slotsmagic

Yup when I had my relapse in November it was on one of these, among others including a new Magic 7 or 10 - I forget which - sat next to it. They actually have updates which aren't shown on that flyer - some have a proper alpha display above the reels, some have a button to the right of the reels which gives an extra way to get a win. So, on the original : 1) Roll in 2) Win from hold 3) Win from nudge And now... 4) Win from pressing a button under the coin mech if and when it lights up after a spin I guess there isn't much else they could have done without messing the recognised formula up

There is no reason at all I / you for example couldn't put the ROMs into an existing Bar X 7 type layout. I'll have to have a nosey at it, I was very impressed with the gameplay when I tried it. But I still need to buckle down and sort out other layouts I've meant to finish the past few weeks You mean exciting and addictive I get what you mean though. Yes once you know the emptier, whilst it's fun to see a machine lose track of what it is doing, basically means it is hard to play it 'normally' again.

OXO Super Reels and similar will not run correctly in MFME - different hardware (Phoenix, specifically the version known as Phoenix 2). Wizard was working on it - and it does boot, but on genuine Electrocoin I'm sure it stops at the security stage, and Concept ROMs it seems to lose track of what it's doing and basically soft locks. As for the original £25 Bar X, Big 7 e.t.c. - they run, BUT I imagine the security isn't quite knocked out. In the old days I'm sure they just froze with the missing GAL error - with the most recent MFME releases they boot and are playable, but they very quickly go into a 'win every spin' mode. Like a neverending streak. I've mucked about and I'm sure others have (within MFME itself, the thought of ROM hacking and similar is well beyond me) and despite trying many different ROMs, they all do the same in the end - they might seem to be OK, then the machine makes a strange noise, and (nearly) every spin is a win.

I'm sure I critical errored my MPU6 Pacman Power Up when I owned it, and did manage to clear it. I'm sure you could navigate to a RAM clear or similar option on the MPU6 itself and it does sort it. But wouldn't recommend trying it unless someone were able to confirm first and make sure it wasn't just a dream I had For what it's worth - it wasn't a critical from overpaying - it was actually me brute forcing it to the extent it tripped it, probably as I was about £500+ in without collecting any wins

Set up a YouTube account and just dump them on there using the YouTube Studio app. I set mine as unlisted, so they aren't findable via searching, you just post a link to each video in a topic.

I think the only issue with a note acceptor would be that you'd want one that doesn't use encryption or similar, and I'm not even sure if they exist in these days of polymer notes? I would think that (as with hoppers and coin mechs) you'd be wanting parallel mode, not CCTalk or similar.

We do have Pluto 5, but I'm guessing that - as with Pluto 6 - there's probably different chips and possibly minor board differences between boards. Hence why, if you have say a Betcom Pluto 6 machine, you need a Betcom Pluto 6 board, or another board with the same colour sockets and then swap at least one socketed chip over. I'm pretty sure the ones I saw inside originally were Pluto 5. I'm sure it would be doable, but I think you are suggesting, it's something that would need to be done emulator-side, which suggests it being a thing for future MAME

Decent prices from a chap I've bought machines and spares from before. Mind you the cheeky sod never supplied the promised ROMs for BFM Shogun

Does that one have a decent streak? I've never tried it

I've tried several times to get the Fair Games ones to run with no luck, sure plenty of others will have tried too. If you need something that is similar, CashmanEQ has an app on Google Play if you have an Android phone. Download this app - it also has some Bar X simulations, and there's a simulation of Bar 7 in there that does a bonkers streak with the hidden holds.

I don't want to be seem like I'm stereotyping but the Japanese do seem to like their horse racing. They have proper horse racing arcade games (much like the car and motorcycle ride-on arcade games... but with horses.) That looks like a nice bit of equipment, but clearly in the casino environment it's destined as a proper gambling machine and not the old 2p versions we had, which (while still not cheap back in the day I guess), weren't full-on gambling Yes, I used to do that too, as a young lad, as well as a bit of spread betting Despite running a Whittakers roulette in the arcade I never really had much to do with it. I don't think it ever broke down so I never had a need to go digging into it. I'd be inclined to say it actually uses a random maths model based on the amount / size of winning segments rather than any sort of computerised compensators. But it's been so long since I played one! I'll probably end up owning one at some point just for nostalgia

