Police Force LX-5 is a complete rework of the rules to this classic Williams System 11. The goal is take the spirit and best parts of the original game and turn them into a more interesting, varied, and balanced game. All of the original scoring features remain in one form or another, but most have been modified to bring better balance to the game. Some new features have also been added (as many as could fit when the base game only has 160 bytes of free space to start with in the ROM!)
My goals for LX-5 were as follows:
Create a more varied play pattern that utilizes every shot on the field.
Place more emphasis on multiball which already had a fantastic light/sound show.
Introduce elements of risk/reward and minimize randomness (including TAKE HIGHEST SCORE adjustments)
NEW: Center Ramp advances in value up to 150k. It never lights for unlimited millions. It also advances the jackpot by 250k per shot. The only way to score millions on this ramp is in multiball during a DOUBLECROSS.
NEW: DOUBLECROSS Ramps: A homage to Capcom Kingpin. In multiball, shoot either ramp to briefly light the other ramp for a Doublecross award. These jackpots score 1M+ ala Whirlwind/Funhouse(1M, 2M, 3M etc). The DOUBLECROSS Jackpot resets after each multiball. You can tell a Doublecross is ready when the Unlimited Millions or Jackpot inserts are flashing.
NEW: The regular criminal Jackpot value maxes at 9.99M. It can be built up by center ramp shots (250k per) OR by completing TAKE HIGHEST SCORE which will set it to the maximum value. Jackpot value resets to 2M at the start of each ball.
NEW: Playfield Multipliers. Complete top lanes to add a playfield multiplier, which can be seen from the bonus x lamps. When you have a multiplier available your inlanes will light and alternate via lane change. Go through the lit inlane to start your playfield multiplier. Playfield multipler applies to EVERYTHING. Doublecrosses, Jackpot collects, TOP COP awards. The duration of the playfield multiplier can be changed in the adjustment menu. If you complete another set of lanes during your playfield multiplier time it will reset the timer at the same X level.
Adjustment 35: Playfield X Timer (4-30s) Controls the length of time that playfield x runs. Default is 10s which I think is fairly reasonable but go ham! (The timer pauses slightly for feature awards like the center ramp/criminals etc.
Adjustment 40: Inlane Memory. Controls whether Inlanes stay lit for playfield multipliers after a ball ends. If yes, Inlane will stay lit on the next ball. Make sure adjustment 43 is set to something higher than 1x if you have Inlane Memory set to yes (or else your lit inlane will give you a 1x playfield multiplier…)
Adjustment 43: Playfield X Memory. Controls the value of playfield multiplier that is held after a ball drains. Set to 1x to forget all playfield x, up to 6x. (ie if you set it to 4x any playfield x you have built up above 4 will be removed on end of ball). If you set this to 1x make sure to also set adjustment 40 Inlane Memory to no.
All other adjustments match the LA-4 ROM although consolation time has been turned off to not interfere with the new inlane rules.