How to load/play Ghostbusters, no UC or IPC required!

[sccarlso]

Greetings AVPers.

Well, aside from the posts saying you need a UC or IPC for Ghostbusters, you actually don't.  All functions, features and progressives work perfectly.

I read up on the PSR's for the game and its bonus server, but neither had any mention of an IPC or UC required.

So I gave it a go.  Was really easy to get it up and running.  If you REALLY wanted to, you could have the bonus server video out to a large top monitor.  But if you like to switch regularly or have multigame.  You can go simple too.

You do need a little extra though.  A second AVP.  lol   However the specs are minimal, 2GB RAM, no add on video card required for the bonus server.  Pretty sure the bonus server AVP could be gutted and all it really needs is the brainbox and a power supply.  I just used a standard video G23

Loaders needed

Ghostbusters Game GI014-002JK4-C01
Ghostbusters Bonus server  GI014-001JK5-C01

So you need a good G23 with an SMLD, 4GB RAM, and the add on video card.  Most SMLD's would have these already...

Game itself is loaded as the only game enabled on the SMLD machine.
The bonus server is loaded on any old AVP 3.0 standard machine (probably helpful to have the newest OS you can get).  Also, while it's not a "Game", it's the only thing enabled on the machine and shows up under BONUS, not SLOTS if you have other games loaded.

All loaded?  Make sure the machine ID on the bonus server is set to 1.  The client machine ID (Game machine) can be set to 1 as well and I had no issues.

Grab a simple ethernet cable and connect the two brainboxes directly together by their ethernet jacks on the front of the brainboxes.  And set IP addresses on each machine, I ran the ethernet out the back of each so can't see it.

Machine 1 - Bonus server - Address  192.168.0.1  gateway 192.168.0.254  leave the rest of the settings at default
Machine 2 - Game machine - Address  192.168.0.2  gateway 192.168.0.254  leave the rest of the settings at default

Basic settings on the bonus server running on the plain old AVP machine, set one denomination as the game is single denom.  I set $1  Your bonus server IP is 192.168.0.1  pull the ekey and it loads the main screen attract display which also displays the progressives on the main screen and is now doing it's only job.  Nothing is displayed on the top screen of the bonus server machine.  So if you wanted to, you could just connect video normally going to the primary screen to a large top screen.  Nothing else is done on the bonus server machine.  Don't need a BV, printer, etc.  Probably not even a button panel, but didn't test that.  Not certain, but the brainbox might choke if it can't initialize a touchscreen.  If it does, perhaps that check can be disabled on the bonus server.  Doesn't have to work except to initially setup, after that it just has be seen and initialize if it will stop it from loading if missing. 

Enable the game on the SMLD machine, can only set a single denom, set it to match the bonus server, $1.  Enter in the IP of the bonus server as 192.168.0.1

Pull the ekey from the SMLD running the game.   Button it up and tada!  Ghostbusters in all it's glory.

The progressives are machine set and count up as you play the game machine, so no forced progressive to set, it all just works.  I actually won two progressives playing for 30 mins.  lol

The bonus server also doesn't output tall, so any screen would do.   The SMLD game machine itself also doesn't output any top video.  It assumes there is a big screen above a bank of machines.   So if you were able to tuck the brainbox and what not running the bonus server somewhere behind the game machine, you could also just plug it's primary video to the top box on the SMLD machine.  Then you would have the attract video/bonus video clips, and progressives displaying on top of the machine running the game and have less "stuff" with the same result.  The bonus server though, DOES have it's own seperate audio during bonuses.   But after the bonus server was running, you'd want to test what you can disconnect so it still boots and runs the bonus server with components disconnected.  Not sure if not seeing a button deck or such would stop it from running, but I suspect it would still run as it really only uses the brainbox and it's video output, and of course, it's ethernet jack so client machines can access it.  Just a guess.   

If you had say 3 SMLD machines, they could all be given different IP's and point to the same bonus server IP, you'd just use a switch so all client machines can reach the bonus server.  All machines will play the game.

That's it!  After pulling the ekey from the client machine and closing up.  No errors, no issues whatsoever.  Played perfectly, and when you hit a bonus, the slimer spins and flies "up", so it's assuming the bonus server display is above the client machine and pops up on the bonus server display.  If one client machine is on a bonus, it says so on the bonus server, so I assume if another client hit a bonus it would hold them if you have other client machines and one was on a bonus until it completed.  At least that's how it plays out in a casino setup.

