The AWP, or low payout machine as it is sometimes known, is traditionally associated with the pub and bar culture across a multitude of countries. It is an integral part of the street market and has built such a reputation that even those who don't know how to play a 'fruit machine' will know what one looks like and where to find it...

The introduction of video into the traditional reel AWP market is still relatively new and although the majority of markets have welcomed the format with open arms, some countries, such as Spain, are still ironing out the creases, evidence that this technology still has some mountains to climb.

It will take some time before players fully embrace the medium of video and there will, of course, always be those that prefer mechanical reels.

We do, however, live in a world where technology is important, therefore there is a definite market for video AWPs (VAWPS).

Richard Barr of gaming manufacturer Astra, in the UK, believes the catalyst for increased numbers of video reels, in the UK at least, is down to the introduction of Section 16/21 and players accepting and enjoying the benefits, such as 20 lines, that VAWPs allow.

Barr said: “The possibilities of the medium have not yet been fully explored and we are working on products that will push the barriers from a game design perspective but will also benefit the player. We see this as an ideal way of attracting new players and are filling patents to broaden our appeal to a wider audience.”

As with most things, although the immediate response to VAWPs has been positive, it takes a while for people to adjust to change and stick with a product long term, especially when it is such a big technological leap forward as VAWPs clearly are.

More scope for design

Video reels, it would seem, give the game designer more scope but the player still needs to be educated and stimulated and given a product they will enjoy.

As Paul Marsh, director of strategy (pubs and bars) at Inspired Gaming in the UK, points out, as soon as customers and players become fully aware of the huge benefits of video, their popularity will snowball.

“We are already working towards this through the set up of a dedicated support team to verse pub managers in how to get the most out of the machines for themselves and their punters,” he said.

“We have just started a huge push to get more of our video AWP terminals out there, so we are confident it won’t be too long before this technology is more popular than its predecessor.”

But what are the benefits of VAWPs, both to the operator and player? Surely, if they are as revolutionary as manufacturers would have us believe, traditional reel AWPs will soon be out of the picture.

According to Barr, for the operator video reels are presentation vehicles that provide them with innovative games that excite players, a consequence of moving beyond the boundaries of physical reels.

And for the players, Barr added: “Enhanced graphic capabilities are the obvious appeal, as well as animated and interactive features. Plus the expressive reel bands afforded by video breathe life into the game, adding further dimensions to the gaming experience.”

Video-based content also provides the game developer with a more dynamic and creative medium to present game mechanics to players.

Games Media’s Peter Davies said: “Intuitive interactive games can therefore be created that appeal to new and existing players, providing maximum entertainment value, which is key to the small stake and prize format of UK Category C games.

“Digital based terminals have a key operational benefit in that it is easy to refresh the content and removes the need for cabinet removal, allowing new games to be uploaded either remotely or in situ via a CD or USB stick.”

Better the devil you know

However, as stated earlier, there will always be those players who prefer reel- based AWPs, whether it is because they think reels can be trusted and are more reliable over video or whether it is a question of format and an unfamiliarity with the technology that puts them off.

Some would argue that whether you use video or reels in an AWP doesn’t necessarily make any difference to its popularity and it is more a question of game content that attracts the player.

“As long as the game is a strong performer and considered to be entertaining by players, the format chosen comes down to the most appropriate medium for presenting the game concept,” said Barr.

“We believe the market place dictates the medium, so when developing our Slotto series of games, there was no choice to use video.

“The games we produce will dictate the future of the format; at no time do we make a decision to go down one particular route.”

And as Davies sees it, there will always be a market in the coin-op industry for nostalgia, meaning reel AWPs will remain popular with some customers, no matter how popular the video format gets.

Video reels are still well within their infancy so it will come as no surprise that technological advances are occurring all the time that manufacturers need to invest quite heavily in, as Marsh explains: “We have had to dedicate R&D teams together with a review process, which looks daily at how we can improve the product.

“There has been continued progress in the development of content available, the aesthetics of the cabinet and the digital communications involved. This product is bound to be subject to ongoing and technological advances as the product gains momentum.”

And for Davies it is all about improving PC technology. He said: “Along with graphic processing it is a continual process. Our developers are constantly evolving and improving their skills and game presentation keeps getting better as a result.

“Advances in touchscreen technology have also aided game development, allowing much more creative and interactive games to be produced.”

Just a novelty?

Video, or digital AWPs as they are sometimes known, certainly seem to have got off to a great start and it looks like the technology’s future could be an extremely bright one.

For some, there is no question that VAWPs will form the future of the street market.

Davies said: “Product development will continue to improve in step with technology advances, driven by player demand for high quality, graphically rich content. The games people will be playing in two or three years’ time will undoubtedly be video based in the main with mechanical reels becoming part of our nostalgic past.”

Marsh added: “The video reels will become an ever more popular fixture in pubs and bars across the markets, replacing the current sitings of mechanical reels. There will be a conscious move to broaden the AWP player base by appealing to the casual gamer through more games such as poker and roulette.”

But for Barr, the development of video doesn’t necessarily mean reel AWPs have to be sentenced to a life of serving the nostalgia market. He said: “Our design team is working on a ground-breaking concept that uses both reel and video and, judging from the initial feedback, this could be the correct way forward.”

In the end it will be the players that decide the future of the VAWP. If they continue to embrace it as much as they have done so far, then the future is definitely bright for video.

But as the novelty of VAWP wears off and new technology is introduced, players will lose interest and it will then be up to the game designers to come up with entertaining, challenging and interesting games to keep them playing.

Who knows? With the rate at which technology develops, there could even be a day when VAWPs join reel AWPs in serving the nostalgic side of the coin-op industry.