New Life Games Tech Forums

So I've had various machines from IGT, Williams, SGI - Odyssey, Bally and Sigma. I realized after many hours of game play that there was something captivating and more fun about the Williams games over all others. It seemed to me that the Williams games won a lot more and that I found myself playing for the bonus round that very often offerred up a very large payout compared to my original bet.  My other machines from other manufacturers seemed boring or had bonus games that didn't pay much. Example my odyssey machine's bonuses don't pay much, thus a lack of reinforcing me to play longer for bonuses whether hitting winning combos or not like a williams game. I found that if you don't hit winning combinations on the primary game on an Oddyseey, IGT etc. you just don't win much.  WIlliams on the other hand pschologically hooks you by providing very large wins on the bonus round. You can play 1 line 1 penny and still get bonus rounds 700% above your bet.

After doing a search I ran accross a patent that Williams filed to exclusivley program their games to have bonus rounds with a very high volitility, US Patent 6302791. Brilliant!!! Why? Because Williams was sued by IGT in the mid 1990's for Patent infringment pertaining to the first Williams reel games using the virtual reel program logic. As we know virtual computer generated reels with 50, 60, 72 stops vs. 22 physical stops on 3 reels gives a game the odds to offer a very large jackpot while fooling the average joe into thinking the odds are just like any 3 reel game. Make it a 4 reel game and we all expect it to be a harder win. A large jackpot advertised on a casino floor obvisouly is more appealing and likely would get more play by casino guests. So IGT locked the market in this way or got paid by others to use the patented technology. Because of this, Williams came up with the idea to offer a seperate non reel bonus game in addition to the 3 reels with 22 stops, as a work around to get those big jackpots displayed on a 3 reel game.  Hello Dotmation!

As I understand it the virtual reel patent doesn't apply to video slots, but back in the mid 90's people didn't take well to video slots. Mechanical doesn't cheat, video slots are just computer video games and seemed to be more open to being manipulated by the casino in the mind of the average joe in a casino at that time who didn't grow up on computers. IGT was set.... but for how long? Fast forward to today where many people gambling grew up with computers and video games and don't fear a video slot machine run by a computer. Now it's about entertainment, 6 reels and a video bonus game or full video is very popular now. The brillance in the Williams patent is that they mastered the perfect game play logic to create the continued desire of a player to play for bonus rounds and high hit frequency to keep the action going. The formula works and Williams is the only company that can offer that very hypnotic particular game play logic. Better yet it transends reels and video and works no matter what the method of game play is. It's interesting to see how IGT's lock down of the virtual reel technology forced a competitor to think outside the box and ultimately patent a better mouse trap that many years later may be the downfall for the guys (IGT) who tried to shut them out.

On my last trip to Vegas I noticed many Williams games full and many IGT texas tea machines empty. The Big Event concept with triple Monopoly Grand hotel at Ceasers in the Bluebird cabnets multi layer LCD over reels is fantasic, exciting and very fun for a kid like me who grew up with a Coleco vision and a computer.  Williams wins the prize in my opinion for most progressive and innovative slot machine manufacturer miles beyond IGT and bally. Great presentation of the licensed images and brands such as Startrek, Monkeys, Wizard of Oz, etc.

I'm sure I don't know the whole story as I've never worked for any of these guys but based on the info I found it's a facinating case study on competitive business stratagy or maybe it was just an accident!!!!

Reference: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6302791/fulltext.html

That was really well said, and all quite true.
IGT has lost their edge. One reason is they
moved Joe K. out.  Well good news for IGT
people, Joe K is back, since IGT has lost so
much marketshare to Wms.

The rumor is that this fall's LV shows will
display Joe K's new IGT machines. These should
give Wms a run for their money.

I have an S+, Bally 6000 and a Dotmation and by far the Dot gets the most game play.     The Bally is a great machine too but I'm hoping Jim at Blueridge will help me out with a Bonus Times. 

Both willams and bally made the  best pinball games  and  bally  did great bingos and flipper  pins not  like the cheap shit stern makes today as far as the slots   we like all brands wise we didn,t  we might be rich today, When they opened  those slot parlors in pa we were  way to close went every day min  5 days a week  took $200 each  bad week we could lose 2k now we go every 6 to 8 weeks take alot less $$ after being in va  for 5 weeks and not going to pa slot joints we got a free remodel on kicthen
steve

Is this the one you're after?

W

Yes but it the 4 reel version.   

well in the usa you dont have r franco machines  these are much better than williams and bonus payout is much higher than any other ive ever seen
had one that paid 500000 credits in bonus with 75 bet
normally playing 9 it pays between 900credits to 25000   some even 50000
there are 2 types of this machines some from sapin and some from colombia,  the ones from colombia factory are better .in my umble opinion francos are much better, wms are good machines anyhow.
and in mechanical reels franco are much better they where the first to have 4th reel ontop with mystery and jackpot and 50 bet and they are almost 10 yrs old, some play even better than video

Is this the one?  It's called Bonus Times Frenzy.  I bet you can guess what casino it came from.

W
sorry for the thread jack...

Who (Or what) is Joe K  :103-

Ohhhhh it is!  With the speaker glass too! <drool>