Tournament Gaming System Using Social Networks for Skill-Based Competition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional skill-based gaming solutions face challenges in creating games that allow minimally skilled players to achieve reasonable payback while preventing exceptionally skilled players from exceeding a 100% return-to-player (RTP), and they struggle to integrate skill-based elements into games that also offer exciting and frequent prize opportunities.
Innovation Solution
A casino tournament gaming system that enables players to form teams via existing internet-based social networks, using remote home terminals or mobile devices, and participate in skill-based tournament games, where game credits and points are awarded based on overall payout percentages, allowing players to compete against other teams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If skill-based gaming is introduced to enhance player engagement, then player engagement is improved, but it becomes difficult to control payout percentages and ensure operator profitability
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the gaming experience into two distinct components: a game of chance component that determines prize eligibility through random number generation, and a skill-based component that determines scoring within bonus rounds. This segmentation allows the operator to control overall payout percentages through the chance component while maintaining player engagement through the skill component.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism where skill-based performance in bonus rounds serves as a mediator between player skill and prize awards. Rather than skill directly determining payouts, the skill component influences scoring that feeds into an overall payout structure controlled by the game of chance element, thus maintaining profitability while enhancing engagement.
2Ease of operation
If conventional skill-based gaming is used, then player skill can be demonstrated, but it is hard to prevent exceptionally skilled players from achieving payback exceeding 100% of coin-in
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the weight and influence of skill-based performance within the overall game structure. Skill demonstrations in bonus rounds contribute to scoring, but the dynamic interaction between chance-based prize eligibility and skill-based scoring ensures that no matter how skilled a player is, the expected payback remains controlled within target percentages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of skill-based gaming by implementing scoring systems in bonus rounds where skill affects the score but not directly the payout amount. The payout parameters are controlled separately through the game of chance component, allowing skill demonstration while maintaining payback control within acceptable ranges.
3Productivity
If feature games are added to provide more winning opportunities, then player interest is stimulated, but the game complexity and difficulty of maintaining profitable payout structures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments feature games into standardized bonus rounds with controlled scoring mechanisms. Each bonus round is a self-contained feature with defined skill-based scoring parameters, making it easier to manage overall game complexity while providing multiple winning opportunities through different triggerable bonus events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates universal bonus round templates that can be applied across different game themes and contexts. These multi-functional bonus features provide consistent skill-based scoring mechanics that work across various game types, reducing overall system complexity while increasing the number of available winning opportunities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed of enabling a player to use remote home terminals or mobile devices via a network to enroll in a casino tournament gaming system, in addition to winning prizes offered as an outcome of a primary game on underlying gaming machines located in a casino. The method includes enabling enrollment in the casino tournament gaming system to form tournament teams via remote home terminals or mobile devices, wherein the system uses existing social networks to leverage pre-existing relationships between players that are members of the social network to form tournament teams; enabling play of a game of chance on the underlying gaming machines that award game credits that are redeemable for a payout and are controlled by overall payout percentages relating to the game of chance; and facilitating entry into one or more skill-based tournament games in the player's tournament team against other tournament teams.