May 7, 2022 @ 2:45 AM UTCDragonMinded updated a repair tip on The Grid
New Tip Contents
Using a Donor Cruis'n Exotica Board
Check the DISK ASIC JR revision on boot (or look at the label of the chip at U29. If it is "AB" revision then you can simply swap the ROMs from your dead Grid board into the Cruis'n Exotica board and all will work. However, if the board is a "A8" revision you'll notice that the ROM check fails on startup and it won't work. If you have some spare M27C160 ROMs (you can use U10/U11 from the Exotica board if you have a EPROM eraser) you can modify the 1.20 version of The Grid to run on the older "A8" revision boards.
First, grab the 1.20 revision U10, U11, U12 and U13 ROM images either from MAME or by dumping them from your own game ROMs using a ROM burner. Next, open up the U10 file in a hex editor and change the following bytes:
* Offset 0x7FFDA: Change 06 to 04 * Offset 0x7FFDC: Change B8 to BA
Now, save that ROM. Next, concatenate that file and U12, so that all the bytes of the modified U10 come first and all the bytes of U12 come second. Do the same with U11 and U13, making sure that all bytes of U11 come first and U13 come second. Now, burn the concatenated U10+U12 file to a M27C160 and insert it into the U10 slot. Do the same with the U11+U13 file and insert it into the U11 slot. Leave U12/U13 empty. Now, move U18 to the U14 slot. Move U19 to the U15 slot. Move U20 into the U16 slot. Finally, move U21 into the U17 slot. Leave all other ROMs and the PIC in the same location as they are labelled.
If you did everything right, the game will pass the ROM checks and start up just fine. For reference, your board should look something like [https://gamerepair.info/images/123_the_grid this].
Old Tip Contents
Using a Donor Cruis'n Exotica Board
Check the DISK ASIC JR revision on boot (or look at the label of the chip at U29. If it is "AB" revision then you can simply swap the ROMs from your dead Grid board into the Cruis'n Exotica board and all will work. However, if the board is a "A8" revision you'll notice that the ROM check fails on startup and it won't work. If you have some spare M27C160 ROMs (you can use U10/U11 from the Exotica board if you have a EPROM eraser) you can modify the 1.20 version of The Grid to run on the older "A8" revision boards.
First, grab the 1.20 revision U10, U11, U12 and U13 ROM images either from MAME or by dumping them from your own game ROMs using a ROM burner. Next, open up the U10 file in a hex editor and change the following bytes:
* Offset 0x7FFDA: Change 06 to 04 * Offset 0x7FFDC: Change B8 to BA
Now, save that ROM. Next, concatenate that file and U12, so that all the bytes of the modified U10 come first and all the bytes of U12 come second. Do the same with U11 and U13, making sure that all bytes of U11 come first and U13 come second. Now, burn the concatenated U10+U12 file to a M27C160 and insert it into the U10 slot. Do the same with the U11+U13 file and insert it into the U11 slot. Leave U12/U13 empty. Now, move U18 to the U14 slot. Move U19 to the U15 slot. Move U20 into the U16 slot. Finally, move U21 into the U17 slot. Leave all other ROMs and the PIC in the same location as they are labelled.
If you did everything right, the game will pass the ROM checks and start up just fine.
May 7, 2022 @ 2:44 AM UTCDragonMinded updated an image caption from "" to "Grid Alternate Configuration" on The Grid
May 7, 2022 @ 2:44 AM UTCDragonMinded updated an image hidden attribute from "visible" to "hidden" on The Grid
May 7, 2022 @ 2:44 AM UTCDragonMinded added an image to The Grid
May 7, 2022 @ 2:44 AM UTCDragonMinded added a repair tip to The Grid
Original Tip Contents
Using a Donor Cruis'n Exotica Board
Check the DISK ASIC JR revision on boot (or look at the label of the chip at U29. If it is "AB" revision then you can simply swap the ROMs from your dead Grid board into the Cruis'n Exotica board and all will work. However, if the board is a "A8" revision you'll notice that the ROM check fails on startup and it won't work. If you have some spare M27C160 ROMs (you can use U10/U11 from the Exotica board if you have a EPROM eraser) you can modify the 1.20 version of The Grid to run on the older "A8" revision boards.
First, grab the 1.20 revision U10, U11, U12 and U13 ROM images either from MAME or by dumping them from your own game ROMs using a ROM burner. Next, open up the U10 file in a hex editor and change the following bytes:
* Offset 0x7FFDA: Change 06 to 04 * Offset 0x7FFDC: Change B8 to BA
Now, save that ROM. Next, concatenate that file and U12, so that all the bytes of the modified U10 come first and all the bytes of U12 come second. Do the same with U11 and U13, making sure that all bytes of U11 come first and U13 come second. Now, burn the concatenated U10+U12 file to a M27C160 and insert it into the U10 slot. Do the same with the U11+U13 file and insert it into the U11 slot. Leave U12/U13 empty. Now, move U18 to the U14 slot. Move U19 to the U15 slot. Move U20 into the U16 slot. Finally, move U21 into the U17 slot. Leave all other ROMs and the PIC in the same location as they are labelled.
If you did everything right, the game will pass the ROM checks and start up just fine.
May 7, 2022 @ 1:59 AM UTCDragonMinded added a repair tip to The Grid
Original Tip Contents
Non-Responsive PIN Pad
The PIN pad for The Grid connects through the "Wheel Driver" header on the main board, passing through a small PCB to adapt the connector. If pins have come loose or broken off of this header, you might experience a PIN pad that appears stuck with certain buttons held down. Check for cold solder joints and missing pins on this header.
April 30, 2022 @ 5:15 PM UTCDragonMinded updated the link between The Grid and Zeus II
New Game List
1.11 1.20
June 1, 2019 @ 4:08 AM UTCDragonMinded updated a repair tip on The Grid
New Tip Contents
Joystick Repair
The joysticks for The Grid appear to be unobtainable. They seem like a custom joystick designed for the game. However, the circuitry that reads the positioning is a standard Midway 49-way joystick. These are commonly available in NFL Blitz cabinets. You can disassemble a NFL Blitz joystick and use the circuit board as well as several of the plastic pieces to repair a Grid joystick.
Old Tip Contents
Joystick Repair
The joysticks for The Grid appear to be unobtainable. They seem like a custom joystick designed for the game. However, the circuitry that reads the positioning is a standard Midway 49-way joystick. These are commonly available in NFL Blitz cabinets.
June 1, 2019 @ 4:06 AM UTCDragonMinded added a repair tip to The Grid
Original Tip Contents
Joystick Repair
The joysticks for The Grid appear to be unobtainable. They seem like a custom joystick designed for the game. However, the circuitry that reads the positioning is a standard Midway 49-way joystick. These are commonly available in NFL Blitz cabinets.
June 1, 2019 @ 4:04 AM UTCDragonMinded added a link between The Grid and Zeus II
June 1, 2019 @ 4:04 AM UTCDragonMinded updated The Grid
changed the date range from "2000-2000" to "2000-2001"
June 1, 2019 @ 4:03 AM UTCDragonMinded updated The Grid
New Description
A third person shooter similar to Quake II or Half-Life death-match. Up to six cabinets can link via firewire to allow multiplayer games.
Old Description
June 1, 2019 @ 4:03 AM UTCDragonMinded updated The Grid
changed the date range from "2019-2019" to "2000-2000"
June 1, 2019 @ 4:02 AM UTCDragonMinded updated The Grid
changed the developer from "" to "Midway"
June 1, 2019 @ 4:02 AM UTCDragonMinded added The Grid to the wiki