As I slowly made my way across the car laden parking lot in what seemed to be some kind of unconscious effort to delay the inevitable, a few thoughts popped into my head about what I was about to do, and the motivation that kept me from taking out my wallet and simply burning all of the cash in it and calling it a day. While it would probably be a shorter article if I made up a story regaling a journey of self-discovery that can only take place in a strip club – and then promptly sold the story as a Michael Cera movie – in actuality I was making my way towards a different establishment of vice: the casino.
I was introduced to casinos at a relatively young age due to an aunt who was what one might call an “aficionado;” whose yearly road trips from California to my home state of Minnesota would take over a week as to leave sufficient gambling time as they crossed the Western United States one casino at a time. These early visits always left me in a state of confusion as I, a child under the legal gambling age of 18, was relegated to the on-site arcade while my parents and relatives had free range of the sprawling facility. Now don’t get me wrong; playing in the arcade was a pretty good time, but my parents didn’t quite understand that 5 dollars wouldn’t quite be enough for 3 hours of play in the arcade. Slot machines always held a certain mystique while I was in the arcades, as their brightly colored marques and incessant droning conjured images of arcade games that were so cool that I was legally forbidden to play them. Unfortunately, the reality of slot machines was not so much top-secret arcade games as it was a concentration of the worst part of playing at an arcade, i.e. the putting money in the machine.
Upon reaching the tender age of 18 and fulfilling the other requisite 18th birthday activity, which involved a charitable scholarship donation and…well…thongs, it was finally time to make a visit to the casino. Initially, my experience was limited to sitting at a table and playing blackjack, but a trip to Las Vegas and the urging of the formative gambling mind of my aunt managed to push me into the world of slot machines. Although they did not hold the same cool factor as they once had, the slot machines presented an experience that at this juncture in time was wholly unique in electronic gaming and entertainment. Being that I am of a younger generation who missed the golden age of arcades, visiting the casino offered glimpses of what once was, and what could be next for the future of gaming in a large social environment.
House of the Dead EX - Now with 100 percent less light gun
If you’ve never been to a casino, they are easily some of the most purpose-built and utilitarian structures on the planet with little room for modern aesthetics – much like the mall arcades of my youth that have long since evaporated. From the carpet that is not so much designed as it is congealed to the utter lack of windows, every decision is made in an effort to get you to spend money and lots of it. Cigarette smoke billows in what some might call localized weather patterns, and if you weren’t already deaf like the hundreds of octogenarian players, you soon will be. Slot machines themselves take these macro-design philosophies (loud, disgustingly colorful, themed) and execute them to perfection on a micro scale. Although there are the classic 3-reel “one arm bandits” still strewn throughout every casino, it is the much fancier and elaborately themed machines that tend to make up the bulk of the floor.
These “themed” machines represent the intersecting path between the traditional video game arcade space and the world of gambling. Certainly the predominant feature of these games is the ability to bet on a number of lines in hopes of getting a winning combination of matching symbols, but besides that, these machines are beginning to more closely resemble their arcade cousins then their 3-reeled forefathers. When not in use, screens flashing a game’s unique features and shots of the reels in action echo similarities to the demo screen of arcade titles. Licensed characters – usually coming from old television shows – and music are commonplace as manufacturers try and score the next big hit with their aging patrons. Some machines even feature “cascading reels,” which make symbols disappear after creating a winning combination and replace them with additional symbols falling from offscreen with the possibility of creating additional wins, similar to the mechanic utilized by numerous puzzle titles (Bejeweled, Panel de Pon etc). It is also not uncommon to see sequels to popular machines made; a particular favorite of mine happens to be Zeus II. Bonus games, usually triggered through some requisite symbol pattern, offer interactivity that is further bridging the gap between slots and video games. While I would never call these bonus segments a video game per say, certain elements used within them provide a foundation for further expansion.
Bonus levels, much like arcade titles of old, seem to stick to a number of tried and true mechanics while still leaving enough room for a game to differentiate itself. Unfortunately, the mechanic that provides the least amount of interactivity and the highest adoption is the winning of free spins, which basically mimics normal slot play minus the monetary investment. Pick ‘em and matching games are also seen with regularity, but they tend to remove any skill involved by randomizing the symbol placements (but hey, its basically the same as Deal or No Deal, which we as a country consider to be a game worth spending a half hour watching). A few titles, such as “The Amazing Race” have implemented some reaction-based elements into their bonuses, but the relative lack of skill involved with slot machines is their biggest shortfall in attracting an audience that has grown up with video games.
