Gaming Machine Dynamic Wheel Awards for Efficient Outcome Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaming systems face challenges in balancing yield versus randomness and volatility to create a feeling of luck, while also improving processing speed and efficiency to support complex graphics and multiple random outcome determinations, and providing engaging animations to encourage prolonged player participation.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system with game-logic circuitry and a presentation assembly that presents symbol positions and segmented award elements, dynamically updating award segments based on randomly selected symbols and award trigger events to provide awards, using numbered indicia for credit values and minimizing processing overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex graphics and special effects are added to make games more entertaining, then player engagement improves, but processing speed and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The game feature is divided into discrete components: symbol positions are segmented into position subsets, award elements are divided into segments with individual award indicia, and the update process is broken into discrete steps triggered by specific events. This segmentation allows the system to process only relevant portions of the game state rather than rendering and processing entire complex graphics scenes, improving processing efficiency while maintaining entertainment value.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual indicia (numbered indicators) to represent credit values and award information. Instead of requiring complex graphical rendering for each award display, the system uses simplified visual copies (indicia) that convey the same information more efficiently. This allows the presentation assembly to display award information quickly without heavy processing overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple random outcome determinations and bonus features are added to increase game complexity, then player engagement improves, but processing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The award elements are designed to be dynamic rather than static. Award segments can be updated in response to trigger events, allowing the game to adapt to different game states and bonus features. The system dynamically determines which award elements to update based on game outcomes, enabling multiple random outcome determinations and bonus features to coexist efficiently without requiring pre-computation of all possible game states.
Solution Approach 2:
The game system pre-establishes the structure of award elements with multiple segments and their associated award indicia before game play begins. This preliminary setup allows the system to quickly process random outcomes during play by simply updating existing award segments rather than creating new award structures in real-time, improving processing efficiency during actual game play.
3Adaptability or versatility
If advanced graphics and animations are implemented to improve player participation, then player engagement improves, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying complex graphics and animations uniformly across the entire game interface, the patent applies enhanced visual presentation locally to specific elements that benefit most from attention. The position subsets and award elements receive focused visual treatment with numbered indicia and selective updates, while other portions of the interface maintain simpler presentations. This local quality approach reduces overall processing overhead while maintaining high player engagement in critical areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system includes game-logic circuitry and a presentation assembly that presents a plurality of symbol positions divided between a plurality of position subsets and at least one segmented award element associated with one or more position subset and including a plurality of award segments having award values. The game-logic circuitry causes the presentation assembly to: (i) present one or more game outcomes by populating the symbol positions with randomly selected symbols, (ii) in response to a first position subset being populated by a first value-bearing symbol, update one or more award segments of a first segmented award element associated with the first subset at least partially as a function of an award value of the first value-bearing symbol, (iii) in response to an award trigger event, select an award segment of the first segmented award element, and (iv) provide an award for the selected award segment.