Question about SoF multiball: Figured it out.

12y 27,900 70 1

I had the same thing with mine with both old and new roms. I could never figure it out either but I thought I read somewhere it was a common to all sofs.

#5 11 years ago

DMV

vster23

Pinside member

Kansas City, MO

13y 58,700 799 5 13

Same here, happens every once in awhile. Im gonna pay better attention next time and see what triggered it.

#6 11 years ago

TOM

tomdotcom

Pinside member

Kamloops, BC

15y 112K 6,198 2

Mine did it to, I even read why it happens, but cant remember.

Check rgp, pretty sure I read about it there!

#7 11 years ago

JPM

EvilJack

Inactive member

The first time it happened was when I first got the pin. Wanted to show my friend the multi-ball music. Rolled two up the ramp right away and it kicked both out. However it did it this last time with more time between the balls.

#8 11 years ago

FYA

Pin_Crazed

Inactive member

Unknown City, MN

12y 56,650 2,080 10 71

I do not recall getting two ball multi on mine, it has been a while tho, Miss my SoF, great game

#9 11 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

I think I have the answer.
I was playing my brother's and I've had this happen. It looks like when the ball ejects out of it's lock spot, it will sometimes not go around the horseshoe and land back on the switch again, causing multiball.

#10 11 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

I just took the glass off and verified.
When 1 ball is locked, the ball launch diverts to the ball lock, and kicks out the first locked ball for play. If that ball does NOT kick out all the way, they both drop in and start 2 ball multi.

#11 11 years ago

JPM

EvilJack

Inactive member

Quoted from RawleyD:
I just took the glass off and verified.
When 1 ball is locked, the ball launch diverts to the ball lock, and kicks out the first locked ball for play. If that ball does kick out all the way, they both drop in and start 2 ball multi.

Ok, but did you get a change in the music? I will see if I can force it again, but I believe it starts with the "LION MAN" shout out and then the multi-ball music starts.

#12 11 years ago

PRT

Battery111

Inactive member

Lawton, OK

12y 11,950 33 2

This has happened to me a lot of times as well. Always seemed random to me. I just assumed there was some intricacy to the rules I wasn't picking up on. It does start the multiball music though.

#13 11 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from EvilJack:
RawleyD said:I just took the glass off and verified.
When 1 ball is locked, the ball launch diverts to the ball lock, and kicks out the first locked ball for play. If that ball does kick out all the way, they both drop in and start 2 ball multi.
Ok, but did you get a change in the music? I will see if I can force it again, but I believe it starts with the "LION MAN" shout out and then the multi-ball music starts.

Yeah, it starts the music. It's multiball as usual. Try it with the glass off and see.

#14 11 years ago

BRI

gweempose

Pinside Moderator

13y 154K 20,205 37 1

Quoted from RawleyD:
It looks like when the ball ejects out of it's lock spot, it will sometimes not go around the horseshoe and land back on the switch again, causing multiball.

It definitely has something to do with that diverter. I don't think there is supposed to be a two-ball multiball, but the software is obviously designed to compensate.

#15 11 years ago

JPM

EvilJack

Inactive member

Ok so I figured out what causes 2 ball multiball. Its basically just a mistake. The programing for the multiball is designed to work one way. Power one is when the ball rests against the lever in the trough. Power two is when the second ball rests in the hidden trap. Multiball starts when the third ball activates the switch in the trough. However, the programing only looks for one ball against the lever, and one ball activating the switch at the same time. It does not matter if there is not a ball in the other "trap".

Found then out when I put the second wire ramp back on the playfield and aparently didn't wire up the ramp switch correctly. When the ball went down the second ramp, the switch didn't activate, so the game didn't tell the first ball to leave the trough. So once the second ball landed in the trough and activated the switch, multiball started.

So yeah, to sum up, when it happens, its either an accident, or a switch error.

#16 11 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from EvilJack:
When the ball went down the second ramp, the switch didn't activate, so the game didn't tell the first ball to leave the trough. So once the second ball landed in the trough and activated the switch, multiball started.

It can happen with all switches working as well.
If the "Power 1" ball attempts to kick out and FAILS when Ball 2 is coming down the second ramp, both balls will end up in the lock area and start multiball.

#17 11 years ago

JPM

EvilJack

Inactive member