Galactic tank force code update : 26.07.27B
- Posted
Explore the update
This is the first update to GTF in over a year, and we are very excited to get these new features in your hands. This update is a combination of bug fixes, audio and visual improvements, minor enhancements, new features, and a new mini-wizard mode.
Here’s a deeper look at some of the goals and rules behind the updates and some notes on existing rules in case you are not familiar with them.
Tank Zulu Mini Wizard Mode
This new mini-wizard mode is represented by the Tank Zulu insert above the standard tank battles in the center of the playfield. Battle your way through the 5 main tank battles (with later tanks featuring a shield and robot sub-stages) to reach the Tank Zulu mini-wizard mode lit at the left orbit immediately after finishing all 5 tanks. Need help defeating tanks? See more on the Methane Blaster feature below.
Once Tank Zulu is qualified, you’ll have 60 seconds to deal single ball damage on Tank Zulu. 50% of the way through the battle, strike down spybots at the 3 lit shots, and continue on…but act fast. Throw the ball into the pop bumpers via the left orbit for some extra attack juice. Good luck!
Methane Blaster
The methane blaster is represented by the 4 plus (+) icons across the playfield and are critical to success in the game. In this update we’ve worked out some bugs that may have caused some confusion around this feature. Before we explain that, let’s clarify how they work.
In early tank battles, simply shoot 1 methane target (of the 4) and it will activate a single blue standup target on one of the targets of the tank. If you hit that blue stand up target, the tank is immediately destroyed and a bonus is awarded. If you miss it you will have to active the methane blaster again.
Later tanks take more initial (+) methane shots to activate the methane blaster (up to 4 for later battles) and in later battles the lit blue target also moves.
Using the methane blaster is a critical way to move through tanks quickly and avoid center ball drains. Remember, there is still the defense center-post that is up for the first 20 seconds of each battle, and also the lucky break rollovers under the flippers (which are now set to ON by default to always save your ball) – but regardless of that the methane blasts are very useful and valuable.
In previous code versions there was some quirkiness with methane blaster, including the (+) targets being lit (but unable to be collected) during the opening ball skill shot, and on some updates the methane blaster collection process would be reset when you hit the tank. These tweaks now make it a bit more clear how they work. Happy blasting!
Ice Cream Sundae Mini Wizard Mode
This mini-wizard mode was already in the previous update, but many players have missed it as in previous versions the mode had to be qualified via the inlanes AFTER playing all 5 main modes. Now the mini-wizard mode is available immediately after playing all 5 main modes. Shoot the mission shot on the right to start it.
A bug fix has also been added to start the ball save earlier. In previous versions it was possible to lose the ball prior to the ball save starting (if you lost the ball during the bonus count down) preventing you from actually playing the mode. Pre-mature ice cream melt now averted!
Completing both mini-wizard modes and the 5 center playfield inserts is intended to qualify the main wizard mode: Intergalactic Ice Cream Social. That is not yet available in the game but will be coming in future updates.
Extra Balls
2 new extra balls have been added to the game, to augment the existing extra ball for reaching 100 million points (configurable in the replay menu) and available very rarely as Plotnik’s Lab mystery award (unless you are on the last ball with less than 10M and then it’s much higher!)
The first extra ball adds extra incentive for battling tanks – an extra ball is lit after finishing the 2nd tank, Tank Bravo. Shoot the left ramp to collect the extra ball.
The second new extra ball is after collecting the second cow. The way this works: After a minute or so (configurable) of starting your ball the UFO target will begin moving back and forth and a timer will start. Hit the target 2 times to save the first cow. Keep playing and a few minutes later (configurable) the UFO will start moving again. Get the extra ball after collecting the second cow (which requires 3 target hits). Shoot the left ramp to collect the extra ball.
Keep going! Cow-A-Bunga multiball is available after saving the 3rd cow (requires 4 hits). An existing frenzy mode that many players don’t know about.
Status Menu
New in this code update is a much needed status menu, which can be activated by holding any flipper for around 8 seconds and then the status menu appears as an overlay on the screen and can be cycled through with the other flipper button.
This status menu shows the following
- how many shots are left to start Meltdown multiball (at the pops)
- what your current rank is (which is a wizard mode criteria and determines end of ball bonus multiplier) and the end of ball bonus multiplier value of the rank
- how many shots are left to activate Neutron Bomb
- the extra ball score threshold value (if enabled in the replay settings)
- the game’s high score table
Are there other critical things you want to see in the status menu? Let us know.
