I'm not sure if I'm going to release this as a plugin or not, since it requires a backend on a web host, but I could possibly release if anyone is interested and I could provide installation for the backend. It will depend on interest level. Regardless, I'm going to be releasing to apple as an app, and would love some opinions. Make sure you check out the screenshots at the bottom of this post to see how all of the settings are changeable in the Buzztouch Control Panel, and what info gets reported to the backend. It's a fully fledged apple approvable casino. Credits are redeemable in 2 ways. The first mode you can set it for is Sweepstakes Mode, where users redeem credits for entries into a drawing for the prizes. The second method is Full Prize Redemption, where the user actually redeems their credits for real prizes. The prize redemption method can be set in the BT control panel, and changed with the flip of a switch. Although both methods are allowed by apple, I'm guessing the sweepstakes mode will make less waves upon initial review. I can flip the switch after approval. Other apps in the app store allow for prize redemption directly (like MyVegas Slots), so I don't think it matters either way, but the feature is built in just in case. It makes money in two ways. The plan is to give the app away for free, then users will buy coins to continue playing (free coins are also given daily). Users will want to purchase coins to get to the next prize level. It's also built around iAds, so money is made through advertising even on the players that do not purchase coins. The game should have a strong following, since you can get real world prizes for zero investment, making the iAds advertising very profitable. Multiple levels of security are incorporated, which prevent sql injection, url & string manipulation, jailbroken data tampering, etc. If you notice the screenshot of the user manager, it even reports to the account if a user is using a jailbroken device behind the scenes. Live demo with App.io will have 3 limitations... These all work when installed on a real device of course. 1) In-App Purchases won't work 2) Sound effects won't be heard 3) "view our other apps" won't work Feel free to create a new account if you like (this user database will be wiped before uploading to apple), or login to the app using the following for quick access: Username: Guest Password: Guest Make sure to click the "Prizes" button at the bottom of each slot machine to check out how the prize redemption system works. I have the first one as a cost of only 1 credit for testing purposes (fully controllable from my BT control panel). Feel free to try to redeem credits, and play with everything, to see how it all works. Feedback is really appreciated. It works on all apple devices, including both size iPhone screens, and iPad as well. Live Demo Link: https://app.io/xiibZh (if it seems like it's not loading, hit refresh on your browser. App.io does that sometimes) SCREENSHOTS OF BACKEND STUFF: Casino Buzztouch Control Panel: http://snag.gy/CFajL.jpg Casino User Management: http://snag.gy/Qp3S9.jpg

Nice job Ninja! This would be great as an add-on to an app. Is there a way to lengthen the time that the wheels spin? Seems a little quick on app.io. How hard was it to set up IAP? How are the coins bought, redeemed and logged, through backend script or manually? Dave

The length of time that the reels spin was the one thing I couldn't get to change. It's all controlled via the UIPicker control. Some people will prefer the quickness of it though. Using the tutorial that I read when I created it, I couldn't figure out a way to alter the speed. The IAP was a bit tricky. At first I tried using the plugin for it in the market, I couldn't get it to work. Another recent post mentioned the same thing, but they only seem to have trouble on iPad... I couldn't get it to work on iphone either. I ended up following a web tutorial somewhere and hand coding it into the casino plugin, so now it's just as simple as pasting your product identifiers into the control panel, and everything else is handled by the plugin. See the screenshot of the backend to see where the IAP are pasted into the control panel. It doesn't get any easier than that :) For security reasons, I tried to keep the coin balance on the users device rather than having much of it controlled from the backend. This would pretty much only make jailbreak data tampering the only real way to cheat, but safeguards have been implemented to account for that as well, plus the app reports to the account if a jailbroken device is being used, so when manually verifying a transaction, it's a big red flag to look at things even more closely. The credit balance is reported to the back end, but it's not setup to sync back to the device, so there's no way to cheat via sql injection or URL get/post fiddling. As an admin, I can see the reported balance from their device, but cannot change it... which is as it should be. The coins are bought through in app purchases, or given daily at 50 coins per day (amound can be set in the CP). They are redeemed though a php script that sends the info the the users account and flags it as a redemption for that prize (or a sweepstakes entry, depending on your settings), then the prize request would be manually verified and sent out. If a sweepstakes entry, you can gather all accounts with entries flagged for that prize, and pick a random number based on the user ID number to get a winner. All logging takes place when the user tries to do anything that communicated back to their account on the server... prize redmeption for example. Whenever it opens a communication request, the credit balance, spins, launches, jailbroken status, prize requests, and sweepstakes entries are all synced with their account behind the scenes. That way it's not trying to communicate online every 10 seconds or anything. Only when they do something that requires communication with their account. A few other details I forgot, it's easy to control the payback percentages to tighten or loosen the machine, and it's setup so that additional machines can be added quite simply. Almost like a plugin for the plugin :) This will be great if someone wants to add a Dallas Cowboys slot theme, a corporate slot machine with their business logos, a sport illustrated swimsuit model version, a family slot machine using their children's faces, or whatever.

