Some slow-mo spinner testing. Just get it gapped so the arm barely touches the other contact.
I wasn’t able to really rip it with my finger while holding the camera, but this test was 60 spins. So I think I’m good to go.
(Topic ID: 326604)
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Decided to try some playfield touchups with a black acrylic paint pen. Never attempted this before. Cleaned to playfield first with some simple green & light scrubbing with a magic eraser. This is to get some of the dirt out of the swirls in the playfield, but don’t rub so hard that you’re removing paint. Then it got a Naptha wipdown.
I’d say it turned out pretty good. I’ll have to see what it looks like after it dries. Just have to go slow. Some before & after photos. I did not feel like attempting to rattle clear over this. Too many more hours of work. I’m just going to wax it well to protect.
AEA75DC3-1D54-493E-8743-EEDEC44378F8 (resized).jpeg6732B129-7965-40DD-A4CC-AC0C1EE7B7C4 (resized).jpeg06DFB7CA-3F21-445A-B0A3-497ECCC040F5 (resized).jpeg29E409A3-3ED6-47DD-AAD4-E55EFDCDC372 (resized).jpeg32BB29EE-A0B8-426B-B929-C04A4CB9FEE0 (resized).jpegC186571E-A12A-4747-AA4D-466C341613A0 (resized).jpeg7F3A57DE-57E8-4E65-8850-70D11C56F6EF (resized).jpeg102E885C-029B-476A-B1C2-A2B2AEBC4873 (resized).jpeg9917046E-BA89-44B4-A5F8-F1FF59FB1875 (resized).jpeg846C0A5C-4903-44B4-BB50-8352705E6B47 (resized).jpeg00ACDB06-50CB-4A1D-BCE2-B125F895D17C (resized).jpegA907BE07-F8A7-420A-9ACF-F73E7F3D6FC8 (resized).jpegQuoted from HoakyPoaky:Decided to try some playfield touchups with a black acrylic paint pen.
I have done this on the inserts like you show - shine a bright light from underneath the PF to make sure you don't get any showing through the black line. Might take a coupe of coats.
Waxed the PF today. This is my favorite brand. I’ll will admit I saw a bit of the black I applied yesterday come up from raised edges of some of the inserts. Was it too cold for the paint to adhere in 24 hours? Did I rub too hard when removing the wax? Should I have sealed it with 2K clear?
Probably all three. But still looks better than it did before. I just need to keep moving forward.
4849DDB5-DD08-44F0-BC3B-63B94742DC34 (resized).jpegDE22DA71-327A-43F5-AE7A-BAA4468F7BD4 (resized).jpegSo I need to run the two additional feature lamps for the new rules being added. So I removed one of the GI sockets at the rear left of the playfield that I’ll run that wiring through. You can see the socket marked here.
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So here’s how I ran the wiring for adding the 7th digit…
Tools of the trade. You’ll need 22g wire, and I used the purple I had on hand since that color isn’t used in the display wiring. You’ll also need 0.156 Trifuricon 22-26g contacts, and 18-20g when you’re crimping two wires together. You’ll also need a 0.100 contact when pinning to the MPU housing.
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You’ll need to run the wiring to Pin 12 of each player display (skip the 6-digit credit display), then run the wire to MPU J1 Pin 7. Here’s a closer look. Crimp using a good tool & trifuricon contacts so you don’t have to worry.
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And here’s how I ran the wire on the backboard. It’s all tied up nicely.
Quoted from HoakyPoaky:Decided to try some playfield touchups with a black acrylic paint pen.
I also recently tried this, but used an oil based paint pen. No clear afterward; just trying to make inserts look a bit better. So far, no bleed on cloth after waxing and holding up. I realize this will not last for ever, but it is way better than it was before.
Quoted from Skidave:I also recently tried this, but used an oil based paint pen. No clear afterward; just trying to make inserts look a bit better. So far, no bleed on cloth after waxing and holding up. I realize this will not last for ever, but it is way better than it was before.
I'm thinking the paint didn't fully cure before I waxed. It's been like 40 degrees in my garage for months. I can always retouchup later when it warms up.
Playfield installed & everything booting up fine. Displays are all working as well. Just need to do a few tweaks to the drops & other adjustments & then should be ready to test the ALIF-76 code.
I also added an LED strip near the saucer. That area was just too dark for me. Added apron strip as usual too. Trying the low bounce titan flipper rubber this time. Curious how it plays.
