STERN ALI SOFTWARE MOD ===== === ======== === current version: 8.5 (6 digit shows as 2.5) IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS ***BETA*** SOFTWARE. UNDOUBTEDLY THERE ARE BUGS! AN EARLIER VERSION HAS BEEN TESTED IN AN ACTUAL GAME, BUT SINCE THEN, ONLY PORTIONS IN PINAME. PLEASE REPORT BUGS TO @SLOCHAR ON PINSIDE.COM. HELPFUL IF YOU POST HOW TO REPRODUCE THE BUG, LESS HELPFUL IF JUST POSTING 'DIDN'T WORK'. BUG REPORTS SHOULD INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT DIP SETTINGS AS WELL AS ANY ADJUSTMENT/HARDWARE CHANGES. Update wiring to support 7 digit displays: (from: https://www.pinball4you.ch/okaegi/pro_soft.html) 1) replace the four player 6-digit displays with 7-digit displays 2) Add an additional wire fom A4 (mpu) J1 Pin 7 to every player display pin 12 (for bally displays, don't connect the credit display !). If you use 7-digit stern displays connect J1 pin 7 to every player display pin 11. Note that this 7 digit version of Ali uses a different yet similar method to Oliver's 7 digit method - without his paving the way, this version would never have happened. DIP SUMMARY (CHANGES ONLY) DIP8 AWARD /20 SPINNER SPECIAL ON/OFF DIP15 SKILL SHOT ON/OFF DIP16 EXTRA BALL: ON=ONE PER 'REAL' BALL IN PLAY, OFF=AS MANY AS YOU CAN EARN WITHIN OTHER LIMITS DIP18 SAUCER BONUS COLLECT AFTER SPINNER COMBO ON/OFF DIP19 DOUBLE SPINNER AT 5X DROP COMPLETIONS ON/OFF ADJUSTMENT 15: HIGH SPIN COUNTER ADJUSTMENT 16: ALL REPLAYS FROM SCORE ADJUSTMENT 17: HSTD CREDITS AWARD ADJUSTMENT 18: MAX CREDITS, 00=FREEPLAY WITH 99 MAX ASSUMED ADJUSTMENT 19: DIFFICULTY: EASY/STOCK 00=LIGHT INITIAL LEFT DROP 4K/TOP DROP 5K/VALUES CARRY (STOCK)/GREATEST STAYS MEDIUM/STOCK 01=DO NOT LIGHT INITIAL LAMPS, VALUES CARRY (STOCK 5 BALL DIFFICULTY)/GREATEST STAYS MEDIUM/RESET 02=LIGHT INITIAL LEFT DROP 4K/TOP DROP 5K/VALUES RESET/GREATEST STAYS HARD/RESET 03=DO NOT LIGHT INITIAL LAMPS, VALUES RESET/GREATEST RESETS NOTE THAT 'STOCK 5 BALL DIFFICULTY' DOES NOT IMPLY THAT THIS SETTING IS FOR, NOR CONTROLS, THE BALLS PER GAME SETTING. IT IS JUST INFORMATIVE THAT THIS SETTING IS WHAT THE STOCK SOFTWARE'S DEFAULT DIFFICULTY IS ON 5 BALL SETTINGS. TO DUPLICATE THE STOCK DIFFCULTY, SET THE DIP TO 5 BALLS PER GAME AND SET THIS SETTING TO 01. IF YOU DESIRE THIS HARDER SETTING FOR 3 BALL PLAY IT WILL WORK FINE. ADJUSTMENT 20: BELL CONTROL 00=SOUND 01=KNOCKER 02=NEW ADJUSTMENT 21: TIMER FOR SAUCER COMBO IF ACTIVE (DIP 18) RANGE 00-99 (SHORTEST TO LONGEST, APPROX 4.5 TO 18 SECONDS) ADJUSTMENT 22: TIMER FOR DOUBLE SPINNER IF ACTIVE (DIP 19) RANGE 00-99 (SHORTEST TO LONGEST, APPROX 4.5 TO 18 SECONDS) Changes: 0) Extra balls are no longer removed on tilting. Coin alternators no longer cleared at first score. (i.e. '1/2 credits' are no longer lost) This is a romspace savings measure. 1) New adjustment 18 controls the # of max credits. Range is 00-99. When set to 00, game is in freeplay mode with assumed max credits of 99. 2) For 7 digit display use follow directions at start of document Use files named with 7x. For 6 digit display use use the files named with 6x. Current only the 7 digit version is in release. Files ending in .716 are for mpu200 board jumpered for 4x2716 Files ending in .732 are for mpu200 board jumpered for 2x2732 File ending in .512 is for nvram.weebly.com replacement board 3) The Knocker will fire like a Boxing bell. Once at ball start, and three times at ball end, ending your 'round'. Replace knocker with a real bell for boxing experience. Add a solenoid ground to J3-7 and run a wire to another knocker assembly in the body attached to a bell. Bell will ding once at ball ('round') start and three times when the ball hits the outhole for 'round' end. New setting 20 will control which option is used. Set to 00 to use the original sound. Dings once at ball start, and twice at ball end. Set to 01 to use the knocker to fire once at ball start, and three times at ball end. Set to 02 to use the new solenoid. Ball start and ball end will use this solenoid. The knocker will be used for replays. 