WhoDunnit?

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Rulesheet for WhoDunnit? - Bally 1995
Compiled by Scott R. Tiesma
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: July 28, 2006

Contents:

Disclaimers:

WhoDunnit? is a 4 ball game by Bally manufactured in 1995.  Most everything in this game is copyrighted by Bally / Williams.

This sheet can be distributed and copied in any manner provided it is done so freely and the special thanks section and my name are not removed or edited.

Special Thanks:

Michelle Tiesma
Stephen Hill

Abbreviations:

  • DMD - Dot Matrix Display
  • ToM - Theatre of Magic
  • VUK - Vertical Up Kicker

Designer Names:

Design by: Dwight Sullivan, Barry Oursler
Art by: Linda Deal (aka Doane)
Dots / Animation by: Adam Rhine, Brian Morris
Mechanics by: Zofia Bil
Music by: Paul Barker
Sound by: Paul Barker
Software by: Dwight Sullivan

Playfield Layout:

Description:

As per usual this starts at the bottom middle and proceeds clockwise around the game.

Flippers
Two flippers in the usual location and of normal size.

Left Outlane
Can be lit for Slots.  No kickback, but one can be simulated (see "Psuedo Kickback" in Rules section).

Left Inlane
Can be lit for Start Taxi Chase.

Left Slingshot
The normal variety.

Super Skill Shot / Lock Entry
A saucer located directly above the left inlane which acts as a Super Skill Shot, and "Lucky Lock" (Lucky b/c one can't purposefully shoot here other than from the plunger or via the Exit of the elevator).  The entrance to the "Lucky Lock" is from the right and above the Mystery Target but below the I of the T-A-X-I Targets.

Mystery Target
A target directly above the top of the left slingshot which can be lit to award various awards or jackpots.

T-A-X-I Targets
Hits to these spot the appropriate letter.  These are also used for the skill shot.  The letters can be spotted, see Taxi Chase.

Left Orbit (aka Left Taxi Chase)
Leads to the Pop Bumpers or past them and out the Right Orbit entrance.  If the orbit is lit for Taxi Chase it will go past the bumpers. If not, "Nudge Slots" will be lit in which case a post will interrupt the balls travel such that it falls into the bumpers (just like the post on ToM behind the Magician's Trunk).

Red Standup Target
A hit to this causes the next roulette bet to be Red provided the Black Standup Target is not hit.

Phone
A hole under a black plastic phone.  This hole is at the end of a lane directly to the right of the Left Orbit entrance.

Elevator Rising / Lowering Target Bank
A set of 3 targets which can lower into the playfield floor.  When lowered one has full access to the Elevator.  When raised it is possible to access the Elevator, but only by a very narrow margin.

Elevator (Ramp)
A large, wide, unique ramp which leads to 3 different habitrails. From left to right these habitrails are UP, EXIT, and DOWN.

Jet Bumper Hole
A hole directly behind the Elevator which the ball will usually fall into after being in the Bumpers.

Pop Bumpers
3 of them located in the top middle of the playfield in the standard triangular configuration.

Right Ramp (aka Train Loop), Right Orbit (aka Right Taxi Chase)
Either one or the other...  It is the Right Ramp if Taxi Chase hasn't been started (in which case the ramp is down), or it is the beginning of the Right Orbit, if Taxi Chase has started (in which case the ramp will be up).  The ramps up / down action is similar to that in Whirlwind.  The ramp leads to the left flipper (or the Bumpers if it's a weak shot), the orbit leads around past the bumpers and out the left orbit entrance.

Black Standup Target
A hit to this causes the next roulette bet to be Black provided the Red Standup Target is not hit.

Roulette (VUK / Lane)
A VUK at the end of a lane.  The entrance to this lane is directly to the right of the Right Ramp/Orbit entrance.

Spinner
Located in the Roulette Lane.  The spinning affects the amount that my be bet on the roulette game.

Sewer (Hole)
A hole directly to the right from the Roulette entrance.

Penthouse Key Targets
A set of two targets directly below the Sewer.

Plunger Lane Exit
Immediately below the Penthouse Key Targets.  One way only.

Plunger Lane
A short lane which causes the ball to shoot across the playfield.  Note: there is a normal plunger for the player to use; however, the machine can also autoplunge balls.

