This is AWESOME. Can't wait to try it and see future iterations!
(Topic ID: 289066)
Linked Games
Flash Gordon
Bally, 1981
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I don't know much about the progression of the tech in games, so how recently in the past can this tech be applied? In other words, what are some examples of the newest games that can be changed?
I thought I saw in another thread (when I looked after my last post) something about up to system 11 games.
Quoted from DickHamill:I haven't experimented with any William's boards yet. So far, this is just a Bally/Stern project.
Incredible work as it stands. I can't wait to install this on my Flash Gordon. May wait for the final version with music etc.
bluebomber There are tons of sound clips online to work with, e.g. https://www.101soundboards.com/boards/10008-flash-gordon-soundboard
I do think using the soundtrack carefully would be awesome. If I remember, much of it is actually pretty atmospheric, which could work really well.
Quoted from djblouw:I'll start a new topic so we don't derail this one.
That's really the only sound mod I'd wish for in Flash Gordon. Others would be fine, but not necessary.
Fair preference, but there's so much great music, sound, and dialogue to mine!
Quoted from DickHamill:I haven't experimented with any William's boards yet. So far, this is just a Bally/Stern project.
DickHamill
Is it in theory possible to do a similar thing with 90's era Bally/Williams games? For example, I love my Indy 500 but have always dreamed of some tweaks.
Thank you all for doing this. Had very nearly sold off my Flash Gordon recently but this has totally changed my mind!
I just love the wizard mode idea and execution! Is there a final payoff/bonus for defeating Ming with the 3rd attack?
Also, the hardware probably prevents this, but would there be a way to use the inline drops as a lock that when dropped again would start a multiball?
Open to other rules ideas? This is so fun!
Quoted from bluebomber:Thanks! Yes, there are points awarded during the wizard mode, and for entering and defeating the mode. I have a list of "large" scoring and wizard scoring in the rule card on my GitHub: https://github.com/tmurren/bsos-flash-gordon-2021/blob/main/RuleCard.md. 50,000 for entering wizard mode and for first two times you attack Ming. The third time you attack Ming is the kill shot, and you are awarded 150,000 and the mode ends.
I'm still trying to balance all the award scoring to make sure nothing seems over or underpowered. For example, I noticed the changes I made to the inlanes and lower right targets lowered the scores a bit overall each game, but the amount points I'm granting for the skill shot and hurry up awards seemed to balance this out.
The main limitation with starting a multiball would be that this is a single ball game. You would need to redo the whole trough, and wire things up differently, which would keep you from dual booting the original code.
Thanks for the insights! Figured that was the issue re multiball.
Again, great work, and thanks so much for doing this. Can't wait to run the finished product. Lots of sound potential for the wizard mode!
Quoted from geeteoh:Yes. Email me. Which I saw you did! Thanks.
https://geeteoh.com/geeteoh/squawktalk.shtml
I just posted a video of a the Flash Gordon playing a custom sound set that a customer of my board created.
Very cool! I love where this is all heading!
I do wonder if it's possible or desirable to give different audio to each inlane rollover, each spinner and each set of drops or some combo thereof. Or so on with other features.
Quoted from bluebomber:Yes, that could be done easily in the code. This project is all open and free, so everyone is encouraged to use this as a starting point, and get in there and customize the game they want. The sound would be the easiest place to start once implemented. I’m just making the game I want to play.
Point taken, but what skills does that customization take? Is this easy to pick up? I have zero experience with this sort of stuff and little time to learn and fiddle. Not knocking what you're doing by any means. Great effort on the tech and I like what you're doing with the code!
Possible to code combos of any kind? Which I guess here would be something like inlane rollover to spinner or drop target. Or like if inlane could light 2x spinner for 3 sec.
Can you make the spinner arrow lights flash by code or is that a hardware issue too? They are currently lit or unlit only. The temporary flashing would be it's own kind of communication. Add it to the instruction card otherwise. There are other opaque rules already in the classic code 
2 weeks later
Quoted from hd60609:So I want to take on this project. I plan on ordering the arduino adapter board and an arduino nano from Amazon.
After reading the thread, I think I need to also order a WAV trigger board to add custom sounds to the new custom game code. Correct? If so, which Wav trigger board should I get? Does it need to be permanently mounted? Or just plugged in temporarily to import sounds?
bluebomber would you consider pre-making the required components to install the custom code and custom sounds for a fee?
I too would like to get this as plug and play. I thought I'd read elsewhere that someone has the arduino boards for sale, so all we'd have to do is down the code and plug it into the game. I have enough other stuff taking up my time that I'd honestly be willing to pay a premium to have this all as ready-made as possible. It's a win-win if you make a bit of money for your effort and ingenuity and we get a "new" game at a bargain price.
3 weeks later
Quoted from bluebomber:I don't think I have experienced this. Maybe your switch needs adjusted? Here is a video of what happens on my machine: https://i.imgur.com/E6941HB.mp4.
You'll also hear some S&T sounds in the video. The S&T is working and I have some of the sounds in, but it's still buggy so I'm hesitant to upload. You are right that it seems strange playing pinball with no sounds. When the bonus countdown doesn't play it seems like the machine broke or something.
Yes. There are two extra balls the player can earn, and they can each only be collected once per player per game. The Wood Beast EB must be lit and collected first, and then the saucer EB can be lit and collected.
16 drop target must be dropped/collected to light wizard mode. Spot targets don't count towards lighting. Wizard mode is lit in the outlanes, and you must drain through the outlanes to play the wizard mode. Drains down the middle don't count and will just advance you to your next ball (just like specials in the OG code). When the wizard mode starts, it is still considered part of the ball that you drained to start it. This ball ends when you lose the mode by draining, or win the mode by defeating Ming (unless you collected an extra ball). The flippers and solenoids are purposefully killed when you defeat Ming, and a lamp animation is played as the saucer kicks the ball out to the drain to start the next ball. It didn't make sense to let players keep farming pops and spins in the wizard mode after defeating Ming. It's more of a final boss fight.
Is there not a way to stay on the same ball but reset the game scoring (or at least the wizard mode progress) to start the voyage again?
Quoted from bluebomber:If you mean continuing the ball that you started wizard mode with after you win and/or lose wizard mode, then yes, that would be a fairly simple modification to the code. I built it with the intent of it being a "second chance" to play a mode and get more points as a reward for lighting the special. It's also intended to be bait, and add some risk vs reward.
You could try to backflip it into the outlane, take a shot that would normally be risky of an outlane drain, or you could play out your ball to maximize points and see if you collect the wizard mode or not. Getting 16 drops, pushing my luck, and draining down the middle is a roller coaster for me sometimes. Picking up the outlane special is even better! I really didn't want the wizard mode to feel like an extra ball, I wanted it to feel like an after credit scene in a movie.
Maybe my question wasn't clear. I meant how best to program the game return to normal play after the wizard mode's been beaten. So that wizard mode would be a fun reward that nonetheless can't be exploited but also doesn't end a ball or otherwise tank a great game.
1 month later
2 months later
Baller! Thanks so much for this. Can't wait to try it out. And thanks for adding the inlane-to-spinner hurry up!
Sorry I'm too lazy to sort this out or hunt down the details, but could someone clarify exactly what I need to buy to implement this code?
3 months later
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