Customizable Player Avatar for Gaming Machines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming machines and systems lack features to sustain player interest over time, as they fail to provide innovative and engaging experiences beyond traditional gameplay and rewards.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an interactive, customizable player avatar that provides entertainment and companionship during gameplay, allowing players to personalize their avatars with virtual items and attributes, and offering rewards in the form of tokens or virtual currency that can be used for customization, which persists across gaming sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional gaming machines provide only basic gameplay and standard rewards, then the device complexity remains low, but player interest and engagement deteriorate over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds a virtual avatar system within the gaming machine interface. The avatar is nested within the existing game display, allowing it to interact with gameplay without requiring a separate physical device. The avatar can be customized with various attributes and items that are integrated into the game's reward structure, creating layers of engagement within the existing system framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual avatar serves as an intermediary between the player and the game outcomes. Instead of directly experiencing wins or losses, players interact through their avatar which provides emotional responses, celebrations, and companionship. This mediator enhances player engagement by creating an emotional connection while the underlying game mechanics remain unchanged.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines offer numerous customization options and features, then player interest is maintained, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to interface complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides default avatar configurations that are pre-customized with appealing appearances and attributes. Players can immediately begin playing with a pre-configured avatar without needing to make numerous customization decisions. The avatar can be further customized over time as players earn rewards, spreading the customization process across multiple gaming sessions rather than requiring all decisions upfront.
Solution Approach 2:
The avatar customization system is dynamic rather than static. Players can modify their avatar's appearance, attributes, and items at any time during gameplay using rewards earned from game play. The avatar evolves and changes alongside the player's gaming experience, allowing customization to be integrated naturally into the flow of gameplay rather than being a separate complex setup process.
3Reliability
If gaming establishments provide player cards with perks and rewards, then player loyalty improves, but the device complexity increases due to tracking and management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual avatar system provides self-service loyalty benefits by automatically tracking player activity and rewarding players with items and customization options for their avatar. The system autonomously manages the reward structure, tracking gameplay sessions and granting rewards without requiring complex external tracking infrastructure. Players receive immediate in-game rewards that are directly applicable to their avatar customization.
Solution Approach 2:
The avatar reward system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it tracks player loyalty, provides incentives for continued play, enhances player engagement through customization, and creates emotional connection through the avatar's presence and responses. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate tracking systems into a unified interface that benefits from the existing gaming machine infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, gaming machine, and networked gaming system are disclosed for operating a wagering game that includes an interface activate-able by a player; a set of game plays, with at least one of the game plays occurring after activation of the interface by the player; and a persistent customizable player avatar interactive with a player and the wagering game, and, providing entertainment and companionship for a player during game play.