If I remember correctly, did I see in the forum that you are using wordpress to manage you users? How difficult was that to implement? What about the new child controls to stop a purchase, is that an apple thing or does that have to be a part of the app? And finally, when will it be available and how much are you charging? I would definitely use this as a plugin to keep my users coming back. Dave

Yes, it's using Wordpress as a backend, which makes user management a piece of cake. I'm using PSMDanny's Wordpress plugin (from his website, not in the plugin market) and that was super easy to setup and integrate. Just upload his plugin to your wordpress installation, set the dataURL in your Bt control panel, and it's done. The only thing that I had to do was write a custom "create account" script (with Cakebits help), since Danny's wordpress plugin only checks the login, it doesn't create accounts out of the box. Then theres some more customization to Wordpress to handle my php scripts that control the slot stuff... but it's as easy as adding a few extra columns to your wordpress database, overwriting one wordpress file, and uploading 1 php script. I use a dedicated wordpress installation in one of my subdirectories of my server, so it's not tied to my live website. I also don't use a front end at all, it's strictly to handle the user management in the background of the app. Maybe if the app does well, I'll put together a front end so users can manage their account from the website or something. If I release it as a plugin, I'd probably charge a little more and include installation service for all the backend stuff, so that people don't have to worry about it. The new child controls to stop in app purchase is an apple thing... well, technically a user thing... but doesnt require anything on our end. It's just a new setting in the device settings sections where parents can restrict purchases. As far as when it will be available, and how much... I'm not sure yet. I'm still deciding if I want to release it or not because of the backend installation stuff. We'll see if there's enough interest in it to release it to the market. As far as the app, I plan on submitting that to apple either today or tomorrow, using the Casino plugin as a stand alone app.

Very nice work in getting a complex app into production mode! -- Niraj

Thanks Niraj, I've learned to build all of my plugins and apps using the BT model now, it makes it so much easier to manage in the future, plus you have a nice shiny new BT plugin when you're done with your app :)

This looks very cool. I'll be taking a closer look this evening. Also, Sidebar: Snag.gy is pretty cool! Fast and easy. I hadn't heard of that one before. I'll be trying that out! Thanks! -William

Thanks William. Let me know what you think of it after you check it out. It's meant to have multiple income streams, while getting players hooked with the daily free coins and real world prizes. I just wish you could hear the sound effects... It seems kinda lame on app.io without the sound effects included, lol For a low operating cost, you could make the prizes something that doesn't cost you anything... Wallpapers, song downloads, ringtones, videos, etc... As long as it's stock media. Also, I don't want anyone to get confused and think this is the "Slot Machine" plugin that I have in the plugin market. That one is just a single machine, no accounts, and no prize redemption. The new plugin is called "Casino" and includes 6 machines with prize redemption, sweepstakes, and a full backend system for user accounts. It may or may not get put in the plugin market, since the backend installation would be difficult for some. I might release it though with backend installation included, if there's enough people interested in it. Yeah, I love snag.gy... Simple, fast and efficient. :). Great for quick screenshots.

C'mon Ninja, stop teasing us. ;-) If you wanted to avoid the hassle of the Plugin Market, you could install it privately. Do you think it would work with Joomla?

No, it's not the hassles of the plugin market, it's just not very "self serve" as far as installation, at least for many people. They would have to know how to install wordpress and add columns to to their database. I'm working on a couple of possible easy setup ideas for it. As for joomla, yes, it is possible. I already have the connection plugin needed for joomla. I haven't tested it yet, but it's the same as the wordpress plugin, so I don't think any code changes would even be needed, just the dataurl in the control panel i think. I have a sandbox joomla setup on my server, so I'll give it a try in the next few days and let you know.

Thanks Ninja, I'll be patiently waiting. You do great work and I can't wait to try it out

I think its brilliant. Looking forward to purchasing it .

Just submitted the Casino plugin to Apple as a stand alone app, so I wiped the user database, so the "Guest" account won't work on the demo anymore. You can still use it, you'll just need to setup your own account if you want to play with it.

Good luck...keep us informed Dave

Ooops, never mind. I had to keep the guest account because I just remembered that I had to give Apple and user account name and password to test with. Guest account is still active :) Thanks Calypso. Keep an eye out for "Prize Casino" making it's way up to the top 100, lol.

For anyone wanting to know the status of the casino app, it has just been approved. Here is the link to download it for free: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prize-casino/id896870520?ls=1&mt=8 App reviews are extremely appreciated ;)