Patent Grant
8267764
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates generally to gaming apparatus, and more particularly to gaming systems having stored awards and re-awarding of stored awards, and methods for playing wagering games with stored awards and re-awarding of stored awards.
Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood, or perceived likelihood, of winning money at the machine, as well as the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines, and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same or believed to be the same, players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Consequently, operators strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available since such machines attract frequent play and, hence, increased profitability.
One method that may be employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the opportunity for a player to re-win an award that the player won in a previous play of a game. The present invention is directed to a gaming system that allows a player to re-win awards.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, a gaming system for playing a wagering game includes a wager input device configured to receive a wager to play the wagering game, at least one display device configured to display the wagering game, and at least one controller. The at least one controller is operatively configured to randomly generate an outcome of the wagering game, randomly generate an award modifier, determine if the outcome is a winning outcome, determine an award associated with the outcome if the outcome is a winning outcome and award the award to the player, modify the award via the award modifier to yield a modified award, and store the modified award in a stored award field accessible through a stored award field trigger. In at least some other aspects of the present concepts, it is contemplated to both award the modified award and to store the modified award in the stored award field.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, a gaming system for playing a wagering game includes a wager input device configured to receive a wager to play the wagering game, at least one display device configured to display the wagering game, and at least one controller. The at least one controller is operatively configured to randomly generate an outcome of the wagering game, determine if the outcome is a winning outcome, determine an award associated with the outcome if the outcome is a winning outcome, award the award to the player, store the award in a stored award position in a stored award field accessible through a stored award field trigger in a wagering game or in a secondary game, and modify a stored award in the stored award field to increase a value of the stored award subsequent to the storing of the award in the stored award field.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, a gaming system for playing a wagering game includes a wager input device configured to receive a wager to play the wagering game, at least one display device configured to display the wagering game; and at least one controller operatively configured to store a plurality of stored award values in a stored award field, the stored award values being generated using prior awards, corresponding to winning outcomes in the wagering game, or being generated randomly in the absence of a winning outcome in the wagering game, at least some of the stored award values being modified by an award modifier contemporaneously with or subsequent to storing in the stored award field. The at least one controller is also operatively configured to calculate an expected value of the stored award values in the stored award field, conduct a bonus game utilizing the stored award values, the bonus game having an expected value commensurate with the calculated expected value of the stored award values in the stored award field, determine an award associated with the bonus game, award the award associated with bonus game, and clear the stored award values in the stored award field.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, a method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system includes the acts of receiving a wager via a wagering input device to play the wagering game on the gaming system, displaying an award modifier on at least one display device, using the award modifier to modify an award associated with a winning outcome in the wagering game to yield a modified award, storing the modified award as a stored award in a stored award field, the stored award field being accessible through a stored award field trigger in a wagering game or in a secondary game, and repeating the aforementioned acts to at least partially populate the stored award field with stored awards. The method further includes accessing the stored awards via a wagering game or a secondary game and awarding at least one of the stored awards. According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming system for playing a wagering game includes a wager input device configured to receive a wager to play the wagering game, at least one display configured to display the wagering game and at least one controller operatively configured to verify receipt of a wager and an extra wager, randomly generate an outcome of the wagering game, randomly generate an award modifier, determine if the outcome is a winning outcome, determine an award associated with the outcome if the outcome is a winning outcome, modify the award via the award modifier to yield a modified award, award the modified award to the player, and, separately, store the modified award in a stored award field accessible through a secondary game.
Additional aspects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
Referring to
The gaming terminal 10 illustrated in
The primary display area 14 include, in various aspects of the present concepts, a mechanical-reel display, a video display, or a combination thereof in which a transmissive video display is disposed in front of the mechanical-reel display to portray a video image in superposition over the mechanical-reel display. Further information concerning the latter construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433 to Loose et al. entitled “Reel Spinning Slot Machine With Superimposed Video Image,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The video display is, in various embodiments, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high-resolution liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, a light emitting diode (LED), a DLP projection display, an electroluminescent (EL) panel, or any other type of display suitable for use in the gaming terminal 10, or other form factor, such as is shown by way of example in
Video images in the primary display area 14 and/or the secondary display area 16 are rendered in two-dimensional (e.g., using Flash Macromedia™) or three-dimensional graphics (e.g., using Renderware™). In various aspects, the video images are played back (e.g., from a recording stored on the gaming terminal 10), streamed (e.g., from a gaming network), or received as a TV signal (e.g., either broadcast or via cable) and such images can take different forms, such as animated images, computer-generated images, or “real-life” images, either prerecorded (e.g., in the case of marketing/promotional material) or as live footage. The format of the video images can include any format including, but not limited to, an analog format, a standard digital format, or a high-definition (HD) digital format.
