F-14-Tomcat (Williams, 1987) VP9 v1.01
by JPSalas
IPD No. 804
VPM table. Needs original ROMS. Converted from my VP8 table, but there are many changes using many new features from VP9.
If you want to put the vpm DMD window in the middle of the table then you may set the top Height of the DMD Ramp to about 310 (depending of the resolution of the table), keeping the bottom at 160.
Revision History:
v1.01 Updated 3 October 2010
- fixed dropwall problem which made the ball seem to go on top of the plastics and flippers.
v1.0 released 2 October 2010
Comments from designer Steve Ritchie:
F-14 had a first-ever kickback device that fired the ball straight back at the flippers at very high speed, called the Jagov Kicker. F-14 was the first game with "Autosave", which meant the player could have the ball back if it drained prematurely [at the start of a ball], was shot down between the flippers by the Jagov Kicker, or drained during the onset of multiball, etc.
Rules:
by JPSalas
IPD No. 804
VPM table. Needs original ROMS. Converted from my VP8 table, but there are many changes using many new features from VP9.
If you want to put the vpm DMD window in the middle of the table then you may set the top Height of the DMD Ramp to about 310 (depending of the resolution of the table), keeping the bottom at 160.
Revision History:
v1.01 Updated 3 October 2010
- fixed dropwall problem which made the ball seem to go on top of the plastics and flippers.
v1.0 released 2 October 2010
Comments from designer Steve Ritchie:
F-14 had a first-ever kickback device that fired the ball straight back at the flippers at very high speed, called the Jagov Kicker. F-14 was the first game with "Autosave", which meant the player could have the ball back if it drained prematurely [at the start of a ball], was shot down between the flippers by the Jagov Kicker, or drained during the onset of multiball, etc.
Rules:
F-14 Tomcat by Chris Lopez
Goals
Defeat Yagov by killing all enemy planes.
You can do this by either shooting the left side which will kick the ball back at you like the raptor pit on JP (but from much closer), or you can shoot the center targets after an inlane. Killing Yagov earns an extra ball. (and a lot of screaming by Yagov)
The center targets are drain shots if hit dead on. Well aimed shots at thier edges have extremely predictable bounces though.
The ball saver kicks in after a left side hit. While you can almost always save the ball as it comes out, sometimes you want to let it drain (explained later).
After your first Yagov kill inlanes no longer light the center kill shot. You can do something to reactivate them but I forget what it is.
Get the Jackpot
To earn the jackpot you must make 3 safe landings (right side) during multiball.
Multiball is started by locking 4 balls.
To light a lock you must spell tomcat. There are two sets of tomcat letters. One up between the upper flippers, one down near lower flippers (TOM where the bumpers are on TAF, CAT where the swamp is). tomcat can be spelled in any order using any combination of the targets.
To lock a ball you must shoot the right side (safe landing) shot.
The machine will fill any lit locks from plunger launches before putting a ball into play (thus the occasional intentional use of the ball saver). The plunger is manual, so you plunge multiple times.
Bonus Multiplier extra ball
Just above each top flipper is a swinging gate. When one it hit, it lights 'increase multiplier' on the other gate. Earning 10x(?) multiplier ON A SINGLE BALL lights the left side shot for an extra ball. Bonus multipliers are not carried from one ball to the next.
Other notes
The game when properly maintained plays EXTREMELY fast.
Ball times are very long once you get good because there are no 'drain on a near miss' shots (though hitting the center targets dead on is a good way to drain).
The right outlane isn't bad, and the left one has a kickback. The kickback can be relit by hitting the lit center target any time except right after an inlane (when they register kills). Which of the 2 center targets is lit alternates on a timer. This shot is easy enough that you should almost never have a left side drain.
I have seen a couple games where the top center bumper does not work properly. The game plays terribly without it. None of the places seemed able to fix it. (One of them I know worked on it for a couple days in the backroom. For the others I just have their words)
Chris Lopez
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F-14 TomCat Rule Sheet V0.9 2/23/97
V1.0 5/21/1998
By Damon Beals
L-1 Roms
Design and Concept: Steve Ritchie
Software: Eugene Jarvis
Graphic Design: Doug Watson
Sounds: Bill Parod and Chris Granner
This is my first stab at a rule sheet, so I thought I would start with a older and simpler game and one that I own, so here it goes, Note that F-14 and all the stuff Iam going to talk about is Copyright Williams and Company 1987.
Game play is about you being a F-14 pilot and you are trying to down General Yagov, which is a bad guy which sound sort of Russian, he does call you comrad a few times in the game. (Boy how times change). You kill General Yagov by killing all eight of his planes, or buy getting a replay score. He is always taunting you by telling you that "You can't win" or Laughing at you or telling you "Now you di,di,die" with a little Max Headroom thrown in.
