) i can not explain this..

This needs to be investigated further but hitting refresh and/or back in the Arcade is probably not a good idea, stats are being written to the database for every game played. When a different User gets a higher score than an existing high score User, in any game, an automatic post is made in this thread:
http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...ead.php?t=5480

Thanks for the bug reports!


edit: This is the first time I've ever attempted to use the Multi Quote button and it seems to work!

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks for the information!

Solitaire has been fixed, it was set to record highest scores and should have been lowest. (You need to wait a couple minutes after finishing and then you will see your score)

Kindly let me know if Server Timeouts occur many times in any game, and is it during play or when it's trying to submit a score.

The other hangaroo has been deleted!

If a tie happens the person with the fastest time gets the high score, there is a bug that i read about that will be corrected in the next upgrade. If you tie your own score and have a faster time, currently, the database won't update your fastest time.

Hope that made sense!

[JonPurpleHaze]

Originally Posted by blahblah2006

Hey there Johnnypurps,
You have been a very busy man.

Solitaire still does not actually record scores like other games, i have to physically click "congratualtions" for the score to be saved, some games say submit, most seem to redirect on their own, but solitaire needs the word "congratulations" to be clicked to save scores.

Tito has now beaten me in excite bike, it is no longer tied on 116 but i am gussing this is one of the bugs you were talking about because the game is actually timed, you can not go any quicker or further, the clock counts down and when it finishes thats game over. I get it must some how be set to newer score beats older.

Anyways, keep up the good work johnnypurps!

If you need any help sorting, give us a yell, dont expect too much but if i sort a few games for you that you dont, thats has to be a good thing doesnt it ??

Up to you, threw it out there !.
(Cant rant and rave and report without an offer, feel guilty pointing out things).

Oh, and timeouts, the ones i am talking about, occur after the game, when you are submitting your score. It goes to a page not displayed. 404 page timed out etc.

and

To take an earlier thought a little further, i can not submit a score on a second game, it must be refreshed before i start a new game or i get a pn message that says something like, "You score was not sent, You score was not saved. If i want to play something until i beat someone, or finish it, or get max score i must refresh every game or it will not count, i will get that message.

Blahblah hates score not saved !

roflmao.....

Thanks again for all of the info, I'm sending you a PM about your help offer and i just discovered there's a mood!

The information about scoring for Solitaire isn't unusual, i've noticed some others that require you to click on a button that isn't marked "submit score" to record. In Exitebike, I believe that in the event of a tie the user that gets the lowest time played is the High Score holder.

The timeouts and 404 errors while trying to submit a score is bad, it shouldn't happen, the server could be busy but it also could be individual games that are broken and need to be disabled or deleted.

Your score was not sent, Your score was not saved error messages usually indicate that you are not logged in and/or if you didn't beat Your personal best in that game, as usual, it could also mean that the game is broken...

The Arcade is set to only record a Users best score in any game.

[JonPurpleHaze]

An additional problem with some games, sometimes the link to play a game isn't visible! I tried to fix the Beer Pong Game and re-installed it but it's still funky:

See the description on the right hand side:

The Links are invisible! Start Play is below the 100% information. To advance thru levels the Play Link is in the middle of the page, Submit your score by entering any name on the bottom left of the main page after a game over, then hit the invisible submit score link underneath the name input box

[JonPurpleHaze]

Some games won't load unless you refresh or reload the page in your browser, this happens infrequently when you first try to play a game and you know that your browser has stopped trying to load the page.

[JonPurpleHaze]

Originally Posted by blahblah2006

Hey Jon, im just getting lazy now.

3 links to check, dont think they are recording scores.

http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...ay&gameid=3093
http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...ay&gameid=4189
http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...ay&gameid=4192

Cheers..

Thanks, about the first game Dirt Bike 3, i can't get through the levels...
The instructions mention that you have to complete all levels in order to submit a score, just wondering if you have made it thru and how many levels are there and what type of score is it, time or points? I also have a feeling that the game settings might be incorrect (moved to the bmx category) it's set on high score but there is a clock in the right hand corner that is counting up.

Acres of Gold and Downhill Joe have been fixed!!!!
Some files were missing...

[JonPurpleHaze]

I just can't get thru the darned levels but your post fixed two games!


edit: just found 10 others in the New games category that weren't working properly due to the V32 missing files bug mentioned previously.

[JonPurpleHaze]

It happens very rarely (3 times in 12 months) but the Server was down for awhile today:
http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...ead.php?t=5519

Hope that isn't what messed up your game, but it looks like it's probable..

[JonPurpleHaze]

Just wanted to mention that I've discovered a lot of games in the New Games category are missing files on the server due to the v32 game install bug mentioned earlier in this thread. The gamedata folders were wiped out before i was aware of the bug....

I'm currently going thru all of these games, fixing them and placing them in categories, so far (Up to the letter "D") almost 1 out of every 5 were broken, some had real high scores, but were unplayable, others just had a 0.

[JonPurpleHaze]

Arcade Progress Report, all of the games that used to be in the New Games category have been fixed and moved into other categories. 67 games were added yesterday, placed in the New Games category and they seem to be working ok.

[sleepy]

After playing a game and submitting the score, Abadia Del Terror wants to scrunch the graphics horizontally to the left side of the screen when starting a new game from the scores page link. I end up clearing the browser's cache and redownloading the game to correct it.

Also, when I start a new game from the scores page after submitting I get a full web page wrapped around the game screen but in the game sized browser window and have to recenter the game screen. The scores page also loads in the game window. Is this a problem with IE6 and/or can the javascript be appended to the link to reset the game window and remove the web page?