1 week later
Quoted from Quench:Don't forget to move the G.I flash relay to a constant coil drive. Q17 that goes to J5 pin 7 is a good choice making it simply a matter of moving the relay wire from SDB J5 pin 14 to J5 pin 7. No more dead pop-bumpers and dead slingshots while the G.I. is flashing.
Quench So I did some testing on this issue today & I wanted your thoughts…
On my game, the default GI flash relay is wired just like you said. It’s the orange wire that runs to SDB J5-Pin14-Q11.
I was going to move that wire to J5-Pin7-Q17 like you suggested, but I did some switch testing of the pops & slings while the GI relay was actively flashing.
They worked fine. The pops & slings weren’t dead when the relay was working.
So I guess I’ll just leave that wire at the default position. Am I missing something?
26EA596C-61E7-4730-88AC-31C6D4FC88F4 (resized).jpegQuoted from HoakyPoaky:@Quench So I did some testing on this issue today & I wanted your thoughts…
I think slochar said he was going to use a different approach code wise to prioritise the pop-bumpers/slingshots over the G.I relay if it was active. If that's the case and you don't notice the pops/slings being dead then you can leave it as is.
When I was playing around with an Ali two months ago, dead pops/slings were very noticeable while the G.I was flashing so I was suggesting to change the transistor driving the G.I relay similar to how Galaxy has it set up which doesn't have the issue.
Quoted from Quench:I think slochar said he was going to use a different approach code wise to prioritise the pop-bumpers/slingshots over the G.I relay if it was active. If that's the case and you don't notice the pops/slings being dead then you can leave it as is.
When I was playing around with an Ali two months ago, dead pops/slings were very noticeable while the G.I was flashing so I was suggesting to change the transistor driving the G.I relay similar to how Galaxy has it set up which doesn't have the issue.
Ok is see. Well if Slochar wants me to move it to pin 7 that’s easy enough. But I’ll just leave it where it is for now.
Today was getting the final kinks out of the playfield.
One of the things we noticed was the A-L-I saucer kicker mech was launching the ball high, right into the edge of the pop cap. It appears the default J-28-2300 coil is too strong. So for now, I added an additional 2nd spring to the plunger, hoping to limit the throw strength from the mech.
See the before & after video. Now it lands into the pop skirt & there’s more action at the top of the pops. I suppose I could replace the coil with a weaker one, but I’ll have to figure out the right one.
Other things addressed…
1) Both drop banks had issues with the targets falling upon reset. I used the Marco Ali set, which really weren’t very flat. So a stronger spring was added to each drop to hold them against the drop ledge, and the switches were adjusted. They seem to be working much better. I was tempted to order Swinks tombstone targets which everyone seems to like, but I’ll see how these adjusted targets work for now.
2) This game is really fast. Lots of long shots & quick ball movement from the pops. I noticed the pops sometimes wouldn’t fire on strong fast shots from the flippers. Also noticed fast shots over the outlane rollovers weren’t registering all the time. So I added capacitors to the pop switches & at the rollovers. Seems to be working much better.
3) Looked at the schematics & determined where to run the additional bell wiring. I’ll post photos once I get that done.
4) Burned the v75 rom to the eprom. I will begin testing as soon as I get the wiring done.
5) Changed the gels on the displays. Just wasn’t digging the purple on the player displays, it was too dark IMO. So I changed them to yellow & the credit to magenta.
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Monroe Township, NJ
Another fix
Ball was having trouble coming into the shooter lane, bouncing off the guard & then resting in the apron opening. I had this problem on my Quicksilver too & this solution fixed it.
Added a few thin plastic washers under the upper arm of the metal trough guide. If the ball bounces back, the raised arm will make the ball drop to the shooter rod.
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1 week later
So here’s how I ran the wiring for separate the boxing bell…
SDB: A3-J2-Pin6-Q16
Rect: A2-J2-Pin2
You’ll need 22g wire, and I used green & grey I had on hand. You’ll also need 0.156 Trifuricon 22-26g contacts, and 18-20g when you’re crimping two wires together. I also used various 0.93 Molex connectors & pins to make disconnection easy for the bell, or if the head needs to be completely removed.