Right Outlane
can be lit for Slots (See "Psuedo Kickback")

Right Inlane
can be lit for Start Taxi Chase

Left Slingshot
the normal triangular shape.

Jackpot Shots:

During Multiball the Sewer Hole and Roulette VUK are the jackpot shots (as shown on the playfield).  Note: The mystery target also awards jackpots if lit.  Furthermore, going up, down, and exiting on the elevator will award a jackpot (each habitrail stops the slots on jackpot).

The Cabinet

Very slick.  It is very noirish and has a old time murder mystery feel to it (think 1930's Sam Spade... etc).

Story Background:

Characters:

  • Nick Spade - Private eye
  • Tony - Owner of the casino and very content.  Age 38
  • Victoria - Spider Lady from Europe.  Age 34
  • Butler - Victoria's manservant.  Also Walter, Tony's first partner.  Age 53
  • Bruno - Tony's bouncer / bodyguard.  Formerly Tex, Victoria's third husband.  Age 42
  • Trixie - Works as a dealer for Tony.  Also Walter's (unknown) daughter from England.  Age 23

1900
Walter, a young wealthy playboy, and Mia, wife of the English Ambassador have a fling.  They conceive VICTORIA, a secret VICTORIA'S mother keeps.  She doesn't tell him before she leaves never to see him again.

1911
TRIXIE's mom dies giving birth to her.  Tex is forced to be a single parent.

1915
Walter comes to town, meets TONY, and they become partners.  They start the W&T PALACE, a struggling casino.  TONY then cheats Walter out of his half of the casino and Walter disappears.

1917
Walter returns to Europe to find that VICTORIA'S mother has died and that VICTORIA has grown up in a boarding school.  VICTORIA looks amazingly like her mother.  Walter can only think of how much he loved Mia when he sees VICTORIA.  Walter changes his name to BUTLER.  He tells VICTORIA that he used to work for her mom and she hires him as her manservant.  BUTLER, trapped by the memory of Mia, does whatever VICTORIA says.  VICTORIA treats BUTLER like dirt....as she does most everyone.

1919
Tex forms a partnership with TONY and they create the T&T PALACE.  This casino thrives and they become rich.  TONY and Tex each get a tattoo on their arm that reads T&T PALACE.  TRIXIE is 8 and has a crush on TONY.  TONY and Tex are like brothers.

1922 (MAY)
BUTLER suspects the fate of all his daughters' past husbands and encourages VICTORIA to go after TONY.  VICTORIA shows up with BUTLER.  VICTORIA and TONY have been lovers off and on for a couple of years.  TONY still avoids her grasp.  VICTORIA marries Tex, her third husband.  She becomes TRIXIE'S stepmother.  TONY doesn't recognize Walter because BUTLER is the shadow of the man Walter was and looks 10 years older.

1923 (JANUARY)
VICTORIA and TONY conspire to kill Tex.  The plan was: VICTORIA gets the money and TONY gets the Casino.  Tex overhears VICTORIA'S half of the conspiracy.  When she hangs up the phone he roughs her up and threatens that if anything happened to him she would be sorry.  BUTLER witnessed Tex roughing her up.  Unknowingly to VICTORIA or TONY, BUTLER sabotages the brakes of Tex's car.  Tex drives off a cliff.  Car explodes.  Body was never found.

Tex, injured and disfigured, makes it to an underground doctor / plastic surgeon.  Tex is reborn as BRUNO.  BRUNO has one agenda; to get VICTORIA for attempting to kill him.  No one will get in his way.

TRIXIE, now 11, moves in with TONY.  VICTORIA can not be tied down with a child.  TONY is the closest family that TRIXIE has.  She resents VICTORIA for this and still has a crush on TONY.

TONY and VICTORIA each believe that the other did the brake job on Tex.  VICTORIA and BUTLER leave for Europe in search of another husband for VICTORIA.

T&T PALACE becomes TONY'S PALACE

1930
TRIXIE and TONY are lovers but TONY will not commit.  TONY gives her a job at his Casino.  He keeps her on a string, never letting her get enough money to be free.

1932
BRUNO goes on a fact-finding mission about VICTORIA.  He learns all about her and her dead husbands.  He learns about her real life father.  He also learns about her relationship with TONY.  He now suspects TONY and VICTORIA of "fixing" his brakes.

