Changing the chip...

[shadowman]

Chips could be replaced for any number of reasons. New diagnostics might have been made available. Additional paytables could have been available. A new chip is something like a new release in software for devices that are based on EPROMs. In fact, it might have just been fixing some bugs.

[spxChrome]

Nothing visual has changed on the machines for them to change the chip.
 
However, LL you are correct.  I checked the machines, each denom is now on its on chip.  .25, .50 run on a separate chip than the 1.00. 
 
I know this for a fact cause I hit quad playing .50 denom and switched to $1.00 and the screen change. But when I put it on .25 it showed the same hand.  It used to show the same hand on all denoms.
 
So this is exactly what happened.  When they changed the chips they put the higher denom on a different chip. 
 
Wonder why, and even if it was a software update why not update the lower deomon also?  What they did was obvious to put the higher demon on another chipset and since the change it has been horrible.  Not just for me but I know about 6 regulars who are saying the same thing and we all go 2 or 3 times a week.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[brmcc74]

I cant believe that people are still naive enough to think that ALL casinos are on the up and up. Yes we all know about the pay tables and playing perfect strategy for optimum results. Really though, how do we as patrons Know 100% sure? Because of fines handed down by the gaming comission? Thats great unless ofcourse the GC has a price too. Unfortunatley most people do. Money is a hell of a thing and theres alot of it to be had. Im not saying that its all fixed. What I can tell you though is that this whole chip thing may explain what has happened to a casino that we fequent just inside the Mich State line. We used to have good and bad days and all together, but your bankroll would last a whole lot longer. Some of the paytables actually increased since we have noticed a negative change. We got to talking with other players and the feelings are mutually the same. Also I watched a lady smack a 16k jackpot on a trip7 slot mach. The next time I went( 3 days later)the machine was gone. Go figure. I cant change the way I feel and I cant change what Ive seen. Its a shame because its a nice clean place but when youre feeling like youre being tinkered with, its no fun.

[shadowman]

I think CD was the best at discussing the issue of casinos cheating.  First of all, the casinos do not build or program the machines. It would require them to hire outside help to reverse engineer and modify the chips. They would then need to get them installed in their machines. Now add in the bribes to the gaming commission and the number of people involved keeps increasing. I also assume they would be violating copyright laws and who knows what else as well. The number of people keeps increasing and what is the likelihood that all of them would keep quiet? Seems like a big risk to me when simply lowering the paytables legally has the same effect. We also know that most VP players don't even consider paytables. BTW, I had a bad streak at one casino that lasted over 5 years. I didn't play there that often but could never seem to win. Now, I've had great success there the last two years on the very same machines. The only thing I can say is if one suspects a casino then don't play there. There's a small possibility of cheating and most of us have choices.

[brmcc74]

I agree with the above. Not sure whats going on but Ive had enough. I have never seen a casino move so many mach's around. They change them and move them like the wind. Theres enough places nowadays to just go instead.

[spxChrome]

  
The number of people keeps increasing and what is the likelihood that all of them would keep quiet?
 
Not all of them are quit.  Here is just one I grabbed within a few minutes of looking:
 
"Last year I joined (and left) a major manufacturer of slot machines. I was hired as R&D manager and I was absolutely terrified when I saw how things were done. No good software development practices, their concept of version management was dumping source on a network share, the previous manager was the only one using a VCS and was for his private use, and the code was absolutely disappointing to say the least. The bad practices were so deeply marked on them that things were taken to a new facility, with an entire new team that I personally interviewed and trained them from the start, people that still didn't have any of the bad habits the old team had. Eventually I left because whoever was above me was far worse and I soon realized the company was off to die, because top level management were the ones that messed up in the first place and were about to destroy the company by killing all R&D and training and having the new team do sustained engineering on the bad code produced by the old team. This is the state of the gambling industry."
 
 

[shadowman]

Not the same thing spx. While bad development practices will introduced bugs, that really has nothing to do with intentionally creating machines that cheat. In addition, no matter how bad the code, they still have to pass the testing of the Gaming Commissions.

[spxChrome]

Not the same thing spx.
 While bad development practices will introduced bugs, that really has nothing to do with intentionally creating machines that cheat. In addition, no matter how bad the code, they still have to pass the testing of the Gaming Commissions.
 
Is that testing like when I had the city inspector overlook the fact I didn't run my fan units all the way out of the attic when I built my house.
 
Or is that like putting a "double checked" sticker on my hamburger from Mcdonalds I ordered with no onions and I get home it does have onions.
 
Or maybe its even tightly requlated like all the junk backed mortgages that were approved or paper filings to the SEC by our favorite Ponzi's.
 
Point being who knows what is audited I'm willing to bet not every line of code is audited and its more of a rubber stamp.
 

[shadowman]

The testing is much more serious than you make out. While I doubt they review the code with a fine tooth comb, they run industry standard randomness tests on the machine's generation of cards.  Of course, that doesn't mean the chips can't be altered in the field, however, then we get back to the number of people involved all keeping silent.

[damule]

[QUOTE=shadowman]  
The number of people keeps increasing and what is the likelihood that all of them would keep quiet?
 
Not all of them are quit.  Here is just one I grabbed within a few minutes of looking:
 
"Last year I joined (and left) a major manufacturer of slot machines. I was hired as R&D manager and I was absolutely terrified when I saw how things were done. No good software development practices, their concept of version management was dumping source on a network share, the previous manager was the only one using a VCS and was for his private use, and the code was absolutely disappointing to say the least. The bad practices were so deeply marked on them that things were taken to a new facility, with an entire new team that I personally interviewed and trained them from the start, people that still didn't have any of the bad habits the old team had. Eventually I left because whoever was above me was far worse and I soon realized the company was off to die, because top level management were the ones that messed up in the first place and were about to destroy the company by killing all R&D and training and having the new team do sustained engineering on the bad code produced by the old team. This is the state of the gambling industry."
 
 [/QUOTE]

 
 
Gee spx,
 
If you insert almost any service or product in the place of gaming software and development in that quote you can be talking about many of the corporately gutted production and manufacturing outlets in this country. The way the economy has made corporations believe they've been forced to cut back payrolls, staffing and benefits the morale and pride displayed here runs through many companies these days.