Bug (or inconsistency) - ORBS Special set incorrectly

Centaur's Instructions (as written by FS) state "The only way to earn Extra Balls on this table is by earning Specials." Details on how to obtain both Specials are then provided.

The Chamber Special does award an extra ball. But the ORBS Special does not award an EB, it awards a Replay (free game). Tested on iPad4, iOS 6.1.3.

Either the instructions are wrong or the game settings are wrong, pick one.

Note that in the real game, the Specials can be set to award Replay, EB, or 50K points, but both Specials are always the same award - they cannot be set independently.

EDIT: Further testing shows that the Chamber Special awards an EB *and* a Replay, which is not possible on the real machine. But wait, another Chamber Special just gave me a Replay and *no* EB, so now I don't know what the %#*! is going on, other than "something's not right with the Specials."

Same experience here, iPhone 4S, newest software. At least the chamber special is easier to earn.

i thought this was not right but wasn't sure if it was just me. In my experiences i seen a replay on each collected special but do not recall an extra ball being awarded. NOTE: on the ORBS targets after lighting 1-4 orbs yellow are lit it supposed to light 50.000 points according to TPA then SPECIAL. It does do that but this differs then in the real life arcade. In all 3 centaur versions i encountered in the real world after the 4 yellow orbs were captive it went to SPECIAL after the ORBS were lit. Even the 5 ball version i encountered worked in this way and after the special the 50,000 would light. Unsure if there was an operator setting for this to make it light the 50,000 points first the way TPA has it. Regardless this is a 3 ball game and by right the special should light first then 50,000 points thereafter.

The bug, clarified

Okay, I think I've got it.

Both Specials award Replays, not Extra Balls (contrary to the table instructions). These Specials are accompanied by the expected solenoid knock sound.

Crossing 1,400,000 points awards an Extra Ball, but is not accompanied by the knock.

Not sure where second (or third) High Score Replay (extra ball?) levels are at yet - suggested levels on the real game were 1,400,000, 2,500,000, and (?).

DeeEff said:

Okay, I think I've got it.

Both Specials award Replays, not Extra Balls (contrary to the table instructions). These Specials are accompanied by the expected solenoid knock sound.

Crossing 1,400,000 points awards an Extra Ball, but is not accompanied by the knock.

Not sure where second (or third) High Score Replay (extra ball?) levels are at yet - suggested levels on the real game were 1,400,000, 2,500,000, and (?).

Click to expand...

another mystery. When passing 1,400,000 points i do not recall any extra ball being awarded or any replays being awarded. 3 replays were awarded for local high score (shown on backglass) which resets to 000,000 each time you exit the table. If you look at the score card on the left front of the table it does say replay at ......... but its too small for me to make it out.

norbert26 said:

In all 3 centaur versions i encountered in the real world after the 4 yellow orbs were captive it went to SPECIAL after the ORBS were lit. Even the 5 ball version i encountered worked in this way and after the special the 50,000 would light. Unsure if there was an operator setting for this to make it light the 50,000 points first the way TPA has it. Regardless this is a 3 ball game and by right the special should light first then 50,000 points thereafter.

Click to expand...

Perusing the operator's manual, I don't see a setting to control "Special first, then 50K" or reverse order on ORBS. I don't remember the actual sequence on the real Centaur I played last week, but it seems to me that it should be (as you say) Special first and then 50K afterwards, but at least its current behavior matches the instructions.

...Whereas the current EB / Replay awards are either completely undocumented (High Score EB levels) or erroneously documented (Specials behavior).

norbert26 said:

another mystery. When passing 1,400,000 points i do not recall any extra ball being awarded or any replays being awarded.

Click to expand...

Try it out; drain as close to 1,400,000 (or more) as you want. The "ball in play" indicator won't increment when the next ball starts. Since you don't get the knocker and there is no playfield "shoot again" indicator, it's easily missed - I know I did, lots of times.

P.S. - Man oh man I wish I could take the glass off! I could have all of this documented in five minutes!

DeeEff said:

Perusing the operator's manual, I don't see a setting to control "Special first, then 50K" or reverse order on ORBS. I don't remember the actual sequence on the real Centaur I played last week, but it seems to me that it should be (as you say) Special first and then 50K afterwards, but at least its current behavior matches the instructions.

...Whereas the current EB / Replay awards are either completely undocumented (High Score EB levels) or erroneously documented (Specials behavior).

Click to expand...

i just tore through the operators manual myself and cannot find documentation on proper sequence of orbs special / 50,000 points order. I need to allow myself a margin of error on this issue.

DeeEff said:

Try it out; drain as close to 1,400,000 (or more) as you want. The "ball in play" indicator won't increment when the next ball starts. Since you don't get the knocker and there is no playfield "shoot again" indicator, it's easily missed - I know I did, lots of times.

