Pin Games Question(s)

[watzshakinbacon]

Hello! I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask these questions, so please remove if I'm wrong.

So.. for pin games, I'm starting to understand how most of them work (like pick spots, random order, extra/ grand prizes, etc), but I have some other kind of questions:

• Why do people host these games? It seems that the pay-to-play cost is much less than the value of the pins?
• Does anyone ever "lose" in these games?
• What happens if all the slots are not filled?

Ok, I think that's it for now. Thanks in advance!

 

[jprincess]

Hello! So I don't know all the answers to your question. But hopefully someone else will tag along and complete anything I wasn't able to answer.

*I think with some games people have the opportunity to get special limited edition pins that maybe they have really been wanting. I think part of it is just for fun for others. Also for people who don't live near the parks-this is a way they can get some LE pins. I think if someone lives super close to the park then yeah probably isn't cheaper at all. So in those cases the reasoning can vary from person to person. Sometimes the value of the pin isn't so much how much it originally cost but the value that person puts on that pin.

* I have seen games that didn't fill up completely so it never happened. However maybe there are situations where the person cuts back the number of spots. I've also seen it where someone combined some prizes-I think possibly to maybe boost the number of entries. I think once again this is situation by situation. I've even seen games that had 0 spots filled. So it's pretty crazy how one game can do so well while another doesn't.

*I don't believe anyone loses? But don't quote me on that. I've never done an actual game. Just watched. Because for me it's cheaper to just go to the parks than to play the pin games. If I had more money then maybe I would try it out. lol from the way it looks it seems that each person wins something. But some prices are nicer than others. But that's why people have to pick in order.

However once again I'm not 100% on that. So maybe sometimes people lose. I don't think so though. A more experience forum member could probably answer that for you.

I hope this somewhat helps!

I think pin games really are just something fun people enjoy. Why do people spend $12 or more to go to a movie? When they could rent it a few months later for a few dollars? I think it's a similar concept. Sometimes people pay a bit more for the fun of the experience. That's my guess at least.


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[Purplemandms]

I can help a little bit!

1) For sellers, games are generally a very quick way of unloading a lot of pins from their collection. They may not get the maximum value for each pin, but most of the time end up breaking-even at the least. And it saves a lot of time and effort from having to sell them all individually.

2) Not from any game I've seen! Generally everyone who plays gets a pin or other kind of consolation prize, and no one leaves empty handed.

3) If all the slots are not filled, generally the maker of the game will either add different incentives, lower the cost of each spot, add another grand prize, etc. until all the spots are filled. Worse case scenario though, the game just closes. In this instance, it's no-harm-no-foul since payments from the players are usually not due until all the spots are filled.

I hope this helps!


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[watzshakinbacon]

I can help a little bit!

1) For sellers, games are generally a very quick way of unloading a lot of pins from their collection. They may not get the maximum value for each pin, but most of the time end up breaking-even at the least. And it saves a lot of time and effort from having to sell them all individually.

2) Not from any game I've seen! Generally everyone who plays gets a pin or other kind of consolation prize, and no one leaves empty handed.

3) If all the slots are not filled, generally the maker of the game will either add different incentives, lower the cost of each spot, add another grand prize, etc. until all the spots are filled. Worse case scenario though, the game just closes. In this instance, it's no-harm-no-foul since payments from the players are usually not due until all the spots are filled.

I hope this helps!


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Thank you! That definitely does help me understand a bit more from the seller's perspective. I guess I haven't had a need to "unload" pins yet.. cuz I am new and have a small/growing collection haha

 

[watzshakinbacon]

Hello! So I don't know all the answers to your question. But hopefully someone else will tag along and complete anything I wasn't able to answer.

*I think with some games people have the opportunity to get special limited edition pins that maybe they have really been wanting. I think part of it is just for fun for others. Also for people who don't live near the parks-this is a way they can get some LE pins. I think if someone lives super close to the park then yeah probably isn't cheaper at all. So in those cases the reasoning can vary from person to person. Sometimes the value of the pin isn't so much how much it originally cost but the value that person puts on that pin.

* I have seen games that didn't fill up completely so it never happened. However maybe there are situations where the person cuts back the number of spots. I've also seen it where someone combined some prizes-I think possibly to maybe boost the number of entries. I think once again this is situation by situation. I've even seen games that had 0 spots filled. So it's pretty crazy how one game can do so well while another doesn't.

