Worthless scarab
So it's a mix of Scarab and lock it link.
Ten spin cycle with latent Scarabs landing.
Tenth spin the Scarabs at random switch to EITHER a $ amount(including mini, minor, major etc) with a blue background OR wild.
If six of these latent scarabs turn into blue background $ then the tenth spin enters lock it link mode and you play until three losing spins (no symbols land) You then win the lock it link final amount plus any money from the wild symbols in winning positions.
However the blue background lock it link symbols are blockers and don't pay unless they add up to six positions.
So let's say left to right is Wild, $, Wild, that equals a zero win because the wild symbols are separated by the lock it link.
The end result is every tenth spin you win back practically nothing unless you get the lock it link activated which playing for about twenty minutes happened once for me.
In addition on one spin I had about 8 or 9 Scarabs literally all lined up at the left and got zero as just enough turned into lock it links to block any win from the wilds but only 5 turned lock it link to avoid the lock it link bonus
What a great way to make a fun game a piece of garbage.
Yeah, that game sucks.Quote: darkozI ran across a new variant of Scarab. Unvulturable in my opinion.
So it's a mix of Scarab and lock it link.
Ten spin cycle with latent Scarabs landing.
Tenth spin the Scarabs at random switch to EITHER a $ amount(including mini, minor, major etc) with a blue background OR wild.
If six of these latent scarabs turn into blue background $ then the tenth spin enters lock it link mode and you play until three losing spins (no symbols land) You then win the lock it link final amount plus any money from the wild symbols in winning positions.
However the blue background lock it link symbols are blockers and don't pay unless they add up to six positions.
So let's say left to right is Wild, $, Wild, that equals a zero win because the wild symbols are separated by the lock it link.
The end result is every tenth spin you win back practically nothing unless you get the lock it link activated which playing for about twenty minutes happened once for me.
In addition on one spin I had about 8 or 9 Scarabs literally all lined up at the left and got zero as just enough turned into lock it links to block any win from the wilds but only 5 turned lock it link to avoid the lock it link bonus
What a great way to make a fun game a piece of garbage.
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There's also a Scarab version of something like this. You MUST play all 4 so might not be +EV just to go after 1.
The above pic might not be that game???
The one I'm thinking of the machine can be set to a variety of games but only presents you a choice of 4 (Scarab, GE, OM, etc), selected by the casino
Quote: darkozI ran across a new variant of Scarab. Unvulturable in my opinion.
So it's a mix of Scarab and lock it link.
Ten spin cycle with latent Scarabs landing.
Tenth spin the Scarabs at random switch to EITHER a $ amount(including mini, minor, major etc) with a blue background OR wild.
If six of these latent scarabs turn into blue background $ then the tenth spin enters lock it link mode and you play until three losing spins (no symbols land) You then win the lock it link final amount plus any money from the wild symbols in winning positions.
However the blue background lock it link symbols are blockers and don't pay unless they add up to six positions.
So let's say left to right is Wild, $, Wild, that equals a zero win because the wild symbols are separated by the lock it link.
The end result is every tenth spin you win back practically nothing unless you get the lock it link activated which playing for about twenty minutes happened once for me.
In addition on one spin I had about 8 or 9 Scarabs literally all lined up at the left and got zero as just enough turned into lock it links to block any win from the wilds but only 5 turned lock it link to avoid the lock it link bonus
What a great way to make a fun game a piece of garbage.
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I wouldn't be so quick to declare a game, "Unvulturable."
The first reason is that you have to look at the most extreme possible case, right? With Scarab, the most extreme case is that you're going to have a full screen of symbols and the next spin is the tenth...you obviously take that.
As with normal Scarab, I would assume that the RTP is heavily centralized on both tenth spins and Free Games. No matter how you slice it, the game gets itself to 80%+ (most jurisdictions require this) somehow, and if a variable state is how it does it, then that can be good for vultures.
I haven't seen one of these yet, but if I did, I'd also be inclined to look at the rules screen and see if the would-be, 'Wild' spots can even become money symbols with five, or fewer, to-be 'Wild,' spots on the board. I could also watch Youtube videos to maybe determine that or see if any of the Youtubers take the time to show each screen of the rules.
