Dynamic Selection Feature for Wagering Game Bonus Rounds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming machines, such as slot machines, face a challenge in maintaining player engagement and entertainment value, as existing bonus rounds often lack variety and fail to provide sufficient control and excitement, leading to decreased player attraction and profitability.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for a wagering game that displays a plurality of selectable elements, allowing players to select a fixed number, with additional selections awarded if a predefined set is formed, providing continuous bonus play and awards based on selected elements, enhancing player control and entertainment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a bonus round is provided with fixed selection rules, then the game structure is simple and easy to operate, but the entertainment value and player engagement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic game rules where the number of selections allowed changes during gameplay. When players form predefined sets of selectable elements, the system dynamically increases the selection quota, transforming a static fixed-selection mechanism into a dynamic adaptive system that responds to player actions, thereby enhancing entertainment value while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of selection quantity from a fixed value to a variable that increases based on game progress. By linking the selection quota to the formation of predefined sets, the system creates parameter changes that reward player skill and strategy, improving entertainment value without complicating the basic operation mechanism
2Productivity
If the number of selections is fixed, then the bonus round ends predictably and is easy to control, but player excitement and engagement decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system monitors which selectable elements have been chosen and automatically determines when predefined sets are formed. This feedback loop triggers dynamic adjustments to the selection quota, creating an engaging experience where players receive real-time information about their progress toward extending the bonus round, thereby maintaining high engagement while preserving efficient automated control
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically tracks player selections and determines when sets are complete, eliminating the need for manual intervention or complex player tracking. The game mechanism itself serves to monitor progress and adjust parameters, maintaining control efficiency while enhancing engagement through automatic reward mechanisms that respond to player achievements
3Adaptability or versatility
If players are given more control through selection choices, then entertainment value increases, but the game complexity and difficulty of tracking selections increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the selectable elements into distinct categories or groups that form predefined sets. This segmentation allows players to make meaningful choices within structured categories, providing a sense of control and strategy. The segmented organization also simplifies tracking, as the system only needs to monitor which elements from each segment have been selected, rather than tracking individual elements in isolation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes predefined sets of selectable elements before the bonus round begins. This preliminary organization of elements into predetermined groups simplifies the tracking mechanism, as the system only needs to compare player selections against the pre-established sets rather than evaluating complex relationships between arbitrary elements. Players gain control through strategic selection within this pre-structured framework
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for allowing additional selections of predefined objects during a wagering game is disclosed. In one embodiment, at the onset of the game, a fixed number of selections and selectable objects is defined by the game and is presented to the player. Each selectable object has identifiable similarities or identical characteristics with at least one other object creating the potential of selecting matched sets. If a matched set is selected within the predetermined allowed number of selections, the matched set is removed from the selected group of objects. A number identical to the number of objects in the matched set is added to the available selections count. This method gives more control to the player and provides another element to the wagering game by adding the possibility of additional selections to the possibility of other awards.