Helping Ms. Pacman remember her high scores

sixteenbits

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I just got a beautiful Ms Pacman cab and am very excited about it. It's in great shape and my technical question is more of a want than a need.

What I'm wondering about is finding an easy method to retain high scores in memory, so that when I shut the machine off (which I do every night) it can remember the current champ.

I discovered this mod here - http://www.twobits.com/sabcad.html - which sounds very interesting, but is a bit overkill for my purposes. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any other solutions that may work.
 

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I just got a beautiful Ms Pacman cab and am very excited about it. It's in great shape and my technical question is more of a want than a need.

What I'm wondering about is finding an easy method to retain high scores in memory, so that when I shut the machine off (which I do every night) it can remember the current champ.

I discovered this mod here - http://www.twobits.com/sabcad.html - which sounds very interesting, but is a bit overkill for my purposes. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any other solutions that may work.

I have that Super ABC kit. It's really not worth it, IMO. The score board is shared between ALL the games on the thing, there is attract mode when you're in freeplay (nor is there any screen saver).

Amazingly... I looked around, and I couldn't find a kit or anything to keep the highscores for a single Pac game... maybe jrok will end up making one eventually, or Mark, or someone... I feel your pain though, I hate losing the scores when you power a machine down...

I'll keep searching, I'm really shocked there isn't anything out there...
 
It would be nice if someone made a kit to save pac high scores. Im really surprised it hasnt been done yet, should be a great seller.
 
Scucci, thanks for the info! Too bad that kit got discontinued, I'd totally buy it as well.
 
It would be nice if someone made a kit to save pac high scores. Im really surprised it hasnt been done yet, should be a great seller.

Considering the price of the multikits, I wouldn't expect many of these to sell at the $45 or so they'd need to cost to make them worth making...
 
If there were a Pac-Man high score save with attract mode for around 45 or so like the Nintendo's, I would buy that in a heart beat.
The 96-1 is cool, but I don't need all those games, and thus don't want to pay that much.
 
96-in-1 may not be a bad solution. Thought $145 is more than I'm hoping to spend. I guess it's because I really don't want all those other variants. Though if you can boot straight to a single one like Bjk mentions, that could work.

All that said if there was just a save hi-scores kit for $40, I'd buy it... :)
 
96-in-1 may not be a bad solution. Thought $145 is more than I'm hoping to spend. I guess it's because I really don't want all those other variants. Though if you can boot straight to a single one like Bjk mentions, that could work.

All that said if there was just a save hi-scores kit for $40, I'd buy it... :)

Get the 96-in-1... you won't regret it.
Perhaps the main reason you don't see anyone selling simple score saves for things like Pac and Galaga is out of respect for the kits that have already been done. I've done some of these for my own personal use, but I'd never sell or even share them (unless, of course, the multi-kits were no longer being sold).
 
Considering the price of the multikits, I wouldn't expect many of these to sell at the $45 or so they'd need to cost to make them worth making...

I cant speak for everyone but I personally dont want a multikit in my pacs but would love to have high score save. Unfotunatly I think your right that most people would opt for the multi for a little more $$.
 
I have that Super ABC kit. It's really not worth it, IMO. The score board is shared between ALL the games on the thing, there is attract mode when you're in freeplay (nor is there any screen saver).

Amazingly... I looked around, and I couldn't find a kit or anything to keep the highscores for a single Pac game... maybe jrok will end up making one eventually, or Mark, or someone... I feel your pain though, I hate losing the scores when you power a machine down...

I'll keep searching, I'm really shocked there isn't anything out there...

Could you tell me if the SuperABC saves high scores for each game individually at the top of the screen. I know the high score board is shared, but does it atleast save the high score of each game and type?
 
Could you tell me if the SuperABC saves high scores for each game individually at the top of the screen. I know the high score board is shared, but does it atleast save the high score of each game and type?

Negative... if you score 800K in Pac-Plus... then when you're playing Ms. Pac, it show 800K up top.
 
Negative... if you score 800K in Pac-Plus... then when you're playing Ms. Pac, it show 800K up top.

Wow how did they get that one wrong? I wonder if there's a way to add real high score saving and attract mode during freeplay? I really like that multi game cause it has Ultra Pacman, but high score saving is pretty important.

Thanks for clarifying.
 
The 96-in-1 is a little better (as far as HS save is concerned) but certainly not perfect. All Ms. Pac games HS score are saved (normal & fast versions) on the same board. All Pac versions (normal, fast and all alternate mazes) are all saved on the same high score board. Same for Pac Plus.

White it's nice that there are different boards for Ms. Pac, Pac, Pac Plus... it sucks they don't break them down to fast/normal. What "normal" score can compete on a high score board filled with "fast" scores?

While I like my 96-in-1. In a perfect world, the 6-pac would save high scores... though I WOULD miss Ms. Pac Plus ...
 
its hard to believe that a Pac save kit parts would cost anywhere near $150
I have read the statement on 96in1 page but as i said its hard to believe that you need anywhere near $100 worth of materials

I hope someone does start to make them
out of respect for the 96 in 1 guy he discontinued the save kit so how is it respecting him not making on when he has said he will not ?

doesn't make sense to me

Ill say this If i figure it out it will be released as there is a need and there is no reason why it is not aval

some do not wish the 96 in 1 have a customer that wants a 16 in one but opt for 96 in one as its 100 cheaper lol

but it started out he only wanted a high score save if i would have known i would have bought a crap load of them back when they where made
 
its hard to believe that a Pac save kit parts would cost anywhere near $150
I have read the statement on 96in1 page but as i said its hard to believe that you need anywhere near $100 worth of materials

I hope someone does start to make them
out of respect for the 96 in 1 guy he discontinued the save kit so how is it respecting him not making on when he has said he will not ?

doesn't make sense to me

Ill say this If i figure it out it will be released as there is a need and there is no reason why it is not aval

some do not wish the 96 in 1 have a customer that wants a 16 in one but opt for 96 in one as its 100 cheaper lol

but it started out he only wanted a high score save if i would have known i would have bought a crap load of them back when they where made

It it's something as simple as a RAM swap and ROM edit (I HIGHLY doubt...), I'd try to do it... Since Galaga FP w/ Attract mode got finished before I could finish it... I guess I need a new project. BUT, that said... IF it was that simple... it'd be done by now and they'd only be about $45. So I bet there's a lot more involved that that.
 
FWIW (probably nothing);

$4E88 to $4E8A is where the high score information is kept (in reverse, AABBCC).

$4E8A = AA
$4E89 = BB
$4E88 = CC

Just looked through the commented Ms. Pac assembly.
 
The 96 in 1 does a lot more than play a bunch of games, PM me your email address and I'll send a copy of the manual. There are several useful features and extras that make the kit more than a simple X in 1 work around.

No wiring, no extra buttons since your existing buttons are remapped by the board for things like action and fire using player 1.

The price is $135 including Priority Mail shipping along with a ribbon cable, and there's no way to sell them for $45 which is less than the parts cost.
 
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