HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: phaedrus@carson.u.washington.edu (Mark Phaedrus)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Fish Tales: Insert Coin to Continue?
Date: 14 Oct 92 03:25:32 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <Bw2Duy.63C@csugrad.cs.vt.edu> kjohnson@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Keefer) writes:
>      I think that if 4 people have the same last 2 digits, then
>the game will be close to 100% chance of matching.  Anyone else think/know
>better?

     Can't be too close to 100%... I've had this happen twice (00/00/00/00 on
Fish Tales, 70/70/70/70 on High Speed), and didn't match either time.
(And no, the 00/00/00/00 wasn't by tilting away every ball. :) )
     BTW, has anybody else ran into this bug on Fish Tales?  I lost a ball down
the middle just as the Autocast timer expired, with two balls already locked; I
got "Don't move!" and the Autocast animation, about a second or two passed, and
then the machine just counted up my bonus.  Needless to say, I was not amused.
     Of course, I did find a fun way to score points during Multiball; if you
shoot one ball up each ramp at about the same time, you get a "Doublecross"
worth 5M.  Of course, for really big ramp points, get Rock the Boat going
during Multiball; with any luck you can get over 100M in Rock the Boat points
alone.
     Also, in Video Mode, be sure you shoot at all the back-row boats you can,
even though your torps take longer to get there; this may just be coincidence,
but I've noticed lately that every time I shoot four of those back-row boats,
the next one to come out is always an extra ball target.  Nothing like 41.5M
and an extra ball for 20 seconds' work... :)
-- 
Internet: phaedrus@u.washington.edu        (University of Washington, Seattle)
 "If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs,
    consider an exciting career as a guillotine operator!"
From: phaedrus@carson.u.washington.edu (Mark Phaedrus)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Fish Tales Q's
Date: 15 Oct 92 02:10:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Oct15.021036.3061
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <Ier7L9e00WB0ICpEo0@andrew.cmu.edu> Joelle Ann Mellon <jm7w+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>CMU's gotten a Fish Tales, and after poking some bucks into it, I have
>some questions.
>
>1) I know it's not just me, because a friend of mine saw it happen once
>too, and not just on this machine. On occasion, the game seems to not
>award you your bonus!

     I've never noticed this happening; I'll have to take a closer look.  (Note
that there are three possible bugs here; it could be that it's actually not
awarding your bonus, or that it's adding the bonus to your score before
displaying the bonus animation (as the "stars" bonus does when you collect
T-H-I-N-G on early TAFs), or that it's awarding your bonus but not updating the
on-screen score until later for some reason.  So watch for funny jumps in your
score, as well as for it not awarding the bonus.

>2) How high does the monster fish bonus go?

     I've gotten it up to 50M, and it seems to me that I collected it there
twice in a row, but it was in the middle of a very frantic ball and I might
have imagined it.  So "at least 50M".

>3) After completeing the captive ball list (after instant multi-ball),
>what exactly do you get on subsequent hits? It seems to be a
>millions-plus sort of scoring, but the rules sheet says that the special
>is supposed to light, and I have yet to do that.

     You get the "Sell Your Gear" bonus of 5.5M,6M,7.5M..., plus a certain
number of hits (four on the local machine, I believe) lights the special.
Watch for the scoreboard to say "4 MORE HITS LIGHT SPECIAL" after the Sell
Your Gear animation; there's no accompanying sound effect, so you have to be
watching for it.

>4) Is it just me, or is this game just too damn hard? I enjoy a
>challenge, but this game is downright frustrating. The shots aren't
>really harder than any other Bally/Williams game, but ball control is
>insanely hard, considering the stiffness of the flippers (one reason I
>miss HOOK), the very large space between the flippers, and the
>hypersensitivity of the pop bumpers.

     It's an odd machine for me; I'll play one game and not break 20M, then
the next game I'll get 400M or so.  The flippers do indeed have a wide gap, but
there aren't any "instant death" shots that drain the ball if you miss, the
inlanes/outlanes are reasonably forgiving, I haven't noticed any flipper
problems on the local machine, and I love the pop bumpers (after you get the
bonus up to 7x, you collect 5M,10M,15M,20M,20M... for clearing the three lanes,
so you want to keep the ball up there racking up those bonuses).

