From grommit@concentric.net Sat Sep 27 20:16:38 1997
Ryan Avery's guide to Vector
============================
Last Update: 9/26/97

Vector is copyright Bally 1982. This rulesheet is maintained by Ryan
Avery (grommit@concentric.net). If you have any questions, comments,
updates, or anything else, please feel free to e-mail me. I do not take
responsibility for how you intend to use this rulesheet, so read it at
your own risk. No shirt, no shoes, no service. No soliciting, no
loitering, no loitering soliciters. I am not a crook. We love to fly and
it shows (you get the idea...)

This is my first attempt at a rulesheet. Hopefully, things will get
better as I do more and more of these. I think the most obvious flaws
are the lack of target-specific scoring. This is because I don't pay
much attention, and don't plan to. If anyone wants to submit info, I'd
be glad to update it.

Vector does not have a very large rulesheet. If there was one phrase
that would describe the play of the game, it would be "Shoot for
Vectorscan" (described later).

Playfield Layout
----------------

As usual, I'll start at the bottom and work my way around clockwise. The
playfield is somewhat unusual, which will make things hard to describe.
This game has dual playfields like Black Knight, where ramps are
actually just inclined metal planes. Semi-unusual outlane configuration.

Left Flipper: Standard length, standard size, basically standard.

Inside left lane: Makes a path for the ball to go through the outlane or
the collect bonus saucer.

Collect Bonus Saucer (left): A ball bouncing around in the outlane might
end up here. Located on the outside of the inside left lane. The game
can usually be  nudged to get the ball here, saving the ball. It shoots
the ball to the right  flipper on a correctly adjusted game.

Outside left lane: 'C' shaped, feeds the ball to the flipper.

Defender drop targets: 6 drop targets, in 2 rows of 3 each. These drop
targets block access to the Vectorscan ramp.

Upper Left Flipper: Small size, can be used to hit upper defender
targets (off a rebound), HYPE targets, or to send the ball to the upper
playfield.

Vectorscan ramp: The main objective of the game. It loops around the
edge of the game, like an inclined orbit. At the end of the ramp, the
ball is caught in the first energy storage pod. This ramp is timed.

Energy Storage Pods: 3 saucers. The first saucer can either kick the
ball back into the play to the upper right flipper, or send the ball
down to the second saucer. This second saucer will, in turn, send the
ball to the third capture saucer. The third saucer releases balls for
multiball.

Upper Right Flipper: Standard size, located on the upper playfield. Its
only function is to hit the XYZ targets.

XYZ drop targets: Hit by the upper right flipper. Due to their close
proximity to the flipper, these targets tend to fail easily.

Right ramp: Sends the ball from the lower playfield to the upper
playfield, hitting a target that increases value each time it is hit.

Middle ramp: Also sends the ball from the lower playfield to the upper
playfield (but more commonly, visa-versa), but does not score any
points.

Middle-Left ramp: Only shot from the plunger. 'C' shaped, and feeds to
the upper playfield.

HYPE targets: 4 targets which have many functions. Between the right and
middle ramps.

Right outlane: Standard shape. If ball bounces right (or nudged), a ball
headed down this lane can be nudged into the Right Bonus Saucer.

Right inlane: Standard, shoots the ball to the left flipper if properly
aligned.

Right Bonus Saucer: Same as the left bonus saucer, but a bit of a
different configuration. This bonus saucer is located on the inside of
the outlane. A ball can be easily nudged into this saucer when it is
heading down the outlane.

Right flipper: Same old flipper.

Plunger: Standard plunger. A ball coming out of the plunger lane will be
fed into the playfield (like LW3, JP, T2...), and up the middle-left
ramp, which will feed the ball to the upper right flipper.


Rules
-----

We'll start with basic rules and gameplay, then move on to Vector
specific rules.

NOTE: This game has three (3) types of bonuses. The Vectorscan bonus is
what is displayed on the 6-digit display under the playfield. The bonus
score is what is displayed with the blue bonus inserts. The Vectorscan
RAMP bonus is shown by the lights along the Vectorscan lane. These will
be discussed later.

NOTE 2: The Vectorscan ramp timer is not complex at all. As soon as the
ball begins the ramp, a timer is started from 1000 and counts down to 0
very quickly. The faster the ball reaches the end of the ramp, the
better the time, and the better the score (1000 times the first two
digits of the speed).

Skill-shot: In theory, the skill shot is to send the ball up the
middle-left ramp at the proper trajectory, sending the ball back down
the right ramp (the ramp with the scoring target). In reality, most all
balls will hit H on the HYPE targets on the way up, invalidating the
skill-shot. I'm not even sure that the skill shot awards any extra
points (anyone know?)

Bonus multipliers: Drop all 3 XYZ targets to advance bonus multipliers.
On liberal, with every completion of XYZ, the game awards Bonus X, then
25K,  then special (2X, 3X, 5X, 25K, Special). On conservative, the game
lights the next award on one completion, then awards it the next
completion. Also, depending on the game settings, this certain special
can be awarded once per game, or alternate between 25K and Special. If
the 3 targets are dropped in order, one Defender drop target is scored
and dropped.

