CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol GSA’s System to System Protocol: Making your system connections...

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol

GSA’s System to System Protocol:

Making your system connections better!

Russ Ristine – Radical Blue Gaming


What is GSA?

• GSA is an international trade association

• GSA’s members include gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators, and regulators

• Since 1998, GSA has been promoting and facilitating the development of open standards that benefit the entire gaming industry


Agenda

So, what is S2S?

• Case Study – Player Tracking

• Case Study – Vouchers

• Case Study – Class II

• Benefits of S2S

• Next Steps…


BonusSystem

System to System (S2S)

HotelSystem

ProgressiveSystem

CashlessWageringSystem

PlayerTrackingSystem

AccountingSystem

Point of SaleSystem

S2S


What is S2S?

• Operators asked GSA to take on the standardization of inter-system messages

• S2S is that standardization, using Internet technologies (TCP/IP, XML, Ethernet, SOAP, SSL)

• Created by system developers and operators

• S2S messages considered systems built (or used) by all participants


What’s the benefit?

• As each function is implemented by system vendors, it becomes “open”

• Over time, S2S will reduce the protocol count needed by systems and peripherals

• G2S Certification will ensure that protocol implementation are done correctly

• In time, operators will be able to add any system to their network, and it can effortlessly interact with other systems


Agenda

• So, what is S2S?

Case Study – Player Tracking



• Benefits of S2S

• Next Steps…


Player Tracking Link

• This link is used between a slot floor system and the casino’s Player Tracking system

• Typically pretty robust, passes lots of transactions

• Usually pretty difficult to extend

– Both systems have to be upgraded

– Would be nice if this was a superset of all manufacturer’s ideas…


S2S player Class

• Actually there are three – patron, playerRating, player

• Player class focuses on slot player ratings

• Via XML and namespaces, new tags can be easily added

• Class was developed by a group of system protocol experts so it’s pretty complete


Some Player Class Features

• Countdowns and Point awards– Can specify target, increment, award, direction,

and basis– Player Specific and Time based overrides– Includes carryover and lots of display options

Base Player Override

Target 80 40 80

Basis coinIn coinIn coinIn

Increment 100 100 50

Direction Down Down Down

Point to Award

1 1 1


Player Commands

Client Initiated Commands

• getPlayerConfig

• getBaseCountdown

• playerCardIn

• playerCardOut

Central Initiated Commands

• setDeviceState

• setPlayerConfig

• setPlayerCountdown

• setPlayerMessage

• playerInfo

• getPlayerLogClient Initiated Events

• hotPlayerDetected

• abandonedCard


playerCardOut

• Sent on Card removal and optionally on Interval (timed or gameChange)

• Meters can be delta (since cardIn) or actual meters• transactionId set on card in, included on all commands

clientId cardId Actual/delta

themeId startDateTime

coinIn ProgWin

paytableId endDateTime

coinOut ProgHandpay

denomId finalRating? Jackpot gamesPlayed

weightedTheo

pointAward bonusWin gamesWon

carryOver BonusHand transactionId


Agenda



Case Study – Vouchers


• Benefits of S2S

• Next Steps…


Voucher commands

• Remember EZPay?

• S2S voucher class has all commands needed to add / redeem vouchers in a central database

• S2S accountingMeter class conveys all meter information on vouchers (and lots more)


Voucher Commands

Client Initiated Commands

• getVoucherConfig / voucherConfig

• getValidationIds / validationIdList

• issueVoucher/ ackVoucher

• redeemVoucher / authorizeVoucher

• commitVoucher / ackVoucher

Central Initiated Commands

• setDeviceState / voucherStatusInfo

• setVoucherConfig / voucherConfig

• getVoucherStatus / voucherStatusInfo

• getvoucherLog / voucherLogList

• setLockOut / voucherStatusInfo


Voucher Events

• Vouchers Disabled

• Vouchers Enabled

• Voucher Configuration Changed

• EGM Locked / Unlocked

• Voucher Issued

• Voucher Issue Command Acknowledged

• Voucher Authorized

• Voucher Redeemed

• Voucher Rejected

• Voucher Commit Command Acknowledged


S2S Voucher Fun Facts

• S2S Voucher Class is designed with off-line validation in mind

• Support for Cashable, Promo, and nonCash funds

• Can require player card to redeem a voucher

• Central can specify cage and EGM expire values

• voucherConfig – Central indicates voucher titles, casino name and address info, offlineOK, etc.