-- 
Internet: phaedrus@u.washington.edu        (University of Washington, Seattle)
 "If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs,
    consider an exciting career as a guillotine operator!"
From: ec@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Edgar Circenis)
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 14:24:18 GMT
Subject: Re: Help Needed
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball

In rec.games.pinball, blake@ncrsna.stpaul.ncr.com (Tony C Blake) writes:

> I own a Bally Strikes & Spares.  I would like to design my own
> game using this machine's MPU, Lamp Driver, & Selenoid Driver
> boards.

> However, I can not decipher the part numbers or manufacturer of the
> ROMs used in the game.  There are two ROMs on the MPU board, located
> in sockets U2 and U6.  The first ROM has the following numbers stamped
> on it:
>                  9316A-2488

I believe that a 9316 is the ROM equivalent of a 2716 EPROM.  If you have
the schematics, you can do a pin by pin comparison to see if they're
compatible.  I think I did a dump of one of these on my Orbiter machine
at one time, so I'm pretty sure they are.

Edgar
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu (Brian Casper)
Subject: Re: Pinball Trader -- when?
Originator: bcasper@c00100-100lez.eos.ncsu.edu
Reply-To: bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu
Organization: North Carolina State University
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 16:09:34 GMT


In article <1992Oct6.190616.9613@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>, knudsen@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (michael.j.knudsen) writes:
|>How is the Pin Game Journal?  Might be time to subscribe.
|>Are back issues available?

The Journal is a _lot_ like the PBT.  It's printed on that same thick
paper, comes stuffed with goodies (plastics, flyers, and score/instruction
card reprints), has lots of the same ads and contributors, and is
intermittant in delivery date!  The Editor is a guy named Jim Schleisberg (or
something like that) and he seems like the typical over-enthusiast.  I don't
know offhand about the availability of back issues, but I'm sure if you gave
Jim a call, he'd be more than happy to answer that question.   It's likely
that he'll have something set up at the pin expo, which I assume you'll be
attending living so close and all ;-)
-- 
-- 
Brian Casper                |   "I like to study psychologists.  It gives
bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu        |    good insight into what rats are thinking."
  Pinball Consultant        |     -  Dr. Oscar Wesler
From: zweldron@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Matthew Charlap)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Terrible game
Date: 7 Oct 92 17:05:50 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

LIPSCOJA@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Andy Lipscomb) writes:


>     Here in Nashville, TN, we have one of the worst TAF machines I've ever
>seen (if you're in town, it's the one at Rivergate).
>   (1) 2-4-6 tokens, not 2-3-4
>   (2) Train Wrecks start at 3
>   (3) Lousy flippers (never hit a Mansion room, and usually came back down
>bear-kick ramp)
>   (4) Skill shot impossible (always overshoots)
>   (5) Starts at T-h-i-n-g instead of T-H-I-n-g
>     Can anyone top that?
 Here I go again-
ROckaway Mall, Rockaway NJ:
1) you beat me here- it is 2-3-4
2) same
3) same
4) How can you ALWAYS overshoot- please clarify.
5) same
6) no mansion room for 'E' shot
7) All balls lock in vault for 1st multiball
8) Swamp kickout combined with bad right flipper drains center 90% of the time
9) Need I mention Thing's accuracy?- but this is self-adjusting, so It may be
    better now.
I think I beat you.
--Matthew
From: ben@monmouth.edu (Bennett Broder)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Help on Cyclone
Date: 8 Oct 92 17:24:18 GMT
Organization: Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, N.J.  07764

Does anyone have a rules sheet or want to suggest some scoring
strategies for Williams Cyclone?  They just put one of these relics
in our College Center, and since it's the only game in there priced
at 5 balls per quarter, I find I've been playing it.  Thanks for
any help.

-- 

Bennett Broder               Monmouth College
                             Computer Services
ben@monmouth.edu             W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
From: knudsen@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (michael.j.knudsen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Suggestions for FAQ
Date: 8 Oct 92 23:04:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewsd.1992Oct8.230454.20244
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <11740010@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com>, halw@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Hal Work) writes:

> The Pinball Trader has moved.  I'm not sure where, otherwise I'd list it here.

Excuse me -- do you mean moved *again*, after the move of Jackson Simonton
from Calif to Texas which halted publication during the summer
(and still, it seems)?  THis was a year=plus after Dennis Dodel sold
it to Jackson.

