added the new Demolition Man rules update to https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/revisiting-the-classics-new-code-megathread

were there others released that I missed @soren?

soren might I suggest that you use some sort of 3rd party software or something else to track individual game bugs/features/etc? Currently everyone is just dumping their thoughts into this thread and it's all mixed together. It could be as simple as just setting up a project for each game in GitHub with no code, just use it for tracking. That way each game could have it's own feature/bug list, discussions about each issue/topic would be contained with clear history, the community would be able to see issues clearly and keep you from having to answer the same questions repeatedly, there would be a way to know if/when it's completed and what version it's in. If each game is too much then move up a leaf to each MFG.

Trying to track what's been discussed, voted up, down, or fixed by searching through 16 pages of noise appears less than optimal for all parties involved.

edit- I'm aware of the "mega thread" but that's just got all the same issues.

Yeah, everything is tied together for sure. But I think there are targets options that would be sufficiently "neutral" during the mode to make OK add-a-ball goals. Scene Start, for example, cannot start another scene during Hotel Monolith. (It is used in 3 other scenes to collect an accumulated value.)

Anyway it is all academic, I realize the simplest new feature is an enormous amount of work. And even though I like talking about what-ifs and design ideas I don't have a real beef with most games as they are. Bug fixes and scoring imbalances are the less thrilling but noble goals.

One other change request for Shadow, which I forgot to add to my post:

-The ability to set the mode time for the secret laugh mode. Other modes have the ability to edit the length, but not this time, so not sure if it was an oversight.

I apologize to everyone for the hiatus and the cancelled orders. Work/life/health balance was getting out of balance and had to take a step back and focus on family.
The whole chip shortage is not helping any of us either.

I am ramping back up and have reopened my website.

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes!

Thanks for this!, You were sorely missed!

Don't you mean Sorenly?

Ahahahahahaha!

The above would be so great!
Since a few days I'm an owner of a Tales of the Arabian Nights and while it is truly awesome, it could be even better.
With a software update this could be a top 10 pin
I'm sure anyone with a TOTAN would happily buy the new software from you!

On the points from the post above:
1. This is a big reason it is so easy to get to the wizard. While playing I never go for the jewels, but I feel that it should not even be an option in the first place (or has a max amount of 1 or 2). A random award would be nice.
2. I hate that you just have to hit 1 orb or popbumper and hit the ramp after to complete a mode. If you would need 20 popbumpers and 5 orbs or something, the modes would be much more challenging and fun to play.
3. I have not yet tried this, and I won't haha

WhatsApp Image 2022-05-27 at 9.04.27 PM (1) (resized).jpeg

I fully agree that jewels should rarely be awarded from "make a wish". I suggest when the ruby is not lit, the left flipper choice would be the following-- it would be "big points" say 750,000 or so. When ruby is lit I suggest the following progression. 1st) "Light extra ball" (Most games of this era have 3-4 chances for extra ball like AFM) 2nd) ONE jewel 3rd) 5 tiger loops (by this point in the game, I have my eye on 20 tiger loops for the 2nd extra ball from tiger loops 4th) and on "Extra Big Points say 1 million. Just my thoughts. To keep from reworking too much, I would suggest that the choices from the right flipper be unchanged from what they are now. (They blend in pretty nicely with what is going on at the moment).

Sounds great jecase ! Tales of the Arabian Nights has so much potential to be a lot more difficult and even more fun to play

Ive mention this before, TOTAN have so much potential... is a great game, and small changes could improve a lot. soren give it a shot, im happy to help if you need

Doubt this happens considering totan 2.0 is being sold now.

I just make my own to to address the good concerns listed here. For example i never select ruby's I won't collect and shoot the ramp until i hit multiple orbs etc

I did the same when I owned one but still ..

Yeah I do the same: never go for the left reward at make a wish!
The modes could be so much more fun to play though

soren Any chance we will see a TOTAN update someday?

20220601_221755 (resized).jpg

That is assuming the person is willing to roll the dice with Mirco, who will be selling it.

Diferent things, what we are asking is "simple" modifications to existing rules, dont need new modes, etc etc like you have on the 2.0

I had already posted some wish list items for ST:TNG, but as I play it more, there's one more I'd add that would greatly enhance gameplay for me (love it or hate it!):

- An optional mode where missions aren't marked as completed if they time out or otherwise end without collecting an artifact.

Ideally, when in this mode, missions would also end as soon as an artifact is collected for those that currently don't (Rescue, Asteroid Threat, Time Rift). Maybe Q could stay up if Borg multiball is still active even after 5 hits to keep that synergy, but I don't think that'd be a huge loss if it always just ended after getting the artifact as well.

This would greatly reduce top scores, but it'd make getting to the wizard mode a much bigger accomplishment, always with a big score on the line, and would totally eliminate timing out modes intentionally which I believe is the worst aspect of the game. It might make some people rage at their most troublesome missions, but it's still better gameplay than timing out a mission with 30 seconds left instead. And hey, it's just an option!

Some might hate such a mode, but for me personally I think it'd add a lot of long-term enjoyment to the game.

No I understand. My point is that they are trying to make money off 2.0 so I doubt they would permit any modifications to the code now for free regardless of how simple they are.

