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Brainiac shows you how to beat the Crane Game watch!

youtube.com — Brainiac shows you how to beat the Crane Game. i need to try this next time

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  • thenativeraver, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12damn websense...
    • josegutz, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1My...it's pretty creepy how that guy was so excited about going through all that trouble and waiting for a measley toy stuffed animal that you can easily get at the dollar store...

      sad
    • shokk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4You see, the stuffed animal itself is not the prize. The prize is getting shagged by his woman when he gives her the little stuffed dog. That, nerdling, is what you get when you hit the final level. Keep playing.
    • klaymen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1that seems borderline illegal. it could be classified as gambling since it is only possible to win certain times, and a payment is required. hm....

      wow. i'm an idiot. i didn't even read the second post
  • BrockLee, on 10/12/2007, -3/+67If this is true, that the game can be manipulated by the owner or the venue operator to pay out at a certain frequency, then it seems to me that this is a game of chance, not unlike a modern slot machine. And yet it presents itself as a game of skill. That does not seem ethical to me. And on top of that, it is designed to appeal to kids.

    Furthermore, I believe that in Nevada slot machines and other gambling devices are highly regulated and subject to inspections by state officers. Shouldn't the crane game be subject to the very same laws?
    • Weav, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6I'm not really sure that this crane game is addictive if the user believes that there is skill involved. If young Bob does not claim that dinosaur he really wanted he will blame the fact that he didn't get the crane grip in the right location. Sure he may play again, but unlikely he will become addicted.

      Interesting video anyway.
    • hackwrench, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10How does the belief that it is a game of skill have that much effect on whether or not it is addictive and why would it effect it in the negative. I am much more likely to play a game some more when I believe that I can improve my skill, otherwise it is mostly a waste of time even if there is some other payoff.
    • vdubski, on 10/12/2007, -13/+4BrockLee,

      The crane game does not pay out currency like a slot machine. So I don't think it should be subject to the same laws and inspections that slot machines are.
    • Etheo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12BrockLee,
      That's exactly my thought. I always suspected that these machines have these kind of mechanisms, but I never really expected it in reality. The fact that it protraits itself as a skill game while it's pure chance is rather unethical. I'm gonna tell my friends to stay away from those machines from now on, since it's mostly a waste of money. And no, they wouldn't have the patience to stand and watch people win anyways.
    • samnmax, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I believe that many slot machines also have similar settings as to how often they pay out. That is to say, the symbols the machine stops on are not totally random. If a machine has recently had a jackpot, it is likely it will put itself in a state where it won't pay off for a *long* time, no matter how 'lucky' you are. It's a bit of a dirty secret, but I think all that's required is that it pays off some amount within a certain time frame.
    • deut, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5@samnmax

      You are correct. A good friend of mine develops embedded C control software for a UK slot machine manufacturer. Here are some of the things he told me about...

      The microprocessor keeps count of all the money going in and only pays out a certain percentage over time. (BTW: In the UK, this has percentage has to be shown on the slot machine).

      Furthermore, all the reels are predetermined by the microprocessor and controlled by fine resolution stepper motors to give the illusion that the reels are delivering the symbols by random chance.

      The only true random element is the "skill chance" bit where you have to hit a button to stop a light on a symbol. (Say a Yes/No combination for example.)

      Even more disturbing is that these machines can be configured to be networked together so that they all act collectively.

      All the software he writes is independently audited by a number of 3rd party consultants.
  • guregu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18Who wants to stand around near a crane game for someone to win, and then wait until 9 other people have tried it? Interesting find though.
    • Desolite, on 10/12/2007, -37/+13although i haven't seen the video because its on youtube... my friend can win the crane game everytime (actually more like 4/5 tries). so... yeah, i guess i should take a video of it and post it on digg - OMG SUPER AMAZING BRANIAC WINS CRANE GAME 10X IN A ROW~!@~$#(*

      meanwhile my friend is dumb as a rock, good thing he doesn't read digg. not sure he can even read?
    • benjihad, on 10/12/2007, -4/+27Brainiac is the name of a television show.
      RTFA, or in this case WTFV. What does youtube have to do with commenting on links you haven't clicked?
      when you belittle your friend, it makes you look like an *****.
    • Simen, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10@Desolite:

