I've compiled a list of the way to complete the ladder in TRON to make is easier for myself to remember (listed below). I typically play more for completion of modes than points. However, I'm still baffled as to how you start Sea Of Simulation. Yesterday I was playing and had maybe 3 modes completed and Sea Of Simulation started! I can't remember what I hit or what was going on at the time because it was so random I wasn't thinking about the ball hit at the time.

So how do you start Sea Of Simulation???

Also, in trying to complete the TRON mode, do you basically just have to hit the T-R-O-N bank 3 times (or use the ZEN mode and hit once)?

FLYNN - started by right rollover switch next to the arcade
- completed by hitting flashing arrow (left orbit,left ramp, left inner loop,
right inner loop, right ramp, right orbit)

GEM - started by hitting right inner loop 3x
- completed by hitting right inner loop 1x in 25 seconds
* right or left spinner adds 10 seconds

CLU - started by lighting 3 rollover lanes C, L, U
- completed by hitting 4 CLU helmets (left orbit, left inner loop, right orbit, scoop)
* relighting C, L, U takes out left most CLU helmet

ZUSE - started by hitting Z,U,S,E
- completed by hitting Z,U,S,E in 25 seconds
* completing Z,U,S,E adds 10 seconds

QUORRA - started by hitting left inner loop 5x then arcade scoop
- completed by hitting right inner loop 1x
* ball added for hitting recognizer 3x

DISC - started by hitting disc 7x
- completed by:
1) hitting 10 discs (left orbit,left ramp,left inner loop, right inner loop,
right ramp, right orbit, or spinning disc)
2) hitting recognizer 4x
3) hittings spinning disc 1x
* restart multiball by hitting disc within 10 seconds of ball drain down to 1 ball

LIGHTCYCLE - started by 4 lightcycle shots then arcade scoop shot
- completed by collecting double super jackpot (left ramp then left inner loop then right ramp)
- completed by 2 super jackpots (left ramp then left inner loop)

RECOGNIZER - completed by hitting recognizer 4x

TRON - started by hitting the T,R,O,N targets
- completed by????

SEA OF SIMULATION - ?????

PORTAL - started by completing the ladder

Is there any indicator on the playfield to indicate that Sea Of Simulation is ready to start or do you just have to keep track that you have all modes at least active?

I had the link for the pinballnews review which is where I did the modes synopsis list from by summarizing. I wasn't quite clear on the TRON mode which I've completed not really knowing how I did complete it.
In the game options menu, can the number of active modes necessary to get to Sea Of Simulation be changed? I'm wondering if I changed it (have to look this evening) to less that the full 9 modes because again yesterday I went to Sea Of Simulation with only 5 modes active and/or complete.

With the TRON mode, basically hitting all 4 targets (or Zen) activates 1 of the 3 bonus lights, but it is then completed basically by hitting a bumper or an orbit?

I have LEDs so will have to check if the FLYNN light is LED and not responding with the pulse flashing indicating Sea Of Simulation available.

So to complete the TRON mode, I just have to have?:
a) light the DOUBLE SCORING, BUMPERS, or SPINNER by starting the TRON mode with ZEN rollover or T-R-O-N completion
b) hit all 4 T-R-O-N targets or 1 ZEN rollover for each of the 3 modes so essentially another 12 shots using the targets or 3 shots using ZEN or a combo of both

When you say "stacking" ZEN shots, what does that mean or how does that work?

Also, is the QUORRA finishing shot (during QUORRA multi ball) basically the same as the GEM finishing shot (both are the right inner loop lane)?

The problem with the rules on these games is unless you go online, the rules given by Stern are junk... I have AC/DC and dozens of people online are still trying to figure that out completely as I am...

So to complete the DISC mode, you have to enter disc multiball (hitting recognizer enough to drop down the gate, then 7 hits to spinning disc), hit the spinning disc again, then hit the recognizer 3 times? and the lit discs are only for points?

LIGHTCYCLE - started by 4 lightcycle shots then arcade scoop shot- completed by collecting double super jackpot (left ramp then left inner loop)- completed by 2 super jackpots (left ramp then left inner loop then right ramp)

1) I for the life of me cannot complete this lightcycle mode... I've completed every other mode except this one. With the 2 multiball mode, do the shots have to be made consecutively right away? With 2 pinballs hitting around on the playfield, it seems impossible to hit one shot and immediately another right after. For example, can I hit left ramp, the other ball rolls over a C-L-U rollover or hits a T-R-O-N target and still hit the left inner loop to get the super jackpot? Is it just a matter of hitting these shots in the time allowed?

2) how do you score an extra ball? I did it last night where the scoop lit up EXTRA BALL but I'm not sure what I did to qualify for it.

3) any recommendations on getting the GEM shot more consistently? I get the mode started and always run out of time.

Ahhhh... that makes sense!
I actually have gotten the EXTRA BALL in the scoop via FLYNN'S ARCADE one time and have actually seen it scroll by several times as one of the possible awards...

I'm not understanding... do you mean bounce the ball of the T-R-O-N targets to which flipper and then try to hit it into the right loop? From what I can tell, the only way to hit the GEM shot is by shooting it off of the left upper flipper but that's rare. I thought multiball modes would help increase the chances of hitting it but I'm so busy watching the lower flippers I don't have time to look at the upper flipper as easily.