I have a few other brainboxes, I might just wire one up and configure it, see how much I can disconnect without any error.   I suspect it may run fairly small, so it's a "mini" IPC.  That could be enabled or disabled.  If you had a bunch of other games running, the bonus server would do nothing but sit there unless Ghostbusters was running on a client machine that's connected to it by direct network cable and/or switched for multiple client game machines.

And right now, I already reviewed the PSR's for "The Hangover - Pretty Awesome Duo" game, it's setup exactly the same way.  And has the main game, and a bonus server.  No mention of a required IPC or UC.  It does list that you need a feature pack for Wide Area Progressive and a central counter display, but it is listed as OPTIONAL.  Hey, everything is all wired to test.  So now I'm going to simply disable what's on my machines doing Ghostbusters, and load and configure The Hangover - Pretty Awesome Duo on the same, the bonus server is a std screen, and the game is SMLD just the same.    BUT, for whatever reason...guess I'll see.  The Bonus server for that game does need the add on video card as well.  Probably because it has more video clips and bonuses.    But my std machine I used here has the add on card, so thinking it might work as well.   

If you've wanted to play Ghostbusters, and happen to have a second std screen machine, you can play it!  Hope the info is helpful for anyone that likes custom setups.  Wouldn't be too hard to jam it all in one machine if the bonus server will run without the components connected which it doesn't use.

Pics of the bonus server and game loaded machine side by side, and the PSR's attached that outline the basic setup and requirements for setup of each machine.

[Tilt]

That's amazing!    I can only imagine the number of hours and trial and errors it must have taken to figure that out!  Thanks for sharing your hard work and Congratulations on getting it running!

[sccarlso]

Glad at least one worked!   

Tried the Hangover Duo, was looking good, but after loading the bonus server, I enabled it and set it per the PSR.   Then it seems good as it starts to load, but then it just crashes the machine and reboots!  lol

Not sure but even if it wouldn't work, it shouldn't just hard crash the machine, it should just progressive tilt or something. 

But, it may be due to it being a MegaJackpot game.   It does say it's optional though.  There are about 5-6 more titles that use a bonus server.  But it's slow to be able to test as once it crashes like that, the only way to recover is to use a diag key to remove the bonus server and let it reboot which takes forever.  But I'm pretty sure that any title that uses a bonus server, but isn't a MegaJackpot game should work.  Not sure if there are more titles with a bonus server which are set like Ghostbusters, but it's a fun game!

And switching to play Ghostbusters isn't a huge task, disable everything else and enable the server and game on each machine.   If you have multigame, at least it doesn't lose all it's settings.  You have to re-enable all the games, but you can just click enable game and it remembers the denom, and any standalone forced progressives.  So that's a little easier.

[Stayouttadabunker]

sccarlso...this is "sticky" material! 
Job well done!  

[RodneyK]

I would try putting the bonus server and the game on the same CPU. Connect it to an unmanaged, powered switch essentially pointing it back to itself. Should work. The duos as you know where two machines sharing one large top screen. One machine acts as the host to the other and itself I believe. I may be wrong…

[sccarlso]

That was my first thought.

But the PSR says the bonus server needs 2GB & the game needs 4GB.
And the “client” of course states it can be the only game.

Also both the bonus server & game output to the AVPs primary monitor, and have separate audio tracks.
Not sure if they’d contend for the same display if together.
And the bonus server is a 001 title, the game is an 002 SMLD title.

But I’d know right away.  If the 001 bonus server loader file doesn’t even display when trying to load that 001 title on an SMLD machine or not.  The bonus server is as big as the game title loader, but likely has code that’s as simple as code for a BB1 TSE box!  lol.  Its size is likely only from video clips it plays.

I can try, that’s easy enough to test!

It would be great if both could run off one 660 brainbox.  😁
Not optimistic, but there are certainly cases where just because they say don’t do it, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.  😜

If only the bonus server could load & run off a plain basic PC, that would really be great!  lol

I played this actual exact game in Sydney Australia like 5 years ago.  And it had a bank of 4 SMLD machines in a row, with a single big display above them showing part of the bonus & other video for the client machines.  If any hit a bonus it locks to that machine until the bonus is complete.  If another hits a bonus during that time, their client machine waits to start its bonus until the other is complete.