Has there been yet another move or ownership change this summer?
Really miss that mag -- mike k
-- 
	"I don't think so, Al"
  Programmers Do It on paper.  So do puppies.
	knudsen@iexist.att.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: LIPSCOJA@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Andy Lipscomb)
Subject: TAF Sounds
Organization: Vanderbilt University 
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 19:53:08 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.21

Here are all the voices I know of (excluding those which simply state what's on
the screen).
Feel free to followup with additions/corrections.

  On starting (not immediately after a previous game):
Morticia "Welcome ?? guest" or Gomez "Look everyone, we have guests!"
  (after a previous game)
Gomez "Welcome back!"
  (adding 2nd/3rd/4th player)
Gomez "That's the spirit!"

  When ball falls into swamp from plunger:
"Have a nice swim," Morticia "Don't torture yourself," or 
Granny "You should know better" (in rotation)
*unless* it locks a ball; then, Gomez "Good thinking!"

  On completing "GREED": "See what greed will get you?"
  On hitting multiple jackpot: Gomez "There's more where that came from!"
  On scoring 5xgraveyard: "Quicksand, fumes, toxic waste: it's all ours!"
*unless* from Thing Flips; then, Gomez "Well played Thing, you're really
on the ball!"
  On getting a Train Wreck: Gomez "Good show, old man!"
  On hitting the electric chair when it isn't lit: "It's not plugged in yet."
  On collecting "T-H-I-N-G": "No time for that now" or Gomez "No, No, No!"
  On locking in Thing for 3-ball: Gomez "That's the spirit Thing; lend a hand!"

  On Mansion awards:
Thing: Morticia "Look, darling."
Seance: "Knock three times" (on getting the room)
  "That's one"; "Two" (on first two ramp shots)
Tunnel Hunt: Morticia "Look, darling; just what we've been searching for."
Raise the Dead and Graveyard at Max: Gomez "Out to the cemetery; come on,
everybody!"

Ones I've heard about, but not seen:
Gomez "Dirty pool...I like it!" (hit the vault as bookcase closes)
"It has to warm up...so it can kill you" [in the movie, it was Wednesday's
line] (hit the electric chair while locking balls for 2nd multiball)


Andy Lipscomb
lipscoja@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Bitnet: lipscoja@vuctrvax)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: ec@fc.hp.com (Edgar_Circenis)
Subject: Re: Help Needed
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 15:10:44 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

> In rec.games.pinball, blake@ncrsna.stpaul.ncr.com (Tony C Blake) writes:
> 
> > However, I can not decipher the part numbers or manufacturer of the
> > ROMs used in the game.  There are two ROMs on the MPU board, located
> > in sockets U2 and U6.  The first ROM has the following numbers stamped
> > on it:
> >                  9316A-2488

I wrote:
 
> I believe that a 9316 is the ROM equivalent of a 2716 EPROM.

After thinking about it, it could also be similar to the 2516 EPROM, which
has a different pinout (you can easily make an adapter socket that matches
your EPROM burner).

Edgar
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: sands@apple.com (Michael Sands)
Subject: patent numbers
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 23:36:43 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc
Followup-To: rec.games.pinball

I enjoy looking up patent number!  There is a patent library allowing me
easy access.  

My offer:

I would be willing to look up patent numbers off your pinballs, the older
the better, and send you a copy of the patent.  There are some fairly
fascinating things to be found.  Often you will find entire pinball machine
designs, wiring diagrams and such included in the patent.

So, please, send me your numbers.

(I do have other things to do and cannot promise immediate response.)

Michael
From: eric@parcplace.com (Eric Ching)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: TAF - QUick multiball - BUG ?
Date: 16 Oct 92 08:32:19 GMT

blowfish@carina.unm.edu (rON.) writes:

>In article <1bguc7INNpra@golem.wcc.govt.nz> coutinho_b@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz writes:
>>I was play TAF (what else ;)  and got the Tunnel Hunt. Now, I got the
>>first tunnel in the vault, then I spotted a Quick Multi-ball.
>>Now, the Vault door did not open to allow me to shoot for the Vault-millions
>>for the quick multiball. Is this *right*?
>>I had to wait for the tunnel hunt to time out I presume?? (I lost the
>>ball in play before this happened)

>Actually, the bug seems to be with the Tunnel Hunt, rather than the Quick
>Multiball. But yes, you would have had to have waited for the Tunnel Hunt
>to end before shooting the vault in QMB.
>r.

