VP8 Bally SS Recreation KISS se3 Released vse3 2020-01-28

[shiva]

The first release of KISS, the classic pinball game, is now out, and available at Pinball Nirvana.

The development cycle was quite a bit longer, as it seemed to fight me all the way. Because of this, and it's insane bonus system, which has 3 separate systems, plus the 3 ways to score it, I decided to release this now, as opposed to having a beta test. It appears to work fine, though I made a couple changes for the engine, and also, there are some minor enhancements.

The actual Arcade game bored me to tears, and it had a bad layout by Bally standards, with a few dead spots, so I did what I could to make it play better. It is very fast for that reason, far faster than the actual game. I'm sure Bally will forgive me.

There are 3 parts to the Bonus Count system, and occasionally, it will mistime especially on a multiplier, but then it wasn't worth rewriting the entire engine and screwing up the other 2 games, and it's pretty close to the vpm version.

This comes with the latest version of shivaEngine3.vbs, which now allows a custom bonus routine to be used instead of the default routine already included.

As well, the code snippets also have a basic version of a impulse plunger type system, and more detailed remarks and object/collection information.

Table Info:

Kiss se3
by shiva

* Kiss *
Bally
IPD No. 1386
rom name: kiss

Date Of Manufacture: June, 1979
Model Number: 1152-E
Production: 17,000 units (confirmed)
Design by: Jim Patla
Art by: Kevin O'Connor
Notes: A 'Kiss' prototype was built which used speech.

* Kiss se3 Version *
- se version by: p.d.sanderson (shiva)
- IPDB Info: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1386

* Copyright *
This game in whole or in part, including all custom script code, layout or graphics may not be duplicated in any form or made available in other tables without the express written permission of the author. This table or any contents within is not to be distributed, sold, modified or offered for sale in any form or format other than by the author of Kiss se.
This program is free for all to use and enjoy
The author claims artistic copyright on all custom portions of this file, including layout, graphics and script code that were made exclusively for this file. Unauthorized reproduction and/or distribution in whole or in part is strictly forbidden.
Exclusive content, design and graphics are copyright 2006 by Paul D. Sanderson.
All Rights reserved.

Thanks to the authors for the previous versions.

* Setting up this game *

Place the VPT file in your Tables folder. Make sure you have the proper vbs files included in the same folder as this game. You will be asked if shivaEngine.vbs should be overwritten, replay "YES" as this uses the version released on the same date as this table (07.14.06)

* Keys *
The keys are set to default as set in the Preferences menu in the Visual Pinball Editor.

"R" - Rules
"F2" - Show se3 keys
"F3" - Global stat
"Insert" - 'cheater' posts up
"Delete" - 'cheater' posts down

* Adjusting the engine *
You can adjust the engine as you see fit, though as the table is locked, you will only be able to adjust the set code from the vbs files. Though the engine is a external file, you are not allowed to make changes without permission from shiva.

You only need to make changes in Table_Init, and only if you want to change the replay values, high score or amount of balls per game. At the very bottom of this subroutine, are 2 settings

SetStyle (2) Changes the overall style of the engine. Only the Bally 79 era games (Like KISS) are set,
A value of 0 will allow you to change the settings yourself in Sub SetCustomStyle().
Leave this alone otherwise, as the engine only has code for SetStyle (2) and the earlier Ballys : SetStyle(1)

* Skill Levels *
shivaEngine 3 has built in a skill settings feature if wanted, predefined code that matches the pin settings of the actual arcade game. Kiss se3 has 3 settings, that has specialized code, such as keeping the target banks lit, and using the memory feature. The script is very heavily commented, so look through there.

General Rules
- complete either the top 4 lanes or the side button targets to spot a letter in kiss. Completeing a kiss line either horizontally or vertically also lights a arrow that will award 3000 points at the loss of a ball. Completing all 4 rows of Kiss lights 40,000, the second time will light 80,000 point, and the third time will light 120,000. You can also score a special completeing the 4 KISS rows (called a card) afterwards.
- Bumper lights alternate with feature events hits, for 100 or 1000 points if lit.
- Left Target bank scores 500 points for each target down, and spots a line in the KISS card when all down
- All top lanes and button targets score 300 points
- Spinners are 100 or 1000 points when lit. Spinners are lit by the center top lane that will open the gate and complete a line in the KISS card.
- 4 bank button targets increase multiplier to 2x, score a extra ball, and light the special for the outlanes

SetSkillLevel=2 (Conservative)
- Center lane alternates between no value, gate is open, or completes a kiss line until the KISS special is lit. The Special light is lit after the KISS Bonus is fully made the 4th time, and will only light afterwards till collected.
- After making the KISS card 3 times (Colossal Bonus) any KISS lights made are removed from memory at the start of a new ball.
- Spinners and Outlane lights will alternate light state between each light with a hit from targets, bumpers, and lanes
- Made ABCD Targets will be removed from memory at the loss of a ball, and will have to be remade. All Feature values for the ABCD bank will be reset to the beginning.