TONY, unknowingly, hires BRUNO to work for him.  BRUNO wants to be close because he knows that sooner or later VICTORIA will show up, and he wants to keep an eye on TRIXIE, his daughter.  TRIXIE has been his only reason to live on some dark lonely nights.  BRUNO keeps a locker full of TRIXIE pictures and news clippings.

1934 (Yesterday)
BRUNO waits for the day that he can extract his revenge on VICTORIA and TONY.

TONY thinks all is well and is ready to enjoy the good life that he deserves.

TRIXIE has finally learned that TONY is not to be trusted and she must do what it takes to protect herself.

VICTORIA and BUTLER show up to try and snag TONY once more!

Skill Shot:

Pull the plunger and collect what is displayed on the DMD for the letter you hit if that letter is lit.  Else you just spot that TAXI letter.

The awards cycle such that:

 T   Points (10M, 20M, etc.) 
 A   Clue
 X   Advance Multiplier
 I   Light Roulette

Super Skill Shot:

Pull the plunger and attempt to have the ball enter the Lock Entry.  This collects points (20M  X  # of super skill shots), a clue, advances the multiplier, and locks the ball.  Once you have locked two balls and hit it again it locks the third ball and gives you "basement multiball".

Rules:

In General, the objective is to solve the murder mystery by discovering whodunnit and then to capture them.  There are a total of five cases before the cases cycle again.

To solve cases one must (usually) collect evidence, interrogate suspects, choose / guess a killer, and (when that choice is correct) catch the killer.

Note also, there are a few modes which are started either via exiting the elevator on the appropriate floor or solving a case.

Floors / Modes:

There are 11 floors accessible via the Elevator.  They are, and their awards/modes are:

 Basement   3 ball multiball
 Main Floor   Light Slots and Roulette
 2nd Floor   4 Taxi Letters (thus awarding a Clue) & lights the phone
 3rd Floor   Collect Evidence OR pick WhoDunnit
 4th Floor   Spin slot machine
 5th Floor   Collect Evidence OR pick WhoDunnit
 6th Floor   Award a piece of equipment (furthest left, unlit one)
 7th Floor   Elevator Madness
 8th Floor   Interrogate a Suspect OR pick WhoDunnit
 Penthouse   Penthouse Party (accessible only after collecting the Penthouse Key) 
 Roof  Catch the Killer (accessible only after having accessed all other floors or correctly guessed killer).

Interrogating Suspects:

This is done by answering the phone (when lit / ringing).  Upon answering, one of the suspects will answer a question asked by you (actually, the game asks it).  Note: the suspect will ALWAYS talk about the killer unless he/she IS the killer.

WhoDunnit?:

This is lit at the phone and allows you to choose who you think is the killer.  If you choose the correct suspect Catch the Killer is initiated.  It is lit by answering the phone.

Collecting Clues / Evidence / Equipment:

Clues can be collected by spelling T-A-X-I (either directly or via Taxi Chase), the Super Skill Shot, and the Slots (3 fingerprints).  Clues max out a 50M, and five clues collected in one case will light an extra ball.  Collected clues reset when starting a new case.  Collecting a clue lights the telephone.  Clues are (in order):  Bullet, Broken Mirror, Dagger, Fingerprint, & Matchbook.  They have no specific significance to the case or killer.

Evidence can be collected via exiting on floors 3 and 5 and gives you 25M points.

Equipment can be collected by exiting on floor 6, the Slots (3 magnifying glasses), the 2nd consecutive Train Loop, and the Sewer.

 Revolver   Helps you during multiball by increasing the value of the jackpot in the jets faster.
 Magnifying Glass   Eliminates a suspect in a Phone shot if no other award is given.
 Flashlight   Helps you find the Map in the Sewer or the Magnifying Glass in the Phone if no other award is given.
 Map   Helps you in the Sewer if no other award is given.

Taxi Chase:

This is started by having the ball roll over a lit inlane.  After this, both orbits are lit for Taxi Chase.  Each shot will extend the time of the chase and award a T-A-X-I letter.

Nudge Slots:

When Taxi Chase is not occurring a shot up the left orbit will be forced into the Bumpers.  Each bumper moves a different reel of the slot machine.  When two or more match they won't change.  The slot machine award is collected if the ball then falls into the hole directly beneath the Bumpers.

