VGM manufacturers push forward
Editor's note: The following interviews are presented in the order in which they occurred.
By Cole Boehler
Montana Tavern Times
Despite challenges in the video gaming machine (VGM) business, Montana games manufacturers continue to feed a steady stream of software and hardware upgrades into the conceptual, engineering, submission and approval process which can take anywhere from nine months up to two years.
No manufacturer told the Montana Tavern Times they intend to slow the rate of development since everyone – manufacturers and operators alike – are driven to find and maintain an edge that will sustain or increase current play volumes, perhaps at the expense of the competition.
Fleetwood Gaming
Of all Montana manufacturers, Fleetwood Gaming out of Billings may have surmounted the most obstacles in breaking into the business in Montana. But like the mythical ballplayer who first struggles several years trying to make it into the "Bigs," then hits a homerun in his first at bat, the proprietary Fleetwood platforms have been stellar performers since they hit the gaming floor back in 2003.
The company first introduced its Keno King machine which saw excellent play with a well designed suite of keno games, presented with unique game concepts and themes, and high quality graphics, animation and audio.
That release was shortly upgraded to the Casino King when multi-game platforms were allowed, and Fleetwood rapidly rolled out an entirely new suite of poker games.
It was just two years later when the company demonstrated its nimbleness and agility by releasing an entirely new machine series called the Brilliant Bet. Both the Casino King and Brilliant Bet have since received a steady stream of upgrades in software and cosmetics. As of an Oct. 30 Gambling Control Division (GCD) report, Fleetwood was fielding 1,947 devices that have daily earnings in the top tier.
The gaming business in Montana had seen growth for two decades until flat play and then contraction began five quarters ago. But Fleetwood Sales Manager Art LaGaly and Development Manager Brian Duval told the Montana Tavern Times in telephone interviews Nov. 10 that with adversity comes opportunity.
"We need to keep people entertained," they say, and note that when customers are more inclined to try new and different venues, and when loyalties are changing, astute operators will snag their share and more.
"An operator has got to get customers in and keep them there," LaGaly stresses. "Customers are exhibiting less machine loyalty or even location loyalty," he says, so the difference will prove to be superior customer service. But certainly machine selection remains important and individual VGM models must incorporate the right balance between payout rates and entertainment value, he admits.
Duval stresses that the company has been steadily rolling out new games and has had some approved that have not yet been released, yet has even more in submission and in development. Market timing will dictate when the company offers upgrades, he says. There is no point in releasing fresh games if a previous release is still performing at top levels, he points out.
Since July 1, Duval says, the company has gained approval for some hardware modifications for its platforms to incorporate future USB data storage devices and thermal printers, but simultaneously built in more memory to accommodate more future games and ever more sophisticated games.
Two months ago the company released an update of its popular "Hocus Pocus" game title and prior to that a "re-make" of its "First and Goal" football-themed game. Among other recent releases Fleetwood's "Charmed" game with its shake-a-day bonus feature has been a big hit, they say, as has "Piggy Pays" (It's going through the roof," LaGaly says) which is just now being released along with the new "Big Break" game.
"They're more animated, entertaining and interactive," Duval says.
Approval is anticipated for Fleetwood's "Montana Big Game" by the end of November, Duval says, and two or three brand new titles are expected to be submitted before the first of the year.
"There's always something being developed," LaGaly says, with improved performance the goal every time. New glass options are always available. Both the Brilliant Bet and Casino King lines are designed in upright and slant-top configurations.
"We have some other pretty exciting stuff in the works," LaGaly said, but would not disclose specifics when pressed. "We're very positive and upbeat at Fleetwood," he concluded.
Spielo Gaming
A couple of days later the Tavern Times talked to Speilo Gaming's Blaine Bowman over lunch in Butte.
Spielo entered the Montana market with the PowerStation 5 keno machine in 2003 and established its place immediately as a top performer, a status it has maintained since. Now fielding 2,978 boxes as of Oct. 30, Spielo is the state's number three manufacturer and has been steadily gaining market share since its launch here.
In 2006 the company rolled out its PowerStation Plus platform that featured numerous hardware upgrades "plus" more memory for multi-game functionality to run both keno and poker and to accommodate the addition of bonus round play, while simultaneously getting a new cabinet and cosmetics.
