These things definitely self percent JUST like a fruit machine
editMonopoly is the classic example. TO gain a prize, you have to get a monopoly, with the jackpot being the final monopoly on the dark blue. Theoretically the jackpot is available on every game, because the only way to lose is to fail a question. In reality, if the machine is sufficiently under percentage, you will NEVER land on Mayfair, and NEVER get the go back 3 spaces from three squares beyond it. EVER. The only prizes you will get are the ones for completing a set it can afford to pay you. Actually the ONLY way to get to Mayfair was the go back 3 spaces. it was programmed to NEVER LAND ON IT DIRECTLY. This was to stop people who played the game straight from getting the jackpot, regardless of skill. Eventually they released a hint saying that go back 3 spaces was very useful, but what you have to go through to get that card was still pretty obscure. People still sometimes emptied them, when others have loaded them up enough. So a rechip was released which blocked the previously winning strategy. The rechip would land you on the square directly when it felt like it, but never gave you go back 3 when you are three ahead of mayfair.
That they self percentaged just like pub fruit machines was well known by the professionals, just like it was well known that the fruit machines cheated, but for a while it was impossible to prove it. Of course the fact that fruit machines did cheat was finally proven with the help of emulation. 71.193.11.72 (talk) 05:16, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
- i doubt you have to be a professional to realise that they work to a percentage. Just play the same game repeatedly and it becomes pretty obvious. I have some of the code to Deal or no Deal and it says "30% payout" at the top. does this mean they are not skill? ultimately the more skilful you are the more likely you are to win (in the long term) so I don't know. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.41.230.157 (talk) 06:36, 4 April 2010 (UTC)
Merge with Skill With Prizes
editThis article seems IMO to be covering exactly the same ground as the (equally sparse) SWP page. I think it should be merged (and cleaned-up in the process)--Jmptdc 00:01, 25 July 2006 (UTC)
'Actually, I think we should just point Skill With Prizes to here, and have done Elcondor 09:10, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
Hello. I have completely re-done the entry as the existing one wasn't really adequate. Any comments? Goldmanuk 02:24, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
Rewritten article
editI have completely rewritten the article as the existing stub was inadequate. Anyone got any comments? Goldmanuk 13:45, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
Operating System
editIs it worth mentioning that modern multi-game SWP machines (and a few single game ones too) all seem to run versions of Windows (most commonly Windows 2000)?
If anyone's interested it would also appear that the Ind:e machines games seem to be written in Visual Basic. The machine in our local is quite unstable and the software is prone to crashing. If you're quick when the terminal is booting up you can start Internet Explorer before the game screen loads, then when it crashes you're back to a fully working desktop (rather than the black screen with cursor that you usually get). From there navigating to the games folders you can see that the icons for the individual games are the standard VB ones. More of a curiosity than anything actually useful. Elaverick 15:49, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
Technical detail of individual gaming terminals is really beyond the scope of this page which is meant as a general summary of the subject. Pages exist for ITBox and Paragon SWP and someone may want to create similar pages for GamesNet, FatBox, Ind:e etc. It may be appropriate to include and technical detail there. Goldmanuk 20:50, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
Quizmachine link
editIn the See Also section is a link called Quizmachine. Clicking on this directed me to www.quizzmachine.com, which appears to be an on-line gambling site as the first screen displays a flashing "Jackpot:50 euros!".
I consider this to be an inappropriate site for this forum.
I've never been directed to an external site from Wikipedia before. However, if you must have them, make then informative only, which would then be compatible with Wikipedia.