I'm happy to pay for a few simple modifications to the existing rules
For the 2.0 kit, not so much haha

This is a fantastic idea except for the Q mode. On some machines the Picard Maneuver is damn near impossible, and it's required to finish the mode.

I've been playing The Shadow a lot and I think there are a few things that I'm not sure if they lie in the "bug" or in the "rules modification" category.

One that I think is an outright bug is that it seems odd to me that each battlefield target you hit counts towards a Farley hit. It makes the mode so much easier to complete than the rest of them, which seems odd. I feel like each "hit" should only count as a shot made.

Loop Combo as previously mentioned by yourself and others.

If we're talking modifications to make it score more evenly and play fairer in tournaments, I don't see why the Vengeance mode isn't modifiable. I feel that "Super Vengeance" should only be awarded when you make two LIT shots in row to complete a vengeance round (rather than being able to re-make a previously completed ramp shot and then a lit shot to complete super vengeance). it's too easy to back hand the left ramp into the right ramp, and if you fail, re-trap and do the shot combo again.

Personally I think there could be a modification of how to lite the KHAN Multiball, as fore inlanes seems ludicrously easy. I think it could be neat to see the first khan multiball lite by completing the inlanes once, the second KHAN MB by completing them twice, ect. Same concept could be down with vengeance modes really, as I think vengeance is an extremely unbalanced way to get ahead at this game.

I'll need to rewatch some competition recaps of this game to see how people are screwing other people over with other things here and there to make it more balanced, but as far as software edits. Personally I've never really understood why "super vengeance" isn't in place of "khan multiball" on steps to get to the final battle, but hey, it's printed on an insert so it's set in stone.

Love all the work you do, thank you for all of it.

Yeahh me to...

Hi, if anyone dosn't have the original security chip for their TOM, or wants a security chip which is compatible wit the 1.4H ROM version, check out the Universal Security Chip which can be configured for both ROMs. Yes, one chip for both configurations!

Details available here:

https://gozmod.gozzled.com/usc.html

Documentation can be found here:

https://gozmod.gozzled.com/images/USC_ENG.pdf

All the best

Goz

This looks great! Are there benefits to using this over anypic.exe?

soren Thank you for your work on improving the CFTBL ROM! I'm really excited to install it in my machine when it arrives.

I'm hoping that since you have the source code for the machine perhaps you can answer a long standing question about it that I've never been able to find documented anywhere.

When you look into NVRAM products you sometimes see a note next to CFTBL that says something along the lines of "Music on CFTBL is based on dates and will be affected". This seems to come from a blurb on the CFTBL promotional flyer that says the music "plays on a three-per-day rotation for variety and increased nostalgia appeal". This rotation appears to have never been verified or deciphered.

So, two questions for you:

1) Can you tell us if the rotation was actually implemented and, if so, how it actually works? It would be great to know which songs play on which day in case someone has a favorite they are looking to hear.

2) If you ever make another update to the ROM, can we make this configurable? Perhaps a simple toggle with options for the existing date based rotation or randomized 3 song rotation group per play? Basically keep the existing 3 song combinations but randomly pick one group each play. 3 completely random songs could be another fun option if it were possible too.

Thanks again for your great work on the ROM and any information you can share about this little mystery from the Black Lagoon .

Is here anything on schedule for WMS Indiana Jones?

Is there a list of games with updated software available?

Yes the 2nd post on the first page has a full list of updates that have been done - it is marked a key post although the key post title probably should indicate that it contains the updated list of software updates (rather than just the original 4 games that were released)

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/official-williams-and-bally-software-upgrades#post-5967032

Interesting read, thanks.

Does anyone have a link as to where I can buy the Demolition Man (Vulgar Speech) V7 ROM? The link one the 1st page are just running me around in circles…
Thanks in advance

Looks like the vulgar speech roms may be in the H-6 download on IPDB: https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=662

That may be where I’m getting confused… V7 is H6? It’s very unclear on the purchase sites.

Thank you @soren!

Has getaway been reworked?

Officially - no.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/where-can-i-get-soren-roms-for-getaway#post-6652652

Don’t know what’s possible but for WPC’s that don’t have a auto plunge timer an inactivity timeout ending games would be awesome

For simpsons and police force.... can we get a double your score feature instead of catch up or take high score? (I know simpsons is dataEast but figured I’d ask).

Great work!
Mike

For DE Simpsons, you might what to email Chad over at https://www.pinballcode.com/ , to see if he's got anything in the works.

That’s interesting, it’s highly annoying when people walk away from games in my basement. Seems like TZ and STTNG have sat a lot longer than that though. Pet peeve of mine….

does that work on games with NVRAM that don't keep good time?

That shouldn't affect it. When the game is on the real time clock in the asic is running although the time itself isn't accurate per time of day or date but the elapsed time has to be accurate or the functions on the game that rely on timing which is everything just wouldn't work.

Still too long. Free play nights are pretty much a disaster with WPC’s that won’t auto plunge.

Is it possible to set WPC’s to end the current game(s) even if ball one hasn’t been played by all players with a long start button press?

Asked before but any hope for Funhouse with a option for a ball save? Forget all about FH 2.0. It’s awful .

Well over 6 months since I last asked, so I might as well try again. Are the old updated ROMs that you created years ago ever going to be re-released by PPS? I figured this Taxi fix would have been available by now.