YEEEEEHAW! Just got home, will be busting my GoPro out and taking some video to upload later on of the update...

.....guess its time to spend another couple weeks updating my rule sheet *gulp*

Can confirm for LE that Mags SJP is NO LONGER a requirement for DR. I collected all hero modes and DR lit up

I'm really liking the combos here. Sure, they don't seem to buff any damage to the villain modes, but it's like having a meta-game going on throughout. Once I got used to the inserts showing where the combos were, i found it really fun to see how many combos I could cram into a game. Now when I miss shots or make an unintentional shot during play, it gives the player a way to make up for it by going for a combo from it. I'm liking it a lot.

I haven't had the time to REALLY break down the modes yet to see if DP mode qualification is different or not. But I should have time by Sunday, fingers crossed.

I too have made the two consecutive Beast shots in a row, really satisfying because the ball is SCREAMING around the orbit!

Overall very positive, another Good step forward. C'mon Stern, let's keep up the good work!

I saw that as well, thinking that's Deadpool.

Timed just like System Failure in JP (another Borg). All switches go up for big points and go crazy for a set amount of time and then flippers die to end mode and relaunch ball I to play. It's plausible, and kind of fits with Deadpool being a crazy-ass. But I agree, him being qualified by a Mags SJP doesn't quite fit canonically, but a Mags SJP should be some type of qualifier, so I'm okay with Deadpool being it.

Dug, i have to disagree with the shot arrows for combos being confusing. The inserts for combo shots are SOLID, all other mode shots are flashing. It's easy to explain and not that confusing. If you want to combo, just look for the solidly lit shots.

Sabertooth is an area where arrow priority is a bit wonky, but to me it doesn't matter as even combo shots still get you a good chunk of points now, if I can't find a flashing insert, I'm fine with trying to sink in a combo

This is correct. Clops says "oh, I missed" for the least valueable shots made (HFC target and Wolvie on first attempt) but will use the positive comment on the other higher value shots. I assume this is appropriate because, even though you've completed the mode, you have scored the least amount of points for completing it.

Goddamn I love the combos in this game. Don't know if it will get old or not, as we're still in the "honeymoon" of this code release, but I am digging the sh!t outta it right now.

Just an FYI, for FYI's sake and public record:
-I've never had a 2 ball Mag release since before 1.23
-I HAVE had issues with my left NC registering a "hit" on itself when he would pop up. So, for instance, when Rogue would start, NC would pop up, then immediately register a hit and sink back down. I assumed that I fubar'ed something when I installed the Hemi light mod on him. I adjusted the coil pulse strength to soft, and this corrected the issue, never happened again. For whatever reason, on my XM, the normal coil pulse strength is crazy enough to make the NC panel jiggle back enough to hit its switch.
So those that have th issue of NC making the captive ball trigger might want to try lowering the coil pulse strength in the adjustments menu and see if that corrects it.
- I think that getting a 5-way combo initiates the iceman ramp to activate. I'm thinking it's either a bonus hurry up mode for getting a 5-way combo, or simply a bug that wasn't addressed. Unfortunately I'm so piss-poor at playing under pressure, so I don't think I've ever hit e ramp during this behavior :/. I am planning on doing a thorough glass off investigation into things tomorrow.

Oh, also, here's what my goals are for tomorrow. Let me know if there's anything else you guys want me to test or solve:

-difinitively map out all unique combos with scores, as well as all generic combos with scores.
-figure out exactly what triggers the iceman ramp to start up when combo'ing
-get to the bottom of the combo EB qualifying, but I'm thinking that for whatever reason, the EB hasn't been implemented yet for it.
-check the new variable damage relationships between the hero and villain modes, if any
-map out DP wizard mode.
-investigate any new phenomena with Mags MB
-see if hero modes reset after BEATING DR wizard mode

PM or comment on the thread if there's anything else you want me to check out. Thanks!

Yeah, that's undeniable.

This is by design, and is not sloppy implementation. And while I DO think having Xavier as the SSS is a little crazy, it IS a SSS and should be hard to get.

You CAN get it from the upper flipper off the soft plunge, but that's pretty much a luck game, and most of the time, you're better off just trying for the Psylock SS and hoping it bumps off the post into Xavier. So there's no skill there.

