Virtual World Tournament Gaming With Skill-Based Bonus Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smaller gaming venues face challenges with high capital costs, maintenance, expertise requirements, and space constraints for traditional wagering devices, and struggle to attract younger players due to the lack of engaging gaming options.
Innovation Solution
A virtual world gaming system that integrates a mobile wagering and entertainment system with a video presentation system, supporting skill-based and non-wagering bonus games, including a linked bingo tournament with progressive prizes, accessible on mobile devices and featuring a live host broadcast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional wagering devices are used, then gaming revenue can be generated, but capital costs, maintenance, and expertise requirements become prohibitively high for smaller venues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses mobile devices as copies of traditional wagering machines. Instead of requiring expensive physical slot machines or bingo machines, the system replicates the gaming function through software applications on players' smartphones and tablets. This copying approach eliminates the need for costly proprietary hardware while maintaining the core wagering functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical and physical systems of traditional gaming devices with electronic and software-based systems. The wagering mechanism is substituted from physical reel spinning or bingo ball drawing to digital random number generation and virtual display, thereby reducing hardware complexity and maintenance requirements.
2Productivity
If traditional wagering devices are deployed, then gaming operations can be conducted, but dedicated maintenance staff and considerable expertise are required
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device-based gaming system is self-contained and does not require dedicated maintenance staff. The gaming software runs independently on players' personal devices, eliminating the need for venue staff to maintain complex proprietary hardware. The system serves itself by utilizing the player's device infrastructure for processing and display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the gaming system universal by running on any standard mobile device rather than requiring dedicated proprietary hardware. This multi-functionality allows the same gaming operation to be conducted on diverse devices (iOS, Android, various screen sizes), thereby reducing the expertise required to maintain and operate the system across different platforms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtual world games with skill components are introduced, then younger players can be engaged, but unskilled players may be disadvantaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gaming experience into distinct components: a base wagering game that can be played by anyone, and optional skill-based bonus games that are triggered only under specific conditions. This segmentation allows the core game to remain accessible to all players while introducing skill elements only when players have demonstrated sufficient skill through the base game, thereby avoiding disadvantage to unskilled players.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of player skill through the base wagering game before allowing access to skill-based bonus games. Players must first achieve certain performance thresholds in the base game to qualify for the bonus round, ensuring that unskilled players are not disadvantaged by skill-based mechanics they are not prepared for.
4Adaptability or versatility
If virtual world gaming systems are implemented, then younger players can be attracted, but the system requires mobile devices and video transmission infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the player's mobile device as an intermediary between the server and the player. Instead of requiring the venue to provide video transmission infrastructure or complex display systems, the mobile device serves as the intermediary that handles video streaming, user interaction, and game display. This shifts the infrastructure requirement from the venue to the player's device.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system and method operating a virtual world gaming tournament is described. The gaming system includes gaming clients, a virtual world, a tournament session, a live host and a tournament prize. The virtual world has a variety of different locations and each gaming client is located at a location in the virtual world. The tournament session includes predetermined game sessions for each gaming client, in which each game session associates a random game outcome with a symbolic representation that is displayed at the location in the virtual world. When the random game outcome matches a particular point value or pattern, a non-wagering bonus skill-based game session is initiated. The live host identifies locations in the virtual world and provides updates on the points awarded to the gaming clients at those locations. The live host selectively broadcasts a first virtual world or a second virtual world during the tournament session.