Williams Stargate User Guide

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

16P-3002-101

October, 1981

For service…

NOTE NEW TOLL-FREE
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

800-621-1253
In Illinois call:
800-572-1324

An Xcor International Inc., Company

3401 N. California Av., Chicago, IL 60618

Cable Address: WILCOIN, CHICAGO

[phone]

ROM SUMMARY

ROM PART NO. DESCRIPTION

STARGATE 1A A-5343-09700 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 2A A-5343-09701 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 3A A-5343-09702 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 4A A-5343-09703 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 5A A-5343-09704 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 6A A-5343-09705 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 7A A-5343-09706 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 8A A-5343-09707 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 9A A-5343-09708 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 10A A-5343-09709 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 11A A-5343-09710 ROM, 4Kx8
STARGATE 12A A-5343-09711 ROM, 4Kx8
Decoder ROM 4 A-5342-09694 ROM, 512x8
(Horizontal)
Decoder ROM 5 A-5342-09695 ROM, 512x8
(Vertical)
Video Sound ROM 2 A-5343-09809 ROM, 2Kx8

INSTALLATION

l. Move the cabinet close to desired location and unlock the upper rear door panel. Remove the door and set it aside.

2. Unlatch and swing open the lower rear door.

3. Check that five fuses on the power supply and two fuses on the Sound Board are securely installed in their fuse clips.
Also check that the 3A line fuse on the power panel is secure in its clips.

4. Unlock the coin door. Reach through the coin door opening and unlatch the control panel. Unhook the control panel
safety chain and lower the control panel.

5. Check that the following connectors are firmly seated and that no wires are broken or termination pins loose in the
connector.

a. Coin door connector.
b. Control panel connector.
c. Monitor control 6-pin connector and monitor power connector.
d. Transformer connector at the power panel.
e. Three connectors on the Power Supply.
f. Four connectors on the Sound Board.
g. Five connectors on the CPU/Video Board.
h. Three connectors on the ROM Board.
i. Two connectors on the Interface Board.

6. Check that the socketed ICs are firmly seated in their sockets (CPU Video Board -3, ROM Board -12, and Sound
Board -2).

7. If it is desired to check or change game adjustments, refer to Game Adjustment procedures which follow.

8. Extend the line cord from the game and insert it in the slot in the lower door frame.

9. Swing the lower door closed and latch it.

10. Install and lock the upper rear door.

11. Reconnect the control panel safety chain and latch the control panel in position.

12. Close and lock the coin door.

1

POWER TURN-ON

This game MUST BE PLUGGED INTO A PROPERLY GROUNDED OUTLET to PREVENT SHOCK HAZARD and to
ensure PROPER GAME OPERATION. DO NOT use a "cheater" plug to defeat the ground pin on the line cord, and DO
NOT cut off the ground pin. The line voltage must agree with that specified on the back of the cabinet or serious damage to
the machine could occur. For low-line voltage applications (105v AC or 200v AC), refer to the power wiring diagram.

1. With the game plugged into a properly grounded outlet, locate the POWER ON/OFF switch located at the top right­hand corner of the cabinet rear and switch it ON. General illumination should come on and a scanning pattern should
appear on the screen as the game sequences through ROM, RAM, and CMOS RAM data checks.

2. If ROM and RAM tests are successful "0" is first indicated on the ROM Board 7-segment Diagnostic Display. A few
seconds later the following message is indicated on the monitor:

INITIAL TEST INDICATES

ALL SYSTEMS GO

3. If a RAM error is detected, the 7-segment LED first displays a "1" to indicate a RAM failure. Next, the bank number
(1, 2, or 3) and finally the chip of the bank (1 to 8). Then there is a pause and the LED display sequence is repeated.
Next, another pause occurs and then the CRT displays a "RAM ERROR XY" where X is the bank number and Y is the
chip of that bank.

4. If a ROM error is detected, the 7-segment LED first displays a "2" to indicate that it is a ROM failure. Next, the LED
displays two numbers which indicate the ROM chip number (01,02,03,...,12). Then there is a pause and the LED
display is repeated. Next, another pause occurs and then the CRT displays a "ROM ERROR X" where X indicates the
ROM number.

5. If the CRT display shows any RAM or ROM errors, use the above description to identify the faulty chip and then turn
power off and replace the chip.

6. If there is no CRT display at power-up:

a. Open the upper back door to the game.
b. Disengage the latch and open the lower back door.
c. Depress the Reset push-button on the CPU/Video board and observe the 7-segment LED display on the ROM

board to identify any faulty chip.

d. After identifying the chip, remove power to the game and replace the faulty chip.
e. As only one chip at a time is indicated by the testing system, repeat steps c & d until there is a CRT display.

7. Extensive CMOS RAM data integrity checks are performed. With "OPEN COIN DOOR" displayed, check that the
batteries on the CPU/Video Board are seated in the battery clips, open the coin door, and then turn power OFF and
ON. A display of "FACTORY SETTINGS RESTORED" should appear.