The player-input or user-input device(s) 26 include, by way of example, a plurality of buttons 36 on a button panel, as shown in
The information reader 24 (or information reader/writer) is preferably located on the front of the housing 12 and comprises, in at least some forms, a ticket reader, card reader, bar code scanner, wireless transceiver (e.g., RFID, Bluetooth, etc.), biometric reader, or computer-readable-storage-medium interface. As noted, the information reader may comprise a physical and/or electronic writing element to permit writing to a ticket, a card, or computer-readable-storage-medium. The information reader 24 permits information to be transmitted from a portable medium (e.g., ticket, voucher, coupon, casino card, smart card, debit card, credit card, etc.) to the information reader 24 to enable the gaming terminal 10 or associated external system to access an account associated with cashless gaming, to facilitate player tracking or game customization, to retrieve a saved-game state, to store a current-game state, to cause data transfer, and/or to facilitate access to casino services, such as is more fully disclosed, by way of example, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0045354, published on Mar. 6, 2003, entitled “Portable Data Unit for Communicating With Gaming Machine Over Wireless Link,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The noted account associated with cashless gaming is, in some aspects of the present concepts, stored at an external system 46 (see
Turning now to
To provide gaming functions, the controller 42 executes one or more game programs comprising machine-executable instructions stored in local and/or remote computer-readable data storage media (e.g., memory 44 or other suitable storage device). The term computer-readable data storage media, or “computer-readable medium,” as used herein refers to any media/medium that participates in providing instructions to controller 42 for execution. The computer-readable medium comprises, in at least some exemplary forms, non-volatile media (e.g., optical disks, magnetic disks, etc.), volatile media (e.g., dynamic memory, RAM), and transmission media (e.g., coaxial cables, copper wire, fiber optics, radio frequency (RF) data communication, infrared (IR) data communication, etc). Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a hard disk, magnetic tape (or other magnetic medium), a 2-D or 3-D optical disc (e.g., a CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or solid state digital data storage device, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. By way of example, a plurality of storage media or devices are provided, a first storage device being disposed proximate the user interface device and a second storage device being disposed remotely from the first storage device, wherein a network is connected intermediate the first one and second one of the storage devices.
Various forms of computer-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to controller 42 for execution. By way of example, the instructions may initially be borne on a data storage device of a remote device (e.g., a remote computer, server, or system). The remote device can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line or other communication path using a modem or other communication device appropriate to the communication path. A modem or other communication device local to the gaming machine 10 or to an external system 46 associated with the gaming machine can receive the data on the telephone line or conveyed through the communication path (e.g., via external systems interface 58) and output the data to a bus, which transmits the data to the system memory 44 associated with the processor 42, from which system memory the processor retrieves and executes the instructions.
Thus, the controller 42 is able to send and receive data, via carrier signals, through the network(s), network link, and communication interface. The data includes, in various examples, instructions, commands, program code, player data, and game data. As to the game data, in at least some aspects of the present concepts, the controller 42 uses a local random number generator (RNG) to randomly generate a wagering game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes. Alternatively, the outcome is centrally determined using either an RNG or pooling scheme at a remote controller included, for example, within the external system 46.
As shown in the example of
As shown in the example of
As seen in
Communications between the controller 42 and both the peripheral components of the gaming terminal 10 and the external system 46 occur through input/output (I/O) circuit 56, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. Although the I/O circuit 56 is shown as a single block, it should be appreciated that the I/O circuit 56 alternatively includes a number of different types of I/O circuits. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the components of the gaming terminal 10 can be interconnected according to any suitable interconnection architecture (e.g., directly connected, hypercube, etc.).
The I/O circuit 56 is connected to an external system interface or communication device 58, which is connected to the external system 46. The controller 42 communicates with the external system 46 via the external system interface 58 and a communication path (e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10bT, near field, etc.). The external system 46 includes, in various aspects, a gaming network, other gaming terminals, a gaming server, a remote controller, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components, in any combination. In yet other aspects, the external system 46 may comprise a player's portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone, electronic wallet, etc.) and the external system interface 58 is configured to facilitate wireless communication and data transfer between the portable electronic device and the controller 42, such as by a near field communication path operating via magnetic field induction or a frequency-hopping spread spectrum RF signals (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.).
The gaming terminal 10 optionally communicates with external system 46 (in a wired or wireless manner) such that each terminal operates as a “thin client” having relatively less functionality, a “thick client” having relatively more functionality, or with any range of functionality therebetween (e.g., an “intermediate client”). In general, a wagering game includes an RNG for generating a random number, game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number, and game assets (e.g., art, sound, etc.) for presenting the determined outcome to a player in an audio-visual manner. The RNG, game logic, and game assets are contained within the gaming terminal 10 (“thick client” gaming terminal), the external systems 46 (“thin client” gaming terminal), or are distributed therebetween in any suitable manner (“intermediate client” gaming terminal).