I’d like to test Dark Knight!  Or Star Wars Trilogy!  They have the same design.

But I only have the bonus server loader for Star Wars & only the game loader for Dark Knight if I recall.

Neither PSR for those even mention needing a UC or IPC either.  They just list that “optionally”, you need
a feature pack loaded to configure a leaderboard or login to a wide area progressive.  Not listed under “required”.

Neither of mine had the feature packs.  But when I loaded the hangover game. It did load fine.  But a tilt displayed for can’t connect to bonus server, because well, that crashed my other AVP after enabling it and pulling out the ekey. 

I might clear the safe storage & NVRAM on both machines and try again.  As it says on all these with bonus servers if you clear the safe storage & NVRAM on the bonus server, you must do the same on client machines.

Other tilt on the game was can’t connect to wap:none.  There’s no option to set one on either the bonus server or client though if you don’t install the feature pack.  So I’m thinking that it “might” clear both tilts if it can connect to the bonus server. 

And I’m also thinking that the hangover bonus server just might have crashed because the ghostbusters bonus server was still installed on the std AVP, but disabled.  It might be the cause as they likely configure similar things just when installed.  And having two bonus servers installed on a machine wouldn’t be normally done, and not tested either!  Even where only one is enabled and the other disabled.

It’s worth trying clean with the machines cleared though and only the hangover bonus server installed & enabled!  If the bonus server is up.  The game “client” might get a response that there’s no wap on the bonus server and clear both tilts after that.

If I get it to run, I’ll be posting about it!  lol

[sccarlso]

Just to add a bit in the quest to test some of the other games which use a bonus server, but don't list that an IPC or UC is required.

There are numerous game titles for the same kind of setup, but I found some versions do list they require a UC or IPC controller.

So have to look through PSR's to see which that may list they need a UC or IPC, if there's a version that doesn't.

Dark Knight for example is GI014-002KU7-B01 through GI014-002KU7-B05 that I have PSR's for, and found 2 of those PSR's didn't have a UC or IPC requirement in them, but the rest did! 

[Stayouttadabunker]

sccarlso,
Sex in the City and Elvis possible?

[Retro tech repair]

Now to get my hands on the guns for a raw thrills big buck hunter and see it they are the same usb guns as the avp uses.

[sccarlso]

Well, no joy for same machine running both client and bonus server for Ghostbusters.  It will indeed load and run the 001 Bonus server on an SMLD machine though.

But if both the server and game are enabled, it just defaults to displaying the Bonus server and only on the bottom screen.  So that won't work, need a second brainbox.

Also tried to load the Jurassic Park Bonus server.  Loaded, and the PSR says no UC or IPC.

But it kicked up a progressive tilt, not sure why when it's listed as optional.  Even in the system menus there is an option to allow play even if it can't communicate with a MegaJackpot server which I set to allow.

I couldn't find any reference to the tilt error it showed regarding an "IPP".  I'm sure it's progressive related, but no reference to it anywhere that I could find.  But IPP is an option for the comm ports.  Must be a progressive comm card or something.

The Progressive tilt was

IPP : -display

So thus far, only one I can get to go is Ghostbusters, as it has a Bonus server that isn't tied to MegaJackpot.  And also a version of the game that doesn't list that it requires a UC or IPC, or a MegaJackpot enabled version.  As posted earlier, Dark Knight has 5 versions which I had PSR's on.  And the ones that weren't tied to a MegaJackpot were ones that listed a UC or IPC was required.

I guess the question is...   Are there any other versions of UC/IPC games with a bonus server where the game itself doesn't list that it requires a UC/IPC, and also isn't listed as a MegaJackpot game.   Seems that's the only thing that lets it work with another AVP being the "mini IPC" instead of needing an actual UC or IPC.

[RodneyK]

I did a little more research. My bad thinking both could run on one machine.

[sccarlso]

Ya, that would be nice!

Going through PSR's.  Here's the ones I've found which don't require a UC/IPC, and aren't wide area progressive versions.

The bonus server game ID's are the same whether it has a MegaJackpot wide area progressive or not.  But they have different versions that need a UC, are MegaJackpot, or neither, and just need the bonus server to run.  So these should all work in the same way. 