Info from the Score Card right off the Machine
F-14 TOMCAT Pre-Flight Checklist
Score T-O-M-C-A-T to light: LOCKS, MB, RELEASE, RIPOFF
Launch Ramp lamps: Red = LOCKS; BLUE = LANDINGS
Shoot lit Release or Ripoff with 3 LOCKS to start MB
Shoot Launch Ramp DURING MB to score LANDING, 3 Landings win FIGHER JACKPOT
Kill Gen. Yagov or lit KILL Targets to advance KILLS toward EXTRA BALL
Shoot FLY BY to light and score BONUS X and Start HOT STREAK
Shoot TOMCAT targets repeatedly to advance HOT STREAK BONUS
Hitting lit 1-6 targets lights Fly By Bonus X and Spinner
Flight Insurance returns last Ball to player for FLY AGAIN, when lit
Top Secret: Multi-ball Special
Play Field
Starting lower right, is a standard ball shooter that launches the ball into a wireframe that end in the upper left of the game where the ball can take three paths for locks, one on the right middle of the PF and the other two in the center next to the Jet Bumper. Red lights flashing let you know when the ball will lock.
Jet Bumper
between the ball locks and the upper TOM CAT targets.
Upper Middle TOM CAT Targets
between orbit, and Jet Bumper, use the upper flipper to score targets.
1-6 Targets
This Targets on vertical on either side of the Center Targets 1-3 on the left and 4-6 on the right.
Right Side CAT Targets
Three standard round targets, mid way up on the PF vertical on the right side.
Left Side TOM Targets
Three standard round targets, mid way up on the PF vertical on the left side.
Center Kill/Rescue Targets
Two standard round targets, located in the middle of the PF.
Right Lock/Release/Landing VUK
Right upper shot that depending on what is lit delivers the ball to the diverter on the left.
Orbit Flyby
left to right side delevers the ball back to lower flippers if you do not use the upper flippers, has Spinner on right side, Flyby is used to increase the Bonus.
Left Ripoff/Extra Ball/Yagov KickBack
This delivers the ball back to the left flipper at great speed.
Flippers
Four standard length flippers, two lower and two upper directly across from each other.
Sling Shots
Standard size and in the usual location.
Left Outlane/Rescue
Left Outlane has a kick back the delivers the ball to the upper part of the playfield, when lit.
Game Play
To score big you should aim for MultiBall (MB) and then get three Landings, as well as up the Bonus to 8X.
Ball Locks
To locks balls for MB you need to light one set of TOM and one set of CAT targets, then the Lock light is lit and you shoot for the right VUK to lock the ball. The ball diverter has two sets of light for each ball route. Red flashing light means you have a lock just shoot the right VUK, solid Red tells you that a ball is already locked. Blue lights let you how many Landing you have made during MB.
Multi Ball
MB is started by locking three ball and then lighting TOM CAT again and shooting Release (Right VUK). This starts the Four Ball MB. If you are on a game in good shape after the third lock the Beacons on the Back box light up and spin giving a great light show, and music waiting for you Release shot. While in MB three shots to Landing (right VUK) award 150K, 250K and Jackpot which I has always seems to be 703,850. Landings add up so if you only get two in your first MB you can get the third during your next MB.
Special
If you light all the TOM CAT targets both upper and lower, while in MB then Special is lit on both outlanes, which award EB.
1-6 Targets
These target light in order from 1 to 6 and back to 1 hitting a lit target lights the Bonus light in the Flyby orbit. The Bonus is raised but each orbit to a max of 8X after that EB Which can be collected by shooting the left kick back. The targets also light the 1k spinner on the right side of the Flyby orbit.
Center Targets
These two targets alternate between each other and when lit relights the Rescue (KB) on the left outlane. Don't shoot the center targets straight on as that will send the SDTM, shoot the sides of the targets. After your First Yogov Kill inlanes no longer light the Center Kill.
Inlanes
Both left and right inlane have Lites Kill which if you then shoot the two center targets award a Kill. A Left inlane to right VUK will award a Launch Bonus starting at 50K to 250k in 50k steps and also award a lock.
Spinner
Spinner awards 1k per spin when lit, to light hit a lit 1-6 Target.
Yagov Shot
Eight shots to Yagov award a EB. The eight shots are Alpha, Bravo, Charle, Delta, Echo, Fox, Golf. Also can be used to start MB if you light TOM CAT a second time after your third lock. The KB has a grace period where you get Flight Insurance (another ball) if the KB drains your ball. NOTE: the KB is very fast on a clean machine.
