New platforms, life-like games and tournament management systems are just some of the incredible products showcased in Casino Enterprise Management’s sixth annual Slot Floor Technology Awards. With their progressive technologies, it’s no wonder these products were nominated—and won.
Nominations included slot cabinets and platforms, analysis tools, mobile and wireless applications and more. Although each product was deserving of recognition, our panel of distinguished judges had to choose the top 10 winners.
The 2012 Slot Floor Technology Award judges were: Robert Allen, corporate vice president of casino operations, Pinnacle Entertainment; Buddy Frank, vice president of slot operations, Pechanga Resort & Casino; Chuck Hickey, vice president of slot operations, Barona Resort & Casino; Joshua Kanter, vice president of Total Rewards, Caesars Entertainment; Eric Pearson, vice president of casino operations, Northern Quest Resort & Casino; and Louis Rosa, vice president of slot operations, Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The rules were that each company could submit up to five new slot floor products that had been introduced to the market between March 2011 and March 2012 in one of the following ways: new product introduced at an industry trade show, new product in beta testing and any new for-sale product.
Each product was evaluated for relevant criteria such as innovation, efficiency, usefulness, benefits and appeal. Based on the judges’ evaluations, the top 10 products with the highest combined scores won. It was extremely close, with some companies winning by only a few points.
CEM applauds the commitment to the advancement of the industry from each and every nominating company. We notice your hard work, and we are happy to bring light to the incredible products you produce.
Here, we present to you the winners of the 2012 CEM Slot Floor Technology Awards. On the following pages, read about each winning product to find out why it is deserving of recognition, and what our judges had to say about them.
Bally Technologies—DM Tournaments™
“Wow,” “perfect” and “powerful” are just some words our judges used to describe Bally Technologies’ DM Tournaments™. Part of the Elite Bonusing Suite™, the DM Tournaments application earned a nearly perfect score from our judges and dominated this year’s awards.
As part of the Elite Bonusing Suite, the DM Tournaments application enables casinos to convert games on their casino floor from normal play to tournament mode almost instantaneously. The application can be offered on slot games from most manufacturers running Bally’s iVIEW DM player-user-interface technology.
“DM Tournaments is one of several very powerful game enhancements offered within the Elite Bonusing Suite,” said judge Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations, Pinnacle Entertainment. “DM is the perfect means to deliver shared player experiences—experiences that can effectively differentiate gaming floors today.”
Players can automatically enroll in a tournament by inserting their player’s club card. The automation makes tournament operations more efficient for both casino operations and players. DM Tournaments also features real-time leaderboards during game play, both on the game screen and on overhead signage. Scores are automatically posted to the tournament server at the end of each game play, and prizes can be awarded automatically to the winners after the tournament ends.
“This is a great example of how server-based technology can create contagious excitement on games from multiple manufacturers and take one of the most popular special events for real players to a whole new level,” said Bruce Rowe, Bally Technologies’ senior VP of strategy and customer consulting.
Our judges agree that DM Tournaments takes excitement to a new level.
“DM Tournaments represents an excellent example of leveraging cutting-edge technology in a way that casino operators can easily and effectively integrate on their floor to make major impacts on player experience and revenue,” said judge Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations, Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
IGT—Big Buck Hunter® Pro
With its arcade-style rifle and unique sound chair, IGT’s Big Buck Hunter® Pro creates a complete gaming experience that has had the industry buzzing since G2E.
Based on the popular hunting arcade game and featured on IGT’s Center Stage Duo™, Big Buck Hunter Pro is the first slot machine to feature new game-play mechanics with arcade gun hardware. Judge Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations atPechanga Resort & Casino, described the arcade gun hardware as a “bold step toward capturing the aging arcade demographic.”
Frank wasn’t the only judge to comment on Big Buck Hunter Pro’s appeal. Based on our panel’s comments, it’s obvious that Big Buck Hunter Pro’s wide appeal is the result of one simple goal—to set players up to have fun.