It's a tricky one, leaving me conflicted. I was upset when I read that news. But then I got to thinking about the other thread about seaside arcades, and slot machines that look just like adult versions being offered to children like a gateway drug. Some of my favourite old arcade machines were these horse racing and the Roulette I mentioned above (see attached flyer - but also we had a smaller, 2 or 4 player version in our arcade, pretty sure it was called New Orleans but can't see any Google results for that). Thankfully I never really had a problem with horses and roulette or other table games. But that is probably only as I didn't have the attention span and I needed a quick fix without trying to work out maths or form Still, I had many happy memories of playing them, and the fact they were 2p and a slow game... I'd be sorry to see them go. I'm guessing arcades simply don't want big old good value for money machines when the same space could be used for a 4/8 player cube grabber or a video slot that pays tickets

Yeah, I used to love these, but often found them on much lower payouts - so 2p play and a jackpot of something like 40-80p I think they were made by Whittakers, not sure about that exact model. Same with roulette, bloody loved those 2p/10p bet roulette machines

A few of you have mentioned Big Cheese and clones. I've probably mentioned elsewhere about the time I got absolutely shafted by High Flyer, which I guess is the Spitfire themed one referred to above. You also had Super Star, Top Dog, Hot Rocks and possibly more. The High Flyer was ridiculous. I can remember the exact location (O'Neills in Peterborough, opposite the Wetherspoons on Broadway). I remember it being incredibly frustrating. Totally unwilling to go through blocks. Didn't help that my college friends were waiting for me to sit with them and got so tired of waiting they walked off without me (can hardly blame them!!). Unlike the mess about I had with Smash Martians at the beginning of the thread - it wasn't like I was knocking back jackpots or owt, it just didn't seem willing to go past a fiver or so despite me being a good £100 in at some point I'm sure. But, swings and roundabouts, despite swearing off that machine and it's clones, I did later put £5 into a Big Cheese in a pub, and it gave back to back IMs and I think it paid £75. So I guess that's what they saved for. Still maintain they were shit though

It's a weird one, isn't it? I don't remember it being too bad, in the local pub, but then I would have been 15/16 or so and we didn't really have (many) pro players out in the sticks and it seemed happier to give IMs and stuff than in the emulator, despite this layout being 86%. Must be those rose-tinted specs again I reckon Little bit before my time but I'll give these a blast later to see how bad they are I just don't remember it as being that crap, but clearly it is. Bloody awful game As for the old Barcrests you also replied about does show how we have different experiences and opinions! I used to get my arse handed to me by the Pinball Wizard in the local kebab shops... But I also had no idea of how to really play JPMs back then as that really was when I first started out as a solo player Yes I recall those BWBs being utter shite. We did have a couple locally and don't think they lasted long, probably as most pubs wouldn't have covered the lease on them. Quiet village pubs, and if machines were shite they generally didn't last long as there weren't enough regular players, once someone realised a game was shit it sat there and never got played. I'll have to give some of the others you mentioned a blast to see how I get on Does seem to be the same old story - a new game comes out and is good, and with each chip, then clone of the chipped version, there's another even more nerfed version just around the corner - even tighter, more control. That feels like the issue with Megabucks. Although I also generally didn't like end-to-end games once we go past the £6 era, they just didn't suit the £15 era.

