I've had it carom off the drop targets into GEM also on the LE. I'm not sure how much less common this is than a stand-up rebound.

Thanks. So just do what I've been doing which is shoot like crazy and try to manage all of those multiple balls without losing them too quickly

It's definitely the hardest mode to complete. I can't tell you how often I get to SoS with every mode lit solid except Light Cycle. My strategy is to trap one of the balls on the left flipper. Then, shoot the other ball up the left ramp, shoot the inner loop, and then release the flipper and make the right ramp shot as the ball comes around.

Yep, Light Cycle is the hardest to complete.

For me the best chance to complete it is to stack it with Quorra MB

You can complete Light Cycle without making all three shots, if you just make the first two (ramp, Quorra) a certain number of times (3? 4?) before the mode times out.

You also have a few seconds to make all three shots after you lose the second ball. Half the time I complete it that way, it is easier with only one ball.

Well, since it never times out unless you drain down to 1 ball, I'm about 100% certain you're wrong.

yourself. Make the first two shots twice (or is it thrice?), drain one ball, make them again before it times out.

Thanks for playing.

When all of the lights on the ladder are blinking, sea is ready. Sea is your opportunity to light them solid, leading to portal multiball.

For details on how to light the various lights, see the pinballnews.com review of TRON.

Unless there is something I fundamentally don't understand about the game, I'm pretty sure it's not possible to start SoS without playing every mode at least once first. I suppose there could be some kind of software setting that would change this, but if there is, I'm unaware of it.

Correct. All mode insert lights must be blinking or solid to qualify SOS at the scoop.

Do you have burnt out bulbs?

I gave you the benefit of the doubt and ran some tests on my Tron. I tried to duplicate your result a bunch of different ways, but couldn't. The one thing I do want to know is what version you are running, because all my testing was with 1.74.

I tested running all the multiballs, then dumping into the scoop.
I tested having everything flashing except Multiballs completed, then starting SOS, dumping out of it, and then requalifying it with just the multiballs, but it wouldn't start without the other modes.
I tested having everything at the scoop qualified (Clu, Quorra, LC), and everything else flashing or complete, but it just started the modes as expected.
And again I tried second time in after dumping out of them.

The only reason I was trying them all was to see if there was a faster way to get to SOS and cheat a bit, but I have come to the conclusion that you must have missed something. Have you thought about pulling the glass and attempting to duplicate it? For now I am going to go with the conclusion that you didn't see them flashing, and they went out as soon as you entered the scoop.

Concerning GEM, short of a crazy spin out of the spinning disk, there are four possible ways to hit her, though none high percentage. (1) The upper left flipper obviously, which works best with a slow moving ball that isn't traveling flush against the metal orbit guide. A weak shot from down below that barely passes the upper left flipper and begins to fall back towards it is also usually a good candidate. (2) Sometimes you can hit her on the plunge, but it's rare for me to do so other than by accident. (3) My best strategy is to bounce balls off of the drops or the rubber behind them. My success rate is maybe 1 out of 6 or 7 on average, but I can sometimes get a game going where I can do it almost back-to-back, or occasionally can't hit her no matter how hard I try. (4) A Quorra multiball often times creates enough chaotic bounces to hit GEM a few times, often times without me realizing it until I hear the sound effect of her jackpot. Just hit the recognizer enough to get it to drop and add more balls, then keep sending the balls towards the left of the playfield, alternating from bouncing off of the drops, to weakly feeding the left flipper, and to the Quorra shot. I can sometimes complete Quorra and GEM at the same time this way. Of course, like RobT said, Quorra is also your best shot at completing Light Cycle, so it's up to you which to go after while in Quorra.

Hmmm, I wonder if you have a bad or finicky switch on the left ramp or Quorra?

Sure sounds like it to me as well. OP, you should go into the switch edge test and check everything. First with your fingers, and then with a ball if you don't find anything bad. The ramps have two switches, and both need to work for a proper hit to register. So when you said you are rolling it up the ramp, I want to be sure you meant all the way around through the second switch.

You get a tiny ball saver when a shot is completed.
After all shots are completed you need to shoot the disc for super jackpot. After that is all shots 1 million ad eternum..
You can watch it here hehehe:

As for light cycle multiball, the double super jackpot that gives you the solid light is:
left ramp -> quorra -> right ramp or gem.

You can get a solid light also by just making 3x super jackpots:
left ramp -> left orbit or quorra.

But doing 3 supers in one multiball is as hard as doing the double super. Go for the supers only if you have a hard time shooting quorra since the left orbit is an easier shot.

Wow you do get one according to the insert flashing but you're right, it's damn short. I have never been able to actually see it when (lol more like 'if') I get an add a ball in portal and I've certainly never been saved by it haha.

Your left ramp switch isn't registering - it's either stuck open or closed.

Like taz already said, one of your switches clearly isn't registering. I'm guessing it's the left ramp switch.

Go into switch test and make sure your left ramp exit switch is closing and opening properly every time it's activated. If you are getting credit for lightcycle shots it's possible the issue is intermittent and the switch is sticking sometimes and not others.

The fact you are getting quorra credit every time without the lightcycle combo being fulfilled is what tells me the ramp shot isn't always counting.

During diagnostics, trigger the left ramp switch using a ball rather than your finger. Your finger will often move the switch further than a ball would, causing it to work whereas a ball doesn't move it far enough.

I agree the left ramp switch isn't working correctly.

Yeah, that's definitely an issue, and would probably be the cause. I think they all have 2-pin Z connectors on them, so it should be as easy as unplugging and swapping them over.

*edit* Too late for me.

Great work fixing it!

Congrats! Though the problem was hard to troubleshoot, at least it was an easy fix. Tron is an excellent game, enjoy!

When I got mine, NIB, there were four lamps (two pairs) that were reversed. It confused the hell out of me until I figured out what was going on.

When I was removing the ramps to install Eli's prototype kit I didn't bother marking the "Z" connectors for the switches because I noticed they came with colored factory markings anyways. When I was reinstalling the ramps I decided to go into the switch test to make sure everything was working before I tightened things down and turns out my game was hooked up wrong from day #1.

Going to check mine this weekend.

First of all I am thrilled to understand the game better so thank you all!

But now I'm frustrated as hell because I have had my game for a year and I have never reached Portal and most of you have. AAAGGGHHHH!!!!

***hanging head in shame***

Portal may be easier to reach than a lot of other wizard modes, but I'd hardly call it easy. You'll get there. Just keep practicing.

Thanks gweempose. It's not for a lack of playing that's for sure! Love, love, love this game.

It took me 11 months...

It took me a year to reach Portal, on ball two even. I'm nowhere near a good player, but I just had one of those great games where I was hitting every shot. I haven't been there since, but Tron is still a fantastic pin that keeps me pressing start over and over.