Status of the Casino 2000 Remake Project

I am the game's original designer and producer, and I know everything about it.  I have all the backups, all the data files, and all the game design documentation, which I wrote.  Everything is detailed and organized.  I will assist throughout development.  I have produced dozens of successful software projects, including PC, Sega, Nintendo, Online.

I have the permission of the publisher Cardoza Entertainment, and Avery Cardoza will promote the game through his publishing channels.  Cardoza Publishing is the largest publisher of gambling and gaming books in the world. 

I will explain the work in brief:

The original game can be installed directly to Win 95, Win 98, Win 2000, or Win XP, or possibly you can emulate one of these operating systems.  Now you have the running game we perfected in that era.

The actual game AI is easy.  We are talking about Blackjack level AI and, in fact, the design doc has it all in perfect detail for the programmer.  Basically step through the phases of the game, where each phase it is time for the dealer to do or say something (called a skit).  So you play the animation and the mp3 file.  All the skit data is already stored in flat files, so just follow the list of frames and render them at 6fps.  Back in 1998 moving 20% of a 640x480 screen at 6fps and playing a .wav sound file took months of development, this will be much closer to 'hello world' today.

The player can jump from one game to another, but they are all tied together by a Lobby as well.  In that lobby screenshot, there is a lot of simple animation going on, and you can choose your game or machine by clicking on it.  Each slot or video poker machine in the lobby is different, or at least has a different bet size (.25 Cent slot machine or $1. slot machine for example).  I desighed the lobby specifically to be a screenshot on the box, which proved to be a winning strategy, and we'll use it again.

As you would expect, the player starts with a modest bankroll, and the game keeps track of your money as you move from table to table, and you can save/restore your game.

GED (Game Editor) and Graphics Upgrade:

We created a simple tool called GED.exe (Game Editor) which was used to organize the resources (sprites, sounds) for each game, and to assemble the dealer "Skits" (combination of dealer animations and dialogue and a little data organized in categories).  The GED then exported the 2 large data files for each game (Blackjack, etc.)  ALL of the game resources are in these files, graphics, sounds, skit data (this was done for game execution speed).  There is a working GED.exe, and also the C++ source code for GED.  It will be important to understand how GED created these game files.  It will allow to export in an organized way, exactly the artwork and animations (resources) for each game.

These animations were 640x480 and only 6 Frames per second!  A graphic artist will need to upgrade each animation, etc. to modern resolution,  and quality. How should this be done? - it requires discussion.  Options:

• Easy - Keep 6fps.  Use some automated batch to upgrade the graphics, then have a 2D artist touch up the playing cards, etc. for legibility.
• Harder - Using the original graphics for examples, render NEW graphics at high resolution and higher frame-rate.  I do have the 3D artists original 3D Studio MAX source files if they are helpful.

All but two of the screenshots on this page are the original game resolution (640x480).  If you click on a screenshot thumb, it will link to the actual image.  This allows you to view these screenshots on your phone, and see for yourself that the game can transalate well to phones.

What the project needs to beign development:

• The right programmer for the job.
• Artwork resolution upgrade and clean-up.

If you are the right programmer or developer for this job, contact TKWeb.

Include a few details about why you are the right person, and what development approach (tools, platform, etc.) you wouid use.

Proposed Development Milestones

The project has a total budget of $8000.  This budget includes artwork

Milestone One - Understand the original game and extract the data ($500)

This milestone is to get organized, and understand the game and sources.  Also to understand how the dealer personalities work (The Skit Script, Dealer personality AI).  In the new game you build, the Blackjack, Craps, and Roulette dealers must use the same AI and script/dialogue when they have something to say. Get everything organized, extract original game data, extract the animations and sounds and skit data for Blackjack.