Note - I'm avoiding the £70/£100 era as in my opinion they are basically all garbage. I'm playing older layouts, for nostalgia / the hope of a better game. My current choices : 1) JPM Megabucks £15 I used to have one of these local, and don't remember it being too bad, but in the emulator it's an awful pile of crap, despite what I assume is a decent percentage. Possibly a case of rose-tinted specs when I used to play it, or could be the emulated version is some awful chip? I'd recommend someone play it, to see if they have the same thoughts - there's a great DX layout released by @vectra666 a few years back. https://www.desertislandfruits.com/forum/index.php?/files/file/1338-mega-bucks-£15-dx/ Why is it so bad? There's so many things. The machine is designed to look like an upgrade to earlier JPM games, it's a normal start to end (not a lapper) feature, with bigger award ladders. It's got a 'SUPER' upgrade which is bloody rare, and upgrades features, cash and knockouts. It's got a top feature at the end of the trail. But - 1) The feature board. It's end-to-end and is far too kill-happy, even at the bottom of the trail. 2) It's totally unforgiving - and it might just be me and my failing reactions as I get older, but it feels like skill-stops on the feature trail jump. If they do seem to jump, and you miss a jackpot, the next spin is almost certainly death. No second chances. 3) The 'arrows' which light up at the beginning of the feature, and can be added to via 'xtra arrow', have absolutely eff-all value. Each arrow acts as a 'hi-lo' to the next level of the board. But the gambles are so brutal I'd say the only safe numbers are 1 and 12. 4) It's such a brutal, block happy game that I can't see any way to take value out of it, it just feels like a constant run of blocks, before it does an easy board with the blocks off and repeats a few times, or it does something like chuck in a Fireman's Lift off the red boxes and it repeats a few times. 5) The top feature - much like the arrows the machine likes to tease the player by lighting a 'random' amount of the required 8 symbols to trigger the top. But it's all academic as you are more likely to get a the jackpot via a roll-in, good use of SUPER upgrades, or something like a Fireman's Lift. Compared to other JPMs in the same era, like £15 jackpot Thunderbirds, Viva Rock Vegas e.t.c., this feels totally nerfed. I wonder if it was a case of them taking a winning formula and ultimately ending up having patched it up so many times they destroyed it? ----- 2) Barcrest Smash Martians £25 This one surprised me. I'd never played it out and about in real life but figured I'd give it a quick session, nice layout from @kutjebef if needed : https://www.desertislandfruits.com/forum/index.php?/files/file/1292-smash-martians-£25-barcrest/ Ended up taking £130 to cave for an IM, which paid a £42 Mega Streak. Next board, also went IM, another £42 Mega Streak. Very odd coding, not what I expected from a Barcrest of this era. A much more progressive game than Megabucks, but then a massive hard block on the Mega. I expected a much more casual, fun game than ending up balls-deep into a machine I expected to be a fairly safe force. It just blocked board after board, with a rigid block around the £15/£25 area, for ages, before caving. I did end up getting back to percentage, but absolutely shocked that a Barcrest, that offered JP (knocked back pushing for the Mega Streak) within the first £20 would then take an additional £110 to give the Mega. I used to feel Barcrest were a safer option, albeit often with £75 streak potential that obviously would have to be saved up for somehow. I was never a big fan of games that looked like Cash Bang Wallop / Full of Beans, even though I'm sure there was something on early ones (a free win?). But this was a shocker. It owed loads, why do two identical £42 Mega Streaks? Machines of this era could easily do £75 tops. It feels like an artificial cap, and a bloody weird value to pick. Anyway, rant over. Despite how it may sound I'm really enjoying playing MFME again at the moment after a small break. Reminds me of just how crap some machines are. Would be nice to hear from machines in MFME that surprise others with their crapness, especially if it also comes to machines you'd think would be safer!! Also happy to hear from people telling me 'you are playing them wrong!' and similar

I mean I'd love to see any tech emulated - hence how I was blown away by the Cobra 3 emulation even though that only has a very limited amount of games. But the thing with MPU6, is that it was really the death throes of Barcrest Group's analog machines. Would be lovely to see, there's a couple of interesting machines, but as said before there's not much to them. Then again if it could potentially open the way for digital machines being emulated, then it would be nice

At the moment it looks like he's specially working on Cobra 3 (which works fine), and Scorpion 6. Which I'm cool with, it's always good to see new techs being worked on. MPU6 should be possible if someone took it on but I don't know if anyone is actively looking at it. Aside from the digital stuff I don't think MPU6 was used in a lot of analog machines. Probably about 10 (that we don't already have MPU5 versions of) before Barcrest Group exited the market. Don't forget Barcrest analog machines never made it in to the £100 jackpot era. Pluto 6 would be nice, although I'd be more interested in the late JPM, Empire, and similar stuff. Betcoms and similar that used it don't really interest me

Absolutely epic stuff! Although as I posted on his YT recently, my main interest in Scorpion 6 would be the potential for the latest Electrocoin lo-techs. Given that the older £25 ones don't quite run correctly on MFME (they soon lose track and go into a win-every-spin situation) - being able to run the Scorpion 6 versions would be incredible I am surprised he chose the Queen machines to show his work off, simply as I'd be worried about copyright and whatnot from Queen

I think he means reset as in power cycle after it's been forced, not RAM clear

It was my first Barcrest digital and I never kept an image, but I know there are images out there, certainly all the BPAKs are.

There's perfectly good games on them, from £5, £35, £70 and up to £500. None of them have pie gambles and stuff so are more 'traditional' slot games. I used to own the Monty Python's Holy Grail, the later B3 version on £1 play. The earlier £2 play, and especially the Sec16 versions, were probably the 'definitive' versions of games. But not sure if the external random number generator on them would just be more complexity to get running

You'd have a much more limited choice of games, but might be easier to circumvent?

With earlier cabinets (eRio e.t.c.) there wasn't a HASP and instead each game had its own MPU5 program card, so before it was hacked (which I believe it now is), you needed to have a different program card for each game you wanted to run. No HASP that I recall.

No, on most British fruit machines you can only collect your winnings when the machine is out of credits. There are some exceptions but normally only the most recent machines and video slots, or games with note to credit where you can collect the remainder of a banknote inserted