Penny arcade on TV

[brigham]

Bingley, near Bradford.
It inspired the decor of my own little (private) attempt.
Some great machines, but it does lack a Little Stockbroker or two!

[moonriver]

Bingley, near Bradford.
It inspired the decor of my own little (private) attempt.
Some great machines, but it does lack a Little Stockbroker or two!

Haha, won't be using a Little Stockbroker as they get complaints for the reel not spinning properly, and then once you've persuaded them it's meant to be like that, the MOST complaints follow for it not having paid out. By the time they've gone to complain and returned, someone else has run off with their win!

[arrgee]

The public is so conditioned to losing on cranes

You are so right moonriver, we have just returned from taking the grandchildren on holiday and they wanted to play the cranes but I (successfully) persuaded them not to and to prove the point we watched to see how the machines performed - awful! not one punter walked away with a prize (we must have seen dozens of attempts) and when the crane successfully grabbed an item the forks were so weak that it slipped out before the item reached the win chute, the disappointment on the faces of the children playing was so palpable, a number of parents commented, 'its a con' or 'its fixed'.
Are these forks adjustable to give such a weak grab?

[badpenny]

There is an electronic unit inside that only allows the solenoid that provides the grip to activate now and again.

[dickywink]

Yep ... dis ... a ... pointing .... no fun

Remember taking my Kids to Blackpool and they wanted toy from a crane £10 later ... no toy and crying kids

Saw this recently on YT .... shows how bad these things are and sorry but i had to turn the volume down to watch



all the best .... Dicky

[moonriver]

There is an electronic unit inside that only allows the solenoid that provides the grip to activate now and again.

Yes, modern cranes are % controlled. If you look closely at the top of the grab there is a star shaped cam that turns determining the grip (or not). Manufacturers used to have the crane processors programmed to allow the claws to grab initially and then 'accidentally' drop the prize before game completion, but the Gambling Commission stepped in and outlawed this, resulting in the rather pathetic no grip claws effect (unless on a predetermined win). The outlet on the crane has optic sensors that count prizes out so it can track % payout.
Amusement venues that cater for tourists are usually the least likely to have higher % payouts.

*Notice on the previous video of the crane picking up and then deliberately dropping the prize. Seems like the unauthorised programmes are back! Not a particularly high priority for the beleaguered GC.
The cheese shaped weight to release the monkey pivots on different activated electromagnets as it slowly moves forward, which hold it from falling before it is required to do so and yet allow it to move slightly. Again it's % controlled.