18 replies to this topic

[fuzion]

Here is a picture of a fairly rare machine by JPM, well rare by todays standards.  I took this many years ago, it's switched on so there is a slight issue with lit bulbs, but shouldn't pose too much of a problem to sort out.

 

J

Attached Files

•  POPEYE & OLIVE.JPG   277.44KB   2 downloads

[fuzion]

I think the hidden wording in the middle flash actually says 'HELD' it's part of the feature repeat game.

 

J

[vectra666]

looks very similar to the red hot roll series as in the feature part, one I've never played in my youth do we have running roms????

[fuzion]

There is a jpemu layout if you search the downloads section, there should be anyway.

J
It's nothing like red hot roll, game mechanics wise.

J

[fruitman69]

As far as I know it failed test and never went to production so only a few were ever produced.

 

I was a pretty poor game ( profile wise ) and I wasn't surprised it failed.

[fuzion]

I don't think this was a failed test machine, might not have been very popular but there were at least 5 in my little seaside town and also I've seen at least 5 in Blackpool back in the day.  This also received a critical software update and an £8 upgrade, in fact there was also a £10 all cash version released also at some point, maybe 1997?  

 

I agree, the profile was flat to be honest, no main streak etc, often it would repeat on the main feature but apart from that there wasn't a lot going on unless it had had a few quid pumped into it.

 

J

[TommyC]

Seen these on £8 tokens in blackpool nack in the 90s, rubbish on all stakes

[stevedude2]

Saw a few of them around the Bingo Halls back in the day, along with a couple of other lo-tech games in distinctive brightly-coloured cabinets - JPM's foray into the Bingo market it seemed to me at the time.  There was one in the arcade I used to work in but it got converted into a Football Fever (Empire Games).  Wish I'd kept the glasses but hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?

 

Cheers for the pics - hopefully someone can use them, maybe even do a redraw as the artwork is quite simple with a minimal number of lamps...

[fuzion]

I might be able to get a better pic.   

 

J

[fuzion]

The only Empire machine I did like was Ghost Train, I don't know what it is about Empire but I find their machines plain boring.

 

J

[pbb]

Reservoir Frogs by Empire played a good game, could make decent money from them, especially the ones on Blackpool Pleasure Beach a few years ago.

[fuzion]

Was there a playing method?   That's what I didn't like about Empire games, they just had terrible profiles, well machine from late 90's etc.

 

J

[stevedude2]

I was at Empire when they did Reservoir Frogs.  It was my idea to put the Rise and Fall cheat in, where you hit it on 0.00 and it gives the jackpot.  Quite a playable game and one of my favourites.  Korma Chameleon was also a good game if you played it cautiously.

[fuzion]

You worked at Empire Steve?   I did not know that.    What did you think about there machines and profiles?  Was you a games designer?

 

We have an early version of Bank Raid, v0.1.

 

J

[ady]

Yeah I played then in Nobles too a few years back too.

 

Never sussed the 'nudge' trick 'till i'd spent loads (Hold 2 button's on the 1 nudge).

[TommyC]

I have a bottom glass pics for reservoir frogs. The pics of the top glass were not good enough so I deleted em off camera. So if anyone has pics of top glass post em up then we can have a dx for it.

[andy-1]

There is a reservoir frogs in les harkers arcade in Rhyl (or was when i was there) not sure if he wouls allow us to take pics of it though.

[stevedude2]

You worked at Empire Steve?   I did not know that.    What did you think about there machines and profiles?  Was you a games designer?

 

We have an early version of Bank Raid, v0.1.

 

J

Yeah worked there for about a year.  Had a great time to be fair, really good bunch of guys.  Wasn't a game designer as such at that point, just play-tested the games for balance and feel, and chipped in with ideas, wrote game specifications and so on and learnt as much as I could.  I did have game ideas but it was hard for them to risk doing one because being a small company they couldn't really afford for a game not to work - everything had to sell.  They've done some good games over the years, although a lot of the profiles on them are very samey.  Some of the games were very fair and didn't have the rigid blocks on them that other manufacturers' games did.  If you were clever and had a bit of luck you could pinch a few extra quid on them that you didn't expect.  For a small company like Empire to still be in business today I think says a lot.  They had a lot of success with Clockwork Oranges and similar games.

[fuzion]

Yes, fairplay. I wasn't simply a punter I liked to play for profit and they didn't seem to offer player edge. Also a small company like that can't afford to take risks, hell not even big companies can in this day and age. End of the day they need a tried and tested formula.

Cheers

J