“Love this game—it’s fun, different, fun, outrageous and fun!” said judge Chuck Hickey, VP of slot operations at Barona Resort & Casino. The shared bonus is “highly interactive and fun,” and it “is a differentiator that players will enjoy,” added judge Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations at Pinnacle Entertainment.
Big Buck Hunter Pro’s integration of new play elements is seen as inventive by one judge. “This will help push slot machine development to the next level,” said Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
IGT strives to deliver new gaming experiences to its players, and Big Buck Hunter Pro is a shining example of their success.
“We are honored to win this Casino Enterprise Management top 10 Slot Technology Award,” said Darrell Rodriguez, IGT senior VP of global game studios. “This honor is evidence of IGT’s long-standing tradition of delivering innovative, ground-breaking gaming experiences— something which will continue as we roll out our pipeline of pioneering concepts. We’re particularly proud of Big Buck Hunter Pro, as it brings the arcade to the casino floor with mechanical-style gun hardware and gives players an unprecedented, interactive experience.”
Bally Technologies—SKEE-BALL
Bally Technologies ups the ante with its video slot version of SKEE-BALL, presented on the Pro Series™ V32 slot cabinet. SKEE-BALL employs Bally’s U-Spin™ play mechanic and allows players to have more control over the game.
“SKEE-BALL is an evolution of touch-and-slide interactivity, taking Bally’s pioneering U-Spin play mechanic to a whole new level,” said Bill Wadleigh, game development director, Bally Technologies. “Rather than just having a little cursor for players to interact, SKEE-BALL lets players move the ball along the side, bounce it where they want to, try different levels of speed, all of which react in real time, making it as close to the real arcade amusement game as possible.”
“Bally’s iDeck technology is allowing for new and interesting ways for players to expand their slot-playing experience in ways not previously seen on the slot floor,” said Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations, Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
Judge Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations, Pechanga Resort & Casino, says bringing Skee-Ball to the casino floor was a wise decision by Bally.
“SKEE-BALL is one of the most popular interactive games in history. Bringing it to a slot machine seems like a no-brainer,” said Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations, Pechanga Resort & Casino.
Joshua Kanter, VP of Total Rewards at Caesars Entertainment, added, “This perceived skill game is in a fun presentation, allowing guest to ‘shoot’ the ball with iPhone®-type touchscreen interaction.”
The unique bonus is 100 percent skill-based. The player “rolls” the nine balls, and those balls award “tickets,” which are dispensed from the left of the main playing field. The higher the score, the more tickets the player wins. Those tickets are then used in the Pick-A-Prize Bonus, with five shelves holding “prizes” that the player selects to win credits. The underlying math conveys a strong feeling of difference between the different levels. On the one-level shelf, four numbers would be at the lower range, while one is significantly higher. In the five-level shelf, for example, all the numbers are higher and there is less of a differentiation between the highest high and the lowest lows.
“With their ongoing focus on delivering fun player interactivity at the game, Bally has provided a real winner for both players and operators,” said Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations, Pinnacle Entertainment.
WMS—Aladdin & The Magic Quest™
Get ready to take your players for a virtual-reality flying magic carpet ride with WMS’ Aladdin & The Magic Quest™, made possible by the introduction of WMS’ CPU-NXT®3 processor and Sensory Immersion™ 2.0 technologies. The CPU-NXT 3 features 10 times the computing power of the existing CPU-NXT2 operating system and elevates the game experience with real-world, real-time 3-D physical outcomes.
“WMS’ Aladdin integrates new play elements that enhance player experience and will help push slot machine development to the next level,” said Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
Aladdin & The Magic Quest introduces the next-generation Sensory Immersion gaming experience from WMS’ Sensory Immersion 2.0 technology, including the industry-first motion system chair. The fully immersive gaming experience includes 3-D graphics and sound, along with a player-selectable motion experience programmed to perfectly align with in-game events.
“WMS has done a masterful job engineering and integrating the technology for the Sensory Immersion 2 system. They have effectively raised the bar on the system they themselves first established,” said Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations for Pinnacle Entertainment.
