• a new Set Option Change component in the RGS Tester Toolkit lets you export and edit the optionConfig.setOptionChange command from the Message Transcript, and then insert it into any custom script.
• the ability to add multiple components to the gat.doVerification command through the command interface.
• the ability to save command attribute and Time to Live values on the Send Command layout for each EGM when connecting to mulitple EGMs through RGS.
• enhancements to the Message Transcript in RST so you can now:
  • view all events sent and received by RST through a new Event Report View.
  • quickly find all errors, which are now colored-coded in red.
  • link to the g2sAck message, corresponding request-response pair command or to the associated SOAP message from the message details screen of any command in the transcript.

In addition, RSS now requires a 2012 license as well as Java SE Update 29.

Now, using the G2S protocol standard, there is an off-the-shelf solution that automates many of the procedures that you previously had to perform manually. Custom Scripting, a feature of the Tester Toolkit module for the RadBlue G2S Scope (RGS), lets you run custom G2S scripts against your EGMs and easily see the results. Once a custom script is created, it can be easily exported for repeated use by other testers. No MacGyvering here. Just powerful G2S technology hiding under an easy-to-use interface.

Who uses Custom Scripting?

• G2S product assurance, regulatory and integration testers
• G2S test script developers

How does Custom Scripting work?

Custom Scripting lets you use G2S commands and script verbs (script-specific functions) to create multiple G2S scripts that you can run as needed and share with other testers. Event Subscription templates, macros and variables let you set up content in advance and use it over and over. You can even grab the optionConfig.setOptionChange information from the RGS transcript to add to a custom script, which allows you to toggle the values in a set of configuration parameters.

To build a script, simply drag-and-drop commands and script verbs into the Custom Script Commands list. You can then customize each verb as needed. In addition to supporting all G2S commands through version 1.1.0, you can use script verbs to:

http://cemaudioedge.com/episode/tech-check-russ-ristine

Get your questions ready! The phones will be open for you to call in and test Russ’s knowledge of all things G2S. So don’t miss this opportunity to chat with Russ in what will surely be a lively discussion on the present and future of gaming technology.

Can’t make the live show? An archived version will be made available so you can listen at your leisure.

• All installers now automatically detect and uninstall any previous versions of the tool in the install directory.
• To keep your scrolling finger happy, several option configuration screens have been re-organized, with option content  appearing in tabs, by functional area (for example, Database, Meter and Transport).
• A new Save Transcript Messages to Database option that, when configured properly, can improve tool performance. 
• Advanced Transcript Analyzer filtering preferences are now retained when you print the Advanced Transcript Analysis report.
• A new Keystore tab on the Security Options configuration screen that lets you manage the tool’s keystore files.

There’s all this and much more, so download all the latest improvements today! 

RGS | RST | RPA |RSS | RAS

Cheers!

G2S

G2S 1.1 is now available
G2S 1.1 is the final version of G2S 1.0.3 and is the one against which your products will be certified. This version came about because the committee had been doing clarifications and enhancements for the new G2S 2.x versions (2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, etc.), and it became a bit confusing as to the correct behavior to implement. G2S 1.1 contains all of G2S 1.0.3 plus all of the clarifications from G2S 2.x. It was released in early March along with certification documents, and it will not be changing.

You can read more about G2S 1.1 and certification here:

• G2S 1.1 Protocol document and schema package
• G2S Technical Bulletin (additional clarifications to G2S 1.1)
• G2S 1.1 Certification Requirements

The next version of G2S will be G2S 2.1
G2S 2.1, currently being developed in committee, is due out toward the end of the year. This version will extend G2S 1.1, by adding functionality that satisfies a series of requests from GSA’s Operator Advisory Committee (OAC). The committee is also hoping to add Employee and Tournament classes to this version.

S2S

In the S2S world, S2S 1.5.1 has recently been released, which should make it much easier to build a site controller that receives G2S commands from EGMs and then sends them to a central system using S2S. The plan is to continue driving towards a complete rewrite of the protocol as follows:

• S2S 1.6 – addresses the OAC requests: download (SSMP-334), SDDP (443), new GAT class (447) and player class updates
• S2S 1.7 – redo the table games classes
• S2S 1.8 – redo the classes that overlap with G2S (voucher, wat, bonus, etc.)

More Script Verbs
Script verbs let you insert script-specific functions and complex commands into any custom script. New script verbs let you take snapshots of events and compare them, run scripts within scripts, set the Time to Live for the script and wait for specific commands to be sent from the EGM before proceeding with the script run.