Referring now to
In accord with various methods of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system in accord with the present concepts, the wagering game includes a game sequence in which a player makes a wager, such as through the money/credit detector 48, touch screen 38 soft key, button panel, or the like, and a wagering game outcome is associated with the wager. The wagering game outcome is then revealed to the player in due course following initiation of the wagering game. The method comprises the acts of conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus, such as the gaming terminal 10 depicted in
In the aforementioned method, for each data signal, the controller 42 is configured to processes the electronic data signal, to interpret the data signal (e.g., data signals corresponding to a wager input), and to cause further actions associated with the interpretation of the signal in accord with computer instructions relating to such further actions executed by the controller. As one example, the controller 42 causes the recording of a digital representation of the wager in one or more storage devices (e.g., system memory 44 or a memory associated with an external system 46), the controller, in accord with associated computer instructions, causing the changing of a state of the data storage device from a first state to a second state. This change in state is, for example, effected by changing a magnetization pattern on a magnetically coated surface of a magnetic storage device or changing a magnetic state of a ferromagnetic surface of a magneto-optical disc storage device, a change in state of transistors or capacitors in a volatile or a non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., DRAM), etc.). The noted second state of the data storage device comprises storage in the storage device of data representing the electronic data signal from the controller (e.g., the wager in the present example). As another example, the controller 42 further, in accord with the execution of the instructions relating to the wagering game, causes the primary display 14 or other display device and/or other output device (e.g., speakers, lights, communication device, etc.), to change from a first state to at least a second state, wherein the second state of the primary display comprises a visual representation of the physical player input (e.g., an acknowledgement to a player), information relating to the physical player input (e.g., an indication of the wager amount), a game sequence, an outcome of the game sequence, or any combination thereof, wherein the game sequence in accord with the present concepts comprises acts described herein. The aforementioned executing of computer instructions relating to the wagering game is further conducted in accord with a random outcome (e.g., determined by the RNG) that is used by the controller 42 to determine the outcome of the game sequence, using a game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number. In at least some aspects, the controller 42 is configured to determine an outcome of the game sequence at least partially in response to the random parameter.
The basic-game screen 60 is displayed on the primary display area 14 or a portion thereof. In
In the illustrated embodiment of
As shown in the example of
Symbol combinations are evaluated in accord with various schemes such as, but not limited to, “line pays” or “scatter pays.” Line pays are evaluated left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, or any combination thereof by evaluating the number, type, or order of symbols 90 appearing along an activated payline 30. Scatter pays are evaluated without regard to position or paylines and only require that such combination appears anywhere on the reels 62a-62e. While an embodiment with nine paylines is shown, a wagering game with no paylines, a single payline, or any plurality of paylines will also work with the present invention. Additionally, though an embodiment with five reels is shown in
Described below with respect to
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the various portal applications described herein below, require an extra bet equal to one-half of the total line bet to enable the particular bonus modes described below. Absent such optional extra bet, a player may be enabled to merely enjoy a conventional Jackpot Party bonus game, or the like, or other conventional bonus game. However, by input of such extra bet, every winning combination during wagering game play conducted with the benefit of the required extra bet randomly increases one present value in the Jackpot Party Bonus by up to 10× the base game win. For example, if the total line bet is 20 credits, the extra bet required is equal to 10 credits and, if the total line bet is 30 credits, the extra bet required is equal to 15 credits, and such extra bets would enable the noted game feature.
As a visual indicator, the value(s) of stored awards 130, here Bonus Credit Presents, that are available to the player in the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier pick field are advantageously, but not necessarily, displayed to the player via the secondary display 16, such as is depicted in
The stored award field 132 is optionally displayed to the player on the secondary display 16 following the player's attainment of one stored award 130 and where not inconsistent with continued wagering game play. Thus, during a player's on-going gaming session, the stored award field 132 is intermittently displayed on the secondary display 16, with other game displays (e.g., an ordinary bonus game) being displayed in lieu of the stored award field. In another alternative, the stored award field 132 is intermittently displayed as one display screen amongst a plurality of other display screens graphics (e.g., general game theme graphics, pay table, etc.), with each of the display screens being cycled for display in accord with a predetermined sequence or routine. In yet another alternative, the store award field 132 may simply be a background field or may be available for viewing by the player upon request.
A player may opt to initiate the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game feature at any time as long as they are eligible (e.g., they have at least one Bonus Credit Present available to them in the pick field). In other embodiments, eligibility could optionally be further constrained to depend on one or more other variables within the player's control (e.g., sustained wager level, etc.) or triggers (e.g., random outcome, achievement of target performance level, etc.).
