Star Tech Journal

Issue: 1986-April - Vol 8 Issue 2

April 198B.(5)
Willi.anB S'IS-J:Dt 11 Features
By Fritz Runyon
Williams Electronics
Chicago, IL
A Reminder:
You CAN prevent breakage of plastic
playfield parts, particularly on the upper
end (SPACE SHUTI'LE, aJ.1m', etc. ) by
pulling the playfield toward the operator
slightly, while lifting the playfield t-o
work on the underside. A little precaution
like this can save the attractiveness of
your game and keep its earnings high.
Make certairi that the playfield is resting
securely on the support bar, before
totally releasing your hold on it, if you
have it up for switch cleaning, contact
adjustment, etc.
Spend a little time to clean up the game,
especially the playfield glass, when you
are making your collections. It's a sure
way to help your game earn a bit nore - no
one likes to play a game with a dirty
glass (even though they may have been the
offender).
SYSTEM 11 & some of Its Major Features:
Williams Electronics Games really has been
listening to you operators out there,
although for a long while it may have
seemed that we weren't hearing you. Well,
System 11, the brains of HIGH SPEED, gives
you many of the things you've mentioned.
For exanple ...
Automatic Replay Percentaging (Adjustment
AD 01) is a game program feature that
automatically adjusts the 'Replay Level'
score setting. This adjustment enables the
game to provide the percentage of Replay
awards selected by the operator. The
program thereby increases (or decreases)
the 'Replay Level' score setting to
conpensate for players' skills and the
variables of game operation.
In conjunction with this new automatic
feature, the operator nust realize that
the selected values for Match, Specials,
HSTD (High Score to Date), etc., also
contribute (approximately 10 to 15%!) to
the Total Free Game percentage, which can
be observed in Audit item 07, now. The
operator can choose to let the game do the
adjustment, automatically ... or,
STAR*TECH Journal
The operator can select Fixed Replay
Percentage. To utilize this feature to its
best advantage, the operator should
nonitor Audit item AU 09 (Percent Replay)
to find its contribution to the Total Free
Game percentage (recalling that this total
includes those of Match, Specials, HSTD,
etc.).
Alphanumeric Display:
The alphanumeric display provides English
(or German) information about the game to
the player and operator. The player may
observe a custom message of as many as
three lines of 14 characters each,
provided by the operator using Adjustment
item 49. The player can press a flipper
button during game play to check the
status of various game features, such as
Hideout Jackpot and Ranp Value. (Values of
game features are also displayed during
game play, whenever the features are
achieved or collected.)
At the end of the game, a player can enter
a 3-character name or set of initials, if
the player's score is one of the top four
scores. For the game operator, the
Alphanumeric Display describes game
identification, audit, and adjustment
information. This decreases the need to
refer to the instruction manual, and
allows easier use of the game's excellent
bookkeeping and diagnostic capabilities.
At game tum-on, the operator can also
receive a switch problem message, if there
is a switch that is inoperative.
Auto-switch testing is a game program
feature that checks for regular activation
of switches during game play. If, after 60
balls (20 games), a switch has not been
actuated (either always open or always
closed) , the program displays a message at
game tum-on. This message is acconpanied
by a knocker sound (which may be disabled
using AD 50) and an electronic sound to
call attention to the problem. This
display can include as many as three
switches.
Game Difficulty Adjustments:
An'Dng the game adjustments, AD 59 through
AD 66 affect nore than one game feature.
Any of these adjustments enable the
operator to preset a nunber of game
features at one time, thereby making the
STAR*TECH Journal
game difficulty rmch easier to set for a
particular location.
In addition, even though the operator has
chosen a specific level of difficulty for
game play, any of the individual features
(preset as a group via AD 62 through 66)
can then be adjusted to another setting,
if desired, without affecting the other
preset features. In this way, each game
can be "customized" to suit its location.
April 1986 (6)
Cinernatronics showed IDRLD SERIES. This
game has to place them in a back order
status. This game will suffice for 6
m::>nths to a year. Congratulations to them!
Good sports games are good for many years
of big seasonal income. Their bowling
games look like a good buy for winter.
Exidy has to be their own victim. All
their rifles have been so good it doesn't
justify kitting them. An unbelieveable
track record for several years now.
Good Adjustrnents=Good Play=HIGH F.ARNI:OOS!
Nintendo has SUPER MARIO BRa,. , rmch
needed. Many good to excellent kits. I
could go on for several pages m::>re. The
point is that there are m::>re excellent
games than we need. This enables us to buy
several of many, rather than a huge nurrber
of one.
ACME '86
By Todd Erickson
Sunmit Anusernents
St. Paul, MN
With the best
one knew what
that the show
cro\tt'd of AK>A
a success.
of two shows corrbining, no
to expect. Everyone knew
would never draw the huge
but it didn't have to, to be
Every manufacturer had either a new game
or recently sanpled game. Excellent
product for the m::>st part. Many looked
extremely promising. I can't just look at
a game and tell if it is a great one. Many
hit games I never really liked.
Driving games are one category of games
that it is hard to miss with. Atari showed
its new 3 player SPRINI' or should I say 75
cent SPRINI'. My "old" SPRINI' 2 is still
running (10 years old this year).
Williams HIGH SPEED speaks for itself.
This game will be the hit pin of the year
at 1986 Af,OA.
Atari System One is the m::>st underrated
system in the industry. '!heir current game
INDIANA JONES is excellent. Sales of all
games were hurt by GAUNTLET. Operators are
now discovering INDIANA JONFS. I have a
good idea what is coming next and it makes
system 1 a super buy. These games are so
strong I feel 3 games a year will keep the
operator real happy.
The educational seminars were all well
attended. The operator is in rmch better
shape than last year or last fall.
'!he m::>st interesting thing happened at the
Meet the Manufacturers seminar. The
operators in attendance took the side of
the manufacturers when it came to parallel
boards & ripoff boards!
We rmst support the job the manufacturers
are doing for us. When we get the
excellent product we have now, it pays to
buy. There is still m::>ney to be made in
video as well as pins, jukes, darts, pool,
etc.
The gun produced by Nintendo is being
retooled. The new gun looks good but a few
m::>re changes are needed.
The standardization npvement is getting
stronger. The manufacturers have been
working on areas covered at the AIDA
seminar (see S"'TJ Feb86, Vol 7, No 9).
Last but not least. What I liked best
about A01E. There is a lot m::>re time to
spend talking to people at the show. One
inp:>rtant fact can pay for your show
expense. I don't feel the main reason for
going to this show is to see the new
equipment.

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