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Starting with the solenoid coil, the banded side of the diode goes to the power source, which is the green wire. Run this green wire to J2-Pin2 of the Rectifier board in the lower cab. You’ll need to re-pin with the existing wire that’s already in the pin (which supplies power to the original knocker).
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Run the grey wire on the other side of the coil back up through the cabinet & into the head, securing & zip trying to existing cab wiring as you go. I used a small 0.62 Molex housing for easy disconnect if needed. This wire runs to the SDB J2-Pin6-Q16.
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So here’s how I ran the wiring for the two additional controlled lamps for the new scoring features.
LDB: J1-Pin5-Q24 —— Multiplied Saucer Collect Ready
So I had a lot of thought about this. I was going to alter the plastics, drill holes, mount permanent bulbs & create new plastics with writing to explain what the bulbs indicated. I decided against all that, since these Ali plastics are so rare. I added the bulbs so they could be easily removed if needed. I’ll write a new apron place card that specifically mentions all the new rules instead.
You’ll need 22g wire, and I used red & white, as well as blue. You’ll also need 0.100 contacts for the J1 housing. And I also used matrix wedge sockets & Comet colored lens indicator bulbs.
I ran the white wire to LDB-J1-Pin5
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I ran it along the playfield harness, securing along the way. I ran it up towards the saucer, securing to the playfield via staples, and ran it behind the rear standup. I also soldered a blue 22g wire to the playfield controlled lamp bus braid, and ran that wire up to the socket as well. I used shrink wrap to keep the wiring clean at the hole.
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I took a matrix wedge socket & removed the pre-excising wiring. Bent the angle of the mounting bracket. I soldered the new wiring to the socket, and used shrink wrap to protect.
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I used a spacer & longer hex screw to mount to the saucer bracket. The original plastic fit right over it & did not need to be altered. Easy mount & easy for the player to clearly see.
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This bulb is not coded yet, but I did test for continuity with my multimeter, both from the lamp bus braid & at J1-Pin5. It is wired correctly & good to go.
So here’s how I ran the wiring for the other controlled lamp for the new scoring features.
LDB: J1-Pin24-Q1 —— Double Spinner Scoring Active
I ran the red wire to LDB-J1-Pin24
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Same as the other bulb wiring. Run it along the PF harness, then across the back of the playfield & through the hole I created earlier when I removed one of the GI sockets. Run another blue wire to a convenient lamp bus braid & run this through the hole as well.
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Same soldering as the previous socket. You can pass the wiring behind the plastic & bounce back rubber. Then mount the socket. This bulb is working in the lamp test, even though it’s not programmed yet. I’m a little confused about that, but I haven’t looked at the schematic either.
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Quoted from play_pinball:Nice, I was thinking I’ll use a Gottlieb bell setup from Pinball Resource when I get around to this. Thanks for documenting the wiring process.
[quoted image]
Any bell would work, it just won’t have the tone of a boxing bell. There are cheaper ringside bells on Amazon that would work too.
I'm ready to begin testing 
I installed the v7.6 code on the Weebly board last night. I was able to print the latest ReadMe file today (which states v7.5) & I've been reading all the changes you've made so far. I will get my adjustments & dip switches dialed in & report back.
I had some more thoughts over the last couple weeks while playtesting the original code, but I'll hold off mentioning until I can test v7.6 & get familiar with the changes so far.
WHAT I'VE DONE:
- installed 7-digit displays
- added controlled lamp for new spinner rule to LDB: J1-Pin24-Q1
- added controlled lamp for new saucer rule to LDB: J1-Pin5-Q24
- added separate Bell knocker to SDB: J2-Pin6-Q16
WHAT I HAVEN'T DONE:
- moved the GI Flash Relay to a constant coil drive
Do you want me to move SDB: J5-Pin14 to the constant coil drive at J5-Pin7? I didn't want to move that wire until I heard back from you.
HoakyPoaky This is awesome, thank you documenting and sharing this with us! Hope to see it at GSPF this year!
I recently acquired a Stern Ali and have noticed the tilt bob is not registering. Is there a setting or switch that controls the tilt warnings? I'm thinking perhaps someone has turned them off on my machine. Curious what the solution may be as I'm not too familiar with this era of Sterns.
Quoted from CashMoney:HoakyPoaky This is awesome, thank you documenting and sharing this with us! Hope to see it at GSPF this year!