Aladdin’s motion system chair incorporates an updated and modernized ergonomic chair design that takes WMS’ Sensory Immersion technology to a new level. Judge Joshua Kanter, VP of Total Rewards at Caesars Entertainment, calls the chair “innovative” and “very immersive,” because the chair moves with the magic carpet and creates a virtual riding experience.
“It is hard to put into words our excitement of the launch of the first surround sound gaming chairs with the Top Gun™ and The Wizard of Oz™ themes, a few years ago. The look on players’ faces told us that we had created an immersive experience like no other,” said Candace Lucas, executive director marketing at WMS. “After launching several WMS themes leveraging that same great technology, we once again aim to raise the bar and set a new standard. The Aladdin & the Magic Quest game allows us to do just that. Is this an unbelievable thrilling ride or the opportunity to win a big payout? Yes, to both—sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too.”
“We never stop exploring or pushing the boundaries of what we can do to enhance the player experience,” added Allon Englman, VP and design chief III at WMS. “Sometimes we find ourselves ahead of the pack, other times, like this time, we know we’re on the verge of creating a new industry category, like Adaptive Gaming® or Community Gaming®.”
Bally Technologies—All That Jazz™
Will pianists score the highest points on Bally Technologies’ All That Jazz™? Judge Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations, Pechanga Resort & Casino, is curious to find out, and so are we. The new All That Jazz video slots on Bally’s Pro Series V32™ cabinet showcases Bally’s brand-new U-Play™ bonus-game multi-touch play mechanic in which the player touches the iDeck™ to play a virtual piano.
“All That Jazz exploits the innovative value embodied in the iDeck technology. It is entertaining,” said judge Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations, Pinnacle Entertainment. “Players will have fun with this.”
“Bally’s iDeck technology is allowing for new and interesting ways for players to expand their slot playing experience in ways not previously seen on the slot floor,” added judge Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
Bally’s U-Play feature sets a new benchmark for interactivity by allowing players to become “musicians.” The 5-reel, 40-line game also features a 5-level progressive jackpot. The Piano Bonus, triggered by symbols on reels one, three and five, highlights All That Jazz. When players enter the Piano Bonus, they have a choice of 10 familiar and nostalgic songs to play on the iDeck, including “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
The iDeck U-Play bonus game Piano Bonus is synchronized with game play on the main game screen and top game screen to add anticipation and excitement to game play.
Joshua Kanter, VP of Total Rewards, Caesars Entertainment, comments that the game is “very creative,” while judge Louis Rosa, VP of slot operations at Foxwoods Resort Casino, says it is a “neat product for the V32 cabinet” and “underlying games are performing very well, so we expect good things with the simulated skill bonus.”
All That Jazz offers players something they may have never experienced before—the ability to become a musician. “All That Jazz raises the bar in interactive gaming with the U-Play play mechanic. It turns gamers into instant musicians,” said Loren Nelson, VP of game development at Bally Technologies.
Bally Technologies—Mobile Platform
In our technology-driven world, it seems that everyone is going mobile, and Bally Technologies is no exception. Bally brings mobile to the casino with its Mobile Platform, allowing casinos to build their applications (apps) once, and then have that content displayed as native apps and a mobile website. The platform enables casino operators to create and easily update special content and offers, and immediately distribute the information to targeted potential customers.
“This is a terrific comprehensive mobile platform and application solution that delivers a sustainable flow of content empowered by a strong connection to back-end systems,” said Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations, Pinnacle Entertainment. “Bally has done a great job with this.”
Operators may alert players 24 hours a day, seven days a week about special offers. Operators can target content based on a player’s age, player’s club card level, month of their birthday, their proximity to the property, and more.
The Mobile Platform also allows operators to use just one content management system (CMS), allowing one manager to upload, edit, delete and organize the text, photo, audio and video content for each property’s app with one log-in. The custom-built CMS provides operators with flexibility to manage content.
The data engine of the Mobile Platform is also a powerful tool, tracking and cataloging everything users do. The analytics tab of the CMS is available 24/7.
