DE Star Wars Tri-Ball Re-race Issue

drjones

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Picked up a grail yesterday, DE Star Wars. Kind of a pathetic grail, I know, but this and IJ were THE games I played as a kid. Anyway, I've gotten all the kinks worked out save for one - when tri ball is activated, it never ends. I can just stand there and let the balls drain 100 times, just keeps relaunching them. I adjusted the rerace settings to 'extra hard' which should mean once the balls drain they're gone, but no dice. Has anyone experienced this? Gameplay seems normal during tri ball, it just won't end.
 
I can't speak to your trial ball issue, but I can reassure you that the de star wars pin is NOT a patjeic grail to own. Sw was the first game I ever owned. Cab was in good shape...but it needed love. I cleaned and upgraded the shit out of it. I loved the gameplay and the way the play field was set up. Yes the middle ramp did get old after awhile, but I loved it. I stupidly sold the game to get money for other games. I regret it ever since, and want to find another one! No grail is pathetic if its a machine you are connected to in some way.
 
Thanks vader - I love the game too for the same reasons. I guess only pathetic in that so many people poo poo the ramp and the gameplay when compared to other similarly priced pins. Mine is in great shape. Home owned since 97, was just super dirty. Inside is very clean though, backbox and boards are clean. Owner even had the foresight to remove the batteries. PF is dirty but I hit the main area with a magic eraser tonight just to see how it would do and it looks brand new. A few broken plastics but NOS pieces are available. Since I don't see myself selling this game I'm going to try and make it as nice as possible. Considering LEDs since its one game that seems to actually look better with them installed. Really excited for the new game ROM that was just released as well. Unlikely that it'll solved trial ball issue but that'd be awesome.
 
Well, the new code that just hit is supposed to be a big improvement to peoples complaints on the ramp scoring. This game is also my first pin, and was one of my grails. Same reasoning, grew up playing it. Still love to play it.

As for your issue, thats an interesting one for sure. It registers a normal ball draining fine, just triball is screwy? Maybe verify the eeprom on the mpu board. check the revision matches when you get the dump to verify (itll display it on boot on the dmd, and/or a sticker on the eeprom).
 
I got the complete led kit from marcospec when I had mine and it made a HUGE difference! I loved the look of the leds. I definitely recommend them for this game. I would consider getting different GI lighting than the standard white that comes with the kit. If I remember right, I would use blue around the edges. I then used green around the death star and blue around the R2D2 area. Really enhanced the look of those two areas. Even could do red around the death star, give it that menacing evil look! I would hit that playfield with novus and then give it a good waxing. that will shine up the playfield and make her look like new. I couldn't believe how much I was able to clean mine up using novus and wax. Amazing. And yes, the new MOD sounds very exciting! Makes me really hate myself now for selling her. I pretty much got her looking mint. I kick myself everyday. I finally redeemed my pinball itch by purchasing a LOTR pin yesterday. Will be here in two weeks. This one I will for sure not be getting rid of!!


Thanks vader - I love the game too for the same reasons. I guess only pathetic in that so many people poo poo the ramp and the gameplay when compared to other similarly priced pins. Mine is in great shape. Home owned since 97, was just super dirty. Inside is very clean though, backbox and boards are clean. Owner even had the foresight to remove the batteries. PF is dirty but I hit the main area with a magic eraser tonight just to see how it would do and it looks brand new. A few broken plastics but NOS pieces are available. Since I don't see myself selling this game I'm going to try and make it as nice as possible. Considering LEDs since its one game that seems to actually look better with them installed. Really excited for the new game ROM that was just released as well. Unlikely that it'll solved trial ball issue but that'd be awesome.
 
Thanks guys. Yeah normal ball drains fine and cycles to next ball, in tri ball mode when a ball drains its relaunched. I stood back and let the game play itself for 10 minutes once in tri ball and it just kept relaunching. I'm running version 1.02, that matches what's in the MPU. My thoughts are I have a stuck switch that keeps rengerating tri ball, like the Death Star target switch, but if that were the case I'd expect a lot more odd game behavior.

Vader thanks for the heads up on the LEDs. I was thinking a color changer would be cool where the lightsabers meet in the middle of the PF. And LOTR is a great game, congrats.
 
Do you know how to get into diagnostics mode? There is a playfield status function there that will give you all the switches made. The buttons for the diagnostic mode should be on the left side of the coinbox, just hold it in a couple seconds.
 
I'd gone through the diagnostics earlier and all seemed normal, bar motor switch registered and ball trough switches registered. Then I thought about it again after you posted, and removed the balls from the trough. Sure enough, trough switch #1 remained closed. The switch blade had gotten hung up under the playfield. Released it, checked operation, put things back together and started a game. Tri-ball is now working correctly, case closed. Thanks guys!
 
awesome! Its always a good feeling finding out the problem was an easy fix! If only all problems were so easily fixed!! Enjoy!





I'd gone through the diagnostics earlier and all seemed normal, bar motor switch registered and ball trough switches registered. Then I thought about it again after you posted, and removed the balls from the trough. Sure enough, trough switch #1 remained closed. The switch blade had gotten hung up under the playfield. Released it, checked operation, put things back together and started a game. Tri-ball is now working correctly, case closed. Thanks guys!
 
The issue is in the trough... A VERY common failure prone to Data East pins.

Does Star Wars have optos in the trough or switches? If the first, probably could use a cleaning. If the later, on of the switches is maladjusted. Through it in switch test to find the culprit....

Edit: Looks like you found it! Good job!
 
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