I recently acquired a Stern Ali and have noticed the tilt bob is not registering. Is there a setting or switch that controls the tilt warnings? I'm thinking perhaps someone has turned them off on my machine. Curious what the solution may be as I'm not too familiar with this era of Sterns.
Yes it will be at GSPF for sure!
Quoted from HoakyPoaky:This bulb is not coded yet, but I did test for continuity with my multimeter, both from the lamp bus braid & at J1-Pin5. It is wired correctly & good to go.
So this new saucer lamp was not working during the lamp test. It was bothering me because I knew I wired it correctly. So I had a friend look at it tonight.
Long story short….. the new socket is wired to J1-Pin5, controlled by Q24. A quick look determined that Q24 was blown on the Weebly LDB. So it was replaced with a comparable transistor on hand, since we didn’t have a surface mount style.
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But it blew for a reason and we doubled checked my wiring…. then discovered my boner move. In an effort to keep things clean, I used my staple gun (that I usually use to secure braid wiring) to staple the socket wiring. In doing so, the staple dug too deep into the wires, creating a short across them, and blowing out Q24. Doh! Lesson learned.
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So the staples were removed, the transistor was replaced, and now the socket is working. Pretty sure all the functional & mechanical gremlins are out of the game now. Glad that got figured out. Time to get down to code testing.
57941F22-865D-42E1-915C-9E41A2FF2DD5.jpegTip for replacing blown out SCRs on that board if you don't want to do any desoldering... You only have to cut two legs on the bigger ones to electrically isolate the bad part. Then the tab can be left soldered on the board.
It is possible to cut two legs of the smaller SOT23 SCRs as well, but you needs some nice and sharp snips. A blob of solder on a chisel tip over top the SOT23 part will usually get it loose to pick up with tweezers or just get it stuck to your wand iron.
Quoted from barakandl:Tip for replacing blown out SCRs on that board if you don't want to do any desoldering... You only have to cut two legs on the bigger ones to electrically isolate the bad part. Then the tab can be left soldered on the board.
It is possible to cut two legs of the smaller SOT23 SCRs as well, but you needs some nice and sharp snips. A blob of solder on a chisel tip over top the SOT23 part will usually get it loose to pick up with tweezers or just get it stuck to your wand iron.
Thank you for the tip! Yeah next time I'll just cut the legs & leave it on the board. I love your products though! That was definitely my fault.
Quoted from slochar:Try out the GI relay in the current position and make sure getting the skill shot or spelling greatest doesn't make the pops or other solenoids non-responsive. They might be fine; but to test the other dip, move the wire.
Ok I'll put it on my list of things to check
Now I can begin documenting the testing I’ve done. Just so we’re on the same page, I wanted to note the DIP game feature settings I’ll be using, and if the DIP is set to ON or OFF. This is how I have the game set for testing.
DIP6 - HIGH SCORE REPLAY - ON
DIP7 - 3 BALLS GAME - OFF
DIP8 - AWARD INTERVAL/20 SPINNER SPECIAL - ON
DIP15 - SKILL SHOT - ON
DIP16 - ??????? - ON
DIP18 - ??????? - ON
DIP19 - DOUBLE SPINNER SCORING AFTER 5X DROP COMPLETION - ON
DIP22 - SPECIAL REPLAY LIMIT - ON
DIP23 - SPECIAL LITE SET TO ROTATE = OFF
DIP24 - # OF TIMES GREATEST/ALI NEEDED TO LIGHT SPECIAL (ONCE EACH) - ON
DIP25 - LETTER AWARD SET TO ONCE PER T SWITCH - OFF
DIP26 - EXTRA BALLS - ON
DIP31 & DIP32 - SPECIAL AWARD SET TO 100K - 31ON & 32OFF
I’m working off the READ ME file zipped with v7.6
1) the original code ties DIP15 & DIP16 together for the High Game Feature to date award. I know this setting has been moved to the adjustments. Your v7.6 code changes DIP15 to the SKILL SHOT ON/OFF setting. So what is DIP16 used for now?
2) the original code ties DIP18 & DIP19 together for Maximum Credit settings. Your v7.6 code changes DIP19 to DOUBLE SPINNER SCORING ON/OFF. So what is DIP18 used for now?
I’m assuming DIP16 & DIP18 are currently open for future usage.
Here are the adjustment settings I’ll be using.
