Gaming System Multi-Progressive Award Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming systems do not provide players with the opportunity to win multi-level progressive awards by accumulating a plurality of symbols or symbol combinations through plays of a primary game, limiting player engagement and excitement.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system that accumulates game events from multiple players and provides bonus and progressive awards based on designated quantities of symbols or symbol combinations, allowing players to compete for incremented progressive awards and offering a bonus game upon reaching specific accumulation thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single progressive award is provided in gaming systems, then players can win a large award, but player engagement and excitement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single progressive award into multiple progressive awards (first, second, third progressive awards) with different triggering conditions and award amounts. This segmentation allows players to engage with multiple award opportunities simultaneously, enhancing player engagement while maintaining a manageable system structure through clear differentiation of award levels and triggers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple progressive awards are introduced to enhance player engagement, then player excitement increases, but the gaming system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic triggering conditions where the first progressive award can be triggered by specific symbol combinations, the second progressive award by accumulation of designated symbols, and the third progressive award by mystery events. This dynamic structure allows the system to adapt to different player behaviors and game states, enhancing engagement while managing complexity through conditional logic rather than permanent structural additions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent varies key parameters across different progressive awards including triggering conditions (symbol combinations, symbol accumulation, mystery events), award amounts (with the third progressive award being greater than the second), and trigger frequencies. These parameter changes create diverse engagement opportunities while maintaining system manageability through standardized award structures.
3Quantity of substance
If progressive awards are triggered by rare symbol combinations, then award values can be higher, but triggering frequency decreases reducing excitement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments progressive awards into different tiers with different triggering difficulties and award values. The first progressive award uses specific symbol combinations with moderate rarity, the second progressive award uses accumulation of designated symbols over time, and the third progressive award uses mystery events with random triggering. This segmentation ensures that players experience frequent smaller wins while maintaining the possibility of larger awards, balancing award value with triggering frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial triggering where players can accumulate designated symbols toward the second progressive award trigger condition, providing partial progress recognition even before the full trigger is achieved. This partial action approach maintains player excitement by showing visible progress toward higher-value awards while managing the overall triggering frequency through the accumulation mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system and method disclosed herein enable a plurality of players to play for and attempt to win at least one progressive award and a bonus game. The gaming system includes a central controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines. The central controller maintains a plurality of progressive awards associated with the gaming machines. Each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player. Upon a determination that a designated one of the progressive awards will be provided, based on at least one play of the primary games, the central controller causes one of the gaming machines to provide the designated progressive award to the player of such gaming machine. Each gaming machine is also associated with a bonus game operable upon a triggering event in the primary game.