Gaming Machine Wheel Spin Free Round Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming machines face difficulty in maintaining player attention between triggering and starting free rounds, as the fixed number of free rounds provided does not allow players to determine their quantity, leading to reduced engagement during this period.
Innovation Solution
A gaming machine with a touch screen panel displaying a wheel and touch areas, where players can spin the wheel to randomly determine the number of free rounds, allowing for variable spinning speeds and automatic spinning if no input is made, enhancing player interaction and engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed number of free rounds is provided to the player, then the game operation is simple and easy to control, but the player cannot determine the number of free rounds, making it difficult to attract player attention during the period between trigger and start of free rounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static, fixed free round system into a dynamic interactive experience. A wheel display is introduced that allows players to spin and randomly determine the number of free rounds. The wheel can rotate in different directions (clockwise or counterclockwise) and stop at different positions, creating dynamic visual engagement during the waiting period while maintaining simple operation through touch-based interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimensional element to the free round determination process by introducing a visual wheel display with multiple touch areas. Instead of simply displaying a fixed number, the system creates a two-dimensional interactive interface where players can touch and slide on different areas of the wheel, adding spatial and visual dimensions to what was previously a one-dimensional numerical display.
2Ease of operation
If the wheel is spun at multiple spinning speeds corresponding to player input speed, then player interaction is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by monitoring the speed and duration of player touch input, then adjusting the wheel's spinning speed accordingly. When a player quickly slides across the touch screen, the wheel spins faster; slower input results in slower rotation. This feedback loop creates a responsive interactive experience that adapts to player behavior without requiring complex external control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel spinning system serves itself by using the player's own input characteristics (touch speed, duration, distance) to automatically determine the spinning parameters. The system does not require separate controls or complex programming to set spinning speeds - it self-adjusts based on the natural variations in player interaction, simplifying the overall control architecture.
3Productivity
If the wheel is automatically spun when no player input is received, then the game flow is maintained, but the loss of player attention may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by setting a predetermined time threshold for player input. If the player does not interact with the wheel within this time period, the system automatically triggers the wheel spin. This periodic check-and-act mechanism ensures continuous game flow while providing a second chance to engage players who may have been momentarily distracted, balancing automation with player engagement.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of a gaming machine executes a normal round of a game to spin reels of a first display, and triggers a chance round of the game when a result of the normal round satisfies a predetermined condition. The controller displays a wheel and a plurality of touch areas on a second display, and the wheel includes a plurality of areas, each of the plurality of areas corresponding to a number of free rounds. When any one of the touch areas is touched and slid by a player, the controller spinning the wheel in a direction corresponding to the slid touch area, and randomly determines a number of free rounds. The controller stops the wheel at a position of an area that corresponds to the determined number of free rounds among the plurality of areas, and provides free rounds having the determined number.