ADJUSTMENT 01 - 1ST THRESHOLD HIGH SCORE
ADJUSTMENT 02 - 2ND THRESHOLD HIGH SCORE
ADJUSTMENT 03 - 3RD THRESHOLD HIGH SCORE
ADJUSTMENT 04 - CURRENT HIGH SCORE TO DATE
ADJUSTMENT 05 - CURRENT CREDITS
ADJUSTMENT 06 - TOTAL PLAYS
ADJUSTMENT 07 - TOTAL REPLAYS
ADJUSTMENT 08 - TOTAL TIMES HIGH SCORE IS PASSED
ADJUSTMENT 09 - COINS THROUGH CHUTE 2
ADJUSTMENT 10 - COINS THROUGH CHUTE 1
ADJUSTMENT 11 - COINS THROUGH CHUTE 3
ADJUSTMENT 12 - TOTAL BALLS PLAYED
ADJUSTMENT 13 - TOTAL EXTRA BALLS AWARDED
ADJUSTMENT 14 - TOTAL SPECIALS AWARDED
ADJUSTMENT 15 - TO CLEAR HIGH SPINS TO DATE, HIT CLEAR BUTTON ON COINDOOR
ADJUSTMENT 16 - ALL REPLAYS FROM SCORE???
ADJUSTMENT 17 - # OF CREDITS AWARDED FOR EXCEEDING HSTD. RANGE 00–05
ADJUSTMENT 18 - # OF MAX CREDITS. RANGE 00-99. WHEN SET TO 00 = FREE PLAY
ADJUSTMENT 19 - (FUTURE USAGE)
ADJUSTMENT 20 - BELL CONTROL
00 = ORIGINAL SOUND. ONCE @ START, 2X @ BALL END
01 = ORIGINAL KNOCKER. ONCE @ START, 3X @ BALL END
02 = NEW BOXING BELL.
ADJUSTMENT 21 - (FUTURE USAGE)
ADJUSTMENT 22 - (FUTURE USAGE)
Issues:
1) ADJUSTMENT 20: I have this set to 02. But the bell is ringing 3X at ball end, and 3X at ball start. 3X at ball end is fine (symbolizes down for the count), but 3X at ball start is too many. Can you revisit the code and make the bell fire once at ball start on 02?
2) FUTURE USAGE: I’m badly in need of an adjustment setting that resets all GREATEST, ALI and MULTIPLIER progress after each ball. It honestly is not difficult to relight these features through normal gameplay, and should be reset after a ball drain to make the game more challenging, especially in a tournament setting. Forcing the player to relight gives them an initial task to do, and if completed, opens opportunities for bigger scoring chances (via the new rules). The saucer Bonus resets after every ball by default, so that is fine.
3) FUTURE USAGE: Can you create a new adjustment (or use one of the open DIP switches) for a setting regarding Extra Balls? I would like to see a setting that allows only one extra ball per game vs one extra ball per ball. I feel like one extra ball per game is enough, and there is no current setting that limits how many can be achieved.
3) Your READ ME file has an error in the changes section, which says adjustment 19 controls the # of max credits. I believe this adjustment is actually adjustment 18. You might want to fix that in the read me file.
Quoted from slochar:dip 18 is the saucer countdown multiplied vs. not (v77)
dip 16, nothing yet
Ok I will talk to you about that DIP18 idea after I report the bugs I found.
download v68/78 from http://tsqmadness.com/slochar/ZIP/
corrected 2 branching errors re: the triple bell vs single (was always intended to be single.... bad cut n paste on my part)
the other branching error is in the spinner ending mode (which is what checks the 5x). I was not checking the 5x correctly blinking (well, reacting to it, anyway).
The blinking GI thing is something Quench noticed, when you complete GREATEST and it's firing the GI like mad, that's when the slings and pops timeout. So you might want to check that as well.
Quoted from slochar:The blinking GI thing is something Quench noticed, when you complete GREATEST and it's firing the GI like mad, that's when the slings and pops timeout. So you might want to check that as well.
Oh you mean during The GI flashing after spelling GREATEST & then the Extra ball sequenced starts at the u-turn.
I will check & get back to you on that. Yes it does flash for a long time during that moment.
3 weeks later
Just a quick update if anyone is wondering….. we’ve been working hard on code testing & getting things dialed in for the last 3 weeks. Getting really close now! Still on schedule for the GSPF show in 2 weeks
Wanted to show this as well. I used clear shrink wrap & my heat gun to secure the bulbs in the sockets of the new added lamps. This way they will never fall out. That bulb at the saucer rattled out of the socket quite a lot during testing.
