Te main lesson is that a well-loved and established character like Kong can be agile. You can take the character and the franchise in different directions without shoehorning him into a single look. We've styled him for Christmas with a hat and snow on the reels, or for Halloween with bats and pumpkins. Tis flexibility allows for experimentation with different themes.
of our own Kong games, symbols can add to a trail at the top of the screen, progressing the player through milestones and unlocking new bonus features. Tis is how progress is narrated from a player's perspective.
Tese animations and transitions must be quick. Slot players don't want to wait; this isn't a single-player, narrative-driven game on a home console. Te indications of a win must be fast, showing the win amount and moving it to the pot or along the trail. However, this quick process still needs to be dynamic and satisfying.
It's not enough to just add a number to a pot; a win animation should make a fruit explode, show a large win amount, and have a corresponding sound effect. Tis short, precise process makes winning engaging rather than underwhelming.
In transforming a slot-game narrative into a visual style, what balance do you strike between decorative flair and clarity of gameplay UX?
Stylistically, everything must fit the same theme. You can't have a Beavis and Butthead style character in a ted game, as the two styles are very different. Te initial theme dictates the decorative flair. For a classic 3x3 fruit slot, there's less flair, while a game like Rise of Atlantis Legacy demands more. Each game's theme will have a specific colour and style palette. Hyper realistic graphics would not work in a traditional cartoon setting. Te game's theme, character, and inspiration naturally dictate these stylistic choices.
Balancing flair with UX clarity means avoiding a cluttered screen. Te player must easily find the spin button and other important elements. Tis balance is ironed out during the development process and testing. Form follows function. Te mechanics of the game dictate the design. For example, a
Megaways game with a top reel section will have a different design than a three-reel game. A Megaways counter is a separate element that needs to be displayed and styled. Te placement of features, like a power play button or a bonus buy section, can also dictate where characters or other elements can appear on the screen.
Can you share a prominent example of a game where character design and art elevated the storytelling?
Our Kong franchise is a great example. In one version, Kong was dressed up as an adventurer-style character. Te storytelling was elevated through small visual elements, such as Kong swinging in on a rope, being chased by a boulder, or peeking over a temple floor. Tis showed that you can take an iconic character, who is typically seen with gold chains and a Hawaiian shirt, and adapt his look and environment to match a different game theme.
Te main lesson is that a well-loved and established character like Kong can be agile. You can take the character and the franchise in different directions without shoehorning him into a single look. We've styled him for Christmas with a hat and snow on the reels, or for Halloween with bats and pumpkins. Tis flexibility allows for experimentation with different themes.
How are AI-driven and adaptive visuals helping personalised slot narratives?
We do not currently gravitate towards AI because we have a talented team of artists and mathematicians who have a proven track record of creating hit games. We are proud of our human talent. While we are monitoring advances in AI and where it may benefit our business efficiency or help us produce better games, we don't believe it's at that level yet.
133
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174
