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Interactive


GAMES DEVELOPMENT - NARRATIVE ELEMENTS


Could you explain how your products take the player on a journey and provide additional entertainment value beyond ‘gambling?’ How does that in turn provide value for the client?


We view slots as an entertainment form just like any other in that players expect a certain value when they put any amount of money into it. With a movie, viewers may expect two hours of entertainment from £15, whereas with a slot game they have different expectations based on how the game works.


Te value in slots comes from the potential for winnings and the perceived entertainment value. Using the same example, a movie ends when the credits end. A slot game ends when a player collects. Te player has more say in slots than in any other narrative form with regard to when the experience begins and ends. In this way, the player uniquely determines the value of a slot, both for himself and for the creator. When a story is compelling enough, players will enjoy the game more often and enhance the value to the operator. Players will stay engaged if the story consistently delivers.


How do these techniques compare with the more traditional ways of telling a story? So how does the structure of a game’s story follow from that of a novel or short story? How is it different?


When you think of a story as an arc, with an introduction, a build, a climax and a resolution, with many smaller versions of the same within, it doesn’t necessarily compare well to a slot game. A novel or a short story is more predictable in that it has a start, a middle and an end. A slot is more like a roller coaster, but the player decides when to board and when to depart. Say a player hits a bonus in Heidi’s Bier Haus® game, earning 10 free spins. Te beer overflows, the drinking song’s volume rapidly increases, and the player taps his foot to the beat. A few winning spins may hit, maximizing the fun. Te free spins could end with a big win and a rush of animated coins on screen. Te player, excited by that win, chooses to exit the game while ahead. A player can win big, but what happens next is triggered only by that player’s choice. If he spins right after that big bonus round, it could bring another win or a


Suspense plays a huge role in slots. We’ve mentioned it a few times already by way of anticipation. Every time the reels spin, the player is left in suspense as they stop, one- by-one-by-one, until that final column falls into place.


P66 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / 247.COM


loss. Te heart of each game is the anticipation that accompanies each spin. Te potential for a big win or bonus round becomes a key element of the narrative.


Do designers use more traditional storytelling techniques such as suspense and character to tell a story in your products?


Suspense plays a huge role in slots. We’ve mentioned it a few times already by way of anticipation. Every time the reels spin, the player is left in suspense as they stop, one-by- one-by-one, until that final column falls into place. We build games with this in mind, allowing for anticipatory sounds or artwork when the potential for a win comes into play. Contributing to the narrative rounds out the experience for the player and builds the suspense.


Te main character in a slot is always the player.


Tey’re the one in control of the narrative. Tey’re the one experiencing the events within the game. It’s a unique format in that way. Te story is built around the capabilities of the player to spin, bet and win.


Beyond the incentive of wanting to win the jackpot, how does game narrative sustain interest? Do players want to reach the end of the adventure to see it through and does this work particularly well with programmes and films where the audience already has an idea as to the objective?


Every player has a different motivation when playing a slot, just as every reader may have a different reason for choosing a particular book. We see that players like to be immersed in a theme and experience all that it has to offer— the bonuses, the random features and the aesthetics. Of course, it’s probably safe to assume that players want to win big as well.


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