Can anything be done? Part 95

Discuss Quiz Machines here..
paragoon
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Post by paragoon »

Machines cheating doesn't help either. I mean when I play PMPs and get YOURE BARRED when I know it should be PASS I can live with it - knowing it's part of the cycle but a casual punter might just think fuck off.
Then there's bloody BAM - quite a long, drawn out game at the best of times but to have it ask spoilers on the EASY QUESTIONS mode is cheating. To get through all that to the a money round where there is no chance of winning even a £1 is outrageous and annoys people.
And as for Trivia Tube! Man I wish I'd been a fly on the wall at that meeting! I've had suspicions about that game for a long time thinking it's rotten. Eventually managed to 'prove' (to myself) it was dodgy. Was on A to Z countries category and pressed 'England' - big red cross. Couple of days later had a similar scenario but I had some of the green left - needed one more country - pressed the hint/cheat thing - 'England' gets me through lol. This game has been designed in a corrupt manner imo. Yeah, occasionally it goes into simple mode and gives you a fiver or whatever but it's shit.
Anyway rant over. Agree with all the other stuff people have said - doesn't accept silver shrapnel which might entice people on. Doesn't pay you the money you may win. Bar staff giving it "It's not actually our machine please put your phone number on a tiny piece of paper to say we owe you one pound" good god
SoccerHQ
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Post by SoccerHQ »

That only happens on PMP when it really has been bled dry and has nothing left to pay out.

I actually think when Muddle makes the point of games where it's reasonably easy for the punter to think he can win and so keep playing pints is a good example. It isn't that difficult to win a quid a couple of times and with time and effort you can win 4/5 quid on it.

Then you have Pointless....a very popular and fashionable tv show so plenty of interest in that yet every time I click on it the jackpot is something ridiculous like 1.90.

People still play it...but a fixed 10 quid jackpot like PMP would get more plays surely?
muddle
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Post by muddle »

Some good posts by everybody - Topical,SoccerHQ,paragoon and Nil Satis.In your last post,Nil,I think you said what I was trying to say but expressed it more eloquently.You don't fancy emailing that post off to GWHL,Gamestec,Regal and anyone else you can think of,do you?
Funnily enough,SoccerHQ,I was about to start a new thread to make a very similar point about Pointless - most punters will have figured out by now you can check the jackpot before you actually play the game and will probably give it a miss if as you say it's something ridiculous.What I was going to suggest was make it a minimum of a fiver jackpot but make it £1 a play and make the jackpot increase by a pound every five plays.Perhaps you could get a second chance if you don't get past the first round.I'd also like to see it updated with some new categories.
ridye
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Post by ridye »

Most of the target audience now have a smartphone glued to their hands playing simplistic games or updating their Bookface / Twatter etc which probably doesn't help the fate of the quiz machine to be honest!

I don't play quiz machines as such but I do like a go on The Crystal Maze from time to time, except I find that about 80% of the screens are knackered so gave up even trying!
paragoon
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Post by paragoon »

muddle wrote:Some good posts by everybody - Topical,SoccerHQ,paragoon and Nil Satis.In your last post,Nil,I think you said what I was trying to say but expressed it more eloquently.You don't fancy emailing that post off to GWHL,Gamestec,Regal and anyone else you can think of,do you?
Funnily enough,SoccerHQ,I was about to start a new thread to make a very similar point about Pointless - most punters will have figured out by now you can check the jackpot before you actually play the game and will probably give it a miss if as you say it's something ridiculous.What I was going to suggest was make it a minimum of a fiver jackpot but make it £1 a play and make the jackpot increase by a pound every five plays.Perhaps you could get a second chance if you don't get past the first round.I'd also like to see it updated with some new categories.
That's a good idea about Pointless. Unfortunately the short-term-thinking prevalent in the designers means they'd be more likely to get rid of the 'check jp' function and take their chances on stealing loads of fifty Ps and putting off a load more people.
SoccerHQ
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Post by SoccerHQ »

Another little thing that happened to me today so back to this thread I go....

This little disclaimer that seems to have been inserted to protect against big wins.

As I've mentioned before I've played Pints make Prizes for last 5 years so pretty good at it....and I also think it's a popular game for the neutral to play.

However it's also one game where you can win a quid or a tenner and it can then magically disappear from the screen....

