Scarab

In my series on advantage play in slots, our next game is Scarab. The gist of this one is similar to Golden Jungle Grand in that every 10th spin, the player gets a feature spin. In this case, the Scarab is a special symbol. It acts as a blocker by itself. However, any position that gets a scarab will be outlined on the screen in a golden border. On the last spin of a ten-spin cycle, any position that previously in the cycle earned a Scarab, as evidenced by the golden borders, will be wild.

Usually, this game is left in a state right after the feature spin. However, if the game is left already partially into a 10-spin cycle and with enough scarabs accumulated, it will offer a player advantage.

For now, I have the rule screens up in a new page on Scarab. I will add a rules section soon.

The big question for the forum is when should a vulture swoop in? This should obviously be a factor of where in the cycle the game is, how many Scarabs have already been earned, and on which reels.

Thank you, in advance, to the unselfish players trying to help others be better gamblers.

The question for the poll is which statements do you agree with?

Quote: Wizard

In my series on advantage play in slots, our next game is Scarab. The gist of this one is similar to Golden Jungle Grand in that every 10th spin, the player gets a feature spin. In this case, the Scarab is a special symbol. It acts as a blocker by itself. However, any position that gets a scarab will be outlined on the screen in a golden border. On the last spin of a ten-spin cycle, any position that previously in the cycle earned a Scarab, as evidenced by the golden borders, will be wild.

Usually, this game is left in a state right after the feature spin. However, if the game is left already partially into a 10-spin cycle and with enough scarabs accumulated, it will offer a player advantage.

For now, I have the rule screens up in a new page on Scarab. I will add a rules section soon.

The big question for the forum is when should a vulture swoop in? This should obviously be a factor of where in the cycle the game is, how many Scarabs have already been earned, and on which reels.

Thank you, in advance, to the unselfish players trying to help others be better gamblers.

The question for the poll is which statements do you agree with?
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The Scarabs do not act as blockers I believe. The symbol it surrounds counts in the usual manner. It's just a locked symbol for potential future use(the tenth spin).

I also should point out there is an official variant called Scarab Grand (a worse game in my opinion)

There is also what I would call an unofficial variant I see in Racinos.

In the racino variant, the tenth spin, the Scarabs DO NOT REMAIN IN PLACE! What looks like a guarantee of a good tenth spin can turn crappy as the Scarab symbols fly around the screen and rearrange into worse (and yes sometimes better) position.

I suspect this might have to do with the way class 2 machines work versus class 3.

Quote: darkoz

The Scarabs do not act as blockers I believe. The symbol it surrounds counts in the usual manner. It's just a locked symbol for potential future use(the tenth spin).
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I don't see a Scarab in the pay table.



Please explain how it isn't a blocker for the spin in which it's earned.

Scarabs are definitely blockers. Never played the game but seen plenty of videos on YouTube.

Quote: Wizard

Quote: darkoz

The Scarabs do not act as blockers I believe. The symbol it surrounds counts in the usual manner. It's just a locked symbol for potential future use(the tenth spin).
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I don't see a Scarab in the pay table.



Please explain how it isn't a blocker for the spin in which it's earned.
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I stand corrected. It is a blocker.

It's just my mindset. I play this often and never was upset when a "win" gets blocked by a Scarab so I didn't think of it as such. I always was thinking of the overall profit in a ten game cycle using the Scarabs.

To me a true blocker is you have three scarabs locked, first column, third and fourth in a line and on the tenth spin down comes the free games symbol in the second column and blocks your whole profit.

But yes, I see what you mean. It is a blocker.

I have made a lot of additions to my page on Scarab, including the rules and preliminary advice.

To save you the click, here is my advice on when to vulture:

• After game 1 — Two wilds in first three reels.
• After game 2 — Three wilds in first three reels.
• After game 3 or more — Four wilds in first three reels.

I am very open to all comments on the strategy.

Quote: Wizard

I have made a lot of additions to my page on Scarab, including the rules and preliminary advice.