So, I don't think this game is going to have the same number of, 'Home runs,' that are absolute locks like original Scarab does...but if you can figure out when you should play it and others are inclined to ignore it completely, then that might pay off for you.
It sort of reminds me of attitudes towards another game, though this game had MORTAL LOCKS like the original Scarab can sometimes be. I forget the name of this game, but it resembled a mechanical slot (in terms of how the cabinet looked) and every time you would hit a wild symbol, you'd get wilds there on the next spin, unless the wild symbol hit only on the bottom.
The way the machine worked, the reels were such that WILD appeared in stacks of three and NEVER anything except stacks of three. If you hit a WILD on top only on a particular reel, then that reel would have Wilds for the next spins as follows:
1. Top/Middle
2. Top/Mid/Bottom
3. M/B
4. B
Because the three wild stack just slid one down every spin.
Anyway, I think that might have been the first machine I've ever seen that required you to have money in to look at different game states. Between that and the game being considered a low-value play, virtually everyone ignored it. I suppose they also didn't want to take the time to insert a ticket and cash it out every check with...I remember there being four..such machines to check at that location.
Hey, it can be as low value as it wants to be. If nobody else wants four spins with wilds on reel 2, then I'm more than happy to take them. You honestly almost never finished down money on many plays, but where you'd really make bank is if the Wild Stacks would appear on other reels as you were playing off a wild stack that you found.
My usual rule of thumb for the game was taking any next spin WILD on the first three reels, ignoring Reels 4 & 5 completely. Maybe 4 + 5 would have been good, but I don't know, because I never took those without there being at least one in the first three.
Quote: Mission146Quote: darkozI ran across a new variant of Scarab. Unvulturable in my opinion.
So it's a mix of Scarab and lock it link.
Ten spin cycle with latent Scarabs landing.
Tenth spin the Scarabs at random switch to EITHER a $ amount(including mini, minor, major etc) with a blue background OR wild.
If six of these latent scarabs turn into blue background $ then the tenth spin enters lock it link mode and you play until three losing spins (no symbols land) You then win the lock it link final amount plus any money from the wild symbols in winning positions.
However the blue background lock it link symbols are blockers and don't pay unless they add up to six positions.
So let's say left to right is Wild, $, Wild, that equals a zero win because the wild symbols are separated by the lock it link.
The end result is every tenth spin you win back practically nothing unless you get the lock it link activated which playing for about twenty minutes happened once for me.
In addition on one spin I had about 8 or 9 Scarabs literally all lined up at the left and got zero as just enough turned into lock it links to block any win from the wilds but only 5 turned lock it link to avoid the lock it link bonus
What a great way to make a fun game a piece of garbage.
link to original post
I wouldn't be so quick to declare a game, "Unvulturable."
The first reason is that you have to look at the most extreme possible case, right? With Scarab, the most extreme case is that you're going to have a full screen of symbols and the next spin is the tenth...you obviously take that.
As with normal Scarab, I would assume that the RTP is heavily centralized on both tenth spins and Free Games. No matter how you slice it, the game gets itself to 80%+ (most jurisdictions require this) somehow, and if a variable state is how it does it, then that can be good for vultures.
I haven't seen one of these yet, but if I did, I'd also be inclined to look at the rules screen and see if the would-be, 'Wild' spots can even become money symbols with five, or fewer, to-be 'Wild,' spots on the board. I could also watch Youtube videos to maybe determine that or see if any of the Youtubers take the time to show each screen of the rules.
So, I don't think this game is going to have the same number of, 'Home runs,' that are absolute locks like original Scarab does...but if you can figure out when you should play it and others are inclined to ignore it completely, then that might pay off for you.
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Correct but I don't see any ploppies leaving behind 9th spin full latent wilds.
If that was how vultures worked they would never play. It would be like finding a MH for $10,000 at $9,999. Beautiful in theory, worthless in practice.
Observing the way vultures work at Scarab they take it even if there aren't a lot of latent scarabs if the spin cycle is left on the 4th or 5th spin. The idea being the savings in those extra spins will make the gamble worth it.
For this new variant the tenth spin often returned less than the final spin. It was often On the tenth spin $5 wager returned $3.25. Only when the lock it link occurred did it pay and that was still paltry. $87 off $5.
Is it vulturable? With no guarantee that anything will be won tenth spin due to getting just enough lock it links to block payout but not trigger, I say it's not IMO.
