New club member checking in! I’ve got a bit of cleaning to do, but it plays well and that’s all that matters!

First thing’s first though—I’m on 1.0–I can only find chips online for 1.1, but I’m reading that 1.13b is the one to get. Where can I find that?

Also, what’s the part number for the mini saucer discs? One broke off in the move. [edit: found it—03-9481]

Thanks!

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Thanks--I ended up finding a 1.13b EPROM on planetary pinball. I have no means of burning my own at this point.

How difficult is a playfield swap for AFM? I've never done one, but my game included a NOS Bally playfield. The existing playfield isn't awful--it has wear across the inserts coming out of SOL, but besides that and too much mylar, it's in OK shape. But I'm staring at that new playfield and wondering what could be ...

My flashers have all stopped working (gameplay or test mode). Fuse F107 tests fine. Any thoughts on where I should start looking? Thanks!

Yup that’s what i did

I’ve got to cut the diode off to test though right?

i do not--reads at .7 (dmm set to 20) and the 20v LED is not lit

Thanks—I didn’t see anything obvious on D15-D18, they all had similar readings. Oddly enough though, D7, D8 and D10 did each have open readings each way. Could that be a contributor?

Keep in mind this is with all the diodes still in the circuit.

Good? No. But probably better than some of the mess that’s on this board already. It’s been a couple years since I’ve soldered a board, but diodes hopefully won’t give me too much issue, and I have a desoldering gun that I’m borrowing from a friend.

I'm getting voltage at Pins 2 and 4. Sorry, but how to I check whether AC is going into the bridge? (I'm learning these things as issues pop up).
But I've got no DC voltage at the 20v test point and the LED is not lit.

Thanks

Sorry—I misspoke, it’s pins 1 and 3 on J128. AC between those two came up as .6 (lowest AC my AstroAI DMM has is 200)

Well good news is my flashers now work! Turns out a plug had popped off of the COM 1 slot on my coin door switch. Slid it back on and all is well again. But it doesn't slide on firmly, unfortunately--the connector sort of "rests" inside it. Not sure what the solution is there. Crimp it with pliers?

Thanks very much for the help everyone!

When do the playfield flashers light in AFM (Center arrow, Jets, right and left martians)? They test fine in the test menu but I have no recollection of seeing them blink during a game. And I don't think they function during attract mode, right?

EDIT: never mind. They flash when you do good stuff. I just suck.

My AFM has similar wear. A previous owner slapped Mylar on top and an imitation cliffy in the scoop.

The Mylar isn’t pretty but plays great. I’d like to replace the cliffy though because it’s bending up in places (specifically the back) and it will halt a slow ball.

My purchase came with an extra Mirco playfield that I’m waffling about installing. Send me a PM if you’re interested in it.

I think you're using WPC-89 Schematics. AFM is WPC-95

SantaEatsCheese

Here's more diagnostics: http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wpc/index2.htm
Search for: "Check Fuse F114/F115" (or F106/F101) Message.

This indicates the voltage is out for the lamp/switch matrix. Sometimes this message is gotten even when the fuses are good!

A failing bridge (or diodes) can cause the game to think their respective fuses are bad. If the fuse F114 (or F106 on WPC-95) is actually blown, usually this is an indication that BR1 (or diodes D11-D14 on WPC-95) usually failed. But it could be as simple as a cracked solder pad on power driver board's BR1 (or diodes D11-D14 on WPC-95). See the above about jumper wires, and install those for good reliability. The shotgun method can also be used, replacing BR1 (and BR2, both for WPC-S and prior, while you are at it!) on the power driver board, in addition to the jumper wires.
...

It goes on to provide step by step tests. But replacing fat diodes D11-D14 might be a good start. Also consider the jumpers they refer to since your board is pulled.

The PPS laminated decals are disappointing to say the least:

1. They are too big because they are based on the playfield graphic and not the portion that goes in the insert. I had to trim mine with an X-acto knife to get it to fit. It's not a particularly easy thing to do either since you're trimming both the sticker and the paper it's stuck on. But on the bright side, a trimmed sticker will fit on the insert pretty well level with the playfield.

2. For AFM, the typeface they used for the text isn't correct. They just found something close and slapped it on there--"return to battle" looks awful.

I had very similar SOL damage on mine, with ugly mylar covering the whole PF. I pulled the mylar with dust cleaner to freeze, but still lost a few insert laminates--a couple simply popped up with the mylar as i was freezing it. Wherever possible, I used waterslide decals. They aren't perfect--they aren't as opaque as the originals (I tried to double-up, but found that to be more trouble that it was worth) and they don't have the "frosted" look like the rest.

