Fast-forward bug in Windows release 1.51

[SNEStickle]

My specs:
Microsoft XP Home 5.1 Build 2600
English
Hewlett-Packard
Presario M2000
Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0 release 6.0
Intel Pentium M processor 1.50GHz
478MB RAM
pagefile 328MB used, 792MB available
DirectX 9.0c

In the current Windows release of version 1.51 of Zsnes, holding down the Fast Forward key for any longer than 1 second will almost always cause it to 'lock' in place. The only way to unlock the fast-forward mode it is to rapidly do short taps of the Fast Forward key and eventually one will 'unlock' it. I have NOT set fast-forward to 'Toggle'. This has never been an issue in previous versions (windows) for me. Not a physically broken key, as this happens no matter what key I assign Fast Forward to. It is not conflicting with any other Zsnes assigned button combinations. The only way to avoid this is by only very breifly tapping FastForward, and even then, it will sometimes lock. Recent Changes log mentions a 'fix' in the Fast Forward code, I wonder if that is how the bug was introduced. A minor annoyance, but it did USED to work properly (previous windows release). Worth looking into. Forgive me if this has been posted before.

[Deathlike2]

I'm not experiencing this bug. Try deleting the cfg files and see if the issue occurs on the first try.

[SNEStickle]

After deleting the CFG file the bug stopped....for a couple times. Then I tried holding down fast forward for about 5 seconds....Same bug. Refreshing the CFG file has had no effect. Maybe you aren't able to reproduce the bug because you haven't held down the button as long as I do. Try holding down the fast-forward key, on a fresh CFG file, for a good 5 to 10 seconds, if not longer than that. Try it several times...see if it ever locks in place. Seriously, fast-forward the crap outta the thing, just as a test. For me, sometimes it locks permanently, and sometimes it locks for about 3 seconds and then unlocks itself. If you get permanently locked, like I often do, remember to quickly tap the Fastforward key until it snaps out of it, or you won't be able to even pause the game and go back into the emulator's GUI menus. I copied ZSNES 5.1win (with no CFG file) over to another Windows XP Home Edition computer, a desktop PC, and the same problem persists. So, it can't be that ZSNES doesn't like my particular laptop...

[odditude]

I have not experienced this bug either - I'm currently replaying 7th Saga and have held down FF for minutes at a time while levelgrinding.

For the record, I have FF mapped to a button on a gamepad (L2 on a DualShock 2 hooked up via a RadioShack USB adapter).

[Stafos]

I also, do not experience this bug, however, you could try just using the "Increase/Decrease speed" function to gain a more easily controlled and desirable effect, the fast forward button moves far too fast for accurate control of the game regardless..

Also, does this only occur for you on 1.51?

[Jack Bando]

This also happens to me on occasion. (1.51, using XP,HP computer) It locks the screen and the last sound starts repeating. But tapping unlocks it? Gotta try that next lock up.

[SNEStickle]

Yes, this only happens to me in 1.51, in the previous releases and even the one right before it this has never happened. It may have to do with Windows XP home edition exclusively, or maybe how it handles DirectX. I am using a video mode that is 640 x 480 fullscreen aspect-ratio maintained, video filters available. 640 x 480 D R FULL I believe. Nothing I try remedies it...I used to trigger Fast Forward from gamepads, I can't anymore because it locks up, regardless of whether its mapped to the keyboard or gamepad (sidewinder USB or Dualstorm Firepower). There have to be more people experiencing this...I'm average joe store-bought Compaq computer with XP, good memory and enough HD space to keep things running smoothly. Maybe if more people who have this problem speak up some of the developers will try replicating it on a similar system and get the results we do. I think if a version of 1.51 was released WITHOUT the new fast-forward code written in, instead using the older one, it would be worth testing it to find out of this still occurs. I'm also going to try to roll back to the previous version and make sure it doesn't happen on that one, too. I mainly use SNES for emulating Starfox 1 and 2 right now, so fast-forward isnt so much a dire necessity as it would be in certain RPGs, its just an occasional convenience. I have adjusted the fast-forward speed to my preference, x4, but any speedup setting I use still locks up if I hold it down for too long. If anything setting the ratio lower is worse, because I risk many more lockups if I dare use the fastforward, as I have to hold it more than just tap it.

[Deathlike2]

Try toggling VSync and/or Triple Buffering.