In
In the aspect of the present concepts shown in
Although
Following completion of the player's permitted picks of the selectable elements 120 in the pick field 122, a number of possible game variants are possible. As a first variant, the stored awards remaining in the pick field are cleared and the player is no longer permitted to attempt to win those stored awards again. The player must then start over with a cleared stored award field 132 and the player would not be enabled to engage in the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game or the like until at least such a time as they have achieved one or more new stored awards 130. As a second variant, one or more of the players non-selected stored awards 130 may be returned to the player's stored award field. For example, one randomly-selected stored award 130 is returned to the player's stored award field for each selectable element 120 selected by the player that corresponds to one of the player's stored awards, thus conditioning the contemporaneous partial re-population of the stored award field 132 on the player's performance in the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game or the like. Thus, a player selecting two selectable elements 120 that correspond to the player's stored awards would have two randomly selected stored awards 130 (those corresponding to non-selected selectable elements) returned to the stored award field 132. As a third variant, the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game or the like may comprise multiple tiers or levels, with the stored awards 130 advancing with the player. For example, if a player of the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game selects five selectable elements 120 without selecting a selection-ending outcome, the player is permitted to advance to a new pick field and the player's non-selected stored awards 130 are used in this new pick field. Thus, a player may be permitted multiple attempts to win the stored awards 130. Optionally, with such advancement, the stored awards 130 may be further enhanced.
If the “Surprise Party” icon 110 does manifest during the player's wagering game, following the players wager and input of the required extra wager, however defined, and the triggering spin results in a winning combination, the player is awarded an immediate “Jackpot Party Bonus,” such as that shown by way of example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,255, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In accord with at least some of the present concepts, the award associated with the winning combination in the wagering game is utilized as the base value for the selectable elements in the Jackpot Party Bonus. However, no matter what the variant of the Jackpot Party Bonus, in accord with the denoted “Surprise Party” game feature the cumulative value of the player's Jackpot Party Bonus is both immediately awarded to the player and is also added as a stored award 130 to the stored award field 132.
In an alternative configuration, a multiplier is associated with the “Surprise Party,” similar to the multiplier shown by way of example in
Continuing with the above examples of both award values and functions being carried through to a stored award 130 in a stored award field 132, base wagering game spins may also be used to populate stored awards with functions, such as a selection-preserving outcome (e.g., a party saver) or a selection-ending outcome (e.g., a party pooper) that can come into play in the pick field 122 should the re-award of the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier be triggered. These functions may be attached to a seed value in the stored award or may alternatively uniquely occupy a stored award position. Alternatively, of course, such functions, such as a selection-preserving outcome (e.g., a party saver) or a selection-ending outcome (e.g., a party pooper), may be associated with the icon 110 (see, e.g.,
In another alternative, functions such as a selection-preserving outcome (e.g., a party saver) or a selection-ending outcome (e.g., a party pooper), whether originally associated with the icon 110 (see, e.g.,
An additional function that may be borne by icon 110 could include a wild feature. One example of a wild feature could place a predetermined number of wild symbols into a stored award field or stored function field, as appropriate, and upon a triggering of the re-award, the activated wild feature throws a predetermined plurality of random wilds, or expanding wilds, or some other manner of wilds appropriate to the wild feature, on the screen and then evaluates the resulting symbol matrix.
In the “Limbo Party Bonus” of
In accord with the “Limbo Party Bonus,” were the player to have selected one of the selectable elements 220 being associated with a “Down” outcome, the player would have been passed down, below the limbo bar 265, to the second pick field 270. The second pick field 270 also comprises four selectable elements, each being associated with a predefined outcome randomly selected from a plurality of potential outcomes.
The final multiplier value selected by the player is then multiplied by the award associated with the winning outcome that completed the triggering requirement for the “Limbo Party Bonus” and the product thereof is then associated with a stored award 130 of the stored award field 132. Thus, in the example of
In accord with the above-described “Limbo Party Bonus,” and contrary to the random assignment of a multiplier value via icon 110 as shown in
In some aspects of “Limbo Party Bonus,” the award corresponding to the winning combination is directly stored as a stored award 130, such as described above, but the stored award itself is associated with the “Limbo Party Bonus” so that, if the stored award corresponding to the “Limbo Party Bonus” is selected by the player from the pick field 122, the player is then taken to the “Limbo Party Bonus” and the result thereof used to modify the stored award that is then awarded to the player. The player would then be permitted to continue the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game or like game through completion.