“The Mobile Platform is a compelling evolution of existing functionality and concepts,” said Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
To use the Mobile Platform, operators input the information directly into the platform’s content management system, and the Mobile Platform translates the information as an iPhone® app, an Android® app, a BlackBerry® app, an iPad ® app, and even a mobile website that works across hundreds of devices. From there, operators can track the players’ reactions to the targeted content and offers and analyze their response patterns.
“The Bally Mobile Platform allows casinos to interact with their patrons and employees at all times, whether they are roaming the casino floor, or at home thinking about a vacation. The technology allows casinos to offer mobile versions of their best games and deep interfaces to their existing casino management systems,” said Aron Ezra, VP of mobile at Bally Technologies. “Casinos can now deploy iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry apps, along with mobile websites, that give guests the ability to see geo-targeted specials, booking features, dynamic maps, event content and more that are all tailored to each person’s individual preferences.”
Leap Forward Gaming—SaffariNet®
Pioneering the gaming floor communication technology front is Leap Forward Gaming’s SaffariNet®. The unique turnkey wireless communication ecosystem solution enhances the value and profitability of gaming machine peripherals utilizing authenticated, real-time interaction and data collection.
“True to its company name, this application of wireless technology for the gaming floor is a leap forward,” said judge Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations at Pinnacle Entertainment.
Separate from existing gaming machine systems, SaffariNet links gaming machines on the casino floor. The system allows operators to simply plug a gaming machine into a power source, and voila!—the floor is instantly connected in real time.
SaffariNet provides a low-cost, highly secure, patented wireless system that incorporates Channel Blanket™ technology. It builds an infrastructure upon which regulated and unregulated casino applications can be realized. Operators are empowered with new levels of connectivity with their machines, peripherals, progressives, player tracking content, mobile devices and existing casino networks to enhance revenue opportunities.
The SaffariNet system architecture is designed with the ability to establish connections not only between servers and devices within a single gaming operation, but also between various geographically separate entities such as multi-property gaming operations, corporate offices, regulatory offices and route operations.
“This workable wireless networking solution holds great promise for our industry,” commented judge Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations at Pechanga Resort & Casino.
A server installed in the gaming property’s operations room communicates wirelessly with the SaffariNet device packaged as a replacement candle (the LFG SmartCandle™) on each EGM. SaffariNet communicates to the gaming machine wirelessly through the SmartCandle and then to the machine peripheral devices via the second port on those peripherals.
“Now this is cutting-edge,” said judge Louis Rosa, VP of slot operations at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Leap Forward Gaming is thrilled to be recognized in this year’s awards by our panel of judges. “We are very proud to have SaffariNet recognized by this prestigious group of industry leaders, who use and apply slot floor technologies every day,” said Leap Forward Gaming CEO Ali Saffari. “Our employees deserve this honor for developing our patented SaffariNet wireless ecosystem, which promises to revolutionize how gaming devices, peripherals, wide-area progressives, player-tracking systems, mobile devices and server-based systems communicate wirelessly and interact across casino floors. My team’s many tireless hours, dedication, passion for excellence, and their many years of industry experience have produced this game-changing technology that will provide new revenue-producing opportunities and capabilities for the gaming industry.”
TransAct Technologies—Epicentral® Print System
Personalization and convenience are at the core of TransAct Technologies’ Epicentral® Print System. With the Epicentral Print System, casino operators have the power to create personalized promotional coupons and marketing messages and can print those coupons directly at the slot machine in real time—and that greatly impressed our judges.
“This is a well-designed system to deliver incentives to the player at the gaming machine,” said judge Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations at Pinnacle Entertainment.
“It offers an easily integratable solution to directly communicate with players with dynamic offers right at their machine,” added judge Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
The simple and intuitive system enables the casino team to send targeted printed messages and promotions to the player while they are playing at the slot machine. The types of promotions or offers are limitless, based on any number of flexible criteria including, but not limited to uncarded player time on device, coin-in, carded player data, rated player level, earned promotions, and even randomly awarded rewards.
“Dual-port printers that deliver non-slot rewards at the machine could be the next big revolution in slots, especially if they interface with existing CRM/slot systems,” commented Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations at Pechanga Resort & Casino.
TransAct executives look forward to seeing further success of the Epicentral Print System.
“The Epicentral Print System is already making an impact on the casino industry, as it enhances the customer experience while allowing casinos to drive more play, increase revenue and improve their customer loyalty through delivering effective targeted, real-time, marketing initiatives and bonusing programs right at the slot machine,” said Bart C. Shuldman, chairman and CEO at TransAct. “We are very proud that Epicentral is being recognized as one of the best new slot floor products in the industry and look forward to having the system become a significant driver of TransAct’s business in the months and years to come.”
“We appreciate the thoughtful efforts of the industry panel of judges to choose the Epicentral Print System as one the top 10 slot floor products for 2012,” added Tracey Chernay, executive VP of sales and marketing at TransAct. “We are honored to be selected, and we look forward to Epicentral’s continued success.”
Bally Technologies—Total Blast™
An arcade game meets video slots for an out-of-this-world experience with Bally Technologies’ Total Blast™. Using Bally’s U-Shoot™ virtual shooting gallery bonus game play mechanic, players can touch the iDeck™ to create weapons for “shooting” at targets on the main game screens.
“Bally has effectively leveraged their iDeck technology with this game, providing players with an arcade-like experience,” said judge Robert Allen, corporate VP of casino operations at Pinnacle Entertainment. “Through this product, Bally has further validated their innovative strategic product approach.”
Judge Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, added, “Bally’s iDeck technology is allowing for new and interesting ways for players to expand their slot playing experience in ways not previously seen on the slot floor.”
The interactive 5-reel, 40-line game features the Alien Attack Bonus feature, as well as a free games bonus. The Alien Attack Bonus is synchronized with game play on the main game screen and top game screen to add anticipation and excitement to game play. As players fight off an alien attack they hear “The Final Countdown.”
“It’s Space Invaders comes to 2012. I like this—it’s fun and entertaining,” commented judge Chuck Hickey, VP of slot operations at Barona Resort & Casino.
As seen with Total Blast, Bally plans to revolutionize player controls on gaming devices by combining video slot game mechanics and arcade-style bonus games.
“Total Blast and iDeck change forever the definition of player interaction on a gaming machine, using bonus game mechanics that are proven since the days of Atari®. This slot game exemplifies how just about any arcade control can be made virtual on the revolutionary multi-touch iDeck,” said Bryan Kelly, senior VP of technology at Bally Technologies. “The Total Blast bonus game allows players to engage and shoot targets with Photon weapons generated by the user’s fingers on the iDeck, so player skill truly makes a difference to determine the player’s score for others to see.”
AC Slots—AXCESS 22V Platform
Debuted at G2E last year, AC Slots’ AXCESS 22V Platform was praised by our judges for its flexibility and affordability. The state-of-the-art video platform runs on a Windows-based engine that does not rely on a server. The content-driven platform speaks 27 different languages, has HD graphics and a variable reel-timing mechanism for easy game configuration and progressive capabilities.
“The use of Windows technology allows for quick design and theme changes, as well as rich features like language diversity,” said judge Buddy Frank, VP of slot operations at Pechanga Resort & Casino.
“It’s an innovative way to quickly and easily introduce new content for slots,” added judge Joshua Kanter, VP of Total Rewards at Caesars Entertainment.
Since the rebranding to AC Slots, the company has aimed to bring its ever-evolving product line to the next level. AXCESS is AC Slots’ first proprietary base slot product.
“It is a very dynamic platform, and it’s got a lot going on,” said Aimee Schultz, director of marketing at AC Slots. “It has all the great things that a server-based game has, but you don’t have to worry about it all going if one game goes, and you can switch games on a daily basis.”
With its affordable price point, our judges were impressed with the AXCESS 22V Platform’s revenue-generating capability. “This is a solid execution on existing ideas with good potential to move the revenue needle,” commented judge Eric Pearson, VP of casino operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
“We wanted it to be an open-forum platform that has opportunities for flexibility on the floor,” Schultz added. “It’s a customer-centric price and makes the customer money at the end of the day.”