Air Strike Multiball
The Air Strike Multiball mode has not changed, but a reminder that a cool feature in this mode is to continue attacking the A-I-R targets during the mode for added value. They start out as red and then when you turn all 3 targets green (3 hits each) you’ll get an add-a-ball.
To start Air Strike Multiball, first spell the A-I-R stand up targets, and then lock 3 balls at the left loop.
Upper Magnet Control
A new feature that we are very excited about is the ability to control the left orbit magnet, which quite often grabs the ball to lock balls for Air Strike Multiball, or activating the Plotnik Lab Mystery (activated by spelling L-A-B in the top rollovers).
Now, you can use the 3rd flipper button (secondary button on the right side of the machine) to
strategically disable the magnet. This button will still activate the left ramp diverter just as before, but now, if held while the ball passes the magnet area, the magnet will NOT activate.
This gives you more control of the following:
- entering the top lanes to the pop bumpers to activate Meltdown Multiball
- targeting the quantum accelerator targets for building playfield multipliers (2x for one bank, 4x for both)
- hitting the neutron bomb power-up target (4 hits activates the bomb and triggers all playfield shots)
- saving the 3rd Air Strike ball lock or mystery activation for later
Related to this, we’re also exploring ways to add more value to the neutron bomb target. This feature currently requires 4 hits to activate the bomb, which triggers all lit targets in the game. This can be valuable, but we’re still exploring ways to make it even more fun. Let us know if you have ideas!
Meltdown Multiball
As with the previous code, shoot the pops 36 times to start the first Meltdown Multiball. Keep an eye on the color of the pops to track your progress quickly – red means almost ready!
With the new Upper Magnet Control feature using the 3rd flipper button you’ll now have more opportunities to bring in this easy to activate multiball. With the main value being at the pops for this multiball, this is also a great time to try building your quantum accelerator playfield multiplier value (the two 4 bank targets to the left and right of the pops).
The amount of pops left to start Meltdown Multiball is also in the status menu.
Missions & Rank Advance
No changes to the missions themselves, but there is now the ability to change the mission timer, which is set to 60 seconds by default. Also there is now a big bonus for completing all the objectives of a mission; it advances your rank, which builds end of ball bonus multiplier. Hold the flippers to activate the status menu and check your rank at any time.
Shoot the right spinner to change which mission you start.
Plotnik Lab Mystery Award
The mystery shot (earned by spelling L-A-B in the upper rollovers and collected at the left orbit) has undergone some balancing and bug fixes. Now you’ll see some more rare items (such as Shield Scanner) come up more often, and also the Left and Right Flank Advance work more reliably. Before, if you did not have a left or right flank value locked in (roving), the award did not work. Now it does.
The Shield Scanner is a mystery award that is not new, but worth understanding.
During the 3rd, 4th, and 5th tank battles, the tank’s health bar turns blue to indicate an active shield. Normally, this shield hides target values. However, collecting the Shield Scanner reveals the strength values of hidden targets (typically red, orange, and yellow).
This allows you to break through the shield much faster—and pinpoint the exact blue target if you activate the Methane Blaster. The Shield Scanner is also active for the entire game, making it very valuable if collected early. Also note that shots on the shield are now more powerful in general, so shields will be a bit less of a battle going forward.
All About Ball Save
The ball save grace period has been tweaked to a standard 3 seconds after the ball drain light disappears.
The default ball save time is 12 seconds in the settings. This means that the ball light will go out after 9 seconds and then you’ll still have 3 more seconds of “grace period” to take advantage of the ball save after the light goes out.
If you adjust the settings in the menu, the same will apply, i.e. 15 seconds means 12 seconds of light on, 3 seconds of grace period.
The 3 second grace period also applies to ball saves from multiballs and other modes.
The ball save light will blink faster when it’s about to run out, and then if you manage to activate the ball save during the grace period the ball save light will flash briefly.
In the default settings, the lucky break roll over switches (underneath the flippers) will always save the ball when lit. The missile strike outlanes score points when lit (extra points when lit red) but do not themselves ever activate the ball save.
Tank Light Shows
This update adds new light shows designed for the tank barrels of the upgraded Tank Sculpt by The Art of Pinball. Shots on the tank and other modes in the game will activate the lights in the tank.
Game Reset
We expanded the game slow reset feature (OFF by default) so that it acts similar to other modern games. After ball 1 is complete (for 1 or more players), hold the left flipper AND the start button simultaneously for 2+ seconds and then let go. Shortly after the game will do a full reset.
We hope you enjoy this round of updates; let us know what you think and also keep an eye out for more to come.
If you are new to Galactic Tank Force, learn more about it here. Good luck hunters!
