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The
Elements of a Successful Carnival Game On
the other side, casinos and Table Game Directors are inundated with new
games. The line of
developers with “great new ideas” stretches out the door, around the
corner and down the block. Each
developer has a long list of reasons his game is the best new idea since
Three Card Poker; the big “if” is getting to the front of the
line. Michael
Shackleford (the “Wizard of Odds”) puts
it this way: “The perception of those new to the business is that
casino management will fall all over themselves
trying to get your game into their casino. What is closer to reality is
that game inventors fall all over themselves trying to get their games
into a casino.” When
the developer finally gets his moment, he often misses the most
important point. The
developer presents his game in terms of how much money it will make for
the casino – it’s an absolute number.
The casino’s view is relative:
the new game has to make more than the worst performing game
already on the floor. All is not lost for the developer. Established casinos are looking for new games all the time. Players want both variety and contemporary themes. There are emerging markets where casinos are looking for that special game that gives them a competitive advantage. There is an unprecedented need for new table games in the market. These new table games are often called "carnival games." These games are not for the serious player -- the backbone of traditional table games consists of blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps. The new breed of games include names like Three Card Poker, Caribbean Stud, Spanish 21, Super Fun 21, Ultimate Texas Hold'Em, and many many more. The new game developer hopes to compete in this market against formidable companies such as Shuffle Master. There
are some basic principles that guide carnival game development.
These principles are also a guide to casino management in
choosing new carnival games. As
game designs and ideas flood the market, a mutual understanding of the
basic parameters for successful new games becomes critical.
Presented
here are ten principles for game design, development and selection: 1)
The
idea of a new table game should be explainable to a person of average
intelligence in less than a minute.
It is much easier for the patron to walk past a new game than to
have the game explained. There is
a basic lack of trust when a player sees a new game, establishing that
trust is the most difficult part of bringing a new game to market.
Simplicity is one of the keys. The
prospective player will pass if the game idea, rules, and strategy are not
intuitive. The bulk of the demographic for these games are those
players who are looking for something more than slots but are not up to
the task of mastering blackjack strategy or the daunting craps
layout. Remember to KEEP IT SIMPLE. 2)
There
should be at most one side bet. Many
inventors create a basic game idea then over-populate their layout with
several side bets.
Their idea is that if the main game isn’t attractive, then
maybe the player will find some other reason to play.
Those games offering multiple wagering options have not seen much
success. Remember, you can always add a feature to an
established game, but a game with too much on the layout may never see
the day when something can be taken away. 3)
The
layout should be simple and natural to use.
The developer should always be thinking about what they can
remove from their layout and still express the idea of the game.
The layout should use positive and power words (win,
bonus, fortune, lucky, etc.). When
naming elements of the game, numbers and negative terminology should be
avoided. As an example of
the power of words we turn to Blackjack:
“everyone knows” you should not take “insurance.”
After all, "insurance" is only needed in anticipation of a bad
outcome. If you take it, then you are expecting the worst -- what
gambler wants that? On the other hand, “everyone knows” you should take “Even
Money” --
it's money in the bank, guaranteed income. The ironic secret is
that these two are the same when the player holds a blackjack:
even money = insurance. 4)
The
game should have a house edge consistent with the edge for other games
in its category. For the
main game of a new carnival game, the edge should be between 2% and 6%.
For the side bet (if any) the edge should be variable and easily
adjusted by the house to meet their needs. The one sure way for a
game to fail is to have new players sit down and lose quickly. A
game that has rare large payouts is less likely to succeed than a game
that has more frequent but smaller payouts. Successful games often
integrate both the big rare payout with the small frequent payout by
building a side bet that offers the former with a main game that offers
the latter. 5)
The
name of the game and the actual play of the game should involve an idea
that has popular interest in the culture.
For example, “Pete’s Poker” is much more likely to be
successful than “ 6)
The
game should be easy for the staff, management, dealers and casino
security to learn. The
rules and layout should be designed to minimize dealer errors and
training time. The
documentation of the game should be as simple, clear and attractive as
possible. Get rid of every extra word, dash, number, color, logo,
line, or dot. Reread and reconsider until there is not an extra
anything anywhere on the layout, the rules, the signage, or any other
part of the game. Just as with side bets, you can always add
something later if it becomes clear that it is essential, but you will
not have the opportunity to take anything away if your game fails.
I am reminded of the way cement paths are best created across grassy
meadows -- wait for the grass to be trampled into the natural human
pathways and only then create the path. 7)
The
game should not involve new physical elements.
The established elements of cards and dice are enough.
Some established games use tiles (Pai Gow or Mahjong). New devices require new security and training and are
universally
enough to doom the idea. I disagree with the comment of Ed Rogich
from IGT (International Game Technology) who said: "There is only
so much you can do with 52 cards." One could similarly argue
that there is only so much you can do with the 100+ chemical elements of
the periodic table. Human ingenuity and creativity are boundless,
but one boundary is fixed: do not create a new gaming device. 8)
In
the last four years I have personally seen over 50 Hold ‘Em poker type
games presented at G2E. This
indicates the need in the market for poker games, but also that there is
a lot of competition. Anyone
developing a carnival game needs to know the full range of games offered
in his area of development. Do
your research! I would like to argue that blackjack and poker
don't mix, but the game "21 + 3" is a clear example of a
successful marriage of the two. Nevertheless, be very cautious
that the area of your development is popular in current culture, and
that any mixture of ideas is carefully thought out. 9)
Both
the casino and the game designer must keep in mind that there are
individuals dedicated to finding legal ways to exploit defects in the
procedure or design of a game for profit.
The game must be bullet tested against advantage play.
This is much tougher than might first appear.
The ingenuity of those who want to defeat new games far exceeds
the skill of most designers or casino personnel to detect these flaws.
Be especially careful in games that are susceptible to a card counting
strategy. Card counting is legal and the individuals who beat your
game this way are neither cheaters nor crooks. They are mostly
decent and smart people and what they are doing is legal. Expect a
careful review of your game by advantage players. You've just got
to be smarter. 10)
Finally,
a word of caution. Don't try and
make your money back right away. You may have to offer your game
for free. You may have to baby sit your game a lot to generate
player interest. You may have to develop the player base all by
yourself, one player at a time. It's hard work and costs a lot
more than you can imagine. A typical game may cost $50,000 or more
to bring to market, with no guarantee of success. Most
games are leased on a monthly per-table basis.
The top players in the carnival game market are raising their
prices on their best games. Casinos
pay as much as $2000 per month of a single table of some highly popular
games. Developers should
offer and casinos should expect a great deal on a new game.
The lucky developer may get rich on the new game, but not
quickly. It costs a small
fortune to make a big fortune. As
a game analyst and consultant, I am often presented with ideas that go
against one or more of the principles given above.
Many game developers stubbornly hold on to their ideas.
Success requires a great idea, a solid understanding of what
works, and the ability to be flexible.
If developers consider these points in their creative process and
management considers these points in their game selection process, there
may be considerably less pain for both sides.
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