Danger Arena
There was an installation in the Trop where reps were taking feedback on the game, and I saw an install in wild Wild West too.
I am an avid video game player (thus the username), and overall I was not impressed.
The first issue for me is that there is absolutely no depth or creativity to the game. You are placed in a blocky arena-type maze where you need to shoot robots that are chasing you. You are paid based on the number of robots you shoot, with payouts starting at a minimum of 6 robots killed. That's it. The AI for the robots lacks originality as well. They pretty much follow you in a straight path, and end up piling up behind you. It's very easy to catch on to this, you simply run around for an it collecting robot followers, and then turn around and shoot them down. A certain number of these robots are invincible and can't be killed, which is where the luck portion of the game comes in, according to the rep I talked to.
The lack of originality and depth is not my biggest issue with the game though. I can't stand playing this game for more than a few minutes because the controller is AWFUL. It plays like a cheap $8 aftermarket Xbox controller. Very awkward, terrible feedback and feathering on the controls, and so uncomfortable my hands had enough a few minutes in.
Overall, I'd like to see more casino games like this gain popularity, but Danger Arena is not it. I'm really disappointed this is the best video game type machine that the industry came up with.
I walked away with $25 for finding a "power up" as well as a free tshirt, but the money and swag didn't sway my disappointment.
Quote: FleaStiffYou got 25 dollars and tee shirt. What else matters?
I wanted to like it.
Quote: BozNot sure how much longer Caesars will waste the space on them in AC. They are always empty even in the Wild Wild West casino, which is filled at night with their target market.
I saw em at Harrah's too.
And your right. I'm 1000% their target market as well. 25 year old male, avid video gamer and gambler. I really can't believe this thing got past all the people who had to make decisions to get them on the floor, it feels so unfinished.
First, I read all the instructions to make sure I knew what each control did. Then, when I started the game, the game insisted on reviewing and testing each control. Had I known that would happen, I wouldn't have bothered to read the instructions. I only played 1 game, but afterwards I wondered if it reviews / tests the controls for every game. If so, that can be a major turn off to playing the game.
I found it difficult to aim or move with any accuracy. I agree with GameFreak that it was rather uninspired and left me wishing for something else. I only blasted two robots. Since I would have needed to blast six to win any money, I felt I'd be spending a lot of money trying to learn to control and play, so I declined to play again.
It left me recalling all the quarters I pumped into arcade games during my misspent youth. Even if I didn't know what I was doing, those games usually lasted well over 45 seconds.
While I understand the rush to get these newly approved machines on the game floor, I wonder if the casinos acted too fast. I mean, it would appear that this is going to be a failure. When new/better games come out, how eager will the casinos be to get them, and how eager will the players be to try them out?
Bottom line: It gets a big thumbs down from me.
Its mind boggling to me because I have seen some really interesting skill games at G2E, and I didn't even go last year, I can only imagine they got much better. So why are they putting in this garbage? Was this just one of the first games fully apoved or something? Is there some kind of manufacturing politics going on. Bribes and pay offs?
How hard is it to take a current popular Video game tweak it and and turn it into a gambling machine?
Is this just one bad example or something?
It's a shame Ahigh got mixed up with the wrong company.
Quote: gamerfreak
I'm 1000% their target market as well. 25 year old male, avid video gamer and gambler. I really can't believe this thing got past all the people who had to make decisions to get them on the floor, it feels so unfinished.
So all who have seen these new games agree they suck. Since you're the target market, in the interest of market research I ask the following:
1) what is your game(s) of preference when gambling and why?
2) what is your favorite video/skill game and why?
Quote: DJTeddyBearIt left me recalling all the quarters I pumped into arcade games during my misspent youth. Even if I didn't know what I was doing, those games usually lasted well over 45 seconds.
That sounds like a big stumbling block. Skill-based gamers expect a reasonable amount of playing time per coin-drop but casino revenues are dependent on keeping things moving at a fast pace.
Quote:While I understand the rush to get these newly approved machines on the game floor, I wonder if the casinos acted too fast. I mean, it would appear that this is going to be a failure. When new/better games come out, how eager will the casinos be to get them, and how eager will the players be to try them out?
I think they are clueless as to what will work and are therefore throwing everything they can think of at the wall to see what sticks.
Quote: AxelWolfWhat company makes this?(too lazy to look)
Its mind boggling to me because I have seen some really interesting skill games at G2E, and I didn't even go last year, I can only imagine they got much better. So why are they putting in this garbage? Was this just one of the first games fully apoved or something? Is there some kind of manufacturing politics going on. Bribes and pay offs?
How hard is it to take a current popular Video game tweak it and and turn it into a gambling machine?
Is this just one bad example or something?
It's a shame Ahigh got mixed up with the wrong company.