As one variant on the above-described aspects of the “Limbo Party Bonus,” one or more selection-ending outcomes may be optionally introduced into one or more of the first pick field 260, second pick field 270, and third pick field 280 to add an element of risk to the “Limbo Party Bonus” game. The multiplier assigned for multiplication with the award value of the base wagering game winning outcome would then be the highest attained value of multiplier prior to selection of a selection-ending outcome. Alternatively, a player could lose any multiplier yet achieved, defaulting to a base “1×” multiplier, upon a selection of a selectable element 220 associated with a selection-ending outcome. In such aspects, it would be advantageous to also present the player with an “out” allowing them to withdraw from further selections and accept the multiplier associated with the last-selected selectable element 220. Yet further, one or more selection-preserving outcomes may be randomly interspersed amongst the selectable elements 220 to provide a potential counter the risk posed by the selection-ending outcomes.
In accord with the examples provided above with respect to
In one aspect, a player may be required to “play through” the stored award field 132 before the end of their gaming session and they may then be permitted to buy into the same stored award field at a later time or date. For example, information defining the stored award field is saved in relation to a player account. In this manner, the player has to play the stored award field, but they are able to buy into it later. A player that might have a favorite distribution of stored awards 130, such as one really big value and a bunch of little values, providing a high volatility, may opt to just save it and buy it and play it whenever he or she wants.
In general, the above examples are illustrative of general concepts disclosed herein including boosting or enhancing a player's award for a winning outcome prior to storing the award in the stored award field or of altering a seed amount that is to be stored in a stored award field or providing an arbitrary seed amount in a stored award field.
Further, although the stored award field 132 is represented in the illustrated examples as a 5×6 array of 30 stored awards 130, the stored award field may consist of smaller or larger fields of stored awards or different arrangements of stored award fields. By way of example, such stored award field 132 could comprise a 1×5 array as shown in
Still further, although the stored award field 132 described in relation to
Additionally, although the stored awards 130 in the stored award fields 132 described in association with
Whereas the above examples populated the stored awards field 132 with a stored award 130 upon achievement of a winning outcome following the input of a required extra wager, in at least some aspects of the present concepts a positive stored value could be inserted into the stored awards field as a mystery boost where there is no such winning outcome. For example, a player that inputs the required extra wager could have a spin of the reels that is a losing outcome. Nonetheless, as a result of the losing outcome, a separate determination is made to determine if a mystery boost is to be awarded and a random mystery boost (e.g., 40 credits), is input as a stored award 130. In other variants, a mystery boost could boost every stored award value in the stored award field 132 or a mystery boost could boost a subset of stored award values in the stored award field (e.g., one or two stored award values, etc.).
In another variant corresponding with non-traditional or non-winning outcomes, a player that inputs the required extra wager and achieves a spin of the reels, a deal of cards, or the like, that results a losing outcome could be randomly presented with a challenge, quest or objective that would, if successful, place a predetermined or randomly determined stored award in a stored award field. For example, in the WMS Gaming Zeus-themed games (see, e.g.,
In another variant of the mystery boost concept, where the stored award field is dynamic (e.g., FIFO), a mystery boost may be inserted into the stored award field not only in an entry point to the stored award field (e.g., a first stored award position), but may instead be inserted into the middle of the stored award field (e.g., the second through fourth stored award positions in a five stored award position field) or at the end of the stored award field (e.g., a first stored award position). Thus, a mystery boost need not always be put into the entry point of a dynamic stored award field. In this manner, a large mystery boost may be inserted in the middle or at a terminal side of the dynamic stored award field and the player has fewer chances to win (or re-win) that award while it remains in the dynamic stored award field. For example, is a 1000 credit value is inserted as a stored award in the sixth (last) stored award position in a 1×6 dynamic stored award field, a player's next winning outcome would push that stored award out of play and, to attain that 1000 credit value, a player would have to achieve the re-award outcome prior to any other winning outcome.
In the above mystery boost examples, the mystery boost was described as a discrete value inserted as a stored award value in a stored award position, presumably one having a “0” stored award value. In yet other aspects, the mystery boost may be a modification to an existing non-zero stored award. In one example, if a mystery boost award is greater than an existing stored award in a particular stored award position, the mystery boost may simply replace the lesser stored award, thereby enhancing the stored award field. In another example, a mystery boost award is a multiplier that is used to multiply an existing stored award in a particular stored award position, thereby enhancing the stored award field. For example, a stored award of 50 credits is multiplied by a 3× mystery boost to suddenly become 150 credits. In still another example, a mystery boost award is a discrete value that is added to an existing stored award in a particular stored award position, thereby enhancing the stored award field. For example, a stored award of 50 credits has added to it a mystery boost of 50 credits to alter the stored award to then be 100 credits. In still another example, a mystery boost award is a mathematical function (addition, multiplication, square, etc.) that is applied to two of the stored awards and one of the stored awards is replaced by the calculated amount. In still another example, one or more numbers in the stored awards could be advantageously jumbled, so that a “45” credit value adjacent a “0” credit value could merge together to form a “450” credit value or a “0” could be taken from a “100” credit value, making that a “10” credit value and the “0” then added to another stored award, such as a “50” to then make that stored award a “500”.