4) A skill shot will rotate on the upper ALI saucers. Dropping the ball into the flashing letter as the first score awards 100k. This feature is controlled by repurposed dip switch #15, set on= use skill shot off=do not use skill shot 5) At the end of the game, the previously static lamps that would screw up the subsequent attract mode are cleared. 6) Once 5x has been attained on the upper drop bank, the added lamp added to lamp board J1-24 will flash for a short while. If during this time you score the spinner, it will score double. This feature is controlled by dip switch #19. Set on=allow doubler, off=do not allow doubler New adjustment 21 will control the amount of time the double spinner stays lit. The range is 00-99 in the adjustment, this does NOT correspond to 'time' other than in a linear fashion. The actual time the lamp will blink is 6.5 seconds to 17 seconds. Once you are collecting the spinner, it will stay doubled until your spins are over. 7) The # of spins will count up on the ball in play display. The highest spins will be recorded and shown on the player 4 display any time the high score to date is shown. The spinner counter will store 100's but will only show them during the hstd display as the ball in play is only 2 digits. The spinner counter can be reset by going to audit #15 and hitting the clear button on the coin door or S33 on the mpu board. 8) If after a spin your spins stop on any multiple of 20, a special will be awarded. 20/40/60/80/100/120 etc. This feature is controlled by repurposed dip switch #8. Set on=pay specials set off=do not pay specials 9) New combo rule for bonus collect in saucer: Upon the intial hit on the spinner (spinner counter 01), a timer will start causing an added lamp on J1-5 (Q1) to blink, indicating that the saucer will score the full value including the multipliers. When the combo shot is not active, the saucer bonus collect will only be 1x. This feature is controlled by dip 18. On=new combo rule in effect, Off=stock (bonus collect will always be including multiplier). A short light show will flash indicating you got the skill shot, as well as an additional 100k. New adjustment 21 will control the amount of time the saucer combo stays lit. The range is 00-99 in the adjustment, this does NOT correspond to 'time' other than in a linear fashion. The actual time the lamp will blink is approximately 6.5 seconds to 17 seconds. A) Adjustment 17 (previously part of replay award audits) has been repurposed to be the # of credits awarded for exceeding the HSTD. The range is 0-5. A setting of zero does not turn off the HSTD feature, just negates winning replays from surpassing. B) New adjustment 19, game difficulty, range [00-03] 00 = stock 3 ball, 2x/5k spotted on drops progress carries GREATEST progress sticks 01 = 2x/4k not spotted (5 ball stock), progress carries GREATEST progress sticks 02 = 2x/4k spotted on drops, progress resets at ball end GREATEST progress sticks 03 = 2k/4k not spotted on drops, progress resets at ball end GREATEST progress resets as well C) New dip 16 setting: Set to off, all extra balls (spelling, score if set that way) will be earned & played. Set to on, only one extra ball per "real" ball in play allowed. (i.e. 3 ball game, one extra ball on each of the balls - so max 1 extra ball on ball 1, one on ball 2, and one on ball 3.) You cannot earn another extra ball while playing your extra ball. Must be next ball. Extra ball lit awards 50k instead. ---------------------------------------------------------- rev. history 001 revised 7 digit schema tested 002 tweak timing values, add