So there are, as far as I know, 2 ways to get Jackpot in BK2K. Jackpot will light during the standard 3 ball multi and during RANSOM(everything is lit). Sometimes when I get the 3 ball multi jackpot doesn't light. Doesn't seem to matter which ball I am on. Happens sometimes on my first multi ball. I am running the L4 ROM. Thanks!

I don't know. I've never noticed that.

I've had this happen to me a few more times since starting this thread. I've been trying to get it on video so I can try to figure it out but it never seems to happen when I'm recording.

I thought that maybe you had to reach the upper playfield during multi, but I've tested that and jackpot comes on instantly once it releases the balls.

I've had it happen to me twice in one game. It's strange, it's almost like the game isn't in normal multi-ball, it's alot like "Last Chance". There is something different with the way it was acting, I can't place it, but I've played it enough to know something wasn't the same, like music cue's, lighting or something. It's like I was in a single ball mode with 3 balls.

I thought maybe something was corrupt but the next game it seems to work normally.

I checked the diag's, I don't have any switch issues that I'm aware of.

I'm running L-4 ROM.

That may be it, but the diag isn't showing the switch not working.

How would the game know to start multiball if it thinks only 2 balls are locked? When you say 3rd lock switch, would that be the one closest to the solenoid? I guess that would make sense as the middle and farthest switch would register and tell the game the lock was full even if the other switch wasn't working?

I already have the game apart doing a flipper upgrade so I'll have to poke around.

Thanks for the reply.

This is exactly what mine is doing, sounds like we both have the same problem. I'm not sure why your kickback fires with magna-save. Does it do it when kickback is not lit?

There is a switch in the wireform before it enters the lock. I guess it figures if there is 2 in the lock and the ramp switch gets triggered then there must be 3 balls in there because the game only holds 3 balls, maybe it checks the state of the troth switch? Like Chris says, it goes through the whole 'Prepare for Battle' song and dance like it's starting a normal multiball, but when the balls eject, it just returns to single ball play, it may even put the drawbridge back up, I don't recall.

Glad to know it's not a software bug, I can fix the switches.

I wonder if it's working the other way too, if the magnet energizes when the kickback fires. It would be hard to know without hooking up a meter, not something you would likely run into during a multi-ball.

Sounds like you may have a short somewhere or a problem with the driver board? Does it do it in the diags when you test the magnet?

Ugh, it's doing it again.

The switches in the lock and the switch in the top of the ramp are connected somehow.

I was trying to disable RANSOM for a tournament by removing the switch in the wireform at the top of the ramp. You could lock 3 balls but it would not start Battle.

Since then, I've been having inconsistent Jackpots and the drawbridge will sometimes stop in the up position even thought the drawbridge targets still work, I'm wondering if the game isn't detecting that ramp switch and thinks there are too many balls in the lock(3) so it won't let the drawbridge down even though there is a ball in play?

Either way, I need to look at the ramp switch, it doesn't seem like it would be the issue but it started happening right after I tried moving it out of the way.

There is a setting for RANSOM on the wheel. It's not a percent though, it appears to be how often and I think I set it to zero or 99.

The duration isn't as much of an issue as the extra ball and skyway bonus. It's a shame RANSOM is not per player

Interesting that you can start multiball without using the ramp switch, Maybe I do have a switch issue in the lock. If that's the case, how does it know to start multiball if the game thinks there are only 2 balls in the lock?

So, I've been toying around with the idea of making a new chute for BK2K. I think that the ability to catch the ball 100% of the time ruins the flow. I'm thinking about making a new chute that drops the ball into the right inlane instead of in front of the sling. What do you think?

I found out last night that when this happens, you can stack Battle multiball with Knights Challenge

Make sure the switch in the wireform above the drawbridge target is working, it's the switch that plays the 'lock' sound and flashes the lights when you make it up the drawbridge ramp. make sure the ball is triggering it by dropping the ball in the wireform just before the switch or manually throwing it up the drawbridge ramp. I think the game uses this switch as a backup to the switches in the 3 ball lock.

Place all 3 balls in the lock and look for side to side movement, do this with the switch test running and make sure you don't hear the switches clicking when you move the balls side to side in the lock.

If you have problems where jackpot doesn't light during multiball the lock switches are usually the problem.

This is a guess but it appears the game counts the completed ramp switches and when it gets to 3 and at least two of the lock switches are closed it will start multiball. It may also use the troth switches to help determine where the balls are. Since the game can't be sure there are 3 balls in play, as soon as you drain one, it ends multiball.