In accord with the above examples, a win or a mystery boost can be applied to or added to a randomly chosen one of the stored award positions and stored award, if any, therein. Thus, an award in the base wagering game is modified and, instead of being inserted into a first stored award position 130a (see
A trigger for awarding stored awards, in some aspects, is configured to award a subset of the stored awards in the stored award positions, so that different levels of triggering symbols are configured to yield as an award different numbers of stored award positions. For example, two triggering symbols (e.g., Zeus symbol in
For a dynamic stored award field having a predetermined number of active positions (e.g., five stored award values), such as is shown by way of example in
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, another variant on the dynamic stored award field utilizing a FIFO paradigm comprises a temporal alteration affecting the frequency by which the awards are shifted from a current stored award position to a subsequent stored award field. A particular outcome or mystery trigger may thus alter, for a predetermined time (e.g., a number of plays of a wagering game, a number of spins, a predetermined time period, etc.), a progression of the stored awards. For example, such a particular outcome or mystery trigger may cause the stored award field FIFO frequency to slow to ⅓, such that instead of the stored awards moving every spin, for winning or non-winning outcomes, the stored awards only move every third spin, thereby freezing the stored awards in place for three spins rather than one spin and the “frozen” stored awards may then be altered by such winning outcome(s), mystery boost(s), or even “non-winning” outcomes that are nonetheless associated with some modifier that affects the stored award. In this way, the existing stored award values are supplemented by and increased by further wins during this alteration of the FIFO frequency as it takes longer for each stored award to move, should the player achieve a winning outcome, so that each new winning outcome would be added to any existing stored award value occupying the entry position to the stored award field.
In still further aspects of the present concepts, bonus triggers or components of eligibility may be introduced into a queue of stored awards, either exclusively (i.e., a stored award field containing only bonus triggers or components of eligibility) or in combination with winning outcomes and/or modified winning outcomes as disclosed above. By way of example, if a player wins a bonus, they word “Bonus” may be introduced into the queue of stored awards in the stored award field. In another example, if a player needs three of a particular symbol to trigger a bonus, and the player obtains one such symbol, that symbol would be introduced into the queue of stored awards in the stored award field. In a subsequent play, the player obtains another such symbol, which is introduced into the queue of stored awards in the stored award field as the first symbol is shifted to the next position. At this point, the player would need to obtain one more such symbol for introduction into the queue while the other symbols remain in the queue of the stored award field. In this way, the stored award field is temporarily holding (e.g., in a FIFO model) bonus triggers so that a player has a limited number of plays to accumulate the required components for the bonus or game feature or the like before the components start expiring or dropping off. In one combination with one of the aforementioned concepts, one game feature that might be triggered by an accumulation of eligibility triggers in the stored array field is an expansion of the stored award field from an initial number of stored award positions to an expanded number of stored award positions (e.g., from 5 to 10).
In accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts, instead of a strict FIFO paradigm, variations optionally permit triggers that move wins in the opposite direction so that they stay in the stored award field longer or that anchor a win in place for a predetermined number of turns. In a situation where the stored award values move back, to avoid losing any stored award values, any stored award that would move off the screen and out of the stored award field could be accumulated in the first stored award field. For example, a first state of a stored award field includes five stored award positions respectively having values of 60 credits in a first stored award position, 100 credits in a second stored award position, 30 credits in a third stored award position, 50 credits in a fourth stored award position, and 750 credits in a fifth and last stored award position. Following a triggering of the stored award field reversal feature causing a reversal of 3 positions, where the large award of 750 credits was on the verge of dropping off the stored award field, the second, third and fourth stored awards would be added to the first stored award of 60 credits to yield a first stored award of 240 credits, and the 750 credit stored award from the fifth stored award position would move to the second stored award position. Other degrees of reversal are also contemplated as being within the present concepts, such as one, two, three or more up to the entirety of the stored array field (i.e., n−1, where n is the number of stored awards in the stored award field).
As another variant, where non-winning outcomes (i.e., “0” credits awarded) are used to populate a dynamic stored award field or queue, a particular reel symbol or other triggering condition could pause the progression of the stored award values within the stored award field.
In at least some aspects, a “super spot” or the like could be, by default or by operation of a particularly triggered game feature, inserted into the stored array field in either in a fixed position (e.g., the middle stored award position) or a randomly selected position (e.g., which may be a static randomly determined position or the randomly selected position may change over time or with each turn).