8. Depress ADVANCE and turn the power OFF and ON to get to game over.

NOTE:

A detailed explanation of the CMOS RAM data integrity

checks and system recovery is provided in appendix A.

2

GAME OPERATION

* Indicates adjustable features.

GAME START - Insert coins - credits are displayed on CRT. With one credit displayed, pressing 1-Player start initiates a

*3-ship game. With two credits displayed, pressing 2-Player Start initiates a 2-player, *3-ship game.
With two or more credits displayed, pressing 1-Player Start (or four or more credits, pressing 2-Player
Start) initiates a *7 ship game.

Player Controls

UP & DOWN Joy Stick - Maneuvers player ship up and down.
REVERSE Switch - Reverses player ship direction.
THRUST SWITCH - Controls player ship speed.
FIRE SWITCH - Activates laser gun.
HYPERSPACE Switch - Warps player ship to another quadrant with chance of possible annihilation.
SMART BOMB Switch - Destroys all alien ships on screen.
INVISO Switch - While depressed, the player ship with a shield that renders it invisible and invulnerable.

Game Play

Destroy alien ships and missiles. Rescue humanoids and pick them up to collect bonus. Picking up the first humanoid
scores 500 points, the second 1000, the third 1500, and all subsequent score 2000.

Going through the STARGATE warps the player ship to an area where a humanoid requires rescue. Passing through the
STARGATE forward while carrying *4 humanoids, warps the player ship to an advanced wave and scores appropriate
humanoid bonuses. Going through backwards inhibits the warp.

3

BOOKKEEPING AND EVALUATION TOTALS

1. In Game Over mode, open the cashbox and depress the cashbox advance switch. The advance switch located on the
coin door can also be used. The CRT should indicate all bookkeeping and evaluation totals. If so, go to step 3, if the
CRT display comes up in the ROM test display perform step 2.

2. Continue to depress the cashbox advance switch, stepping the game through test programs for ROMs, RAMs, CMOS
RAMs, Color RAMs, Sounds, Switches, and then CRT Test Patterns, of which there are five. The fifth test pattern is a
color bar pattern and directly precedes the CRT display of the bookkeeping and evaluation totals.

3. The bookkeeping and evaluation totals appear on the display as in Figure 1.

Clearing Bookkeeping Totals

1. Depress ADVANCE to display Game Adjustments, page 1.

2. Hold joystick down to display Game Adjustments, page 2.

3. Operate joystick to position cursor on CLEAR BOOKKEEPING TOTALS.

4. Depress FIRE.

5. Depress ADVANCE.

BOOKKEEPING TOTALS

LEFT SLOT COINS 4
CENTER SLOT COINS 0
RIGHT SLOT COINS 18
PAID CREDITS 22
EXTRA SHIPS 796
PLAY TIME IN MINUTES 1152
SHIPS PLAYED 2467
TOTAL PLAYS 563
WARPS 90

Figure 1. Bookkeeping Display

4

GAME ADJUSTMENTS (Figures 2 and 3)

In the Game Over mode open the coin door and depress the coin door advance switch twice to cause a CRT display as
shown in Figure 2.

To select and then set functions to the desired values, use the UP-DOWN control lever to select the function that is to be
changed and then, making sure the coin door is open, use the THRUST control to reduce, or the FIRE control to increase the
value of the selected function. To alternate between adjustments on pages 1 and 2, use the UP-DOWN control.

Extra ships, smart bombs, and inviso time are earned as the score obtained by a player exceeds the listed value for this
function. If this function is set to the recommended value of 10,000 points, with a score of 10,000 points a player will
receive one more ship to play with. At a score of 20,000 points another ship will be earned, and so on. If this function is set
to 0, its lowest setting, no extra ships are ever awarded. This function can be set to any 1,000 point increment from 0 to
50,000 points.

The basic number of ships awarded for a 1 credit game can be set anywhere from 1 to 20. The recommended number of
ships for a 1 credit game is 3.

The basic number of ships awarded for a 2 credit game can be set anywhere from 0 (no 2 credit games) to 50. The
recommended number of ships for a 2 credit game is 7.

Pricing of the game is selected with standard settings or with custom settings as shown in Tables 1 & 2. Table 1 lists some
common pricing schemes with respect to the coin mechanism to be used and directs the reader to the proper entry in Table
2, which shows what the CRT display should look like to accomplish the desired pricing.

For standard settings you need change only the PRICING SELECTION. For custom settings, first set PRICING
SELECTION to zero and then set the remaining values according to Table 2.

