Fruit Machine Chat

We all know that different players enjoy different games, but what would you like to see out there to play, that you currently cannot?

For example, is there a new concept that you've thought about, but none of the games 'houses' have implemented yet? Or, would you like to see a game that combines parts of (or improves on) existing games?

Currently, as a few of you will know, my spare 'hobby' time is often put to use to programming. The 'SWP', for want of a better umbrella term has often appealed to me as something that would be a joy to work on. I've dabbled in the past, but only ever come up with basic quiz / word games.

Would just like to get some thoughts from probably the most well-versed 'players'.

The chances are slim that anything will come to fruition 'in the wild' from me, but no harm in trying!

Oh, and Quiz-based games are difficult (although not impossible) due to the sheer number of questions required. I put a bit of time into this a while back and got 1200 questions, each with the correct answer and three wrong answers, but I'd estimate that would only be about 5% / 10% of the questions I'd need to make a 'viable' game. That took me a good few weeks to compile too!

On the questions front, I think your best bet would be to put together a workable front end with the questions you've already got; you could either bulk-buy thousands of questions at a later stage, or you might have access to the banks of the big providers if they like your work enough to run with it!

Being a mercenary wee soul, just about the only thing I am interested in is that a game is programmed to allow you to win decent prizes (£10 and above) if you have the required skills and other players are losing money in the game - even I am not naive enough to expect games to always be in pay mode.

Everything else for me is subordinate to this, the 'bells and whistles' if you like, although I do occasionally find games that I can enjoy for themselves and not for the potential financial rewards - Sum Up and Word Up being the two most recent examples.

How about a game involving algebraic manipulation?

Good point, I didn't think of it that way.

The idea I did have for a quiz / skill game, was thus (don't laugh): fusing the game of ten-pin bowling together with that of DOND.

I'm in the gestation period of thought at the moment and here are those thoughts:

- You play a frame of ten pin bowling, each pin has a value / question / bonus underneath it (which you may or may not be able to see previous to bowling your ball). Any which are missed are then revealed to the player and then:

1) Cash values are removed from a matrix (a la DOND)
2) The player has to answer any questions that are revealed
3) Any bonii ( ) are awarded.

- If the player survives the questions they then continue playing as previous until they miss all pins or mess up a question. The end game is reached if a player survives all ten frames - not quite thought how this would work yet, I guess a DOND style game with the remaining values?

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Now, of course a lot more thought has to go into it, but that's the kernel.

How about a game involving algebraic manipulation?

Funnily, under the bonnet, that'll pretty much be what is going on!

a great thread for me to clumsily promote my idea

fusion of a light gun game and swp.

basically shooting for dollars/pounds.


you shoot moving targets of various size, speed,direction and value,to qualify for a another round in which you do more of the same but, with the all important added pressure of it being for a "possible" jp of upto 40 quid(maybe more)



in an ideal world i reckon it's a worker,if anyone fancies coding it ,they can keep half the profits

Heh, brilliant! A titbox with a laser gun attached!

You could have the added 'spoiler' function of the calibration going completely out when you get anywhere that it doesn't want you.

no,no no........not on MY game,it shoots true even when stone cold dead,the targets just get a little more unpredictable

Cool! I'll admit, I'm pap at those 'shooters' you get in bowling alleys / seaside arcades. lol

i like the bells and whistles. imo it is an essential part of the programming, i'd prefer to see a shameless clone of DOND with some element of fun rather than noel bloody edmonds's moue and that horrible floral shirt. for something which has been syndicated so extensively, the production budget (or even just care and attention) is woeful.

the tenpin bowling is a decent premise for an SWP game. iirc, the only previous game on this theme was strike bowling which had two versions, one with Qs, the other with no chance of a prize. the demographic is about right, in terms of questions it could play like the goldenballs game.

ten frames of bowling: get a strike = free move. knock over 8/9 answer one question 6/7 for two >6 answer three. that would add clarity to gameplay (of course the software can put bumps in the lane to protect itself). 20 rounds of questions for first and second balls is similar to a lot of games. throw in a few free strikes to punters who think they will be able to get a perfect game and you could be on to a winner.

casual bowlers enjoy those silly animations which come on the video screen if you luck out and everyone who plays once every so often will happily take far-too-long keying in names at the beginning. both these would translate to the SWP terminal. as would a high-score table which is another unessential extra which appeals to people.

i liked the itbox's deals on wheels game for the deliberate glitch of repeating Qs. that was a stroke of genius. to give the punter something which makes them feel they have got one up on the machine is very clever; cleverer still was the movement of goalposts in the second game to which the punters were oblivious.

a couple of the girls in my office went to a namco thing the other day, they were gossiping about some motorbike game and their favourite bit was choosing which colour of leathers/helmet to put on their avatar. you might roll your eyes but the games need to appeal to the masses if they are going to be worth playing. the developers don't make these games so we can make money.
put a skull & crossbones or national flag on the ball for no good reason and it will instantly engage with people who will be more likely to play it again.

good luck with it Matt.

What about a pretentious arthouse game where you play a struggling game designer trying to think up a game? (The final round involves proofing a few pages of code at speed (Captain Codeman?))

Or a simulation of playing in a group of students on hex, where you have to read snatches of questions intermittently visible behind a swaying mass of lank-haired youth and then have to 'shout' your answer out by pressing your preferred option repeatedly, track-and-field style?

if you could choose,or even enhance your gun in my game ,it would be better than your game,fact.

I think the whole game of sonic the hedgehog 1 with no ''saves'' (obviously) and if you get to lets say zone 6 you get a £1 then zone 8 £2 etc and complete the game you get £20

or mario?!

sick of questions and the roulette

it would have to be 1 life and a time limit, but still an interesting option.