Lord of the Rings
January 30th, 2011 at 4:10:36 AM
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I am wondering about slot machines like "Lord of the Rings" and the like. Have any of them been a part of the discussions here? Are there are any general feelings here about them? They are extremely popular at the casinos and they have a "hook", unlike regular slot machines. Namely, they have a story line and one progresses through the story, while one plays the slot machine elements of the game. You can open up additional bonuses and you can obtain "trophies" and the like, saving them from session to session via internet logins. Are there any studies about the casino "hold" on these machines? Are these "hold" percentages in line with those of other slot machines? Or, because of the new "hook" that these games have, is the "hold" greater than regular slot machines. I am told that the casinos just "rent" these machines and the casinos actually have to share part of their "take" with the manufacturer. Unlike slot machines, I have seen people spend hours at a time at "Lord of the Rings", rather than the much shorter sessions one sees with regular slot machines. They must be real money makers, I would think.
January 30th, 2011 at 4:46:17 AM
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There has been some discussion of this in relation to the Star Trek machines. But I am damned If I can remember where it was.
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February 2nd, 2011 at 4:29:54 PM
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I was in Vegas the weekend LOTR came out last summer. (I know this, because Harrah's sent me an e-mail advertising the fact).
Every machine we saw was taken, with 3 or 4 people loitering to get a chance. I played some that trip, and again in December.
I thought they were pretty cool for a while, but eventually got bored. I like Star Trek better, just because it's more light-hearted. LOTR is very grim and loud. I didn't feel the bonus games were as fun as some other machines.
The log-in is cool, I know that you can progress along the trail, starting at the Shire. After a couple of hours total, I never progressed to Bree. So I can't really comment on the story line. You obviously have to play a lot to get there. Also, gaining "miles" is apparently random. My wife and I played together, and I racked up 7 miles while she got 2.
I don't play slots so much, because the payouts are so crappy. And I would guess the payout's even crappier on a flashy machine with 2 screens and surround sound.
When I played LOTR at Main St. Station, it gave me a "Network not available." message when I tried to login.
Every machine we saw was taken, with 3 or 4 people loitering to get a chance. I played some that trip, and again in December.
I thought they were pretty cool for a while, but eventually got bored. I like Star Trek better, just because it's more light-hearted. LOTR is very grim and loud. I didn't feel the bonus games were as fun as some other machines.
The log-in is cool, I know that you can progress along the trail, starting at the Shire. After a couple of hours total, I never progressed to Bree. So I can't really comment on the story line. You obviously have to play a lot to get there. Also, gaining "miles" is apparently random. My wife and I played together, and I racked up 7 miles while she got 2.
I don't play slots so much, because the payouts are so crappy. And I would guess the payout's even crappier on a flashy machine with 2 screens and surround sound.
When I played LOTR at Main St. Station, it gave me a "Network not available." message when I tried to login.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:42:28 PM
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You can actually play mini games at home and unlock extra bonuses by doing that during play at the casino.