IMG_3232.jpegIMG_3233.jpeg 1 week later
Finally able to give a great update! After a month of testing by myself & multiple code updates by Slochar, we've finally got an updated code version that is ready for the GSPF show in less than 2 weeks. I'm really excited to see people try this new code & provide feedback on it. I think that we have greatly improved this game, by adding DIP settings & feature adjustments that should have been included in the base code, along with some exciting new rules that changes how a player will approach the game. It is a much better tournament game now IMO.
And since another ALI with base code will be in the IPFA Tournament at GPSF, the show will provide a good opportunity to compare the new features with the base game. So if you play both games, come find me & tell me what you think!
-------------------------------------------------
So if you've been following the thread, you know the hardware improvements I've done so far. But here is a basic summary of the added features:
1) FREEPLAY: Game can be set to freeplay via Adjustment setting.
2) 7-DIGIT DISPLAYS: Base code fully supports 7-digits! No more score rollovers!
3) 8-INCH BOXING BELL: New solenoid & bell added for authentic ringside sound! Added bell settings allow bell to ring after ball drain & at ball start, while still using stock knocker for replay credits. Can be adjusted via new setting.
4) CONTROLLED LAMPS: New lamps at spinner/saucer indicate new features! BLUE lamp added at spinner U-Turn, YELLOW lamp added at Uppercut saucer. Recommend using Comet Colored Lense lamps for vibrant color & easy visual indicator for player.
5) SKILL SHOT: Before plunge, there is a moving flashing A-L-I letter. Landing ball into flashing saucer will flash GI relay & score 100K skill shot. Any other switch hit will turn skill shot off. This feature can be turned off via new DIP setting.
6) SPINNER COUNT: # of spins is shown on the Ball in Play display during the game. If the spinner stops on any interval of 20, it will award 100K. This award can be turned off via new DIP setting. High Spinner Score to Date is shown on Player 4 display during attract mode. This number can be cleared independent of HSTD via an adjustment setting.
7) EXTRA BALL LIMIT: Coding space limited how this could setting could be implemented. But now EBs earned can now be limited to 1 per Ball, or multiple per ball via new DIP setting. If set to 1 per ball, then additional EB earned during that ball will score 50K instead. EBs can still be completely turned off via original DIP setting.
8 ) DIFFICULTY SETTINGS: The default code had no adjustment for adjusting the game difficulty. All progress would carry over to next ball. Now this can be adjusted via an adjustment setting.
EASY: All game progress (GREATEST, ALI, Multipliers, Star value) carries to next ball
MED: GREATEST progress carries, 2X/4K spotted at drops, ALL other progress resets.
HARD: ALL game progress resets
There are 2 things that do not apply to these settings: Bonus Value always resets at end of ball (like it did in the base code), and lit Special will be carried over to next ball if uncollected (to avoid an EB collect issue).
9) DOUBLE SPINNER SCORING: This is an important new feature! After getting the 5X multiplier lit, every time the TOP drop bank is downed, it will blink the BLUE lamp at the SPINNER U-TURN for XX SECONDS. The timer can be adjusted via an adjustment setting. Hit the spinner HURRYUP shot while the BLUE lamp is BLINKING for 4K per spin DOUBLE SCORING!
The value of double spinner scoring will vary from individual games, depending on how well the spinner is functioning. A good greased spinner should average between 40-60 spins per rip, meaning double spinner rips could be worth anywhere from 160K-240K, making the spinner very valuable in the new code.
10 ) KNOCKOUT PUNCH: This is another important new feature, which also involves the spinner! Hitting the spinner at anytime will blink the YELLOW lamp at the UPPERCUT saucer for XX SECONDS. The timer can be adjusted via an adjustment setting. Hitting the saucer HURRYUP while the is lamp BLINKING will flash GI relay & award the Bonus Value x Multiplier, plus an additional 100K KNOCKOUT points! So to be clear:
--- In the base code, hitting the saucer at anytime would award the bonus value (up to 28K) x the lit multiplier (up to 5x), for a maximum 140K. In the base code, this was a simple rinse & repeat strategy for players to keep collecting the most valued shot in the game.