During multiball each bumper hit raises the jackpot value.  1M normally or 5M per hit if you have the Revolver.

Sewer:

If lit it does the slot machine.
If unlit and you have the Flashlight but NOT the Map you will find the Map.
If unlit and you have the Flashlight AND the Map it will award various rewards (increase multiplier, interrogate suspect find evidence, lite whodunnit, or give you 50M).
If unlit but you don't have the Flashlight or Map you get 1M  X  the number of times you've entered the Sewer.

Note: The first time you enter the sewer with the Map you will get a voice saying something similar to "Hey Nick, what're you doing in the Sewer?".  Nick responds, "I like it in the Sewer".  I believe this is the only time the private eye (ie. you, the voiceover guy) is named.

Mystery Target

Hitting a Penthouse Key Target lights the Mystery Target.  The Mystery Target awards whatever should be awarded at the time.  For example, if during Penthouse Party, it awards the 3 Penthouse Party awards.

Train Combo

Making consecutive ramp shots scores a Train combo.
1st lights Roulette
2nd gives Flashlight
3rd lights Extra Ball
4th starts Loop Champion (Try to beat previous champion for "big points".)

Roulette:

When lit, you are given the choice to bet or not.  Regardless, the multiplier will be increased.  The amount of the bet is determined by the spinner.  Whether you'll win or lose seems random.  However, it has been noticed that in tournament mode it wins every other time (1,3,5,etc).

Note that, early on in the game you can bet MORE than you have.  If you win, you win that amount.  If you lose, you just go to zero.

Roulette is lit by shooting up the Roulette VUK when unlit, by exiting on the Main Floor, and completing the 1st Train Combo.

Slots:

The slots act just like a slot machine.  However, if 2 reels match when you are finished you are given a second chance. To win the second chance you only need to complete a spin shot (Phone, Roulette, Sewer, and Exit).  Note: if you cause a slot event by losing the ball down a lit outlane and match two, the second chance feature becomes a "Psuedo Kickback".

Possible awards are:

 3 Bars   100,000,000 
 3 Magnifying Glasses   Equipment 
 3 Fingerprints   Clue 
 3 Multiballs   Multiball 
 3 Extra Balls   Extra Ball 
 3 Jackpots   Jackpot 
 3 Wilds   Roof 
 3 Question Marks   Elevator Madness 

A mismatch scores 5M.

Note: There is a wild on each reel.  On the middle wheel it is labeled Wild Choice and gives you the choice between the award on the left or right reel (unless they match).  Else, the wild can replace anything (obvious, eh?).

Note: The ?'s are located on reels with another award.  On the left reel it is with the Extra Ball, middle reel - Bar, and right reel - Fingerprint.

"Psuedo Kickback":

If, on losing your ball via a lit outlane, the slot machine matches only 2 of 3 awards you will be given a Second Chance and an autolaunched ball.

Other awards from the slot that simulate a kickback are Multiball and Elevator Madness for obvious reasons.

Cases:

There are a total of five cases which occur in the following order: Missing Bullet, Broken Mirror, Bloody Dagger, Sticky Fingers, and The Tattoo.  There is no significance, in the game, to any of the cases.

Catch the Killer (aka The Roof):

You attempt to catch the killer.  To do this, you must complete the lit Taxi Chase followed by the Phone.  Taking too much time causes the lit Taxi Chase to change, or the Phone to unlight and go back to a lit Taxi Chase.  Once the phone is lit a 100M hurry up award is started which stops at 25M.  Catching the killer ends the case (lighting it on the playfield) and starts a 4 ball multiball.  During this multiball any lit shot that you hit earns the value of the hurry up award when you caught the killer.  During this multiball the 3-Bank Target will cycle up and down intermittenly.  At the end of multiball a new case is started.

Should you not catch the killer you still go on to the next case, but you will have to resolve this case later.

This mode is accessed via the Roof or choosing the correct suspect from WhoDunnit?.

Elevator Madness:

A two ball multiball (with a x second ballsaver).  The object is to hit the Elevator.  Either left or right shot reverses the direction of the elevator, and collects value for that floor.  Exiting on a floor also collects point value for that floor.  Points awarded range from ~10M to ~35M.  After you've been given awhile to score points (20 sec?) the 3-Bank Target begins to cycle up and down intermittently.

