Gaming Machine Award Drop Feature
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Solution Overview
Problem
The gaming industry faces challenges in creating gaming systems that balance yield versus randomness and volatility to encourage prolonged and frequent player participation, while also improving processing speed and efficiency to support advanced graphics and bonus features.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system that animates trails with variable trail symbols selected by a random number generator, where award symbols are presented above the trails and clipped based on matching symbols, leading to a dropping motion towards a win line, awarding values when reaching the line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If advanced graphics and special effects are added to make games more entertaining, then player engagement is improved, but processing speed and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The gaming system is divided into separate functional modules: a random number generator module that operates independently to determine game outcomes, and a graphics rendering module that displays results. This segmentation allows the RNG to operate at full speed without being bottlenecked by graphics processing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Game outcomes are determined in advance by the random number generator before graphics rendering begins. The system pre-calculates all necessary random outcomes and stores them, then simply displays them sequentially without requiring complex real-time calculations during the animation phase.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bonus features with different game formats are implemented, then player participation is encouraged, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single random number generator is designed to serve multiple bonus feature types including picking games, reel spins, wheel spins, and other arcade-style mechanics. The RNG produces universal random outcomes that can be mapped to any game format through software configuration, eliminating the need for separate RNG systems for each feature type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters of the base RNG to create different game formats. By adjusting parameters such as number of selections, spin counts, and outcome mappings, the same core randomization engine can produce diverse bonus features without requiring separate complex systems for each format.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the random number generator determines multiple outcomes per feature, then player excitement is increased, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The random number generator pre-determines all outcomes for a bonus feature before the feature begins playing out. For example, if a picking game has 10 items, the RNG generates all 10 outcomes in advance and stores them in an array. As items are revealed during gameplay, the system simply retrieves pre-generated outcomes without performing new random calculations, dramatically reducing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The outcome generation process is segmented into two phases: a bulk generation phase where all random outcomes are created at once using efficient array operations, and a retrieval phase where individual outcomes are simply accessed during gameplay. This separates the computationally intensive randomization from the low-overhead display operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed, in one example, includes gaming machine configured to present reels associated with a first array. The reels bear symbols. The gaming machine animates, in a second array positioned above the first array, vertical trails, each trail having a randomly-selected, variable number of secondary game symbols. A separate award symbol is positioned above each trail. The gaming machine conducts a series of game spins, where for each spin the reels land some of the secondary game symbols via the first array. The gaming machine clips a portion of symbols from one or more trails based on a number of matching ones of the secondary game symbols that landed via the first array. The gaming machine further animates a drop of an award symbol toward a win line at the bottom of the second array. If an award symbol reaches the win line, the game-logic circuitry awards an award value.