Still looking to find exactly what is needed to start Sea Of Simulation....
Tonight I had only 4 of the modes lit and/or blinking (started), not all completed but had been started and then Sea Of Simulation started.
I'm wondering if Sea Of Simulation starts AFTER you've gone through each of the multiball modes as I cannot see any correlation between the number of modes started/completed and the starting of this mode.
I still have not seen the pulsing FLYNN insert indicating this mode was even ready to start...

Well, I should have taken a picture because only 4 of the modes were either blinking or solidly lit when I went to Sea of Simulation. So I'm not sure what the deal is... but I specifically looked at the # that were lit to make sure

No all of the bulbs (LEDs) work perfectly.... but no doubt about it, I only had 4 lit the rest weren't even blinking..

I will try getting to SOS without glass on... however I have a problem with LIGHTCYCLE mode...

Tonight I finally removed the glass to see what is going on with my LIGHTCYCLE mode. I lit scoop, started LIGHTCYCLE MULTIBALL. With 2 pinballs out in play, I rolled the one up the left ramp, then through the left inner (Quora) loop and that didn't do anything. No jackpot just told me that I was one step closer to qualifying for Quora multiball. Then I did left ramp, left inner, right ramp... nothing....
So either my machine is not registering or the ruleset is not correct for completing the LIGHTCYCLE mode... any ideas here??? I'm totally stumped and it's pretty bad if with the glass off and all ball drains stopped with towels I still can't complete this mode!
I was able to get a jackpot but according to the rules I have follows I should have lit the LIGHTCYCLE mode easily.

-complete 1 double super jackpot (left ramp then left inner loop then right ramp)
-complete 2 super jackpots (left ramp then left inner loop)

These do not work on my machine no matter how many times I perform them... in fact I can't my display to register double super jackpot using the above rule but I did get a super jackpot not using the above combo....
I'm stumped...

A slightly related question to LIGHTCYCLE mode, I've noticed that the LIGHTCYCLE inserts are lit sometimes either full brightness, half brightness, or are off. What dictates their light output status?
When I start a game, it appears that the left orbit (the farthest left lane) has the LIGHTCYCLE lit at 50%. During LIGHTCYCLE mode, when I was experimenting, I'd roll a ball through the right orbit (farthest right lane) which would turn the insert off but then as soon as I rolled the ball into another lane, the insert would light up again.
Can anyone explain the LIGHTCYCLE insert lighting patterns?

I will check when I get home... but I believe Quorra is working as when I hit the Quorra lane during normal game play, it's counting towards Quorra multiball...

Just checked the switches and per diagnostics it's registering... Here is the combo results I get during LIGHTCYCLE mode:

left ramp - nothing
left ramp, left inner (Quorra) - nothing
left ramp, right ramp - JACKPOT
left ramp, right ramp, left inner (Quorra lane) - SUPER JACKPOT
left ramp, left inner (Quorra lane), right ramp - JACKPOT
right orbit - JACKPOT
right ramp - JACKPOT
right orbit, right ramp - SUPER JACKPOT

Ok, I think I might have figured out the issue (though didn't have enough over lunch to delve further).... So I took some pictures while manually triggering the ramp switches. It seems to me that
1) the left ramp exit is triggering as right ramp entrance
2) the right ramp exit is triggering as left lamp exit

I talked to previous owner who mentioned that the original owner who installed the Eli ramp lighting maybe switched these 2 around. Does that sound like a reasonable possibility and if so, is there an easy way to swap the wiring? I haven't had a chance to look under the playfield.

left ramp entrance.jpgleft ramp exit.jpgright ramp entrance.jpgright ramp exit.jpg

It's no surprise I've done so horribly at LIGHTCYCLE mode and have never completed it during a game. I've completed every other mode (not all in same game unfortunately!).
I will update later once I've switched connectors hopefully if they easy swap.

The 2 wires were switched for the above switches as they both have a green and white wire and literally look identical. I switched them around and FINALLY lightcycle mode works correctly! Now maybe I can play better!

It was certainly a diagnostic challenge since the switches were actually working. One wouldn't initially think of the switches being reversed especially on a newer machine. Fortunately, the new machines have so much information in the diagnostics menus, it has every switch labeled so it was a matter of seeing the name pop up and it didn't make sense that a ramp would have a right and left designation when it's either the right ramp or left ramp!

In order to complete LIGHTCYCLE, do these shots have to be done immediately following each other? Or just during the LIGHTCYCLE mode?
for example, with 2 pinballs in play, let's say you hit the left ramp, the other ball hits the right spinner, then another hit on right ramp, then you hit the left inner loop, does that count as a super jackpot? Is there some time limit between hitting the combos? I'm confused if you just have to hit the left ramp/left inner loop/right ramp in a certain time frame or in a certain amount of hits without other playfield targets triggered than interrupt the combo...

Were you also having issues with your LIGHTCYCLE mode and registering combos?

Ahhh,,... that makes perfect sense... I was trying to figure out the pattern of lit/unlit inserts when I was originally testing the ramp switches watching some go out when triggered but now that makes sense. When in doubt in pinball, follow the either blinking or lit lights!