************************************************************************** * * * STERN PINBALL, INC. * * (C) COPYRIGHT 2026 STERN PINBALL, INC. * * * ************************************************************************** * * * Transformers G1 - PRO * * * ************************************************************************** HELP US, HELP YOU! If you have any suggestions, questions, need technical advice, find errors or have comments, contact us through our website: http://www.sternpinball.com/contact.shtml or call 1-800-542-5377. You can also email bug.report@sternpinball.com to report any software problems. This text file and all other documents relating to this product, playfield components, features, rules, programming and operation are subject to change without notice (Service Bulletins, if applicable, available through our website). Update instructions - Games connected to Stern Insider Connected: 1 - Open the coin door and press the black/enter button to enter Test Mode. 2 - Using the 4 buttons on the coin door, navigate to the Stern Insider Connected Setup menu. 3 - Using the 4 buttons on the coin door, navigate down to the Software Update menu. 4 - If a software update is available, this page will give you the option to download and install it manually. From this menu you can also select to install these updates automatically. Update instructions - All Games: 1 - Download the zip file 2 - Unzip the file, this will create a folder that contains SPK file(s). 3 - Open the folder, copy the file(s) to the root level of a FAT32 formatted USB stick. (Do not copy the folder.) 4 - Power game off 5 - Insert USB stick 6 - Turn on game 7 - After game boots up it will give the option for software update 8 - Volume buttons change options for full or quick update. Enter selects the option and starts the update. 9 - Once update is completed game will prompt user to power game off and remove USB stick. ============================ Version 0.89.0 - Aug 12, 2026 - Ghost in the Machine ----------------------------- ==NEW== -Ghost In the Machine Topper Mode -Is it a ghost? Or something worse...either way, this game has a mind of its own... "I'm tired of getting shaken, nudged, and slapped around. And now you've put Optimus on my head!? This is the last straw! It's time for a little PAYBACK! All your flippers are MINE! I'm taking the balls and GOING HOME!" -Put "Ghost" back in his place. Hit the green shots to add a ball and progress the mode. But be warned....Ghost will fight you every step of the way. Hit the action button to regain control. Hit all 10 shots to beat Ghost at his own game. Good Luck! -Only available if topper is attached -Only accessible through the gameplay menu -hit the yellow action button and navigate with flippers to access -New IC Achievements -Ball Captured - lock a ball for Transformers Multiball -2 for 1 - Light Lock and lock ball within 1 second (bank shot off Optimus's shins) -I Did That One Handed - Raise Combiner MB Jackpot value to 15 million -Super Combiner Multiball - Earn 3 Super Jackpots in Combiner Multiball -Cannon Award, Cannon Combo, Cannon Jackpot (Premium/LE only) -Tech Spec Maniac - get a Super Jackpot during Tech Spec Mania -Tech Spec Action - Use the Action Button to light 2x shot multipliers. Qualified via Soundwave Combo -Accessories Effects -Topper Effects -Shaker Effects ==TWEAKS== -Combiner Multiball -Added more available shots during the build jackpot phase (while spinner spins or action button is held) -Added sound effects on jackpot/super-jackpot collects -Super Jackpot value: 15M base/3M inc + Jackpot Value -White build shots now grant awards -Added cheese detection (holding the action button while both flippers are active) -Build-shot awards are halved while cheesing is detected -Start display duration extended -"HOLD ACTION BUTTON TO SKIP MULTIBALL" prompt now hides once all 5 combiners are collected -Microbots -Normal: build shots now award 1M base/250K inc and light one additional drop target; -Energized: raised build shot inc value: 250K -Rusted: no longer uses a combo timer. Ramp always