Hidden Point Reward System for Gaming Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming establishments face challenges in effectively rewarding players of electronic gaming machines, as existing systems lack mechanisms to accumulate and award hidden points based on gaming activity, loyalty tiers, and game events, which can lead to reduced player engagement and satisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system and method that accumulates player-usable points at a network-accessible location as a function of gaming activity on electronic gaming machines, with some points being hidden from the player until awarded, allowing conversion into monetary units for wagering or redemption for non-gaming activities, and enabling awards based on loyalty tiers and game events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If player tracking points are made visible and redeemable for standard rewards, then player satisfaction is maintained at baseline levels, but player engagement and excitement remain static
Solution Approach 1:
The system differentiates between two types of points with distinct properties: visible points that players can track and redeem for standard rewards, and hidden points that provide unexpected bonuses. This local quality differentiation allows the system to maintain both transparency for routine engagement and surprise for enhanced excitement, resolving the contradiction between visible rewards and player engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
Hidden points act as an intermediary mechanism between player activity and rewards. Rather than directly visible points, the hidden points serve as a mediator that provides unexpected bonuses, thereby enhancing player engagement without requiring full information transparency. This intermediary layer resolves the contradiction by decoupling the information visibility from the reward delivery.
2Reliability
If gaming establishments provide standard visible rewards, then player loyalty is maintained, but unexpected player excitement and enhanced retention are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The reward system transitions from a static, fully visible point system to a dynamic system where hidden points are periodically awarded based on various triggers such as game events, time-based milestones, or random occurrences. This dynamic element allows the system to adapt to different player behaviors and situations, providing both reliable visible rewards and flexible hidden surprises that enhance player retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary accumulation of hidden points based on predetermined criteria and triggers before awarding them to players. By pre-calculating and storing hidden points based on player activity patterns, game events, or time-based conditions, the system ensures that reliable visible rewards are maintained while secretly preparing unexpected bonuses that will be awarded at optimal moments, thereby enhancing player excitement and loyalty.
3Device complexity
If all points are made visible and redeemable, then system simplicity is maintained, but player excitement and engagement enhancement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The point system is segmented into distinct components: visible points that players can track and control, and hidden points that operate independently with different rules and triggers. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity in the visible portion while incorporating complexity in the hidden portion, thereby enhancing player engagement without overwhelming the player with excessive complexity. Each segment serves a specific function, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and engagement enhancement.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system a method of rewarding players of electronic gaming machines connected by a network to a host computer which includes accumulating player-usable points at a network-accessible location as a function of gaming activity on one or more of the electronic gaming machines and subsequently awarding the accumulated points to a player, where at least some of the accumulated points are hidden from the player prior to the points being awarded.