Lo Tec's in pubs? Argue here !

**kidgloves** · 19th March 2005, 12:37 PM

Right. I for one as most of you know am a bit of a lo tec player. I want to know why there is no call for lo tecs in pubs. My view is that hi tecs for the most part have been avoided by the casual player because of dire profiles and emptiers/manipulators leaving them with a next to no value game. When I say casual player I mean someone who really does have no concept on how to play..i.e it's a novelty and exciting just watching the reels spin and hoping to get some sort of action. These players are few and far between because of many reasons...one of which could be that Hi tecs simply look too complicated..get a feature and have no idea what it is...something like reel roulette might sound bad to us, but to a non player, they have no idea whether it's good or bad...they have no concept that if playing a Bell Fruit they'll get shafted at £3 or so..these kind of players are looking for a quick burst of action, perhaps some profit if lucky. Imagine a pub installs a Bar x 7 or Magic 10. Lots of you will pipe up that the take on these can be much more brutal before any win is shown, but the potential is there to be say £30 up in next to no time off a couple of quid..more potential in my view than hi tecs. The problem of manipulators and emptiers is not disregarded, but is greatly reduced. The punter with a few quid can play with confidence not having to worry about some complicated board setup (to them at least).
Lots of you will say that it's just plain boring playing a Lo Tec, I have to agree if you are playing (stuck) for any length of time on one, there is a certain mindset required to play one, it seems to do fine in American Casinos.
Turnover should be quicker as the very nature of the game doesn't require mind boggling staring at feature boards wondering what to do next. I just don't understand why it's never even been tried. I know the players amongst us will be up in arms about this, citing stuff like "look at arcades today....90% lotec 10% hitec" that's where the profit for them is...well that is true and I don't see why pubs could benefit just as well. Do your worst to argue me off this point, I'm sure one of the more realistic facts is some deal is yet to be struck with Electocoin and co to site in pubs. At the most basic level it's just not offering the choice at least...you wouldn't walk into a fish and chip shop that only sells chips would you?

**Scott** · 19th March 2005, 01:07 PM

Lo-tec in pubs?! Definatly has a 'No' vote from me.. they are boring as fuck and as they have no baord etc can be really hard to read.. How can you tell a machine is ready if it only has two possible wins?

Well not two I know lots have many fruits but was using the golden game/party time one as an example sort of..

**fray** · 19th March 2005, 01:41 PM

would hate to see it, but does happen sometimes here - i assume to dumb down for the casual punter as you say

however it destroys any concept of amusement for me (no features and only 2-3 wins), and lo-tecs get manipulated just like hi-tecs don't they?

Plus as lo-tecs streak for higher amounts over fewer credits (I think - never actually played 1), surely these would have longer 'dead' spells than most hi-tecs? Do lo-tecs only have suck and pay modes - nothing inbtween, so to speak? Again, I'd say not very entertaining for casual players, and even a dead hi-tec could offer a feature board (even if it is only a few spins on the board).

I think most people who play hi-tecs nowadays know the score with them, you see very very few people with absolutely no idea, so I think the concept of 'a confusing feature board' is rather a trite point

Maybe also the stigma attached to lo-tecs and the granny/blue rinse brigade stops them from being introduced

**levartemit** · 19th March 2005, 03:50 PM

I have to agree with Scott, Lo Techs are so boring that if Hi Techs were replaced by them, I wouldnt play machines any more. No skill, no thinking, just press, watch the reels not win again, zzzzzzz. Keep hi techs where they are and leave lo techs for the shark grannies in arcades.

**jglenny** · 19th March 2005, 04:02 PM

I think your casual player will prefer hi-tecs as they find them more interesting, even though they don't know how to play them.

**deejaybee** · 19th March 2005, 04:15 PM

Personally i cant stand lo-tecs ( apart from early chip GGs

) i do occasionally put a few quid in a lo-tec, just hoping for a quick hit....rarely happens.

However, i think it would be an interesting experiment if one of the big pub chains such as JDW put some lo-tecs in their outlets alongside the existing hi-tecs. Market forces ( THE CASHBOX !!!! ) would decide one way or another if it was a successful experiment or not.

**Scott** · 19th March 2005, 04:56 PM

I cant see why anyone who would prefer a lo-tec to a hi-tec eh... Granted some machines features boards are too complex but the majority are straight forward hi/lo progression or wrap around trails with many hybrids inbetween the two...

Hell.. most the lo-tecs even have auto play?!?! Stick in £20 and press auto play... fun fun fun.. *yawn*