If you really want to play Cygnus X-1 Challenge, it might take a while… because this wizard mode is top notch, one of my favorites in a long time. I especially love the theming of the mode and how it correlates to the song, and the animations fit perfectly too. My one gripe is that the values for “added” shots on the blue planet should be reduced to prevent exploiting the mode, but otherwise, flawless stuff.
Also… I just listened to 2112 and holy shit this song is going to make for an excellent wizard mode. Will be very interested in seeing how this song translates to pinball.
@raydaypinball
Just want to mention how I’m loving this game. Thanks to you and @timballs for how you are coding it. Learning it a step at a time but that’s what keep it interesting.
Seconded - this is a killer game and the code is what keeps me coming back. I love the risk / reward of choosing between focusing on Combo Jackpot / albums or focusing on completing modes for wildcard records - both are very tough tasks but feel so rewarding when you’re able to combine the two. The time machine upgrades add some nice depth to the game and make the multiballs from the time machine, while accessible, feel tougher to make progress in unless you’ve focused on other aspects of the game beforehand.
Now if you’ll excuse me I gotta get back to the Cygnus X-1 Challenge in 5 minutes grind…
Yes, the time machine upgrades are an amazing addition! I love the different things you can go for with risk/reward too. Using the drum multiplier with drum solo to get to headlong flight, is pure awesomeness. But talking about shots, there is something about shooting the left orbit through the pops, hitting the side ramp, then flipping into the time machine that gives me a satisfaction I can’t describe. Sorry, just had a fun game!
I recently had a situation where I had both “The Weapons” lit but was scared to use the “wrong” one. But then I had my 2 remaining balls drain at the same time and tried to hold the Action Button to keep the MB going and then it just spotted all my shots. I was wondering if it was just a situation where holding the button took too long or if it was a weird case where I wasn’t technically in MB anymore (grace period be damned) so it gave me the mode option instead.
@raydaypinball regarding the Bass instrument’s ability to still collect combos during MB’s… why is it that this perk is only for combo points, and not for collecting Albums? To me, the best part about combos is getting albums (and The Weapon)… it’s a shame that the Bass perk (which is timed) doesn’t include ability to get those sweet Albums/Weapons during the MB.
I think it would be a cool strategic option to take the risk of getting and activating your Bass prior to beginning your MB. Maybe a nice compromise would be that you could collect combos, and “reserve” those albums during MB, but not be able to “collect” the albums until after you drain down to single-ball play and with the next shot to the time machine?
It’s too powerful, and the combo and album points can grow exponentially and out of control, and doing that with the safety of a multiball was found to be too good (see @Steveo on DontPanicFlip’s stream for a demonstration).
The ability to still get combos but not albums means you can still use the strategy to get an unwieldy jackpot value, but if you want to multiply it you’ll have to risk it for the biscuit in single ball play.
Also, there are feature adjustments you can make if you want either of the behaviors you described (can qualify albums during multiball, can collect albums during multiball)
Props to Rayday for the excellent implementation of the multipliers on this game - I love how this rule encourages stamina to score the biggest points, and love that more pinball machines are following this trend coming off of Godzilla which has a similar emphasis on stamina.
So, put together some rough ideas for 2112 wizard mode because I’m currently hyperfixated on that song lol. This could have the potential to become one of the best wizard modes ever and I want to make sure of it. This would use the motion comic from Rush’s channel.
TL;DR this wizard mode is divided into “phases” based off the sections of the song, most of which have the goal of scoring a Super Jackpot which adds itself to the Federation Jackpot value that can be scored at the very end of the wizard mode. Each phase ends once a Super Jackpot has been scored, the ball drains, or the section itself ends.
100 years have been collected, shoot the Time Machine to access the final year.
Overture - 6-ball Multiball where the goal is to shoot the three upper flipper shots for jackpots built by switch hits (maybe have a limit for switches from certain shots to prevent exploiting this phase). Super Jackpot at the time machine after making all three based on jackpots + bonus switch hits.
Temple of Syrinx - Single ball, shoot the random flashing shots as the Priests praise their accomplishments. Under-flipper shot is constantly lit during this stage and auto-launches the ball - this will add a bunch of points to the shot values for every bumper hit. Make all flashing shots to score Super Jackpot based on jackpots collected.
Discovery - Single ball. Discover the guitar by shooting the drop targets and instrument lane. Qualifying non-guitar instruments (bass, drum) increases the multiplier once the guitar has been discovered by +1x, which can all be activated with an instrument lane shot. All lanes then light for 5x Instrument Bonus (10x for 2 instruments, 15x for all 3). Shoot them all to light Super Jackpot worth all values back at the instrument lane.
Presentation - Single ball. As the conversation shifts between the protagonist and the Priests, different shots light. The orbits are lit as the protagonist speaks, switching to the ramps (and Time Machine + scoop) for the Priests. Each shot scores points and increases the values for the ”escape” phase, which starts once the ball drains or the section transitions into fast guitar shredding.
Escape - 30 second 3-ball Multiball where each shot scores the values built up by stage 2 and the first phase of stage 4. Shoot all for Super Jackpot worth the total.
Dream Segue - Prior to the dream, the lights on the playfield all darken, except for the Time Machine which is blinking rapidly. Each shot scores the current, unmultiplied Combo Jackpot and adds it’s value to the shots lit during the dream.
Dream - 3-ball Multiball where the goal is to complete 1-2-3 shots, each one scoring base Combo Jackpot +1x multiplier for each quickly made combo shot. Make a combo shot starting at each major “1” lane for Super Jackpot worth the total jackpots collected.
Soliloquy - Single-ball play resumes. All the shots are lit to start, but every 20 seconds, lit shots vanish (and so do the lighting around them); right orbit unlights, then right ramp, spinner, same for the left side. Eventually the Time Machine is the only shot flashing, which will end the stage (and score Super Jackpot if all shots were made).
Finale - 6-ball Multiball. Everything is lit to score 5% of the points scored during all of the previous phases - the right ramp requires another shot to be made after being shot, however. Ball save deactivates as the Federation takes over and completing the flashing RUSH target bank during this time scores one final Federation Jackpot worth the total of all the Super Jackpots that have been collected x .5 x the number of balls in play when it was collected. Highest scoring shots in the game right here.
I know, this wasn’t the right place to post it, but what can I say - I’m a big fan of this game and would love to see a wizard mode that gets people talking. If any of my ideas make it in, I’ll be happy.
New code dropped
Stern pdf is also updated to match latest code update, with some added info in the freewill section and wizard mode sections, and various other corrections
EDIT: Dang, the captain is already on it! Looks like the wiki got updated almost immediately
Hey Tim and Ray, have to say what a great game! I cant get off it. I have not read thru this entire thread yet so not sure if its been mentioned before, but has there been a discussion around the ball save timers in the mini wizard modes 1 and 2? Only mentioning it as I think it might be too easy, or too long rather. Everytime I have got to one or both of them I have yet not to complete it. Just wondering if there are plans to make them shorter?
Cygnus book 1 has a ball saver each time you add a ball and that ball saver does shrink each time but it’s purposely made very generous so you have a good time in the mode - it sucks working so hard to get to a wizard mode and then having it end immediately with a bad bounce or two. There might be a setting in feature adjustments if you want to lower this
Cygnus book 2 is actually a timed mode, with 10 seconds penalized each drain
Sorry, just had a fun game!