lights left drop target + right ramp; -build shot raised to 3M base/500K inc -Tech Spec Mania -Scoring significantly reworked (scaled up roughly 4x-10x from prior values) -Award is multiplied by # of unique tech specs collected + # of super jackpots **** -Mission inserts denote current award multiplier -Tech Spec progress is displayed on UI -Ballsave default raised to 20s -Center orbit shot now has hit tally/cooldown to prevent cheese exploits -Super Jackpot = 10M + (total tech specs * 1M) * num jackpots collected; -by nature of mode qualification, base SJP is 25M -One Shall Fall -White shots during hurry-up adds 8 seconds + 2 seconds per mission played beyond the first 2 -On-screen "+X SECONDS" display now shows the actual dynamic value instead of a hardcoded "+8" -Hurry-up timer cap raised to 120 seconds -Added a positive sound effect during battle phase -Devices no longer auto-disable from a broken/abandoned switch -Backpanel Diverter and Dead End Up-Post now only disable via explicit operator adjustment -Backpanel exit switch no longer tally tech alert during challenge modes (Premium/LE only) -Dinobot Wizard P1/P2 -P2's second jackpot shot can now be completed by either the Side Loop Ramp or an Optimus hit -added sound effects -General -new/swapped sound effects -Music now plays when changing volume -Optimus switch debounce is now a configurable adjustment (default 6ms) instead of a fixed value -Ball collection flipper coil hold time increased from 0.5s to 1.0s -Spelling errors ==BUGS== -Fixed skill shot ballsave expiring while the ball sits in the dead-end up-post -Fixed Tech Spec Button being available during the Combiner MB start choreo -Fixed Megatron's cannon pan/sweep during the One Shall Fall intro -Fixed Dino SOS (objectives mode) lighting jackpot immediately on a ramp hit -Fixed Countdown to Extinction music permanently stopping if a tilt warning occurred -Fixed BackPanel diverter from activating while in a timed mode (PRO fix) ==SYSTEM 4.34== -Various behind the scenes improvements for correctness and performance. -Updated to nodeboard firmware/protocol v1.35.0 ============================ Version 0.88.0 - July 22, 2026 - The Movie: The Mode: The Update ----------------------------- ==NEW== -The Movie: The Mode -Challenge mode is only accessible from the gameplay menu -hit the yellow action button and navigate with flippers to access -Stage 1: Autobot City -Timed stage: 90 seconds -Shoot a RED shot to light the captive ball -Shoot WHITE shots to build award while captive ball is lit (also gives a small award) -Collect 3 lit captive balls to light VUK for stage completion -Stage 2: Optimus vs Megatron + Death Scene -Timed stage: 60 seconds -Shoot all 6 PURPLE shots to light Megatron for Final Blow -Any PURPLE shot will a light GREEN and a WHITE shot on a 10s timer -GREEN shot adds a ball -At first, only captive ball is lit GREEN and is untimed -WHITE shot adds 10s to mode timer -While multiple balls are in play, mode timer pauses -Award value is multiplied by the number of balls in play -After all 6 PURPLE shots are collected, shoot Megatron to complete the battle phase -Then shoot 3 RED shots (side ramp is worth double) to beat the stage ==GAMEPLAY ADJUSTMENTS== -AD_CHALLENGE_THE_MOVIE_AUTOBOT_CITY_TIMER — Autobot City stage timer -(default 90s, range 30–120s) -AD_CHALLENGE_THE_MOVIE_OPTIMUS_TIMER — Optimus vs. Megatron stage timer -(default 60s, range 30–120s) -AD_CHALLENGE_THE_MOVIE_BALL_SAVE_TIMER — Challenge The Movie ball save timer -(default 45s, range 30–160s) ============================ Version 0.87.0 - July 1, 2026 - Changing Gears ----------------------------- ==NEW== -Tech Spec Action Button -After completing a 1-way cassette combo (or equivalent), the action button is lit -Hit the action button to light all tech specs and activate 2x shot multipliers for 20 seconds -Qualification increments in difficulty with each use -Cassette Combo display effect shows remaining combos needed to light the action button -Dinobot Wizard redesigned as a timed single-ball mode -Hit Megatron to enter 3x Jackpot Phase. Or drain/timeout