I've heard rumors that the code isn't complete until it hits 2.0. ...only rumors here on Pinside - no other proof.

I would like to see the code polished just a bit more. I'd love to see a ball lock at the bell - seems there should be more going on there.

Wow, I'm surprised they didn't say that the game will get more updates considering that it appears to be their best selling machine in recent years. Here's hoping that Stern brings this game to 2.0.

SunKing: I agree about a lock feature behind the bell. Right now a clean shot to behind the bell does nothing and that's a bummer for when you actually hit it. Also, some more use / importantance of the lower playfield would be great as well as live song mode.

AC/DC plays great, my number 1 game. It does so many things right, I can't get enough of it. But there is room for improvments in the software.

And till today I always heard that there will be more updates in the future. I hope your info isn't right. It would be a big mistake for STERN.

Eventually a lot of their games will get more updates over time however right now their primary focus is on getting solid code for newly produced games. They learned there lesson from XMen.

To be 100% accurate, a clean shot to the bell kickout hole does nothing *unless* you're playing Hells Bells - in which case you get to play the lower playfield.

I have a neat idea for the lower playfield. Instead of just bashing targets and getting some score - how about a short timed mode (maybe less than 10 seconds) where it starts with all targets lit. If you hit every target within the time limit, it would start a multi-ball. If not, Steve would insult you, and play would resume. ...just a thought.

And of course, we all hope live songs get implimented into the game (and not just attract mode).

Steve Ritchie said in his talk at the Texas Pinball Festival that there would be at least 2 more releases. This was before 1.65, so this means that at least 1 more release is planned. However, this is likely being done on Lyman's "free time," there is no set time frame on it. FWIW, there was a full year between the last and next to last release on SM. So it is likely coming, but don't hold your breath...

I like it! Right now there is a sequence of shots to follow but no reward other then a small amount of points. A hell multiball mode for beating the lower playfield would be great.

Then, they could finally make those devil horn inserts useful.

Don't get me started on those. The rulesheet that was recently released says these are used to re-qualify the lower playfield (and I don't dispute that). However, why does the 'pro' model have these inserts if there is no lower playfield? ...and why do they blink even while the playfield is already 'qualified'? I believe there is more planned with these inserts in future code updates.

Lyman will likely get back to it after he's beefed up Metallica.

+1

I don't believe they will ever "finish" a game anymore. The way they are cranking out machines now, I just see revisions coming until it is safely playable, and people are generally happy with it, much like the ACDC code is now, and then it's on the back burner and at the mercy of the software guy if he chooses to use free time to finish it further, much like with Johnson's code.

I would hope with the smashing success Lyman has creative in the past few updates of ACDC he would want to continue to work on this, but with the demand from Gary on new projects, who knows.

I hope they add some "pizzazz" to the mini playfield mode. Hitting lit shots is cool and all but the DMD animations are virtually non-existent during that mode. I just feel it's kind of flat and could use a little tweaking but other than that I think the game is awesome.

Some DMD animations for hell mode would be pretty cool. Hopefully the target call outs for the LPF get increased as well as I personally can barely hear them.

That can be said about any game. Due to the creativity involved, when a game is 'finished' is highly subjective. I think folks are getting a bit greedy with AC/DC.

Unless you're lucky enough to shoot it under the swinging bell, you get a bell hit. Which are obviously very important to the game. And it's a not just a regular bell hit, which can be can be very risky. It's a safe bell hit that usually gently dribbles the ball to the left orbit. Absolutely does something.

That's pretty much sounds like all the other lower playfield modes.

Counting Encore, there's already 4 different multiballs. Isn't that enough? The value of the lower playfield is in safely increasing your score and song bonus. If you're getting bored down there, start 2X or 3X scoring before going down. Your score and song bonus will quickly skyrocket. Still bored? Then never go down there on your way to Encore. That will keep you busy for a while.

I've always considered TSPP 5.0 to be near perfection. AC/DC 1.65 is damb close IMO.

You are right, it's subjective if a game is "finished". But don't call me greedy!
For me a game is "finished" when the designer thinks the game is finished, but I saw interviews that sugested to me that there are more things that they want to add, and so I hope there will be more and I hope STERN will give the designers enough time to make it finished for them.
The gamedesigner and programmer name on a game is a quality sign and STERN should let them finish their work.

Lyman Interview:

"At some point a game is good enough."

If I understand him right, he is happy how the game turned out but:
18:20 "There is certainly more I like to do with it."

For me AC/DC is good as it is, but it could be even better.
The game is something new and fresh and it doesn't get old, but it isn't polished like let's say the Spiderman code. And I think it's a game that deserverved to be perfect and polished because it's got this thrilling layout and genious game rules.
I heard they are doing one more run after Metallica, perhaps it would be clever to bring out one more update with this final run.

That often happens. The last few Spidey runs came w/ the 'final' code update...and Lyman did a really nice update for BDK when it had it's final run.

To Hell with another update; bring us ACDC II !

Bell seems missing something, strobes don't interact........

sterns reputation would go a long way if they could complete this and metallica with full complete code. acdc is great as is but the potential for an even better game is right there. metallica seems to be coming along really well and could receive similar accolades.

what a great way to lay the foundation for the next future best selling music pin , iron maiden.