To save you the click, here is my advice on when to vulture:

• After game 1 — Two wilds in first three reels.
• After game 2 — Three wilds in first three reels.
• After game 3 or more — Four wilds in first three reels.

I am very open to all comments on the strategy.
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I think the strategy I observe from vultures is to look for spins in the cycle. If they observe a game with few Scarabs but in say the fourth spin, they vulture.

The idea is they are reaping the tenth spin at a 40% discount (if left after fourth spin) etc.

They hope Scarabs will fly down late stage spins.

While your strategy makes sense logically, it's not practical because as soon as most player's see two scarabs in the first reel on just the first spin, they get excited about the rest of the cycle and push on.

But the average player that hasn't had much luck and sees a fourth spin with no Scarabs in good position will be more prone to abandoning the cycle.

After game three, four wilds in the first three columns you can absolutely forget finding that real world. What Player would abandon that?

The ten spin cycle is short enough that even a complete newbie will get it quickly. Too quick to hope for stupid abandonment.

Thank you, darkoz, for your comments.

It got me to thinking. The strategy I posted was that of a non-member who I trust to be a good machine player.

However, I have been playing around with a very simplified form of this game for hours to see the effect of guaranteed wilds and the place in the cycle.

What I find very surprising is the place in a cycle doesn't make much difference. Consider playing spin 8 in a cycle, with two bordered positions in the first three reels as well as one each in reels 4 and 5. That is enough to be positive EV. You might think that is way under expectations for that late in the cycle, and you would be right. However, you need to suffer only two crap spins to get the feature spin.

To be specific, in that situation, let's say every spin get 30% from the bonus. Let's say the two crap spins return 25% each from line pays. I show the feature spin, assuming average additional Scarabs, is worth 1.73 units.

So, the overall return of that state is 0.3 + (2*0.25 + 1.73)/3 = 104.3%.

What do you think of this strategy --

• Spins 1 to 4 in cycle — Play with at least two positions in first three reels.
• Spins 5 to 10 in cycle — Play with at least three positions in first four reels AND at least two of them are in first three reels.

Comments?

Quote: Wizard

Thank you, darkoz, for your comments.

It got me to thinking. The strategy I posted was that of a non-member who I trust to be a good machine player.

However, I have been playing around with a very simplified form of this game for hours to see the effect of guaranteed wilds and the place in the cycle.

What I find very surprising is the place in a cycle doesn't make much difference. Consider playing spin 8 in a cycle, with two bordered positions in the first three reels as well as one each in reels 4 and 5. That is enough to be positive EV. You might think that is way under expectations for that late in the cycle, and you would be right. However, you need to suffer only two crap spins to get the feature spin.

To be specific, in that situation, let's say every spin get 30% from the bonus. Let's say the two crap spins return 25% each from line pays. I show the feature spin, assuming average additional Scarabs, is worth 1.73 units.

So, the overall return of that state is 0.3 + (2*0.25 + 1.73)/3 = 104.3%.

What do you think of this strategy --

• Spins 1 to 4 in cycle — Play with at least two positions in first three reels.
• Spins 5 to 10 in cycle — Play with at least three positions in first four reels AND at least two of them are in first three reels.

Comments?
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cycle 1-4:
i skip if only 2 wilds in first 3 columns and those wilds dont connect to make a 3 of a kind.

ie: wild in row 2 col 1, and row 4 col 2
or wild in row 2 col1 and row3 col1

Quote: 100xOdds

i skip if only 2 wilds in first 3 columns and those wilds dont connect to make a 3 of a kind.

ie: wild in row 2 col 1, and row 4 col 2
or wild in row 2 col1 and row3 col1
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A non-forum member also made this point. However, there are 75 paylines to the game. I haven't looked at their shapes, but you would think that 75/16 = 4.69 on average would go through any two positions on the reels.

This is what the rest of her body looks like (Scarab Grand). :o

Render unto Caesar indeed. JK

boobies

Pic without her headdress.
Also, blue eyes instead of green.

Any difference in the machines EV wise?

Another version is one of my favorite, Moon Spirit.