Firepower        V1.5

Williams  February 1980
Model number   : 497
Production run : 17410
(Internet Pinball Database)

Adapted from Cutter's version V1.2 by greywolf

*** NOTICE ***
THE .doc FILE IS NOT A NICER VERSION OF THIS FILE.  It is a MANUAL for
the VP/VPM Version of FIREPOWER.  PLEASE READ IT IF YOU WISH TO CHANGE
GAMEPLAY SETTINGS.

>>> extract this zip in the same place that contains your tables/ directory <<<

PLEASE DO NOT RELEASE MODIFICATIONS TO v1.2 without contacting Cutter (tels66@hotmail.com).
PLEASE DO NOT RELEASE MODIFICATIONS TO any further releases without contacting greywolf (greywolf@starwolf.com).

## ORIGINAL NOTES from /Cutter [with comments -- v1.3 readme follows]
This table cannot be modified without my permission. (Plz respect this)

Requires VPinMAME, latest S6.VBS and the correct ROM set (frpwr_l2.zip).
Copy the font (Computer.ttf) to your windows\fonts folder.

Get the latest version from http://warp9.to/cutter [or from http://www.hippie.net/irpinball]

Thanks to:
    AP   (for the font),
    Guru (for the playfield pics) and
    Nicky Special (for the backdrop)!	[NS' graphics have been replaced at his indirect request in v1.3]

NOTE:
-----
Just like the 'real' FirePower, this version can be converted to use
drop-targets instead of the normal standups.
To do so, just change the drop var (see the script) to 'TRUE' !
Only the 6 center targets will be dropable, not the 3 on the right side.

What's new ?
------------
V1.51
All variables are gone.  They are now replaced by a dip switch dialog box.
We now use the vpmNudge.SolGameOn handler, as it works correctly.

----
V1.5
----
** PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SCRIPT IS NOW SEPARATED FROM THE TABLE!  The only thing inside the table script
** is the loader for the text script:
** PUT THE .vps SCRIPT in the Scripts folder.
New Backdrop and backglass light rearrangement.
Random balls if you want them (randomballs=true).
Flashy "FIRE" and "POWER" on backdrop (flashbackdrop=true)
askuser is gone:
	- if drop=TRUE, the game uses drop targets
	- if drop=FALSE, the game uses standing targets
	- if drop=anything else, the game will ask you at startup
Defaults:
	drop=ASK
	flashbackdrop=false
	randomballs=true
	[Well, okay, it's not TRULY random - every 3rd ball is black.]
** FIREPOWER VP MANUAL INCLUDED AS A .doc FILE
Added a tilt routine just because vpmNudge doesn't really work (vbs234 scripts
work; I don't trust vbs30 yet).

V1.4
----
Ball decals are fun!  FIRE and POWER on the front/back of each ball.
Standing round targets, and drop targets with decals!  EXCELLENT!

V1.3C
-----
Final Release before DogFood 6.
Flipper strength fixed.
Bound a Rule Sheet to the 'R' key.

V1.3B
-----
More Improvements release. :)
Table slope is back to 7.
Still fiddling with flipper speeds.
New spinner image, front and back, courtesy of Neurokinetik.


V1.3A
-----
Bug Fix Release.
Overlaid standing targets atop drop targets; if drop=true,
	droptargets are used; else standers are used.  Elasticity is different.
Modified elasticity of wood-tone "walls" (really floors with height 1) to
	match the rest of the table (0.4; 0.5 for small posts; 0.55 for standing
	targets)
Backed off the flipper speed
Reset bumper sensitivity to 1
Added a startup dialog to select standing or drop targets;
	can't make this run-time due to the way switches and drop targets are
	initialised.  Sorry, folks.


V1.3
----
[See Below; there's lots! --*greywolf;]

V1.2
----
Bugfixes, should now work on the latest DF5.
Changed lampcolor on a few lamps.

V1.1
----
Changed flipper speed slightly.
Changed lampcolor on 3 lamps.
And a few more things that i can't remember now...


Enjoy!

/Cutter  (tels66@hotmail.com)
## END ORIGINAL NOTES

What can I say?  This is such a wonderful table that I couldn't pass it up.  Upon looking at it (and Flash
-- thank you, Stein!), there were some errors with the droptarget code which were causing DF5/s6.vbs to puke
on it, and there were some physical mods that needed some attention to detail, which I was more than happy to
be able to provide.

Foremost, I would like to thank Cutter for the initial draft of the table and for agreeing to let me
release the modifications I have made.  It's much appreciated.

