The video slot machine(s) by Aristocrat are easy to find in casinos. The Big Bang Theory slot machine is available in no less than three different versions and multiple denominations. Depending on which casino you visit, you may find the original Big Bang Theory available in two versions of the Helix Wonder Wheel or newer versions in the Arc cabinet or gigantic 84 inches tall Behemoth cabinet.
I was bored and that can be a dangerous thing. Like doodling on the phone book while you are talking on the phone, I doodle code while answering questions on DIC. Yeah, it means I have no life and yes it means I was born a coder. During this little doodle I decided to make a slot machine. But not your standard slot machine per say, but one designed a little bit more like the real thing. Sure it could have been done a little more simpler and not even using a Wheel class at all, but what fun is that? In this entry I show the creation of a slot machine from a bit more of a mechanical aspect than a purely computerized one. It should provide a small sampling of classes and how they can represent real life machines. We cover it all right here on the Programming Underground!
So as I have already said, this little project was just something to play around with. It turned out kinda nice, so I thought I would share it. But what did I mean about it being mechanical in nature? Well, if you have ever played a real slot machine, not the digital ones they have in casinos now, you would see a metal case with a series of wheels. Typically it would be three wheels with pictures on them. When you put your money in and pull the handle the wheels would be set into motion. They would spin and then the first wheel would stop, followed by the second and then the third. After they have all stopped, the winnings are determined and you are paid out in coinage or credits.
I thought, why not be a bit mechanical in this slot machine design and create the wheels as a class called “Wheel” and give it the ability to spin independently of the other wheels? Have the wheel keep track of which picture (or in our case number) is flying by and report the results to the actual slot machine class. I could have done this mechanism without the need of a wheel at all and instead load up an array and have it randomly pick a number from the wheel. Little slimmer, little more efficient but wouldn’t show much programming theory.
What do we gain by recreating these Wheel classes and spinning them independently? Well, you gain a slight bit of flexibility. Independently we are able to control the speed of the spinning if we wanted to, we are able to grasp the idea of the wheel as a concept in our mind and manipulate it. We could easily built in features like if the wheel lands on a certain number it will adjust itself. Like some slots in Vegas, if you land on lets say a rocket in the center line, the machine would see the rocket and correct the wheel to spin backwards 1 spot (in the direction of the rocket as if the rocket was controlling the wheel). We could spin one wheel one way and another wheel another. We could inherit from that wheel and create a specialized wheel that does a slew of new different behaviors. All encapsulated into one solid object making the actual Machine class oblivious to the trickery of the wheel itself… encapsulation at its finest!
The machine class we create will contain 3 pointers. Each to one of the wheels. The machine itself will be in charge of a few different tasks. Taking money, issuing and removing credits, determining when to spin, telling each of the wheels to spin and checking our winnings based on some chart we create. It has enough on its plate than worrying about the wheels and reading their values.
Fun Theory Recycling Slot Machines
So lets start with our Wheel class and its declaration/implementation…
wheel.h
As you can see the wheel itself is not a difficult concept to envision. The bulk of the work is in the read() method. Here we simply read the values from our internal array of integers (the values on the wheel) and return those values as an array of the three integers… representing the visible column. This column will then be loaded into our 2-Dimensional Array back in the Machine class. The 2D array represents the view or screen by which the user sees the results. Remember that the user never gets to see the entire wheel. Only the 3 consecutive values on the face of the wheel.
Here is how it may look in the real world. We have our machine with the three wheels and our 2D array called “Screen” which acts as our viewing window. Each wheel will report its values and those values will be put into the screen…
Below is our machine class…
machine.h
This looks like a lot of code but really it is not if you look at each function. Most of them are very very simple to understand. We have a spin method which essentially spins each of the wheels, reads their values back from the Wheel class into a pointer (representing each column), then they are loaded into the 2D array one column at a time (our view screen), printed for the user to see the results and lastly the winnings are checked. The checkwinnings() method determines which rows to check based on the amount of the bet. If they chose 1 line, it checks for winning combinations on the middle row only. If they choose 2 lines, it checks the middle and top lines, 3 line bet checks all three horizontal rows, 4 line bet checks the first diagonal as well and 5 line bet checks both diagonals in addition to the lines.
