When was the last time you chose to visit a brick-and-mortar casino? Unless one happens to be located close to your home, the chances are high that such an excursion represents a rare event. The good news is that enjoying these very same thrills can now be enjoyed from the comfort of your living room thanks to the prevalence of online casinos. One category of games is particularly appealing, and it now boasts a massive fan base.
Live casino games offer the best of both worlds. They promise real-time interactions with human dealers while also providing plenty of genres to choose from. Still, we need to remember that these platforms did not emerge from digital ether. They are the results of hard work, plenty of innovation, and the latest software systems. Let’s take a peek behind the scenes to better understand how developers have begun to create the next generation of live dealer platforms.
Third-Party Partnerships
Most online casinos do not actually develop live dealer games themselves. They instead choose to outsource these projects to third-party firms specialising in the finer points. While a casino might wish to explore a specific theme, it is essentially up to the software programmers to transform this initial vision into a tangible reality. This is when the talent of coding comes into “play”.
Complex algorithms will be used to create the framework of the game. Elements include the user interface (UX), the overall theme, the built-in graphics, and the means by which the game can be streamed over the Internet. After these are confirmed, the company will still spend a great deal of time evaluating prototypes. The beta testing phase then begins, and this allows a small sample of players to provide their feedback before the official version is released to the public. So, we can see that live dealer games take a significant amount of time to come to fruition.
Hiring Professional Talent
The centrepiece of any live game involves the dealers themselves. These participants reflect the brand in question, and they are the primary reason players remain engaged for extended periods of time. These professionals are vetted to the highest of standards so that little is left to the imagination. They also tend to be experts in a specific genre (such as poker, roulette, or blackjack). Real-life dealers are trained to be courteous, helpful, and humorous when the opportunity presents itself. Some of the top dealers are even employed on a full-time basis. Without these personalities, the game would hardly enjoy any long-term success.
Hybrid Game Models
This is one of the most recent trends across the online casino community. Some live dealer games have come to represent an amalgamation of two discrete categories. For example, perhaps a game of poker offers a hidden bonus round consisting of a virtual five-reel slots machine.Other game shows may begin with a large spinning wheel. Once a certain point is reached, the dealer may present a roulette wheel offering even more hefty multipliers. The main intention here is to keep things fresh, and to ensure that players remain satisfied with the overall experience.
The Studio
Yet another appealing aspect of live dealer platforms involves the studios that the developer chooses to present. Note that these are not necessarily green screens. Many brands have created real-world rooms that accommodate the dealer. Elements include felt tables, physical backgrounds, and professional lighting systems.
The cameras should also be mentioned, as these represent an integral portion of the overall experience. It is not uncommon for a developer to employ several high-definition cameras placed at various locations. These offer a three-dimensional feel, and players can even choose which angle they wish to view (such as a top-down perspective during a hand of poker). A significant amount of the budget attributed to any live dealer game is directly related to the studio.
VR-Friendly Games?
This is the latest movement that may soon come to pass. Virtual reality (VR) headsets are expected to exert a significant influence across the gaming community for a handful of practical reasons:
- Modern devices weigh much less than previous versions
- The price points have dropped dramatically
- Many headsets are now wireless; offering a hands-free edge
The long-term goal here is to provide an even more immersive overall experience while maintaining the same level of gameplay. Although VR devices might not be available to everyone, there is little doubt that die-hard players have become interested in their potential.
Live dealer games continue to attract a massive global audience. Not only are these excellent ways to become involved in fast-paced competitions, but they reflect the social side of gaming. This is why casinos are always keen to take advantage of the latest possibilities, and why players continue lauding the benefits.