I've seen the Tunnel Hunt mess up more than once before...I've noticed
the Vault door opening up after first hitting the chair (5M) and then
the swamp (10M).  The Vault then opens for the 15M shot.  Not sure if
this works every time, though...

Eric
 
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: blake@ncrsna.stpaul.ncr.com (Tony C Blake)
Subject: Help Needed
Summary: Need ROM chip type
Keywords: Bally ROM
Organization: NCR NPG StPaul MN
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 15:39:17 GMT

This is the first time I've posted anything to the net although
I've been reading the articles in this news group for over 6
months now.  I would like to start a project, but need some help
from the net before I can get going.  Here's my problem:

I own a Bally Strikes & Spares.  I would like to design my own
game using this machine's MPU, Lamp Driver, & Selenoid Driver
boards.   I figure all I have to do is dump the conents of the
game ROMs, disassemble the program, and learn how the program
controls the displays, selenoids and lamps.  The CPU is a
motorola 6800, and I have a cross assembler/disassembler at my
disposal, along with a very good prom burner.  However, I
can not decipher the part numbers or manufacturer of the ROMs
used in the game.  There are two ROMs on the MPU board, located
in sockets U2 and U6.  The first ROM has the following numbers
stamped on it:
                 9316A-2488
                 E-740-16-U2
       _______
       | ___ |   7822
       |___| |
(  That's the best I can do in ASCII for the manufacturers emblem )



The second ROM has the following numbers stamped on it:
                 9316A-2454
                 E-720-20-U6
       _______
       | ___ |   7817
       |___| |


I figure the second line is the Bally part number since it ends
with the socket number on the board.  I've taken the MPU board
around to a couple of parts stores and no one can identify the
manufacturer's emblem or part number.

Can anyone out here in netland identify the manufacturer and part
numbers of these ROMs?   Has anyone attempted this and knows what type 
of ROMs I should get?  Is there an EPROM available instead of a ROM? (
I never get a program entirely correct on the first few attempts :) )
Thanks in Advance.

+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Tony C. Blake                | Disclaimer:                          |
| NCR Corporation              |  I don't speak for NCR Corporation & |
| blake@c10sd8.stpaul.ncr.com  |  they certainly don't speak for me.  |
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
From: s914534@yallara.cs.rmit.OZ.AU (Ben Anderson [Manowar] )
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: What makes a game...
Date: 12 Oct 92 03:51:08 GMT

High Speed 2 - all of it!
From: sbb@panix.com (Steve Baumgarten)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: What makes a game...
Date: 13 Oct 92 16:20:02 GMT
Article-I.D.: panix.SBB.92Oct13112002
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

In article <81338@ut-emx.uucp> aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Joshua Henry Geurink) writes:

   Sure, T2 and TAF have the fancy display boards, digitized voices,
   and obscenely high value targets, but neither has a soundtrack
   comparable to BK2K.  I could just sit for hours (and have -- while
   playing, mind you) listening to that game.

Game soundtracks have always seemed to me the best of the myriad
innovations of the modern pinball era.  The trick is to have the
soundtrack well-integrated into the game.  It doesn't have to be
incredibly lengthy or have different music for multiball, jackpots,
what have you.  But when a game soundtrack fits the game you're
playing, it can make a world of difference.

One of the things I loved about the early video games was the tendency
for game designers to put a "heartbeat" behind the action; as things
got more frantic on screen, the heartbeat sped up, increasing your
anxiety (and the chance that you'd make a mistake).  I guess SPACE
INVADERS was the first to do this, but there are many examples.

Lots of the early Williams pins had heartbeats, and even though most
of them sounded the same, I always liked playing them and listening to
the game get more and more frantic as my score increased.  Games these
days sometimes do this but sometimes don't, generally opting for more
consistent "theme music" that isn't affected by what's going on on the
playfield.  (There are very effective exceptions, of course, including
T2's terrific "hurry up" music, but here the music is almost always
tied to some sort of timed event; as soon as the timer expires, you go
right back to whatever music was playing before it started.)