• Instal the original game from the CD image.  Find an old computer or emulate Win 95, Win 98, Win 2000 or Win XP.  In the project resources are both the Win 98 (16bit) and Win2000 (32 bit) CD images.  Try both, get one working.  You may need to find an old computer.  Your time will be worth it!
• Downlaod and install "500 Slots and Video Poker".  It easily installs, even on Windows 10.  You now have this working game too.
• You can install a working GED.exe (Game Editor) that I demonstrated in the video (see Global Resources). The install puts the EXE, DLL and Date files in a folder and it just works when you click on the EXE.  It works on Windows 10.  You may have to make a small edit to the dos install.bat file.  The install GED CD image is in the project resources, read install instructions, download it.  Watch the VIDEO where I demo it (sorry about long intro).  You probably will not actually use GED to build the game app, but now you can understad it better. Understanding GED means also understanding how the dealer AI works and GED is basically the interpreter between the C++  game AI (Blackjack AI loop) and game resources (sprites, skits and skit categories, art, criteria).  GED created the data files for each game (blackjack.det, blackjack.dew) and these contain all the game animations, WAV sound files, and script data for the blackjack dealer and game.  WARNING: This GED install contains OLD SAVED GAME DATA.  You can't use this data (saved by this GED.exe during development) from this resource for the new game.  You must extract the data from the date files that GED created and were shipped with the game install CD (also in Global Resources).
• Download the resource Source Code for Games and GED (CD-B).  Download it from the project resources.  This is likely the best backup of source code and data for MANY published published games and GED.  This is a backup from the programmers computer after we published Casino and other titles a few years later.- It has C++ source for several published titles including ACC (Avery Cardoazas Casino).
• You should also download most or all of theBlackjack Resources and check them out.  Blackjack is the first game you'll work on.  After that the other games will be similar and easier.
• Create your own new very basic YOURGED program that does just one thing - (extract the data from the .det and .dew files from the release CD install).  To help: You have the source code for GED.exe which created the files, and you can install Ged.exe to see it work. Also you have the game source code which reads the files.    Keep in mind don't spend your time to improve the old GED or even fully duplicate it.  Your objective is to extract and understand the data contained in the .det and .dew files that GED created.  You will need all of this data to re-create the game.  YOURGED does not need to edit this data -  Just own it.  You can focus on the Blackjack data for now.
• From YOURGED, create reports of the data YOURGED extracted from the .det .dew files.  You can show me the data/reports as text, XML, JSON...
• Report 1 - It is important to understand and demonstrate in your data how the data relates to the Blackjack dealer skit scirpt - in other words generate some report of the dealer "Skits" organized by (A)skit category, (B)LIst0-9, (C) order in list.  And also showing: criteria, animations, sounds (dialogue, sournd effects, criteria, other).
• Make accessable from YOURGED all the animations and sounds/dialogue from the .det .dew files.  So you can click (preview) and see the dealer or other sprite/animation or preview the sound .wav file.

Milestone 2 - Working blackjack game ($1000)

Create the (new) APP main root HOME screen and create the casino LOBBY(child of HOME) screen, both with minimum fucctionality.  The user can select the Blackjack game from the LOBBY.  The blackjack game works as a phone app.(some small bugs or missing features can be ok).

• The HOME screen has global settings and player features and most new features added for 2020 Phohe App. It is similar to other apps.  One of the links on the home screen is the casino LOBBY ("Casino Lobby").  The HOME can be very basic and no artwork.  
• The HOME >>SETTINGS screen has just basic options: You can edit the user's name and edit the money: The game will have 3 types of money: Chips (for gambline), Cash, Gold Coins (for rewards).  Also, there is a checkbox "Retro Mode (original graphics)", which for now is always checked.  Chips is the amount you will see when playing Blackjack or some other game.
• The Casino LOBBY screen is the casino lobby and will eventually have links to all of the gams.  Create a simple lobby screen for the APP.  For now, Blackjack is the only game to select.  The lobby can be very basic and no fancy graphics.  Lobby has a link to the blackjack game HOME>>LOBBY>>Blackjack.  In the future, there could be more than one lobby with different artwork and different games as children.  This lobby will have links to all the games in Casino 2000.
• Working Blackjack game working as a phone app an using original graphics extracted from .det .dew
  • Most users will use landscape screens.  We will move all of the controls currently below the blackjack table, to the right of the blackjack table.  This allows the blacjkack table area (above the controls) to be MAX HEIGHT on lanscape phone.  so controls to right. These controls can also be not final artwork, etc.  This milestone is about the blackjack game not the perfect controls.
• The blackjack will work.  The game will have the original graphics, sounds, and dealer script and AI.  With the controls moved to the right half of the screen in landscape, make the blackjack game area of the screen max height.  I am open to other ideas what is best for tha layout.  I want to see the blackjack game work through the whole game loop with the dealer choosing skits correctly according the the skit script.  I am ok with some missing game features.  I want to see the blackjack game loop, and play the blackjack game using all the old artwork (data you extracted).  I don't care much about the controls.  I want to be convinced the dealer is playing blackjack properly, all of the possible cards locations and graphics are working, and the dealer is properly choosing skits for each skit category from his script.

Milestone 3 - Finish the app structure.  Add modern features ($1000)

The original Windows game was a 3 player "hotseat" game (all 3 players sharing one computer with no internet).  I would like the new game to allow you to invite friends to sit at your table and play blackjack and chat with each other.  All of the table games allow for 3 players (blackjack, craps, roulette).  Before the project starts, we need to talk about this and how hard is it to do?  Does one player's phone host the game?  Since the app will be modernized with rewards, advertising, multi-player, I assume we need some central server that the app connects to, even if it is was not a multi-player game? - how does it all work?   You can see why we need to have this talk before we start the project.

