
                          RULES SHEET: BARB WIRE
                             Revision 1.0

     - Last Modified: October 26, 1996
     - Written by Lee Van Doren (lvd@lucent.com)
     - Barb Wire, Gottlieb and other words in this document are trademarks
     or registered trademarks of Premier Systems(?), Inc. or licensed for use
     by Premier.

Under Construction

     Note:  Areas I am unsure of are tagged with question
     marks. Search them out and send input!  I am mostly weak on random awards
     and the scoring end of things...

Credits

     Written by Lee Van Doren (lvd@lucent.com or depeche@gnn.com)
     http://members.gnn.com/depeche

     Special thanks to the FSPA (Free State Pinball Association) and
     especially our N. Baltimore League, where this machine is made
     available to us by Weiner Distributing.

     Additional Input from RGP folks:
        Aaron Mandel <amandel@husc.harvard.edu>


Recent Changes

     0.5:  10/12/96:  Rought Draft - Completely from memory.
     1.0:  10/26/96:  Additional Input Received

Summary

     Barb Wire is based on a movie starring Pamela Anderson Lee.  I
     haven't seen the movie so I can't comment on how well it correlates.
     This was the last production pinball machine by Premier under the
     Gottlieb name.  Another game followed which only was in test at the
     time the Gottlieb line was shut down.  It was a machine based on
     Brooks & Dunn country music stars?

     I personally feel that this is a decent machine for a Premier/Gottlieb.
     The game play is reasonable, especially for novices but the excitement
     definately lacks due to simplistic rules.  I would give it a B-.

Background

     Rent the movie...

Playfield

     Here's the various playfield parts, starting from the plunger lane
     and working clockwise.  (* = Arrow Shot)

     - Plunger
          Dual plunger; the manual plunger when pulled back enough, sends
          the ball up and around to one of the left flippers, usually
          the lower one.  An autoplunger is also there for ballsavers
          and Multiballs, however it doesn't shoot the ball hard enough to
          come around to the left flippers so the ball drops back into
          the lower kickout hole for kickout.
     - Outlanes
          Part of a rotating extra ball award when lit.  (Rotated with
          flippers)
     - Inlanes
          Part of a rotating extra ball award when lit.  (Rotated with
          flippers)
          Each inlane lights the opposing ramp for a Missle shot (combo
          award)?
     - Flippers
          The usual two, in the usual places. Center post too. 
          Typical Premier/Gottlieb catch-all flippers.
     - Slingshots
          Standard, just like the flippers.  Can be active for 10M a 
          sling (see Retina Scan)
     * Kick Target
          A target that kicks the ball back.
     - Upper Flipper
          Standard size
     * Captive Ball
          Above the flipper, hits here feed the flipper.  Also an arrow
          shot, also lights right ramp for Missile.
     * Retina Scan
          A kickout hole.
          Starts game lit, any switch after eject relights it.
          Awards Retina Scan (Mystery) when lit and no rounds going
          ...see below...  Also an arrow shot.
     * Left Orbit
          Feeds to pops.  Also awards a lens target during Hammerhead Bar.
     * Left Ramp
          Collects Missile combo when lit.  Lit for Add-a-ball at the start
          of every multiball mode.
     * Big Fatso
          Door that raises and lowers to reveal a hole.
          Open for Skill Shot at start of every ball. 
          Also starts rounds (see below).
          Also awards Mega Bonus when activated by right lower target.
          Also used in various modes.  In some cases the opening and
          closing alternate, in others he stays open for a period of time.
     * Right Ramp
          Awards Missle combo when lit.  Advances Toll value 5M or 2M if 
          Crash the Tolls has been played once.
     - Pop Bumpers
          I believe two of them with a kickback target.  Scores something
          per hit but advances cursor along BARB WIRE letters, awarding
          letter if not lit when pops are complete and ball feeds into
          right kickout hole.  Pressing both flippers locks cursor on
          letter and prevents advancing.  Collecting all letters awards
          Super Jackpot.  Lit letters carry from GAME TO GAME!  Hence, this
          is not active in Tournament Mode.
     - Lens Targets
          Four targets.  Completing targets lights targets for 20M each
          for 20? seconds.  Targets reset each ball.  Also used in 
          Hammerhead Bar round.
     * Lower Right Kickout Hole
          Awards Mind Read.  After about 5? shots extra ball is lit.
          [Info needed on subsequent awards]
          Warning: poor design here on most machines which causes
          kickout to be dangerously close to between the flippers.
          Note you will often want to get in the habit of manually
          plunging balls for multiball because of this.
     * Lower Right Target
          Hitting target lights Mega Bonus at Big Fatso and advances Mega
          Bonus 30M.  Big Fatso alternates open and close for about 15
          seconds.  Shooting in the hole awards Mega Bonus which is
          significant, 30M + 30M each advance.

