Scatter Prize Indicator Tiering for Persistent Gaming Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic gaming machines (EGMs) lack a feature that allows for persistent player engagement and increasing potential winnings over time, leading to potentially infinite winnings and undesirable player experiences.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a feature game mode in EGMs that includes a set of symbol positions associated with scatter prize indicators, which can be upgraded and retained from play to play, allowing players to accumulate higher award potentials and extending gameplay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If scatter prize indicators are upgraded and retained from play to play, then player engagement and potential winnings increase over time, but the risk of runaway play and excessive winnings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scatter prize indicators are made dynamic through a tiered upgrade system where indicators can progress from lower tiers to higher tiers based on game outcomes. This allows the potential winnings to adapt and increase over time while maintaining player engagement, rather than being static throughout gameplay.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of scatter prize indicator values by implementing tiered levels (first tier, second tier, third tier) with progressively higher award potentials. This parameter transformation allows controlled escalation of winnings while managing risk through the structured tier progression rather than unlimited increases.
2Duration of action of moving object
If feature game mode is activated with retained symbol positions, then gameplay extension and player engagement improve, but game complexity and control mechanisms increase
Solution Approach 1:
Symbol positions are pre-retained before the feature game mode concludes, preparing the game state in advance for potential reactivation. This preliminary action extends gameplay by having positions ready to be reused, reducing the need for complete resets and maintaining player engagement without requiring complex real-time decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The game mode is segmented into distinct states (feature game mode active, feature game mode inactive) with clear transition conditions. This segmentation simplifies control by providing well-defined boundaries and rules for mode switching, making the increased gameplay duration manageable through structured phases rather than continuous complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If scatter prize indicators are upgraded to higher tiers, then award amounts increase, but the frequency of upgrades and potential for excessive winnings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows scatter prize indicators to be upgraded to higher tiers, but implements controlled mechanisms that prevent excessive or unlimited upgrades. By using partial action (selective upgrading based on specific game outcomes rather than every outcome), the system increases award amounts while managing the frequency and pace of upgrades to prevent runaway winnings.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques and systems for providing games of chance with multiple levels of persistent features are disclosed. Some example systems include scatter prize indicators that are each associated with different symbol positions of a game of chance. When a scatter symbol is selected for a given symbol position, the scatter prize indicator associated therewith may be upgraded; selection of a sufficient number of symbol positions may result in a feature game mode being activated. During feature game mode play, scatter symbols are retained after each play of the game until either sufficient consecutive plays occur without any scatter symbols being obtained or until all symbol positions have scatter symbols. In the latter case, the scatter prize indicators are upgraded and play continues. In the former case, the feature game mode concludes. Various enhancements may be triggered based on the number of times that the feature game mode has been activated.