--- In the new code, hitting the saucer while the yellow lamp is UNLIT will award the bonus value (up to 28K). Hitting the saucer while the yellow lamp is LIT will award the bonus value (up to 28K) x the lit multiplier (up to 5X) plus an additional 100K. So if you want to score big points at the saucer now, you have to hit the spinner first to light the timed hurryup shot.
With this new code, we wanted changes to make the spinner U-Turn shot a more important part of the game.
It's a very long fun shot, but in the base code, there was practically no reason to shoot the spinner, unless you were trying to collect an EB. Now it is a critical part of scoring & changes the entire strategy of the game. You must shoot the spinner to light the saucer, and you must shoot the TOP drops after achieving 5X multiplier to light Double spinner scoring. Plus these shots are now TIMED, so they are hurryup shots, which are not easy to make, so the player is rewarded well if they are collected.
11) KNOCKOUT COMBO: This combines the Double spinner & big point saucer rules into a big payoff.
If a player quickly completes both the timed spinner & saucer HURRYUP shots while the lamps are BLINKING they can get some really BIG POINTS! In testing this was really hard to pull off.... down the TOP drops, shoot the lit spinner, make lit saucer all within 7 seconds. But if you do, you're getting approx 240K at spinner & 240K at saucer within 7 seconds. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee right?!?! It sure is satisfying if you do it!
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TIMER & DIFFICULTY ADVICE:
The whole key to the game is the timed hurry-ups, which can be adjusted from 6 to 18 seconds in the adjustments. You can make this game too easy if you set the timer length for too long. After much playtesting, I recommended setting the spinner lamp (ADJUST22 = 25) for 9 seconds, and the saucer lamp (ADJUST21 = 06) for 7 seconds. That will give you just enough time to get the ball under control to line up one attempt at a lit shot. You don't want to set these timers to 18 seconds each, because it would be way too easy to collect.
I also suggest making the difficulty setting (ADJUST19) to 02. This is medium difficulty. Carrying over all progress on EASY mode is just like the base code, and it's far too easy to collect big points. The HARD setting is absolutely brutal, as everything resets after a drain. Medium is just right.
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GAME STRATEGY:
These new rules have fundamentally changed the way the game is played. It's no longer about spelling GREATEST, getting the star value to 10K & get multiplier to 5X.....then since all those things carry over in the base code.... players spend the rest of the game just collecting the max saucer bonus (140K) & sweeping the LT drops (90K) over & over & over. It's repetitive, and really the only places to score points the rest of the game once everything has been lit. We wanted to make it better & more challenging for the player, with a tournament mentality to scoring.
On the new code, you still have to focus on spelling GREATEST, getting the star value to 10K & get multiplier to 5X. But you have to do it every ball now, since the star & multiplier reset after a drain. This is a good thing IMO, and gives the player tasks they must accomplish on every ball before big points can be earned via the hurry-ups.
When you get the Star to 10K & the multiplier to 5X on your ball, that's when things get really interesting! The pressure starts building! Because you can't collect a lit big point multiplied hurry-up saucer unless you hit the spinner first. And you can't start double spinner scoring unless your multiplier is at 5X. These shots are long & if missed it adds randomness to the ball, especially if if gets into the pops. You don't want the ball getting out of control when you've worked so hard to get everything ready to collect the Hurry-up shots.
So now there's added pressure for the player that simply just did NOT exist in the base code. You need to light those hurry-up shots, and then execute your shot, all within the brief amount of time. This is what Ali was really missing & it's a much better game now IMO.
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FINAL WORD:
The code needs further testing among a variety of players at this point, to check at see if the new point values we assigned are balanced between the different shots, and if they might be exploited by top players. As I said earlier, the timers on the hurryup are the key to the whole game now. I think I've picked the correct amount of time (7 & 9 seconds) for a competitive feel to the game. I'll find out more at GSPF.
I should also add that I'm working on new rule cards, an updated DIP switch assignment chart, and updated Self-Test Adjustment chart that I'll post later.
I'm sure someone might be reading this thinking...... well I have an ALI & these new rules sounds great, but I'd still like the capability to switch between the base code & this updated version. Is that possible?
Well if you have a Weebly MPU, then yes it's pretty simple. You simply move the jumper pin on the MPU to run the preloaded ALI base code, instead from the expansion ROM slot. Then you move the DIPs & set the adjustments to match the base code rules you want. It's as simple as that. The displays will run at 6-digit scoring, the game will revert to only using the original knocker, and the added controlled lamps won't function & can be ignored.
