LEGENDS G A M E S
January 1999 16-10814 Gauntlet Legends Version 1.6 update
Thank you for purchasing Atari’s Gauntlet Legends. We appreciate your support and ask that you take the time to update your game to the newly released Version 1.6 included in this packet. This version includes an important “bug fix” and other improvements which we feel should be made to your game immediately. We apologize for this inconvenience but ask your cooperation in implementing this update.
Per the attached instructions, the update process involves replacing the “Boot EPROM” and then sequentially inserting three “Update EPROMS” to update the hard drive to program version 1.6.
Version 1.6 addresses the following:
Freeze bug - we have had reports of intermittent game lock-ups, particularly during the title screen of the demo mode. Locations have been turning off the game rather than resetting it which can be severely affecting the earnings.
Excessive aame times - a small percentage of players have been able to get extremely long game times. This version improves the difficulty ramping for these players. It is very subtle, starting at five minutes per credit and gradually ramps in difficulty. This does not affect average players that may also be playing at the same time.
Contest timer - All Gauntlet games include a free T-Shirt Contest for players who beat the final Skome boss. When they reach this stage, they are given mail-in information on a separate screen. The timer has been extended to allow players more time to record the information.
Player response to this contest has been very successful and we will be supporting it through the summer.
Lanauaae ootion - Spanish language has been added in the option settings.
We ask that you kindly return the EPROMs to your distributor once the update is complete.
We apologize for lhic inconvenience and thank you for supporting this update.
Atari Games Corporation T3 tiPDATE YOUR GAUNTLET LEGENDS FROM VERSION 1.2,1.3,1.4, or 1.5 TO VERSION 1.6
NOTE: Leave EPROMS in the protective package until you have verified the game version. After update is complete, return the update devices to the package. Leave the Boot Rom V1.5 in the game, remove all Gauntlet Update EPROMs. If your current version is less than V1.4, write down your option settings before you start, as the update will change them.
INSTALLATION This upgrade will make permanent changes to the hard drive attached to this game.
Part Number Item Quantity Function [ ] A-5343-30022-7 ROM VI.5 EPROM assembly I Boot ROM v 1.5 [ J A-5343-30022-10 ROM 12tol6.1.EPROM assembly I Gauntlet Update 12to 16.1 [ ] A-5343-30022-11 ROM 12t016.2 EPROM assembly 1 Gauntlet Update 12to16.2 [ ] fi-JJ7J-JA C?A’1 afp99 “YY’ZY 17 DnMI\V..l 1ill”. %nlh .,.., ? -_EPROM ___ assembly 1 Gauntlet Update 12t016.3
1. Check game version number of the software on the hard disk. After game boots up a line of green text will appear at the lower left comer of the credit screen. If the “Version” is V1.2 or greater you may run the update. If you have version less than 1.2 please contact your local Atari Games Distributor as you will need a new hard disk and Boot EPROM.
2. Turn the power off and open the back of the game. Unscrew the shield cover that is over the PCB. Remove it from the cabinet and set it off to the side.
3. Locate the sockets for the memory circuits above the IDE connector of the VEGAS CPU Board Assembly (the center board). U19 is the only socket without a factory installed ROM device in it. Jumper J5 is next to the 7 segment LED. Ensure that a jumper block is present over both the 2 and 3 pins at this location. Zf the jumper.& incorrect or missing, the unarade will not load at all.
SEVEN SEGMENT LED El 1 VIDEO IN J5 I I I 1 I I IDE CONN. ***NOTE THE DIRECTION OF THE TABS ON THE ROM SOCKETS***
NOTE: Take care when removing and imerting the ROM memory devices into the sockets. Make sure that power is always off and that the disk has stopped spinning. Use a chip extraction tool and a slight rocking motion to carefully pull the IC from its socket. When inserting an IC into the socket make sure that the tabs on the chip are facing the right direction and that all the pins are in their proper holes. Firmly press the chip into position.
4. Remove the EPROM in U18 and insert the supplied Boot Rom V1.5 in its place. Do not update with BOOT EPROM versions less than VI.5
5. Insert the EPROM labeled Gauntlet Update 12t016.1 into socket U19 and turn the power on. After the game has mounts the filesystem (about 1 minute) you will see: ROM UPDATE Version 1.60 Rom 1 of 3 Checking free disk space for good sectors...
xx % Complete Total bad sectors found so far: x
6. Next the game checks for bad sectors (about 7 minutes) and reports the number of them. 7 The game will prompt you to begin the update process. You will see;
WARNING: The disk is about to be updated. After you press Pl START or TEST, do not interrupt its operation for any reason until after it says it is done. Interrupting this process will result in your game disk becoming unusable. This step should take only a few seconds. To continue, press TEST or Pl START
8. Press the Player 1 START button. After the EPROM data has been copied to the disk, you will see:
ROM Loaded Power off game ..,“..U1 n-d ‘..,...““Y..bR~~~&nino a.RnMr v I. *Y
9. Turn the power off and remove the EPROM Gauntlet Update 12t016.1. Insert Gauntlet Update 12t016.2 into socket U19. Power the game up, after a few seconds, the EPROM data will be copied to the disk, you will see:
ROM Loaded Power off game Load Remaining ROMs
10. Turn the power off and remove the EPROM Gauntlet Update 12t016.2. Insert Gauntlet Update 12t016.3 into socket . Power the game up, after a few seconds, the EPROM data will be copied to the disk, you will see:
ROM Loaded - Power off game Remove data rom (U19) Leave boot rom (U18) in place Power on game to finish update
11. Power down the game, remove the EPROM Gauntlet Update 12t016.3 from socket U19.
12. Turn the power on. The program will run for about 30 seconds and put all the files into their correct locations. The update program will tell you that it is “working”. When it’s over, you will see:
WARNING: The disk is about to be updated. After you press Pl START or TEST”, do not interrupt its operation for any reason until after it says it is done. Interrupting this process will result in your game disk becoming unusable. This step should take only a few seconds. To continue, press TEST or Pl START
Press the Player 1 START button. When the update is complete you will see the message:
Update completed Power off game
13. Cycle power on the game. After the game starts, check release version in the credit screen. If you see “Version 1.6” in green letters, everything is working fine. If you do not, repeat the process.
