Multi-Player Touch Screen Gaming Table with Segmented Community Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional gaming machines are designed for single players, lacking a social experience where multiple players can interact without competition or adverse impact on each other's results, and do not allow for flexible participation or varied wagers.
Innovation Solution
A large horizontal touch screen gaming table that enables multiple players to play independently, with non-competitive games where players can wager different amounts and play at their own pace, using a 'player active' button to ensure individual selections, and allowing for a mix of community and individual games.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a gaming machine is designed for single player use, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the social interaction capability and player versatility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The gaming table is divided into multiple player stations (at least four), each with its own player interface, credit balance, and control capabilities. This segmentation allows multiple players to interact simultaneously with the shared game board while maintaining individual accountability and independent gameplay experience
Solution Approach 2:
The gaming table serves multiple functions: it acts as both a shared community game board and individual player interfaces, supports both cooperative and competitive game modes, and can accommodate different wagering strategies. The system universally handles multiple player inputs, credit management, and game state tracking in a single integrated platform
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple players play simultaneously on the same device, then social atmosphere and player versatility improve, but competition between players may adversely impact individual gaming results
Solution Approach 1:
Each player has a segregated credit balance and independent wagering account, ensuring that one player's losses cannot directly impact another player's funds. The system tracks and manages individual player states separately while allowing shared game board interaction
Solution Approach 2:
The gaming system acts as an intermediary that mediates between multiple players, managing credit transactions, validating moves, and ensuring that player actions do not adversely affect others. The system enforces rules that prevent harmful interactions while facilitating cooperative gameplay
3Productivity
If players must take turns on a shared device, then device complexity is reduced, but player productivity and gaming speed are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The gaming table incorporates multiple independent player interfaces that can operate simultaneously, allowing parallel gameplay rather than sequential turns. Each player interface can input moves, view results, and manage credits independently, dramatically increasing overall gaming throughput
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple players can engage in gameplay continuously without waiting for turns, as the system processes multiple inputs and updates the game state in real-time. This continuous parallel action maximizes player engagement and gaming speed
4Adaptability or versatility
If a large shared screen is used for community gaming, then player versatility and social interaction improve, but the ability to play individual games is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into a shared community game board visible to all players and individual player interface areas that can display personal game selections. This allows simultaneous display of both community and individual games without interference
Solution Approach 2:
The gaming system universally supports both community games played on the shared board and individual games accessible through player interfaces. Players can switch between game modes and the system adapts to provide appropriate gameplay experiences for each player's preferences
Data Source
AI summary
A large touch screen gaming table is disclosed that may accommodate, for example, four players. Each player creates a bank of credits at the table and plays a community game independently of other players. In one game, various icons are continuously displayed, and the icons display various wager amounts. Any player may simultaneous touch an icon of any wager and touch a player-active button, and the selected icon reveals a hidden prize credited to that player. In one embodiment, the game is continuous in that the icons are replenished after being selected. The players may play at any speed and in any order. The wagers may be very small and the prizes are generally also small to encourage rapid play. Any player(s) that does not wish to participate in the community game may control the screen to display a variety of individual games on a screen segment.