General Rules

     No novice/expert mode (at least not by default settings).
     Tournament mode can be started by holding both flippers a few
     seconds before starting (see below for specifics).

     Buy In is enabled in default settings.  You can buy up
     to (standard??) extra balls (25c each); there is no separate
     buy-in high score board.

     Software Changes: None known at this time...

     Generally, you start Rounds (modes) and complete them.  See strategy
     below.

Skill Shot

     Shoot ball with full plunger shot to feed left flipper.  Big Fatso
     is open for skill shot.  Hitting shot awards HAYWIRE letter.  (First
     letter is spotted at start of game in normal settings).

Collecting Triangle/Arrow Awards

     As something to do when you have nothing else to do... There is
     a triangle on the playfield of various value awards (5M to 100M).
     All major shots are lit at the start of the game.  Scoring a shot
     awards the current triangle value if it is not lit.  I believe
     slings advance the award?  When all shots are completed they relight.
     When triangle is completed, Firefight starts.  This is a 3 ball multiball
     mode where three wandering shots are lit for a jackpot including lens
     targets.  Mode continues until one ball is left.

     After all arrows are completed, only half relight.  When one is scored,
     the next arrow to the right relights.  When those are all scored, then
     only two arrows are lit at a time on the playfield.  There is some
     behavior where a shot can be completely inactive if the arrow for that
     shot is not lit...

     The only use of this really is to get the 100M value that is lit on
     your first shot of the game.  If you don't get it, don't worry, you
     will by accident eventually.  

Super Jackpot Value

     Starts at 300M I believe?  Advancing super jackpot happens as an
     award at Retina Scan (anywhere else?).  Super Jackpot is scored
     from Pops in completing BARB WIRE or is awarded in Hideout round.

ROUNDS:

     First shot of the game to Big Fatso lights it for "Start Round".
     Shooting it when Start Round is lit opens the hole.  Shooting it when
     open starts lit Round.  Each subsequent completed cycle of Rounds
     requires one additional hit to light Start Round.
   
     During all mutliball rounds, ball saver stays on for a LONG time (about 20 
     seconds).  Two balls are initially plunged but also, the left ramp is
     lit for add-a-ball for one additional ball.  Try to get this while ball
     saver is active so you can get three balls going right away.

 Hideout

     Only non-multiball round.  Big Fatso, Retina Scan hole, and Mind Read
     hole are lit.  Note you can score the Mind Read hole from behind fed
     by the pops.  Score each to provide choice of taking current award
     or trying to score either shot to award next award.  After three shots
     are completed, award is given and mode ends.  Order of awards are:
     Adv. Multipler, Extra Ball, Super Jackpot, Double Your Score, ...?

 Big Fatso

     Multiball round.  He opens and closes alternately 
     throughout the round.  Each switch toggles his scoring value between
     10M, 20M, 50M, 100M, and 200M.  Since this mode lasts as long as you
     keep the balls alive, the potential scoring is unlimited, but it's
     harder than it sounds.  Requires good ball control and patience.

 Crash the Tolls
 
     One ball round.  If no round is started (except Hideout) by the start of
     the third ball, this round is automatically started.  Shoot arrow shots
     to collect current toll value.  Shoot right ramp to advance toll value 20M
     during the round.  When all arrows are completed and you still have more
     than one ball, shoot Big Fatso for super jackpot.  If super jackpot is
     scored, then the round recycles.

