July 11, 2003, 4:10 pm EST
Anatomy of a Game: What goes into making an actual casino game?
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Over the years, online casino games have become more and more complex, and the graphics are such that you would think you were playing in a real casino. These games are not one programmer projects; they require a large team of programmers, graphic designers and testers to ensure that the games are fair, run smoothly and most of all, enjoyable to the player at home.
Millions of dollars are spent developing these games from scratch. Here is the general process that these games go through when they are made:
First off, the main coding of the game takes place, with temporary graphics used by the programmers. The main part of this process is creating the logic of the game, making sure that the game follows the correct rules of blackjack, and allowing for transfer of real or play money into the account. Also, these games use a random number generator that determines which cards are dealt. These random number algorithms are usually certified by a third party to make sure that they can't be cracked. If the algorithm was figured out, then a player would be able to determine which cards were going to be dealt.
After the guts of the game is made, the designers step in. The programmers will leave "placeholders" for the designers to fit their graphics in; for instance, the programmers will leave a spot for the graphical representation of every card in the deck, the blackjack table, the chips, etc.
So now the programming and graphics are done; now the game needs to be stringently tested. Over a period of months, testers will be testing every single aspect of the game, checking for bugs. If a bug is found, then the game is sent back to the programmers to fix. The testers will be looking for: smooth process for transferring money into a playing account, bugs, graphical glitches, compatibility on different computers, and general adherence to the rules of poker. This is the most arduous process, and normally lasts for months and years.
After the game has been put through the wringer, it is either re-written, completely scrapped, or added to casino sites. Games are continuously being monitored to make sure that there are no glitches, and are also constantly being improved. Casinos hire the best and the brightest programmers and designers, as they are in the business to make money, and want to make sure that there are no glitches that would allow for one of their customers to score a large win at their expense due to a programming error.
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