Why Do You Need to Make Slot Machine Icons?
The BandurArt team is a group of creative specialists, game designers, and artists, who love to create amazing art for various gaming titles. We love to work on different projects including the ones that usually tend to be considered not as prestigious or industry-inspiring. For example, we know how to create awesome casino games on mobile devices. And we will share some insights about how to create really beautiful slot machine icons. This can be useful for beginners and aspiring developers.
From the History of Casino Slot Machine Icons
Early Designs in Arcade Slots
The history of slot machine icons can be traced back to the period of the late 19th century when mechanical slot machines were invented. The original Liberty Bell by Charles Fey in 1895 had a bell symbol along with horseshoes, spades, diamonds, and hearts as its images. These basic designs of slot machine icons were clear to see and matched well with the machine’s complicated mechanism.
In the 1900s, the fruit symbols such as cherries, lemons, and plums became known. These slot machine characters icons were brought by Bell-Fruit Gum Company to bypass anti-gambling laws because when a person wins they get fruit-flavored gum instead of money – this way it seems like just getting snacks! The number seven also started being used often in these machines to represent luck or good fortune.
Evolution of Slot Machines in Offline and Online Casinos
As technologies progressed, slot machine icons also evolved. The change from physical to digital slots during the 1970s and 1980s permitted more imaginative and intricate designs. Digital slots could present a broader range of themes and symbols, departing from the usual fruits and bells. This big jump in technology lets developers try out animated icons and themed slots, giving a feeling that is more like being inside the game.
Further, the digital epoch brought together bonus parts and special signs such as wilds or scatters into one place too – these things made playing and designing different.
Cultural Influence on Slot Machine Designs
Culture significantly affects the design of slot machine icons. For example, you can see it in Asian-themed slots that use dragons, koi fish, and lucky coins as symbols to represent their traditional beliefs and beauty. Such slots are very popular because many people believe that Asian mythical creatures
On the other hand, Egyptian-themed slots show hieroglyphs, pyramids, and gods which reflect Ancient mythology. Furthermore, the wide variety of cultural backgrounds is also seen in the design of slot machine icons. Different parts of the world have their unique themes and images that players enjoy seeing on slot machine screens.
For instance, European slot fans like medieval and fantasy themes with slot machine icons like knights, castles, or creatures from local legends. This influence from many cultures helps to keep icons interesting and diverse which is important for attracting a global audience as it provides options for different tastes.
What Makes Slot Machine Icons Great?
The BandurArt team will help you to understand what aspects matter when you create the slot machine icons from scratch. You have to focus on such aspects:
Visual Appeal
To grab and keep players’ attention, it is very important to make visually attractive slot machine icons. The use of color, shape, and size plays a big part in this process. Bright colors usually catch the eye more easily. They also create feelings of excitement – which is crucial for a game meant to be thrilling. For instance, the traditional red cherries or golden bells are very distinct on the reels’ background. Players can recognize and understand these symbols immediately.
Shapes are as important as colors. Generally, rounded or symmetrical shapes are more visually appealing and easier to understand. That’s why many old-fashioned slot symbols – such as fruits and numbers – have simple yet memorable shapes.
The size of icons also plays a role. They should be big enough to see at once but not very huge – the icons on a slot machine should not take over the screen.
The balance of colors, shape, and size make certain that icons are not only visually pleasing but also useful for slot machine gamers. Check this Reddit thread where aspiring developers discuss the importance of slot machine design.
Thematic Consistency
To keep the players engaged during the play, it is necessary to have thematic consistency. The slot machine icons must match the general theme and story. For example, a pirate-related slot game might contain symbols like treasure chests, ships, and parrots. Every icon should add its part to the storytelling, creating more interest and fun elements.
For example, if the slot machine is set in medieval times, using icons like knights, castles, and dragons. Consider making them colorful and easy to comprehend. They should be drawn consistently – it helps players maintain their immersion within the game’s world. You risk losing the player’s interest if there is inconsistency of themes in a slot machine.