skill shot, cleanup code 003 63/73 released 004 64/74 alphas, added optional bell 005 75 added additional adjustments 006 76 corrected left bank advance bug added gi solenoid interruption for other solenoids 007 77 code for the added lamps blinking added saucer score rule 008 78 corrected triple bell/knock @ ball start to one corrected 5x logic error on spinner timeout 009 79 corrected added spinner lamp error added lamp blinking/clearing/settings 081 actually added the top lamp blink off removed the 5x blinking entirely changed double spinner/saucer X collect timers to 1/2 082 adjusted timer code to be longer for new features 083 fix bonus saucer gi timer 084 no bell at ball end if tilted dip 16 is ONE extra ball per real ball in play 085 change skill shot to award 50k instead of 100k ---------------------------------------------------------- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, ARRANGED IN INCREASING AMUSEMENT ORDER ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q1] CAN YOU SUPPLY ROM CHIPS FOR ME, I WILL PAY YOU. [A1] THE AUTHOR APPOLGIZES AS HE ONLY HAS ENOUGH CHIPS TO SUPPORT HIS DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. EPROMS CAN BE PROVIDED BY VARIOUS BURNING SERVICES IF YOU SEND THEM THE ROM FILES. (MANY HAVE CUSTOM ROMS IN THEIR REPERTAIRE). ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q2] I WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS. HOW DO I DO SO? [A2] PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON THE ROMS IS THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS. MONETARY OR MATERIAL COMPENSATION IS NOT NEEDED. I ESPECIALLY ENJOY SEEING THE SOFTWARE STREAMED IF I CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAT AS THAT HAS HELPED ME IMMENSELY SEE THINGS THAT I HAVE MISSED WHEN PLAYING/TESTING THE GAME MYSELF. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q3] CAN YOU ADD ______ TO ______ ? [A3] POSSIBLY, BUT PROBABLY, NOT. AT THIS POINT ALL OF THE CLASSIC STERN MPU-200 GAMES ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DISASSEMBLED AND COMMENTED. SOME OF THE MPU-100 GAMES HAVE ALSO BEEN REVERSE ENGINEERED FOR THE SAME TREATMENT, ALBEIT TO A LESSER EXTENT THAN THE LATER GAMES. DUE TO OTHER MAKERS' SOFTWARE BEING UNDER ACTIVE COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT, SADLY I MUST DECLINE TO PURSUE CUSTOM MODIFICATION IN OTHER MARQUES. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q4] HOW DO I DO THESE MODIFICATIONS MYSELF? [A4] DOWNLOAD AND READ THE SOURCE CODE FOR EACH OF THE GAMES. IT IS MOSTLY LAID OUT IN THE COMMENTS HOW THINGS WORK. A PROGRAMMING BACKGROUND IN 6800 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE WOULD HELP (OR OTHER ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE). IT SEEMS THAT A BACKGROUND IN OTHER PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES ACTS AS AN IMPEDIMENT RATHER THAN AIDING BASED ON FEEDBACK I HAVE RECEIVED FROM FAR BETTER PROGRAMMERS THAN I IN HIGHER LEVEL LANGUAGES SO YOUR EXPERIENCES WILL VARY. I AM STILL LEARNING TRICKS ON HOW THESE OLD GAMES WERE PROGRAMMED, AND HAVE COME UP WITH SOME OF MY OWN. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q5] IT IS WELL-KNOWN THAT MODIFYING PINBALL SOFTWARE CAUSES MACHINES TO CATCH ON FIRE. AREN'T YOU WORRIED THAT YOUR INSURANCE ISN'T UP TO THE TASK? [Q5 RELATED] AMATEUR PROGRAMMERS HAVE NO BUSINESS FOOLING AROUND WITH PINBALL SOFTWARE. [A5] THIS IS A NICE MYTH THAT PROFESSIONAL PINBALL PROGRAMMERS LIKE TO PROMULGATE. ENSURING THAT YOUR MACHINE IS PROPERLY FUSED WILL PREVENT SUCH CONFLAGRATION. REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE OF THE FLARE UP, THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS-IS AND ANY DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE USAGE OF IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. ADDITIONALLY, EVERYONE IS AN AMATEUR AT SOME POINT AND AS LONG AS YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR MISTEPPES, HOW ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT TO LEARN? FINALLY, NO ONE IS TWISTING YOUR ARM OR OTHER EXTREMITIES AND FORCING YOU TO USE THIS SOFTWARE. IF YOU FEEL AS ABOVE OR SOME OTHER REASON, DON'T USE IT! iF IT CAME IN YOUR MACHINE WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT, CHANGE IT BACK TO STOCK. YOU WILL SLEEP WAY BETTER AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT ROUGE BITS AREN'T HAVING THEIR WAY WITH YOUR CHIPS WHILE YOU ARE RESTING. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q6] I DON'T LIKE THE WAY _____ WAS DONE. CHANGE IT TO DO _____. I NEED THIS FOR A PARTY I AM HAVING TOMORROW. [A6] MANY OF THE CHANGES IMPLEMENTED ARE INDEED AT THE SUGGESTION OF AVID OR POTENTIAL ADOPTERS. ONCE IT APPEARS AS IF I AM TO BE ACTING AS YOUR PERSONAL EMPLOYEE, TO BE COMMANDED ABOUT CAPRICIOUSLY, I REGRETFULLY DECLINE TO ENGAGE IN CUSTOM MODIFICATIONS. THE SOURCE CODE WILL EITHER ALREADY BE AVAILABLE OR WILL BE POSTED AT SOME POINT, SO YOU ARE OF COURSE FREE TO DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE AS DETAILED IN [A4]. YOU ARE ALSO JUST AS FREE AS I TO REVERSE ENGINEER THE BINARY CODE FOR YOUR DESIRED RESULTS, SHOULD THE SOURCE NOT YET BE POSTED OR THE DOCUMENTATION NOT TO YOUR LIKING. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Q7] I USED YOUR SOFTWARE. I LIKE THE CHANGES HOWEVER SOMETHING HAPPENED AND IT'S NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. I AM UNABLE TO TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG AND WHAT LED TO IT BEING WRONG, BUT IT IS BROKEN AND SHOULD BE FIXED. I CAN'T PROVIDE A VIDEO OF THE ISSUE NOR A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT'S WRONG, SO YOU SHOULD USE A MAGIC TIME-TRAVELING TELESCOPE TO WATCH ALL THE GAMES I'VE PLAYED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS WRONG. [Q7 RELATED] MY MACHINE IS BROKEN. FIX IT. [Q7 RELATED] THE NEW SOFTWARE DOES ______ AND YOU DIDN'T DETAIL THE CHANGE IN THE README. [A7] *SIGH*. YES, BUGS DO OCCUR. SOMETIMES (OFTEN?) INTENTIONAL CHANGES CAN BE SEEN AS A BUG. REPORTING A BUG WITHOUT REPORTING WHAT LED TO IT OR EVEN WHAT THE BUG *IS* IS SINGULARLY UNHELPFUL. ADDITIONALLY, MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS SEEN AS A BUG IS NOT THE ORIGINAL BEHAVIOR OF THE MACHINE. THIS HAS FOOLED ME AS WELL WHEN WATCHING LIVE STREAMS OF THE SOFTWARE. WHEN IN DOUBT, SWITCH THEM OUT. ALSO ENSURE THAT YOUR HARDWARE IS WORKING PROPERLY. I NO LONGER PROVIDE EFFORTS INTO MODIFYING SOFTWARE TO COMPENSATE FOR OR TO PROVE THAT IT IS YOUR SWITCHES, MECHANISMS OR OTHER PINBALL MACHINERY MALADJUSTED, EVEN IF (OR ESPECIALLY SO) IT "DIDN'T DO IT WITH THE ORIGINAL SOFTWARE". TOO BAD, SO SAD. TO PARAPHRASE AN ENTRY FROM THE NEW PINBALL DICTIONARY AT FUNWITHBONUS.COM, WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE TILTS BEING TOO TIGHT, SCOTT'S ANSWER IS "IT DOESN'T TILT FOR ME". IT'S NOT A STRETCH TO EXTRAPOLATE THIS TO FIT THE SITUATION HERE. STRETCCCCHED EXXXXTRAPOLATION: AM I SAYING THAT I ALWAYS WRITE 100% BUG FREE CODE? NO, OF COURSE NOT. NO ONE DOES, AND IF THEY CLAIM TO, THEY ARE WRONG. HOWEVER, IN CASES THAT I OWN OR HAVE ACCESS TO THE GAME, REST ASSURED THAT THE SOFTWARE *HAS* BEEN TESTED SUCCESSFULLY *BY ME* PERSONALLY. SOME OF THE BUG REPORTS HAVE IN FACT LED ME TO FURTHER APPRECIATE THE TALENTS OF THE ORIGINAL CREATORS OF THE SOFTWARE IN THE WAYS THEY THOUGHT AND CODED THE MACHINES. SO, TO MAKE A LONG EXTRAPOLATION LONGER, THE ANSWER IS "IT DOESN'T DO THAT FOR ME", BUT IF IT DOES, THANK YOU FOR POINTING IT OUT. ---------------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS? CONTACT @SLOCHAR ON PINSIDE.COM HAVE A NICE DAY :)