Secondly, I would like to thank Stein (and Gaston) for their well-constructed Flash table, without which
I think I would have been seriously lost, and unable to make Firepower work quite as well.

Thirdly, a large thank you to the following for their graphic contribution to this table since v1.2:

	Neurokinetik, for the spinner front and back images and the drop target/standing target images which will
		be forthcoming as soon as I can map the walls.

Here's the list of modifications past 1.2

TABLE:
	Added the ability to set the ability to choose drops or standers [v1.5]

	Added the ability to choose random ball appearances [v1.5]

	Round Standing targets without the need to use backdrop-angle decals (Thank you Randy and Black!).
		[v1.4]

	Decals on the ball (big wup, I know, but why not? :) [v1.4]

	Fixed the drop target routines -- they didn't want to work before, erroring out when trying
		to declare from a collection inside the table.  I bummed the sample code from Stein's
		Flash table script. [v1.3]

	Have dual target strikers between all standing targets (not active with drop targets).  This
		is to simulate the striking of two targets at once [VP doesn't handle wall "give" at
		the moment, so it's difficult to actually strike two targets at once]. [v1.3]

	The next items were done to add more realism to the table play (firepower was a FAST machine!)
		- Table slope set to 7 degrees, to speed up the play.
		- Increased flipper speed/strength balance.
		- Elasticity of all objects increased to 0.4.
		- Elasticity of all small posts (i.e. near spinner, right outlane) increased to 0.5.
		- Increased bumper and slingshot strength to 15. [v1.3]

	Added brighter FFire and FPower lamps atop Fire and Power to
		give illusion of brighter flashes when FirePower is scored;
		Added flashfp routine to call back instead of vpmFlasher
		because, politely put, vpmFlasher doesn't work.
		[actually, vpmFlasher works fine, but vPinMAME has a problem with a sticky flasher solenoid]
		[v1.3]

	Added spinner trip switch behind spinner to simulate rolling under
		weakly and only scoring one spin [to go away once VP has a way
		to tune the spinner switch trip angle] [v1.3]

	Made the spinner run manually; I don't know how many points are being lost on this, I don't think any
		of them are, since the spins are queued up in the hardware anyway.  Instead of having the spinner
		trigger its switch via the switch collection, I made it use its own Spinner_Spin routine with
		a 50ms timer to ensure everything is triggered properly. [v1.3]

	New Spinner Images for front AND back! [v1.3]

	Made Shield kickback stronger, added a second trigger on left outlane to prevent wedges and to make
		kickback respond properly. [v1.3]

	Added small post at right outlane, moved outer right post farther out [v1.3]

	Fixed lamp colours. [v1.3]

	Added bumpers to the light matrix (collection editor), which, if memory serves, is something
		I believe Cutter meant to do in the first place. [v1.3]

	Relaid the F-I-R-E, FIRE, POWER and outlane decals, fixing the fonts. [v1.3]

	Moved the foci of the shaped lamps off-center to give the
		illusion of a lamp elsewhere. [v1.3]

	Incorporated the 'jet3' sound for use as the drop target reset, just to give a different
		sound from the ball eject holes. [v1.3]

	Imported a FirePower startup sound for use at the beginning of the game (see below). [v1.3]

	Changed shooter lane ball loader sound from outhole kicker sound to solenoid sound used for
		other eject holes, since that's what that part is. [v1.3]

	Changed flipper/rubber colours to white/pinkish, as the originals were. [v1.3]

	Changed color of other elastics from black to light grey. [v1.3]

	Compensated for deficiency in vpinmame to do the startup sound properly.
		The logic involved is iffy at best and should be ripped out without a second thought
		once vpinmame has it working. [v1.3]

	Added the ability to set for drop targets or standing targets on the fly at the startup. [v1.3B]

BACKDROP (using Backdrop #2)

	Using nicely cleaned up backdrop with image modification [v1.5]

	Added 1/2/3/4 can play lights. [v1.3]

	Added "Ball In Play/Match" texts. [v1.3]

	Added "1st/2nd/3rd/4th" Player-Up lights. [v1.3]

	Changed text style and colors for Highest Score, Same Player
		Shoots Again, Game Over, Tilt and Match (it wanted to use Arial Black,
		so I forced it back to computerfont (or compstyle, whichever is right).
		Cyan, while definitely visible, just hit me wrong, so I tried to make the other
		colors work better with the backglass. [v1.3]