Recognizable and Understandable Design
Slot machine icons are very important for their final look. These symbols should be simple and clear, so players can recognize them quickly even when they play fast or under pressure. Too complicated or bleak icons can confuse players and disrupt the game’s flow.
The shapes and features of the icons should be different from one another. For example, when designing a slot game with fruits as symbols, cherries, lemons, and plums must have distinct shapes and colors to prevent confusion among players. High contrast between icons and background is a good approach. Each symbol on the reel should be visible clearly and stand out against the background.
Also, the recognizable symbols can make a player feel or remember something specific. Classic slot machine icons like the lucky number seven or bar symbol are easy to identify and have a history in gambling culture, so they work well for many slot designs.
We recommend you create free slot machine icons at first, training and trying new approaches. Experiment with colors, shapes, sizes, and thematic consistency when working at the slot machine development. Your task is to make a fun game to play – try making it visually appealing and memorable.
Major Types of Slot Machine Icons
The symbols you see on digital slot machines can be classified into 5 categories. Every symbol has a special job in the game. So, it is important their art style matches with what’s going on and that they are relevant to that specific theme.
For example, if you are playing an Egyptian-themed slot machine, the symbols should show characters and designs inspired by Egyptian mythology. Common symbols like “number 7”, bells, and cherries are usually found in typical casino slots.
These types of symbols you can find almost in any basic slot machine icons list:
Minor Symbols
Low-paying symbols, sometimes called minor symbols, create winning combinations that offer small wins. They are the most frequent symbols to hit and give you many payouts but at lower values compared to high-paying ones. These minor symbols generally blend with the game’s theme but they are not easy to spot.
Major Symbols
Major symbols provide larger rewards but show up less often. When players hit combinations with these symbols, they win more significant prizes. Their design is usually more attractive to emphasize their worth.
Wild Symbols
Wild symbols are special and flexible. They can stand in for other symbols, assisting in the formation of winning combinations. Some Wilds have additional attributes, such as bonus multipliers or free spins. They add fun to the gameplay.
Special Symbols
Special symbols give additional benefits when they show up, either by themselves or together with others. These symbols can start bonus rounds, free plays, and other extras for the player to enjoy more while playing and have a better chance of winning.
Scatter Symbols
Scatter symbols have a unique quality. They don’t require to be lined up in any particular manner for you to receive an award. Numerous scatter symbols may show up on the screen and yet offer a prize, making them very liked by players.
How to Create Slot Machine Icons and Symbols – The Basic Steps
Conceptualization and Sketching
Beginning to create slot machine icons free requires a good basis in conceptualization and sketching, which is the first step that determines the tone for all design stages.
Research and Inspiration
Play popular slot games, the old and new ones, to understand what kind of icons love and why. This research is important to know successful themes and styles. Find motivation from various places like paintings, the environment, and diverse societies to make distinctive icons.
Sketching Initial Ideas
When you have a plan, you wish to follow, start sketching initial concepts. This phase is all about trying out various forms, fashions, and placements. Do not concern yourself with flawlessness. Concentrate on making sure to record many ideas. Sketching lets you quickly see ideas and make them better before going to the digital stage.
These are the basic steps you ought to follow when creating slot machine games:
- Research trends;
- Gather the images for inspiration;
- Initial sketches;
- Digital Rendering;
- Finalize your sketches and render them digitally;
Choosing the Software For Creating Icons on a Slot Machine
Choosing the correct software is very important. Especially, if you create complicated transparent slot machine icons or multi-layered menus with different symbols. Also, you need to choose between the vector and raster graphics methods when picking the style for your icons and symbols. It matters a lot since different tools work better for either of these graphics methods.
Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW work well for the icons with vector graphics. Adobe Photoshop along with Procreate are commonly used for projects with raster graphics. Every tool has its unique features, so select one according to your design requirements.