The “super spot” could be visible, or not visible, and may have various attributes, one of which may comprise as a multiplier. If a player triggers a re-award while the “super spot” is active and while a non-zero stored award is disposed in a stored award position corresponding to such “super spot,” the stored award is multiplied by the multiplier of the “super spot”. In another example, a “super spot” could be a separate accumulator disposed in the stored award field. Thus, the particular stored award location occupied by the “super spot” can hold or accumulate a predefined plurality of stored awards before allowing the stored award to finally move on to a successive stored award location. For example, a third stored award location having a value of 30 credits is associated with a “super spot” (with values of 10 credits in a second stored award location and 150 credits in a first stored award location) and, in a plurality of successive turns, a player wins awards of 60 credits and 100 credits. Instead of the 30 credit stored award being moved on to the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, the 30 credit stored award stays where it is and in the successive turns, the 10 credit award and the 150 credit award are added thereto, so that the third stored award is 190 credits, with the second stored award of 60 credits and the first stored award of 100 credits.
As yet other variants, a “super spot” could also be used to trigger a progressive award or a cascading award. For example, a “super spot” can trigger a progressive award corresponding in size to a size of the highlighted or associated stored award (e.g., a large stored value triggers a comparatively large progressive and a little stored value triggers a comparatively smaller progressive).
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, temporary situations may be created where it's even easier to trigger the re-awarding of one or more stored award values in the stored award field. For example, based on the appearance of an “Easy” symbol in a wagering game, in one or more subsequent turns a player may temporarily be permitted to trigger the re-award by obtaining a single one of the particular symbol trigger rather than being required to achieve two particular symbols in an outcome of the wagering game. A player could be informed of this temporary alteration of the rules by a banner stating “Next Spin=One Bonus Trigger To Win Re-Award”.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the number of stored award positions corresponds to a number of reel positions and each stored award position is disposed above a corresponding reel. The stored awards achieved through winning outcomes in the wagering game populate the stored award positions, which may be static or dynamic, and individuals ones of the stored awards may be re-awarded when a particular symbol is displayed on the reel below the corresponding stored award position (e.g., the symbol is displayed along an active payline). For example, if a third stored award position above reel 3 indicates a stored award of 250 credits and a “Re-Award” symbol falls along an active payline of reel 3, the player is re-awarded the third stored award of 250 credits. For a static stored award field, the third stored award position would then be available for input of another stored award and, for a dynamic stored award field, the values of the stored awards would then shift. In another aspect, a stored award modifier may occur on a reel disposed beneath the stored award. For example, a multiplier symbol may fall along an active payline beneath a stored award position and the stored award would be multiplied by the value of the multiplier symbol. Of course, at this point, neither the stored award nor the stored award field has actually been awarded, but the total value of the stored award field has been increased.
In still other aspects, the cumulative value of the stored awards may determine a degree of a bonus received upon triggering of the bonus. For example, if a player triggers a free spin bonus, a first level of stored awards (e.g., between 0 and 250 credits) yields a first number of free spins in the free spin bonus (e.g., 5 spins), a second level of stored awards (e.g., between 250 and 500 credits) yields a second number of free spins in the free spin bonus (e.g., 10 spins), a third level of stored awards (e.g., between 500 and 1000 credits) yields a third number of free spins in the free spin bonus (e.g., 15 spins), and a fourth level of stored awards (e.g., above 1000 credits) yields a fourth number of free spins in the free spin bonus (e.g., 20 spins).
In yet other aspects, as each free spin or each game feature has a defined expected value and the stored award field itself has an expected value, a player may be provided with an option to engage in a game feature that has an expected value corresponding to the expected value of the stored awards field. For example, $8.33 in the stored award field could equal 22 free spins. So a player could opt to convert the expected value of $8.33 in the stored award field into another form of expected value, such as 22 free spins. If a stored award field has 830 credits, an equivalent number of free spins may be determined and the free spins could then be triggered off of the reels, just as the re-award of the stored award credits could be triggered off of the reels. To highlight this information to a player, the primary display 14 may display a first meter that adds up the value of the stored awards currently in the stored award field and a second meter shows a number of free spins equivalent to the value displayed in the first meter.
Of course, a player opting for such conversion of stored awards to another expected value currency could win awards greater than or less than the indicated value of the stored awards. So a player may trade in their stored award win for its equivalency in number of free spins or in another other desired type of bonus or game feature. In other aspects, a player may not be permitted to choose the form of expected value conversion and, instead, the nature of the conversion may be randomly selected by a symbol or symbol combination on the reels. For example, one trigger would convert the stored award values in the stored award field into free spins, another trigger would directly award the stored award values in the stored award field or queue, and yet another trigger would convert the stored award values in the stored award field into a pick field of selectable elements having an equivalent expected value.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, such as shown by way of example in
In one variant on a free spin bonus, a number of spins to be awarded in a free spin bonus is determined by a random number generator that displays (e.g., via a scrolling number wheel or a meter), at different intervals, a number of spins that would be awarded if the player was to retrigger the re-awarding of the stored awards in the stored award field. So, occasionally, there could be this giant number of free spins that a player would receive if they were able to trigger the re-awarding of the stored awards in the stored award field within a number of plays of the wagering game within that interval (e.g., in the next five spins, etc.).
