Gaming System Ranking Linked Machine Outcomes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slot machines and other wagering games provide a single-player experience with limited opportunities for competition and shared excitement, leading to a desire for enhanced engagement and varied payout structures.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system that links multiple gaming machines, allowing them to compete by generating and ranking outcomes, with awards distributed based on ranking probabilities, enabling synchronized play and dynamic payout structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gaming machines are linked to compete for awards, then player engagement and excitement are enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the gaming network into independent gaming machines, each capable of autonomous operation and local outcome determination. Each machine generates its own outcomes independently, then submits them to a central comparator for ranking. This segmentation allows the system to scale by simply adding more independent machines without redesigning the core architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
A central comparator or server computer acts as an intermediary that receives outcomes from multiple gaming machines, ranks them according to predetermined criteria, and distributes awards. This intermediary handles the complex ranking logic centrally, allowing individual machines to remain relatively simple while achieving sophisticated multi-machine competition.
2Adaptability or versatility
If awards are distributed based on ranked outcomes from multiple machines, then competitive gameplay is created, but payout structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The payout structure is made dynamic by ranking outcomes and distributing awards based on relative performance rather than fixed paytables. The system can adjust the number of awards, award amounts, and ranking criteria without hardware changes. This allows the payout structure to adapt to different game configurations and maintain player engagement through variable competition levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of award distribution from static paytable-based payouts to dynamic ranking-based payouts. By modifying how outcomes are evaluated (comparing against other machines rather than fixed criteria), the system creates competitive gameplay while maintaining control over average payback percentages through adjustable ranking thresholds and award structures.
3Productivity
If the system generates outcomes for all linked machines regardless of active play, then more outcomes are available for ranking, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary outcome generation for all linked machines in advance of actual player interaction. By pre-generating outcomes and storing them ready for comparison, the system ensures that when players do interact, immediate ranking and award distribution can occur without delay. This preliminary action maintains high productivity while allowing energy management during non-active periods.
Solution Approach 2:
Gaming machines that are not currently being played continue to generate outcomes autonomously without requiring active player input. These machines serve themselves by maintaining their outcome generation function, ensuring they are ready to participate in rankings when players do engage, while the central system manages energy allocation based on actual play status.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system is provided in which multiple gaming machines are linked. Each of the machines plays its game and generates at least one outcome. The top or best outcome of each machine is submitted, e.g., to a comparator or server computer for ranking. An award is provided for a certain percentage such as one-half of the highest ranked outcomes. The award is made available to the gaming machine, but a player must be wagering on the associated outcome producing event (such as the payline) to receive the award. For example, if a player plays only payline one of a multi-line slot machine and payline five of that machine generates the highest ranked result of all linked gaming machines, the award is made available to the gaming machine, but the player does not receive the award. In an embodiment, each linked gaming machine participates in play (all paylines) regardless of whether a player is playing that gaming machine.