Maze-based game for a gaming machine

• US 20020022509A1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Nicastro, John P., Nicastro, John P. II, Anderson, Peter R., Giobbi, John J., Casey, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,554,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/15
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A maze-based game of chance for a gaming machine is controlled by a processor in response to a wager. The maze-based game includes an award-generating indicator movable along a plurality of different intersecting paths. The plurality of paths contain a plurality of consumable elements. The award-generating indicator generates an award based on a randomly selected outcome as the award-generating indicator visually consumes the elements.

Claims

1. A game of chance for a gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager, comprising:

a basic game including a plurality of possible randomly-selected basic game outcomes, the plurality of possible basic game outcomes including a start-bonus outcome; and

a maze-based bonus game triggered by the start-bonus outcome and indicated on a visual display, the bonus game including a bonus-generating indicator movable along a plurality of different intersecting paths containing a plurality of consumable elements, the bonus-generating indicator generating an award based on a randomly-selected bonus game outcome as the bonus-generating indicator visually consumes the elements.

2. The game of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different paths define a maze.

3. The game of claim 1, wherein a direction of movement of the bonus-generating indicator along the plurality of different intersecting paths is controlled by a player via a player interface.

4. The game of claim 1, wherein the bonus game includes one or more bonus rounds, and further including at least one bonus-ending indicator movable along the plurality of different intersecting paths, one of the rounds of the bonus game ending in response to the bonus-ending indicator intersecting the bonus-generating indicator.

5. The game of claim 4, wherein movement of the bonus-ending indicator along the plurality of different intersecting paths is entirely controlled by the processor.

6. The game of claim 4, wherein the processor substantially controls when the bonus-ending indicator intersects the bonus-generating indicator in accordance with a predetermined outcome.

7. The game of claim 4, wherein at a beginning of the bonus game the bonus-generating indicator and the bonus-ending indicator are located in different areas of the plurality of paths.

8. The game of claim 4, further including a reserve bonus-generating indicator, and wherein the bonus-generating indicator is replaced with the reserve bonus-generating indicator for a succeeding round of the bonus game after the one of the rounds of the bonus game ends.

9. The game of claim 8, wherein the plurality of basic game outcomes include a reserve bonus-resource outcome that earns the reserve bonus-generating indicator for use in the bonus game.

10. The game of claim 1, wherein the basic game includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels rotated and stopped to place objects on the reels in visual association with one or more pay lines.

11. The game of claim 10, wherein the reels are simulated on a video display.

12. The game of claim 4, wherein the bonus-ending indicator intersects the bonus-generating indicator after the bonus-generating indicator visually consumes a predetermined number of consumable elements.

13. The game of claim 1, wherein the bonus-generating indicator stops consuming the elements in response to being intersected by a bonus-ending indicator also moving along the plurality of different intersecting paths.

14. The game of claim 13, wherein the bonus-ending indicator intersects the bonus-generating indicator after the bonus-generating indicator visually consumes a predetermined number of consumable elements.

15. The game of claim 14, wherein the predetermined number of consumable elements is based on the randomly selected bonus game outcome.

17. The game of claim 16, wherein the award-generating indicator stops consuming the elements in response to being intersected by an award-ending indicator also moving along the plurality of different intersecting paths.

18. The game of claim 17, wherein the award-ending indicator intersects the award-generating indicator after the award-generating indicator visually consumes a predetermined number of consumable elements.

19. The game of claim 18, wherein the predetermined number of consumable elements is based on the randomly selected outcome.

20. The game of claim 17, wherein movement of the award-ending indicator is controlled by the processor.

21. The game of claim 16, wherein a direction of movement of the award-generating indicator is controlled by a player via a player interface.

22. The game of claim 21, wherein the player interface includes a joystick.

23. The game of claim 16, wherein a direction of movement of the award-generating indicator is controlled by the processor.

24. The game of claim 17, wherein the processor substantially controls when the award-ending indicator intersects the award-generating indicator in accordance with a predetermined outcome.

25. The game of claim 17, wherein at a beginning of the game the award-generating indicator and the award-ending indicator are located in different areas of the plurality of paths.

26. The game of claim 16, further including a reserve award-generating indicator, and wherein the award-generating indicator is replaced with the reserve award-generating indicator for a succeeding round of the game after a preceding round of the game ends.

27. The game of claim 16, wherein the award-generating indicator is chased by at least one award-ending indicator, the game ending in response to the award-generating indicator being caught by the award-ending indicator.

28. The game of claim 27, wherein a direction of movement of the award-generating indicator is controlled by a player via a player interface, while movement of the award-ending indicator is controlled by the processor.

30. The method of claim 29, further including depicting at least one award-ending indicator chasing the award-generating indicator, and ending the game in response to the award-generating indicator being caught by the award-ending indicator.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein a direction of movement of the award-generating indicator is controlled by a player via a player interface, while movement of the award-ending indicator is controlled by the processor.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the award-ending indicator catches the award-generating indicator after the award-generating indicator visually consumes a predetermined number of consumable elements.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the predetermined number of consumable elements is based on the randomly selected outcome.

35. The game of claim 34, wherein the reels are simulated by a video display.

36. The game of claim 34, wherein the predetermined arrangement includes the award-generating symbol and the consumable symbol being anywhere in the display area.

37. The game of claim 34, wherein the predetermined arrangement includes the award-generating symbol and the consumable symbol being along an active pay line.

38. The game of claim 34, wherein the award-generating symbol visually consumes the consumable symbol by moving from its initial position on the stopped reels to a position of consumable symbol on the stopped reels.

16. A maze-based game of chance for a gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager, comprising an award-generating indicator movable along a plurality of different intersecting paths containing a plurality of consumable elements, the award-generating indicator generating an award based on a randomly selected outcome as the award-generating indicator visually consumes the elements.

29. A method of conducting a maze-based game of chance on a processor-controlled gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager;

depicting an award-generating indicator moving through a maze defined by a plurality of different intersecting paths, the plurality of paths containing a plurality of consumable elements; and

generating an award based on a randomly selected outcome as the award-generating indicator visually consumes the elements.

34. A game of chance for a gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager, comprising a plurality of symbol bearing reels that are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area, the symbols including an award-generating symbol and at least one consumable symbol, the award-generating symbol visually consuming the consumable symbol and generating an award in response to the award-generating symbol and the consumable symbol appearing in the display area in a predetermined arrangement.

39. A method of conducting a game of chance on a processor-controlled gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager;

rotating and stopping a plurality of symbol bearing reels to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area, the symbols including an award-generating symbol and at least one consumable symbol; and

depicting the award-generating symbol visually consuming the consumable symbol and generating an associated award in response to the award-generating symbol and the consumable symbol appearing in the display area in a predetermined arrangement.