The fundamental disconnect, and what will become noticeable to any gamer who sits down to play one for the first time, is the expected experience that each machine, be it casino or arcade, inherently carries with it. Skill has always been an element to arcade titles allowing players to limit their expenditures by investing time and effort into learning the ins and outs of each game. When this experiences was brought into the home at a lesser price, arcades lost their relevance and purpose leading to their disappearance. Casinos on the other hand operate on the basis of betting your money against the house in hopes of winning money, an experience that isn’t easily accessible at home. Online casinos are starting to become more apparent to consumers, but their vague legality and operation is enough of a detraction to keep casinos profitable. Bridging the gap between the skill associated with video games and the prospect of winning money through a slot machine will be an important step if casinos and their hardware manufacturers hope to stay relevant as the median age of their consumer continues to increase.
Now before I go any further, it is worth mentioning a bit about the hardware and software manufacturers that make up the industry. Unlike the current home console market, which is made up of 3 major contenders (Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft), the slot machine industry leaves far more room for a good number of manufacturers. If one is to scroll down a list of major industry players, a few names will immediately pop out to anyone familiar with the history of video games and specifically arcades; Bally (of Bally-Midway), WMS (Williams Manufacturing – once the holder of Midway), Konami, and Sega all have their hands in the proverbial gambling pie. Bally, WMS, and Konami all create software and hardware (which come in a dizzying amount of variety), with Sega being the only company that currently licenses their intellectual property for industry use. Deals with IGT and Aristocrat have brought Virtua-Golf, House of the Dead, and Shinobi to the former, with Golden Axe and Bonanza Brothers to the latter. Sega also dabbled with an online slot-based casino that operated in the UK, but has since ceased operations. While information is not readily accessible, it seems that Phantasy Star, NiGHTS, and Virtua Fighter all made their appearance in this online space leaving room for them to possibly come to casinos in the future.
Instead of Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, or Contra we get the awesomely politically correct Jumpin’ Jalapenos from Konami
Of the major manufacturers, WMS seems best poised to usher in the changes for slot machines that could lead to a switch in industry philosophy with a focus towards a generation that has grown up with video games. The “Adaptive” gaming system, currently being implemented in a number of WMS games, seems to represent a step in this direction. This system operates in a manner that will be relatively familiar to the Internet generation by providing an opportunity to essentially track and save your progress through a login system. If you are a tad confused as to how this system is implemented, certain in game milestones achieved through bonus play earn a player trophies, which in turn unlock alternate games and bonuses to a player. This ID system smartly provides an additional layer of investment to a player that (as in my case) has lead to repeat play sessions on multiple occasions. Community gaming also seems a logical step as it brings together a number of slot machine players into a feature game. Not sure what exactly what this means? Well, WMS has got you covered. Hit the videos tab after the jump for a treat.
An example of a WMS community gaming setup
The lack of numerous video game properties utilized in slots seems like an additional oversight on the part of manufacturers that could act as an intial push to younger players, but it certainly does make sense. Gambling is still seen as a social menace to many citizens, and I would have to assume there is reluctance by many video game publishers to license their intellectual property in what might lead to a to a watchdog group condemning them for marketing an undesirable behavior towards children (much like the fallout of Joe Camel for Camel cigarettes). Since Konami is perfectly fine displaying their corporate logo, but not using their own huge back catalog of IP, this would seem to be the most likely case. In opposition to this reasoning stands the glut of games featuring children’s board games (most notably LIFE and Monopoly) as their themes.
Another possibility that presents itself to casinos is abandoning the slot machine as a medium altogether in favor of something that is more game oriented in nature. Services like Virgin Gaming are beginning to grow the viability of direct player to player betting across the internet, but provides little room or incentive for casinos to mimic the niche service. The Texas Hold ‘Em boom of the last decade has proved that introducing and growing the popularity of any sport, especially one that they have a monopoly of, presents opportunities for a casino to make money. Large Starcraft II tournaments, like Korea’s GSL and its unheard of prize pool of over $100,000, seems like the first step in making the oddsmakers and tournament organizers in Las Vegas take notice. (Just a side note: It baffles me that G4 would rather show reruns of Cops then cover, or even promote large tournaments like the GSL.)
Whatever the future holds for casinos, one thing is for certain; failure to innovate will eventually come back to haunt them. While I wouldn’t make a case for every gamer to make a journey to the nearest casino, I think that if you’ve never been there is certainly enough entertainment to be had even if you aren’t willing to spend a dollar. Superstitious people who randomly hit machines is a pretty common occurrence. And hey, remember most casinos have arcades, and most importantly, free soda.
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