Gaming Machine Concurrent Reel Display for Multi-Game Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming machines limit player engagement due to the inability to play multiple games simultaneously, leading to frustration and reduced playtime.
Innovation Solution
A gaming machine that displays multiple slot games using the same reel, allowing players to play concurrently by showing a portion of the reel in each game, with the gaming controller randomly generating outcomes and awarding players based on the displayed symbols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a gaming machine displays only one game instance at a time, then the game logic and reel management remain simple, but player engagement and playtime are reduced due to limited gaming variety
Solution Approach 1:
The reel is segmented into multiple portions, with each portion displayed in a different game instance. This allows the same physical reel to serve multiple games simultaneously, increasing gaming variety without requiring separate reels for each game, thus managing complexity while enhancing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
A single reel is made universal by displaying different portions of it across multiple game instances. The reel serves multiple functions simultaneously, providing gaming variety across different games while avoiding the complexity of managing separate reels for each game.
2Productivity
If multiple games are played sequentially one at a time, then the gaming machine structure remains simple, but player frustration increases and playtime decreases due to limited concurrent gaming options
Solution Approach 1:
The solution transitions from sequential time-based game switching to spatial parallel display by showing multiple game instances simultaneously on the display device. This dimensional change allows players to engage with multiple games at once, increasing playtime while simplifying operation by eliminating the need to switch between games.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the same reel is used across multiple concurrent games, then hardware costs are reduced and player engagement increases, but determining game outcomes becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The reel is divided into distinct portions, with each portion assigned to a specific game instance. This segmentation allows the controller to determine outcomes for each game independently by evaluating only the relevant portion of the reel, reducing outcome determination complexity while enabling concurrent gaming capability.
4Ease of manufacture
If a single reel displays multiple game portions concurrently, then the number of physical reels needed is reduced, but the display management and symbol allocation become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
A single reel is designed to serve multiple game instances simultaneously by displaying different portions for each game. This universal reel reduces the number of physical reels needed for manufacturing while the controller manages display allocation through software, trading physical complexity for computational management.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming machine for providing multiple games to a player with the same reel is described herein. The gaming machine displays a first game that includes a first portion of a reel in a first display area and concurrently displays a second game that includes a second portion of the reel being displayed in a second display area. The gaming machine randomly generates an outcome of the first game and spins and stops the at least one reel to display the first game outcome in the first display area and awards the player an award as a function of the first game outcome.