GameCo http://gameco.com/
Quote: TumblingBonesSo all who have seen these new games agree they suck. Since you're the target market, in the interest of market research I ask the following:
1) what is your game(s) of preference when gambling and why?
2) what is your favorite video/skill game and why?
1. I like the huge, themed, multimedia rich slot machines the most, loud noises, great feature modes, speakers/subs in the seat. Why? Because I am gambling for entertainment, not to make money. And these games are entertaining to me. Game of Thrones is my favorite right now.
In terms of table games I like Craps and 3CP. Craps due to the energy around the players/dealers, and 3CP due to the simplicity.
2. My favorite skill based video game, as in non-gambling? Right now I am having quite a lot of fun with overwatch https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/ . I've logged a couple hundred hours in just a few months.
Quote: TumblingBones1) what is your game(s) of preference when gambling and why?
2) what is your favorite video/skill game and why?
1- Poker because of the skill required. Craps because of it's complexity and excitement.
2- In general, games that are rather simple to learn although may take forever to master. My current favorite iPhone game apps are: DoodleJump, Radical and Bejeweled. I never got into CandyCrush.
Perhaps a skill-based game involving team play could be developed?
Instead of the house banking the game, have each team put up a certain amount, and the house takes a rake?
Basically a tournament.Quote: MrVI'm not a gamer, but I understand that team play, via the 'net, has been popular for awhile now.
Perhaps a skill-based game involving team play could be developed?
Instead of the house banking the game, have each team put up a certain amount, and the house takes a rake?
One of the reasons certain games become popular is because they are fun. That game doesn't look to fun.
It doesn't cost much to buy the game and get good at it. You get to play it all day for free.
Once people get good they are willing to compete.
How many people are going to want to keep shoving money into a game trying to learn how to get good at it?
The average person may not understand they have a minimum pay back requirement, how much is luck VS skill etc. If the average person walks up to a skill game saying to themselves, "I have never played this before therfore I will probably suck at it and lose all my money the first try." Not many people will accept that challenge.
Angry birds might be fun and addictive to people because it's basically free to pratice and play. They get you hooked. Will people want to gamble on some new game they don't know how to play yet?
There's that shooter game where there's a red and blue gun.
There's some crazy taxi game.
Pinball.
Pacman.
The game where you're a dude at the bottom of the screen and you shoot lasers at the stuff flying around the top of the screen and they fire lasers at you...you hit one, it dies...a laser hits you, you die. (Space Junkie is what it was called when I played it online when I was just a young whippersnapper.)
For XBOX/PS4 take any sport-type game (NFL Blitz, Madden, them basketball/golf/etc. games). You get to play for 2 minutes (or 5 or whatever), and you get pay-back based on how many points you beat the other team by. Play smash brothers (is that what it's called?) against a computer. Or hook up a Wii type controller and play anything from golf to bowling to whatever the hell else there is on Wii.
They could probably even make an MMORPG game (ie: World of Warcraft) where you make your own character and go do quests and other stuff like that. Then after playing for a while you can save your character. Perhaps it gives you a code to write down that you have to enter next time....or it saves the character to your players card....or it prints out a ticket (with a barcode) that you insert next time to load your character. What better game can a casino have than one that people will become addicted to? They wanna play -- they gotta pay!
Quote: AxelWolfIts mind boggling because I have seen some really interesting skill games at G2E
So why are they putting in this garbage?
Is there some kind of manufacturing politics going on. Bribes and pay offs?
How hard is it to take a current popular Video game tweak it
and and turn it into a gambling machine?
Is this just one bad example or something?
No, there are other examples: parking, drink tickets, resort fees, etc.... the people making the decisions are not gamblers. The people posting negative comments on this thread were available for consultation, but no one wanted to listen to their customers, they chose to listen to consultants and MBAs and salesmen.
The machine I played at Harrah's was 50¢ per credit, up to 10 credits per game. There was no advantage to playing max credits.Quote: onenickelmiracleHow much do these games cost to play?
Quote: FleaStiffNo, there are other examples: parking, drink tickets, resort fees, etc.... the people making the decisions are not gamblers. The people posting negative comments on this thread were available for consultation, but no one wanted to listen to their customers, they chose to listen to consultants and MBAs and salesmen.
And we had a member who was President of a Skill based gaming company and he wouldn't listen to advice given here either. I wonder how that turned out?
I get your point, but he had about as much power over the direction of that company as you or I did, and there's more money in your checking account than was in their R&D budget. A resource-starved tech company is doomed to fail even if its executives have a good vision and the ability to execute on it, but especially if they don't.Quote: BozAnd we had a member who was President of a Skill based gaming company and he wouldn't listen to advice given here either. I wonder how that turned out?
This will be a very interesting year for skill-based wagering games. I guarantee it.
