From: adoerfer@bk2000.pko.dec.com (_bill)
Subject: Re: Questions
Summary: Machines can take coils out of circuits, now
Keywords: Coils, self-test
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 13:30:54 GMT


In article <1992Oct5.025644.5040@u.washington.edu>, phaedrus@milton.u.washington.edu (Phaedrus) writes...
>     I'm sure this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but I don't
>believe that most self-test routines would catch this.  Here are the basic
>categories of malfunctions that a Bally/Williams machine will catch and flag:
>     A switch that is stuck on (that is always registering contact, whether or
>not a ball is there).  (Note that most "manic" bumpers don't fall under this,
>since they're not registering contact _all_ the time, only most of the time.)
>     A switch that is stuck off (that is never registering contact, whether or
>not a ball is there).  This won't be caught immediately (since the game has
>no immediate way of telling a dead switch from a switch that just doesn't
>happen to be turned on at the moment); the switch has to go for at least 90
>balls without registering contact before the software will flag it as bad.
>     A switch that is shorted to ground.
>     A missing ball.  (Contrary to popular belief, most pinball machines will
>start even if there's a stuck ball; they may display some "PINBALL MISSING"
>warnings, but if you're persistent and keep hitting the start button, after
>about 20 or 30 seconds they'll start anyway.  
> 

During play, a machine made by WMS since about "THE MACHINE" or so can
detect pop bumpers hits and slingshot activations.  If it thinks it's
being hit too much, it can slow the pace down, and probably would
deactivate the circuit if the condition persisted.  Personally, I think
it adjusts a tad too fast, as, for example in THE MACHINE, it's good to get
the ball bouncing in the pop bumpers - perhaps their counters/timers should
reset if it hits another bumper (not in multi-ball), anyway, on a WMS machine
a frequently firing slingshot or pop bumper would shut itself off.
A really nice feature that should save a lot of coils.

During self test - the routine also slows down firing a coil when it's
in the mode of continuously firing one coil (on like, a TAF).  Another
coil saving feature.

On another topic - and it should be a faq, magnets in pinball games are not
that common, and there is no game that is all magnets.  You might be
thinking of STERN ORBITOR I, which someone descibed as bowl shapped with
spinning rotors/bumpers at the bottom of each (of 2) bowls.  Not a bad
description.  Solid State games that include magnets are GOGAR, CENTAUR
and CENTAUR II, BANZAI RUN, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, HS2: THE GETAWAY, ROLLERGAMES,
BMX, Dr. DUDE, FIREBALL II, POLICE FORCE, BK2000, GRAND LIZARD, PHAROAH,
JUNGLE LORD, SOLAR FIRE and BLACK KNIGHT.  EM games include Zodiac, Four
Aces, Mystery(?) and Doodle-bug(?)
Not to worry though, :-).  A well-cleaned playfield/DiamondPlate surface
with good rubber is almost as good as a magnet or two with all the spins
you can get.  (sounds like a lot of folks in this group have just as
much fun getting balls stuck as playing the game.  Perhaps someone should
come out with a basketball game with real baskets. :-)  )

I know about the coin-op museum in St. Louis and have heard about the
plans for the west, but please post more info on that other museum!

_bill
Adoerfer@bk2000.pko.dec.com       Adoerfer@laserwar.pko.dec.com