Viewpoints: What's hot in slots?

Gaming America spoke with Fiona Leung (Velvix), Dan Schrementi (Incredible Technologies), Steve Walther (AGS), Gerard Crosby (Konami), and Laura Olson-Reyes (Eclipse Gaming Systems).

Fiona Leung

Director of Game Design, Velvix

Fiona Leung has worked in game design for eight years. In her most recent role at Velvix, she leads a team of game designers and developers to create new developer titles targeting casinos in the U. S. and Asia.

Dan Schrementi

President, Games, Incredible Technologies

Dan Schrementi has been with Incredible Technologies since joining the company in 2004 as a marketing team member in the entertainment division. In 2011, Dan helped shape the company’s casino gaming initiative and has been an integral part of the division ever since. As President of Gaming, he oversees all gaming operations and drives commercial strategy.

Steve Walter

VP Game Development, AGS

With nearly 30 years of experience in the gaming industry across multiple verticals, Steve Walther has extensive expertise in product lifecycle management, casino marketing, software development and organizational behavior, and has extensive knowledge of product management, gaming operations and casino systems. He has experience in global product planning, performance analysis and strategic planning, including gathering and prioritizing customer requirements, defining overall product vision and roadmaps, and building launch strategies.

Gerard Crosby

SVP and Chief Game Product Officer, Konami

As Senior Vice President and Chief Game Product Officer of Konami Gaming, Inc. and its sister company, Konami Australia Pty Ltd., Gerard Crosby has nearly 30 years of experience developing and delivering casino gaming entertainment in various global markets.

Laura Olson-Reyes

SVP of Marketing, Eclipse Gaming Systems

Prior to joining Eclipse Gaming, Laura Olson-Reyes was VP of Marketing and Corporate Communications at AGS and prior to that was Executive Director of Community and Corporate Communications at Scientific Games (now Light & Wonder). She has been a recipient of the Great Women of Gaming - Proven Leader award, was named a "Woman to Watch" by Vegas Inc. and received the Communicator of the Year at the Women Worlds awards.

1. When designing a new slot game, what do you prioritize first?

Fiona Leon: When it comes to designing a new host game, there are multiple priority items in the front of the list: eas y-t o-understand, proven games mechanics, themes and stories. In the first minute after entering the bass game, you should be able to understand what you are chasing in the game. Game mechanics helps to understand why successful games attract players. Rather than imitating, look at what is going well and understand how to further improve your player experience. Better pectables, volatility adjustments, a wide range of prizes, and an increase in free spin activity. The theme alone is not enough for a new game to succeed. Mechanics and themes need to complement each other. The story of the game makes sense and persuasive.

Dan Schrementi: The top priority of all reception designs is consolidated in a word. The best game is to aim for a specific goal behind every aspect of the design. In order to succeed, such as important features that make up games, such as game mathematics, functional design, branding, and players price setting, you need to match all the clear players. A game that succeeded in taking this subtle balance is the trend setter that redefined the industry. Incredible Technologies adopts a new game design method that focuses on "why" before running the project.

Steve Walther: When we design the game, we focus on creating things that are relevant and resonated with the player's heart so that players have fun experiences. Such experiences will attract the player's interests and lead to casino customers.

Gerald Crosby: Our goal is to create powerful entertainment. Our parent company Konami Group Co., Ltd. has a deep roots in video games and arcade games. From this way of thinking and development attitudes, we are designed a new slot game. The new creative design must be fun, fun, and worthwhile. By giving priority to entertainment, we are the driving force to explore new game mechanics, attractive graphics, unique characters, and powerful mathematics that players and operators need.

Laura Olso n-Raise: Our top priority is to make the players enjoy the game. We consider mathematical models, bonus functions, and game mechanics, allowing them to provide games with highly player engagement. I also see how the game conforms to our current portfolio. We don't currently have the functions and game mechanics that players are looking for, although we are not currently there. Finally, we will check the market in which the game is developing the business to confirm that the game is the same as the market player's demands.

2. What has changed most in slot cabinets in the last few years?

Fiona Leung: It's the easiest to list some changes through the development of the new cabinet. For example, mechanical wheels that change to virtual wheels, hig h-definition displays (3D and 4D), physical size and dimensions of cabinets, connection between cabinets. Progress of player tracking system. And the expansion reality.

Dan Schrementi: In the slot cabinet, there was a time when I was a competition for what I called "obvious technology." This includes things from single channel audio to mult i-channel, standard image quality video to HD, and 4K. Such a competition is now over, and the housing is not noticeable simply by adding technology. From the gamer's eyes, all new cabinets are good. After COVID, the most changed cabinet release is that the industry has been focusing on simple cabinets equipped with excellent software. Hardware is attracting attention, but software is an industry fuel. Cabinet hardware certainly requires more innovation, but the trend is not an extreme cabinet design, but focuses on more important play.

Steve Walcer: The improvement of lon g-standing methodology and design skills has led to a better promotion of attractive games and content. We use new technologies such as LED lighting, hig h-quality sound system, and powerful 4K graphics to attract players and provide a richer game experience. < SPAN> Laura Olso n-Raise: Our top priority is to make the players enjoy the game. We consider mathematical models, bonus functions, and game mechanics, allowing them to provide games with highly player engagement. I also see how the game conforms to our current portfolio. We don't currently have the functions and game mechanics that players are looking for, although we are not currently there. Finally, we will check the market in which the game is developing the business to confirm that the game is the same as the market player's demands.