Quote: darkoz
Correct but I don't see any ploppies leaving behind 9th spin full latent wilds.
If that was how vultures worked they would never play. It would be like finding a MH for $10,000 at $9,999. Beautiful in theory, worthless in practice.
Observing the way vultures work at Scarab they take it even if there aren't a lot of latent scarabs if the spin cycle is left on the 4th or 5th spin. The idea being the savings in those extra spins will make the gamble worth it.
For this new variant the tenth spin often returned less than the final spin. It was often On the tenth spin $5 wager returned $3.25. Only when the lock it link occurred did it pay and that was still paltry. $87 off $5.
Is it vulturable? With no guarantee that anything will be won tenth spin due to getting just enough lock it links to block payout but not trigger, I say it's not IMO.
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It seems that you didn't mean, 'Unvulterable,' literally, so perhaps the problem was in my interpretation. It seems like what you meant is just that you don't think it's worth checking because opportunities will be that scarce. If that's what you meant, then I'd say you could almost make the same argument for regular Scarab, at this point. It seems that almost nobody leaves anything behind anymore.
Still, I think it's definitely a game to check as you can check an entire row in literal seconds.
And, to my main point in my response...if other vultures don't think something is worth checking, and I do, then all the better for me.
I'd have to look at what people are taking to either agree or disagree with you. If I'm taking anything before game seven, then I'm wanting at least guaranteed three of a kinds in some spots, already. Card runners have a reason to take marginal plays on must-hits, and stuff, but even on these vulture plays I see people compete with each other to the point of things not even being a good play anymore. Some of the stuff I saw people take on a certain 3D game was flat out insane.
If you know what game I'm talking about, they were taking stuff like any six in the first four reels, which is crazy to me. It could be like 1-1-1-3 and they'd take it. Most often, you just end up playing some crappy spins with fourth reel only wild after having lost a few spins already, then end up with something like 2-1-1-0, but then they'd sometimes keep playing because they didn't like the thought that they had added value to the thing and were leaving it behind...despite that 2-1-1-0 is terrible.
Some people were so aggressive about playing that game that they got more plays in than I did and STILL somehow failed to notice that the second reel drop (of what you want to have drop) is much slower.
I still think it's worth checking and just being conservative about what you take. Ultimate X is one example of one where you take plays and don't profit every single attempt, so why should something else automatically be different?
In terms of concept, I see this game as most similar to a game with a slider bar up top that has jackpot values and Free Games on the slider. If you get the necessary symbol on Reel 1, 3 or 5, then you get either the jackpot or Free Games. My rule of thumb for that game is that I want to have Free Games above Reel 1 and Reel 3 (you wouldn't know what's going to be above Reel Five) though some people are also willing to take Free Games + Prize (Reels 1 and 3) or just two prizes if they think both of the prizes are high enough.
Anyway, and there are a few titles with that mechanism, you'll almost always just lose; it's typically a total loss, but those occasions where you hit the Free Games more than make up for it. In terms of frequency, though, you spin expecting the result to be a loss. It's still a great play long run, imo, or maybe I've just ran like a god on Free Games hits relative to expected frequency...but I don't think I have.
Quote: Mission146Quote: darkoz
Correct but I don't see any ploppies leaving behind 9th spin full latent wilds.
If that was how vultures worked they would never play. It would be like finding a MH for $10,000 at $9,999. Beautiful in theory, worthless in practice.
Observing the way vultures work at Scarab they take it even if there aren't a lot of latent scarabs if the spin cycle is left on the 4th or 5th spin. The idea being the savings in those extra spins will make the gamble worth it.
For this new variant the tenth spin often returned less than the final spin. It was often On the tenth spin $5 wager returned $3.25. Only when the lock it link occurred did it pay and that was still paltry. $87 off $5.
Is it vulturable? With no guarantee that anything will be won tenth spin due to getting just enough lock it links to block payout but not trigger, I say it's not IMO.
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It seems that you didn't mean, 'Unvulterable,' literally, so perhaps the problem was in my interpretation. It seems like what you meant is just that you don't think it's worth checking because opportunities will be that scarce. If that's what you meant, then I'd say you could almost make the same argument for regular Scarab, at this point. It seems that almost nobody leaves anything behind anymore.
