Gaming Machine Retaining Special Symbols for Player Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming machines display new combinations of symbols for each game, leading to frustration among players as special symbols are not retained for subsequent plays, necessitating new features to enhance player interest and excitement.
Innovation Solution
A gaming machine that selectively retains special symbols for use in subsequent games, determining if a special symbol is displayed in a game outcome and moving it to a predefined position for the next game, and releasing it if another special symbol appears, to increase the player's expectation of achieving a winning combination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If new combinations of symbols are displayed for each game, then the game fairness and randomness are maintained, but player frustration increases due to loss of special symbols
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by retaining special symbols from previous games and pre-positioning them in the game outcome before new symbols are generated. This allows special symbols to be carried forward to subsequent games, creating enhanced winning opportunities without compromising the randomness of new symbol generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The game symbols are segmented into two distinct categories: regular symbols that are re-generated each game, and special symbols that are retained across games. This segmentation allows the system to maintain randomness for regular symbols while preserving valuable special symbols for future use, resolving the contradiction between fairness and player satisfaction.
2Ease of operation
If special symbols are retained for subsequent games, then player engagement and winning likelihood increase, but game complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The game outcome is segmented into retained special symbols and newly generated symbols. This clear segmentation simplifies the complexity management by creating distinct handling rules for each symbol type, making the retained symbol feature easier to implement and understand despite adding new functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
By performing the retention action in advance (carrying over special symbols from previous games), the system reduces real-time decision complexity during game play. The predetermined retention mechanism simplifies the game mechanism while enhancing player engagement through increased winning opportunities.
3Quantity of substance
If special symbols are released after another special symbol appears, then symbol availability is optimized, but player expectation management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by monitoring the appearance of special symbols and automatically triggering release conditions when another special symbol appears. This feedback mechanism optimizes symbol availability dynamically while managing player expectations through transparent, rule-based release criteria that are clearly communicated to players.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of allowing a player to play a gaming machine is described herein. The method includes displaying the game including a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions including at least one special symbol. A game outcome is randomly generated and displayed. An award is provided to the player if a winning combination is displayed in the generated first game outcome. The method further includes determining if a first special symbol is displayed in the generated first game outcome and responsively retaining the first special symbol during a subsequent second game, generating the second game outcome including the retained first special symbol, determining if a second special symbol is displayed in the second game outcome and responsively releasing the retained first special symbol in a subsequent third game if the second special symbol does not appear in the second game outcome.