Classic Mode

Atari Coin Connection

Issue: Vol 4 Num 07 - 1980 July

Missile
Command
Introduction
continued
added by Atari's High Score Table
displayed in the attract mode. If a
player has one of the eight highest
scores, he can enter his initials at
the end of the game.
Outstanding features also include
19'' color monitor display, Trak-
Ball target control, bonus scoring,
four operator-adjustable game times
(game starts with 4, 5, 6 or 7 cities),
eight operator-adjustable "bonus
cities'' extended play levels, and
operator-adjustable coinage options.
For increased location versatility
and profit potential, Missile Com-
mand will also be available in three
cabinet models: Upright, and the
space-saving Cocktail and Cabaret™
styles.
T-shirts and other promotional
items will be available to help create
interest in this exciting attraction.
soc Single Play Introduced
with Missile Command
.
The introduction of Atari's Missile
Command marks the first time a
production video game designed for
both street and arcade locations will
be shipped to distributors set on
straight 50 cents per single play.
In making the announcement,
Frank Ballouz, Atari's Director of
Marketing said, ''50 cent play has
been need by the industry for
some time to help offset the rising
cost of manufacturing and to help
increase location revenues, Missile
Command is a dramatic response
to that need.
''Extensive location testing has
proven that players in most loca-
tions will play just as many times
for 50¢ as they would for 25¢ .
"We hope operators will take ad-
vantage of this greater profit oppor-
tunity and be aggressive about try-
ing and staying with it,'' he added.
''The potential for higher return
from 50¢ play will also help to place
the game in more street type loca-
tions as well.''
For added versatility, coinage op-
tions also include Atari's regular
coinage options. Atari's marketing
experts advise that these options are
best utilized if the location proves un-
suitable for 50¢ play because of envi-
ronmental and player factors or if a
secondary earnings booster seems
necessary later in the life of the game.
Missile Command is a one or two
player full color missile defense
game. Players must protect cities by
destroying successive waves of in-
vading ICBM missiles. The game
also includes unique Trak Ball™
control, four operator adjustable
game lengths, and eight adjustable
extended play score levels.
Field Service Seminar Program
Promotions
for
Profit
Russ MacDonald and Bob Sa.lrnons,
under the leadership of Fred McCord,
are travelling throughout the country
to personally explain and demonstrate
to Atari distributors and their techni-
cians the latest state-of-the-art
Here's a promotional idea sent to . technology used in Atari games.
Atari by Jim McIntyre of Lakewood
Gardens Miniature Golf Course and The current schedule is as follows:
CI'I'Y:
JULY 1980
Arcade, Lakewood, CA.
Rhinelander, WIS
Jim has improved his repeat traf- 29th
fic by promoting the use of Susan B.
Minneappolis, 1-1:N"
Anthony coins with advertising 31st
posters. These posters are available AUGUSI' 1980
at no charge from the federal 5th
Oklahoma City, OK
reserve (3 color, 23" x 35", cap- 7th
San Antonio, TX
tioned ''The Dollar of the Future ... 12th
Kansas City, MO
The Susan B. Anthony Coin.")
14th
Omaha, NE
"We've placed several posters in 19th
Louisville, KY
our location and have noticed a 21st
Cleveland, OH
dramatic rise in the use of the dollar 26th
Menomonee Fa.Jls, WI
coin. All machines that will accept a
dollar slot now have one and we give
an extra game or added time for a
TECHNICAL TIP
patron's more sizeable invest-
ment,'' commented Jim.
In his location, there is a high
percentage of regular players. Their
ASTEROIDS™ games predominantly
A simple modification allows you
attract adults who put $5 into the to select a faster speed for your
game each time they play. ''In this Asteroids game. This will provide
type of situation, a dollar coin in- more challenge for those locations
centive stimulates even more play where the skill level is high.
on the game," according to Jim.
You will need some 30 gauge wire
To order free posters of the SBA and a switch.
coin, contact: Bob Wing, Los 1. Clip and lift pin 4 of C5 (74LS161)
Angeles Reserve Bank, P.O. Box 2. Wire switch as follows:
2077, Terminal Annex, Los
• common to lifted pin 4
Angeles, CA 90051, (213) 683-8350.
• normally closed to pad where
Commenting on the program, Russ
MacDonald said, "The objective of these
seminars is to help distributors off er
more technical support to operators.
The whole idea is to keep our games
earning longer Without interruptions
so that profits are maximized.''
DISTRIBUTOR
Empire Distributing Inc.,
Green Bay, WI
Lieberman Music Co.
Southwest Vending Sales
Southwest Vending Sales
Rowe International, Inc.
Central Distributing
