Mushihimesama PCB - ultra codes and score reset procedure?

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:36 pm

twe wrote:RTW: the page says Ultra mode is not available initially. To unlock it you need to get 100 points then enter a code. The points are gained by clearing the game in Original or Maniac mode. Each time you 1CC the game in Original you get 1 point. Each time you 1CC the game in Maniac you get 2 points. Once 100 are reached, enter ULBRADDAAB at the title screen after inserting a credit. It does not say anything about being able to disable the code after it's entered (indeed, I doubt you can disable it).

Thank you for the translation twe

Much appreciated. However I am sure there is a reset to factory option somewhere but currently it is unknown.

Maybe the ultra enable is a toggle ? I.e. do it again and it disappears ?

rtw

oxtsu · Post by **oxtsu** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:38 am

Cave says the absence of a score reset option isn't a bug. They purposely chose not to include it. -ha!-

I forgot to ask about the Ultra disable thing.

They do confirm the bug of Maniac hi-score saved to Ultra table (and 2P Ultra last boss reset, as discussed in the main forum).

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:30 pm

oxtsu wrote:Cave says the absence of a score reset option isn't a bug. They purposely chose not to include it. -ha!-

I forgot to ask about the Ultra disable thing.

They do confirm the bug of Maniac hi-score saved to Ultra table (and 2P Ultra last boss reset, as discussed in the main forum).

Thanks for the heads up Oxtsu, I gather you asked them directly ?

Here is the thread:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=11627

rtw

oxtsu · Post by **oxtsu** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:09 am

Sort of, someone else asked my questions to Cave via phone. Called again just now to ask about the Ultra mode disable. It's a good thing, because apparently there was some miscommunication with the representative before.

1) The follow are normal specifications, not bugs

*High scores for Maniac mode are saved to the last place Ultra Mode table
*Cannot erase high score data
*Cannot disable Ultra mode

2) The following is a bug, will be repaired by Cave at request and payment of 22,000Yen (21,000Y service + 1,000Y domestic shipping)

*Game resets when in 2P Ultra mode at last boss

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:10 am

oxtsu wrote: 1) The follow are normal specifications, not bugs

*High scores for Maniac mode are saved to the last place Ultra Mode table

Huh? How that could be a normal specification is beyond me. On my board, by the way, the first place Maniac score saves to the first place Ultra slot, not the last place.

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:26 am

oxtsu wrote:Sort of, someone else asked my questions to Cave via phone. Called again just now to ask about the Ultra mode disable. It's a good thing, because apparently there was some miscommunication with the representative before.

1) The follow are normal specifications, not bugs

*High scores for Maniac mode are saved to the last place Ultra Mode table
*Cannot erase high score data
*Cannot disable Ultra mode

2) The following is a bug, will be repaired by Cave at request and payment of 22,000Yen (21,000Y service + 1,000Y domestic shipping)

*Game resets when in 2P Ultra mode at last boss

Once again thanks for your dilligence. One question springs to mind though, were any PCB's issued with this "fixed" version (i.e. late runs) or do they all need to be fixed ?

How can one detect a fixed PCB ?

Maybe arrange a Mushihimesama/Ketsui PCB fix order ?

Cheers
Tormod

Post by **Dave_K.** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:51 am

Thanks for the follow up oxtsu.

I just confirmed my board does not have the fix. Crashed about 3 seconds after the TLB started firing.

[update]Tried it again, and actually it crashes just after the first volley of fire.[/update]

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:45 pm

Dave_K. wrote:Thanks for the follow up oxtsu.

I just confirmed my board does not have the fix. Crashed about 3 seconds after the TLB started firing.

