Annoying New IGT Video Poker Machines

I don't know how "new" they really are, but they're new to me. I see these new IGT video poker machines popping up in several local casinos here in California. They typically have multi-games, multi-denoms, and a choice of game avatars will scroll across the top of the screen. To me, they look great, fancy and new and spiffy, but they act a little clumsy, imo. Any time you choose a game, it loads, slooowly. A small progress bar shows in the middle of the screen while it loads. I'm so used to the reliable Game Kings that are smooth and have been around forever, especially prefer slant-tops, and I just don't understand messing with something successful. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Anyway, these new machines annoy the crap out of me. Anyone else feel the same way?

These things suck, especially the lag time when looking at UX.

Those are probably server based games and the game library is stored in the computer room. The nice thing is that they can be configured with just about any IGT slot game, not just poker. They appeal to a lot more players because people can play Double Diamond, Texas Tea, Lobstermainia, poker, etc. The library of games is huge that they can configure on that one machine.

Or maybe some evil rancher put them out as vulture (aka Buzzard) bait ;-)

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

These things suck, especially the lag time when looking at UX.

+1 they drive me crazy

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

These things suck, especially the lag time when looking at UX.

I had already been annoyed by these new and improved machines elsewhere, but I actually started dwelling on it yesterday WHILE I was trying to vulture a UX in the high limit room at a joint outside of Fresno, first time I had been there in a couple years. So not only did I get annoyed waiting for its slow ass to load, but when it finally did load I found that the nice sweet multiplier I had my eyes locked on DIDN'T STICK. Ooooh, double annoyed! Vultures beware, they've "fixed" that angle.

Never had that problem.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Never had that problem.

Yep, they've solved the vulture issue on some new UX machines. The multipliers only stick if YOU put them on there, with your own money. I did play a regular hand (10-handed) with my own money and got ten future multipliers. I wondered, gee, will I be able to lower my bet to five coins instead of ten if I want it to be my last hand? And I was allowed to do that, without losing the multipliers. But you can't vulture on what someone else has left behind. How the machine distinguishes I do not know.

Quote: DRich

Those are probably server based games ...

I hope not. And I don't think so, but how would I know if I've never actually seen one. I read a couple years ago about server-based at somewhere in Vegas, maybe Cosmo, Aria, or some place like that. It was to me a scary idea. I've kinda put it out of my mind since it didn't seem like it was catching on everywhere. But maybe you're right. What I'm looking at is a few Indian joints in California so far. Could they do that? Would they do that?

Quote: bobbartop

I hope not. And I don't think so, but how would I know if I've never actually seen one. I read a couple years ago about server-based at somewhere in Vegas, maybe Cosmo, Aria, or some place like that. It was to me a scary idea. I've kinda put it out of my mind since it didn't seem like it was catching on everywhere. But maybe you're right. What I'm looking at is a few Indian joints in California so far. Could they do that? Would they do that?

They can and they will. There is nothing different between the server based game and the individual game on the floor. It allows casinos to offer more games, especially Tribal casinos that are limited to a certain amount of machines on the floor, to offer more choices. A machine counts as one machine whether there is 1 game on it or 10 in most, if not all States.

Yeah, so it takes 5 seconds to load. If that's the worst of your problems, you're having a pretty good darn day.


ZCore13

Quote: bobbartop

I hope not. And I don't think so, but how would I know if I've never actually seen one. I read a couple years ago about server-based at somewhere in Vegas, maybe Cosmo, Aria, or some place like that. It was to me a scary idea. I've kinda put it out of my mind since it didn't seem like it was catching on everywhere. But maybe you're right. What I'm looking at is a few Indian joints in California so far. Could they do that? Would they do that?

It is very likely. Even some of the small I casinos I know of that have less than 200 machines have many server based games.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

These things suck, especially the lag time when looking at UX.

No kidding. Hit a few buttons to change games, go into the next one to look at the multipliers, and that "MORE GAMES AVAILABLE" crawler starts back in.