Penthouse Party:

All flashing shots score increasing values (10M, 20M, 30M, etc.) until the timer runs out.

Basement Multiball:

3 ball multiball that ends when less than 2 balls are in play.  Jackpots can be collected at the Roulette VUK and the Sewer along with the Mystery Standup and making all 3 Elevator shots.

Jackpots are increased by Bumper hits, increasing 1M normally & 5M when you have the Revolver.

Wizard Mode / Award:

There isn't one :-(

End of Ball Bonus:

Number of Cases Started  X  5M +
Number of Clues Collected  X  1M +
Number of Times You've Spun the Slots  X  5M +
Number of Cases Finished  X  20M +
X  Multiplier

Extra Balls:

Can be collected / lit via:

  • Slots (immediate)
  • 3 Train Loops (lit at phone)
  • 5 clues in one case (lit at phone)

High Scores / Ego Awards:

Roof Champion:

An Ego Award where one gets to put in their initials if they've scored the most during the Catch the Killer mode.  These initials will be displayed whenever the Slots start.

Loop Champion:

Based upon number of Train Loops in a row...

Grand Champion / 1st - 4th (can be bought):

Two credits for GC, 1 for all others.  There is no limit on the number of buy-ins allowed.

The highest score I've heard of is ~120 Billion.  The highest I've seen is 27 Billion.

Strategy:

The Basement Multiball and Penthouse are very lucrative.  In the Basement you can just keep getting Jackpot after Jackpot. For the Penthouse it's like printing money.  Just keep making shots at the elevator.  Keep making the shots consistently until the timer runs out (which is easy!) and it's worth ~750M.

Do not necessarily choose the correct killer.  For instance, if you have a number of clues it might be better to work on getting more clues (to light the extra ball) than to choose the right killer.  Then you can start racking up more clues for the next extra ball.

Catch the killer! The 4 ball multiball (with ball saver for a bit) can be very lucrative.

In a good, long game the end of ball bonus becomes important.  So spin the slots, start & finish case, and get that multiplier up there and you can get bonuses of 1B+.

Quotes:

My favorite is "Player X is a real wizard!" upon ...?

"You'll do" upon getting Grand Champion ;-)

Miscellaneous:

Tournament Mode:

Press and hold both flippers for about 5 seconds during attract mode, then follow the display.

Bugs:

Doesn't display 10B+ when in play:

If you score more than 9,999,999 the display does not change the font so that you can see the "1" for 10 billion. The default font for the score cannot display that digit.  Once the game is over you will get the proper credit for scoring the 10 billion.

7th floor labeled wrong on DMD:

When the ball exits on the 7th floor for Elevator Madness the DMD actually says 8th floor.  I don't know if that's a bug or part of the Elevator Madness, meaning the "elevator" is "malfunctioning".

Upon powering up the game it doesn't check for the 3-bank target being up:

When a game ends and the 3-bank target is up and you turn the machine off you run into a problem the next time you turn the machine on. It does all its initial checks but doesn't notice if the 3-bank target it up! So when you go to play it's always up and it doesn't register when you hit it! Only way to "fix it" is to trigger a mode that would make the machine cycle the 3-bank target up.

Easter Eggs:

Midnight Madness

At midnight, assuming the clock is set correctly, Midnight Madness will start.  If someone is in the middle of a game, it will happen during play.  If a game is not active, it will occur at the first ball-start.  At the beginning you will hear "I was afraid of this".  After a few seconds of gameplay, the flippers will go dead.  The balls you have in play will drain.  The playfield goes dark.  The game will shut-down.  It will appear as if you tilted the game.  But did you?  Nope!  "Midnight Madness" will now flash on the screen.  It will then empty every ball inside the machine and start Midnight Madness (4 ball) multi-ball.  Every hit is worth 3M and a "BOOM", "BLAM", "DOH!", etc. will appear on the DMD with each score, ala the old Batman TV show.

3D Mode:

Start a game and then press the following sequence:
B, 8L, 1R, 5L, 1R, 5L, 1R, 6L, 2R (where B is both flippers, L is left & R is right)
When it says "Put on your 3D Glasses Now" launch the ball.
(It has also been reported to work "During Attract mode, with no credits" but didn't work for me.

Editor's Notes


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