I'm also planning on doing a Live Steam of my updated code Ali with RenoPinball at some point after GSPF. I'll post here when we are getting close to streaming.
That way anyone who is thinking about doing this code update can see for yourself how the new code plays.
Awesome! I don't have an Ali, but I have a pin buddy that has one. I really enjoy this game and this new rule combo is fantastic. I hope you receive good feedback from the tournament.
Created DIP switch settings for my game. This allows for an easy reference inside the backbox, if you wanted to switch from the new code back to base code for any reason. It can get confusing since the 2 codes have different DIP assignments.
The level thresholds on the new code were just set on intervals of 1 million, since the game will be on free play. That way when you hear the knock you know you just passed a million points.
I removed all 5 ball references, since I will never play my game on 5 ball, either at home or in tournament settings.
DIP Settings 3BALL BASE CODE.pngDIP Settings 3BALL NEW CODE.png 1 week later
Silly me! The game was setup for 4 days & I forgot to take a photo! Had to grab this screen cap from a video I saw. We had a nice little RARE classic Stern lineup at the show. Viper, Big Game, Cue, Cheetah & Ali all in a row There was also a Dragonfist & 9-Ball, but they were in the main hall.
Over 600 plays throughout the weekend! I couldn't believe it. The crowds were huge & the ball times were short, so the plays racked up all weekend long. It could have been more, but I kept seeing that rare shooter lane eject issue at the show, where the ball would hit the rail & bounce back then rest in the trough opening. Was able to bend the forks to the correct angle & add a few washers. Shouldn't be an issue for future shows.
Quoted from ericwag:My friends and I played this at the Golden State Pinball Festival this weekend. We thought it was a blast.
Particularly, trying to get a good rip on the super spinner after 5X was a fun objective.
Great work on this!
Thanks for the feedback & I'm glad you enjoyed it! I spoke with players throughout the show & received the same thoughts about the new code. People really enjoyed the new focus on the spinner & the pressure of trying to hit the valuable timed shots. Judging from the weekend high score of 1.3M (by a friend), it wasn't easy to exploit for most players. It played fast with lots of outlane drains.
From observation, most scores were around 400-500K on average. And many of those points came from collecting the 100K skillshot. So as far was scoring adjustments go, I feel that probably needs to be lowered to 50K, since it's fairly common to achieve, and a lucky bounce plays a role too. I was happy with everything else.
I plan on doing a live stream of gameplay at some point next month. I'll post the link here when I get a date set.
Quoted from HoakyPoaky:[quoted image]
Silly me! The game was setup for 4 days & I forgot to take a photo! Had to grab this screen cap from a video I saw. We had a nice little RARE classic Stern lineup at the show. Viper, Big Game, Cue, Cheetah & Ali all in a row There was also a Dragonfist & 9-Ball, but they were in the main hall.
Over 600 plays throughout the weekend! I couldn't believe it. The crowds were huge & the ball times were short, so the plays racked up all weekend long. It could have been more, but I kept seeing that rare shooter lane eject issue at the show, where the ball would hit the rail & bounce back then rest in the trough opening. Was able to bend the forks to the correct angle & add a few washers. Shouldn't be an issue for future shows.Thanks for the feedback & I'm glad you enjoyed it! I spoke with players throughout the show & received the same thoughts about the new code. People really enjoyed the new focus on the spinner & the pressure of trying to hit the valuable timed shots. Judging from the weekend high score of 1.3M (by a friend), it wasn't easy to exploit for most players. It played fast with lots of outlane drains.
From observation, most scores were around 400-500K on average. And many of those points came from collecting the 100K skillshot. So as far was scoring adjustments go, I feel that probably needs to be lowered to 50K, since it's fairly common to achieve, and a lucky bounce plays a role too. I was happy with everything else.
I plan on doing a live stream of gameplay at some point next month. I'll post the link here when I get a date set.
Agreed. 100K on a game that is set up very hard is too many points for a skill shot.
Quoted from snyper2099:Agreed. 100K on a game that is set up very hard is too many points for a skill shot.
I believe I voted for a lower skill shot at the onset 
If there was more room in ram/rom I would have just added a score adjustment for it. Would have been fun having it set to 9.9 million
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