Gaming Machine Bonus Prize Tier Control via Dynamic Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Players become disillusioned with gaming machines that frequently award lower-tier prizes, leading to a lack of excitement and anticipation, as the visual presentation is designed to emphasize high-value prizes, causing a mismatch between the awarded prizes and the expected experience.
Innovation Solution
A gaming machine and method that dynamically control the display of tiered prizes by allowing players to select between awarding or upgrading prizes through a bonus feature, where the bonus feature prize selector and control selector are used to modify the available prize tiers, ensuring more frequent higher-tier prizes are awarded and presented, thereby maintaining player engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If bonus games emphasize high-value prize tiers in visual presentation, then player anticipation and excitement are enhanced, but player satisfaction decreases when lower-tier prizes are frequently awarded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of prize tier availability through the bonus feature control selector, which can dynamically adjust which prize tiers are accessible during bonus games. This allows the system to adapt the prize structure in real-time based on game state, ensuring that when high-value prizes are emphasized in presentation, they remain achievable through controlled availability mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of prize tier availability by using the bonus feature control selector to modify which prize tiers are active or accessible. This parameter control ensures consistency between the visual emphasis on high-value prizes and the actual frequency of their award, resolving the contradiction between anticipation enhancement and satisfaction maintenance.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple bonus games are played with emphasis on high-value prizes, then excitement is maintained, but player disillusionment increases when lower-tier prizes are awarded repeatedly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the outcome of bonus games influences future bonus game characteristics. The bonus feature control selector uses feedback from game play to adjust prize tier availability, ensuring that repeated bonus games maintain excitement by controlling the distribution of prize tiers and preventing player disillusionment from repeated lower-tier awards.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts prize tier availability across multiple bonus games through the control selector, adapting the game structure to maintain excitement while ensuring reliable award distribution. This dynamic control allows the system to manage the duration of play sessions while maintaining consistency in prize award patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bonus games offer numerous prize tiers for flexibility, then prize award versatility is improved, but control over graphic presentation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the prize tiers into distinct groups that can be independently controlled through the bonus feature control selector. This segmentation allows the system to manage numerous prize tiers by organizing them into controllable sets, making it easier to control graphic presentation while maintaining prize variety. The selector divides the complex prize structure into manageable segments that can be activated or deactivated as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonus feature control selector serves multiple functions: it controls prize tier availability, manages graphic presentation, and coordinates bonus game outcomes. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating control mechanisms into a single universal interface that handles both prize variety and presentation coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming machine, method, and program product provide a slot machine game with a tiered bonus feature. A bonus feature includes a bonus feature prize selector and a bonus feature control selector. The bonus feature prize selector selects a current prize, and the bonus feature control selector selects a control outcome governing bonus feature prize selector. The control outcome may be awarding a current bonus prize selected or upgrading the current bonus prize selected on the first bonus wheel. In response to the upgrading outcome being selected, the bonus feature prize selector is made to select a replacement current prize from among a subset of the number of bonus feature prize tiers comprising each bonus feature prize tier having a value higher than prior value of the current prize.