Not true RNG/probability - manipulated to keep you hooked EDIT: I WAS WRONG

[Elcappa]

I don't think the game uses true RNG or card probability. It seems like they give you a higher chance of good cards early game, and around antes 5-6.

It reminds me of free poker online where they constantly give you way better hands than you get in real life. It also reminds me of incremental/idle games that manipulate your dopamine receptors rather than having much to the game mechanics (i think Balatro is a decent game but not as good as it 'feels').

Curious to hear whether other people think the same, or if someone has any insight on the true probabilities in the game.

[Goblin]

We have access to the source code. Just right click the executable and extract it as a zip file. It's just random.
At least you thought the game's cheating in your advantage instead of against you, I guess that's some originality.

[malogoss]

I think it's the first time I read someone saying that the game artificially makes the RNG better early game. Just hang in here, next time someone complains about the early game RNG screwing them endlessly, try to have a discussion with them. It happens regularly, like every week, you won't have to wait too long.

People see whatever pattern they want to see in true RNG, that's all. Most of the times it's used as a justification for their bad results. "Whaaaa!, I can't win because of trash RNG!". It's a good thing that this is not your perception. Because it shuts down all will to learn and to get better for those players.

Have fun playing!

[Ica]

You've probably just had a streak of lucky starts. It happens.

I've had the opposite lately. Last run I didn't see a single non-perishable joker until end of ante 3.

[Elcappa]

Glad to hear that it is indeed random then. Literally first run after the tutorial I won the entire run and unlocked Caino (legendary joker only obtained from spectral cards). Felt very much like incremental games - "wow I'm making so much progress this is great!" followed by what now feels like a grind.

[Adam Heron]

they should use Balatro in university psychology labs for cognitive bias studies. there's something magical about it.

[Dusk the Umbreon]

Originally posted by Adam Heron:

they should use Balatro in university psychology labs for cognitive bias studies. there's something magical about it.

Nah. We have endless amounts of evidence that humans CANNOT understand probability worth a damn already. :P

[HeraldOfOpera]

Originally posted by Adam Heron:

they should use Balatro in university psychology labs for cognitive bias studies. there's something magical about it.

This happens every time, with every game. It's not specific to Balatro.

[Scrub]

It's fun to make stuff up isn't it OP

[Adam Heron]

Originally posted by HeraldOfOpera:

Originally posted by Adam Heron:

they should use Balatro in university psychology labs for cognitive bias studies. there's something magical about it.

This happens every time, with every game. It's not specific to Balatro.

oh I'm well aware, but Balatro is a more tightly focused experience with constrained and well understood variables (poker hands) that would make it more suitable to controlled lab work than something else with rampant mythologising about probability like say, Monster Hunter drop rates

[HeraldOfOpera]

That said, there apparently is code to prevent certain jokers from showing up if they would be completely useless to you (eg. the Steel Joker if you don't have any steel cards)