Hold-and-Spin Feature Game with Meter-Based Spin Progression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaming machines lack innovative features to enhance player engagement and entertainment value, necessitating a need for new game designs to maintain player interest.
Innovation Solution
Implement a hold and spin feature game with progressive play meters, triggered by a base game, where configurable symbols, mystery symbols, and spin award symbols determine awards and feature game progression, utilizing a hold and spin mechanism and progressive play meters to enhance player interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a feature game is triggered during base game play, then player entertainment value and engagement are improved, but the game complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The game is divided into a base game and a separate feature game that can be triggered independently. The feature game includes distinct components (display wheel, progressive play meters, award symbols) that segment the overall gaming experience into manageable, functionally separate parts, reducing perceived complexity while maintaining entertainment value.
Solution Approach 2:
The feature game adds a dimensional layer to the base game by introducing a vertical display wheel and progressive play meters that track across multiple feature games. This dimensional addition provides new interaction opportunities without fundamentally complicating the base game mechanics.
2Ease of operation
If progressive play meters are implemented to track feature game plays, then player engagement is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive play meters use visual copies and representations (display wheels showing numerical values) to track and communicate game state information to players. This allows complex tracking functionality to be presented in a simple, intuitive visual format that enhances engagement without proportionally increasing perceived device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The progressive play meters provide continuous visual feedback to players about their progress and accumulated plays. This feedback mechanism simplifies player interaction by automatically tracking and displaying game state information, reducing the cognitive load on players while enhancing engagement through transparent progress tracking.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple symbol types (configurable, mystery, spin award) are used to determine awards, then award opportunities and player interaction are increased, but the game rules and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different symbol types (configurable symbols, mystery symbols, spin award symbols) are assigned specific local functions within the feature game. Each symbol type has a distinct purpose and behavior that is clearly defined and localized to specific game situations, making the rules more manageable despite the variety of symbol types.
Solution Approach 2:
The feature game introduces dynamic elements where symbols can change state and function during play. The display wheel dynamically updates to show progressive play meter values, and symbols can transform between different states (e.g., mystery symbols revealing their values), creating engaging variability without requiring permanently complex rule sets.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming machine provides a base game, from which a hold and spin feature game is triggered when a determined number of configurable symbols are displayed in a base game outcome. When the feature game is triggered, the configurable symbols are held in place on the display one or more spins are provided during the feature game in which to collect additional configurable symbols. Any additional configurable symbols are retained on the display during subsequent spins until the feature game is completed. The player is awarded a prize based on the values carried by the configurable symbols. The gaming machine includes one or more progressive play meters that are incremented when spin award symbols are displayed in base game outcomes. When the feature game is triggered, the number of spins provided in the feature game is determined based on the value carried by one of the progressive play meters.