*I don't believe anyone loses? But don't quote me on that. I've never done an actual game. Just watched. Because for me it's cheaper to just go to the parks than to play the pin games. If I had more money then maybe I would try it out. lol from the way it looks it seems that each person wins something. But some prices are nicer than others. But that's why people have to pick in order.

However once again I'm not 100% on that. So maybe sometimes people lose. I don't think so though. A more experience forum member could probably answer that for you.

I hope this somewhat helps!

I think pin games really are just something fun people enjoy. Why do people spend $12 or more to go to a movie? When they could rent it a few months later for a few dollars? I think it's a similar concept. Sometimes people pay a bit more for the fun of the experience. That's my guess at least.


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Thanks for the reply. I think what you say about LE pins totally makes sense. I live in SoCal, but I don't have an annual to go to DLR all the time. Also, I agree that the pin games seem pretty fun. I'm definitely interested in playing in one some time!

 

[MerlinEmrys]

Purplemandms pretty much hit is on the head. I've always considered it as a way to quickly "sell" a lot of pins in one swoop without the legwork of getting buyers individually. As for "winning" and "losing," there's never any sort of outright loss. Sure, you may pull a really low number (which has been my luck most of the time, hahah!) so you might not get something that's worth much more than your entry price, but it's typically an improvement. It's your task to choose if a game is "worth it" for you or not. I always count how many pins I would actually be happy getting (either for my collection or for traders) and if the number is more than half, I typically enter. But if there's just one or two pins you're gunning for, it might be better to sit it out. But again, it's all up to you.

~Merlin

 

[bookhugger]

I'll try to answer as I have played in a few games and won one too.

When I first came into DPF and played games, I noticed that there used to be a grand prize or two which usually consisted of pins worth several hundred dollars (I know that one pin game I won the grand prize of Ariel pins and eventually sold the pins to pay for some things I needed).

Then, those games had a reasonable per spot game price and the other prizes weren't worth quite as much as the buy in (to even out the price of the spots for the grand prize).

Now, it seems like the grand prize is gone and that each of the spots have pins worth the buy in price - either retail or resale value.

It's a good way for sellers to get rid of many pins at once, rather than selling individually. It also seems like a good way to get one's money back (seller that is) quicker.

Does anyone ever lose? I guess it depends on how you look at it. Everyone gets a prize (yay!) But depending on what number you come up in the randomizer, you might not get the pin you want. But you usually do get a pin worth the cost of the entry so you'll have a good trader.

If slots aren't filled, the game runner can cancel the game, add more prizes to choose from, lower the number of spots.

 

[watzshakinbacon]

Purplemandms pretty much hit is on the head. I've always considered it as a way to quickly "sell" a lot of pins in one swoop without the legwork of getting buyers individually. As for "winning" and "losing," there's never any sort of outright loss. Sure, you may pull a really low number (which has been my luck most of the time, hahah!) so you might not get something that's worth much more than your entry price, but it's typically an improvement. It's your task to choose if a game is "worth it" for you or not. I always count how many pins I would actually be happy getting (either for my collection or for traders) and if the number is more than half, I typically enter. But if there's just one or two pins you're gunning for, it might be better to sit it out. But again, it's all up to you.

~Merlin

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Merlin! I feel like one of the cool kids just talked to me haha I think that's a good way of looking at it: it does make sense if you actually like more than half the pins, then you get like at least 50% (math?) chance of getting something you like/ wouldn't mind.

 

[watzshakinbacon]

I'll try to answer as I have played in a few games and won one too.

When I first came into DPF and played games, I noticed that there used to be a grand prize or two which usually consisted of pins worth several hundred dollars (I know that one pin game I won the grand prize of Ariel pins and eventually sold the pins to pay for some things I needed).

Then, those games had a reasonable per spot game price and the other prizes weren't worth quite as much as the buy in (to even out the price of the spots for the grand prize).

Now, it seems like the grand prize is gone and that each of the spots have pins worth the buy in price - either retail or resale value.

It's a good way for sellers to get rid of many pins at once, rather than selling individually. It also seems like a good way to get one's money back (seller that is) quicker.

Does anyone ever lose? I guess it depends on how you look at it. Everyone gets a prize (yay!) But depending on what number you come up in the randomizer, you might not get the pin you want. But you usually do get a pin worth the cost of the entry so you'll have a good trader.