Late July update.....each run brings new life....we will see.

Knowing how Gary Stern operates with code, I really don't believe we'll see anything new for some time. I hope I'm wrong, as the scoring strategy in this game is extremely ground breaking, and it would be nice if this was a completely well refined prime example for Stern, up there with the likes of LOTR and TSPP.

ACDC as it is today is a great playing game. Not sure how much more needs to be added.

A new update along with the new run would be great. Doesn't Stern release updated code with each new run of machines as a standard?

The last update, 1.65, seems like it may be the last update as it was focused soley on bug fixes and tweaks. I hope that isn't true and that we at least get one or two more updates. Lyman emailed me a while back (2 months ago) and said he can see adding more to the game but not at the moment as he's working on other projects. I'm sure anyone can understand that and realizes he's already done a fantastic job on this game.

If Lyman can get live song mode implemented (has to be coming since its now an option right?), a ball lock or reward at least for a shot through the bell, allow the TNT target to reward and activate (feature adjustment) the detonator in all songs, and increase the importance of the lower playfield mode I believe it would really help refine the game and make it stand for the ages. The game is amazing yes, but there just seems to be a few items on the playfield (shot behind bell, TNT detonator target, LPF) that are rarley used throughout much of the game. A reward at least for beating the lower playfield would be awesome in my opinion.

We saw a Tron update well over a year after the previous one, I suspect the same will be true for AC/DC.

Oke,but AC/DC is allready a year out now.

What else would you expect Stern to say? Update planned before (insert date here)? Imagine the horrible PR when they blow that self-imposed deadline! Better NOT to promise anything. Underpromise, overdeliver. Always a good business practice.

Anyone ever have the rare double cannon ball lock that can't be free'd without removing the glass?
I've had it happen two or three times. Two balls going up the right ramp at the same time, both divert and lock to the cannon= stuck= remove glass.
Like I said, rare, but it's happened and is a bummer.

There was a thread about this. Basically, there were two fixes proposed. The first is to dremmel a small part of the ramp so that it won't bind when two balls get loaded in the cannon. The second fix proposed was to trim a shooter tip and attach it to the plunger of the cannon - this pushes the 1st ball out just enough so the second doesn't bind.

...tried to find the thread but no luck yet....

Are you on the latest code? That was fixed.

I would buy it! 12 new songs and a few surprises. I could literally switch back and forth between two games all night.

Out of several hundred games, I've had it happen to me a couple times - I'm on 1.65.

Same here. I don't think it was ever really fixed. I'll keep the rubber shooter tip on the plunger.

There's a rulesheet? Where? Is this the one Bowen was going to do?

No it wasn't. It can still happen if two balls come in quick succession. The only way to fix it is by physically altering the game. Some people use a shooter tip to extend the plunger, and others take a Dremel to the ramp and slightly shave off an opening. I personally prefer the second method.

Odd, I had it happen before but it stopped with the code update. I have watched two balls roll down and the second divert. Guess I am lucky. If I see it again I would just do the Jim fix with dremel.

Not the one Bowen is going to do, but probably the best effort yet: http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/acdc-prem-rulesheet-v165

Wow, I had completely missed this. Thanks for the link!

I personally find the one glaring bug that needs to be addressed in the next update is the auto-launch of the ball from the cannon.

Specifically on the song "Highway to Hell".

That is the single most frustrating thing to me on that game that is almost completely out of your control and I did NOTHING wrong to cause it to drain.
- Fix it so that I can shoot the cannon myself manually, even if for no points just to bring the ball back into play
or
- Fix it so that it it is timed better to where it autofires. Currently it launches into the tn(T) target for an immediate ricochet into the left outlane. F'N SUX!

Not a year after the game was out. A year after the last update. Lyman has more planned for acdc.

...or add an option for Ball Save if it drains from a Highway cannon drain.

The trick is to keep it out of the cannon until it's safe.

There are glaring holes in the code; devil horn inserts, tunes n' "stuff", bell hole, barely used apron flashers. Lyman supposedly has plans for all that.

Yes, we all know this, but do you honestly think this is how Lyman planned it? I just can't imagine he was like "I've got a great idea! I'll make a mode in which you can access the lower playfield, but you'll probably get fu**ed if you go for it" ...

Yes, because what you said isn't true. There are plenty of ways to access the mini during that mode without getting fu%@ed as you put it.

I do believe that Lyman planned a mode in which you have to think ahead quite a bit in order to be successful at.

So you are basically saying that you should only go for the lower playfield when the cannon is lit. Fair enough. I hadn't thought about that. At least that way you have control over the ball being fired. Perhaps Lyman is even more of an evil genius than I realized.

Yeah, H2H is a really lucrative mode. Lyman is great at balancing things, risk/reward. You can certainly go for the lower PF without the cannon lit, but do you really think that you should just be able to rack up those points risk free for 20 seconds, and then have control of the cannon besides? The ball is still very savable, just out of control.

The think you have to remember, you're able to select a 'mode' at ball start. If you remove that from H2H, isn't that one of the most obvious modes to go after? I think Lyman knows what he's doing, he pays close attention to what exploits people are using and adjusts them.