STAR TREK - THE NEXT GENERATION
Quickly, I have read ALL 8 pages on this blog, it's great, and some worthwhile modifications are posted about STTNG.
YES, I have what I believe is the latest version, LX-7. And have seen the mysterious L-8 and L-9 in people's machine, but have NO idea what those are.

Here is my SUGGESTION, which may be a more BASIC modification to the game code, than other suggestions.

MORE TIME to fire the cannons! This is a huge problem. The default is like 5 seconds and during multi-ball, using the cannons isn't possible.
Instead of 5 seconds, possibly make the default 30 seconds before the ball is spit out onto the playfield. Then the machine was out in public locations, getting lots of plays was what made money, turnover. The more time someone was playing a single game for a quarter, the less money was being generated.

In a HOME environment, this completely different. With additional mods like adding the Lasers, which are fun to see. OR an inexperienced player doesn't even have time to use the cannons. Two digits of code to change the time. Of course menu selection and stuff would be fantastic, however something basic would make the game way better.

Who wouldn't want more time to aim??? Nobody.
Thoughts?

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CANNON TIMING

If you play hundreds of games, understand every time aspect of the machine, everything becomes easy.. I wasn't talking about making it easy (for me)
Much like all the other "selectable" modifications in the MENU, it would be nice to have that, or a setting to choose the time given.

If people want the game to be hard, turn OFF the Buy In Option.... Some people have that on, and just keep playing.. Sure, you'll to levels you've never seen before, but isn't that the EASY WAY?

If I wanted to do the Picard Move and actually get to the 9.9 Warp, that would be a way to do it. Shooting the cannons with more than a random chance seems like challenge all of it's own.

SUGGESTIONS??
Sound like a lot of frustrated people on here, hating on suggestions to improve a game....for ALL players, experienced or not.
Why not add ALL the best suggestions, instead or worrying if some will be chosen over others. I don't care to see the "Say NO to Drugs" screen, can't we get that turned off???

The menu gives you presets and selections to change the difficulty of the game play, so if you're really good, change those....An adjustment to the length of time to extend the Cannon Shoot time is NOT a new feature, it SHOULD be a setting. (you can turn them off if broke, right). Adding a SETTING is worth doing for LESS experienced players (not referring to me) but family members who decide to enjoy family time.

Game Scores being wrong, heck yeah, fix all of that.. Honestly haven't looked into that, as I am not in competition with anyone.
Anyone ever wonder why the DATA EAST Star Wars has a T-Bar and Button for the launcher?? IT DOES NOTHING. It was for a feature never completed in the program, but it was in the build design and put on the machine. Worthless. Talked the programmer himself. That is a real complaint for a feature never upgraded in the ROMS.

Do you know some Demolition Man machines are suppose to give you higher scores using the handles? Maybe. Not always.

Embrace the diverse suggestions from the diverse people all embracing something great, Pinball, which nearly 10 years ago, died. Feeling of running a person down for suggestions, or saying they are worthless, is a bit selfish.... But I guess we all are sometimes.

TRANQUILIZE
no you aren't missing anything here. Not everyone has the same knowledge and skill levels playing pinball. That makes them bad. Too many times I see family members frustrated because they play a machine, not really knowing what to do. They don't even know they have selections to make, like in STTNG, before you launch the ball.

One pass on the Cannon, they are not even aware that feature is active. However sure, the can fire the ball. It's sad everyone doesn't encourage family activities as much. Guess it's an age thing. Do you think I play HALO with my kids so I can be in competition? Heck no. That doesn't mean I should become frustrate as I get killed all the time. It's about spending time.

If a tweak or setting in a LONG WAITED FOR ROM update, and improve something. Why not. Sorry everyone on this page doesn't understand

SOREN, STTNG

Anything you decide to do for the Star Trek, Next Generation, I will purchase from you. Because of your experience, judgement, time and effort improving this classic machine, will only make it better. I'm keeping my machine and will continue to enhance and improve it.