Part of what made the BK2K's soundtrack so awesome was Brian Schmidt's
ability to merge a heartbeat into an original score.  The soundtrack
would be great even if it didn't act like a "heartbeat", but I think
what people really like about it is what happens after you've had the
ball in play for a while, and the points are starting to rack up.
It's only then that you hear the "Ahhhh ahhhhhh!  You've got the
power!" chorus; I think it's this combination -- great soundtrack,
perfectly suited to and integrated with the game, and designed to get
more frantic as game play progresses -- that sets BK2K's soundtrack
apart from pretty much every other modern pin.

Most (perhaps all) games thse days have terrific sound, but few have
the effect on players that BK2K has; it's a real shame that since
he moved to Data East, we'll probably never see another Brian
Schmidt/Steve Ritchie collaboration again...

--
    Steve Baumgarten       |  "New York... when civilization falls apart,
    PANIX, New York, NY    |   remember, we were way ahead of you."
                           |  
    Email: sbb@panix.com   |                            - David Letterman
From: coutinho_b@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: TAF tilting/3 way combo?
Date: 16 Oct 1992 02:43:11 GMT
Organization: Wellington City Council (Public Access), Wgtn, Nz
Reply-To: coutinho_b@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
NNTP-Posting-Host: kosmos.wcc.govt.nz

>As for the 3-way combo, it's been posted before, but I'll post it again:
>
>Get a 4-way combo by shooting the bear kick ramp, up the "Adv. X" shot through
>the graveyard, up the left ramp after it's come around the top, and then into
>the swamp.  If you make the first three or the last three shots, you'll get a 
>3-way combo.
>

:)  Someone *should* add this to their .sig   :)

I am very tempted to ;)

Most a definite FAQ!

BC

-------------- / / /-----------------------  /~~~\  -----------  O      |~|  T
   \ \ \      / / / "Simply the BEST!.."    |  n  |             /\_     |_|  I
Brian Coutinho / /           - Tina Turner  |  U  | U E E N    /\ ;====== |  L
coutinho_b@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz                \___,\           / / |~~~~~~~l  T
===== \ \ \/ / /  ============================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: cjs@ausom.oz.au (Cameron Silver)
Subject: Australia
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 08:03:19 GMT
Organization: AUSOM - The Apple Users Society of Melbourne

I just read the FAQ lists ... do you have any sources in Australia? ...

Also .. do u have FAX numbers for the Publications .. I'd love to subscribe
to 1 or 2 or 10, but Australia-US mail take too long!

I love the newsgroup! .. I didn't think there were many pinnie addicts around!
-- 
Cameron Silver
Internet: cjs%ausom.oz@sol.cc.deakin.oz.au

Try to have some fun. It's quicker if you run! :-)
From: sbb@panix.com (Steve Baumgarten)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Call for high scores
Date: 15 Oct 92 16:44:12 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

In article <SBB.92Oct13112245@panix.com> sbb@panix.com (Steve Baumgarten) writes:

   Just to give you an idea of what the folks at Broadway have been
   doing, here are some high scores direct from New York City:

	   TAF        - 2 billion +
	   FISH TALES - 650 million
	   DR. WHO    - 1.5 billion
	   BLACK ROSE - 2 billion +

   If you've gotten a score in that range, send me the details (by email,
   please), and I'll forward them on to Steve.

Upon reflection, I realize that posting those scores from Broadway was
probably a mistake -- I think Steve is interested in hearing from
anyone who's gotten reasonably high scores on any of the current crop
of games, not just those who have reached the land of 9 zeroes...

On the other hand, I personally hold one of the high scores on a
LETHAL WEAPON 3 in a bar near where I work.  The score is 310M, which
is rather unspectacular; on the other other hand, it's frequented more
by business people than by pinball enthusiasts, so I expect that high
score to stand for a while.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is: use your judgment, and if you're
in doubt, go ahead and send me your scores anyway.  Steve gets final
say no matter what.

(I'm also going to get more details about the newsletter/magazine, and
I'll post more about it tomorrow.)

--
    Steve Baumgarten       |  "New York... when civilization falls apart,
    PANIX, New York, NY    |   remember, we were way ahead of you."
                           |  
    Email: sbb@panix.com   |                            - David Letterman
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball