Ten Commandments for New Table Games

The Game Lucky 9 at Harrah's Rincon is actually a decent combination of BJ and Baccarat. Simply put, it is dealt like BJ but scored like Baccarat. You can take 1 card only, dealer hits on 4 and stands on 5. If you have less than 3 you lose, and if you have a 2 card 9 without a 0 you get 3/2 on your money. I believe there was a thread about the game already. That game has been getting some action and it has a chance, who knows if it will make it or not. I enjoy the game, but not sure if I would play it over midi baccarat. Part of the appeal for me is the relatively low minimums.

Quote: bigfoot66

...Baccarat...dealt like BJ...

Lucky Draw Baccarat has a similar idea, except you have to pay to draw a third card. With a high house edge casinos can afford to have low minimums.

Quote: Wizard

Although getting a few placements is further than the vast majority of game inventors will ever get, I still don't consider that a success. Show me a game that has made more for the inventor than the expense of math, intellectual property protection, licenses, fixed expenses (like signs and cloth), and something reasonable for time and I'll consider giving it "success" status. Pai Gow Mania has been at the Fitzgerald's for years, but as far as I know, that is the only placement. Somehow I've heard of Pojack, probably seen it at a gaming show, but I don't think I've seen placement number one yet.

Pai Gow Mania had a very loyal following in the St Louis market. I know Ameristar had it for awhile, and Harrah's had it for a LONG time (in fact, it was their ONLY PGP game for quite sometime). Lumiere Place had it too, though I think they got rid of it for EZ Pai Gow.

They tried the game in Kansas City at Isle of Capri, but it wasn't there for too long. Wild Wild West in Bally's at AC had it, but that whole casino is now done. I agree it wasn't a HUGE success, but it did have some placements outside of Vegas, and I would say it WAS a success in the St Louis metro area.

Mike is correct about success NOT being a single install that sees the light of the casino floor. Many installs really define "product success."
But seeing the light of the casino floor is a measure of success, - in terms of making it to the show. A lot of infant games get born to die in the crib (an absolutely terrible way to put it, but very apt), and after a successful and promising pregnancy, as distributors and casino operators try a number of titles to find a few hits. You've got to do this in a game of numbers.

For the game designer, the first live install is a very personal hallmark, a milestone. Perhaps a half-dozen members here have this, at least. It's like making it to the olympic stage in a sporting area, only to sometimes finish 9th in competition, - or to sometimes place "Bronze-plus." (Now there's a side bet's name!) I know (we know) of one ex-pro footbal player who is now a gaming executive, who played in like a handful of NFL games. Zero regrets and a lot of pride having gone that far before a great new career. He can say, "I am a successful casino executive - and by the way, I played for the Denver Broncos in the 1980's. Beat THAT!" Hitting the double digits in terms of installs for a single game is fantastic, and triple digits a great rarity.

Now, Having multiple titles with triple-digits installs is the realm of only Roger Snow, as far as I know.

Quote: Paradigm

Success is obviously subjective to each individual, but since table game development is a business, using financial metrics to judge success seems appropriate.

The personal success of making it to the casino floor means a lot. Even if you never made it to the point of having a "permanent installed based of 100+ games," the gambler as game designer can claim achievement ("people bought into my table in a real casino in my life!"), and justifiably say that being involved in it all was time better spend than veggie-out in front of cable TV or talk "Happy Hour" crap in a pub four days a week, which legions of people do aside from a nominal or even menial career as a life. The experience, the people, the journey, the WORK, the aggrevation, is to be alive for a gambler. It's action.

Quote: Paradigm

To be a financial success, the game needs to be net profitable over its lifetime. As Wiz mentioned above, you have to make more than all the costs associated with developing the game.

Ahh, to add net-positive cash to some personal pride is the icing on the cake...

Quote: Tiltpoul

Pai Gow Mania had a very loyal following in the St Louis market. I know Ameristar had it for awhile, and Harrah's had it for a LONG time (in fact, it was their ONLY PGP game for quite sometime). Lumiere Place had it too, though I think they got rid of it for EZ Pai Gow.

Yikes. In the evolving table games market, it is a process of replacement, which is viewed as either cannibalizing or refinement.

Quote: Paigowdan

For the game designer, the first live install is a very personal hallmark, a milestone. Perhaps a half-dozen members here have this, at least. It's like making it to the olympic stage in a sporting area, only to sometimes finish 9th in competition, - or to sometimes place "Bronze-plus." (Now there's a side bet's name!)

The personal success of making it to the casino floor means a lot. Even if you never made it to the point of having a "permanent installed based of 100+ games," the gambler as game designer can claim achievement ("people bought into my table in a real casino in my life!")

The experience, the people, the journey, the WORK, the aggrevation, is to be alive for a gambler. It's action.

Well put Dan.....there are definitely personal milestones along the journey. I would add that having a distributor pick up your game and put it in their booth at G2E is another big milestone. We can add some additional members to that list come Oct 1st!

Quote:

Thou Shalt Keep it Simple

A good standard is that you should be able to teach a new player the rules in under thirty seconds. It slows down a game while the dealer explains the rules, players won't have the patience to learn something complicated, and the more complicated the game is the more likely the dealer is to make errors. Side bets should be limited to one.

When clients ask for my advice on game design, this is invariably the first thing that pops into my head. I always try and get clients to write out the proposed rules in rack-card format in advance; if they can't do that, there's a sign that the fat needs flitching. If they're more comfortable hashing things out over the phone, I try and get a real sales speech that will generously assume they will have sixty seconds of a potential new player's time, but that means they should be able to explain it to a long-time gambler and mathematician like myself in thirty. This works great in convincing them to get rid of 'cute' or 'rarely happens' exceptions. Taking ten seconds to explain to me why you get paid 6:5 if the product of the pip counts on your cards is expressible as the sum of three primes is ten of those thirty seconds you don't have anymore.

It's related to the other points about being derivatives of other properties, but I recommend starting the pitch "it's just like X, except Y". Spanish 21? It's just like blackjack, except you have more options, there are bonus payouts and no ten-spots in the deck". You then go over the options, go over the bonus payouts, and you're good. EZ Pai Gow? It's just like Pai Gow, but there's no commission and all player hands push on a dealer's Q high Pai Gow.

I do believe there is a market just waiting to explode for more esoteric and complex table games once the internet gambling floodgates finally open -- and they WILL open -- but for LIVE table games? This list is right on target, as its authors quite usually are.

" Although getting a few placements is further than the vast majority of game inventors will ever get, I still don't consider that a success. Show me a game that has made more for the inventor than the expense of math, intellectual property protection, licenses, fixed expenses (like signs and cloth), and something reasonable for time and I'll consider giving it "success" status. "


Then I can assume Wiz, that you consider STREAK to have earned "SUCESS" status ?????

Quote: Wizard

Thanks for the kind words on Mulligan Poker. However, it should be noted that even if a game passes all these tests, it is still far from guaranteed from success. I think my Ties Win Blackjack game would have passed these ten tests too, and that has not gone past field trial.

I think the name Mulligan is violating Thou Shalt Name Thy Game Well, sorry, Wizard. Your competitors are 3, 4, 5, 6, Holdem, EZ, 21+3, Spanish, Lucky, Lucky Lucky, Shortie, Royal Match; need I go farther?

Quote: UCivan

I think the name Mulligan is violating Thou Shalt Name Thy Game Well, sorry, Wizard.

Sorry, but I disagree. When you hit a lousy shot in golf who isn't happy to redeem himself with a Mulligan? I think the word "Mulligan" brings a positive association to all things Irish. I think I've seen lots of bars named "Mulligan's."

Is 3 card Mulligan Poker too long a name ? or just plain old Mulligan Poker ? Is this a poll worthy question ?

Quote: buzzpaff

Is 3 card Mulligan Poker too long a name ? or just plain old Mulligan Poker ? Is this a poll worthy question ?

I think "Three Card Mulligan" is okay. It won't offend me if anyone just refers to it as "Mulligan." When WagerWorks took on the game for their Internet casinos they changed the name to Three Card Second Chance, which I opposed.

Quote: Wizard

I think "Three Card Mulligan" is okay. It won't offend me if anyone just refers to it as "Mulligan."

Ten to one if the game is even a modest hit, a majority of all players will believe it was designed by someone named Mulligan.

I have to agree with Wiz on the name. Mulligan does invoke positives.....you get another shot to create a better outcome.

Mulligan is a positive word in golf in that if they are allowed, the player benefits. This is why you generally have to pay to get Mulligan's in charity golf tournaments. You would not be asked to pay for something that wasn't desirable.

Quote: Nareed

Ten to one if the game is even a modest hit, a majority of all players will believe it was designed by someone named Mulligan.

You'd pay me 10:1 if less than the majority don't believe that? I'd take that bet :)

Quote: Wizard

I think "Three Card Mulligan" is okay. It won't offend me if anyone just refers to it as "Mulligan." When WagerWorks took on the game for their Internet casinos they changed the name to Three Card Second Chance, which I opposed.

I agree that "Second Chance" is a terrible name. Ditto for using it as part of the name as WagerWorks has done.

I think "Mulligan Poker" is slightly better than "Three Card Mulligan", but it would prevent "Mulligan" from becoming a brand the way "EZ" has become.

On that note, once it becomes a success, do you have plans for other Mulligan games?

---

For the record, I had been using the term "Mulligan" for years, correctly, before I discovered that it's origins are in golf.

Give me another synonyms that you would suggest for Mulligan or 2nd chance. It has to be simple and EZ. It's really hard to find one.

Quote: Wizard

I think "Three Card Mulligan" is okay.

I asked my daughter (she's 30) if she knew what
a Mulligan was and she said 'You mean Mulligan's
Island'? Its an odd word to people who don't play
golf.

I understood the, "Mulligan," immediately, I've put enough shots in enough ponds to know...

Anybody remotely familiar with golf should be familiar with the term. I don't know what percentage of non-golfers know it. Even if somebody doesn't know the meaning, I'm hoping if he asks the dealer it will lead into an explanation of the game. Those who do know the term may be intrueged by the title, and wonder how it applies to poker.

I also have a patent on a five-card version, but that can be played with only four players maximum.

That's why I suggested Mulligan Poker. Even if unfamiliar with golf, the name might cause a player to look at it.

3 card only implies poker, and assumes the player will make the link.

I'm still waiting for Idiot Poker, but I won't hold my hand on my arse either.

As someone who played Magic: The Gathering, in highschool, I know what a mulligan is.

Quote: 98Clubs

I'm still waiting for Idiot Poker, but I won't hold my hand on my arse either.

Damn, now you got me thinking about a game worthy of that GREAT title.