Throughout history, casino games have evolved in more ways than nobody could have anticipated. Now that we live in a digital age, players from all over the world can enjoy their favorite casino games from the comfort of their own homes. This means that a new kind of job opportunity has opened up for game developers to broaden their skill sets.
These people are responsible for making new and engaging casino games that, in theory, should make players want to keep coming back. But how exactly are these online games designed? What processes do game creators go through to make something so compelling? Do they use any special tricks to make their users more likely to keep playing?
Let’s find out.
How Do Online Casinos Make Their Games So Addictive?
You’ve probably noticed that most online casinos are designed to make their players spend as much time and money as possible. How do they manage to do that? It can’t just be because people like playing their games, right? There’s actually some rather interesting psychology at play.
It starts with those feelings of frustration and anxiety. These emotions drive users to keep playing until they win again. One example is using different types of rewards as positive reinforcement. By saying “well done, you’re doing better than you thought!”, it makes the user confident that the next spin might be a win.
Bonus features, free spins, and big wins are what all users strive for. When these bonus rounds occur, there is always some kind of payout that makes it a worthwhile goal.
What Research Goes Into Making an Online Casino Game?
Like most products, before a casino game is released to the public, developers need to do an extensive amount of research. This includes both qualitative and quantitative analysis as well as market research.
Qualitative Analysis
In qualitative research, researchers ask participants open-ended questions about a product. This helps them understand why people use a product, where they use it, how they use it, and why they choose one product over another. This process is often done through interviews or focus groups.
Quantitative Analysis
With quantitative analysis, researchers often use surveys or polls to collect data from participants. They ask questions about their habits and preferences, such as their favorite food or how many hours a week they prefer to spend gaming.
Market Research
Market research is a type of research that gathers data about a specific market. Online casinos need to find out who their customers are, what they want, and how they like to play. They also need to know what their target audience is interested in so they can make their games more appealing.
Designing a UI for an Online Casino Game
Game developers start their design process by coming up with a shortlist of title themes that players will likely enjoy. This includes deciding on a few core game mechanics that are unique and popular.
Doing this will result in making the experience more engaging. Once this is all decided, they start mapping out the UI of their game.
This includes sketching out the different menus and game screens, then mapping out the flow of the gameplay. Before the casino game gets released for public testing, the title is brought to life in a virtual environment.
This allows them to make adjustments to their game’s mechanics, plot, and design without having to go back to the drawing board. Designing a UI is a crucial part of any game’s creation process and it’s something that should be done early on.
Creating the Art for an Online Casino Game
Designing the art for a casino game comes with many challenges. All casinos want their games to be as authentic as possible. This means that every symbol, card, and design in their games needs to be true to their real-world counterparts.
Another thing to note is that designers need to consider the different types of players that will be playing your game. This includes the color-blind, elderly players, and a wide range of different cultures.
There are many considerations that must be made. Designers need to think about how all visuals will be used throughout the title.
Animating an Online Casino Game
Animating a casino game is a complicated process that requires a lot of patience. You’ll want to start by coming up with a sketched-out storyboard of the entire animation. This should include how many characters appear in the animation, what’s happening, and what the end goal of it all is.
Animators map out all of the movements in their storyboard and then write down a list of all of the different animations each object needs. Then they start thinking about how long each animation will take to complete. This helps them figure out how long the entire animation will take to put together.
Comparing the Design of Physical and Online Casino Games
The design of a physical casino game is vastly different from that of an online game. When designing a physical casino game, developers need to make sure they follow the rules of the casino they’re building in. This involves the number of reels, the symbols that appear on them, and the type of reel used.
Designers also have to consider how their game will look. This includes how it’s packed up and how many parts it has. These will all be important when shipping their game.
Conclusion
With the advent of online casinos, game developers have had to evolve their abilities to keep up with the digital era. Whether users want to play blackjack or play roulette online, creators have to consider many different factors when making their games.
From the colors they use to the animations they incorporate and the sounds they play, everything has to be authentic and engaging. This is why online casinos use high-end graphics and animations to entice all users that enjoy the game.
