Most WMS/Bally production code updates were bug fixes & tweaks. WMS used to name their incomplete software "prototype" which was found on sample games sent to distributors months before the game went into full production.
Many years ago I picked up a sample Jackbot with serial #2. It had 0.5 prototype software still installed. The mfg date of this sample game was april 1995 which was six months before the full production machines shipped with finished 1.0 software.
The code that Stern ships with their games is very prototype with tons of missing features.
WMS never shipped final production games with half finished code like Stern does today.
These days Stern can't afford to hold back production on a game 6 months or longer & wait until the code is up to an acceptable level which is understandable, My issue with them like everyone else is that bringing the code to an acceptable complete "1.0" level is such a low priority for them once a game is out.