Agenda




Case Study – Class II

• Benefits of S2S

• Next Steps…


S2S and Class II

In the Class II world, each manufacturer has their own server for central determination, etc.

The Problem: Four game manufacturers means

– Four separate accounting reports,

– Four player tracking feeds, and

– Four voucher systems • Vouchers are only redeemable on same manufacturer’s

games• What about the cashier booth? (four redemption

terminals…)


Class II Dilemma

LABTRONIX CORY MULTIMEDIA ROCKET


Class II Solution

System A

Vendor A

Vendor BVendor A

Vendor B

Vendor C

Vendor C Vendor D

Vendor D

System B System C System D

System X GSA S2S

Game Servers

Accounting

Player tracking

Vouchers


New Server Terms

Edge Server(s) Central Server(s)

EGMs or VLTs

EGMs or VLTs

Central consolidated databases for vouchers,

player, and/or accounting data

Direct interface to gaming floor devices;

acts as a bridge to Central server(s)

Kiosks


Meter Commands

Edge Server Initiated Commands

• meterInfo

Central Initiated Commands / Response

• getSupportedMeters / supportedMeters

• setMeterSub / meterSubList

• getMeterSub / meterSubList

• clearMeterSub / meterSubList

• getMeters / meterInfo


Meter Details

• Meters subscriptions can specify onCoinDrop, onEOD, onNoteDrop, onPeriodic

• For EOD - specify exactly when to send

• Periodic – schedule – Base + Interval

• Can specify the meters you want with each subscription


Meter Details

• Performance Meters (by theme, paytable, and denomination)

• Transfer Meters

– Voucher, WAT, Bonus, Progressive

• Note Meters (by currency and denomination)

• Cabinet Meters (credit meters, coinFlow, games played, door counts, etc.)


Agenda





Benefits of S2S

• Next Steps…


Benefits of S2S

• Supports “plug and play” for systems and peripheral devices– Try out a new product– If you don’t like it, return it!

• Standardization promotes portability, interoperability and reusability– Vendors can write one interface and use

it everywhere– Reduces testing (and problems in the

field)


Benefits of S2S

• S2S standardizes communication between servers– A new vendor only has to write one

interface to get into the market, vs. 4 to 6 that they have to do now

– Casinos benefit from new innovations– Vendors Benefit from reduced

complexity(More time for new features)

• IFT Example


Plug and Play Benefit for System Providers• Systems move from proprietary solutions to

standard communications

• Vendors spend less time maintaining protocols

• Easier to test a single protocol

• Operator doesn’t have to wait for their version to get modified

• Easy to try a new peripheral (kiosk, currency counter, POS system)


Agenda





• Benefits of S2S

Next Steps…


Things to think about

• Changing a system related device is a major architecture project– Does my current vendor support the

new system– How long will it take to get a new

interface built?– What if I don’t like the new product, how

do I go back to the old one?


Things to think about

• How easy is it to get information moved into your in-house systems for analysis?

• What if you could go to a gaming show, see a product, and have it in your casino the following week?

• Wouldn’t it be nice to have the information captured by each system available to all other systems in a consistent manner?


The Casino Network


The Casino Network + S2S


S2S Update

• S2S Version 1.2 errata 1 – recently released

• Incorporates all changes requested by existing systems

• Currently servers are using S2S 1.1.5, 1.1.10, with extensions; 1.2 brings everyone together

• S2S 1.2 simulators, test tools are available

• GSA’s S2S Certification is being defined


Questions?

WWW.GAMINGSTANDARDS.COM

Encourage your vendors to make the move to S2S

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol GSA’s System to System Protocol: Making your system connections...

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