Correcting Time Pilot 84 game rules

Hi All,
There's an issue between the dip switch settings and points showing in the game rules. I'm asking for your help to correct them. I apologize in advance for the lengthy message, but it needed to be in order to clearly explain the situation.

The rules below are the factory default settings for a bonus plane. Switch 4 set to ON and switch 4 set to OFF.

The factory default settings for a bonus plane are at 20,000 Points & every 60,000 Points. But the points showing in the score rankings are 40,000 Points & Every 80,000 Points.

Here are the current rules on the score rankings page:

Dip Switch #1:1-8 = OFF
Dip Switch #2:1-2 = OFF
3 = ON/OFF [Upright/Table]
4 = ON
5-6 = OFF
7-8 = ON
Note: The above Dip Switches, are not only the FACTORY DEFAULT settings, but are also the correct Twin Galaxies Tournament Settings for this title and will provide the following settings.
Number of Planes: 3
Bonus Plane: 40,000 Points & Every 80,000 Points
Difficulty: 3

Page 6 on game instruction manual shows the default for a bonus planes is 20k and every 60k. Dip switch settings are #4 ON and #5 OFF, which is the same in the game rules.

Link to the manual: http://www.gallopingghostarcade.com/...t84/manual.pdf

Now for the score rankings: The guiness book of world records confirms the #2 and #3 ranked scores were set to 20k/60k. My game was also played at 20/60.

For the #1 score, Mark Kiehl stated in my score submission thread that the setting used was 40k/80k and I have no reason to doubt him.

I sent an email to TG asking for the rules to be corrected. Jace Hall replied and is unwilling to make a change because:
"We do not alter historic scores or the tracks they are on without overwhelming and significant data that is irrefutable which warrant a change."

I believe the evidence is clear that the factory default settings are a bonus plane is awarded at 20k and every 60k. 40k and 80k is wrong.

I propose two different ways to have the issue corrected.

Change 40k/80k to 20k/60k in the current records and create a new track for the #1 score. The rules setting would be factory default except at 40/80 for a bonus plane.

Or, change the current records to match the #1 score settings with the above changes and create another track for the #2 and #3 scores at the default settings.

No one has been willing to vote YES for my submission due to the conflicting information.

Thanks for your time,
McNear

The Time Pilot '84 arcade track is just a complete mess. The current rules are impossible to follow since they verbally specify extra life settings of 40K/80K but they specify physical dip switches which will give you extra lives at 20K/60K.

As Michael wrote above, the current 1st place score was reportedly done on 40K/80K extra lives, and from what I've heard, those settings were used after the player specifically contacted TG asking about the correct settings to use since the track rules were mismatched, and he was told by a TG ref at the time to use the 40K/80K extra lives settings.

To make matters worse, after I did a bit more research on this, it looks like the current 2nd and 3rd place scores (463,300 by Samantha Johanik in 1986 and 342,900 by David Presley 1985), were done on even different settings than what the current 1st place score used, different than what the TG track rules state, and different than what was published in the old TG High Score paperback books Don Haye's mentioned in your Time Pilot '84 submission thread. Those scores were the top Time Pilot '84 scores from the 1985 and 1986 Video Game Masters Tournament and were listed in the 1986 and 1987 Guinness Book of World Records as a result. Results of the 1985 and 1986 tournaments can be seen at http://www.classicarcadegaming.com/w...ness/index.htm which list both the 2nd and 3rd place scores. The manual from the 1986 tournament can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sbu6fbvl70..._TOGM.pdf?dl=0. The settings in the manual are listed as: Starting Ships 3, Bonus Ships 40K and every 80K, Difficulty #4 (Hardest) with physical dip switches specified that match those settings. So it looks like those 2 scores were done on even harder settings than what the current 1st place score used (if James used bonus ships at 40K/80K but difficulty 3 (Hard)). It also looks like TG has listed the settings for those scores incorrectly for many years.

I'm not sure what the best course of action is here. Perhaps we're best off just making a completely new clean track with the 20K/60K and difficulty 3 (Hard) settings you used in your latest submission and leave the others out there on the old "broken" track, and if any of those players care to help clear up the mess they can perhaps resubmit on a track that matches what they really played on or petition to have their score moved to a corrected track.

-George

Now its even more complicated with the 1986 tournament manual settings being added to the mix! I agree that a new track needs to be created.

I submitted a new track proposal. Also mentioned there are two different boards sets and the difference between them. Explanation below.

There are 2 different board sets for this game.
One board set has Dip Switch #2 set to 7-ON and 8-OFF to start game with 3 planes.
The other board set has Dip Switch #2 set to 7-ON and 8-ON to start game with 3 planes. This is only different dip switch settings between the board sets.

Dip Switch #2:
7-8 = ON/OFF or ON/ON, whichever starts game with 3 planes.

With the new evidence from the 1986 tournament, it sounds like a new track is the way to go.
Although the DIPs can still be updated to reflect 40k/80k settings, as thats what (it seems) each score used.

Can't help but think they are many, many other arcade scores from the 80s (and probably current), suffering the same fate. Best not to know, I guess!

Thanks for taking the time to post this up, Sam.