to enter 1x Jackpot Phase. -Each previous Dinobot Wizard played adds 15 seconds to the starting timer -Added helpful display effects and VO -Mission Time Extension -When 15 seconds remain in a mission and Final Blow is not lit, Optimus lights to reset mode timer to 15 seconds -When Final Blow is lit and mode hasn't already been extended, 10 seconds are added to the mode timer -Time extension available only once per mode start Instant Info Action Button -Hit action button to dismiss Instant Info ;) ==TWEAKED== -Transformers Multiball -Default qualification setting increased to Medium; an Optimus hit is now required to light lock instead of VUK -Countdown to Extinction -Mode timer increased to 18 seconds -Light effect modified to better draw attention to the right ramp -While running, all other mode timers are paused; only the right ramp is active -Added callouts for better player clarity -Grant ballsave throughout the entire mode -Soundwave / Starscream Frenzy -Boosted Soundwave Hurry-Up value -Cassette combo shots now limited to Optimus ramp, right ramp, and left ramp -Adjusted Soundwave Interference scoring -More frequent speech during Starscream Frenzy -Added sound effects to Starscream Frenzy and Transformers Multiball -Golden Lagoon -Replaced the Grimlock ramp shot with the more accessible VUK shot -Display effect now dismisses when spinner stops spinning -Adjusted lamp effects to work better when stacking with multiball -Microbots -Added Optimus hit for standard build -Adjusted lamp effects to work better when stacking with multiball -Dinobot -Jackpot bonus increased to 2.5M per jackpot collected -Rebalanced Dinobot objectives -Increased Dino Jackpot value for WAR and SOS -One Shall Fall -Prevent final video from pausing or being skipped -Drop targets now raise when mode expires -Add-a-ball is only available after ball save expires -Inlane slightly dims when 3 advances away from lighting a mode -Optimus target arrow now lights solid instead of flashing during Prime Target -Spotlight lamps now included in main gameplay lighting -Hastened bonus display -Improvements made to Optimus speech -Added in-game instruction displays for Soundwave Interference, Starscream Frenzy, and Dinobot Multiball -Flipper blow-off is now prevented during energon selection for at least 2 seconds ==FIXED== -Fixed a bug where rusted status could carry over between players in rare edge cases -Prevent drop targets from incorrectly resetting when Megatron body is hit while energon selection is ready -Fixed a spacing issue during high score to date entry -Fixed vertical alignment within the attract mode -Added debounce for the dead-end target when post catches ball -UI score frame correctly updates the playfield multiplier when changing between 2x and 3x -Fixed bug where number of rusted missions was being carried over across games (edge case) -Fixed bug where 3rd Soundwave Interference attempt will cause a broken loop (thx CBZ) -Tilting during One Shall Fall will now result in the ball ending (thx MW and AL) ==GAMEPLAY ADJUSTMENTS== -AD_DINOBOT_WIZ_P1_TIMER — Dinobot Wizard P1 mode timer (default 30s, range 15–120s) -AD_TECH_SPEC_BUTTON_TIMER — Tech Spec Button active timer (default 15s, range 5–120s) -AD_TECH_SPEC_BUTTON_COMBO_THRESHOLD — Tech Spec Button Combo Threshold (default 1, range 1–5s) -AD_ONE_SHALL_FALL_QUALIFY_NUM — One Shall Fall Qualify Num (default 2, range 1-5) -AD_POP_BUMPER_ACTIVE_LIGHT_VALUE — Pop bumper flasher brightness when used as an active light (default ~25%, range 1–255) -AD_TF_MB_QUALIFY_DIFFICULTY — default raised from Easy → Medium -AD_COUNTDOWN_TO_EXTINCTION_TIMER — default raised from 15s → 18s -ADV_TOP_VUK_POWER_DEFAULT — default lowered from 190 → 175 ==SYSTEM 4.27== -Various behind the scenes improvements for correctness and performance. -Allow for version 1 Expression Light/Speaker Lights hardware support. ============================ Version 0.86.0 - June 3, 2026 ----------------------------- No changes made. Happy '86! ============================ Version 0.85.0 - May 28, 2026 ----------------------------- Initial Release