Posted on: December 18, 2024, 06:46h.
Last updated on: December 18, 2024, 06:46h.
Online slots have come a long way in the last 10 years. With ever more imaginative mechanics, reels that might cluster or cascade, and themes that have more in common with explosive video games than traditional one-armed bandits, there’s a lot going into the modern slot. Casino.org spoke to Alexandros Mavroudis, Product Owner at game studio Gaming Corp, to find out how it’s done.
Alexandros, tell us a bit about the process of building a game from start to finish. For example, which comes first, the artistic concept or the math model?
Every game is different, but for the most part, the mechanic will carry the artistic concept. Somebody from our team – usually the mathematician or the product owner – will have a mechanic in mind that is influenced by market trends. Discussions will be had at an early stage to determine what type of theme would blend well with that mechanic.
On the flip side, it is very much possible that we have been inspired by a recent movie or video game, or other pop culture events, and want to take an existing mechanic and blend it with a theme that suits that trend. This is less common but absolutely something that can be highly successful
Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?
Inspiration can really be drawn from all walks of life. Whether it be an upcoming holiday or a recent movie release, a growing trend or a classic “hit”, the inspiration can come from anywhere. This is what makes working within such a creative and fast-paced environment so exciting. You never know where the next idea is going to come from.
There seems to be a move away from slots clichés like leprechauns and their pots of gold to more experimental themes and ideas. Is that reflective of the market – that people want things that are new and different?
Yes, I think so. People are becoming tired of the simplicity of traditional slots. They want experiences that remind them of video games or the social games they play on their phones.
Our next release, Gates of Hellfire, is a great example. It’s a kind of demonic fantasy sci-fi epic – a battle of good versus evil played out across a slot-machine grid.
This is really where you see the influence of video games on modern slots. Gates of Hellfire has Boss demons and futuristic weapons. The grid is divided into two parts, with an enemy section and a weapons section. Each weapon functions differently and attacks different parts of the grid.
There’s so much going on, and yet, it’s still recognizably a slot machine, with the same functionality as a slot machine, but perhaps with different reward mechanisms. And not a leprechaun in sight, we promise.
How important is storytelling and animation in a modern slot?
To stand out in a saturated market, you definitely need to produce something that connects to the player. Whether that is via a character or a bit of narrative design in the bonus feature. We believe that it is one of the ingredients in a big recipe that can create a successful new iGaming product.
Similarly, animations are extremely important. They are a core part of the gameplay experience. In helping build suspense, animations are crucial. They help the player know how to win, and when they do win the animations are there to make the experience ten times better.
How do music and sound effects influence player actions within the game?
Within our games, music and sound effects are factored in at an early stage to ensure they get the correct vibe within the game. We use these elements to ensure that the slower bits are more exciting and the exciting bits are taken to the next level.
Music and SFXs can influence your overall game pace and ensure that players are kept engaged and entertained at all times
Critics say slot machines conjure up “near misses” to keep players playing. Is this something slots developers actually focus on or is it more about people seeing patterns in a random game of chance?
Near misses are a natural part of a player’s experience within a slot machine. Quite normally, players will see patterns as they are playing and feel as if they are getting close to a win or a feature, but of course every new spin is completely independent from the last and should be treated as such.
How has regulation impacted the way slots are built? Do you have to build different types of slots for different jurisdictions?
It absolutely has had an impact on the way slots are built. For example, each of our games is built in a modularized way to allow us to switch between different jurisdictional settings with ease.
We don’t currently create different types of slots for different jurisdictions because we want to release our products in as many places as possible. But certainly, if we are targeting a specific market, we will take into consideration the different regulatory requirements and shape the game in a way that suits that market more than others.
For example, if we are targeting a market that does not allow Bonus Buy features, then we will ensure that the math model is built with this in mind and will instead opt for a Hot Bet (also known as an Ante Bet or Feature Bet) to ensure that players have access to the bonus feature in more ways than one.
Is there pressure as a slots developer to come up with the ‘next’ Megaways? How much time do you spend tinkering to build the next “killer” mechanic and do you think you’ve found it with A-MAZE-CADES?
Yes! We’re all about new and innovative mechanics. We want to surprise people and make them feel like they’re experiencing something completely new. The A-MAZE-CADES mechanic debuted in our recent game, Wet n’ Wild Beavers.
The mechanic makes it almost impossible to predict where the next win is going to come, all because of the mazey route taken by the symbols as the game plays out.
With A-MAZE-CADES, with each winning combination where the paylines pay left-to-right, winning symbols are removed and the grid fills inwards towards the bottom-left corner – a unique twist on the cascading mechanic.
Megaways was a game-changer when it came out, and we think A-MAZE-CADES is just as complex and ambitious.