 Hammerhead Bar

     "Music!", also a multiball round.  Complete lens targets first, then
      each target scores 20M for rest of the round.  After 5 are scored,
     extra ball is awarded.  Shooting left orbit also awards a lens target.

 Haywire

     Wizard Mode.  After completing other 4 rounds, this one is lit.  Also
     a multiball round.  You must shoot one of a roving pair of arrow shots
     to collect a HAYWIRE letter (adding onto letters you have collected
     during the game from skill shot or Retina Scan).  Once letters are
     completed before you are down to one ball, you advance to the final
     HAYWIRE frenzy.  All shots are lit, ball saver is on for a humongously
     long time (45 seconds?) and you get 4 balls.  As you shoot shots a 
     bonus value is raised.  Once it reaches 990M, Big Fatso opens and
     you must shoot him to award it.  Strange behavior here?  If your round
     hasn't timed out yet (ball saver) you don't score it, until it does
     time out.  After the bonus is scored, the arrow shots relight and you
     continue but with no ball saver.  Once you work the value up to 990M,
     you can score it again... and again...  Once you are down to one ball,
     Big Fatso is open for 20? seconds to score the current value and then
     the round ends.  Easily where all the points are!

     If you fail to collect the HAYWIRE letters, the round ends but you keep
     your letters...

     NOTE!!!:  If you collect all the HAYWIRE letters at any point in the
     game, you instantly start Haywire frenzy.  SOOOO... if you screw up your
     Haywire round, try and collect the rest of the letters (through skill
     shot or...  Retina Scan) to start Haywire frenzy.

Combos

     There is a combo cycle that can start from a shot that feeds any flipper.
     It starts at the appropriate shot for that flipper and continues through
     the cycle.  The awards I am not sure of, but are something like 5M + 5M
     each combo?  Cycle is:
     
        Right Ramp, Left Ramp, Right Ramp, Left Orbit.

     Also a combo for shooting captive ball after right inlane. (10M+10M?)
  

Retina Scan (Mystery) Awards

     - Award HAYWIRE letter
     - Advance Multiplier
     - Slings award 10M
     - Award Triangle Value (moves 5? spots and awards value)
     - Light Extra Ball
     - Extra Ball (very rare)
     - Zilch
     - X Million
     - Advance Mega Bonus (30M)
     - 3 Jackpots
     - Reveal Match Number

Bonus

     At the end of the ball, I think the bonus is just the toll value.

     This bonus is then multiplied by the current bonus multiplier
     which is not held.  It can be 2X or 3X.

Extra Balls

     There are many ways to collect extra balls in this game:
          - Hideout Round
          - Hammerhead Bar Round
          - Retina Scan to Light EB
          - Mind Read to Light EB

     Light EB cycles the EB lit among the inlanes and outlanes via flippers.

Tournament Mode

     Hold both flippers before starting game for about 5 seconds.  The
     screen will say "TOURNAMENT MODE ENABLED--PRESS START".  Press start!
     Tournament mode will be on for all players.  This is CRITICAL for
     league play due to diabling the unfair BARB WIRE super jackpot.
     If you forget, make sure you keep an eye out for someone scoring that
     and deduct it from their score.

     Tournament mode disables the BARB WIRE award and gives 50M in lieu of
     an extra ball and 200M in lieu of a Special.

Strategy

     Not much to it!  Complete the rounds, do as best you can and get to 
     Haywire round, that's where the points are.  If you screw it up, use
     Retina Scan repeatedly to get those last HAYWIRE letters.

     Once you complete the first cycle of rounds, get to Hideout round,
     go all the way for the Double Your Score.  Voila!  You have about 
     4-5B+ at this point.  Also, on your first Hideout, go for Extra Ball
     if not in tournament mode, otherwise, go for Super Jackpot.

     Everything else in the game is pointless... sorry!  A good score is
     over 1B.  A wizard score is 3B+...
 

Any questions or additions, please email me!! Thanks!

Lee Van Doren