Defender Drop targets: On game start, the top row of 3 targets resets.
If that row is completed IN ORDER, the Vectorscan ramp is then lit for a
lock. If it is completed out of order, the lower 3 drop targets reset.
Depending on settings, the lower targets can never reset after
completing the top 3, reset depending on the order of completion, or
always reset. Certain other game features drop these targets.

Inlanes (those that feed to the flippers): These score 1 Bonus light, 3K
on Vectorscan bonus, and drop 1 Defender drop target when both inlanes
are passed through.

Outlanes: Not sure of scoring...anyone want to help?

Bonus Saucers: Award the bonus lights, but no multipliers are taken into
effect.

HYPE Targets: When scored IN ORDER, these targets light all of the
Vectorscan Ramp bonus lights (the lights on the Vectorscan lane), and
increase the Vectorscan bonus multiplier. When scored out of order, the
targets award one Vectorscan Ramp bonus light. Each target adds one to
the Bonus lights. If a ball is or balls are locked, then completing HYPE
in order releases the locked balls. If it is ball 5, however, then
completing HYPE in any order releases only one ball. (Multiball can also
be started from hitting a lit Vectorscan ramp 3 times.)

Vectorscan ramp: This is the biggie. If the ramp is not lit, the game
will award a score depending on how fast the ball travelled through the
ramp (it may not award that score depending on certain settings). The
ball will then be kicked out to the upper right flipper. If the ramp is
lit, the game will award the Vectorscan flip speed score, and will lock
the ball. After 3 hits to a lit vectorscan ramp, multiball begins.
During multiball, the Vectorscan ramp functions as an effective Jackpot.
This is especially true if all the Vectorscan Ramp bonus lights are lit
from completing HYPE in order. During this time, all balls hit through
the Vectorscan ramp are kicked out to the upper right flipper.

Vectorscan flip speed: If a flip speed is higher than the fastest flip
speed recorded, one replay is awarded (operator adjustable). If it is
faster than 750 (or 800 on hard setting), then one outlane special is
lit and an Extra Ball is awarded.

Bonus lights (blue): 1-9,10,20. Maxumim is 39. If this is reached, a
Special is awarded.

Fun with Bonus: First the Vectorscan bonus is tallied, then the Bonus
lights are tallied. Both of these are done with multipliers in effect.
The Vectorscan Ramp bonus is NOT scored, as this bonus only applies to
shooting the Vectorscan ramp. Depending on game settings, either one of
these bonuses can reset ball to ball, or can count up through the whole
game.

Quotes
------

I am always amazed at the amount of quotes the game has, so I don't
particularly want to go through every one and state where it occurs, so
I'll just list the quotes. If you really want to know where they come
from, e-mail me.

"I am a P.A.C...Play Analysis Computer...For your Vector game plan"
"Vector"
"Take aim, rookie"
"Shoot for Vectorscan"
"Great shot"
"Incredible shot"
"New Vectorscan record"
"Energy stored"
"Macro power"
"Offense released"
"Defense in position"
"Defenders down"
"Great save"
"Resume play"
"Hit the showers"

There are other quotes that are on the sound ROMs that are either not in
the game or there's a totally new section of rules I haven't discovered.
If you know where these occur, please e-mail me.

"Welcome to Vectordome"
"Stand by for Vectorscan"
"Super shot"
"Shoot for HYPE targets"
"Period completed"
"Strategy changed"

Tips
----

Vectorscan, vectorscan, vectorscan. That's where the points are. Here's
my strategy:

1. Drop all the Defender drop targets
2. Capture 2 balls. (Accomplish these two in the first ball and you're
set)
3. Increase Bonus multiplier to 5X
4. Hit HYPE targets in order (In order so that you get a 2X vectorscan
bonus value, light all the Vectorscan Ramp bonus lights, and release the
balls).
5. Instead of trying to keep balls in play, go for the Vectorscan ramp.
This is worth at least 100K a shot, probably a lot more.
6. Increasing Bonus lights is also important
7. There's really nothing else in the game. (The right ramp target is
not really worth a lot unless you can hit it consistantly.)

Also, if you are having trouble hitting the Defender drop targets in
order, then try hitting them with the upper-left flipper. Since this
flipper is very close, it is very accurate when hitting the Defender
drop targets. Usually, the right-most drop target is the easiest to hit
with this flipper, and the left-most
is the hardest.

Final
-----

Thank you to everyone who has helped me fix my Vector on
rec.games.pinball. Also, thanks to everyone who is reading this (and
finds it helpful). As I stated before, feel free to e-mail with
questions, comments, or corrections. I would also appreciate if anyone
wants to give me a lesson in rulesheet-making, so I might
be able to expand the rulesheet and give better information.

Ryan Avery
grommit@concentric.net