Ghostbusters Game GI014-002JK4-C01
Ghostbusters Bonus server  GI014-001JK5-C01

Beverly Hillbillies Game GI014-002KW4-C001 or GI014-002KW4-C02
Beverly Hillbillies Bonus server GI014-001MU5-C01
 
Judge Judy Duo Game  GI014-002KW8-C05
Judge Judy Bonus server  GI014-001FR3-C01

Slingo Share & Win Xstatic Game  GI014-002MM8-M004
Slingo Share & Win Xstatic Bonus server  GI014-001MT6-M01

There may be a few others.  For many they only have versions that need either a UC/IPC, or are a MegaJackpot version.  But for these, they released a game version which is basically standalone.  lol   So it only needs another brainbox to operate as the bonus server.

[RodneyK]

sccarlso PM Sent

[Nolan8640]

I have read through the post and everything makes sense but I have one question.

I have a extra brain box to use for the bonus server but no machine to use. Is it possible to run the box on any monitor or does it need to be in a avp machine?

Thanks,
Nolan

[sccarlso]

It "could".

Problem is a normal AVP machine will not boot without halting from failing to detect the touchscreen and other required components that is hardcoded in the OS and/or bios.  So the bonus server software can't run.  But if it can boot without halting, the bonus server software will run on it just fine.  A bonus server box only needs a regular non touchscreen display, power, and a network connection to operate.  I tried with a PSU from a bonus server to run the brainbox by itself, but had no way to disable the checks for those required components.

If you had a bunch o parts around, you could likely put it all your own much smaller enclosure to run the brainbox with a simple PSU, and connect old components in the much smaller enclosure.  They don't even need to be fully functional, just enough so required components for a normal AVP to run are detected so it doesn't cause a halt or tilt and can fully boot.  That would work.

An actual ABSC "bonus server" box that is intended to run bonus server software has essentially the same CPU, except it has either a different bios or specialized OS changes so it doesn't halt for failing to detect those components as with a normal AVP machine to be able to run "standalone".  It has a detachable portable display to configure it.  So once it's setup, it boots without needing a backplane, button deck, touchscreen, etc. that will halt a normal AVP machine which it doesn't need since it does no cash handling.  Once configured, all it needs is the brainbox, one display, and a network connection to run the bonus server software and do it's job.

If a bonus server actually has a different OS version and we had it.  Could try loading that into an AVP 3.0 brainbox, that "might" make it so it doesn't halt for no button deck, touchscreen, etc.  But it also might use the same OS as an AVP, but just have different boot1 and boot2 chips than a normal AVP machine does so it doesn't halt when it doesn't detect normal AVP components.  And different bios would also have to be a show bios version as a bonus server requires a lic dongle just as a game does.   Would be interesting to try if there is actually a bonus server OS, or if it's just different bios in the PCI card, and see if it will load/run when put in a regular AVP machine.  Then you could disconnect all but power, network, and one display and see if it boots without halting in a normal AVP machine.  If so, then you could indeed put it all in a small enclosure.  Kind of a "bonus server frankenbox".    Just isn't enough known about the bios and software an actual bonus server box uses that's different from a normal AVP machine.

[Nolan8640]

It "could".

Problem is a normal AVP machine will not boot without halting from failing to detect the touchscreen and other required components that is hardcoded in the OS and/or bios.  So the bonus server software can't run.  But if it can boot without halting, the bonus server software will run on it just fine.  A bonus server box only needs a regular non touchscreen display, power, and a network connection to operate.  I tried with a PSU from a bonus server to run the brainbox by itself, but had no way to disable the checks for those required components.

If you had a bunch o parts around, you could likely put it all your own much smaller enclosure to run the brainbox with a simple PSU, and connect old components in the much smaller enclosure.  They don't even need to be fully functional, just enough so required components for a normal AVP to run are detected so it doesn't cause a halt or tilt and can fully boot.  That would work.

An actual ABSC "bonus server" box that is intended to run bonus server software has essentially the same CPU, except it has either a different bios or specialized OS changes so it doesn't halt for failing to detect those components as with a normal AVP machine to be able to run "standalone".  It has a detachable portable display to configure it.  So once it's setup, it boots without needing a backplane, button deck, touchscreen, etc. that will halt a normal AVP machine which it doesn't need since it does no cash handling.  Once configured, all it needs is the brainbox, one display, and a network connection to run the bonus server software and do it's job.

