Gaming Machine Dynamic Award Wheels for Controlled Randomness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaming apparatus struggle to balance yield versus randomness and volatility to create a feeling of luck, while also improving processing speed and efficiency, and providing new animations to enhance player engagement.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system with game-logic circuitry and a presentation assembly that presents segmented award elements, where award segments are dynamically updated based on randomly selected symbols, allowing for flexible value-collection processes and straightforward visual presentations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the gaming apparatus uses random element generators to create feelings of luck, then player engagement and participation are improved, but the balance between yield and randomness becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of wheel segment values based on game outcomes. The award values on wheel segments are not fixed but are dynamically modified based on symbols landed on reels, allowing the system to adapt to random outcomes while maintaining controlled yield through programmed adjustment rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from random reel outcomes to adjust wheel segment values. When specific symbols land on reels, the award values on corresponding wheel segments are modified, creating a feedback loop that connects random events to controlled award adjustments, thereby balancing randomness with predictable yield.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the gaming apparatus offers advanced graphics and special effects to make games more entertaining, then player excitement is improved, but processing speed and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the award wheel into multiple independent segments, each associated with specific reel positions and symbol combinations. This segmentation allows the system to process and update only relevant wheel segments based on game outcomes, rather than processing the entire wheel, thereby improving processing efficiency while maintaining visual complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the relationship between reel symbols and wheel segment values before the spin occurs. The game logic circuitry is pre-programmed with rules that determine how specific symbol combinations will modify wheel segment values, allowing for rapid processing during actual gameplay without complex real-time calculations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the gaming apparatus provides multiple bonus features with different game formats to enhance entertainment, then player engagement is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The award wheel feature serves multiple functions within a single game format. It can provide instant awards, trigger bonus features, modify game parameters, or serve as a standalone game mode. This multi-functionality allows the system to provide diverse gameplay experiences without requiring separate processing routines for each feature type, reducing overall processing overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system includes game-logic circuitry and a presentation assembly that presents a plurality of symbol positions divided between a plurality of position subsets and at least one segmented award element associated with one or more position subset and including a plurality of award segments having award values. The game-logic circuitry causes the presentation assembly to: (i) present one or more game outcomes by populating the symbol positions with randomly selected symbols, (ii) in response to a first position subset being populated by a first value-bearing symbol, update one or more award segments of a first segmented award element associated with the first subset at least partially as a function of an award value of the first value-bearing symbol, (iii) in response to an award trigger event, select an award segment of the first segmented award element, and (iv) provide an award for the selected award segment.