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Author Topic: Confusing TPIR Games  (Read 10013 times)

Matt Ottinger

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #45 on: March 22, 2005, 11:51:38 AM »
[quote name=\'jmangin\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 09:44 AM\']Don't forget that the boxes in 1/2 Off aren't randomly eliminated; the order of the boxes to be removed are programmed into the computer controlling the game before the show.[/quote]
It's not random because of the needs of the game (they can't "randomly" accidentally remove the right box), but it's still a game of random chance that you can lose despite doing everything (within your control) perfectly.

Heaven knows it's not the only one. Secret X, Punch-A-Bunch, even Plinko can be lost despite doing all the pricing parts correctly.  Probably lots of others.
This has been another installment of Matt Ottinger's Masters of the Obvious.
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clemon79

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #46 on: March 22, 2005, 11:58:56 AM »
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 09:51 AM\']Heaven knows it's not the only one. Secret X, Punch-A-Bunch, even Plinko can be lost despite doing all the pricing parts correctly.  Probably lots of others.
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Joker comes to mind, too, for what that's worth. As does Spelling Bee.

If the smallest card in the Card Game bid deck is $1000 now, then you can't lose that one simply by bad draws, but you could back in the day when they still had increments of $100 in that deck, even if you knew the exact price of the car.

At least at the Punchboard you're guaranteed to walk away with fifty bucks assuming you win all of the punches.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2005, 12:03:55 PM by clemon79 »
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jmangin

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #47 on: March 22, 2005, 12:06:12 PM »
My point about randomness was related to putting consolation prizes in some of the boxes.  What's the point of putting consolation money in a box if it will be one of the first 8 eliminated?

I like non-car games that still have a chance of losing if you price the game perfectly.

Frank15

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #48 on: March 22, 2005, 12:14:58 PM »
There're key differences between Half Off and other heavily luck-based games:  there are no other pricing games, besides Half Off, that offer such high odds of winning absolutely nothing* despite doing absolutely everything right.  Sure, you can win nothing in Joker doing absolutely everything right, but the odds of that are only 20%, compared with 50% for Half Off.  And in games like Pass the Buck, you may only have the same 50% shot of winning the car with perfect pricing, but the odds of winning something, period, are considerably higher, car or not.  It may not be the only game with low odds of winning, and it may not be the only game where you can win nothing**, but really, what other games combine both elements?  It's the combination of the two that some of us find a little bit unsettling.

*Not counting SPs.
**It may be possible in Plinko, but it's also ridiculously unlikely.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2005, 12:15:26 PM by Frank15 »

zachhoran

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #49 on: March 22, 2005, 07:23:27 PM »
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 11:58 AM\']


If the smallest card in the Card Game bid deck is $1000 now, then you can't lose that one simply by bad draws, but you could back in the day when they still had increments of $100 in that deck, even if you knew the exact price of the car.

At least at the Punchboard you're guaranteed to walk away with fifty bucks assuming you win all of the punches.
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You'll win cash in Punch-a-Bunch just by getting one small prize. The smallest card in the Card Game deck is still $500.

clemon79

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #50 on: March 22, 2005, 08:54:07 PM »
[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 05:23 PM\']You'll win cash in Punch-a-Bunch just by getting one small prize.
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Which has nothing AT ALL to do with the discussion, which is about games where you can goose-egg despite a perfect pricing performance.

But, of course, Zach CAN'T STAND for there to be a conversation he's not in the middle of.

Go away, Zach. Forever, if possible. I don't want you here. I'd say "we", but there are still some misguided souls who think you serve a useful purpose around here.
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zachhoran

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #51 on: March 22, 2005, 09:33:11 PM »
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 08:54 PM\']

Go away, Zach. Forever, if possible. I don't want you here. I'd say "we", but there are still some misguided souls who think you serve a useful purpose around here.
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He won't go away, unless the non-misguided souls who are the moderators tell him to go away.

aaron sica

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #52 on: March 22, 2005, 09:35:58 PM »
[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 09:33 PM\']
He won't go away, unless the non-misguided souls who are the moderators tell him to go away.
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*waves to Bonnie*

tyshaun1

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Confusing TPIR Games
« Reply #53 on: March 22, 2005, 09:53:43 PM »
[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 22 2005, 09:33 PM\']He won't go away, unless the non-misguided souls who are the moderators tell him to go away.
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Well apparently Zach's real name must be Karl Malone.

Tyshaun