Those Coin Operated Cranes

[The Interpreter]

Ever wonder if those things are fair? If they make much money? Have other questions?

A very interesting article:

http://www.vendingtimes.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=EB79A487112B48A296B38C81345C8C7F&nm=Vending+Features&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=0FE8DA0939754699B3C036E425C38A20

[Fear the Four]

I won a pack of Silly Bandz playing that game!

[DaveStroem]

We saw a ton of crane games on our recent trip and none of them were coin operated. They all took dollars. They had prizes such as Iphones and Ipads. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out if they are putting in high $$$ prizes that the chances of getting one is slim to none.

[The Interpreter]

The laws and regulations on these type devices are very, very different in Canada. I always find it amusing that most forms of gambling are legal in Canada, yet if you win a sweepstakes, you must answer a "skill" question similar to one of these to get the winnings: "What color is the sky?" "What is 2 + 3?" "Name a car company named for a US president." "Is Snoopy a dog or is Snoopy a cat?"

[coaster_junky]

"Name a car company named for a US president."

is this one supposed to be a trick question?

[The Interpreter]

Nope. Any correct answer would be accepted. A random drawing is not allowed without a skill question. That's the point.

(There's Ford, and no, not Obama Motors...)

(And no, Henry Ford wasn't president, but that was an actual question for a contest I saw recently that included Canada...)

(Perhaps they were looking for Lincoln?)

[coaster_junky]

i forgot all about lincoln, and that's pretty sad since that's my mom's favorite car brand.

i guess i was thinking of the motor company names, i.e. gmc, toyota, ford, chrysler.

[The Interpreter]

Well, Gerald R. Ford was president, but Ford Motor Company certainly wasn't named for him!

[KI FANATIC 37]

I rarely ever play those but when I do, I absolutely stink. Never win everything....

[Adventure Express]

I rarely partake in these money grabbing machines, but when I do, I always do quite well.

[SOB_TOM]

In other instances, operators have demanded - and compliant manufacturers have provided - cranes equipped with "auto-percentaging" controls and claws with variable strength, regulated by either software or the old potentiometer. Such cranes track how many prizes have been won. If lots of prizes have been vended during a specified period, the machine will provide less electrical power to the claw mechanism. In fact, the claw becomes so weak that it can't hold onto a prize.

This is actually similar to something they do with the squirt games at certain amusement parks. If a certain amount of 'wins' is attributed to a certain squirt gun (normally around 3 in a row,) the piece that runs up and down to symbolize where you stand throughout the game (called the 'carriage' or 'car,') will run slower than the other 'cars' for a certain amount of time. The parks and maintenance personnel do this to keep the playing field fair, but a lot of times, it is not perceived that way.

[The Interpreter]

And it isn't. If the ace player just left, and I, for instance, unwittingly get her gun, my chances of winning, regardless of my skill, are substantially reduced under that scenario. Of course, these days, with the prizes usually worth less than the cost to play, I find it hard to care.

[BavarianBeatle]

And it isn't. If the ace player just left, and I, for instance, unwittingly get her gun, my chances of winning, regardless of my skill, are substantially reduced under that scenario. Of course, these days, with the prizes usually worth less than the cost to play, I find it hard to care.

Agreed. I always say, if the prize was something I needed, I would already have one.

--Beatle, who stopped playing with stuffed animals before KI ever existed.

[Coney Islander]

Its generally a lose- lose situation. Either the prize is pretty much worthless, or the game is rigged. Oftentimes both.

Anyone see that game, 'Super Stacker?' Many people fork over hundreds of dollars on that game, insisting that they've won once and will be able to win again. The game is rigged.

I've never played before, but from countless 'watches', I know. Oftentimes, the game skips, on the top level.