Iron Man
Stern, 2010Because they are using the updated driver board that has the serial data for surface mount LED boards and not a lamp matrix, the new code for the VE might not be compatible with the original Pros. Will Stern update the old code seperately to include whatever other changes they make for the VE?
EDIT: Sounds like the same code WILL be compatible between the 2 driver boards.
I think though, and I could be wrong here, that as the insert instructions come over from the cpu they are in the same format as matrix instructions and then they get converted into serial data by a processor sitting there in the lower left corner where the lamp connections used to be. At the bus I think it might be similar, so not sure new code is absolutely necessary. But I'm just talkin', I'm no authority.
Quoted from TimeBandit:I think though, and I could be wrong here, that as the insert instructions come over from the cpu they are in the same format as matrix instructions and then they get converted into serial data by a processor sitting there in the lower left corner where the lamp connections used to be. At the bus I think it might be similar, so not sure new code is absolutely necessary. But I'm just talkin', I'm no authority.
That's an interesting idea, but then how do they decode the color changing LED's on a game like ACDC premium. Is each insert 3 spots in the matrix? I don't think that would work as on Star Trek Premium they are now all color changers and that would be a 180+ matrix.
But then again on both Tron and ACDC (and probably others), the pro versions still had the matrix and the premiums had the serial data.
Don't think it would be smart PR if Stern made new code for vault editions and didn't bother to update regular pro's.
Quoted from kbliznick:but then how do they decode the color changing LED's on a game like ACDC premium. Is each insert 3 spots in the matrix?
Generally, no, it is a separate circuit like TimeBandit mentioned, but AC/DC does have a traditional lamp matrix. The Fire button's three separate colors are three different locations on the lamp matrix for each color. So changing the colors can be handled both ways, each color takes up spots on the matrix if you go about it that way.
Chaz at Stern said they convert the matrix data into serial data if I'm not mistaken. I think they can use the current code just fine with their new system, which hopefully means any changes to the new version will also be applicable to the original games.
Granted, my limited understanding is from 50k feet, I really don't know how their system actually works. I'm just guessing on how I see that AC/DC works and some comments from Chaz.
FWIW on ST Pro the colour changers are 3 spots in the matrix.
Quoted from TimeBandit:The colour changers on ACDC are not in the traditional lamp matrix. They are in a separate circuit. When you do a lamp test in ACDC the RGBs are under a different menu to the other insert tests.
OK, makes sense now. Is the color changing data coming out of the phone jack on the CPU then?
I had heard here was possibly new code at Pinburgh being tested on IM (unverified btw) but it wasn't really gameplay related, just bug fixes. I recall being told it was possible to somehow have the monger up and have the do or die mode start and having the shot be impossible. I don't know if this is true or if it's even possible but that's they changes alluded to.
Quoted from Purpledrilmonkey:I had heard here was possibly new code at Pinburgh being tested on IM (unverified btw) but it wasn't really gameplay related, just bug fixes. I recall being told it was possible to somehow have the monger up and have the do or die mode start and having the shot be impossible. I don't know if this is true or if it's even possible but that's they changes alluded to.
Oh yes, I remember that one...if DoD is lit & you have Monger ready to go - they'll start at the same time, and Monger blows it for you. If they're fixing that bug - EXCELLENT!
Quoted from Rarehero:Oh yes, I remember that one...if DoD is lit & you have Monger ready to go - they'll start at the same time, and Monger blows it for you. If they're fixing that bug - EXCELLENT!
That's the one that bugs me the most. Even more than the bug that starts the timer running down while the ball is still behind the up post.
Quoted from TigerLaw:I'd like to see you be able to earn the extra ball. That would be awesome.
I've gotten it before... Is it just a mystery award right now to light it? Forgive my ignorance of such a fairly simple game haha.
Did anyone get a chance to download v1.82 today from Stern's site? By the time I got to it, it said the page could not be found but the read me file still opens.
Quoted from RobT:That's the one that bugs me the most. Even more than the bug that starts the timer running down while the ball is still behind the up post.
If you were running the current code this wouldn't happen to you!....lol
Atleast the monger part anyways.
There are a couple different code versions on Stern's site now for VE and the old Pro. Hopefully this means they applied the recent updates to the old version of the game.
Quoted from kbliznick:Did they even use the new driver board and surface mount LED boards for the vault edition?
I dunno about the driver board, but it has socketed LEDs (thankfully).
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