Scramble High Score save - *UPDATED*

[philmurr]

I think Scramble is an awesome game (even though I'm not very good at it), and whilst it has a high score table, it lacks the ability to save it on power-down, and there isn't the facility to add initials to the high scores.

So following on from my recent Scramble freeplay mod, I've now completed the high score save. Still needs a bit of testing to make sure all the bugs are gone, but pretty much there.

Scramble has an odd bit of code in its existing high score table routine, so that if you get the same score as one that's already in the table, it throws it away. This mod does away with that "feature".

The Scramble high score code is specific to the different versions of the game, so before releasing the code I want to have the Konami and both Stern versions complete. As usual the code will be released free of charge (*and without warranty...). Source code may be available on request but won't be released publicly.

Saving the high scores on power-down needs the programme RAM 2114'S 1G, 1H, 1J & 1K replacing with an NVRAM equivalent, or of course it works with my single ROM/RAM board.

The code doesn't defeat the (simple) copy protection but if there's the call for it (i.e. lots of boards out there with the protection chips missing) I can remove the copy protection code.

So the high score mod provides the following functionality:-

- Free play mode (DIP switch selectable)
- Attract mode in free play mode
- 10 position high score table, saved to NVRAM
- The ability to enter 3 initials per position
- Duplicate scores allowed in the high score table
- Maintains checking for coins etc. when in enter initials mode
- Reset high score table by holding down fire and right on power-up (for some strange reason, if you hold down P1 on power-up, the game detects it and deliberately locks up)

There are 7 free spaces in the default high score table up for grabs if anyone wants to be immortalised in it

Photos (from Mame) are below showing the high score table, initial entry screen (mockup as I didn't actually get a high score!) and a couple showing attract mode running in free play:-

philmurr2018-12-20 19:27:46

 

[Hurray Banana]

Another great bit of coding phil

 

[Hurray Banana]

added to the main links page

 

[Jase]

Do you need a PCB to test this on Phil?

 

[philmurr]

Do you need a PCB to test this on Phil?

Thanks Jase but I've got a few to test on. Just need to modify the code for the Konami and different Stern versions.

I'll add you into the high score table though!

 

[Jase]

Yay!

I'll be putting an order in for one when they're ready!

Cheers dude!

 

[retromax]

Great stuff Phil

 

[philmurr]

After a suitable amount of "testing", I'm happy that it seems to have all the bugs removed. Although I'm not great at Scramble so there may be bugs as you get further into the game!

Code is now freely available on request (I'd rather not post it up on a public forum). Currently available are the Konami version (probably the most popular) and Stern V1. Stern V2 will follow over the next few days.

You'll need to reprogramme 4 EPROMs, and have 2K of NVRAM replacing the standard programme RAM at 1G. 1H, 1J & 1K. It works with my single ROM/RAM boards and I can provide a single ROM image that works with this board if you want it. Photos below show the attract mode and high score table on original Konami hardware. The final photo shows the setup (using a V1 board, V2 now available), but using a FRAM replacement 6116 instead of the usual Dallas battery-backed RAM)

Thanks to Virtvic, Russ, Battlezone, CnP, Mitchell Gant, Jase, Hurray Banana and Dazzer for agreeing to appear in the default high score table!

 

[Hurray Banana]

Great work phil

 

[david_orton_2000]

Awesome work Phil - you are Mr. Highscore !!!!

Can you sort out a save kit for Arkanoid? ;-)

 

[smarty]

Can you sort out a save kit for Arkanoid? ;-)

Good call, not that I own an Arkanoid board anymore, but you'd never make the score table Dave once your daughters had a few plays would ya!

 

[philmurr]

Can you sort out a save kit for Arkanoid? ;-)

Haven't looked at the code but the hardware looks to be simply a case of swapping the 6116 for a NV version.

Although no plans to do any more HS hacks for a while but I'll see...

 

[philmurr]

Is it really 2 years since I did the original coding of this

For various reasons I got into doing an update to the code for one of the local collectors, which allows playing either the Stern or Konami versions on the same hardware (switchable), with separate high score tables for them both. To do this meant getting round the protection for both, as Stern and Konami versions use slightly different hardware for protection and will crash if the wrong protection hardware is there.

Stern code was easy, it just does a single check to make sure the protection hardware is there.

Konami not so easy, first off there are 5 checks to make sure the hardware is there. Then there is code to check that the code to check that the code to check that the code to check that the code to check the hardware is there. Yes, they do checks to ensure you haven't removed the code that checks the hardware, and then 4 further checks to make sure you haven't removed or altered code that checks that the hardware check code is still there

So the updated code is now tested and working and available free of charge on request.

Not much to see, but this is the Konami code running in Mame as if it was on Stern hardware

 

[Hurray Banana]

Well done Phil, the marvellous world of tamper detection

 

[Macro]

I liked the way that the protection let you play the game but you didn't get any fuel tanks - pretty neat.

I also seem to remember for the tunnels it doesn't load the screen address to draw to directly, it loads one value and then XOR's it (or similar) to make it harder to modify the memory map (and stick it on galaxian hardware for instance ... but at least you didn't have that problem!)