Arrow Key Bug

[Genisis]

I've been playing FFR for a fairly long time now, on and off. Recently I've been getting back into it, and I've had a horrible glitch that has prevented me from getting even a moderately decent combo on many songs. I would easily have another 20 FC's if not for this bug.

What is it?

Well, when I hit the up and down keys simultaneously, at random it will decide not to register the down arrow key. I will see the arrow flash as if it were registered, but it continues to fly by and register as a miss instead of a perfect.

I have tried switching my arrow configuration. I have tried playing a two-handed arrow configuration (I play 3 finger, one hand, 1.5x speed).

Even an easier song like Straight to Video is impossible to FC with this glitch. The other strange thing is that it tends to register a perfect as a miss at the exact same spots in certain songs. Sometimes it will register, but the randomness of it means you would have to play the song multiple times in order to pass that part whilst maintaining a combo. As well, another symptom is that it gets especially bad when I have hit multiple down keys in a row, then switch to up/down. If there are 3 up-downs in a row, it will almost never catch all 3, no matter how accurately (or inaccurately) I hit the arrows.

This has been frustrating me ever since I came back to FFR a few months ago. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thank you for your time.

[Zybanthia]

I've never heard of this glitch. The fact that you've switched key setups as well is very odd.

[Patashu]

Clear your internet cache, reinstall flash player and restart your computer?

EDIT: Also, I assume the same key configuration works fine if you play stepmania?

[Genisis]

I cleared my cache, tried uninstalling/reinstalling Flash, also tried using IE and Firefox - same glitch.

I actually don't play StepMania.

EDIT: I tried using a desktop (my personal computer is a laptop), and it seemed to be working fine. However, I still would like to see if there's any way to fix the problem on my laptop, seeing as I am not supposed to be using the desktops in our house. As well, the keyboards for the desktops at my house are extemely hard to use for FFR; stiff and cheap. Even though I can play without the glitching on other systems, I can't achieve anything more regardless owing to how horrible standard keyboards are.

[Genisis]

I have to add some more, because this glitch is getting weirder and weirder...

If I use the IJKL setup, the down arrow key will occasionally miss.
If I use the TFGH setup, the left arrow key will occasionally miss.
If I use the YGHJ setup, the right arrow key will occasionally miss.
If I use the 5123, the left arrow key will occasionally miss.

I reinstalled Firefox, and Flash Player. But how can the glitch be for one random arrow key that I bind?

Oh, as well... with IJKL... when I use up/down in unison, it causes the misses. But on other setups where the down key misses... it's left and down in unison.

... I have no ideas.

[who_cares973]

how old is your laptop?

[Genisis]

Dell XPS M1730 - less than two years old.

[Zybanthia]

And I'm assuming this isn't because of keyboard matrixing (that is, if you open notepad and press these keys at the same time, they will all register)? If your keyboard can't handle the combinations, then it's not going to work... but I doubt that's it, because I've never heard of a keyboard that can't handle two keys at a time.

[bluguerrilla]

Have you tried using a different keyboard on your laptop, regardless of what Zybanthia just posted?

Does this happen outside of FFR, like when you're writing something up or no?

[Bolth mannn]

prehaps theres certain keys that wont register on your keyboard when you press them with something else?

with your combination list just before, if T didnt work, dont use it, ETC. see what happens then.

[qqwref]

I've had a similar problem in some other Flash rhythm games (like R2) where I have to use arrow keys... certain combinations refuse to register once in a while. I had a similar problem in Stepmania too back when I used to use fghj. I can't be sure but I think this might be due to the keyboard manufacturers being lazy and putting certain groups of keys together so that the keyboard can only send the signal for one of those keys at a time (because, hey, who's going to want to scroll up and down at the same time, right?). If you can't find a group of 4 keys that doesn't have this problem you might have to switch to a higher-end keyboard - certain types of more expensive keyboards will register pretty much any key combination, but you should make sure to ask the manufacturer (or test out the keyboard) before you buy it.

[Zybanthia]

I think I am literally invisible.

[justin_ator]

My school computers have the same issues with the keyboards causing issues, the down arrow misses sometimes when using the number pad. Whenever it is in succession or as a hand/quad, it has issues and just doesn't register. Those computers are from like 05 though, so that might be their problem. Then again, maybe not.

[Hayden_444]

use different keys like spread or w,a,s,d

[Genisis]

Zybanthia: in fact, now that I open Notepad, after hitting I/K for a few times... it only registers the I.

bluguerilla: I will try using another keyboard and get back to you. When writing things up, of course I would not notice such a thing - because the repetition of something like I/K when speaking is incredibly rare.

Bolth mannn: I've already tried almost every possible combination. I don't think I will be able to find one that works - that's not the nature of the problem.

qqwref: Thanks for the insight - that is probably the case. But with the ARROW KEYS, and WSAD, it does this? This is a "gaming" laptop - be your hypothesis true, I'm seriously ticked off at Dell.

Hayden_444: I don't know if you actually read the posts (somehow doubt it), but I already mentioned that I have used numerous combinations of keys.

EDIT: I'm going to try and switch to two-hand play. It will take me an extremely long time to see if it will actually make a difference, once I get to songs where this kind of glitching occurs, but it seems to be my only option at this point.

[kamalot2010]

i had that same problem on my old desktop, but i switched to a 2 hand spread and found 4 keys that accutaly worked which where z x i'd use my left hand and b n which my right hand would hit.

[Genisis]

Yeah. Switching to spread has worked, although it sets me back a ways in terms of my abilities on FFR... ah well. At least once I become comfortable with this setup, I won't have the same issues, and might actually be able to get a decent combo on songs.

Thanks, everyone, for the input.