Kentucky Coin
Cleveland Coin Int'l.
Pioneer Sales & Service
I
I
Asteroids
pin 4 used to be connected
• normally open to pull up
resistor next to C5.
Note:
1. Be sure you wire to the end of the
pull-up resistor not tied to + 5V.
2. Clipping any other pins besides
pin 4 may have adverse effects
on Audio, Video, and/or coin
discrimination.
Atari Co-Sponsors
Benefit for Youth
In conjunction with the San Jose
(California) Parks & Recreation
Department and San Jose Youth
Commission, Atari co-sponsored a
game arcade as a fund-raising event
to benefit area youth programs. The
game arcade was set up at the an-
nual Tapestry in Talent 4th of July
Festival sponsored by the City of
San Jose. It is estimated that more
than 1,000,000 people attended the
three-day event, which featured a
wide variety of crafts, food booths
and entertainment.
A large store in the festival area
was donated by a local businessman
for the arcade. Nineteen Atari
games, including ten of the popular
ASTEROIDS™, were placed in the
building. The Atari Graphics De-
partment made large colorful signs
for the storefront, and game posters
were used to decorate the interior.
Parks & Recreation personnel man-
ned the arcade, and Atari techni-
cians took shifts to insure that the
games remained in top working
order for maximum profit. Pizza
Time Theatre offered the use of a
dollar bill changer.
In addition to proceeds from
game play, Atari T-shirts, belt
buckles, key chains, and posters
were sold to enthusiastic players.
The popular hand-held TOUCH-
ME™ games by Atari were also
made available.
As part of the plan to draw
players to the arcade, an
ASTEROIDS tournament was held
each afternoon from 2-4 p.m.
Signups were held during the day,
and prizes were awarded for the
three highest scores daily.
Proceeds from this fund-raising
event will be used for recreation
equipment, teen drop-in centers,
and other needs of the youth pro-
gram. The popularity of the games,
combined with the crowds that at-
tended the festival, made this a
monetary success for the youth pro-
gram and excellent public relations
and exposure for Atari. Many
families attending discovered the
fun of playing electronic games,
knowing that the proceeds would
benefit the youth of the community.
Distributors and operators across
the country can capitalize on this
idea by seeking opportunities to
become involved with worthwhile
causes in their communities.
ATA~ I ~~t%t' r t
' ' '--"•
J
Customer Service
A typical phone call to the techni-
cians at Atari Customer Service
starts with the operator identifying
the fact that there is a game out of
order. The technician responds by
saying, "What is the problem?",
and the operator's answer usually
is, ''I don't know; it doesn't work.''
This might sound like an exag-
gerated scenario, but it happens
quite often, and a good percentage
of the problems with machines can
be fixed via the phone if the
operator has a few simple tools.
All of our machines are shipped
with manuals and schematics.
These should be left with the game.
Having these available on location
could save hours of guess work and
aggrevation.
The games have a self-test pro-
cedure. The test is explained in
detail in the game manual. Reading
the manual and being familiar with
the self-test feature will help you
locate the majority of the problems
in a minute.
Two pieces of equipment that are
''indispensible'' are the meter and
the logic probe. These items cost
you $15 to $25 each at a local elec-
tronics store (Radio Shack recently
had meters on sale for $9 and logic
probes for $19.95.) Having these
items could mean the difference be-
tween fixing the game ''on location''
or taking the game to the shop. Con-
sidering the earning potential of a
game like Atari Asteroids™ and the
revenues lost by having that game
down for more than a day, the tools
are very cheap investments.
The meter is useful for checking
voltages on the game board, and
power supply, lamps, etc. It can
also be used to check continuity in
wiring harnesses, finding breaks in
a wire, or loose connections, which
are common problems to all games.
A logic probe is useful for check-
ing IC components on a game board.
Many times it can isolate the pro-
blem down to a common $1.00 IC.
Having these tools is also useful if
you call the shop for help in fixing
the game on location. You'll be able
to trace through the schematic and
take readings to determine where
the problem is.
It pays to be prepared with some
basic, inexpensive tools in case your
game goes down. The tools can pay
for themselves in less than a day,
and probably will pay for them-
selves many times over. The most
important thing to remember is that
simple tools and the ability to use
these tools save you work, and keep
your games collecting revenue.

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