TETRIS® THE GRAND MASTER 4 -ABSOLUTE EYE- News

The changes included in this update are as follows:

• Added additional items to startup log checks
  
• Changed the save timing for the “NEW” status in KONOHA mode
  

※ Replay data from the previous version remains compatible.

Regarding our previous announcement that the game would support only CPUs with AVX2 or later, we have received multiple requests for support of AVX (such as Sandy Bridge generation). We would like to take this opportunity to offer a renewed explanation and our apologies.

Why the Game Supports Only AVX2 or Later
Our game incorporates numerous features and effects that require advanced computational processing. To ensure these features operate smoothly, we have optimized performance with the AVX2 instruction set in mind.

AVX2 (Advanced Vector Extensions 2)
An instruction set fully supported starting with CPUs introduced around 2013 (Haswell generation).

By improving the efficiency of simulation processing and graphics processing, AVX2 significantly contributes to faster and more stable gameplay.

AVX (Advanced Vector Extensions)
An earlier extension introduced around 2011 (Sandy Bridge generation).

While it can provide some level of speedup as AVX2’s predecessor, the corresponding CPUs are older. As a result, in many cases overall performance does not meet the demands of current gaming requirements.

Background on Considering AVX Support
We received customer feedback requesting “AVX support,” and we conducted official testing within our company.
However, we concluded that AVX-compatible CPUs (from around 2011) lack sufficient performance for the high-level computations required by the game, making it difficult to ensure a comfortable playing experience.

Testing Results
Significant slowdowns or marked frame rate reductions in certain situations

A high possibility of unstable gameplay progression

Even if it runs temporarily, stable service delivery is not guaranteed

Reason We Concluded We Cannot Fulfill This Request
If we were to redesign the game around AVX-compatible machines, we would have to significantly reduce graphics quality and processing content to lower overall computational load. Unfortunately, such changes could also affect many players already enjoying the game on AVX2 and later environments, leading us to conclude that supporting AVX-only environments would be unfeasible.

Degradation of Game Quality
Adapting to the performance levels of AVX would require extensive optimization and resource reduction. This would risk compromising the game’s appeal and overall quality.

Increased Complexity in Support Coverage
Providing and maintaining multiple versions for different instruction sets would introduce significant risks and costs with each update or bug fix.

Request and Apology to Our Customers
We sincerely apologize to customers who desired AVX support for not being able to meet your expectations.
In order to operate the game stably and continue providing enjoyable content, we ask for your understanding that our recommended operating environment will be CPUs with AVX2 or later.

Future Updates and Ongoing Efforts to Improve Our Service
We take your feedback seriously and will continue to optimize and improve the game so that it can be enjoyed on as wide a range of environments as possible.
We deeply apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.

Thank you very much for your continued support. We look forward to providing you with an enjoyable gaming experience in the future.

Discussions: https://steamcommunity.com/app/3328480/discussions/0/603026896468409518/

The changes included in this update are as follows:

• Display added for non-AVX compatible CPUs
  
• Fixed score digit display in MARATHON mode
  
• In KONOHA mode, one character was missing a space between their surname and first name ? this has been corrected
  
• Added detailed display for T-Spin types:
  T-Spin Single
  T-Spin Mini
  T-Spin Mini Single
  T-Spin Mini Double
  
• Added internal programming for the next update
  

Note 1: Replay data from the previous version is still compatible.

If you have replay data from Ver. 1.0.4 where the score hit the max limit (999999),
please note the following:

On the "Practice from Replay" and Score Ranking screens, the score will still display as 999999

However, when playing back the replay, the actual score will go beyond 999999,
though this will not update the record stored in the ranking.

One cause of the startup freeze issue has been identified:
We have confirmed that the issue occurs for users whose CPUs do not support AVX2 instructions.

For reference:

Intel CPUs support AVX2 starting with the Haswell architecture, released in June 2013.

AMD CPUs support AVX2 starting with the Excavator architecture, released in June 2015.

In the next update, we plan to implement a message that will notify users if their CPU does not meet AVX2 support requirements.
We sincerely apologize, but these environments fall below the minimum system requirements and are not supported.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

For users experiencing other startup issues, please try the following:

• Install DirectX 9
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35
  
• With Steam Cloud turned OFF, delete the following file:
  C:\Users\xxxxx\AppData\Local\tgm4\tgm4.ini
  Then try launching the game again.
  ※ Note: The AppData folder is hidden by default. If you cannot find it, please enable the option to show hidden files in your system settings.
  

Update Schedule:
Keyboard binding support for both Japanese and English (US) keyboards is scheduled to be implemented by this Friday.

As part of this update, we are also considering the following changes:
・Disable “charge cancellation continuation”
・Add a diagonal input option
・Retain past ranking data even if old replays are no longer playable
These features are also scheduled to be implemented on Friday.

Regarding MASTER Mode Difficulty:
We have determined that there is a significant difficulty gap between control styles,
so we are planning to add an optional assist feature for visual guidance.
Additionally, we plan to add assist display options to the textbook practice mode as well.

For any other updates or fixes not listed here, we will provide details as soon as they are ready.

Thank you for your continued support and patience.

Discussions: https://steamcommunity.com/app/3328480/discussions/0/603026896468353351/

We are still working to resolve the issue where the game freezes at startup, and unfortunately, it remains unsolved.
We are facing difficulty since we cannot directly test environments that differ from our own development machines.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,
but we would greatly appreciate the cooperation of users who are currently unable to launch the game.

If possible, please provide the following information:

Windows version
(※ Please make sure to exclude any personal information)

Additionally, if you could share the following log file, it would be very helpful:

C:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Local\tgm4\tgm4.log

Please remove the first line of the file before sharing it.
※ The AppData folder is hidden by default, so please enable hidden folders to access it.

Thank you very much for your cooperation and understanding.

Discussions: https://steamcommunity.com/app/3328480/discussions/0/603026670105974357/