Occasional RMXP Input Problem

[Kain Nobel]

I did casually bring it up in What's Up, RMers? but it deserves a support topic, see if anybody else has this issue and/or an answer.

I'm having a rather irritating issue with certain Input buttons not responding (mostly Input::C and Input::DOWN.) Not really sure what is causing the issue, as I'm only using RM's default input, but it happens in any project, whether play-testing from the editor or directly from the Game.exe application. No clue how to properly recreate the issue, nor how to fix it, but I'm gonna see if AnyKey's input system resolves it tomorrow.

^The last part about "gonna see if AnyKey's input system resolves it tomorrow" will have to wait until the problem comes back. I already planned to use it anyways, but I'm not going to assume it solves a problem until that very problem returns which will be when the script is re-introduced to my project (haven't used it in about a year.)

"Maybe it's just your keyboard," one might think.

Yeah, but I can use both enter and space-bar keys regularly outside of the game. Or the down button. Or whatever "input" key(s) seem to be affected that day. Switching key assignment in the F1 menu indicates an issue with RMXP's actual Input module, not the keyboard in use.

"Maybe it's another script?"

Only using RM's default input module (for now.) I've tested other projects when this bug has occurred, so it's not isolated to just my project. One project I tested uses Cybersam/Near Fantastica input, the other uses classic vgvgf's Aleworks input, both suffer from the same issue too. Maybe vgvgf's AWorks will work since it's a DLL? Will have to wait and test.

Alright, time for some theories on what maybe, just maybe, be causation for the error.

Theory 1 : Old Version / New Version DLL

This brings to mind that, over the years preparing this project, at some points RM came out with newer versions of their RGSS10*E.dll files. Any number of files being made with an older version could be triggering this issue with the newer DLL? Maybe? It's just a theory.

I would assume that an older version of a CommonEvent.rxdata or a Map*.rxdata would be the most likely culprit. If made with RGSS102E.dll but running the project with RGSS104E.dll, maybe calling a certain input-query related event would do the trick to cause this problem.

Theory 2 : Auto-Full Screen

Haven't ruled out or proven if full screen causes the issue. Here is a sample of what I'm using to call it via script.

Content Hidden

Code:

#===============================================================================
# ** FullScreen
#===============================================================================

module FullScreen
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * Create Game System and Database (if nil)
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  $game_system ||= Game_System.new
  $data_system ||= load_data("Data/System.rxdata")
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * GameMode
  #    0.) Enabled in Game.exe & Playtest
  #    1.) Enabled only in Game.exe
  #    2.) Enabled only in Playtest
  #    ?.) Any other setting, its not enabled at all
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  GameMode     = 0
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * Automatic FullScreen w/o promt?
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Automatic    = true
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * Next Scene after FullScreen
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Next_Scene  = :Scene_Splash
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * The question string asking player if they want fullscreen.
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Question    = 'Would you like to toggle Full Screen mode?'
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * FullScreen.toggle
  #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  def self.toggle
    @keybd_event ||= Win32API.new('user32', 'keybd_event', 'LLLL', '')
    @keybd_event.call(18,0,0,0)
    @keybd_event.call(13,0,0,0)
    @keybd_event.call(13,0,2,0)
    @keybd_event.call(18,0,2,0)
    Graphics.frame_reset
    sleep(0.2)
  end
end

With that said...

This bug is a pain in the butt because it seems to come and go as it pleases. I've tried triggering it all night, just so I can document the last thing that happened when it came about... but it hasn't came about yet. Here's to hoping somebody has an idea of what the real cause and solution is. The last thing I want to do is release a project that only works sometimes for no discernible reason lol.

[DerVVulfman]

Hey, Kainers. If you have those symptoms with Cybersam's or Near Fantastica's Input scripts, I have bad news for ya. Those replace the input module altogether with their own. Those use windows's Win32API functions to read keypresses, so it wouldn't be RPGMaker XP's default input system.

Have you considered that the Game.Exe you are using could be the culprit? I cannot say exactly, but if it happens in your demos but not in another person's RMXP demo (supplying their own .exe), that could be the problem. Mind you, if you are experiencing the issue with a demo that has both the .exe and .dll in the project, then it must be something else as they are supplying their own copies.

[Kain Nobel]

@DerVVulfman: That is bad news, indeed! I know that it is exclusive to RPG Maker XP, I'm not having this issue with a test VX Ace project (or word pad or any other applications). Although it happens in other games, it is possible the Game.exe I am using sets an internal flag in the registry that causes any/all RMXP projects to act up afterwards. I'm reinstalling RMXP right after this post and going to replace all Game.exes, see if that helps.

-

AHA! The problem came back! I've ruled out AnyKey's Input/Keyboard system being able to resolve the issue, it doesn't fix anything...

So Input::C (Enter, Space-bar, the other Enter by the number pad) stopped working. I installed AnyKey's script which caused Input::C to work, but in turn Input::DOWN was now stuck in the "pressed" state. FRUSTRATING!

Reinstalling RMXP right away, replacing Game.exe, restarting the system... I know (from a restart) that the problem will temporarily go away, I'll have to follow up if and when the issue comes back. Hey, if a week or two goes by and the issue never comes back, I'll return to this topic to update in that case too. It'll be a valuable case study for anybody who experiences the same issue down the road.