If you are a TD running an event with DM, and it’s either yours, or you have readily available access to the game do you:
Either is perfectly fine For high-level competition, disabling the claw is probably preferable. The modified ROM has several relatively hard to explain features.
it only does one thing though? “Don’t choose lock freezes multiple times” seems like a pretty simple instruction
I don’t know enough about the ROM, nor have I installed yet or ever played it. I thought it provided more options instead of simply disabling the claw.
Zac - can you expand on it a little more? I have DM and will be running my first tournament with it in a few weeks for 48 people. Just trying to figure out the best way to setup the game. Thanks!
I have ‘Sorens’ rom on my DM. All that I was aware of it doing is making a second ‘lock freezes’ claw selection give super pops, so that players can’t spam that award and instead need to use and not-use it strategically. Other than that I set the claw difficulty up one level (need to go over the left inlane to light claw at start of ball, not just shoot the right ramp) and I feel like it’s a pretty solid tournament game. I really don’t like playing without the claw in tournaments (especially with the ‘claw difficulty’ on default) since it basically becomes a game of trying to avoid the right ramp for as long as possible (since the first award when the claw disabled is the lock freezes) and that ruins a lot of the other modes. Plus the claw gives a lot more strategic choices which I feel is always preferable.
Of course, if you’ve ever had claw issues, then reliability may trump all that 
I’ll be using my DM in a local league night for the first time in a few months and I plan to leave it on, though I do worry about it having random issues. I recently went through and replaced all the optos and connectors involved and it’s been solid ever since, so I think leaving it on is reasonable.
Disable claw.
Disable claw. Set claw to Extra Hard.
That’s how mine is every day of the week at home.
Disable claw. Done. You now have great tourney game.
That’s a simple instruction, true. But actually describing how the mod works is not as simple. Don’t you get super jets when you select an award the second time?
Yes. Not valuable enough to be worth mentioning in my opinion
Not surprised to see the updated ROM haters making an appearance in this thread, I totally disagree however. For Demo Man, modified ROM is the way to go, especially if you’re comfortable that your claw will be reliable. Having only ever played it in tournaments, I found the game underwhelming despite the cool flowing layout. The soren rom fixes that and adds a few very simple strategic choices that make the game far more entertaining and IMO, more compelling for both tournament and non-tournament play.
Disabling the claw lends itself to a lot of extra in-game decision making and strat adjusting on the fly.
Aren’t the claw awards given in a specific order when the claw is disabled?
Yes. And you need to decide when you’re going to use the Award Freeze one, based on whether you’ll need to blow up the game, play for a safe score, use it in conjunction with the first Computer award, etc.
Thanks for all the replies! You guys definitely aren’t making this an easy decision, lol
I believe the game shines when you get full strategic control over when to pull the Quick freeze. And while still being able to gain on mode pety points, have Demo time as a long term goal and have the right ramp as an in-the-flow ball transfer left to right. On some games the Start multiball lane is just a brick.
Some pretty day a mod v2 will arise with a “Claw millions” DMD page and x millions awarded. When choosing awards already lit. The v1 of lit Quick freese goes Super jets was the avalable nails.
Either modifications mentioned here for this game needs to be addressed to players. As any modification should. Personally I disable shaker motors for competitions. And even that I make players aware of. It is a game feedback not there. Super jackpot made, for instance.
The mods now have ready to print info sheets. The one for Demo man looks like this.
Get it here.
One other factor is time. The claw will likely statistically significantly increase average game time.
Now if one could get the car crash to act like the bell from AC/DC and be a global playfield multiplier… that’s a ROM I’d be interesting in playing.
That could be an interesting strategy addition - take a place on the playfield no one ever shoots on purpose and give it a purpose.
Ha. Now we are talking creativite changes.
However, you will now also see next the challange when doing things like this. Which is something I hold in high regard. How should the game communicate this to the player? ACDC have playfield lights for this. This is a fixed playfield. So, how?
Is it Indy500 that makes a border on the DMD indicating that 3x scoring is active?