Slots have existed for quite some time now. If you are a dedicated slots fan, you must have noticed the many improvements casino game developers have made with their slot releases. While the underlying hardware of land-based slot machines have remained the same, the software animating these games have made tremendous advancements in the past decade.
Guest author Joe Booth looks at the tech that is behind slot machine games to give you a behind scenes look into the technology that makes slot games so appealing. To find out more about Joe Booth, click here.
The online slot market has changed significantly during the last few years. Today’s slots are sleeker, more intuitive, and are easier to pick up and learn than ever before. Modern slot players in the UK for example are very selective in what slot games they play.
UK slot players prefer online casinos that have a variety of different features, themes and high volatility slots. If an online casino lacks variety in its slot offerings, it’s going to find it difficult to appeal to the modern slot player.
Let us take a closer look at what separates modern slot machine software these days than the classic games our grandparents used to play. Here are the five main technological aspects powering the favourite pastime of millions around the globe.
Random Number Generators
The main appeal of slots is their ability to payout based on pure chance. All players want true randomness from their slots. One of the best feelings you can get as a player is to get over a losing streak and get back on track with just one lucky spin.
What allows this to be possible in current slots is the use of random number generators (RNGs). RNGs keep slots fair.
RNGs remove all patterns or predictability from slot spins. What this means for you as a player is that you never really know when a slot is about to pay out until you press the “Spin” button. This keeps coming back to your favourite slot as exciting as it was the first time.
3D Graphics
Earlier iterations of online slots mirrored the look and feel of brick-and-mortar slot machines. While older fans continue to enjoy these classic games, younger players typically want a bit more flash with their gambling games.
Today’s slots are coded in a host of different languages, such as JavaScript, Python, or C—among many others. Modern coding languages help casino game developers create more immersive games with 3D graphics. Younger players typically gravitate to these slots, as they look more like the video games they played in their youth, compared to old school slot machines.
Regulations
Because the gambling market is so heavily regulated, slot machine programming often contains the regulations within the game. What this means is that, if the UKGC were to impose a max bet amount, the software developers behind the game will make sure that players cannot go over that bet. They will code the bet limit into the game itself.
This not only makes it easier for gambling regulators to do their job but also helps casinos and players ensure that they do not run afoul of any gambling rules.
Payment Options
Many slots today offer some form of payment processing options directly from within the game, to reduce the friction of topping up amidst an intense gaming session.
Casino game developers install such features to make the gaming experience as smooth as possible. Should you run out of credits while spinning, you can arrange to add more to your account without ever leaving your seat.
We expect this feature to expand in the near future, especially as cryptocurrencies become more accepted and widely used.
Slot Design
In the classic slots of yore, the spinning reels contained imagery of fruits and numbers. These symbols are still present but are no longer the most common.
Reels now contain a panoply of images that allow slot developers to target segments of players more precisely. There are slots for all kinds of demographics, as well as tastes. Players today have their pick of slot reels that speak to them personally.
With tools such as Photoshop and Maya at their disposal, casino game vendors are able to design all sorts of reel graphics to draw in new players.
Sound is also becoming a key part of slot design in recent years. In older slots, all that most players could get in terms of sound design was a faint plinking as the reels spun. Today, vendors use sounds to complement the reels, delivering a full gaming experience that keeps players coming back for more.
Conclusion:
The best slot developers take all of the above features into consideration when developing a slot game. We can expect the slot gaming market to continue to change with new technology emerging in this space every year.