      ...not sure you can even write?
    • Jrr6415sun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1my friend also wins every time, this video is inaccurate, maybe there is a little yellow box, but you can still win everytime.
    • jesseroo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1this is definitley innaccurate...at least it varies from machine to machine as to if it runs this way...there are some machines I can win multiple times in a row and there are some that I can never win (I'm addicted to these things)
    • cleverboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You guys didn't actually listen to the video did you? Of COURSE you can win everytime. You can win everytime if the "strength" of the grabber is set in such a way that it is possible to do so. You can of course, set it so that it is impossible except one those 1/10 or 1/5 tries. It depends completely on how much of a cheapskate the establishment is... or if they more than make there money on perhaps ONE try, they only need to go for 1/2. Don't pat yourselves on the back. Most people will suck even when the chips aren't stacked against them.
  • gurgle, on 10/12/2007, -3/+23that guy gets waaay too excitied bout winning a stuffed toy..
    • Nicklogan, on 10/12/2007, -5/+11Yeah but if it were to get him some action from his woman, you would too!
    • FullBleed, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Really though, after standing around like a ponce and watching saaaay 19 other suckers lose, the payout would still hardly seem worth it.
      I was hoping for a surefire way to beat the system every time.
      No diggity, no doubt.
  • yoyoyoyo, on 10/12/2007, -4/+24i highly doubt they are configured that way. it's probably more like a slot machine where it's due to pay out say .05% of the time -- not some hardcoded "pay out every 10 attempts" way.

    could you imagine if you could do the same to a slot machine and simply count the number of times before a payout?

    even if we assume that crazy "every 10 is a winner" scheme -- whose to say the person you are watching isn't a retard and screws up their attempt big time, thus rendering your stupid counting worthless.

    this is ridiculous on a number of fronts, hence, no digg.
    • Sukino, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Slot machines pay out 30% (and more) of the time in the UK. You also have the exact number (payout percentage) written on them.
    • 2damntall, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Agreed. There's definetly at least SOME skill involved, I mean if you try to grab empty space it's giving you nothing, even if it was your turn to win. Perhaps some machines don't give you any claw strength most turns (which is *****) but I don't think they all do. Reporting this as innacurate.
    • 2damntall, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@ Sukino, It's still randomized, not set up to win on the 10th try every time. I think he was pretty clear about what he was saying.
    • bkemper, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2yoyoyoyo, I agree with you. They claim to be using science to solve the problem, but if they think that a 1 in 10 chance means that it will pay out every ten times, then they have a really basic misunderstanding of probability.
    • bkemper, on 10/12/2007, -0/+22damntall, they certainly did seem to be saying that if those were the odds, then all you had to do was wait around for the 10th time for it to win. So if it is randomized (a rational expectation), then that strategy is idiotic. If the odds are 1 in 10, then they are 1 in 10 every time you play it; they do not increase with the number of losses prior to 10 plays.
    • benjihad, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I don't know why this is up for debate... you saw the video, you saw the method they used to determine when the machine will hit (not 1 in ten, but on each tenth try). how can you report this as inaccurate? that is the way that the machines in the video work. That's how they work, that's how you win a prize. that's it.
  • captainordo, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Aw I thought this was about the band :(
  • ahhell, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7"YOU can do it. Try again!!"

    Urge to smash rising.....
  • Desolite, on 10/12/2007, -7/+5i wish people would post stuff on google video. my filters at work block youtube but allow google video :-/
  • xrisnothing, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I prefer the winner every time versions, even if all I win is a plastic ring and some tootsie rolls.
  • PrometheuZ, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4If I wanted one that badly I'd sooner smash the window in with a sledgehammer, grab an armful and bolt like a mofo.
  • xrisnothing, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10http://thelobsterzone.com/

    is the coolest crane game ever
  • MyKill0310, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I don't buy it. I think that there is still some skill involved. If the conditions are right (The machine is not newly packed, not too empty, and the prizes are loose enough for the claw to grab them), then you can win more than once every xx times. I have won a couple times in a row or 3 out of 5 times, so I really don't think that it is scheduled to pay out at certain increments. If it is on a schedule, then skill can beat the machine.
    • whoatemydigg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2You dont buy the fact that the vender has the ability to rig the machines so that the odds are not in your favor?
  • Grimdotdotdot, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4Brainiac is great =]
  • wiredfu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2There's different type of crane games, of course. My favorites are the one's that allow you to drag the claw along the prizes before grabbing 'em and pulling out - I've left the arcade with plenty of plush animals with those. The other, drop and grab ones are a bit trickier, but even then I've done two to three prizes at a time. I seriously doubt I've ever dealt with one set to a specific frequency.
  • xrisnothing, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Sorry to be a post whore, but I think this NPR article is worth a listen. It's an interview with a crane game "expert."

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5061866
    • rayt5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I can't help but notice that it never says how much money this guy spends to get 10-20 stuffed animals in one day. For all we know he could actually only be winning 1 in 5, or even 1 in 10 times.
  • cheesegod, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Well, maybe they use some crazy crane game like that in the UK, but the one at the place I work has no such setting. There are settings to set up "free play" or "play until you win" and cost and such, but nothing like that. There are no knobs like that either. Just a series of 30 dip switches and a chart.
    I will tell you though, the prizes in the game, according to the guy that restocks it for us, cost less than a dollar each already since they buy them by the trucks full. Also from my own observation some people will put 5 dollars in there and not win once, and other will win every time. It is a game of strategy and, yes, some luck.
  • NycterisA, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Maybe some are rigged that way, but certainly not all. I've won more than once in a row before.
  • FrenchMaidTV, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Might have been nice to see them smash the glass and fill the van full of toys.
    • logic7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0yeah, that would have been the expected Brainiac scientific approach :)
  • olddirtycr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think it might just be those big clunkers that do it, (those ar ethe kind i see at amusement parks usually)
  • TrooperKal, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0My wife is really good at skill cranes. I'd say she has an 85 - 90% success rate.
  • steal_apps01, on 10/12/2007, -8/+5Brainiac is a british show that's on (g4)TechTV in Canada.

