Features
Graphic artist Steven Rosenberg go-to guy for Winnipeg theatre and arts communities
By MYRON LOVE While graphic designer Steven Rosenberg’s name may be unfamiliar to most readers, his work is not. Rosenberg is a partner in Doowah Design. Every time you see a brochure, a poster or online art promoting the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Manitoba Theatre for Young People, the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre and a host of other arts bodies, you are most likely looking at Doowah’s creations.
Over a career spanning more than 45 years, he has become the go-to guy for the graphic arts needs of Winnipeg’s art and theatre community. Past work has included the Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Prairie Theatre Exchange.
Rosenberg notes that there is only one graphic designer in Winnipeg who has been in the field longer than he has. In 2000, he was named a Fellow of the Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) – one of just two designated Fellows in Manitoba – in recognition of his leadership role in the formation of the Manitoba Chapter of the GDC as well as in the national GDC organization.
The citation noted that “the number of awards that he received testify to the professional respect he has earned from his peers. Drawing from his experience of working with many non-profit and cultural institutions, he has written the rule book on working with pro-bono clients: the info sheet now included in our national binders. This is typical of Steven—he always establishes a solid methodology—even for projects that don’t pay”.
Although there are a few fortunate people who know from an early age what they “want to be” when they grow up, Rosenberg – like most of us – found his calling by a somewhat roundabout process that led to his seizing an opportunity.
“When I was growing up, I was the kid in the class who was always drawing things,” recalls the son of the late Morrie and Norma Rosenberg. “I have found though that learning to write precis (short summaries) in high school has turned out to be really useful in my work,” he notes.
When Rosenberg started university (at the University of Manitoba), it made sense to him, he recalls, to enroll in Fine Arts. But it was not what he expected. He realized that he was more interested in design.
After a year in Fine Arts, the future graphic designer switched to the regular Arts program. After university, he took some time for the de riguer – for recent university graduates of that era – tour of Europe. When he got back, he landed a job with a Federal Government-funded Opportunities for Youth program – working on a monthly titled Inland Magazine.
“I learned graphic design on the job during my two years working for the magazine,” he says.
The next stage in his career was with Credo Group which, he explains, was a community resource as well as creative development organization. “We produced animation, live films – and print materials on the side,” he recalls. “When Credo decided to drop its print operations, I took on those clients.”
For ten years after he parted company with Credo, he worked on his own. In 1989, he partnered with Terry Gallagher in founding Doowah Design Inc.
Early on, Rosenberg and Doowah Design’s services were much in demand for the National Film Board and Cinematheque. “Over a period of 10 to 15 years, we helped develop proposals for projects, created fact sheets and became involved in marketing,” he notes. “We worked with filmmakers such as Norma Bailey and Dave Barber (the guiding hand behind Cinematheque and godfather of our community’s filmmakers who passed away a few months ago).”
Over the years, he notes, Doowah Design’s client base has grown. “We focus mainly on the arts and non-profit organizations,” Rosenberg points out. Among the latter are Assiniboine Park and the Zoo and Rossbrook House, an inner city drop-in centre for youth – founded in 1976 by the Sisters of Sion – which provides a safe space for children and teens to congregate and learn.
“We also work with small publishers and musicians designing CDs, book covers, posters and occasionally promotion materials for concerts,” he adds.
One of his more unusual contracts was working with a church to market a columbarium (which is a repository for the ashes of cremated individuals).
One of Rosenberg’s highest profile assignments in recent years – in partnership with Terry Gallagher – was his central involvement in the development of Quamajuq, the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s all-new, standalone Inuit art gallery, home of the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. “One of our challenges was developing strategies to help the public understand what the gallery is about,” he says. “That included educating people as to how to pronounce the name (KOW-ma-yourk).
“Generally, we work with clients with limited funds for promoting themselves,” Rosenberg points out. “We work to understand our clients’ needs and the messages they want to put out to the public and devise strategies to deliver those messages as truthfully as possible.”
Doowah Design, Rosenberg notes, consists of himself and Gallagher and designer and illustrator Prascilla Castro. Now in his early 70s, Rosenberg reports that his role in the company has changed in recent years.
“I am doing less actual design and more strategizing and research,” he says.
In his free time, he notes, he and his wife Susan regularly exercise (at home) and enjoy watching old movies, documentaries and British police shows.
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Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