SetSkillLevel=1 (Standard)
- Center lane completes a kiss line until the KISS special is lit, and alternates for the ballgate open light. The Special light is lit after the KISS Bonus is fully made the 3rd time, ( Lights with the Colossal Bonus) and will award a free game with the completion of each card afterwards.
- Spinners and Outlane lights will alternate light state between each light with a hit from targets, bumpers, and lanes
- After making the KISS card 3 times (Colossal Bonus) any KISS lights made are kept in memory, and will be still lit at the start of a new ball
- Made ABCD Targets will be removed from memory at the loss of a ball, and will have to be remade. All Feature values for the ABCD bank will be reset to the beginning.

SetSkillLevel=0 (Liberal)
- Center lane always opens gate to flipper return and will
complete a KISS line until the KISS special is lit. The Special light is lit after the KISS Bonus is fully made the 3rd time, ( Lights with the Colossal Bonus) and will award a free game with the completion of each card afterwards
- Both Spinners lit from the Center lane for 1000 points
- Both Outlane lights will light for a special
- After making the KISS card 3 times (Colossal Bonus) any KISS lights made are kept in memory, and will be still lit at the start of a new ball
- Made ABCD Targets will remain in memory at the loss of a ball, and will be restored at the start of a new ball. All Feature values for the ABCD bank will be reset to the beginning.

Download the Kiss se3 table

 

[StevOz]

Very nice, looks, sounds and plays fantastic, somewhat more difficult then I remember, though this is basically down to the fact I can't grab the table and man handle it like I would the real deal. :)

 

[shiva]

Yeah, I remember that. Always found the Ballys to be much more difficult to play than Williams, because of the huge wide open drains and a large gap between the flippers.

The VPM version has a couple pegs to close off the lanes, I guess for that reason. I found the VPM version to be far to easy, in that I could always win games on it, which is saying something considering it's me. VP either makes it too easy, or too hard
Did you press the Insert key? :)

 

[Triforce]

Thank you for yer great work.

Amazes me how this machine can still piss me off like years ago.

You nailed her. TiLt tIlT lol

 

[bob]

Absolutely beautiful table! I like the bumper rings, I wish I could peek at them, but I never could figure out external scripts. If you were a student and I was the teacher and you handed in this table to be graded, I would have to give you a 99% as I'm not giving anyone 100%. The only flaw I could see was the Canadian quarter :) I don't know how they did it, but I remember if we put Canadian quarters in our US tables, they fell right through to the coin return slot.

Thanks for sharing...

 

[shiva]

Flaw? :)

Forget I'm Canadian Bob? American quarters are too cheaply made for me to use. :D

Glad people like it so far, been a very very long time, nearly 25 years since I played it, and I remember it sucked, so I just tried to make it... fun. Was pretty tough though, not a great layout.

As I said before, I feel KISS was over rated as a game, liked the Playboy and Star Trek arcade design better.

The Bumper Rings require specialized graphics for each table to pull off the effect, sort of like the rubbers. The code works fine, just no where as nice without graphics attached to them

 

[jpsalas]

Nice work!
It's nice to see that you could use my background. I worked nearly 1 and 1/2 month on that playfield and it was the first time I used photoshop. I didn't knew anything about photoshop, and Kiss was the table I used to learn VP and photoshop, it's nearly one year ago. Time flyes!
It is very nice to have the table with the three skill levels.
Thanks for the table.

JP

Edit: I forgot to mention that there is a yellow light over the right inlane that should not be there. Also it should be nice to have the decals on top of the lights. I guess you know it already, but there is a font that can be used: Die Nasty.

 

[JonPurpleHaze]

Thanks a bunch for Kiss!
I really liked this machine back in the day and will give it a try, i remember being able to shake the machine that we played an awful lot.

 

[Popotte]

Well, I'm not really a fan of this table, but I have to say you made a very good job...

 

[Wolfanoz]

As always shiva, top notch stuff. I still play Trigon on a regluar basis as well.

Thank you so much!

 

[shiva]

Thank you all. I would say it was fun making this one, but it wasn't. :)

Taking a break for a bit, but spent the last few hours trolling for images on the net for truly the big boy of the era, but not very satisfied with what I found. I have quite a few other favorites as well, so I will look around, and the first one that I have a complete set of workable images from, I may do next.

The engine I use will have multiple background sound capabilities added next, so that means all 1980 -1985 Bally and Williams should be supported, so that's what I will be keying on.

 

[cmd]

Very nice job on this one.

What exactly are the "dead spots" and personal changes you made to it? They must be subtle, because visually I can't tell.

 

[shiva]

Dead spots as in say the Slings just below the top side buttons ( I and S). They are switches actually, but they had a tendancy to keep bouncing between them and the bumpers. Still do, but not as bad now.

VP has several annoying things, the bumper radius looks to be a total of 32 points around the radius, so placing a bumper directly below and dead even with a lane, like the center lane for Kiss, just means it will keep going up and down that lane, which is bad considering it spots a line in the card everytime.

The same with the right spinner, ball has a tendency to end up in the plunger lane with a weak shot, something that was very noticeable in the VPM version.

A lot of the stuff I added are things you don't see, and it's a lot of adjustments, from the start of the game layout closed off, to about 5 minutes before I zip it up and release. A lot of setting tweaks, a few invisable walls to balance out flow, and occasionally, some specialized code. I spend more time on getting VP to play better than anything else. :)