Symbol Frame Mechanic for Persistent Game Equity in EGMs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) face challenges in enhancing user interface (UI) design and player experience due to the need for improved usability and new game features that comply with gaming regulations, while existing technologies fail to persistently build game equity through random based game outcomes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of symbol frame mechanics, where special symbols trigger the creation and upgrading of symbol frames, allowing credit symbols to accumulate and pay out over multiple spins, using a random number generator to manage game outcomes and symbol frame states, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If symbol frame mechanics are implemented to build game equity persistently across multiple spins, then player understanding of game outcomes is enhanced and game equity is built, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates symbol frames and stores them in memory before they are needed in game play. This preliminary preparation allows the frames to be readily available during gameplay without requiring complex real-time generation, thus enhancing player understanding while managing processing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of symbol frames and stores them in memory for repeated use. Instead of generating unique frames each time, the same frame data can be copied and reused across multiple spins, reducing processing requirements while maintaining persistent game equity visualization
2Duration of action of stationary object
If credit symbols are allowed to accumulate and pay out over multiple spins, then game equity is built persistently, but the complexity of tracking and managing symbol states increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the RNG provides information about which symbols should be highlighted in symbol frames. This feedback loop allows the system to track accumulating credit symbols and manage their payout states without requiring complex manual tracking, as the RNG itself guides the state management process
Solution Approach 2:
The symbol frame system is designed to automatically manage its own state through integration with the RNG. The system self-updates frame states based on random outcomes without requiring external intervention or complex management logic, enabling persistent game equity while simplifying state management
3Reliability
If a random number generator is used to manage game outcomes and symbol frame states, then regulatory compliance is ensured, but the integration complexity between RNG and UI features increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the RNG functionality with the symbol frame generation and state management. By combining these previously separate functions into an integrated system, the patent reduces the number of interfaces and communication points between components, thereby lowering integration complexity while maintaining the reliability needed for regulatory compliance
4Adaptability or versatility
If symbol frames are generated and upgraded based on special symbols, then new game features are created to enhance player experience, but the number of game elements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The symbol frame system is designed as a universal feature that can work with multiple different symbol types and game configurations. Rather than creating separate systems for different game features, the patent implements a single versatile symbol frame mechanism that can be applied across various game modes, thereby enhancing player experience without proportionally increasing system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A symbol frame mechanic for a gaming device is described. The symbol frame mechanic generates a random based game outcome in a game instance of a base game that triggers a supplemental game feature. The random based game outcome includes a plurality of target feature symbols. The symbol frame mechanic generates a plurality of feature symbol frames at symbol window positions with the target feature symbols. The target feature symbols trigger generation of the feature symbol frames. The symbol frame mechanic determines a current symbol frame state according to the feature symbol frames and generate a random based game outcome in a game instance of the supplemental game feature. The symbol frame mechanic updates the current symbol frame state based on combining the random based game outcome in the game instance of the supplemental game feature with the current symbol frame state.