Patent Application
20140179398
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 methods and, more particularly, to a method and system of conducting a wagering game on a wagering game machine such that a game outcome triggers an ascending feature resulting in changes to displayed game symbols.
Gaming machines, 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 and 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. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed is a game feature or bonus feature that is triggered by an event occurring in a “basic” game. The game feature may include any type of modification or enhancement to game play of the basic game. The triggering event is pre-selected to initiate the game feature and may be known or unknown to the player. An unknown triggering event, or “mystery trigger,” may be linked to a recognizable game event, such as a winning outcome or a non-winning outcome, and may occur randomly throughout the basic game.
Game and bonus features may operate in conjunction with basic game play, may modify and/or enhance basic game play, and may be dissimilar to basic game play with regards to game mechanics, game play experience, and other characteristics. Popular game and bonus features include free spins, award multipliers, and special awards and symbols, but game and bonus features may take any form. Often, game and bonus features provide a player an opportunity to obtain more and higher-value awards than are typically achieved in basic game play, and so provide incentive to play the wagering game in which they appear.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming system is configured to conduct a wagering game. The wagering game includes a game outcome that is randomly selected from a plurality of game outcomes including at least one ascending-feature outcome. The gaming system includes one or more input devices, one or more display devices, one or more processors, and one or more memory storage devices. The one or more memory storage devices store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to receive an input indicative of a wager initiating the wagering game, randomly select a game outcome of the plurality of game outcomes, and display at least a portion of the selected game outcome as an array of game symbols. In direct response to the selected game outcome being one of the at least one ascending-feature outcome, the instructions cause the gaming system to select a first set of game symbols from the array according to first criteria and modify the array by changing the selected first set into symbols having a higher value than the first set. Also, in direct response to the modified array resulting in at least one winning combination of symbols being displayed, the gaming system awards a player any awards associated with the at least one winning combination. In direct response to the modified array not resulting in a winning combination, the gaming system selects a second set of displayed game symbols from the modified array according to second criteria and further modifies the modified array by changing the selected second set into symbols having a higher value than the second set.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented method conducts a wagering game on a gaming system including one or more input devices, one or more display devices, and one or more processors. The wagering game includes randomly selecting a game outcome from a plurality of game outcomes including at least one ascending-feature outcome. The method comprises receiving, via at least one of the one or more input devices, an input indicative of a wager initiating the wagering game. The method further randomly selects, via at least one of the one or more processors, a game outcome of the plurality of game outcomes and displays, via at least one of the one or more display devices, at least a portion of the selected game outcome as an array of game symbols. In direct response to the selected game outcome being one of the at least one ascending-feature outcome, the method selects, via at least one of the one or more processors, at least one of a first set of game symbols from the array according to a first criteria and modifies the array by changing the at least one of the first set into a symbol having a higher value than the at least one symbol of the first set. Also, in direct response to the modified array resulting in at least one winning combination of symbols being displayed, the method awards a player any awards associated with the at least one winning combination. In direct response to the modified array not resulting in a winning combination, the method selects, via at least one of the one or more processors, at least one of a second set of the displayed game symbols from the modified array according to second criteria and further modifies the modified array by changing the at least one symbol of the second set into a symbol having a higher value than the at least one symbol of the second set.
According to a different aspect of the invention, a gaming system is configured to conduct a wagering game including randomly selecting a game outcome from a plurality of game outcomes. The gaming system includes one or more input devices, one or more display devices, one or more processors, and one or more memory storage devices. The one or more memory storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to receive, via at least one of the one or more input devices, an input indicative of a first wager initiating the wagering game. The instructions further cause the gaming system to randomly select a game outcome of the plurality of game outcomes and display, via at least one of the one or more display devices, at least a portion of the selected game outcome as an array of game symbols. In direct response to the displayed array including a full column of wild symbols that is not the leftmost column of the array, the gaming system awards the player any awards associated with the selected game outcome, and changes the column that is left-adjacent to the full column into wild symbols for displaying in a next-subsequent game outcome. The instructions further cause the gaming system to receive, via at least one of the one or more input devices, an input indicative of a second wager. The gaming system randomly selects a next-subsequent game outcome of the plurality of game outcomes and displays, via at least one of the one or more display devices, at least a portion of the next-subsequent game outcome as a new array of game symbols including the left-adjacent column of wild symbols.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, computer-readable storage media includes executable instructions that, when executed by at least one of one or more processors, cause a gaming system including one or more input devices and one or more display devices, to perform a method comprising receiving, via at least one of the one or more input devices, an input indicative of a wager initiating a wagering game. The instructions cause the gaming system to randomly select a game outcome of a plurality of game outcomes including at least one ascending-feature outcome and display at least a portion of the selected game outcome as an array of game symbols. In direct response to the selected game outcome being one of the at least one ascending-feature outcome, the gaming system selects a first set of game symbols from the array according to first criteria and modifies the array by changing the selected first set into symbol having a higher value than the first set. In direct response to the modified array resulting in at least one winning combination of symbols being displayed, the gaming system awards a player any awards associated with the at least one winning combination. Also, in direct response to the modified array not resulting in a winning combination, the gaming system selects a second set of displayed game symbols from the modified array according to second criteria and further modifies the modified array by changing the selected second set into symbols having a higher value than the second set.