The TRUE skill to this shot, and why I like it, is in the fact that you soft plunge and let the ball drop onto the right flipper and make Xavier. But it's not always as simple as that. The soft plunge drop, more often than not, will drop onto the right sling, causing the ball to rocket around the lower playfield, which is why the HFC and BH targets and slingshots don't kill the SSS. When this happens, it's a crapshoot as to whether or not you can get it controlled in time (let alone on the correct flipper) to make the Xavier shot (which is a TOUGH shot to make on command) and get the SSS in time. The KEY to making it as CONSISTENTLY as possible is to:
-soft plunge, but don't hit the Pheonix switch
-as the ball rolls down and reaches the end of the upper flipper bat, SLAP THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CABINET NEXT TO THE UPPER FLIPPER BAT!! This bumps the balls trajectory slightly to the left, and makes it MUCH more likely that the ball will miss the slings. This same "move" is used a lot in games like ACDC to keep the ball out of the slings during an orbit.
-ball will miss the sling, then cradle with the right flipper bat, aim and make the Xavier shot.

One thing I will give XM, this is a TRUE SSS. Yes, you can make it a luckfest, but it takes a good player to make it by design.

Starting on my testing and mapping now. First step is to map the unique combos and scores. I will make a new topic once I'm done with it and will update it as I continue testing, like my last rules topic.

Have everything mapped except for lovers triangle and original xmen, although I could have sworn I got something like "xmen leaders" without the blue and gold, but I didn't catch it in time. These last two are really hard to figure out, more to come....

Also, the combo score is also dependent upon which heroes in the combo you have collected and/or completed. So me mapping out the scores is pretty much useless without busting out an abacus.

But I like it, gives you more incentive to start and complete hero modes, as the combo scores add up big.

Also solved the ice ramp -combo relationship mystery, more to come

Nm, got lovers triangle. It's a crazy combo, but it gives over a mill in points, WITHOUT started/completion score buffs! Woof!

Holy cow. Cannot figure out the original xmen combo for the life of me. I'll keep tinkering, but this is taking longer than anticipated :/.

Oh dear....I took a break from trying to figure outthe "original Xmen" unique combo, and started looking at the wizard modes and such. Dark Pheonix mode is crazy. DR is still more profitable, points wise than DP seems to be, but I've pretty much got DP mapped.

Oh, and I figured out what's up with the Magneto SJP wizard multiball, which I don't THINK will be Deadpool, as this mode has no timer that I could find. But i will post my initial findings in a separate thread here in a sec. Mags MB just got veeeery interesting as a huge payoff later in the game, that's all I can say. Details to follow....

Someone with your playing prowess I think would really dig the combo system. If I were better at playing, I would be having even more fun with trying to make unique combo shots and working towards getting the infinite iceman ramp combo bonus. Definitely a game that benefits seasoned players.

To me, it's at a 5 star right now. If Deadpool mode is hits its mark right, and DP gets the rules fleshed out a bit deeper, than this is a certifiable killer pin at 6 stars

As of right now, it only shows your combo totals at the end of the game IF you achieved combo champ. I assume this will be addressed in the next code release

I think they should implement your current number of total combos into you end of ball bonuses. You get like a minimum 50k bonus at end of ball per combo you have made thus far total. But it should also be in the instant info.

Also, going through the adjustments, there's an adjustment for a combo jackpot initiated after X number of combos. Apparently not implemented yet, but that seems pretty neat!

I've tried taking 1080 video of 1.3 gameplay with my GoPro, but frustratingly enough, I'm frankly just not good enough a player to make a compelling video to show off what 1.3 can offer as far as combos. I get some here and there, but my poor play gets in the way and is embarrassing. Got some 35-50mil-ish games videoed though, including a game where I stacked Sentinels, clops and MagsMB all at once, which I was proud of! But alas, I don't think I really justify XM very well with my play. Maddening because I KNOW exactly what needs to be done when, I know the code basics inside and out, I just lack the physical skill. But mentally I'm all there :/

.....so if there's any great players in NorCal that would like to give an LE a run that I can film for the benefit of those without XM but are interested in what's up with the new code and new dots, just come on over .

...either that or I'm just thinking of copping out and doing a glass off tutorial of the 1.3 overview in sections.

Glad to have you back Eskaybee! I look forward to your feedback/contributions to the code discussion. I'm sure I'll be playing devil's advocate at some point, but it's all for the greater good, I swear!

I have a Mac, so I'm unable to use the code viewer program, but maybe Dug or some of you other PC users could do a quick sweep through the recent code in the code viewer to see if there are any clues.

PM me with you email addy.

Yes, very suspicious....

You need pro or LE code?