Quote: gamerfreak
... You are placed in a blocky arena-type maze where you need to shoot robots that are chasing you. You are paid based on the number of robots you shoot, with payouts starting at a minimum of 6 robots killed. That's it. The AI for the robots lacks originality as well. They pretty much follow you in a straight path, and end up piling up behind you. It's very easy to catch on to this, you simply run around for an it collecting robot followers, and then turn around and shoot them down. A certain number of these robots are invincible and can't be killed, which is where the luck portion of the game comes in, according to the rep I talked to...
This sure sounds like "Robotron 2084" which had two joysticks, one to move, and one to fire in 8 directions. One time, I played that game for 7 hours on one quarter. I'd love to see it again in a skill based platform.
Quote: RSWhy not take just about any typical arcade game or XBOX/PS4 game and turn it into a gambling machine?
There's that shooter game where there's a red and blue gun.
There's some crazy taxi game.
Pinball.
Pacman.
The game where you're a dude at the bottom of the screen and you shoot lasers at the stuff flying around the top of the screen and they fire lasers at you...you hit one, it dies...a laser hits you, you die. (Space Junkie is what it was called when I played it online when I was just a young whippersnapper.)
For XBOX/PS4 take any sport-type game (NFL Blitz, Madden, them basketball/golf/etc. games). You get to play for 2 minutes (or 5 or whatever), and you get pay-back based on how many points you beat the other team by. Play smash brothers (is that what it's called?) against a computer. Or hook up a Wii type controller and play anything from golf to bowling to whatever the hell else there is on Wii.
They could probably even make an MMORPG game (ie: World of Warcraft) where you make your own character and go do quests and other stuff like that. Then after playing for a while you can save your character. Perhaps it gives you a code to write down that you have to enter next time....or it saves the character to your players card....or it prints out a ticket (with a barcode) that you insert next time to load your character. What better game can a casino have than one that people will become addicted to? They wanna play -- they gotta pay!
In the UK they lot of "skill based" pay of games. But they are rigged to hit shout term pay out goals.
They had games like Silent Scope Fortune Hunter and others. They are rigged and cheat you like the stacker, keymaster and other games.
Quote: FleaStiffNo, there are other examples: parking, drink tickets, resort fees, etc.... the people making the decisions are not gamblers. The people posting negative comments on this thread were available for consultation, but no one wanted to listen to their customers, they chose to listen to consultants and MBAs and salesmen.
BUT......ma paper
It's in a WALNUT FRAME with MUSEUM GLASS
Quote: gamerfreakBUT......ma paper ..... It's in a WALNUT FRAME with MUSEUM GLASS
Benny Binion picked up the peanut shells and put carpets down instead.
Benny Binion served free drinks, stiff ones.
Benny Binion increased the slot machines when his customers brought bimbos who didn't shoot craps or play blackjack.
Benny Binion didn't have a diploma and he didn't need to hire those who did.
He hired known dice cheaters and paid them to watch the games.
He hired known card sharps and paid them to watch thg games.
He never hired an MBA in his life.
The whole town had to follow his examples.
Quote: FleaStiffBenny Binion picked up the peanut shells and put carpets down instead.
Benny Binion served free drinks, stiff ones.
Benny Binion increased the slot machines when his customers brought bimbos who didn't shoot craps or play blackjack.
Benny Binion didn't have a diploma and he didn't need to hire those who did.
He hired known dice cheaters and paid them to watch the games.
He hired known card sharps and paid them to watch thg games.
He never hired an MBA in his life.
The whole town had to follow his examples.
Nothing beats common sense.
My sister has a pHD and oh my god is she dumb. Some people are just really great at tests.
Holy crap! 7 hrs on one quarter? I don't think I could ever get past like 3 levels of Robotron. Now Galaga was a game I could play for an hour on one quarter.Quote: AyecarumbaThis sure sounds like "Robotron 2084" which had two joysticks, one to move, and one to fire in 8 directions. One time, I played that game for 7 hours on one quarter. I'd love to see it again in a skill based platform.
I must not be in the casinos'/manufacturers' target demo for skill-based games, or else they would have Galaga, Pac-Man, Tetris, etc. games on the floor.
I did play Robotron at the Pinball HOF the last time I was in Vegas, just to remind myself how pathetic at it I am!
Quote: JoemanHoly crap! 7 hrs on one quarter? I don't think I could ever get past like 3 levels of Robotron. Now Galaga was a game I could play for an hour on one quarter.
I must not be in the casinos'/manufacturers' target demo for skill-based games, or else they would have Galaga, Pac-Man, Tetris, etc. games on the floor.
I did play Robotron at the Pinball HOF the last time I was in Vegas, just to remind myself how pathetic at it I am!
