Gaming Machine Bonus Positions for Player Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gaming machines lack incentives to retain player interest as the standard structure of gameplay and bonus prizes becomes familiar, leading to a decline in engagement.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of bonus positions on the gaming machine's display that randomly select and display bonus symbols associated with game-enhancing elements, triggering their award when specific trigger symbols appear, enhancing gameplay variety and prize opportunities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional gaming machines use standard gameplay structure with fixed rules and bonus prizes, then the machine operation is simple and reliable, but player interest declines over time due to lack of variation and incentive
Solution Approach 1:
The gaming machine is segmented into multiple independent bonus positions (first bonus position, second bonus position, etc.), each capable of displaying different bonus symbols and providing different game-enhancing elements. This segmentation allows the machine to offer varied gameplay experiences without requiring complete structural redesign, resolving the contradiction between gameplay variety and machine complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed to universally manage multiple bonus positions, random symbol selection, trigger symbol detection, and game-enhancing element distribution across different game modes. This multi-functional controller consolidates complexity into a single management system, enabling gameplay variety while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Reliability
If bonus positions display randomly selected bonus symbols associated with game-enhancing elements, then player engagement increases due to unpredictability and incentive, but the control system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Bonus symbols are randomly selected and displayed in bonus positions before the main game outcome is determined. This preliminary action ensures that when trigger symbols appear in the main game, the corresponding game-enhancing elements are already predetermined and ready for immediate award, ensuring reliable prize distribution while simplifying the control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller continuously monitors for trigger symbols in the main game and automatically awards the corresponding game-enhancing elements when triggers are detected. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable prize awarding based on predetermined bonus symbols, maintaining system reliability without requiring complex real-time decision-making algorithms.
3Productivity
If multiple bonus positions are added to provide game-enhancing elements, then entertainment value and player retention improve, but the device structure becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple bonus positions are merged into a single display interface, with each bonus position representing an independent source of game-enhancing elements. This merging approach allows the machine to provide diverse prize opportunities and maintain high prize award efficiency without requiring physically separate display systems, thus avoiding excessive structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a gaming machine comprising a display for displaying a game comprising game symbols arranged into an array of game positions. A controller controls the display of randomly selected game symbols on the display in an array of game positions, preferably arranged into reels. One or more bonus positions are also displayed above the reels, the bonus positions each being associated with a reel. The bonus positions each display a bonus symbol associated with a game enhancing element, such as a credit prize, free games or a jackpot. When a trigger is displayed in a game position of a reel, the controller must award the game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbol displayed in the bonus position associated with the reel. A method is also provided.