Further, a size of a player's winning outcome, as modified by icon 110 or as modified by operation of other factors described herein, may influence a number of free spins available if a player were to trigger the re-awarding of the stored award values in the stored award field. For example, a player's winning outcome may result in a number (e.g., 5) to be displayed in a free spin meter or the like, and then if the player were to retrigger the re-awarding of the stored award values in the stored award field while that number is up in the box, the player would receive that number of free spins worth the sum of the pot.
In a conventional free spin bonus, a number of free spins are provided and there is a potential of retriggering another free spin bonus during the first free spin bonus. In accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts, instead of having a predetermined number of additional free spins that may be triggered during a free spin bonus, the number of additional free spins that may be retriggered may be variable and that number of free spins that are retriggered would be based on stored award values in a stored award field, with the stored award values in the stored award field being populated by the win amounts that occur during the free spin bonus. By way of example, if a first free spin was a giant award, that may result in an associated number (e.g., 5 free spins) being put into a first stored award position in a stored award field, that stored award awarding the possibility of retriggering 5 free spins. A second free spin resulted in no award, so a stored award of zero is inserted into the first stored award position and the previous first stored award (e.g., 5) is moved to a second stored award position. The third free spin results in a medium award, that may result in an associated number (e.g., 2 free spins) being put into a first stored award position in a stored award field, with the other values of zero and five being moved, respective to the second and the third stored award positions in the stored award field. In this example, if the player hits a re-award or retrigger on the next free spin, the player gets 8 extra free spins at the end of the original free spin bonus. So, in this aspect of the present concepts, the stored award field is used to inform the player of how many additional free spins they can get if they retrigger the free spin bonus, so the stored awards are not award amounts, per se, but rather a number of free spins, and that number of free spins is based on the size of the win in the free spin round.
Returning to the Jackpot Party Mega-Multiplier game described above (see, e.g.,
Previously, it was described that icon 110 would modify an award associated with a winning outcome and that that value would both be awarded to the player and added to the stored award field as a stored award value. In another variant, rather than having multipliers or other modifiers applied to the winning outcome prior to depositing of the award to the stored award field, a fixed distribution of multipliers or other modifiers may be applied to the stored award field after the stored award positions in the stored award field are filled. A predetermined number of modifiers (e.g., multiplier, amount to be added, etc.), which optionally have predefined values, are randomly applied to the stored award values in the stored award field. For example, if there are five stored award positions, multipliers having values of “10×,” “5×,” “3×,” “2×,” and “1×” are randomly applied to the stored awards in the stored award positions. Thus, the modification of stored awards may occur at the time of award generation and population of the stored award fields, or such modification may occur later, or a hybrid approach may be adopted, with some values being modified prior to or concurrent with the population of the stored award fields and some values being modified after population of the stored award fields.
While the best modes for carrying out the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims. Each of the above embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims. As one example, in a Hollywood-themed wagering game where a player, via adaptive gaming, assumes the role of a star of a movie shoot and, over time, completes or unlocks scenes from a movie having a player-selected genre (e.g., mystery, romance, sci-fi, action/adventure, etc.), a player is presented with a bonus round comprising a free spin bonus (e.g., 10 free spins). After the free spin bonus is over, the voice of the movie director comes on and says “Ok, that was good, but let's just have ONE more take” or words to that effect. The primary and/or secondary display(s) then show(s) thumbnails of the final spin positions of all of the free spins in the bonus, both the winning outcomes and losing outcomes, and the player is then permitted to reconsider their prior bonus wager and provided with the option to make another, possibly different bonus bet. Following acceptance or refusal of this option, one of the free spin results is chosen at random and that win is given again, optionally being multiplied by the player's additional buy-in bet. This allows the player the potential to “re-live” the win (or possibly the loss). Here, the player gets to see that some of their free spins were winners and they get to see the magnitude of their wins and, with the benefit of this information, the player can choose to wager more if they think they can win more. The ability to retrigger the bonus could be another way to re-live the win.
Further, although the above-described examples centered on a reel-based wagering game, the same principles and concepts can be applied to other types of wagering games such as, but not limited to, card-based games (e.g., Texas Hold 'Em, etc.).
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