With System 7, Larry DeMar made it easy for programmers at Williams to use multiple independent timers. As a result System 7 games, beginning with Black Knight, implement many timed features, such as timed shots, drop-target banks, lights with different blinking rates, etc.
I have two questions for those of you familiar with early SS and EM pinball games:
1) Can you think of any timed shots or other timed features in pinball games before Black Knight (1980)?
2) Can you think of any use of a "grace period" --- when an award is given after the corresponding indicator lamp has already gone off --- in any pinball game before Jungle Lord (1981)?
Any other comments appreciated as well.