The older PowerStation 5 machines also had hardware upgraded to "Plus" equivalent for multi-game at that time. Printer and monitor upgrades for both platforms have been ongoing.The Spielo company was acquired by international Gtech a few years ago which then added sister company Atronic. On Nov. 6, the company received Montana approval for its latest rendering, the "Ultra" platform, which will be ready for USB data storage and thermal printers.
That platform will feature dual flatscreen 22-inch LCD monitors, with the second screen functioning as "virtual" glass that can be updated and customized to an extent. It will also display images that are linked to the game currently in play.
Unfortunately, Montana operators will have to wait until perhaps May or June to take delivery of an Ultra, since the company's production capacity has been stretched to the limit by an order for 2,400 machines by the Oregon Lottery, and "thousands more" slated to head to Italy. Bowman says the production facility is moving from one shift to 24/7 operation to fill these orders, plus build machines for other jurisdictions including Montana.
The first Montana-specific run of 300 machines was ordered by Town Pump and they were taking delivery the day of the interview. When the machines are ready for delivery to other Montana customers, Bowman said he expects the software will incorporate a second-generation software upgrade, demonstrating the regularity and continuity of the upgrade streams that characterize Montana's top manufacturers.
The machines sport a futuristic look of sleek "brushed chrome" and L.E.D. lighting that resembles tube neon as well as an innovative "marquee" bezel. "These really stand out on the gaming floor,” Bowman says. It will be available only in an upright version ... for now, he adds. In addition, the Ultra will feature three brand new games – a poker and two kenos – not seen on earlier Spielo iterations.
Clearly a forward upgrade path was envisioned for Spielo machines from the beginning. Looking back, the PowerStation 5 series has received eight upgrade packages in its relatively short history here, and the latest Version 21.10 was approved the first week of November.
It will feature Montana's first big-time licensed theme game based on the famous Three Stooges comedy team. Players will also enjoy the random "pop-up" bonus feature called "Stake Your Claim," Bowman predicts. "It gives players a free chance to win money. It's neat," he says.
Bowman says in order for machine owners to enjoy the benefits of regular upgrades they must be priced reasonably. Spielo has routinely made upgrades available for a modest $500 price tag. The latest version will be available for just $395, he says.
"We made a real commitment in Montana to demonstrate we support what we sell," Bowman says. "We have had regular upgrades and designed in a lasting upgrade path. People who originally bought our PowerStation 5s have made their investment back many times."
Grand Vision Gaming
No one can tell you more about what a challenge it is to bring brand new games – let alone a brand new brand! – to the Montana marketplace than can Tim Carson.
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 Screen shot of new Grand Vision 'Hold 'Em' poker game
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Carson is credited with taking the old Dynamo VGM spin-off to the number one market share machine under the Summit brand in a 10-year span. But he left Summit more than two years ago to focus on the route operation business with his family-operated Amusement Services vending company.
Along the way he determined, together with Merle Frank and vending company Century Gaming principals Steve Arntzen, Heidi Schmalz and Grant Lincoln, that a new ground-up machine could provide solutions no other manufacturer was offering.
Thus Grand Vision Gaming was formed and launched in the early winter of 2008, and actually won approval for the new VGM and its content in mid-August of this year, an amazing story of concept, engineering, submission and approval.
As of Oct. 30, there are 549 of the devices in operation with roughly half of them on Amusement Services and Century routes, with the balance operated by other vendors and independent location operators.
Carson said the game, in the environment it was designed for, is meeting expectation and playing as well as the industry leaders, but he acknowledges in its current configuration, may not be ideally suited for some locations.
"It has been the number two daily earner in many places with win-per-day averaging 10 percent ahead of other products," he says.
"But we got what everybody else got with the (full implementation of the state-wide Oct. 1) smoking ban," he said, and that's some play and revenue disappointments. Gaming was already in a five-quarter slump due to a receding economy and reports indicate additional ban-related revenue declines statewide in the range of 10-20 percent and up to 40 and 50 percent in some specific locations.
Some unique play features have already been addressed, Carson said in a phone interview where General Manager Merle Frank and Sales Manager Bruce Wilson were also present. He said many machine's games now offer nickel wagers and allows for bet levels below 25 cents, which was cumbersome for many player.
But Carson's focus was on a new 10-game suite, and upgrades to the existing seven, that will be ready for submission soon and hopefully approved and released by mid-January.
Unique to the Grand Vision machine, the first upgrade and new game suite were included in the initial purchase price so there will be no charge for the new chip set. It will include three new keno games and seven new poker games, including three "classic" player-hold style poker games.