    It's still called TechTV because the US sucks bush's nuts all day.
    • Racerboy1320, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4Wow, thank you for that completely and utterly uneducated and unsophisticated comment. Not only did you not contribute anything at all to the discussion but you succeeded in making yourself sound like a complete and utter *****. Bush's approval rating is below 30% so no, not all of us "suck bush's nuts all day". You sir, are the decay of modern society.
  • battleroyalex, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2No offense but I doubt i would wait at a machine like that for 2 hours just to win
  • manoftheisland, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4i would just open it and mess with the yellow box lol
  • MSX2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Counting the numbers of wins and loses is a flawed logic. What happens if someone comes over and plays it and wins? You don't know if the person is skilled or not in the claw game. It could just be some random person that plays the claw game all the time and is an expert at playing it. I always new there was a control box to try to rig the game =) anyways good to know what's inside the machine.
  • mlvassallo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5 I know my word is nothing on the internets, but I can win a crane game every time I CHOOSE to play. It is kind of a parlor tick I do. The secret is opportunity. I don't make a claim like "I can win any crane game" but I do notice if the restaurant/bar/arcade has a crane game if if any of the "prizes" are attainable.

    Sometimes the toys are set at an angle where all you need to do is nudge them and physics does the rest- If I notice this then I know I can start playing up my "skills". It really impresses people because everybody thinks it is a scam and nobody wins.

    It is really like pool hustling.
  • afx1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Most...helpful...digg...ever!
  • mike667, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2holy *****!
  • Blueshrike, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I was with my girlfriend at a movie theater, didn't know how the machine was set up... like others thought that it was mostly skill. There was an actual Beanie Baby with tag in the machine, and so of course I go for it. Let's see, Beanie, or faux leather frog? Hmm...

    The best thing is I actually handed my girlfriend the Beanie when it dropped into the chute! Haven't played since... and after watching this, probably never will.
  • MrBabyMan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Can't you just save time and money and go down to the drugstore and buy a damned stuffed bear?!
    • missflibbles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's not about the bear! It's about the feeling of success you get every time you win, so you can say, "Man, one. Machine, zero."
  • backdoc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2OK. This is just too funny. It conjurs up images of the episode of SpongeBob where everytime SpongeBob puts a quater in, he wins. Squidward scoffs at the game at first, but later gets addicted because he can't win anything. I guess you have to have kids to enjoy that.

    I've been telling my 8 year old that those things were gimmicks forever. I can't wait to show him this video.
  • xdjyoshx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1You know what, my daughter always makes me play this (she's two). I won a tweety bird last night in fact from this game. I can't see the video (i'm at work) but i always thought it only really grabs every X number of tries. Most times it just goes down limp and never grabs anything.

    I'll have to see this video to see if there is anything useful.
  • richbradshaw, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I love yellow boxes.
  • joeym, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I can vouch for the fact that these machines do have such a "payout" setting. I work at a movie theatre and would be more than happy tp snap a picture of the controls from one if there's an interest.
  • scride773, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2AHhh!!! i knew it was rigged
  • gunner2398, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2As a long time crane player (playing when I was a kid, and playing now for my kids) I can tell you that there are some crane games that are impossible to win at. The claw will not hold the prize no matter how well you line it up. You can tell the first time you play whether you have a good machine or not. And the absolute best time to play is right after the machine is filled. As the machine empties the harder it gets.

    Good luck.
    • josegutz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I loved the face on that guy when he thought he had it all figured out just to lose the grip on the fluffy white tiger... Ahhh dread.
  • MKEmodz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1although im sure there is some rigging going on...i have seen my dad litterally clean out a machine at a walmart during christmas time- we walked out with a cartfull of those damned stuffed animals. we have them all in bags in storage- about 3 big garbage bags full.

    and yeah, some of the machines are rigged to only win every 10 or so times, but they are clearly seen with how loose the claw mechanism is.
    • joquarky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Instead of letting them collect dust in storage, consider racking up some good karma and handing them out at a hospital or donating them to one of those toy drives next xmas =)

  • josegutz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I want to win that sexy brunette girl as the prize... Put her in that machine...
    • missflibbles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yeah, and possibly claw her eyes out only to drop her? Sexy brunette girls generally don't like that.
  • razicop, on 04/19/2008, -0/+1i tried this Crane Game, its very interesting game...cooooool
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