P.S. - Man oh man I wish I could take the glass off! I could have all of this documented in five minutes!

Click to expand...

in the real world shoot again was on the backglass yes i could have missed seeing the ball in play not advance.

Back to the specials issue of type of award special should award. I did find some documentation on this in the operators manual . There seem to be 4 choices on what to set a special for. one option is a replay. next option is an extra ball. next option is novelty 25,000 or 50,000 points. the last option is no reward / award for special. There was some language about they could be mixed ??? however i am not sure what was meant as i was unable to locate further instructions.

DeeEff said:

Okay, I think I've got it.

Both Specials award Replays, not Extra Balls (contrary to the table instructions). These Specials are accompanied by the expected solenoid knock sound.

Crossing 1,400,000 points awards an Extra Ball, but is not accompanied by the knock.

Not sure where second (or third) High Score Replay (extra ball?) levels are at yet - suggested levels on the real game were 1,400,000, 2,500,000, and (?).

Click to expand...

just got up there to 1,7XX,XXX no dice ball did not repeat was on 3rd ball game over.

norbert26 said:

just got up there to 1,7XX,XXX no dice ball did not repeat was on 3rd ball game over.

Click to expand...

And I just got 6.5M on Ball 1, crossing the 1.4M EB score and hitting both Specials. Next ball was Ball 2.

Grrrrrr!

hit both specials last evening on the ORBS and queens chamber. Both specials awarded a replay no extra ball was awarded .

norbert26 said:

i just tore through the operators manual myself and cannot find documentation on proper sequence of orbs special / 50,000 points order. I need to allow myself a margin of error on this issue.

Click to expand...

Just found a useful video...
Check at 7:25 - looks like the "50K then Special" sequence is correct.

That guys commentary while playing is amusing... especially the MMMHHH when he makes an outlane save, or the groan of misery at 4:08. I feel your pain.

Yeah, this is a weird table. I have earned EBs the past couple days, but don't know how. Everytime I have gotten the "snap" from the chamber or the ORBS drops, I have not got an EB today, nor from 1.4M.

pinballchris said:

Yeah, this is a weird table. I have earned EBs the past couple days, but don't know how. Everytime I have gotten the "snap" from the chamber or the ORBS drops, I have not got an EB today, nor from 1.4M.

Click to expand...

thinking out loud if you were awarded an extra ball it would have been kicked into the shooter alley and bonus would have been collected from the ball that was in play. I am thinking you maybe had a power orb release after special in queens chamber (and before it too) the release target is active. In other words if these "extra balls" did not start in the shooter alley and came out the top they were power orbs from the queens chamber or the guardian or even ORBS in order. If they did start in the shooter alley and bonus was collected (and ball repeated) and this behavior is a complete mystery.

DeeEff said:

Just found a useful video...

Check at 7:25 - looks like the "50K then Special" sequence is correct.

Click to expand...

thank you. last night i learned that 50K is easy to miss. one minute i had 4 orbs lit was not watching it as i had two balls on the table next thing you know i looked special was lit i knocked down the ORBS so fast i did not notice the 50K first. Same thing happened in real life 29 years ago i never noticed it lit the 50k first !

Okay - if you can completely and accurately document TPA Centaur's methodology behind Extra Balls and/or Replays, I'll buy you a beer.

I just finished a 21M point game where I absolutely could not predict what would be awarded the next time I hit a Special. I didn't keep exact track (was having too much fun), but played at least four EBs and had 10 credits at end of game, 5 of which must have come from Specials. (You get 1 credit every time you roll the display (10M), and 3 credits at end of game for beating the High Score to Date which resets at the end of your Centaur session.) I do know that I got EBs from the Queen's Chamber *and* the ORBS Specials. I also know that I got Replays from each Special as well.

JADP here; it seems that EB awards do not get the solenoid knock sound, while Replays do. Other than that, I'm kind of puzzled but would like to be able to tell FarSight exactly what the problem is so they can fix it!

Does it have to do with:
- Maybe the Queen's Chamber Special only awards an EB if it's hit as 2x via the rollovers outside the Chamber?
- Maybe the ORBS Special only awards an EB if the 4 targets are knocked down in order that last time?
- Maybe either Special only awards EB if you're running multiball at the time?
- Maybe it has to do with the day of the week or phase of the Moon?

Tell me.

Try hitting the Queen's Chamber 7 times right off the bat and let it drain. Should get the standard knock sound for the special and the next ball will be ball 1.

Then do it again. You won't get the knock sound -- the announcer just burps rudely at you -- but then next ball will also be ball 1.

(e: also a reeeeeal weak plunge can make the ball come out of the plunger lane without going through the multiplier rollovers -- might be easier to get control of the ball the first time that way.)