Vector vs. Raster Graphics
Vector Graphics, due to their scalability, are considered the better choice for slot machine icons. You can resize them without any loss in quality which is excellent for various screen sizes and resolutions. However, sometimes they might have restrictions on how detailed they can get.
Raster Graphics holds a lot of detail that can be good for showing more depth and texture in your icons. Nevertheless, when you enlarge them, it may cause the image to become pixelated. Also, raster graphics usually means larger file sizes.
Color and Animation
Color and animations are very crucial in creating the visual attractiveness and liveliness of your slot machine icons.
Bold and vivid colors in slot machine icons can be used to draw attention. This is especially true for bright and contrasting colors that make the icon stand out among other elements on a page or screen. It might also help to use harmonious color schemes so that the icon looks nice with the slot’s background. You could think about picking complementary colors using color theory, which would improve how appealing the icon appears visually.
For example, the pirate-themed slot machine might make use of deep blues and shining gold to symbolize the sea and hidden treasures.
Adding Animation
Animation can also boost the attractiveness of slot machine icons. For example, a sparkle or bounce in simple animations can give slot machine icons greater life and interest. It is best to use animation for emphasizing important moments such as a win or bonus round, adding thrill and guiding the player’s attention to significant parts. Give animations a soft touch, so they are engaging but not excessively distracting.
It is worth watching the following video about the creation of slot machine icons in vector free, on YouTube, from a fellow developer.
Successful Slot Machine Icons Designs – The Case Study
To prove the importance of top-notch slot machine icons, we decided to review the real slot app available for Apple’s mobile devices. This game is Cleopatra slot machine by LIFETO. You can download it from the Apple App Store for slot machine icons.
In this game, we can see that all the slot machine symbols, icons, and menus are theme-related to ancient Egypt like the Sphinx, scarab beetles, and Cleopatra. These images have strong connections to Egyptian history and culture that make them fit for the setting of the slot machine. The colorful combination of orange and blue alongside gold elements all over the symbols and icons are visually stunning and memorable from the visual point of view.
The vivid Egyptian art style is an important part of the success this slot machine has among mobile apps. The complex details present on each symbol add to its visual attractiveness – it’s not just an image but also a story.
Also, we recommend reading our guide to mobile game UI design – it can be useful for developing slot machines and icons for them as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role does theme play in the design of slot machine icons?
The theme of the slot machine design is very important because it gives a certain atmosphere and plotline. Themes can be about different historical times, mythological worlds, famous things in culture, or even wild adventures of fantasy creatures.
A good theme does not just decide what symbols and pictures are there but also affects the sounds made when you play, how animations work, and what extra rewards or features players can get. Players have their likes and inclinations. Choosing the right theme is very important for creating an interesting slot game machine.
How do you choose the right theme for casino slot machine icons?
You need to know who your target audience is, what are the latest trends in casino slot gaming and what cultural impacts. Do the market research and study the players’ preferences. With such an approach you can find out which themes are popular or not yet covered by games available today.
It’s very important to choose a theme that attracts the players from your target audience, while also promoting creative freedom and new ideas. Themes must have the flexibility to incorporate interesting gameplay mechanics and attractive visuals, while also matching the brand image of the game developer or casino lineup.
What are some upcoming trends in slot machine icons?
The most popular slot machine themes nowadays show futuristic and sci-fi elements, and interactive storytelling with the help of real-world experiences like AR and VR. Players are more interested in slot games that provide them with special stories, new methods of playing, and personal experiences.
The trend of themed collaborations with popular franchises from movies, TV shows, and video games. This approach can attract a wider range of people to play these types of slot machines.
Conclusion
Slot machines are still very popular. The moral aspect apart, you can learn the basics of vector or raster graphics by making awesome slot machine icons for multiple mobile apps and browser clones of real casino slots. Hopefully, our guide helped you to look in the right direction at this point. The BandurArt team is always here to help you with the first steps in game art and game development services. We want to help you with awesome designs and art for your gaming projects. It will be an honor for us to inspire beginners and help professionals!
