Re: Pinball Machine Programming

On Jul 7, 1:48 pm, SimpleMan <loven...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have enjoyed plaing Pinball for years and am curious about
something. I am wondering how the machine is programmed? How is the
software for a chip written? Is it assembly or hex or what? Did
certain companies of machine choose or prefer a certain programming
language over another? Were the earlier SS machines using different
programming compaired to newer ones? Thanks for the help and info.

that is a large subject however my limited understanding is;-

the earlier systems have a very basic OS and then the game rules are a
seperate file, the system merges the 2. the os includes things like
display logic handling and the switch matrix operation, driving the
sound board and all that sort of hardware handling. the rules are then
just a state machine type of thing that the os uses.

later machines had the firmware (os) and the game rule side of things
on one rom. this allowed os updates on a standard platform, ie WPC,
whitestar etc.

it was written using a suite of software that would then compile/
assemble to native microprocessor M/L.

this is the hex listing you refer to.

you really need the compiler/builder software to screw around with
things, it has built in little features to automatically calculate
checksum etc.

this is to the best of my understanding, correct me if im wrong.

.

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