Williams: Blue Chip
by David Gersic <dgersic@niu.edu>
Version 1.0 December, 1998
Notes and Disclaimers
This rule compilation and tips sheet is, to the extent possible (in light of
the subject matter being the property of Williams
Electronics), freeware. It can be modified, updated, or revised, provided
only that credit to the original author(s) remains intact. It can be published
or otherwise distributed, provided only that such distribution is effectively
free.
Blue Chip the pinball machine is the property of Williams, and a
trademark of the licensor. The author disclaims all interest in any trademarks
or other intellectual property referenced herein.
Playfield Layout
Described from the flippers, and going around the playfield clockwise.
- Flippers
- There are two. Normal configuration, normal placement.
- Left Inlane
- Normal left in lane. Scores 5000. Ball feeds to the left flipper.
- Left Outlane
- Normal left outlane. Scores 10,000 and advances bonus. Can
be lit for Special. If lit for Special, does not advance
bonus.
- Left Slingshot
- Normal slignshot.
- 7 Target
- A round standup target, part of the 1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000.
- Left Double Bonus Lane
- A small lane next to the Left Spinner. Scores 10,000 and advances the bonus.
Can be lit to lite Double Bonus.
- Left Spinner
- A spinner with a tickertape machine on one side, and a red swirly on the
other. Scores 100, or 1000 when lit.
- 1 Target
- A round standup target, part of the 1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000.
- 2 Target
- A round standup target, part of the 1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000.
- Left Pop Bumper
- A standard pop bumper. Scores 10, or 100 when lit.
- Top Saucer
- A saucer that the ball can land in when in the upper arch area, or via
a bounce from the Pop bumpers. Scores 5000 and advances the bonus two
positions (10,000 points). Kicks out so that the ball hits the Left Pop Bumper.
- Right Pop Bumper
- A standard pop bumper. Scores 10, or 100 when lit.
- 3 Target
- A round standup target, part of the 1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000.
- Right Eject Hole
- A saucer with plastic guide on three sides (open at the bottom). This can
be hit, with difficulty, from the left flipper, through the spinner, but
it is much more likely that a ball bouncing off the Right Pop Bumper will
land here. Scores 5000 or 50,000 when lit, advances bonus one position
(5000 points). If 1...8 sequence of targets is made, is lit for Special. Once lit, it remains lit for the remainder of
the game.
- Right Spinner
- A companion spinner to the Left Spinner with a tickertape machine on one
side, and a red swirly on the other. Scores 100, or 1000 when lit.
- Right Double Bonus Lane
- A small lane next to the Right Spinner. Scores 10,000 and advances the bonus.
Can be lit to lite Double Bonus.
- 8 Target
- A round standup target, part of the 1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000.
- Right Slingshot
- Normal slignshot.
- Right Outlane
- Normal right outlane. Scores 10,000 and advances bonus. Can be lit for
Special. If lit for Special, does not advance bonus.
- Right Inlane
- Normal right in lane. Scores 5000. Ball feeds to the right flipper.
- 4 Target
- A round standup target in the center area of the playfield, part of the
1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000, or 10,000 and advances bonus when
lit.
- 5 Target
- A round standup target in the center area of the playfield, part of the
1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000, or 10,000 and advances bonus when
lit.
- 6 Target
- A round standup target in the center area of the playfield, part of the
1...8 sequence of targets. Scores 1000, or 10,000 and advances bonus when
lit.
- Double Bonus Lite
- Between the flippers. When lit, the Bonus collected at the end of the
ball will be doubled.
- Bonus Lites
- In the lower center of the playfield is a V shaped series of lites,
starting at 5000 and going up to 50,000, denoting the current bonus to
be collected at the end of the ball. Targets that advance the bonus advance
these lites. Bonus score can be doubled by liting and hitting the
left or right
Double Bonus lanes.
- Manual Plunger
- This is a normal plunger. Its lane leads to the top arch.
Rules
Skill shot
There isn't one, though getting the ball in the saucer for 5000 points,
plus 10,000 in bonus, is worth a lot more than the 10-point switches on
either side of it.
1...8 Targets
These are the primary "objective" of the game. There are eight numbered
standup targets around the playfield. Completing a series of them does
something. The series are:
Strategy
Hit the standup targets to lite everything as soon as possible. Nail the
spinners for lots of points, and for the ball bouncing around in the upper
playfield, which will usually pick up the 1, 2, and 3 targets, and maybe a
saucer or two. Be careful with the 4, 5, and 6
targets, since they are right above the drain. The 7 and 8 targets are
almost impossible to shoot directly, and are drain targets for the
outlanes; let random bouncing take care of these two. The Right Eject Hole is almost impossible to hit
directly, since neither flipper has a clear shot at it.
Operator Adjustments
Being an electromechanical game, Blue Chip has several adjustment plugs
that the operator can use to tune the game play to the location. The
options are:
Gameplay
3 balls per game or 5 balls per game.
Special - Conservative (Outlanes lit for special
when 1...8 targets are completed or Liberal (Outlanes lit when 1...6
targets are completed).
Special
Special options are Replay, Extra Ball (Add A Ball), or Novelty
(points). Blue Chip is a true Add A Ball game, complete with balls to play
lights 1 ... 10 behind the backglass.
Earnings
End of game Match can be enabled or disabled.
Tilt Penalty can be set for Ball in Play or Game
Pricing - how many coins and how many credits per coin(s). Oddly, the
way the Credit Unit is configured, the switch that controls the coin door
lockout coil is mounted on the zero position switch stack, so if there are
any credits on the wheel, the coin slots are disabled. It is possible to
set the game up for 2-coins for 3-plays, but it is done by having the first
coin start a game immediately, and the second coin adds two credits on the
Credit Unit.
Settings
I shopped out a Blue Chip for a friend. Here are the settings I used:
- Specials @ 170,000 and 290,000
- Special = Extra Ball (Add a Ball)
- Match disabled
- 5 Balls per game
- Special Adjust = Liberal
- Tilt Penalty = Ball in play
- Pricing = 1 quarter / 1 play
I also set the game up for free play by bending the zero position switch on
the Credit Unit to be permanently closed.
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