Combat (Arcade)

Combat
Developer: Exidy Publisher: Exidy Platforms: Arcade (Exidy 440 hardware) Released internationally: 1985 This game has a hidden developer message. This game has hidden developer credits.

Combat is a cross between Crossbow and Cheyenne, which really just means that it's another shooting gallery game.

Hidden Message

A hidden message can be seen through the following steps.

• Set RAM address 6000 to 01, or enter this cheat in MAME's combat.xml cheat file:

  <cheat desc="Hardware Error">
    <script state="on">
      <action>maincpu.pb@6000=01</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

• Reset the game. An error message should appear on the boot screen.
• Put this cheat into combat.xml and enable it:

  <cheat desc="Bypass Hardware Error">
    <script state="on">
      <action>temp0 =maincpu.mw@8C66</action>
      <action>temp1 =maincpu.mw@9A54</action>
    </script>
    <script state="run">
      <action>maincpu.mw@8C66=1212</action>
      <action>maincpu.mw@9A54=1212</action>
    </script>
    <script state="off">
      <action>maincpu.mw@8C66=temp0</action>
      <action>maincpu.mw@9A54=temp1</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

• 
  A new message should appear on the screen.

After a few seconds, the E2 PROM will be initialized, and the game will boot to the manual diagnostics screen. It's likely that Exidy's support crew (And/or Ben(n)y) could have done something to the arcade cabinets to bypass the hardware error, prompting this message.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Morse Code Message

By going through a level without destroying any objectives, this Morse Code message can be heard.

When translated, it spells out "KENNICHOLSON".

Ken Nicholson is the sound and graphics designer for this, and other games in the Exidy "C" series.

(Source: Doomgodmode93)

Audio Credits

This message is in the sound CPU at F361:

COPYRIGHT (C) 1984 EXIDY INC
M VON STRIVER
V TOLOMEI
K NICHOLSON

(Source: Original TCRF research)