This game is definitely not like robotron. Its a first person shooter. I was terrible at robotron and defender as well. Kept shooting all the hostages in defender lol
That would have been a fun alternate mode.Quote: darkozThis game is definitely not like robotron. Its a first person shooter. I was terrible at robotron and defender as well. Kept shooting all the hostages in defender lol
Offender: Kill The Humans
And if you got strong enough, you'd develop the ability to wiggle back and forth like the super aliens. Didn't Ahigh work with the guys who made that game?
mostly empty during the week night when the room was full of 20 somethings.
a few people would try it but left after a couple of games.
I watched.
man, there are ALOT of invincible bots.
and you cant tell the difference between them and regular ones.
and Harrahs had three of these machines!
always empty.
edit:
is reviewing and testing of the controller mandatory every time you sat down to play?
there's no option to skip it?
if so, I imagine going thru this every time is a pain and would turn off ALOT of repeat customers.
Actually, the 'machine' is a round tower with consoles on 3 sides. At least the one at Harrah's is like that, and they had 3 of those - nine play positions - and all were usually empty when I was there for Xmas.Quote: 100xOdds... Harrahs had three of these machines!
I had the same thought. I only played once, so I can't answer that.Quote: 100xOdds... reviewing and testing of the controller mandatory every time you sat down to play? there's no option to skip it?
if so, I imagine going thru this every time is a pain and would turn off ALOT of repeat customers.
Quote: 100xOddsedit:
is reviewing and testing of the controller mandatory every time you sat down to play?
there's no option to skip it?
if so, I imagine going thru this every time is a pain and would turn off ALOT of repeat customers.
It only does it the first time every session. So you don't go through the tutorial each replay.
Quote: 100xOddsman, there are ALOT of invincible bots.
and you cant tell the difference between them and regular ones.
I believe it's a random amount each game, which is where the luck factor comes in.
You can tell they are invincible because they have a lightning effect when you shoot them.
They also slow your movement speed down, but shooting them prevents this.
yup thats what i mean.Quote: gamerfreakIt only does it the first time every session. So you don't go through the tutorial each replay.
If i come back tomorrow i gotta go thru the same tutorial. Ugg.
That would turn me off from being a repeat customer.
The game designer should be shot for not including an option to skip
what i mean is that you can't keep track of them. So you waste time shooting them againQuote: gamerfreakI believe it's a random amount each game, which is where the luck factor comes in.
You can tell they are invincible because they have a lightning effect when you shoot them.
They also slow your movement speed down, but shooting them prevents this.
Quote: 100xOddsyup thats what i mean.
If i come back tomorrow i gotta go thru the same tutorial. Ugg.
That would turn me off from being a repeat customer.
The game designer should be shot for not including an option to skip
Maybe it is an attempt to cut down on "Hardware Malfunction" refund claims.
Quote: 100xOddsyup thats what i mean.
If i come back tomorrow i gotta go thru the same tutorial. Ugg.
That would turn me off from being a repeat customer.
The game designer should be shot for not including an option to skip
IMO this is the least of the issue with this game. The tutorial takes like 15 seconds. It takes much longer to wait for a come-out roll.
Yup. That's what the instructions said. The tutorial is also a controller test. If it fails, the game won't run.Quote: AyecarumbaMaybe it is an attempt to cut down on "Hardware Malfunction" refund claims.
Quote: 100xOddsyup thats what i mean.
If i come back tomorrow i gotta go thru the same tutorial. Ugg.
That would turn me off from being a repeat customer.
Seems to me a basic requirement for any skill-based game is "meta-game persistence" which is geek-speak for the game being able to know who you are and then remember your past playing history, skill level, and accomplishments.
Quote: DJTeddyBearYup. That's what the instructions said. The tutorial is also a controller test. If it fails, the game won't run.
Sounds like a bad solution to a fundamental design decision. The UI should be intrinsically robust and reliable. If joy sticks cant hold up to the demands of a casino environment than either more reliable (and probably more expensive) joy sticks should be used or the game needs to be re-designed to use a more robust control mechanism (e.g. buttons). Imagine if every time a player sat down at a slot they had to wait 15 seconds for a diagnostic sequence to run. Aside from the grumpy player you get a significant hit to casino revenue due to loss of playing time.
Here is a review of the game that still sits empty every time I visit AC. I can't see them lasting much longer unless someone at CZR is stubborn as they cannot be making money.
Quote: Bozhttp://skillbasedslots.org/2017/01/danger-arena-review/
Here is a review of the game that still sits empty every time I visit AC. I can't see them lasting much longer unless someone at CZR is stubborn as they cannot be making money.
I read on another forum they were on their way out earlier this month.
Quote: tringlomaneI read on another forum they were on their way out earlier this month.
yup, a new skill based game has replaced all of them in AC:
Pharaoh’s Secret Temple
