THE FUTURE OF…
standard reel action; there needs to be that little something extra to entice players onto the reels. We’re seeing new and inventive reel techniques that are available from the moment you press spin, such as IGT’s Multi-Way Xtra system, which pays out increasing multipliers based on permutations of combinations on the reels. WMS’s Spinning Streak and Net Entertainment’s Sticky Win mechanisms allow players to re-spin individual stop spaces after any winning spin, allowing them to expand small winning combinations into bigger ones. There may be only so much that development houses can do with standard reel arrangements, but they’re certainly pulling out every trick they can possibly think of to push this format to its limits.
SPINNING THE FUTURE
player arcade racer, designed no doubt to pin them deep down into the reel action. Of course, such techniques will not translate to the online stage, but with the arrival of products such as Google Glass, one has to wonder how long we will have to wait before we see 3D-augmented reality slot machines, where players can sit inside spherical banks of reels. This could well lead to new reel mechanisms. For instance, special features could offer players the ability to swap symbols from opposite sides of the base-game grid. However, once all slots have been preened with a high gloss, pristine front end, there’s still the question of back-end innovation to set your good looking game ahead of the rest of the cool pack. One of the most exciting developments we’ve seen in the industry in recent months features on the Gamesys title Secrets of the Phoenix. To all intents and purposes this appears to be a clone of Gonzo’s Quest, borrowing both reel art themes and game-play mechanisms from the popular Net Entertainment title. What it does have that sets it apart from other slots is a plug in sub-game that players can play on a daily basis, picking up free spins and cash prizes. While this Secrets of the Phoenix add-on might not seem that exciting, when one extrapolates the impact it could potentially have on the industry, the implications are enormous. Consider how such a sub- game could be engineered to fit onto Facebook, tying together the world of social media and slot machines in a much more subtle manner than the brute force imposition of straight casino style interfaces on this resistant audience. One only needs a modicum of imagination to visualise the possibilities of games with sub-mechanisms that exist outside of the online casino environments. This is an area that’s the industry is only just beginning to touch upon - no doubt we will see several attempts via scratch-card style instant win tickets before someone comes up with a best selling concept in this fledgling arena. One thing that the slots industry is definitely picking up on is the need for more excitement in online slot games. Developers simply can’t rely on players becoming beguiled by the chance of hitting a second screen feature or a free spin round after
What could we expect slot machines to look like in the more distant future? With the advances of technology and the huge amount of processing power now available to casino games, there is no top - end to the range of visual and audio effects that will become available to developers. Back-end-wise it’s possible to envisage games that don’t even look like conventional slots but still use random number generators to control a player’s outcomes. We’ve already seen virtual dog and horse racing games based on this technology and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t see other sporting contests such as football matches or golf tournaments appear in similar fashion. This could even be expanded to model a pop band’s career and record sales or an army’s performance in the theatre of war, with players receiving payouts for their performance. Taking slots into the realm of absolute blue sky thinking is more difficult but not impossible. As humanity obtains the secrets of the human mind, slot manufacturers could create games that tap into your memories to create the ideal theme based around the best moments of your childhood. This could create a truly addictive gaming experience that literally played back the most happy and emotionally positive moments of your life as you hit wins on the reels. Taking this a step further, these games could even work to show you what your life could have been like if you’d made different choices along the passage of time. The visual processing units could create new realities based on random number generators that show you what you could have been if you’d only have managed to take that brave, bold gamble in the past. This could in turn be wired back into the sensory part of your brain so you could actually feel the experience as well as viewing it. One thing we can be sure of is that the slot machine won’t be disappearing any time soon. The fact that it’s now been one of the world’s favourite gambling games for nearly 150 years and is still as popular now as it ever has been is a huge testament to its success. Whatever formats the industry creates in the future, one bet that you will definitely win is that slots will certainly feature in some form or another in casinos a hundred years from now.
JUNE 2013 57
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