Slots are among the most popular choices of entertainment in the whole online gaming industry. The sheer number of titles and themes that circle around are an actual reflection of the interest they gather. They’re classic – fast, easy to play, and obscenely fun. Plus, they can make you a millionaire in a matter of seconds.
But the actual process of manufacture that happens far from our eyes is even more interesting.
In case you were wondering what happens behind the scenes and what is the path from the idea to the realization before you, join us for a spin as we’re about to tour the industry following the step-by-step process.
Designing the Idea
The first step of the way is, of course, the formation of the base idea. Generally speaking, to some this might come as the most difficult step, as when you start out you already are faced with a plethora of titles that cover an almost infinite number of topics. To create something completely new, providers rely on their creative teams to come up with a design that reflects innovation as well as the preferred audience and the channel for distribution.
The key points of the design are the topic, graphics, mathematics, and mechanics.
The topic is the central theme of the game which should be reflected in all minute details of the overall design, and that is achieved through the employment of the state-of-the-art technology. But we’ll get to that in a minute.
The mathematical aspect of the creation refers to the algorithms employed to determine the reward system for big wins as opposed to the smaller wins. The balance between both instances is found with smaller hits happening more often while big hits appearing more seldom. Partial hits and near-misses are included as well.
This is also the point in the process when the bonus rewards and the number of free spins are settled. The bonus and free spins are the main focus of mechanics. The inclusion of bonus game modes, mini-games, the way the reels will move and yield winning combinations – this all falls under the mechanical aspect of game-making.
The Developmental Puzzle
This is the part where everyone starts actually working together, as it involves a great deal of simultaneous work.
The main point is the integration of all graphical elements. This involves design, sounds and music, as well as 3D effects which serve to round up the immersive experience of the players.
As we mentioned above, the design of the theme is achieved through the implementation of cutting-edge technology. The designer is responsible for the general outlook of the game as everything needs to stay aligned with the theme, including elements such as the choice of characters, the background scene and the design of the reels as well as everything on them. He is also responsible for wireframes, or game layout drafts which he puts into place as orientation for other teams.
Once drafts are placed, graphic designers and software developers start putting the pieces together. As new games are now usually written in HTML5, most of the production teams are able to work on several platforms at once, such as desktop and mobile.
The Systematic Check
As the game is now designed and constructed, it is time to test how it works.
The verification process is done first through the internal testing and Quality Assurance process, after which comes an independent assessment and authentication.
The important part of the whole game-making process which continues on even after the release is the testing procedure done by the certified testing laboratories for online gaming certification, such as iTechLab, GLI, and eCOGRA. They are there to check if the winning combinations in the game cannot be predicted by any human or computer. To put it simply, to see if the random number generator is, in fact, random and to check the payout percentage.
Documents of all tests and certification are kept by the laboratories and later supplied to the gaming authorities like the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. The tests are repeated as to ascertain that the game always functions properly.
The Release
After all those tests and verifications, the game is finally ready to see the light. The prelude to the grand release is the promotional period where the news is spread all over the industry.
Each and every game provider aims to collaborate with as many casino venues as possible so it could reach wider audiences on a bigger number of markets. These deals allow both the provider and the casinos to promote new content with offers and bonuses as a way of preparing the public for the upcoming release. The provider might publish a trailer to give the players a sneak peek of the game, or the casino could boost the game in their lobby. The bigger the provider, the bigger the announcement!
And thus concludes our tour! The game, once it goes live, is instantly available to all players in online casinos that work with the provider.
One more interesting fact is that, when the game becomes fully operational, casinos pay monthly fees for the licence. The fees generally vary from game to game depending on the revenue they garner.