Metal Arms: Glitch in the System

Metal Arms: Glitch in the System
Game general and emulation properties:
Languages supported:
Region NTSC-U:
Serial numbers:	SLUS-20786; SLUS-29081 (Demo)
Release date:	November 18, 2003
CRCs:	62F503AB
Windows Status:	Playable
Linux Status:	?
Mac Status:	?
Region PAL:
Serial numbers:	SLES-51758
Release date:	December 5, 2003
CRCs:	AF399CCC
Windows Status:	Playable
Linux Status:	Playable
Mac Status:	?

Developer(s): Mass Media
Publisher(s): Vivendi Universal Games
Genre: Action, Shooter, Arcade
Wikipedia: Link
Game review links: Metacritic: 81/100
Game description: Blast your way to victory as Glitch, the gun-slinging, half-ton menacing bot of Droid City. Found as scrap metal, but transformed into destructive machinery, Glitch is determined to free his people from the evil clutches of General Corrosive and his maniacal army of Mil bots. As you venture through 40 missions, you'll find 17 deadly weapons, a variety of vehicles, and enemy bots that you can control. Annihilate the General's sinister plan to dominate the world and salvage the robot race.
Metal Arms is set on a fictional planet known as Iron Star, which was built by an ancient race, known as the Morbots, out of scrap metal and space junk. The Morbots are rumored to inhabit Iron Star's core to the present day, where none of the surface dwellers dare venture, for fear of deactivation and destruction.

Test configurations on Windows:

Environment			Configurations			Comments	Tester
Region	OS	CPU/GPU	Revision	Graphics	Sound/Pad	Comments	Tester
NTSC-U	Windows	Intel Core i7 @ 3.40 GHz NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 @ 768 MB	1.1.0 (r5452)	GSdx SSE41 (r5442)	SPU2-X 2.0.0 LilyPad 0.11.0	Hangs after intro loading screen.	General-Plot
PAL	Windows	Intel Core i7-4770 @ 3.40 GHz NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 @ 4 GB	1.1.0 (r5670)	GSdx	SPU2-X ?	Europe v02.00(14/06/2004), Played through the first level of the campaign without issues (aside from minor graphical glitches, see bugs section). Minor graphical glitches - occasional flashing textures and polygons flickering across the screen as you move around. Occurs in both software and Direct3D11 (Hardware) modes.	Dreadmoth
PAL	Windows 8.1 64-bit	Intel Core i5-4570 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650	1.2.1 (r5875)	GSdx (r5875)	SPU2-X (r5830) LilyPad (r5875)	The game is playable with mVU Flag Hack disabled, default settings and 2x resolution.	Ratchet66
NTSC-U/PAL	Windows	Intel Core i5-3330 AMD Radeon HD 6850	1.3 (28-May-2014)	GSdx	SPU2-X ?	USA v02.20(10/02/2006), Blinks on Menu(hardware and software not make much difference...). Possibles some blinks of some part of terrain far away, not affect the gameplay and the fun play experience.	DESTRUIDOR

Test configurations on Linux:

Environment			Configurations			Comments	Tester
Region	OS	CPU/GPU	Revision	Graphics	Sound/Pad	Comments	Tester
PAL	Solus, kernel 5.1.7	Intel Core i5-4570 CPU @ 3.20GHz NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2 GB	1.5.0 (075a9f3)	GSdx 1.1.0 AVX2	SPU2-X 2.0.0 OnePAD 0 1.3.0	Playable without issues with the specified settings (settings not specified at default value).	Ratchet66

Test configurations on macOS:

Environment			Configurations			Comments	Tester
Region	OS	CPU/GPU	Revision	Graphics	Sound/Pad	Comments	Tester
?	?	? ?	?	?	?	There are no test results for this game on macOS. You can help by playing and submitting your test results here.	?

Known Issues

Graphical glitches

Status: Active
Type: Minor
Description: There are numerous graphical glitches all around.
Workaround: Go to Config > Emulation Settings > Speedhacks tab, and disable the "mVU Flag Hack" speedhack.

HUD graphical glitches

Status: Active
Type: Minor
Description: In both software and hardware OpenGL modes (other renderers not tested yet) there are occasional flickering artifacts on some elements of the HUD. The gameplay is unaffected.
Workaround: No known workaround.

Loading glitch for Zombie Bots

Status: Active
Type: Major
Description: The Zombie Bots will not show their rebuilding animation. This can also bug out levels like Wasteland Journey where, in some cases, it is not possible to complete the level until applying the workaround.
Workaround: Enable "Simulate VIF1 FIFO read ahead" in the emulation settings > game fixes.

Non-Issues

Analog button needed to fire a certain weapon

Type: Not an issue
Description: The Mining Laser level 2+ has a charge attack and requires a pressure sensitive button to work properly. With a simple button it is not possible to use the normal firing mode as the charge attack is initiated at every press.
Workaround: For controllers with analog triggers (like the Xbox 360 controller or the Logitech F310/F710) it is possible to assign R1 to one of the triggers. Then a light press of the trigger will result in normal fire and a full press of the trigger in the charge attack.