*Latest news RE Stake/JP changes*

MrRed · Post by **MrRed** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:46 pm

Can you imagine how much a board will cost now on a battered red

Or playing one with mega spin :P

Just another comment about putting the casual punter off
Out and about yesterday, i must have visited 20 pubs/bars
Each has on average 3 m/c's so around 60 m/c's

I saw, out of all the m/c's only 5 getting played
There was a time when i would go out and struggle to get on one not now

Nixxy · Post by **Nixxy** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:51 pm

Dynamike wrote:2 spins for a pound, on a fruit machine, that's disgusting, seriously.

I agree.

The price of the entertainment on offer from the AWP is gradually becoming more and more distant from the context of the pub it's sited in. It's like trying to sell caviar in a charity shop. Pubs are places where you can have a drink, a rest and while away a few hours at little expense - so what appeal does 50p-a-spin have to the casual punter?!

At present, we all rely on casual play from people less keen, less knowledgeable and generally less interested in 'tactical play' than us to fill these things back up. 50p-a-spin will shrink that group of people further until we only have a select group of people who can afford to play them.

As for gameplay, it's hard to see profiles changing dramatically: we'll probably see the blocks between the higher cash amounts become a bit more apparent than they already are, we'll be talking about top features rolling for £105 rather than £75 - so surely the non-notechanger hoppers will have to hold more than the current £125 float, and I'd also have a bet that a lot more multistake machines will appear so that there is at least a more affordable way of playing. You can't just eliminate a big chunk of your customers by pricing them out.

Also - you can guarantee that 'Safe Cash' has a big future ahead...

Mattb · Post by **Mattb** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:55 pm

More multistakes could be a good idea to get around the problem. I guess we saw the first ramp up to bigger stakes with Reds Mega Spin - certainly only for the hardcore player.

I'm more concerned about casual players being priced out of the game. That would only leave the hardcorep layers lie us lot left, and you can guarantee machines would be dead as a doornaill most of the time.

Matt

Nixxy · Post by **Nixxy** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:01 pm

Hardcore Layers sounds interesting! :P

In practical terms, I can't see myself playing many machines without keying them first.

Dare you knock back a Super Skill Stop at this price?

mr cheese · Post by **mr cheese** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:26 pm

Dont think you will be able to key them nixxy already talk of changing the key holes on cabinets.After all its only really needed when a mc needs a refill .

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:27 pm

I recall the debate about 'giving up' when the stakes were changed to the current level from when they used to be £15. I don't think it had any effect on most players of the 'more than casual' variety. But yes, the casual punter will be dissuaded from playing with beer change etc.

I 'hope' that this is used as a chance to actually introduce some more interesting types of gameplay (a la Reds' Mega Spins). I hope they don't just change the £25 to £35 - this was a major problem with some machines that were updated from £15 to £25. That silly gamble-jump from £10 to £25 was an arse! Still like this on some machines, with no intermediate big prize like £15.

I'm pretty sure the prize structure will definitely have to change. Longer cash trails, bigger stacks etc.

'Generally' look forward to change, if it doesn't change for the better, there's always the emulators!

Mattb · Post by **Mattb** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:35 pm

Matt Vinyl wrote:
I 'hope' that this is used as a chance to actually introduce some more interesting types of gameplay (a la Reds' Mega Spins).

That's the problem though mate. I don't think casual punters like mega spins too much (have to say i'm not a great fan myself, and i've never seen anyone use a mega spin). A stake increase will only further shrink the player pool in my opinion. Less casual punters means less full machines, and less winnings for us.

I won't pass judgement until i see a new one though. They could be brilliant for all i know!

Matt

Nixxy · Post by **Nixxy** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:45 pm

Mattb wrote:That's the problem though mate. I don't think casual punters like mega spins too much (have to say i'm not a great fan myself, and i've never seen anyone use a mega spin). A stake increase will only further shrink the player pool in my opinion. Less casual punters means less full machines, and less winnings for us.

Spot on, that.

The point about Mega Spins etc - imagine you are a casual punter, you get an hour of time to yourself, you aren't familiar with the AWP you've just walked up to - the casual punter does not want to pay money for the reels not to spin. So while it's sometimes handy for us, it's wholly unattractive to the majority.

On a wider issue, creating new ways and facilities for vulnerable people to lose heavily in a short space of time cannot be good in the long term. I'm sure the Daily Mail apparatchiks are rubbing their hands with glee.

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:39 pm

Oh I certainly agree that things like mega spins etc are not 'punter-friendly', just different!

Hopefully any new additions will be appropriately implemented. A possible approach could be to have a lot of more lower wins, like having cherries as 50p etc (I know they are on some machines!) have more boards offered but with lower wins. This'd attract more casual players, but is probably not as good for more seasoned players...

Let's just see the way things turn out! Sure it'll be interesting one way or t'other!