As we know, the video mode of Fish Tales is one of the more enjoyable ones, recalling the arcade torpedo shooter games. But those games had a rotating 'periscope' control unit, with a fire button attached.
I'm wondering if it would be feasible to alter the video mode from its existing straight-ahead firing only to add traverse left and right. The flipper buttons could be used for rotation, but a difficulty occurs with firing; no-one would want to lose time moving their hand to the caster handle. The manual shows that the cabinet is wired for four flipper button switches, though, so maybe the first 'regular' switch could traverse, and the second, unused 'upper' switch could fire. Or stop, and press both to fire.
Or the reverse may be better - hold the button at first stage to traverse, and use the second stage to fire. With an automatic return to centre afterwards.
Such a change could be selectable during play; pressing the caster button at the announcement of VM could choose normal type, with the flipper buttons selecting trainable.
For all I know, of course, such a change may already exist, or have been discounted. I mean, it sounds simple enough, but may take up too much memory space to be viable. And fun though the VM is, it's only a brief side attraction, and the lake is such a target-rich environment in any case .
I'm wondering if it would be feasible to alter the video mode from its existing straight-ahead firing only to add traverse left and right. The flipper buttons could be used for rotation, but a difficulty occurs with firing; no-one would want to lose time moving their hand to the caster handle. The manual shows that the cabinet is wired for four flipper button switches, though, so maybe the first 'regular' switch could traverse, and the second, unused 'upper' switch could fire. Or stop, and press both to fire.
Or the reverse may be better - hold the button at first stage to traverse, and use the second stage to fire. With an automatic return to centre afterwards.
Such a change could be selectable during play; pressing the caster button at the announcement of VM could choose normal type, with the flipper buttons selecting trainable.
For all I know, of course, such a change may already exist, or have been discounted. I mean, it sounds simple enough, but may take up too much memory space to be viable. And fun though the VM is, it's only a brief side attraction, and the lake is such a target-rich environment in any case .
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