How does it check the lines? Well each line is given to the checkline() helper function which compares the 3 values of the line against an enumerated type of various symbols. Here we are just assigning a symbol against each numbered value to help the programmer determine which numbers correspond to which winning combos. For instance, luckyseven represents the number 3 in the enumeration. So if it runs across a line with 3 number 3s, then it knows it hit the grand jackpot and credits the player 1000. This method makes things easy because if we ever wanted to change the win patterns later, we could change the enum and checkline method to do so. We could also build in multiple types of symbols and even let the user choose what slot machine game they want to go by. It becomes very flexible and is a testament to great design!
Lastly we can put some tests together just to show some the various aspects of how this thing works and how the programmer can use the classes…
slotmachine.cpp
This simply inserts a 5 dollar bill and a coin for good luck. Then bets 5 lines and spins. Despite the outcome we go and bet five lines again and spin once more. Hopefully we win something this time around! But either way, those are the classes for you and I hope you like them. As always, all code here on the Programming Underground is in the public domain and free for the taking (just don’t cause a mess in isle 3, I am tired of running out there for cleanup). Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. 🙂
There is plenty of hype and myths out there about winning big in slot machines. However, a lot of the theories never work because some who write about gambling have never experienced the thrills and joys of tricking Slot1288gaming machines. Actually, this is one of the easiest things to do, but only if you know what tricks to play and which buttons to touch at the right moments. None of these require rocket science because wining at slots just requires…WHAT?
Take Advantage of No Deposit Bonus Codes
Have you ever been to a party where the first gentleman in picks a choice partner? Never worry even if you haven’t, but to win in gambling without parting with a cent, you can take advantage of the “No Deposit Bonus Codes” casinos use to lure customers. The big casinos like tearing at each other, and the best way they gain ground is to offer incentives and freebies. Go for such offers from different houses and you will essentially be tricking them and gaining at the same time. Keep your eyes peeled for no bonus deposit codes and you can be sure of playing slot machines for free.
Go for Low Wagering Playthrough
We’ve said it up there already that casinos and slot machine operators fiercely compete against each other by offering bonuses, free chips and free spins etc. Now, since wagering requires you to indicate the amount you will bet before your bonus is released, and since you will only withdraw winnings off slot bonuses after the wagering (this is referred to as playthrough in casino jargon), look for low playthrough that are about 10x. A $10 bonus with a wagering of 50x will force you to bet $500 but one with only 10x playthrough will need just a $100 bet before you can cash out. Don’t you think the difference is significant?
Identify Loose Slot Machines
Way back in the old day’s folks believed that a slot machine with a loose tooth or a defect was a money maker that paid out handsomely. That theory still holds true even in this era of slot machines where casinos have loose slots. The trick is to find out where they are placed. Most casinos will place these machines at the end of a row of machines so that the feeling of winning can pervade the entire room. If they are by the door, a bloke can win and dive out.
Pick Slot Machines with Higher Denominations
Slots with higher denominations have the advantage of availing winning combinations. The percentages of payout that slots give increases with the size of the bet. That means higher denominations have a fat likelihood of hitting a playing slot. The more you play them, the higher your chances of getting a payout.
Avoid Complicated Games
Yes, complicated games can be exciting, but your chances of hitting the odds are slimmer in these types of games. All the whistles and bells added can be distracting rather than helpful. The simpler the game, the higher ration there is of hitting the wining odds.
Play the Free Slots First Before Going Real
The odds can be stacked up against you if you play a game you haven’t done before. It is better to test the slots you haven’t played so that you can be familiar with what goes on. And in case you are playing slots that are not thrilling to you, your money will go down the chutes for no reason. FIND WAYS OF TESTING THE GAMES YOU PLAY.
And lastly, never make the mistake of playing slots with your credit card. That is a no, no zone. Always use cash. The act of inserting real money into the machines makes you aware of what you are spending. Let’s hook up at the machines!