I am not a coder or programmer, so I can't imagine the hours and hours it takes, however hopefully speaking for everyone, and their machines, you are appreciated.

STTNG
* If it's a "easy" thing to add a delay to the auto firing cannons after 3 revolutions, it would be fantastic. Currently working on something with will blow people away when they see it. The great plays (not me) won't care, and the others will love it.
* I understand the are worthwhile issues to be addressed with the scoring and rewarding of gameplay....sounds great.
* Not sure if it's been addressed in the 9 pages of this blog, but is there a software issue when a ball gets lost (NO guys, all the optos everywhere have been replaced, including 90% of all the boards. It's not that, just a flaky thing I have seen. Maybe it's my machine...ok

anyway, thats my 2 cents. Thank you for reading this, and keeping pinball GREAT!

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Actually how it works: if the MARK switch is OPEN because of miss adjustment, or broken, the cannon will rotate 3 revolutions until spitting out the ball and then "STAY" exactly in the "mid rotation position", forever, until the game is turned off. However if before the ball is ejected by the machine, in other words fired by the player, it will return home. The machine program expects to see the MARK switch triggered, or the gameplay and machine becomes confused. The machine will not feed balls to that cannon, etc.

So if someone is making a menu SETTING on the machine for standard operation (one cycle), or some preset number of rotations, why does anyone care??? Keep your machine on the standard setting. It's a switch. If you had "carefully read" what I wrote, there is a MOD which I am developing which will make this multi rotation cool, and practical for less experienced players.

Why worries if it makes the game easier? Do you have your machine on 3 ball, with no buy-in? bet you don't. So is Soren can alter a setting, while fixing the upper level game scoring, or making the shuttle mod random, why are you a critic for something like that? Keep the "switch" or "setting" how you like it.

Enough said on the topic, STTNG menus are more in depth than most machines, as far as controlling features of the game, I just appreciate the fact someone is interested in revisiting a machine on a programming level.

My cannons operate fast; From first activation to final resting, 4.5 seconds! Timed them. I have actually tested the Cannons and switches every way possible. If you "disable" the MARK switch, the Cannon will cycle (3) times without spitting the ball out, then stop. The game will ignore the cannon from then on, until the game is physically restarted.

It has to be a programming code telling the cannons how MANY revolutions or cycles to perform before stopping. Also, some programming which fires the ball (without player intervention). This is a low level coil activation which spits the ball out automatically.

As mentioned, then the MARK switch is removed from the system, more time is given for firing the cannons, UNTIL they are shut down halfway through a revolution.

I have been reading everyone's STTNG software update ideas, all good. Anything which helps this great game is fantastic.
Honestly, I am not a great player, so many of the scoring suggested improvements I have not encountered.
Posted previously are several suggestions, for more of a "Home Use" and "average player".

These would be in the MENU, and not affect gameplay for advanced players.
* Cannon Operation "Normal" (works as it currently does - out and back then auto fires) or "EXTENDED" where they have multiple revolutions before auto firing. 3 or unlimited.

Not to argue with anyone on here about whether this is important over fixing scoring issues, it's not. However this allows for less experienced players to actually put effort into aiming at targets rather than just firing at anything.

* Borg Engagement Time - possibly a setting allowing for a longer battle with the Borg (again, a MENU setting only). There are settings for other aspects of the game. Just an idea.

Appreciate anything which comes out for an upgrade, and will be purchasing it. Looking forward with excitement.

Hey everyone. Any news or forecast on possible coding work related to STTNG?

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I recently observed the game code CX-96 on a Star Trek Next Generation pin at a local arcade. The machine had other issues with a coil locked on, so it wasn't playable. thoughts on what that code is related to?

In addition, and sorry if this topic has been asked before. Is there a good resource for learning more about coding or updating the code? Soren is the number one resource for sure this extremely specific skill. thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Is there information on the STTNG LX8 Rom release?