Support for Variables
You can now define the devices for every command – or command group - you add to a custom script using variables. Variables let you define device settings that can be used in multiple commands and changed, as needed, from a single location. Variables can be created locally, or, you can create variable templates that can be used in any script. And, not wanting you to do more work than necessary, you can edit a script’s variable settings from the main Custom Scripting screen, without going back into the script. Ah, sweet usability.

So, what else?

The Advanced Transcript Analyzer – available in the Tester Toolkit, the RadBlue Analysis Suite (RAS) or as an optional module in the RadBlue Protocol Analyzer (RPA) – has lots more rules to run your G2S messages against.

There’s more, but those are the highlights. If you’d like additional details, release notes and updated user guides are available for each product*:

• RAS Release Notes
• RGS Release Notes
• RLT Release Notes
• RPA Release Notes
• RST Release Notes

If you have questions, just let us know. We would be happy to chat.

*Don’t feel left out, dear RSS users, we are working on S2S 1.4.2 support for release 16.

If you are interested in the Operating Hours extension for the G2S protocol, we’ve added support for it in RST, RGS and RLT. Another great feature in this release is Message Sizing Analysis (in RAS), which lets you see message sizes. If you have GZIP enabled, you can see the pre- and post-compressed message size.

If you have questions or would like more details, let us know.

When Oracle bought Sun earlier this year it brought a new overlord to the Java universe. And it is already apparent that Oracle is going to manage Java in a much different manner. The fact that Oracle has an agenda that is so different from Sun is sending ripples throughout the Java community. What does it mean? What changes are coming? What value does Oracle place on Java relative to their other product lines? Is Java going to maintain the same open-source spirit that has served Java so well for 15+ years? No one knows right now.

Change is always tough, especially to programmers. We are all waiting to see what Oracle will do next.

–Marty

Few would argue that the slot floor of the future will rely heavily on Game-to-System (G2S) and System-to-System (S2S) protocols to provide the immersive experiences desired by a new generation of computer- and social network-savvy players. Radical Blue Gaming plans to be at the nexus of this transformation with an array of critical tools for the development, testing and maintenance of tomorrow’s gaming floors. 

The company’s stable of products includes RadBlue System Tester, RadBlue G2S Scope and RadBlue S2S Simulator, which help game developers understand and implement Gaming Standard Association protocols, and devices such as RadBlue Protocol Analyzer and RadBlue Analysis Suite, which test and harden new applications to make them ready for real-world use. 

“What we offer our customers is expertise and efficiency that saves them money by helping them accomplish their goals with an eye toward future innovation,” co-founder Russ Ristine says. “Whether it’s helping to improve a G2S implementation with our test tools, helping a manufacturer or casino troubleshoot their G2S floor in real-time with RPA, or advising casinos on the most efficient way to move to an open-standard, high-speed slot floor, our goal is to give our customers the tools they need to succeed in the world of next-generation gaming.”

The word is spreading too. RadBlue products are now used by such leading manufacturers as IGT, Aristocrat, Bally and WMS. Operator clients include no less than Isle of Capri Casinos,
Kerzner International and Lotto-Quebec.

- Russ Ristine, G2S: How to Get There from Here

In this month’s Casino Enterprise Management magazine, Russ discusses the current state of G2S and how casinos can transition their current gaming floors to open, high-speed networks.

OK. I know how busy you are. So here’s the Cliff Notes version (which is not nearly as interesting or informative as the actual article that, did I mention, is here and only takes a few minutes to read, should you find the time).

Right now, your gaming floor network probably looks something like this . . .

(You can read about the pros and cons of proprietary gaming floors here.)

Here’s one solution for transitioning to an open, high-speed network . . .

Note that your first step into the world of the open, high-speed networked gaming floors does not have to be the transition of your entire floor – convert a single area or bank of machines with an eye toward transitioning the rest of your floor as it makes sense to do so.

This step is important because it is when you make decisions that will impact your floor for years to come – and you will have lots of decisions to make. Remember, you want your floor to be extensible and to be able to support standard third-party applications as new features are developed. For these reasons, your EGMs must be able communicate with at least six hosts (to accommodate a download server, regulatory server, marketing server, slot performance server and a couple for future innovations).

Once you have the basic network structure in place, you can start adding application servers to bring new features quickly and easily to your floor . . .

And, viola! As your G2S network matures and your team becomes comfortable with the new environment, you’ll be ready to expand the network across your gaming floor when the time comes.