Unfortunately, two of my lost inserts--"Super Jackpot" and "5-Way Combo" mission lights, have white lettering. There's no cost effective way to get white lettering (or very light gray lettering) that works on these. So I had to buy the PPS decals (and that's when I got frustrated with 1 and 2 above).

But all in all--I'm MUCH happier with the mylar off. For insert filling, I wholeheartedly recommend Solarez thin-hard fly-tie resin. Put the waterslide decal on the insert, pour the resin in, cover with clear transparency film, roll something cylindrical over it to ensure it's level, wipe the excess away, then shine it with a UV blacklight flashlight (follow resin directions). In less than a minute, you can peel the transparency away and you've got a nice hard clear surface.

Yup--this is an earlier run playfield though; it won't be able to answer @pinhead1982's question on current mirco quality

Second jackpot circle from the right is missing a black “keystone” shaped section of paint below it.

EDIT: Removing my bad advice on hex posts

The slingshots and pop bumpers all fall under Column 5 in the switch matrix. Worth following the Green-black wire starting from the left slingshot down the column to make sure everything is in the right spot, and make sure the diode is attached correctly to each switch (before replacing each diode).

My ball lock (first shot on the center ramp) has started activating the cow ramp, awarding a tractor beam light. Both ramps share the same “exit” switch on the right ramp exit. I replaced the diodes on the cow ramp and exit switch, but it didn’t improve anything.

Any suggestions on this?

EDIT: I've jiggled and reseated some wiring at the switch matrix "box" switches and it appears to have resolved itself. Must have been a short somewhere; I'll investigate further if the issue returns.

Finished my Rad Cal install today—breathes new life into the machine!

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No--they fit below the rails and are designed to but up against them.

But my right rail was beat to hell, so I took the opportunity to replace it.

Right—the benefit of Rad Cals is less cabinet prep. They are stiff, laminated decals that won’t be affected by some scrapes to the cabinet underneath, whereas traditional decals wouldn’t work.

I did fill in a couple heavy gouges and squared off the corners with resin.

I also painted over the art with a light coat of some black acrylic paint. But didn’t require anywhere near a full cab strip.

Another choice I made was to recess the cabinet carriage bolts (and I replaced them with elevator bolts that have a flat head). This gives a uniform smooth appearance. A downside to leaving the carriage bolts out with these is it can create “donuts” around the bolts where the decal warps.

Snooping around under my playfield and I found this cable to nowhere. Should this be plugged in somewhere? Other end is in the center junction box slot, all wires lead to those loose plugs.

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I don't have the blackout mod, but I do have the GI OCD board, which has capabilities in its settings to achieve the same effect as the blackout mod.

In short, it's impressive and makes the game more challenging. In a very dark room, you really only see the balls in short bursts; it's a cool effect that you really can't appreciate with a stock machine.

The con there (for me) is this effect gave me a bad headache, bordering on motion sickness. So if you have a propensity for that, be aware.

Does the game think you've already hit that target?

My personal opinion is to leave the mylar off. Especially if you just had it clearcoated, proper maintenance should serve you well over adding mylar. Especially since mylar removal could ruin quite a bit of that area, even if you're careful. FWIW, I have mylar in and around the ultra jets, but only because it's not worth the effort to remove, since it's a hard to see area. My main playfield area also had old mylar with lots of dust under the edges, and removal was no picnic. I lost a few insert screens and replacing with waterslide decals or stickers is not fun.

I do like Cliffy's though, especially for the rollover protectors. But many will say they are overkill in a home environment where the playfield isn't showing wear.

For sure

FWIW, the planetary pinball decals are frustrating to work with. They need to be trimmed to actually fit in the insert to be flush with the playfield surface.

They are necessary for the inserts that have gray/white printing because you can’t really print that on your own with water slide decals.

Where possible, I created water slide decals, put it on the insert, and covered with a UV-hardened resin.

In case you haven’t tried yet “e-mail me when available” only took a few days on the Mezelmods site.

My 10 year old just took out TEX. Simultaneously proud and jealous.

Which topper mod?

Video Mode is only in stroke of luck. After you light super jets, video mode will be the next SOL award.

If the green-yellow wire is still connected to the T switch, then the other end should be connected to either the I or the N switch. Inspect those two to see if they are missing one.

The center gate is supposed to be up with the game starts. You need to hit the three targets for it to drop. Then you start hitting the ship and blow it up. Then the gate goes back up. Caveat: for the super skill shot where you hold the left button and launch the ball, then hit the gate, it’ll go down with one hit and give 50m points.