GAME ADJUSTMENT

EXTRA SHIP EVERY 10000 RECOMMENDED
SHIPS FOR 1 CREDIT GAME 3 RECOMMENDED
SHIPS FOR 2 CREDIT GAME 7 RECOMMENDED

PRICING SELECTION 3 1/QUARTER 4/DOLLAR
LEFT SLOT UNITS 1
CENTER SLOT UNITS 4
RIGHT SLOT UNITS 1
UNITS REQUIRED FOR CREDIT 1
UNITS REQUIRED FOR BONUS CREDIT 0
MINIMUM UNITS FOR ANY CREDIT 0

FREE PLAY NO
MORE ADJUSTMENTS

USE UP-DOWN LEVER TO SELECT ADJUSTMENT

USE THRUST AND FIRE TO CHANGE THE VALUE

PRESS ADVANCE TO EXIT

Figure 2. Game Adjustments, Page 1

5

MASTER DIFFICULTY CONTROL 3 RECOMMENDED
INITIAL DIFFICULTY 5 MODERATE
MAXIMUM DIFFICULTY 15 MODERATE
1ST WAVE OF ACCELERATED DIFFICULTY 0
LAST WAVE OF ACCELERATED DIFFICULTY 0
DIFFICULTY ACCELERATION RATE 0 MODERATE

INVISO TIME PER SHIP 10 RECOMMENDED
MEN NEEDED TO WARP 4 RECOMMENDED
LAST WAVE WARP ALLOWED 15 RECOMMENDED
LETTERS FOR HIGHEST SCORE NAME 20 RECOMMENDED

RESTORE FACTORY SETTINGS NO
CLEAR BOOKKEEPING TOTALS NO
RESET HIGH SCORE TABLE NO
AUTO CYCLE NO
SET ATTRACT MODE MESSAGE NO
SET HIGHEST SCORE NAME NO

Figure 3. Game Adjustments, Page 2

Free play can be set to either "YES" or "NO".

The master difficulty control is pre-programmed for 4 levels of difficulty and can be custom programmed for 1 as desired.
The recommended setting of the master difficulty control is 3. If customized difficulty is desired, set the master control to 0
and with the use of the UP-DOWN control and THRUST and FIRE controls, set each of the 5 variables as desired.

Initial difficulty is the level of play difficulty for the first attack wave of the game and can be set anywhere between 0 (easy)
and 30 (most difficult).

Maximum difficulty is the level of difficulty at which difficulty increases between attack waves cease. This can be set
anywhere from 0 (very easy) to 99 (very difficult).

The last three adjustments; first wave of accelerated difficulty, last wave of accelerated difficulty, and difficulty acceleration
rate; are all inter-related. The first wave of accelerated difficulty is the point at which the standard difficulty increase rate
between attack waves is first stepped up. This can be set to any wave from 1 to 20. The last wave of accelerated difficulty
is the point at which the stepped up difficulty increase rate is decreased to the standard difficulty increase rate (exactly
the same as it was before it was stepped up). This can be set to any wave from 1 to 99. The difficulty acceleration rate can
be adjusted anywhere from 1 to 10. When any of these functions are set to 0, there is no accelerated difficulty.

The amount of "INVISO" time allowed per ship is recommended to be 1 second but can be varied from 0.5 to 2 seconds in
tenth-second increments.

The number of men needed to "WARP" a ship anywhere is recommended as 4, but can be varied from 1 to 9. The last wave
where any "WARPING" of a ship would be allowed can be set anywhere from 1 to 99, but is recommended as 15.

6

Table 1. Pricing Schemes

TABLE 2

COIN DOOR MECHANISM CREDITS/MONEY

Twin Quarter
Quarter, Dollar, Quarter

1DM, 5DM 1/1DM, 6/5DM 2
20-Cent, 50-Cent 1/20¢, 3/50¢ F
1 Franc, 5 Franc 1/2F, 3/5F 4
25 Cent 1/25¢, 4/1G 6
1 Guilder 1/25¢, 5/1G G
5 Franc 1/5F, 2/10F 7
10 Franc 1/10F 8
1 Franc, 2 Franc 2/1F 5/2F 2
100 Lire, 200 Lire 1/200 Lire 8
Twin Coin 1/1 Coin

1 Unit, 5 Unit 1/2, 3/5

1/25¢, 5/$1
2/50¢, 5/$1
1/25¢, 4/$1
2/50¢, 4/$1
1/50¢, 3/$1, 4/$1.25
1/50¢, 3/$1, 7/$2
1/50¢, 3/$1, 6/$2
1/50¢

1/2 Coins
1/3 Coins, 2 5 Coins

1/1, 5/5
1/3, 2/5

STANDARD SELECTION/

CUSTOM KEY

A
B

3
C
D

E

1

5

3

5
H

4

I

J

Table 2. Pricing Settings

FUNCTIONS STANDARD SELECTION

Pricing Selection
Left Slot Units
Center Slot Units
Right Slot Units
Units per Credit
Units for Bonus Credit
Min Units for Credit

1

2

3

4

5

1

6

1

1

1

4

0

4

16

4

1

1

1

6

1

2

1

1

2

2

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

CUSTOM KEYDISPLAY

A B C D E F G H I J

6

7

8

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

3

12

6

1

2

1

2

0

0

0

4

4

4

4

12

48

0

0

0

0

0

4

2

2

1

1

1

1

3

12

15

4

2

5

10

1

1

2

1

1

1

1

4

14

5

1

5

1

5

0

0

0

0

4

4

0

15

96

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2

0

24

0

0

0

0

0

7