Anyone else had this or indeed it happen on other games. Today I only put 50p in, played one game which got a win of 4 quid and off it went. Fair enough if I built up to about 15 quid but that seems pretty mean to me.

Not just for pros either...imagine if following me was a punter who just wanted to play PMP for fun...took one look at the screen list, saw it wasn't on there and walked away...

Pints is certainly one of the games on there where it's very possible after months of playing to win 5-10 quid quite regularly so given they've now programmed it to be removed when it feels like it's going to be looted...leads me to think maybe the pro element is being downplayed here and the makers are worried about it.
muddle
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Post by muddle »

Hex Appeal would self-remove,as did Secret Letter.It's a blunt tool to remove the game because someone's forcing money out of it,that was particularly true with Secret Letter as the jackpot would drop down to a quid - were they worried about people spending ten minutes or so trying to repeatedly win 50p? I think I can remember Nil Satis commenting at the time that would irritate the punters who liked to play it only to find it had mysteriously disappeared,as you point out about Pints make Prizes.That always offers the £10 jackpot doesn't it,you make a good point about pro play being a factor the makers are concerned with.There must be a better method than self-removal though,I've often wondered why,and this goes for other games too,they don't change the categories or questions more often.Perhaps that's quite costly and time-consuming,I don't know,but it would keep the game fresh as well as protecting against superpro play.
SoccerHQ
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Post by SoccerHQ »

Pints was last changed in November 2011. I emailed the head guy at Games warehouse to ask where it had gone and he said it was being updated for new categories.

It returned in May 2012 I think so yes long overdue a change although even with the new updates it dosen't always come back into the line up if it's been self removed.
muddle
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Post by muddle »

Can I ask,SoccerHQ,how you phrased the question where Pints had gone and why you were missing it? I'm just wondering if you said that you were a pro,or (I guess this is more likely) you just said you enjoyed playing it.It's quite encouraging that he took the time to reply whatever.Maybe it's worth emailing him again and pointing out all the problems Paragons have,and perhaps asking him where that reskin of Match of the Day has gone.
SoccerHQ
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Post by SoccerHQ »

Ha at the time I was playing PMP quite regularly so yes did go into a bit of a panic when it disappeared off the old update so emailed the guy and in fairness what he said was true.

I remember at the time I was also playing MOTD 2 if people remember that (basically the same as PMP but football hangman) and that went in the same update which was a shame. The guy said it went as no one played it (bar me) and suggested Hex Maniac instead.

I'll try and find the emails (nearly 5 years ago now) and get the address if you're interested in direct correspondence with them.
explayer
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Post by explayer »

Three times recently my first pound coin has either disappeared in the machine or the touchscreen didn't work. I've given up trying to get the pound back. A claim form, a phone call days later, a trip back to the pub to find no manager present. Off putting to say the least.
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SoccerHQ
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Post by SoccerHQ »

It's only a quid....

Blimey when I win about 2 quid out of a 12 quid jackpot that has an I.O.U screen message I just walk out of the pub swearing under my breath vowing not to return for a year! And when I eventually return the machine has predictably gone.

What would you do if that happened....write to the Government demanding a public inquiry?! ;)
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quizard
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Post by quizard »

The propensity of quiz machines for not working properly has got to be worse than any other type of coin operated equipment. It is really like no one gives a f**k anymore. And it is bloody annoying especially if you have splashed out on a drink before you start.
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bubbles
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Post by bubbles »

maybe but it never really costs anyone much does it? i've been done out of 59, 132 and several tenners and repeat chances in the last month or so and at least a couple of grand over the past 20 years! and you are correct, not many give a fuck about the player getting shafted!
Going skint....
muddle
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Post by muddle »

bubbles wrote:maybe but it never really costs anyone much does it? i've been done out of 59, 132 and several tenners and repeat chances in the last month or so and at least a couple of grand over the past 20 years! and you are correct, not many give a fuck about the player getting shafted!
That's tough,bubbles,I take it that there's never anything to be gained by complaining to the barstaff? I was going to ask you earlier if any of the issues we've been talking about with the quizzies happen with the bandits too.Clearly non-payment does.You're right,a quizzy player is never in that deep as regards how much money they've put in the machine in the first place - it's more the time wasted and also an IOU message means no punters can play it.I made the mistake of winning 21 quid out of a Regal machine over the weekend,doubtless that'll have been showing IOU £1 all weekend.
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