Per PASA editor's request, here is a share on some essential skills and job responsibilities of a probability engineer.

Everyone knows that I work in the UK, and the editor has been talking to me, saying that there are also many eager learners in the community, not just gossip. I've posted two posts before, and I see that there are quite a few curious people, so let me share a bit.

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Skills Required for a Probability Engineer

Compared to most software development positions, the skill threshold for a probability engineer is relatively low, and the entry requirements are not high.

Entry-Level Skills Required

High School Basic Probability Knowledge (50%)

This mainly involves permutations, combinations, and probability-related content from high school mathematics. As long as you are proficient in this part, you already have half of the core skills needed to become a probability engineer.

Basic Excel Operations (20%)

You need to master basic lookup functions, arithmetic operations, and some basic table operations. More advanced Excel skills can be gradually learned in practical work.

Basic Programming Skills (30%)

The commonly used languages are primarily C/C++, but the requirements for object-oriented programming are not high; you only need to master the concepts of loop structures and function calls.

Because a certain programming foundation is required, this position is usually more suitable for people with some programming ability, while traditional game designers may find it difficult to switch to being a probability engineer. Also, since this position involves mathematics and programming, some programmers might not prioritize this job, so the competition is relatively small. As long as you have basic probability knowledge + basic programming skills, you have the opportunity to enter this industry.

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Advanced Level Skills Required

If you have already become a probability engineer, then you can further enhance the following skills:

Proficient Calculation of Various Game Features

As a senior probability engineer, you must master the mathematical calculation methods of common slot machine gameplay, and also have the capability to calculate for non-slot games.

Markov Chains are a key knowledge point in this field. Once mastered, calculating most game features becomes much easier.

Advanced Excel Functions

To improve work efficiency, you need to learn more complex functions and master VBA programming to write macros, while also making good use of Excel add-ins for automated calculations.

Game Analysis and Design

This is one of the core abilities of a senior probability engineer. The ultimate goal is to design popular games that help the company generate profits.

Improving this skill requires continuous calculation and optimization, as well as long-term gaming, analyzing player psychology, and deeply understanding players' needs to truly master it.

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Main Responsibilities of a Probability Engineer

Game Design

Responsible for designing game rules, themes, patterns, odds tables, etc. (some of which may be handled by producers).

Probability Calculation

Calculate various probability values according to game rules to ensure the reasonableness and playability of game mechanics.

Simulation Testing

Write simulation programs for testing and cross-verify with probability calculation results to ensure accuracy.

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Secondary Responsibilities

Game Data Analysis

When the company has many games, it is necessary to summarize and analyze the data of all games to optimize the gaming experience.

Market Data Analysis

Monitor the performance of games in the market, collect player feedback, and compare the data with simulation results to optimize future game design directions.

Document Writing

Write game design-related documents for internal company reference; if the game needs certification, also prepare specific technical documents for submission.

The core job of a probability engineer is to ensure the reasonableness of the game's probability mechanisms through mathematical modeling and data analysis, and to continuously optimize game play by combining market data. It is a position in the gaming industry that combines both technology and data analysis.

I welcome everyone to communicate with me, and if there is even a slight chance to promote the regularization of the gambling industry, I am willing to do so.