Following a ground breaking Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA) exhibition, the covers come off the best kept secret in the video amusement scene. TLC and KWP revealed their involvement in the Amusement Tournament System (ATS), which was demonstrated to a number of the leading developers of independent amusement content at the event for the first time. The need for a 'universal tournament architecture' was proposed by KWP some months ago, following extensive market research on the requirements and needs of the changing amusement scene. The confusion and complication that exists with a multitude of 'manufacturer only' systems that offers different levels of support – and confusion. The development of the ATS builds on both market experience from KWP, and the detailed manufacturing skills of TLC.
The new tournament architecture has been developed by amusement professionals to address the needs of the operators, with no hidden agenda to take control. The system is totally configurable so that an operator can bite as much as they are prepared to chew in experiencing the considerable revenue generation that a tournament enabled amusement machine (and facility) have to offer – multiple machines all through a single service. The ATS infrastructure – which has launched its service on the web
www.atslive.com -- embraces four key factors needed to establish a universal system in a complicated market. The first factor is that of an 'Independent Tournament' – Operator concern of the mining of important information by a manufacturer or distributor from machines they operate negated by the ATS construction. Second there is the ability of 'Tournament Upgrade' – using specialist software infrastructure the operator can see full software support of their machines live to the manufacturer. Thirdly 'Operator Friendly' – the person running the machine able to adjust the tournament infrastructure to suit their particular needs. Finally, and most importantly, 'Dedicated Prize Payout' – this being a universal prize payout feature that will inject a prize element to supported games.
A concern for many operators is that confidential information on machine utilisation (and indirectly site operation) is being accumulated. News that some manufacturers are turning to direct sales and even operation of their tournament enabled machines adding to this concern. With the ATS, independent developers can gather under an infrastructure that is well supported but also offers a simplistic method to incorporate the benefits of tournament hardware to their products. During AMOA exhibition, KWP and TLC presented the benefits of the ATS environment to an exclusive list of invited hardware manufacturers. Reactions were wholeheartedly positive, with early adopters signed – news of which will be announced in a release at the end of the year.
SOURCE: Press release KWP.