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. For purposes of the present detailed description, the singular includes the plural and vice versa (unless specifically disclaimed); the words “and” and “or” shall be both conjunctive and disjunctive; the word “all” means “any and all”; the word “any” means “any and all”; and the word “including” means “including without limitation.”
For purposes of the present detailed description, the terms “wagering games,” “gambling,” “slot game,” “casino game,” and the like include games in which a player places at risk a sum of money or other representation of value, whether or not redeemable for cash, on an event with an uncertain outcome, including without limitation those having some element of skill. In some embodiments, the wagering game may involve wagers of real money, as found with typical land-based or on-line casino games. In other embodiments, the wagering game may additionally, or alternatively, involve wagers of non-cash values, such as virtual currency, and therefore may be considered a social or casual game, such as would be typically available on a social networking web site, other web sites, across computer networks, or applications on mobile devices (e.g., phones, tablets, etc.). When provided in a social or casual game format, the wagering game may closely resemble a traditional casino game, or it may take another form that more closely resembles other types of social/casual games.
Referring to
The gaming terminal 10 illustrated in
Input devices, such as the touch screen 18, buttons 20, a mouse, a joystick, a gesture-sensing device, a voice-recognition device, and a virtual input device, accept player input(s) and transform the player input(s) to electronic data signals indicative of the player input(s), which correspond to an enabled feature for such input(s) at a time of activation (e.g., pressing a “Max Bet” button or soft key to indicate a player's desire to place a maximum wager to play the wagering game). The input(s), once transformed into electronic data signals, are output to a CPU for processing. The electronic data signals are selected from a group consisting essentially of an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical charge, an optical signal, an optical element, a magnetic signal, and a magnetic element.
Turning now to
The CPU 30 is also connected to an input/output (I/O) bus 36, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. The I/O bus 36 is connected to various input devices 38, output devices 40, and input/output devices 42 such as those discussed above in connection with
The external system 48 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 48 may comprise a player's portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone, electronic wallet, etc.) and the external system interface 46 is configured to facilitate wireless communication and data transfer between the portable electronic device and the CPU 30, 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 the external system 48 such that the terminal operates as a thin, thick, or 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 system 48 (“thin client” gaming terminal), or are distributed therebetween in any suitable manner (“intermediate client” gaming terminal).
The gaming terminal 10 may include additional peripheral devices or more than one of each component shown in
Referring now to
In response to receiving an input indicative of a wager, the reels 52 are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with paylines such as paylines 58. The wagering game evaluates the displayed array of symbols on the stopped reels and provides immediate awards and bonus features in accordance with a pay table. The pay table may, for example, include “line pays” or “scatter pays.” Line pays occur when a predetermined type and number of symbols appear along an activated payline, typically in a particular order such as left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, etc. Scatter pays occur when a predetermined type and number of symbols appear anywhere in the displayed array without regard to position or paylines. Similarly, the wagering game may trigger bonus features based on one or more bonus triggering symbols appearing along an activated payline (i.e., “line trigger”) or anywhere in the displayed array (i.e., “scatter trigger”). The wagering game may also provide mystery awards and features independent of the symbols appearing in the displayed array.
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 and a wagering game outcome is provided or displayed in response to the wager being received or detected. 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 CPU (e.g., CPU 30) is configured to process 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 CPU causes the recording of a digital representation of the wager in one or more storage media (e.g., storage unit 44), the CPU, in accord with associated computer instructions, causing the changing of a state of the storage media 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 media or changing a magnetic state of a ferromagnetic surface of a magneto-optical disc storage media, 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 media comprises storage in the storage media of data representing the electronic data signal from the CPU (e.g., the wager in the present example). As another example, the CPU further, in accord with the execution of the instructions relating to the wagering game, causes the primary display 12, other display device, 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 a RNG) that is used by the CPU 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 CPU is configured to determine an outcome of the game sequence at least partially in response to the random parameter.
