Scatter Symbol State Management for Linear Jackpot Returns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming systems face challenges in providing linear returns for progressive jackpots, as players contributing to a common prize pool may not receive proportional winnings, and existing technologies struggle to make jackpot gameplay both entertaining and achievable.
Innovation Solution
A method for triggering jackpots using scatter symbols that are randomly displayed across the screen, with their active state probabilistically determined based on the player's wager relative to the maximum wager, allowing for proportional jackpot payouts regardless of the number of scatter symbols present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a common prize pool is used for progressive jackpots funded by multiple machines, then the jackpot amount increases and becomes more attractive to players, but the linearity of returns is compromised as players may not receive proportional winnings to their contributions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of symbol state (active vs. inactive) based on wager size. Maximum wagers produce more active scatter symbols, creating proportional winning opportunities. This resolves the contradiction by allowing a large common prize pool while maintaining linearity through dynamic parameter adjustment of symbol states.
2Ease of operation
If scatter symbols are always active regardless of wager size, then the game is simple to play, but the linearity requirement is violated as small wagers have the same jackpot chance as maximum wagers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the scatter symbols dynamic by changing their state (active/inactive) based on the wager amount. The system automatically adjusts the number of active scatter symbols proportionally to the wager size, maintaining both simplicity for the player and linearity for returns without complex calculations.
3Reliability
If the probability of scatter symbols being active is proportional to wager size, then linearity is maintained, but the game complexity increases due to probabilistic symbol states
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining the state of each scatter symbol based on the wager amount. The processor independently evaluates each symbol and assigns active or inactive states without requiring player input or complex external management, simplifying the overall system while maintaining linearity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for awarding a jackpot, and a corresponding gaming machine and system are disclosed. The jackpot is awarded based upon the presence of scatter symbols appearing in the game outcome in a predefined manner. The jackpot is preferred to be linked across multiple machines. In a preferred form, scatter symbols on one reel may be in an active or inactive state, the jackpot is awarded only if they are in the active state, and the probability of them being in an active state is dependent upon the size of the player's wager, so as to provide linear returns to players.