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks for the information about Abadia Del Terror, the game seems to work properly once and like you mentioned, even with Firefox you need to clear the browser cache to get it to appear properly again. I tried messing with the macromedia settings but that didn't work.
http://www.macromedia.com/support/do...manager07.html

I was previously aware of a problem that occurred after playing a game when using the Play Game (in new window) link, the scores page wasn't scrollable and you couldn't see the rating link and highscores. That has been fixed and a new window option was added to the other skin called V3Arcade which can be changed in the Your Settings link in the arcade.

Just wondering if you were referring to problems while playing games in a new window (full screen)? There was a hack to add a "Play Game again in a new window" after playing it once but i tried it and it failed miserably...

[sleepy]

Well I messed up. I think I mentioned problems with posting scores for Parade Charade and National Treasure II Pinball in a PM. Turns out that none of the V32 games will post scores when I run Win 98SE, but all are working on XP Pro (so far).
I have a 98SE/XP Pro dual boot system.
I'll try to see if there's something I need to upgrade or reinstall on the 98SE side to get the scores posted on that end. I did have a crash on 98SE recently due to a power outtage that messed up the system, so there might still be something balled up.
Does the scores posting use .Net or javascript or???

[sleepy]

Yep, the page problems were with the open in new window displaying the game, then the same window displayed the scores page on submit, then reloading the game from the link on the scores page in the same new window but with the scores page or something surrounding the game.

[JonPurpleHaze]

javascript is used, if that helps you with the Win 98 problems...

Yep, the page problems were with the open in new window displaying the game, then the same window displayed the scores page on submit, then reloading the game from the link on the scores page in the same new window but with the scores page or something surrounding the game.

Ok, i thought thats what you were referring to but was unsure.

Currently, the only way to fix that behavior would be to add a hack that i mentioned previously, "Play Game again in a new window". All this would do is add a link on the scores page after playing a game in a new window, to play it again in another new window. There really aren't many benefits for that because folks could end up having a bunch of new windows and it could be confusing. Probably the best way to play games full screen is to play it and when the score is submitted, just close that window and then play it again.

[sleepy]

When opening the new window there are then two browser windows open, the arcade or scores page and the new window for the game.
I found that the best way to keep the new window "Game Only" is to allow it to redirect to the scores page when submitting a score, then click the game link on the original arcade or scores page that I clicked to open the new window in the first place.
The new window then reloads perfectly.

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks for that sleepy, didn't realize that you don't have to close the window, that is much easier!

[blondegirl1362]

this game has a music symbol for its icon. it will load some of the game but not the tiles. don't ask me how leuzier 13 got it to work. but i've tried to play it for the last couple of months and it won.t work. ty. blonde~

[JonPurpleHaze]

Originally Posted by blondegirl1362

this game has a music symbol for its icon. it will load some of the game but not the tiles. don't ask me how leuzier 13 got it to work. but i've tried to play it for the last couple of months and it won.t work. ty. blonde~

I checked for the previously mentioned v32 game bug problem with this game but it doesn't apply and i was able to save a (lousy..) score, this might have something to do with the tie in the highscore that you have with leuzier13 @ 1300.

If a tie happens the person with the fastest time gets the high score, there is a bug that i read about that will be corrected in the next upgrade. If you tie your own score and have a faster time, currently, the database won't update your fastest time.

We could try to reset your high score for that game if you don't mind losing it...
Play Mahjong Deluxe

[leuzier13]

It does the same thing to me.I just refresh the page and then i can play.but the game itself is flawed.it wont highlight a tile even if its by itself.something must be wrong in the game.Ive tried over and over with the same problem reoccouring every time i play it.Its like it just cant tell if the tile is freed up so it can be played.

[JonPurpleHaze]

Originally Posted by leuzier13

It does the same thing to me.I just refresh the page and then i can play.but the game itself is flawed.it wont highlight a tile even if its by itself.something must be wrong in the game.Ive tried over and over with the same problem reoccouring every time i play it.Its like it just cant tell if the tile is freed up so it can be played.

Thanks for the info leuzier13, there is a new update available for the Arcade and hopefully it will fix the game, the upgrade will fix some of the problems previously mentioned in this thread and should be completed by Saturday.

[sleepy]

The Real Gilligan's Island: Island Golf is giving high score to the player with the highest number, except this is golf.

http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...ay&gameid=4586

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks for the info Sleepy, the problem has been corrected!

[Phoenixx]

Regarding PressureShot:

Lower is better but the score saving routine is treating higher as better.

(I made 1, then 2, then 1 again and the 2 score has been kept.)

That means since the game is literally saving the 'highest' score instead of the best score right now, you currently just had to make as many (foul-)shots as possible to make the record here...


Furthermore, (in case it isnt done automatically), the saving routine also has to be made aware of it having to save negative values for this game as well, (meaning minus-one, minus-two, minus-three, etc.), since the goal of the game is to score under par, which is zero. That means values lower than zero must not be discarded.

(The same of course applies to all Golf games that work with the real Golf scoring system,...)



Thanks in Advance,
Phoenixx

[Phoenixx]

There is a similar problem with GolfMaster3D.

Less strokes is better but right now the player with more strokes takes the 1st place.

(I just 'won' with 106, even though the previous record of 100 was much better.)

The game also currently uses the 'total-number-of-strokes' value as a basis for score determination, but being a Golf game it should actually be using the over/under par value. (See bottom row in screenshot.)

If the game can be changed to use the over/under par values for score determination, then the saving routine must also be able to save negative values (or zero) in case a player manages to stay at or under par. If the strokes-total is kept then it doesnt matter of course, in that case it must only be changed to accept the lower value as the better result.

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks for the info Phoenixx, I've noticed that many of the Golf Games automatically installed the highest score setting instead of the proper lowest score wins. Hope to have time to fix all of them soon but the games you mentioned have been changed.

[Phoenixx]

Thank You Jon,...very kind of you,...