14. If your previous game version was less than 1.4, this update may have changed some of your internal game option settings, review them to make sure that they are correct. This update will not overwrite your password file.
15. Replace and screw down the metal shield over PCBs, and lock up all open doors
16. At this point you may have to re-enter your option settings (for games updated from earlier than V1.4). 3’1 oubleshooting If the following message appears:
NO UPDATE - WRONG GAME
You are trying to apply the update to something other than a Gauntlet Legends game. Nothing adverse will happen, but you will continue to get this message every time the system boots as long as the update EPROM is installed on the board. Once the update EPROM is removed, the original game will boot.
CANNOT USE THIS UPDATE ON THIS VERSION HARD DRIVE
You are trying to apply an update to a game that is not within the specified ranges of versions. This means either the game on the disk is too old for this update (less than V1.2), or this update is too old for the game on the disk (or the update has already been applied). To correct this problem, check the version number of the game on disk (as displayed in the attract mode) and verify it falls within the range of versions to which this update applies. If you are still having trouble, contact customer service. Nothing adverse will happen and once the update EPROM is removed, the original game will boot.
UPDATE FAILED - RELOAD ROMS TO TRY AGAIN
This error message will be accompanied by one of A) through K) and perhaps another QIO error message. The operator may try the update again; the old game should still be playable.
A) Unable to close cs file G) Cannot create work file B) Sync task failed to start H) Cannot open work tile C) Error during inllateInit I) Rename failed D) Error during inflate J) Rmdir failed E) Checksum or validation error K) Unable to get boot file LBAs R Create file error
Error messages L) through V) indicate that an update will not be performed; the old game should still be playable.
L) Cannot open version file R) Too many disk errors to do update M) This update already on disk S) Error from mkdir N) Cannot decode this rom header T) Failed to read file 0) NO UPDATE - WRONG GAME U) Failed to open fde P) Bad checksum” (on EPROM) V) Not enough memory Q) Error stating /dO
The following errors will render the update will be incomplete. A new hard disk is required.
1) Failed to open root directory 1 I ) Found no valid home blocks 2) Failed to close root directory 12) Home block write failed 3) Cannot open file 13) Error doing stat0 on /rdO: 4) Open failed 14) Error doing qio_getioq(): 5) Seek error 15) Unable to open /rdO: 6) Mount failed 16) Found no valid home blocks 7) Error opening input file 17) No boot file on volume 8) Error doing stat0 on /rdO: 18) Found no valid boot file headers: 9) Error doing qio_getioq(): 19) Unable to read the boot file 10) Unable to open IrdO:
If the update procedure was interrupted during those few seconds after you pressed the PI START or TEST buttons, the disk is probably ruined and will need to be replaced to get either a new or old game to work.
If you have any problems during this installation please contact your local Atari Games Distributor A ATARI GAMES from the desk of MICHAEL C. TAYLOR
I 674 SYCAMORE bR. MILPITAS. CA 950.9’5 4C&434-3nD FA X 400-434-3Vb Urgent- Must Read To: All Atari Principals, Sales Managers, Sales personnel and Parts Managers From: Mike Taylor, VP Sales Subject: Gauntlet Update Version 1.6 I This is a request for all Atari distributor principals, sales managers, sales bersonnel and parts & technical support managers to read and implement this request us soon as possible and to follow up with each of your operators. ‘over the last couple of weeks we received reports that some Gauntlets games Lround the country were intermittently locking up and freezing for no reason. hfter an exhaustive effort to find the problem, we have found it and now heed your help to fix it. I :We want every Gauntlet game in the field and in your inventory updated to / The latest version, version 1,6. ‘This version does several Things, but the two most important are 1) it fixes the ‘bug which causes the games to occasionolly freeze in the attract mode and 2) it Ireduces excessively long game times. These are subtle problems, but do have an iimpact on the collections, so please make every effort to implement this change ,rn1. both your 39” Showcase and the 27” dedicated games, !We are sending you an upgrade kit (free of charge) for 100% of the Gauntlet igames we shipped to you. This upgrade kit includes: 1 - BOOT EPROM (the igames new boot EPROM, which will stay with the Gauntlet game), 3 - Program IEPROM’s (containing the program update version 1.6 which is loaded onto the ihard drive) and clear and simple instructions (must be followed or the board ‘can be damaged). We will send these to you starting next week and hope you ‘can immediately expedite the change in the field. Then, please return the ; EPROM’s to us as soon as possible. (Return to Atari Games, c/o Customer ‘Service in Milpitas) I I We are sorry for the trouble this might have caused you and your operators, j but we know that this corrects the problem. Gauntlet Legends (version 1,6) is /designed to generate patron loyalty and strong collections for a longtime. i Thank you for all your support and cooperation in this matter, and I look 1 forward to seeing you in Chicago in February.