Oh gotcha—yeah that should stay up until the ship is ready to be destroyed. I had to replace mine once because it wouldn’t stay up. I just had to replace the plastic target, but check pdf p. 118 of the manual here for the assembly breakdown to see if the spring or something is missing http://www.coinoperatorshop.com/media/products/manual/pinball/Bally_1995_Attack_from_Mars_Operations_Manual.pdf

The 1.13b rom is the similar to what you have but allows coins. It’s an unofficial ROM but includes Dirty Pool.

http://www.actionpinball.com/parts.php?item=ROMS017

My personal approach below.

Try to preserve as many of the existing decals as possible (except where they are cut in half). The new decals won't have the "cloudy" appearance of the originals.

Where possible, I created water slide decals, put it on the insert, and covered with a UV-hardened resin. This isn't feasible with white lettering, as my printer couldn't handle it.

Not sure if you've ordered your insert decals yet. The planetary pinball decals are frustrating to work with. They need to be trimmed to actually fit in the insert to be flush with the playfield surface, and the typeface doesn't match the game on some of the decals (Return to Battle looks awful).

I'd also ordered another set of decals from Europe. The typeface matches the game, which is nice, but they still need to be trimmed, same as PPS. Unfortunately, once I peeled off a decal, I found the black letters all had white edges from the printing, which made them more or less useless.

Try and retain the intact decals as best you can on the playfield. With an x-acto knife, cut a tiny hole in the edge, and using a syringe, squirt a bit of UV resin under the decal, then harden with the UV light.

I used Solarez UV resin: https://www.amazon.com/SOLAREZ-Fly-Tie-Cure-Resin/dp/B07MLTL3FM/ref=sr_1_14

Pour it into the insert, then place a stiff piece of mylar over it to flatten it out even with the playfield, then harden with a UV flashlight: https://www.amazon.com/LETION-Flashlight-Highlight-Waterproof-Detection/dp/B07X1H5TJQ/ref=sr_1_6

Curing the UV takes a couple minutes: shine the light on the resin for 5 seconds, leave off for 30 seconds, then another 5 seconds, leave off for 30, then leave on for another 30 (follow the directions on the bottle--my times might be off, but that's the gist).

This is not a perfect solution (stripping everything and clearcoating is more professional for sure); but I'm much happier with the inserts where I used the resin than the inserts where I used the stickers I purchased.

After about 8 months of use, the resin still holds, though there's some chipping around the edges.

Any recommendations for shaker motors for AFM?

No promises, but I think it might be 23-6557 https://www.pinballlife.com/williamsbally-rubber-bumper-pluggrommet.html

It's listed in the AFM BOM under the Saucer Assembly https://www.ipdb.org/files/3781/Bally_1995_Attack_from_Mars_Parts_List.txt

Here's what the manual says (for more places to check):

Check Fuses F101 and F106 and Opto 12V Supply
This message will be displayed if the game senses that all optical switches are not functioning. This
usually occurs when there is no 12V supply to the playfield optics.
The problem is likely to be a blown fuse (F109), or at connectors J138, J139, J140 or J141 on the
power driver board.

Congrats!

I've yet to do it (but my 11 year old's gotten it 3 times). Last week I got all the gems lit except Martian freakin' Multiball. Unbelievable!

Can a AFMr playfield be swapped into an original?

Currently I have a switch matrix issue (likely a bad diode) where if I hit the center ramp, it will also register that I completed the right ramp.

I’ve had this issue for a while and I can’t seem to find the energy to fix it

It helps with the super jackpot, which I still suck at anyway.

thanks, I'll take a look. Since both ramps share the same exit switch, I imagine it's something with the cow ramp's entry switch.

It will count when it’s the fifth shot of a 5-way combo. Otherwise a left or right orbit shot will kill a combo—Unless you’ve gotten all three shots on the orbit (then an orbit shot counts as a ramp shot towards a combo).

Is that plastic is part of your VUK? Here’s the full plunger replacement: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/A-17767
Or here: https://www.pinballlife.com/williamsbally-bell-armature-plunger-assembly-a-17767.html

If the gate is up, I go for super skill shot to knock it down. If the gate is down, I don’t go for super skill shot.

Do any of you have the CPR mirrored backglass for AFM? Thoughts?

You'll be able to get the game pitch black during strobe multiball. It'll give you a seizure, but it's worth it.

If you're getting GI OCD, then you won't need a blackout board. You can get the same results in the GI OCD settings.

The top of the VUK plunger should be a cup with rather “sharp” edges. If the edges are getting worn out or mushrooming, then it’ll cause erratic ejects and it’s time to replace the shaft.

I’d replace that VUK plunger. It looks similar to the wear I had on my WCS VUK, and in that case the ball couldn’t make it out of its chute because the ball kept smacking into the side.

Here’s my spring:

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It’s operating correctly (for default settings). The first multiball is flipper lock lock lock. After that it’s flipper lock flipper lock flipper lock.