He said some refinement of pay-tables will be made ("more balance, especially in the middle pays"), a "tally box" will be displayed so players can see how credits were won, and new graphics and sounds will be incorporated. Even a "hall of fame" feature will be added much like that which is common on video amusement games, where players can enter their names with top scores in a standings table.
He said a new "Light 'Em Up" feature will be added to the "Banker's Bonus" play that will "be almost like a totally different game.” Flow-of-game aspects will be enhanced including improved timing in credit playback speeds, and more unprompted on-screen play explanations will be incorporated.
The enhancements "are all part of the manufacturing process," Carson says.
But what seems to excite Carson the most is the pending roll out of the state's first ever "Hold 'Em" style poker card game
"This is not traditional five-card poker," Carson says, but instead plays like actual Texas Hold 'Em poker, where players face an "opponent" and can work with up to seven dealt cards. "This is going to be big," he says.
He described the Hold 'Em play like this:
A player is dealt two down-cards and so is their "opponent." A player will bet 25¢ to see their own cards while the opponent's remain face down. At this point a player can decide to fold or continue.
Next, the player can bet an additional 75¢ (so now $1 total) to see an additional three cards the "game" will "flop" face-up. If a player hits a royal flush at this stage he will automatically win the hand.
If a player then opts to continue instead of to fold, he or she can "go all in" and bet an additional $1. If the opponent has a high enough hand to "qualify" he will make the call and the remaining "turn" and "river" cards will be played out.
If the opponent does not have a hand high enough to qualify, he must fold and the player is declared the winner. Once the hand is played to completion, the player's hand must beat the opponent's to be declared the "winner" and the size of the amount won will be displayed on a pay table similar to draw poker.
Carson said the Hold 'Em game will be submitted to GCD for approval in the first part of December and he expects rapid approval. "A whole new group of players will respond" to this offering, he said.
On the keno side, Carson said an exciting new "Double 21" game is on its way as is "Every Which Way Keno, as unique a keno game as you'll see."
In hindsight, Carson acknowledges that "these programs are just so vast, it's hard to get everything correct." But he adds it is more important for a company to be able to recognize improvements through carefully considered customer feedback, then act rapidly and effectively to implement necessary enhancements.
"We're upbeat," he said. "The level of excitement here is incredible. The upgrade will be seen as a total enhancement, almost totally new. That's not easy. And we've already got two artist/engineers working on a new game set for release in mid-2010.
"We built this game to operate it ourselves and to help others, and that means to provide excellent player entertainment and good returns to owners. We'll make this the best game in the state.
“Everyone needs to be working harder than they ever have" in this post-smoke ban challenging environment "just to not lose ground," Carson said. "We certainly are."
Summit Gaming
The
Tavern Times made several attempts to speak with Kevin Peterson, manager of Montana's leading VGM manufacturer and supplier, but he was on the go between his Billings office and the G2E gaming show in Las Vegas. However, an Oct. 8 news release posted on Summit parent company GameTech's web site noted their long anticipated new game suite has won approval from Montana regulators.
The release said the Montana Gambling Control Division has approved Summit's latest multi-game release of new titles for the Montana VGM market.
This multi-game suite includes the release of Gold Works, Cow Abduction and Sweet Success video keno games with state-of-the-art graphics and animation. These games are designed for maximum player interaction and a heightened entertainment experience through innovative bonus rounds, sound packages, and new and exciting game play features," the release said.
Summit enjoys a dominant position in the Montana market with almost double the number of gaming machines deployed in the state as the next largest gaming machine provider. As of Oct. 30, Summit had 6,132 devices in the field.
The release continued, "'We are very excited about getting our approvals for these new games,' said Tim Minard, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GameTech International. 'We are confident that they will meet and exceed customer and player expectations in this very important market for us. These games, which really focus on the player experience, are strong examples of why we hold the market leader position in Montana and in other major VLT markets.'"
GameTech purchased Summit in April 2007. The company says it is in the business of designing, manufacturing, and marketing computerized bingo and gaming equipment, systems, and services. Under the GameTech product brand the company provides electronic bingo systems and equipment, and is an innovator in advanced wireless gaming applications and devices.
Under the Summit Gaming product brand the company provides video lottery terminal devices, Class III gaming machines, and related software and content. GameTech International, Inc. serves customers in 43 U.S. states, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Editor's note: We were unable to speak with an IGT representative before deadline and hopefully can bring readers up to speed on that company's latest developments next month along with those pertinent to the U1 machine.