If slots aren't filled, the game runner can cancel the game, add more prizes to choose from, lower the number of spots.

Thanks, Bookhugger (I like to hug books, too ! I guess it's good to know how games have evolved as well. I'm just very intrigued with the new game that was posted on the forum, and it just looks like a lot of the pins are really awesome! Not sure if it's cuz I'm new and don't know what they're worth, but I definitely wouldn't mind winning the grand prize and regular pins.

 

[Romancing_Train]

I think everyone answered this so well :O

If there's anyone new to them though and are considering playing in a game...

When I see a game I always count how many spots there are I would be happy with winning, like say a 25 spot game, and I would be okay with winning 10 of the spots, those are my odds. So for me it's not about always getting that top number...but maybe getting a number in 1-10 of 25, which isn't bad. If I only like 1-3 spots or so I don't play.

 

[starry_solo]

I think everyone answered this so well :O

If there's anyone new to them though and are considering playing in a game...

When I see a game I always count how many spots there are I would be happy with winning, like say a 25 spot game, and I would be okay with winning 10 of the spots, those are my odds. So for me it's not about always getting that top number...but maybe getting a number in 1-10 of 25, which isn't bad. If I only like 1-3 spots or so I don't play.

Agreed! I have to like at least 1/3 of the pins (although preferably 1/2). LOL.

 

[Luki]

Since I'm new, too, I'm still confused by the games

So for instance in this game...

http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?58858-Reserved-for-my-last-pin-game-of-the-month!

...is this different than how they've been described because the game holder said that players get to pick their spot? So in the comments, people buying in have selected an item already and are put in that spot and then somebody, at random, will win the grand prize?

I notice in a lot of the games, people playing say "I'll take spot # and #" (for instance)

I think I'm still confused

 

[speedwaystar1]

Since I'm new, too, I'm still confused by the games

So for instance in this game...

http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?58858-Reserved-for-my-last-pin-game-of-the-month!

...is this different than how they've been described because the game holder said that players get to pick their spot? So in the comments, people buying in have selected an item already and are put in that spot and then somebody, at random, will win the grand prize?

I notice in a lot of the games, people playing say "I'll take spot # and #" (for instance)

I think I'm still confused

No this game is the same , perhaps the wording differs slightly but the theory is the same . You're selecting the number you want in the drawing (I usually choose 5 & 9 , my birthday , for example) then when it's drawn my numbers might be drawn first or last or somewhere between , then everyone chooses in the order they were drawn .
I'd suggest looking at completed games , you might get a better sense of how the game unfolds

 

[watzshakinbacon]

Since I'm new, too, I'm still confused by the games

So for instance in this game...

http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?58858-Reserved-for-my-last-pin-game-of-the-month!

...is this different than how they've been described because the game holder said that players get to pick their spot? So in the comments, people buying in have selected an item already and are put in that spot and then somebody, at random, will win the grand prize?

I notice in a lot of the games, people playing say "I'll take spot # and #" (for instance)

I think I'm still confused

As speedwaystar1 mentioned, it's easier to understand if you look at some closed games. Sometimes, the title will be "Pick list is post #XX" and that one will show the order in which the players will pick their prizes. That order is generated through some online random order generator lol Sometimes, the game lead will post a screenshot from the actual online generator site.

In terms of the free game that tinawap is hosting (the one with the scavenger hunts), I guess we don't pick our own numbers for that one. It's just the order in which you submit your pics.

 

[Luki]

Ohhhhhh, ok, gotcha. So when they say "I choose 5 & 9" they're not choosing those prizes, but those places...almost like choosing squares in a football pool...and then the places are ordered (randomly) when the game is full and that's the order in which prizes are chosen by the participants?

I can be a bit...Goofy...sometimes

 

[watzshakinbacon]

Ohhhhhh, ok, gotcha. So when they say "I choose 5 & 9" they're not choosing those prizes, but those places...almost like choosing squares in a football pool...and then the places are ordered (randomly) when the game is full and that's the order in which prizes are chosen by the participants?

I can be a bit...Goofy...sometimes

Yup, that's correct! So when you see "Pick list is #XX" that will show the order in which people will select their prizes. Then, you'll see people actually post in the thread when it's their turn to choose a prize that is still available.

 

[Luki]

Much appreciated