This milestone is all about modernizing the app so all this new stuff will work.

• Rewards
• In game ads - paid upgrade to turn off the ads.
• In game purchases (example: get $10,000 in 'Cash' and $5000 in Chips for 1 gold coin)
• User can purchase more gold coin with real money.  This is the currency in the game.
• If gambler loses all his money, he can buy additional "Cash" and "Chips", either with his gold coins if he has any, or purchase it (buy gold coins).  Or, he must wait for the reward to give him more money.
• - Timed bonus, example: Every 3 (X) hours you get $200 in chips and $500 in cash.  Every 24 hours you get a gold coin for example. (user must launch the app to collect the bonus.
• - Place for sponsorship overlay in (some) actual game backgrounds, for example you can see the sponsors name behind the blackjack dealer. - this is simple sustom image that is over the background and behind the dealer.
• Ability to add other primary sponsorship links (ads) that also give the player rewards (gold coins, cash, chips) for clicking on the ad/action.
• Other simple paid upgrades example get more bonus money every 3 hours and time is reduced to 2 hours.  User must purchased it - or it is part of the paid upgrade.
•  --- All this ads and monetization, but do not destroy the user game fun experience with the ads.
• Multi-player - You can invite your friends to play at your table (with a unique game ID).  Or (optional) you can play with random people.  The players can chat with each other while they play.  Adding this multi-player feature to the game seems like a lot of work.  We need to discuss what you think.  When multi-player, the players may all bet at the same time (simultaneously).  However when playing the cards, player 2 must wait for player 1 to finish hitting, sandding or busting, etc.
• Leaderboard ?
• Chat - When one player invites 2 friends to his game, a total of 3 maximum players can be in the same casino. Each player's chat bubble has its own position on the screen, Each game type (blackjack, etc) can have diffenet positions depending on the game artwork.  The 3 friends can chat even if they are not all playing the same game.  For example one player is playing a slot machine, one player is playing blackjack by himself, and the other player is playing keno.  They can all still chat with each other.  If more than one player is playing Blackjack, Craps, or Roulette, then they will also see each other bet, play etc.

Fix any known blackjack game bugs, and add the modern features into the blackjack game.  Finish the blackjack game controls for the app with decent placeholder artwork, so everything works.  Blackjack should now have a working 'Ask the Expert', help screen and statistics.

In Retro Mode we use the original looking blackjack artwork (resized but not made too smooth except the cards).  When the game is not in Retro Mode (now the game will use a different set of artwork which some artist has modernized.  But it will be the exact same animations, and the same slow 6fps frame rate.  So it is just an exact copy of the Retro Mode artwork that the artist worked on or some batch process that made it look higher res. 

Milestone 4 - Video Poker ($500)

Video poker is the easiset of all the games in Casino 2000.   There are almost no differences between the games AI or features.  The Video Poker Resources you can download are excellent.  Each variety of video poker has all the data and resources saved in a different folder.  Video poker is not a multi-player game.

You can easly download and install the 500 Slots and Video Poker to your Windows 10 computer and try any game.

The original Casino2000 had 5 varieties of video poker.  In the future we created a total of 32 different video poker machines.  I want to include them all, because they all basically work the same and we have all the beautiful artwork, AI, Ask Expert, etc. for each one.

Also take time to fix any know issues with milestones 1-3.  Including if there are issues with mult-player blackjack or any other feature.  Are there any open questions about what the final app will look like? - We should talk about it.

Milestone 5 - Roulette ($800)

• Multi-player - Players can all bet at the same time.  When all players click SPIN, then the dealer will spin the wheel.

Milestone 6 - Craps ($1000)

• Multi-player - Players can all bet at the same time.   In craps, one player will be the one rolling the dice for many dice rolls and betting cycles before he rolls a 7 and has to pass the dice to the next player.  In craps, the players have a chance to bet before every roll of the dice.  For multi-player only the player who has the dice can click the Roll Dice button.  This button will be UNlit until the other players have clicked the 'Go' button (to indicate they are done betting).

Milestone 7 - Keno ($600)

Milestone 8 - Slots, Finish LOBBY Finish HOME ($1000)

• Approx 40 different machines with excellent organized artwork and AI resources - some have special features - nothing too complex. 

Milestone 9 - Beta Version ($600)

Milestone 10 - Release Final Version ($1000)