Still, I think it's definitely a game to check as you can check an entire row in literal seconds.
And, to my main point in my response...if other vultures don't think something is worth checking, and I do, then all the better for me.
I'd have to look at what people are taking to either agree or disagree with you. If I'm taking anything before game seven, then I'm wanting at least guaranteed three of a kinds in some spots, already. Card runners have a reason to take marginal plays on must-hits, and stuff, but even on these vulture plays I see people compete with each other to the point of things not even being a good play anymore. Some of the stuff I saw people take on a certain 3D game was flat out insane.
If you know what game I'm talking about, they were taking stuff like any six in the first four reels, which is crazy to me. It could be like 1-1-1-3 and they'd take it. Most often, you just end up playing some crappy spins with fourth reel only wild after having lost a few spins already, then end up with something like 2-1-1-0, but then they'd sometimes keep playing because they didn't like the thought that they had added value to the thing and were leaving it behind...despite that 2-1-1-0 is terrible.
Some people were so aggressive about playing that game that they got more plays in than I did and STILL somehow failed to notice that the second reel drop (of what you want to have drop) is much slower.
I still think it's worth checking and just being conservative about what you take. Ultimate X is one example of one where you take plays and don't profit every single attempt, so why should something else automatically be different?
In terms of concept, I see this game as most similar to a game with a slider bar up top that has jackpot values and Free Games on the slider. If you get the necessary symbol on Reel 1, 3 or 5, then you get either the jackpot or Free Games. My rule of thumb for that game is that I want to have Free Games above Reel 1 and Reel 3 (you wouldn't know what's going to be above Reel Five) though some people are also willing to take Free Games + Prize (Reels 1 and 3) or just two prizes if they think both of the prizes are high enough.
Anyway, and there are a few titles with that mechanism, you'll almost always just lose; it's typically a total loss, but those occasions where you hit the Free Games more than make up for it. In terms of frequency, though, you spin expecting the result to be a loss. It's still a great play long run, imo, or maybe I've just ran like a god on Free Games hits relative to expected frequency...but I don't think I have.
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Yes I meant unvulturable in that the opportunities were mostly of a losing nature. Making it not worth watching for a rare and basically "lucky" spin when you get six lock it links.
Taking this game on the 7th spin with at least three latent scarabs lined up is a worthless strategy. On the 10th spin two could turn wild, the 3rd turn into a lock it link for a win of zero.
Which is why I say this game variant is ridiculously not worth it.
Quote: darkoz
Yes I meant unvulturable in that the opportunities were mostly of a losing nature. Making it not worth watching for a rare and basically "lucky" spin when you get six lock it links.
Taking this game on the 7th spin with at least three latent scarabs lined up is a worthless strategy. On the 10th spin two could turn wild, the 3rd turn into a lock it link for a win of zero.
Which is why I say this game variant is ridiculously not worth it.
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I'd adjust my paradigm for what makes a play for this one. What I would do is try to gather as much non cherry picked data (Youtube videos that advertise a winning session are data, but would be cherry-picked, for these purposes) on the probability that any one Scarab symbol turns into a Lock it Link number. If you can make that determination, then you could turn that into a probability of getting at least six of them depending on how many (at a minimum) reel positions are going to change to either that, or WILD.
At that point, you would want to get some idea of an average return (as a multiple of bet) when the Lock it Link feature does happen.
If you determined, for instance, that the average Lock it Link feature is roughly 30x your bet, then you compare that to the probability of getting that feature in the first place depending on the number of Scarabs.
In other words, some situations that wouldn't have been considered great plays before might be considered that. Or, they might not. It just depends on how the probabilities come to pass. I'd have to watch a fair amount of tenth spins to know enough to then take an educated guess, but that is where I would start.
Quote: BTLWIThis old one or something newer? https://x.com/PokerBradley/status/1304154309391790080?s=20
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Yes that is the one
It says 2020 so it's been around a few years but first I saw it was this past weekend
Quote: darkozQuote: BTLWIThis old one or something newer? https://x.com/PokerBradley/status/1304154309391790080?s=20
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Yes that is the one
It says 2020 so it's been around a few years but first I saw it was this past weekend
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https://www.casino.org/us/slots/free/
Scroll down use the search there are several versions maybe one is it.
You have to search maker first then title.
