Innovative Casino Machine Designers Thriving

Thanks to Wired for their article discussing the success of ex-arcade designers in the casino machine business. The article focuses on Larry DeMar, once the co-creator of classic arcade titles such as Robotron, Defender, and Stargate, but now producing innovative video poker games such as Multi-Strike which "..add an element of fun to machines that traditionally have been routine gambling devices." According to industry executive Joe Kaminkow, "By making a game entertaining, you can enhance the wins and soften the losses for your players. You learn to give your players good cookies - things that are fun and exciting. Good designers understand how to dole out those cookies in just the right amount." Since a top-selling game "can reap more than $1 million per month in royalties for its creator", gambling machine design is a bigger business than many might think.

Comments

slot machines aren't luck driven

[DrSkwid]

They don't run rand() to see if you win.

The patterns are pre-programmed so that the ratio of win to lose (which is legally mandated - in the UK at least, presumably other countries that issue gambling licences will have similar legislation) is constant over a particular time period.

A manufacturer can tell it's customers how much money the machine will make during it's lifetime.

The BBC has a story about it

I was asked to make an internet slot machine and was given documentation on the general principlies.