2. What has changed most in slot cabinets in the last few years?

Fiona Leung: It's the easiest to list some changes through the development of the new cabinet. For example, mechanical wheels that change to virtual wheels, hig h-definition displays (3D and 4D), physical size and dimensions of cabinets, connection between cabinets. Progress of player tracking system. And the expansion reality.

Dan Schrementi: In the slot cabinet, there was a time when I was a competition for what I called "obvious technology." This includes things from single channel audio to mult i-channel, standard image quality video to HD, and 4K. Such a competition is now over, and the housing is not noticeable simply by adding technology. From the gamer's eyes, all new cabinets are good. After COVID, the most changed cabinet release is that the industry has been focusing on simple cabinets equipped with excellent software. Hardware is attracting attention, but software is an industry fuel. Cabinet hardware certainly requires more innovation, but the trend is not an extreme cabinet design, but focuses on more important play.

Steve Walcer: The improvement of lon g-standing methodology and design skills has led to a better promotion of attractive games and content. We use new technologies such as LED lighting, hig h-quality sound system, and powerful 4K graphics to attract players and provide a richer game experience. Laura Olso n-Raise: Our top priority is to make the players enjoy the game. We consider mathematical models, bonus functions, and game mechanics, allowing them to provide games with highly player engagement. I also see how the game conforms to our current portfolio. We don't currently have the functions and game mechanics that players are looking for, although we are not currently there. Finally, we will check the market in which the game is developing the business to confirm that the game is the same as the market player's demands.

2. What has changed most in slot cabinets in the last few years?

Fiona Leung: I think it's the easiest to give some changes seen through the development of new cabinets. For example, mechanical wheels that change to virtual wheels, hig h-definition displays (3D and 4D), physical size and dimensions of cabinets, connection between cabinets. Progress of player tracking system. And the expansion reality.

Dan Schrementi: In the slot cabinet, there was a time when I was a competition for what I called "obvious technology." This includes things from single channel audio to mult i-channel, standard image quality video to HD, and 4K. Such a competition is now over, and the housing is not noticeable simply by adding technology. From the gamer's eyes, all new cabinets are good. After COVID, the most changed cabinet release is that the industry has been focusing on simple cabinets equipped with excellent software. Hardware is attracting attention, but software is an industry fuel. Cabinet hardware certainly requires more innovation, but the trend is not an extreme cabinet design, but focuses on more important play.

Steve Walcer: The improvement of lon g-standing methodology and design skills has led to a better promotion of attractive games and content. We use new technologies such as LED lighting, hig h-quality sound system, and powerful 4K graphics to attract players and provide a richer game experience.

Gerard Crosby: The graphics have changed dramatically. Previously, the reception locker's graphics were static printed materials and were mainly drawn on the strip itself. At present, the reception graphics are digital, and the animation manga is spreading beyond rolls, buttons, machines, and machines. As a result, it became difficult for the game to stand out. In the crowded visual market, powerful branding is more important. Game's graphics and sound must be designed to be prominent and careful to attract walking players.

Laura Olso n-Raise: It's interesting to see the cabinet design evolving year by year. It has changed from a cabinet with mechanical rolls and toy artwork printed on glass to all digital screens, interactive touch screen button decks, curve screens, full digital rotary knobs, and mobile phones charging stations. 。 A portrait cabinet with a huge 4K HD or Ultra HD screen is swept the casino floor, and each company has an integrated sound and visual components, etc. that attracts players from tower, walls, arches, digital tops, casino floors. , We design wonderful products around the cabinet.

3. How to make the game blend into the new casino well?

Fiona Leon: Test, marketing, observation. Quality guarantee is the trust of brand products by guaranteeing a seamless game experience to players, introducing new game titles to the players, and providing promotional materials and strategies that create excitement. It is indispensable for building. Observe the player's reaction to the new game, listen to players' proposals and concerns, determine the necessary adjustments and form a future game title. < SPAN> Gerard Crosby: The graphics have changed dramatically. Previously, the reception locker's graphics were static printed materials and were mainly drawn on the strip itself. At present, the reception graphics are digital, and the animation manga is spreading beyond rolls, buttons, machines, and machines. As a result, it became difficult for the game to stand out. In the crowded visual market, powerful branding is more important. Game's graphics and sound must be designed to be prominent and careful to attract walking players.

Laura Olso n-Raise: It's interesting to see the cabinet design evolving year by year. It has changed from a cabinet with mechanical rolls and toy artwork printed on glass to all digital screens, interactive touch screen button decks, curve screens, full digital rotary knobs, and mobile phones charging stations. 。 A portrait cabinet with a huge 4K HD or Ultra HD screen is swept the casino floor, and each company has an integrated sound and visual components, etc. that attracts players from tower, walls, arches, digital tops, casino floors. , We design wonderful products around the cabinet.

3. How to make the game blend into the new casino well?