Even worse if the player tracking system is on the game screen instead of a separate screen.

Quote: DRich

It is very likely. Even some of the small I casinos I know of that have less than 200 machines have many server based games.

Really? Ok, well I learned something today. Thanks. Do you think they are something to worry about? Not that it will matter.

Quote: Zcore13

Yeah, so it takes 5 seconds to load. If that's the worst of your problems, you're having a pretty good darn day.

I don't know what to say, they just don't play smooth. I know that sounds vague. But I've played several, I just don't like them. They don't feel right. They are not comfortable. The older Game Kings, especially slant-tops, are GREAT. They ARE comfortable. And to play video poker for hours, one needs comfortable. What is IGT thinking? And I don't think I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. I really don't. Like I said earlier, why fix something that ain't broke?

Quote: bobbartop

I don't know what to say, they just don't play smooth. I know that sounds vague. But I've played several, I just don't like them. They don't feel right. They are not comfortable. The older Game Kings, especially slant-tops, are GREAT. They ARE comfortable. And to play video poker for hours, one needs comfortable. What is IGT thinking? And I don't think I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. I really don't. Like I said earlier, why fix something that ain't broke?

I think you need to spend a few hours playing an old IGT coin dropper set on the slowest speed of 1. Maybe EC still has some.

Quote: AxelWolf

I think you need to spend a few hours playing an old IGT coin dropper set on the slowest speed of 1. Maybe EC still has some.

Been there done that. Your point noted. Obviously these new machines are light years better than the old coin droppers. But I would still play the Down Town Deuces coin-dropper at the El Cortez, if it's still there. $500 for quad deuces was always fun.

Quote: Zcore13

Yeah, so it takes 5 seconds to load. If that's the worst of your problems, you're having a pretty good darn day.
ZCore13

Except it isn't 5 seconds. I've run into them a few times and they have been 20, 30 or more to load a game. If you are just switching from one game to another it isn't that bad, but when you switch and find a game with crappy pay tables, then switch and find the same thing on another, and go on to game 3, 4 or 5 before you can find something worth playing, it's more than a little annoying.

I understand why they are in use, but I'll stay away from them.

Quote: bobbartop

I don't know what to say, they just don't play smooth. I know that sounds vague. But I've played several, I just don't like them. They don't feel right. They are not comfortable.

I agree. It took me a while to figure out what I didn't like. I still don't have all of it nailed down, but here are a couple of things.

First, they opted for new buttons, big and shallow and transparent with a OLED display underneath each one. The OLEDs are cute but quickly forgotten. The buttons are often stiff and uncomfortable to push. Even when they're not stiff, they have very little travel distance. When playing a long session, my hands hurt much sooner playing these buttons than playing the older Game King slants. Sometimes the tips of my fingers become sore, either from the activation pressure, or from hitting bottom on the presses all the time. It's much the same as the difference between using a horrible keyboard and using a quality one. If I were a recreational player, I would absolutely leave these machines sooner than I would one of the older Game Kings.

Second, they are unresponsive for a short period after each hand. It's only a fraction of a second, but if you press deal during that fraction of a second, it just ignores you. It's enough to make me go "wha? why didn't it deal?" and have to re-press a dozen times a session. I've gotten better at establishing a rhythm that works around that short delay. Don't double-press "deal" to interrupt accumulating credits and deal a new hand, it won't work. Don't bang on "deal" until a new hand deals, it'll take annoyingly long and the stiff button will hurt your finger. Press deal, wait a moment, then press deal again.

It's the little things. IGT is dropping the ball on quality control and user testing. There's no way that short unresponsive period would have gone unfixed if they'd tested the machines on a wide variety of real VP players before release. A five-second loading screen may be OK in some contexts, but not when you're competing for the attention of people wandering by with plenty of other distractions competing for their attention, or when someone may want to look at multiple games on the same machine. Numerous ridiculous little graphics glitches. Etc, etc.

