Most classic and modern redemption arcade games—including Slam A Winner, Hole in One, and similar skill-based titles—use DIP switches on the main circuit board (PCB) to configure core operational parameters without needing external programming tools.
Add a section explaining DIP switch timer configurations and mercy ticket settings on redemption game PCBs.
Two of the most vital settings controlled by these DIP switch banks are Gameplay Timer Limits and Mercy Ticket Payouts.
1. DIP Switch Basics on Arcade PCBs
A DIP (Dual In-line Package) switch block consists of a row of small manual toggle switches (typically numbered 1 to 8). Each toggle can be flipped between ON (Closed / Low logic) and OFF (Open / High logic).
By combining the binary states of multiple toggles, game technicians can adjust game difficulty, audio volume, ticket-to-point ratios, game duration, and default fallback behavior.
ON [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
─┬─ ─┬─ ─┬─ ─┬─ ─┬─ ─┬─ ─┬─ ─┬─
OFF │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
2. Configuring the Gameplay Time Limit (Timer Settings)
As seen in issues where broken target switches cause delayed payouts, games like Hole in One rely on an internal gameplay timer. If a player fails to trigger a scoring switch within the allocated time, the timer expires to prevent the machine from freezing indefinitely.
Example DIP Switch Timer Map (Typical 2-Switch Logic)
Game duration is usually mapped across two adjacent DIP toggles (e.g., Switch 1 and Switch 2 on Bank SW1):
| SW 1 | SW 2 | Game Play Time Limit | Operational Behavior |
| OFF | OFF | 30 Seconds | Short duration; ideal for high-traffic arcade locations to maintain high throughput. |
| ON | OFF | 45 Seconds (Default) | Standard balance between giving players enough time and keeping machine turnover fast. |
| OFF | ON | 60 Seconds | Extended duration; allows casual or younger players extra time to complete rounds. |
| ON | ON | Infinite / No Limit | Game waits indefinitely for a target hit (Not recommended; causes game hangs if a target switch breaks). |
Technician Tip: Never set the timer switches to ON/ON (Infinite) in public venues. If a needle switch or optical sensor breaks during operation, the game will hang permanently on the active player without resetting or dispensing tickets, leading to customer complaints.
3. Configuring Mercy Ticket Settings
Mercy Tickets are a built-in compensation mechanism in redemption machines. If a player inserts coins/tokens but fails to score any points before the game timer runs out (or if a scoring switch fails to detect a hit), the mainboard automatically dispenses a minimal set number of tickets.
This ensures that paying players always walk away with at least a small reward, maintaining customer satisfaction and compliance with local amusement regulations.
Example DIP Switch Mercy Ticket Map (Typical 2-Switch Logic)
Mercy ticket counts are frequently assigned to toggles on a secondary DIP bank (e.g., Switch 3 and Switch 4 on Bank SW2):
| SW 3 | SW 4 | Mercy Ticket Count | Description |
| OFF | OFF | 0 Tickets (Disabled) | No payout if zero points are registered. Recommended for strict skill-based setups. |
| ON | OFF | 1 Ticket (Standard) | Dispenses exactly 1 ticket upon time expiration if no points were scored. |
| OFF | ON | 2 Tickets | Generates 2 mercy tickets per unrewarded game session. |
| ON | ON | 3 Tickets | Generates 3 mercy tickets; suitable for family entertainment centers (FECs) targeting young children. |
4. How Mercy Tickets Help Diagnose Hardware Failures
Understanding how mercy tickets work helps technicians perform quick hardware diagnostics on location:
Immediate Payout = Functional Sensor: Player scores $\rightarrow$ Sensor triggers instantly $\rightarrow$ Normal ticket payout calculated by score.
Delayed Payout equal to Mercy Value = Sensor/Switch Failure: Player scores $\rightarrow$ Broken switch registers nothing $\rightarrow$ Game waits for timer to expire (e.g., 45s) $\rightarrow$ CPU awards Mercy Tickets (e.g., 1 ticket).
If players report that a machine is paying out only 1 ticket after a long delay regardless of performance, check the target switch (needle/whisker switch) and board buffer ICs before altering the mainboard DIP switch configuration.
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