I hooked my AFM audio up with a potentiometer like this. This allows you to get the bass up. Basically, you turn the volume up with the coin door buttons, which increases all speakers, then decrease the back box volume with the potentiometer, leaving the cabinet subwoofer at a higher volume.

It’s a nice mod.

Finally! I’ve Ruled the Universe! Next on the list—my kid’s high score.

Oddly enough, this victory came on my very first game after installing magnetic switches on my right orbit. Here’s the thread on them: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/mampm-creations-mrs-catalog

I tried adjusting the original switches countless times and I’d still get frequent shots that didn’t register. These switches cleared it up, so I’m happy

As far as decals go—I put RadCals on mine. I am very happy with them, but not everyone likes the glossy look.

These used to be readily available on ebay and Planetary Pinball. Now it looks like only European sites have them (as two-packs with their opposite-side pair).
Planetary Pinball still has some individual AFM plastics, but it looks like that supply is dwindling (perhaps more money in selling full sets). I'd been looking for the same piece as Deleenhe a couple months ago, and was annoyed to find that it was the ONLY AFM plastic I couldn't get as a single part--now there's lots missing.

Happens to me from time to time too. I feel like I always get one or two "blanks" when I am conquering Mars. Just the other day it happened on what would have been my 10th and final saucer shot to conquer. Instead it didn't register and I lost the ball/game before I could shoot it back in.

I instinctively jam the launch button every time I hit either ramp

Doesn’t need to be the same ball. Even so, I owned this game for well over a year before I finally saw cow mode. So excited that I only hit two cows!!

I’ve seen it a few more times since with much more success.

So many horrifying and traumatizing "moos" on the mother cow.

Ugh. I was having my personal best on AFM--33 billion on ball 2 and had already ruled the universe. My kid's grand champ is 35 billion. The ball drops in from the pop bumpers into the rear-side of the SOL and then ... nothing. The ball doesn't pop out. I had a hurry-up counting down on the screen, and the animation kept going, but the numbers weren't advancing (presumably because the balls had been up in the pops, where countdowns freeze). Flippers still work, lights are still flashing, music still playing.

I removed the glass, pulled the ball out and dropped it in the SOL again--still nothing. I concede and drop the ball down the drain, hoping a ball advance will help. Nope, the game doesn't recognize that the ball drained--so I can't even finish this game to enter my initials. I tried reseating the cables on the opto board, but that didn't help.

Eventually I turned the game off, and back on. Everything's fine again. My game just had it out for me, I guess.

My wife and youngest son each asked if I'd tried tilting the machine. Nope, and I wish I'd thought of it.

Sorry--I left that out. It would not go into ball search. I assumed it would when it first got stuck, but after a few minutes of waiting, I realized it wasn't going to happen, and that's when I pulled the glass.

My 9-year-old suddenly got good at this game. He ruled the universe for the first time this weekend and conquered Mars with a dirty pool on his last country, which I've never seen happen.

In case you find the new switches don’t help much, I replaced my right orbit switches (I had the same issue as you) with magnetic switches.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/mampm-creations-mrs-catalog

It solved the issue (most of the time). It still doesn’t register on very rare occasions, but certainly not 50/50 like i was getting before replacement.

It's a great mod an pretty easy to follow the instructions. But you'll hate your life plugging the lights into each hole. Go slow and make sure they aren't knotted it some weird way.

I love that you're here, standing watch--reminding folks where that piece goes (because you know they'll ask).

1) Comet Ice Blue
2) LED
3) Original

Have you tried playing with the settings in the LED OCD software to see if you can fix the issue from there?

There's a lot of customizing you can do with one lamp (or all Martian lamps) in the software. If you haven't already, take a look at http://www.ledocd.com/usage_led.html for some ideas to adjust brightness. This is definitely a workaround though. My thought is that at the end of the day--if you are stuck with a workaround--that this could yield a better fix than the non-ghosting bulb, which didn't act in concert with the rest.

You should have a drop target that blocks the hole and registers points. The target drops when the mother ship is ready to be destroyed. If the target is never up you might have a fault in the target assembly (manual p. 2-24).

I added a separate volume control in my cabinet that bypasses the subwoofer. So I turn the in-game volume up higher, then lower the volume with the separate control, resulting in more bass.

Check bottom left connector

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1.13b is the version to get and is not free play only.

Don't be like me and confuse 1.13b with 1.13 beta, which is free play only.

You'll know the difference pretty quick--on your DMD where it says "free play" it will instead say "free only"

I can't begin to tell you how jealous I am right now.

It's intentional--discussed here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/attack-from-mars-orig-or-remake-easter-eggs#post-3880405

You might still be able to ping gozmod directly, otherwise MezelMods is the US distributor, but currently unavailable there--you can get added to their waitlist.