[update]Tried it again, and actually it crashes just after the first volley of fire.[/update]

Can you credit feed to do this test or do you have to get to the boss on 1CC and no bombs ?

rtw

LUNardei · Post by **LUNardei** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:15 pm

rtw wrote: Can you credit feed to do this test or do you have to get to the boss on 1CC and no bombs ?

rtw

Err, credit feed is ok, I can tell this even without the pcb to actually try

Post by **system11** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:04 pm

It'll just be a rom revision - if anyone does have the fixed one, please get it dumped so everyone else can rectify their boards. Seems incredibly shitty of Cave to charge so much money when they should be issuing the patched rom images free of charge on their website.

zakk · Post by **zakk** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:07 pm

bloodflowers wrote:It'll just be a rom revision - if anyone does have the fixed one, please get it dumped so everyone else can rectify their boards. Seems incredibly shitty of Cave to charge so much money when they should be issuing the patched rom images free of charge on their website.

So you know how to dump the mushi rom data?

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:22 pm

bloodflowers wrote:It'll just be a rom revision - if anyone does have the fixed one, please get it dumped so everyone else can rectify their boards. Seems incredibly shitty of Cave to charge so much money when they should be issuing the patched rom images free of charge on their website.

Mushi has FLASH which is programmed by JTAG.

Ketsui and the PGM based PCB's are the last which uses a normal EPROM for the program code.

rtw

Post by **system11** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:27 pm

Doh, bollocks - you're right of course. I just checked mine, for some reason I remember seeing eproms, must have mixed it up in my head.

In that case, they should fix them for shipping costs alone

The price of "progress" - newer pinball machines need Windows software and USB to flash the code. Annoying.

oxtsu · Post by **oxtsu** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 2:21 am

Fiddling with this new photo editor I got for x-mas:

Mushi fix

Check for the 6-digit "R" sticker. That tells if Cave serviced the board [clarification: this doesn't necessarily mean bugs fixed, could be some other repair]. onamasa said in his report there was no way to tell from looking at his fixed PCB, though maybe that's because he was one of the first (so there must be a chance that some Mushi boards are bugs fixed, w/o this sticker).

2P Ultra bug has been fixed. Ultra mode was enabled and all scores on the charts were default upon receipt. Scores are saved after power down. I haven't gotten a first place maniac score, so don't know if the Maniac-on-Ultra bug is here or not [EDIT] got the first place, saved to Maniac table no problem. It appears they fixed all bugs, not just 2P Ultra (maybe they didn't want to admit the others). Master version date stamp stayed the same.

This kit belongs to that forum member bay, laid back Hawaiian style.

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:20 pm

oxtsu wrote:Check for the 6-digit "R" sticker. That tells if Cave serviced the board. onamasa said in his report there was no way to tell from looking at his fixed PCB, though maybe that's because he was one of the first (so there must be a chance that some Mushi boards are bugs fixed, w/o this sticker).

Once again thank you oxtsu for your valuable help!

No sticker on my PCB but the serial number was quite high so I thought I'd give it a shot. Selected Ultra and shamefully started to credit feed to the last boss. At the start of level 5 I activated player 2. When I got to the boss a small orb whizzing around I noticed something strange:

. The game did not reset

. The boss was protected by some kind of sphere on a cloud and no matter what I did I could not get the boss meter to go down.
. Bombs were swallowed
. After some time the sphere disappeared and the boss health level went down.

All the time I felt like my weapons did not do a lot. After the demise of the boss I got the ending.

I had a look at the insanity DVD and the boss did not behave in the same manner, the bullet patterns were a lot harder.

So I am wondering is my PCB fixed ?

rtw

oxtsu · Post by **oxtsu** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:56 am

You're most welcome, rtw. :)

That should be the true last boss, however as I understand it you don't get to fight him (stays invincible) unless some requirements are met. I'm not that experienced with Mushi, someone else please feel free to chime in.

Sounds like you might have a fixed board (what about scoreboard saving?). Try another check, this time start the game with 2P and play through like before (no need to have 2 players going at once, just 2P side). Any reset?

LUNardei · Post by **LUNardei** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:45 am

The TLB is a "normal boss" but when you die or bomb it has a barrier that lasts exactly like the one you get. This can generate a circle of deaths because if you don't hold your fire until the barrier is gone, the boss kills you again with a spread of sick infamous random bullets...