Referring now to
In an embodiment of the invention, the randomly selected game outcome includes an ascending-feature outcome, as determined by the game logic. At least a portion of the selected game outcome is displayed in the array of
The occurrence of the ascending-feature outcome may automatically trigger a game feature in which a first set of game symbols is selected from the symbols displayed in the array and changed into one or more higher-value symbols. The first set of game symbols may be selected according to first criteria included in the game logic or determined by the game logic during the course of the wagering game. In
Referring now to
In
In the absence of a winning combination after selecting and changing the first and second sets of symbols, the wagering game may select third set of symbols according to third criteria and change the third set to a higher-value symbol. As shown in
With the change to the third set of symbols, the array now includes three winning combinations: a four-owl-symbol combination (owl-WILD-WILD-WILD), a five-tree-symbol combination (tree-WILD-WILD-WILD-WILD), and a four-shield-symbols (shield-WILD-WILD-WILD). The wagering game pays the paytable awards for all three combinations, for a total award of 50+25+100=175 credits and displays the award in the win and credit meters 754.
The abovedescribed sequence of selecting a set of symbols, changing the set to higher-value symbols, and displaying and evaluating the array with the higher-value symbols, may be repeated until a winning symbol combination is achieved or until one or more of various conditions are satisfied, and still remain true to the nature of the invention.
By utilizing different criteria for selecting the first and second sets, various game-play aspects may be modified so as to broaden the appeal of the invention with more players. As a non-limiting example of the different types of criteria, the wagering game may select a first set of symbols according to first criteria that includes selecting the lowest-value symbol(s) displayed in the array.
The array shown in
As illustrated in
In
Referring now to
In this embodiment of the invention, the game outcome includes an ascending-feature outcome that includes a full column of WILD symbols 1044 (column 4), as determined by game logic. In this embodiment, when a full column of WILD symbols is displayed in the array, the wagering game evaluates the array for any winning symbol combinations and pays any associated awards to the player, and then changes the column to the left of the full column of WILD symbols into a full column of WILD symbols. For the next subsequent spin, after receiving another input from the player indicating a wager, the wagering game spins the video reels to display at least a portion of a new game outcome on the display, including the new column of WILD symbols.
As illustrated by
The invention may include various other and basic game features to provide variety and enhance player interest in the wagering game. Referring now to
The symbol-bearing reels 1252 include a full column of WILD symbols 1244 in column 2. For the next subsequent spin (seen in
In some embodiments, the occurrence of another full column of WILD symbols during the free spin bonus triggers the drop-down sequence of the new full column, and in this way a player may experience a series of bonus awards as multiple columns of WILD symbols drop down incrementally in the symbol array.
Other bonus and game features may include designating a special symbol that, if it lands at the bottom, leftmost position of the array of symbols, changes to a WILD symbol that grows to encompass the bottom two positions at the left of the array. If a subsequent special symbol lands on top of the grown WILD symbols, the WILD symbols grow up to encompass another position. In at least one embodiment of a bonus feature, the WILD symbols that are grown from the special symbols will remain in the array until the bonus feature ends, for example, until a designated number of free spins are completed.
An embodiment of a game feature may designate specific reel symbols for “infecting” by WILD symbols. As a non-limiting example, a computer-themed game may include reel symbols such as Computer and Laptop symbols. When a WILD symbol occurs adjacent to either a Computer or Laptop symbol in the array, the WILD symbol infects the adjacent Computer or Laptop symbol (like a virus) and changes them into WILD symbols. Additionally, the new WILD symbols may infect adjacent Computer and Laptop symbols, and such infecting may continue until all adjacent Computer and Laptop symbols have been changed into WILD symbols. Of course, such an embodiment may be utilized in games having themes other than computer themes.
Also, a feature may include clumps of the same symbol displayed on a reel. For example, one embodiment features clumps of the same symbol appearing on the leftmost reel of the array during a bonus game. When the leftmost reel displays all matching symbols, any occurrence of the matching symbol that is displayed on other reels throughout the array may be changed into a WILD symbol. If the leftmost reel displays clumps of two different symbols, any occurrence of both symbols will change to a WILD symbol.
