Skill-Based Progressive Award Tiers in Gaming Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming machines face challenges in maintaining player engagement due to infrequent progressive awards, leading to player dissatisfaction and reduced gameplay, as existing systems rely heavily on luck rather than skill, failing to cater to both skilled and unskilled players effectively.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system that determines progressive awards based on a player's skill level demonstrated through skill-based games, allowing players to advance through tiers and qualify for different awards, and enables skill-based progressive award sequences to determine award distribution, ensuring that awards are partially based on player skill, catering to both skilled and unskilled players.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If progressive awards are provided based on random determination, then players can play at their own pace with no required skills, but the frequency of awards is low causing player discouragement
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive award system is segmented into multiple tiers (first, second, third progressive awards) with different skill requirements and award frequencies. This allows the system to provide both easy-to-win lower-tier awards and skill-based higher-tier awards, simultaneously satisfying casual players seeking frequent small wins and skilled players seeking challenging large wins.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of award determination by introducing skill-based modifiers that adjust award outcomes based on player performance metrics. This transforms the purely random award determination into a hybrid system where both luck and skill influence award frequency and magnitude.
2Productivity
If progressive awards are provided frequently, then player engagement increases, but the value of individual awards decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The award structure is segmented into different value tiers corresponding to different skill levels. First progressive awards have lower values and can be won more frequently through basic skill demonstrations, while third progressive awards have higher values requiring advanced skill demonstrations, thus maintaining award value integrity while increasing overall frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows players to accumulate skill points and partial progress toward higher-value awards through repeated play. Even if players don't immediately win top-tier awards, their accumulated skill demonstrations contribute to progression, effectively distributing award value across multiple smaller wins while preserving the allure of larger prizes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If skill-based games are introduced to determine awards, then player engagement and fairness improve, but game complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gaming system incorporates multiple game types (video poker, blackjack, and other skill-based games) within a single unified progressive award framework. This universal system handles both traditional luck-based games and skill-based games, accommodating diverse player preferences while managing complexity through a common award determination architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces skill assessment mechanisms as intermediaries between player actions and award outcomes. These intermediaries evaluate player performance in skill-based games and translate it into modified award probabilities or multipliers, adding skill-based complexity without requiring complete redesign of the underlying progressive award infrastructure.
4Reliability
If the progressive award is reset to initial value after being won, then the system maintains sustainability, but player motivation decreases for continued play
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive award system is segmented into multiple independent tiers that can be won at different rates. When a player wins a first progressive award, the system can simultaneously maintain or continue building second and third progressive awards, providing players with continued motivation to play while ensuring system sustainability through distributed award pools.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic opportunities for players to re-qualify for progressive awards through continued skill demonstrations. Rather than immediate reset, players enter a cooldown or re-qualification period during which they can accumulate skill points, creating rhythmic player engagement patterns that maintain motivation while preserving award value.
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, the gaming system determines which of a plurality of progressive awards a player qualifies to potentially win based on a level of skill demonstrated by the player in association with one or more plays of one or more skill-based games (or partial skill-based games).