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:40 pm

LUNardei wrote:The TLB is a "normal boss" but when you die or bomb it has a barrier that lasts exactly like the one you get. This can generate a circle of deaths because if you don't hold your fire until the barrier is gone, the boss kills you again with a spread of sick infamous random bullets...

That explains it. Thank you both for your replies and I will try the only 2P strategy the next time I rotate my monitor again.

I am very happy that I have *most likely* a fixed PCB. I think Cave discovered this bug and issued a silent fix. Anyone who has a high serial should try it. My serial number is: 3950

rtw

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 5:59 am

Does your board save scores, rtw?

Thanks to oxtsu for all that info, really appreciated.

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 1:28 pm

twe wrote:Does your board save scores, rtw?

Thanks to oxtsu for all that info, really appreciated.

There are some other names on the high score list than the originals at least

Tried to use only 2P to get to the boss. Worked like a charm. So my conclusion is that I have a fixed PCB.

rtw

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:03 am

I do not have a repaired board that I know of (no R sticker) and I do not remember any issue w/ saving high scores. I've only played Maniac on my board, and I have all 5 spots, which makes one believe that either I *DO* have a repaired board w/ no sticker, or there is a way to wipeout the scoretable on later pressed boards. FYI, I bought it from Fujita, who have a pretty tight relationship with Cave.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:22 am

Hey GJP, does your board have a serial number of 3000+? Seems those boards with a 3000+ serial number were in the second print run with the bugs already fixed. The sub-3000 serials are the ones without the fixes (mine is one of these btw).

bay · Post by **bay** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:38 am

twe wrote:Hey GJP, does your board have a serial number of 3000+? Seems those boards with a 3000+ serial number were in the second print run with the bugs already fixed. The sub-3000 serials are the ones without the fixes (mine is one of these btw).

i think 3000+ is a speculation, as i've not seen that documented anywhere. perhaps you can email fujita to see if they know anything more about the situation? (supposing they have a good relationship with cave) seeing that emailing cave about such issues might be impossible?

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:16 am

M-0513 is my serial number.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:20 am

M-0513? That's a weird one, first time I've heard of a Mushi board with a letter in the serial. But hey, at least it saves scores.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:12 pm

oxtsu wrote: Check for the 6-digit "R" sticker. That tells if Cave serviced the board. onamasa said in his report there was no way to tell from looking at his fixed PCB, though maybe that's because he was one of the first (so there must be a chance that some Mushi boards are bugs fixed, w/o this sticker).

I recently got a board with an R-sticker on it, and it was not fixed. Scores do not save and the 2P Ultra mode bug was still there. So if you see a board with an R sticker, it doesn't mean it's been fixed.

bay · Post by **bay** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:26 pm

twe wrote:
oxtsu wrote: Check for the 6-digit "R" sticker. That tells if Cave serviced the board. onamasa said in his report there was no way to tell from looking at his fixed PCB, though maybe that's because he was one of the first (so there must be a chance that some Mushi boards are bugs fixed, w/o this sticker).

I recently got a board with an R-sticker on it, and it was not fixed. Scores do not save and the 2P Ultra mode bug was still there. So if you see a board with an R sticker, it doesn't mean it's been fixed.

this answers my question in your sale thread. i saw the sticker and was curious if it was fixed. a bit of an annoyance really, not being able to visually tell if a board has been fixed.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:38 pm

Yeah, that's why I put it up for sale. I only bought it in the first place because I saw the R-sticker on it. But alas, it's the same as my original board, so I sold it away.

Post by **Dave_K.** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:49 pm

Even with the fix, you can't reset scores. So buying a used board that has been fixed, and has been in the arcades for awhile with good players means you still won't be able to save your scores unless you beat the existing high scores.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:52 pm

Good point. Personally, if the maniac scores are 350 mil or lower, I'll be able to beat them. With Original, I'd need them 40-50 mil or lower to beat them (I don't think I'll be doing any 60 mil runs any day soon).

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