In another embodiment employing clumped symbols on a reel, a designated STACKED WILD symbol may occur in the array. If the STACKED WILD symbol fills an entire column, it is locked in place and triggers a bonus free spin feature. After each bonus spin, each position of the STACKED WILD column throws an additional WILD symbol into an adjacent reel, creating new WILDS on the reels to either side of the STACKED WILD column.
In yet another embodiment, if a full column of any symbol appears on the leftmost reel (i.e., reel 1) of the array, a feature may be triggered in which the full column is locked in place while the other reels begin to spin. Reel 2 stops spinning, and if any symbols on reel 2 match the symbols on reel 1, then reel 2 locks in place also. If no symbols on reel 2 match reel 1, then reel 2 spins again. Once reel 2 has stopped and locked in place, reel 3 stops spinning, and if any symbols on reel 3 match reel 1, reel 3 locks in place. The process may continue until each reel in the array has a symbol that matches reel 1. Alternatively, a WILD symbol may also be considered a match to the symbols displayed on reel 1. Once all reels in the array include at least one matching symbol, any award for winning symbol combinations displayed in the array may be awarded to a player.
A WILD symbol may salvage a “just missed” opportunity. In one embodiment, a WILD symbol on a reel may land just off the symbol array, for example, just below the bottom row. Game logic may cause the missed WILD symbol to be pulled back up to the bottom row of the array, to be evaluated with the other symbols. Additionally, a recovered WILD symbol may grow into two WILD symbols for a subsequent spin, so that, the next time it just misses the symbol array, it may be pulled back up to occupy the two bottom reel positions. A recovered WILD symbol may grow repeatedly until it occupies the entire reel in the displayed array, and then reset to a single WILD symbol.
Game themes can be utilized to complement various game features. In one embodiment, a feature is triggered when a designated trigger symbol is displayed in between two other symbols on a reel. The particular embodiment has a dinosaur theme, although the feature can be adapted to operate with various other themes and generic games. The trigger symbol is an egg and, when the egg is displayed between two dinosaurs, it “hatches” to provide an award. The award may be free spins, may turn the egg symbol (or all displayed egg symbols, or various other symbols) into a WILD symbol(s) or a full column of wild symbols, and some or all WILD symbols may persist through multiple subsequent spins. The award may be related to a characteristic of a parent dinosaur. For example, there may be three different-colored dinosaurs on the reels, and the award may vary in response to the colors of the parent dinosaurs.
In one case in which the award is responsive to the specific colors of the parents, the hatching egg triggers a free spin bonus in which the player may select from a number of eggs. Whichever color of dinosaur that hatches from the selected egg may replace all the other-colored dinosaurs on the reels for the duration of the free spins, providing the potential for more bonus awards and more valuable egg hatchings during the free spin bonus.
In another embodiment, WILD symbols may migrate around the symbol array during successive spins. For example, when a WILD symbol appears in the symbol array and is not part of a winning symbol combination, the WILD symbol may shift one position to the left and appear in that position for the next spin. Additionally, the migrating WILD may continue to shift leftward each time it is not part of a winning symbol combination until it reaches the leftmost position in the array. Still further, the migrating WILD may stay in the leftmost position through successive spins until the WILD is part of a winning symbol combination.
The invention may further include an embodiment in which symbols in a winning combination are removed from the array and the next symbol above each the removed symbol “drops” into the empty position on each reel. After the symbols drop, the array is reevaluated for winning symbol combinations, which may also be removed and replaced by dropped symbols. The reevaluations may continue as long as a new winning symbol combination is generated by dropped symbols.
In another embodiment, WILD symbols can be randomly hidden behind symbols on the reels. When a symbol is removed (due to a winning symbol combination), the WILD symbol is revealed and replaces the removed symbol in the next symbol drop. Additionally, if the next symbol drop produces a winning symbol combination, the WILD symbol may stay in position for yet another (or multiple) symbol drop(s). Still further, WILD symbols that repeat for subsequent drops may increment a multiplier for each winning symbol combination after the first drop. In one embodiment, the WILD symbols can increment up to 5× multipliers before the WILD is removed from the array. Multiple WILD symbols can be revealed and held in position during a single cycle of removals and drops. Also, if a designated number of WILDS are revealed during a cycle, all the WILD symbols can automatically jump to 5× and then decrement by 1× for each subsequent drop until they are used up and removed.
Each of these 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. Moreover, the present concepts expressly include any and all combinations and subcombinations of the preceding elements and aspects.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/740,743, filed on Dec. 21, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61740743 | Dec 2012 | US |