Quote:

The older Game Kings, especially slant-tops, are GREAT. They ARE comfortable. And to play video poker for hours, one needs comfortable. What is IGT thinking? And I don't think I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. I really don't. Like I said earlier, why fix something that ain't broke?

Yup.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Never had that problem.

Yep, definitely not in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Mississippi, and I look on those annoying "new" (~ released circa 2013) units a lot. I withhold judgment about Vegas. I haven't looked there very often, but I have never seen them taken away either.

Keep in mind bob, these "new" ultimate x machines will also show the multipliers played off on the previous hand. The older units are just blank if multipliers were played off the previous hand. Shameful plug of my lucky hit last September at Gold Strike Tunica. The 2Xs represent the hand I just vultured off. Before playing they said "Next Hand 2X". On either machine, it has to say "Next Hand _X" to be an active multiplier for the next hand.



Here's some multipliers on board I found in Vegas in Feb. I shoved a $20 in, and ended $3.75 poorer.

Quote: fivespot

I agree. It took me a while to figure out what I didn't like. I still don't have all of it nailed down, but here are a couple of things.

Very well explained, Five Spot, a lot better than I did.

Quote: fivespot

I agree. It took me a while to figure out what I didn't like. I still don't have all of it nailed down, but here are a couple of things.

First, they opted for new buttons, big and shallow and transparent with a OLED display underneath each one. The OLEDs are cute but quickly forgotten. The buttons are often stiff and uncomfortable to push. Even when they're not stiff, they have very little travel distance. .

YES. I remember the Revel had the 9/6 $2 denomination. I couldn't stand playing them.

Meanwhile someone just got off work from digging ditches or McDonald's.

Quote: bobbartop

Very well explained, Five Spot

Agreed. IGT mostly dropped the ball with these "new" cabinets. I'm not huge on playing quickly, but I would hate to do it on a newer VP machine.

Quote: Hullabaloo

Except it isn't 5 seconds. I've run into them a few times and they have been 20, 30 or more to load a game. If you are just switching from one game to another it isn't that bad, but when you switch and find a game with crappy pay tables, then switch and find the same thing on another, and go on to game 3, 4 or 5 before you can find something worth playing, it's more than a little annoying.

I understand why they are in use, but I'll stay away from them.

+1. Those 30-60 second waits add up. Pretty frustrating. Yes it can take a full minute. Just an awful waste of time until you realize you're in a greedy casino with shifty pay tables.

Loading Triple Spin Poker on All Star IIs is the worst.

Reading this thread was a horrible idea for me. This was annoying me already but now that I read other folks talking about it, I found myself or five times as annoyed when I was at Harrah's KC over the weekend!

Quote: Zourah

Reading this thread was a horrible idea for me. This was annoying me already but now that I read other folks talking about it, I found myself or five times as annoyed when I was at Harrah's KC over the weekend!

If you think their machines are slow, go look through the UX machines over at Ameristar there!

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

If you think their machines are slow, go look through the UX machines over at Ameristar there!

Did Ameristar KC upgrade lately? They usually had "old" UX machines which were the speed I would expect. Ameristar KC was generally worthless for vulturing when I occasionally visited though (2012-2014), because of this gray bearded guy who was there ALL the time. But when I bumped into Exoter175 before he got banned here, he said that dude passed away. :( He talked highly of him though...

Server based solves a mystery I couldn't figure out when I played a newer multi-slot machine from WMS. Wondered why it was so much slower than every similar machine going back 20 years. I had incorrectly assumed the maker just didn't want people switching back and forth between games passively-aggressively making it difficult. Maybe they could have made these type machines perform better or maybe not.

People always got irritated with changing numbers on keno having to rebet to do it. I don't know why it was this way, whether keeping the pace up or being compatible with video poker how the bet one button works.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

If you think their machines are slow, go look through the UX machines over at Ameristar there!

I rarely play Ultimate X at Ameristar - it seemed like those pay tables are even worse than Harrahs. Also, I think I did get frustrated trying to look at the multipliers there.