Merged Game Matrices on Electronic Gaming Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) face a challenge in maintaining player engagement as they rely on traditional game formats, which may not provide enough variety or excitement, leading to a need for innovative gaming systems that enhance player experience.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to merge multiple games into a single game with increased display positions, where a game controller determines merging conditions and inserts additional symbols between games, creating a merged game instance with a larger number of display positions, thereby enhancing gameplay and potential winnings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional game formats are used, then game simplicity and ease of operation are maintained, but player engagement and entertainment value decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate games into a single integrated game instance by combining their symbol sets and display positions. When merging conditions are met, symbols from different games are combined into a unified display, allowing players to potentially win across multiple game themes simultaneously, thereby enhancing engagement without requiring multiple separate game interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The game controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it manages individual game instances separately and also combines them into merged game instances. The same display infrastructure serves both separate and merged game modes, making the system universally capable of providing varied gameplay experiences without additional hardware complexity
2Quantity of substance
If multiple separate games are played, then game variety is provided, but display space utilization and potential winnings are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines display positions from multiple separate games into a single merged game instance. When merging conditions are satisfied, the symbol sets and display positions of multiple games are merged, creating a larger grid with more total display positions than any individual game would provide, thereby increasing potential winning combinations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the traditional single-game matrix by incorporating symbols and positions from multiple games into a merged instance. This creates an expanded dimensional space for symbol arrangement and evaluation, where winning lines can span across what would traditionally be separate game boundaries, effectively utilizing the display space more comprehensively
3Productivity
If game merging is implemented, then player engagement and potential winnings increase, but game controller complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The game controller pre-establishes merging conditions and criteria before gameplay begins. Symbol sets and display position mappings for potential merged games are prepared in advance, allowing the controller to efficiently determine whether merging should occur without complex real-time calculations, thereby managing complexity while enabling engaging merged game instances
Data Source
AI summary
A method of playing a feature game on a gaming machine. A display displays a first game and a second game. A game controller determines if a merging condition occurs, and if a merging condition occurs, animates a merging of the first game and the second game into a merged game at the display. The merged game has a plurality of display positions from the first game, the second game, and a set of additional display positions.