If a bonus server actually has a different OS version and we had it.  Could try loading that into an AVP 3.0 brainbox, that "might" make it so it doesn't halt for no button deck, touchscreen, etc.  But it also might use the same OS as an AVP, but just have different boot1 and boot2 chips than a normal AVP machine does so it doesn't halt when it doesn't detect normal AVP components.  And different bios would also have to be a show bios version as a bonus server requires a lic dongle just as a game does.   Would be interesting to try if there is actually a bonus server OS, or if it's just different bios in the PCI card, and see if it will load/run when put in a regular AVP machine.  Then you could disconnect all but power, network, and one display and see if it boots without halting in a normal AVP machine.  If so, then you could indeed put it all in a small enclosure.  Kind of a "bonus server frankenbox".    Just isn't enough known about the bios and software an actual bonus server box uses that's different from a normal AVP machine.

Thank you for the detailed response. It sounds like it would be difficult with just the components I have currently as  I don’t think I have access to a specialized os to get past those halts. For the meantime I’ll wait till I have a 2nd machine to try this. Thanks again!

[sccarlso]

Ya, I just happened to have a std screen G23 next to my MLD G23 so it was very easy to hook up.

But it will work.   Just need an MLD G23 for the game.  And you can use any AVP 3.0 machine for the bonus server.  Like a G20 std screen machine, much smaller, usually can get them for a reasonable price, and it will work just fine.   

[RodneyK]

It is the PCI card, which is different from a normal PCI card that eliminates the requirements of touch screen being present, etc.

[sccarlso]

Pretty sure that's the case, because an actual v1 bonus server box PCI I/O card has no ribbon cable, and just has fiber ports and a serial port where the ribbon cable would be since it has no backplane, but it has the same type boot2 chip as a normal AVP PCI card.   

If so, the million dollar question is if you put a boot1 and boot2 chip (maybe just the boot2 chip in a regular AVP PCI I/O card?) that has the bonus server code, would it make a regular AVP PCI I/O card not halt on normal cash handling machine checks.  Not a difficult test with the right bios flash.  The goal being to just negate the component checks and just continue to boot so a normal PCI card can be used without halting.  If so, that would make it really wasy to put together a standalone bonus server setup that only needs power, a display, and ethernet.

The OS looks like a unique AI014 version, I've only seen AI OS's with Fam20.  But it does run 014 software or it wouldn't be able to run GI game programs. 

The bios and OS versions are below, probably are some point releases after that version.   But would that bios fail to verify or something unless it's in an actual bonus server PCI card?  Or are the two close enough.  Or is it even needed?   Would be great if just loading that OS does it. 

After all, it is the OS and not the PCI card/bios that's saying "check for a button deck, check for a touchscreen, halt if it's not detected" and such.  The PCI card is just there to receive commands by the OS and send responses back to the OS.  If the OS doesn't even call for certain checks, it should just keep booting, then launch the loaded bonus server "game" like any other AVP game title.  But it only displays video and communicates to machines running the actual game software over ethernet.  Another issue would be if the OS is looking for a specific bios or it halts.  Lots of unknowns since IGT certainly never tried this stuff.  lol

AVP Boot (Boot 1 and 2) AVPSB014-10F-05
AVP Bonus Server Operating System AI014-070
AVP Bonus Server Game Program GI014-001GO5-C001
AVP Diagnostic Required for ABSC DIAGNOSTIC-014-04 (or its replacement)

This is just speculation about would this still work without that, would it fail some validation, etc.  Find the OS and/or bios and some testing could be done to find out. 

Games that only require the bonus server and not an IPC use ethernet for communication, so the fiber ports on the card aren't necessary.  Only there for games that require both the bonus server and an IPC or UC.

Makes sense because the machine running the actual Ghostbusters game only requires the bonus server being connected to it via the eithernet ports between them.

[RodneyK]

Eh, not sure if the OS is asking for button deck, etc. Case in point, OS with regular PCI it will ask for all that stuff.  Same OS with the bonus server PCI it only looks for C and M door. C is monitored by the switch/wire going to the PCI card and M is controlled by inserting or removing a jumper in the bonus server PCI card. A different jumper controls attendant switch.