4 ms·

I read the article but missed what exactly the skill based input is - just the timing on holding the automatic launcher on or off?

GolDDranks 4y ago
My ill-informed view is that much of the skill part of the equation is finding the right machine in the hall, as they have different settings and thus different winning probabilities. It's an exploration-exploitation problem.
- eloisant 4y ago
  Yes, that's the correct explaination. Also note that in the early days of Pachinko, the manager would give a few hammer hits on the side of the nails of the machines to change their orientation slightly every night, so a machine that was winning a lot yesterday might not win a lot today. Nowadays they're electronically controlled and the nail position change automatically to vary the winning probability in a very controlled way.
- wahnfrieden 4y ago
  I knew that already but the article was saying that this particular type of pachinko has another skill element in the playing of it. edit: The correct answer is that the knob allows you to adjust the shot strength on the machines this article is about. You're referencing something else
TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
Hard to tell. Wish the article was more clear on that. I then spent 10 minutes on YouTube watching gameplay of modern pachinkos, trying to understand the skill and game play. I failed. I had one of these in the 70s. There was no skill involved back then (well, maybe a little bit). I was hoping the modern generation was skill-based… then I’d buy one as a pinball fan. Here is where she bought hers: https://a-pachinko.store https://a-pachinko.store $400 shipping to the US
- nubinetwork 4y ago
  My understanding was that you need to hold the dial at a certain angle to get an optimal arc into the center pocket... much like the skill shot on pinball machines with a physical plunger.
  - toast0 4y ago
    I had a pachinko machine at home with an autolauncher, and yeah, if you twist it all the way, it goes over there, and you're adjusting and trying to get it to be more towards the right place. But also, it's tremendously boring, at least IMHO. A lot of pinball skill shots also let you cheat --- most of the ones where you're trying to get it into a lit lane, you can change the lane with the flippers; you still need to get it to go through the lanes and not elsewhere, but you don't need to be quite so precise. Otoh, there's a lot of them where the target is always the same --- one particular hole in a ramp, etc. But either way, there's lots to do with the flippers, and just shooting more balls I can't control very much just doesn't entertain me for very long.
    - nubinetwork 4y ago
      I think the thing that turns me off to pachinko is the lack of flippers. Sure, Medieval Madness and Attack on Mars are essentially the same game, but the music and table effects are some of what keeps me playing them... Pachinko is just loud and there isn't enough interaction to keep me interested.
      - toast0 4y ago
        Well, the castle is a little bit to the left, and the trolls are in closer and only two of them instead of four martians, but yeah fairly similar, but also different. Taxi and Road Kings are a closer pair, but older, I guess. And then you've got stuff like High Speed and High Speed 2, or Pin-Bot and Jack-Bot. Or Shrek and Family Guy, I think it is?
        syntheweave 4y ago
nicole_express 4y ago
I'm sorry that wasn't more clear-- the automatic launcher is an analog knob, so it can be turned to any position and that determines the strength of the shot.
- wahnfrieden 4y ago
  Ahh I did not know this. Thank you

GolDDranks 4y ago

My ill-informed view is that much of the skill part of the equation is finding the right machine in the hall, as they have different settings and thus different winning probabilities. It's an exploration-exploitation problem.

eloisant 4y ago
Yes, that's the correct explaination. Also note that in the early days of Pachinko, the manager would give a few hammer hits on the side of the nails of the machines to change their orientation slightly every night, so a machine that was winning a lot yesterday might not win a lot today. Nowadays they're electronically controlled and the nail position change automatically to vary the winning probability in a very controlled way.
wahnfrieden 4y ago
I knew that already but the article was saying that this particular type of pachinko has another skill element in the playing of it. edit: The correct answer is that the knob allows you to adjust the shot strength on the machines this article is about. You're referencing something else

TedDoesntTalk 4y ago

Hard to tell. Wish the article was more clear on that. I then spent 10 minutes on YouTube watching gameplay of modern pachinkos, trying to understand the skill and game play. I failed. I had one of these in the 70s. There was no skill involved back then (well, maybe a little bit). I was hoping the modern generation was skill-based… then I’d buy one as a pinball fan. Here is where she bought hers: https://a-pachinko.store https://a-pachinko.store $400 shipping to the US

nubinetwork 4y ago
My understanding was that you need to hold the dial at a certain angle to get an optimal arc into the center pocket... much like the skill shot on pinball machines with a physical plunger.
- toast0 4y ago
  I had a pachinko machine at home with an autolauncher, and yeah, if you twist it all the way, it goes over there, and you're adjusting and trying to get it to be more towards the right place. But also, it's tremendously boring, at least IMHO. A lot of pinball skill shots also let you cheat --- most of the ones where you're trying to get it into a lit lane, you can change the lane with the flippers; you still need to get it to go through the lanes and not elsewhere, but you don't need to be quite so precise. Otoh, there's a lot of them where the target is always the same --- one particular hole in a ramp, etc. But either way, there's lots to do with the flippers, and just shooting more balls I can't control very much just doesn't entertain me for very long.
  - nubinetwork 4y ago
    I think the thing that turns me off to pachinko is the lack of flippers. Sure, Medieval Madness and Attack on Mars are essentially the same game, but the music and table effects are some of what keeps me playing them... Pachinko is just loud and there isn't enough interaction to keep me interested.
    - toast0 4y ago
      Well, the castle is a little bit to the left, and the trolls are in closer and only two of them instead of four martians, but yeah fairly similar, but also different. Taxi and Road Kings are a closer pair, but older, I guess. And then you've got stuff like High Speed and High Speed 2, or Pin-Bot and Jack-Bot. Or Shrek and Family Guy, I think it is?
      - syntheweave 4y ago

nicole_express 4y ago

I'm sorry that wasn't more clear-- the automatic launcher is an analog knob, so it can be turned to any position and that determines the strength of the shot.

wahnfrieden 4y ago
Ahh I did not know this. Thank you