Gaming machine having a community game with side wagering

• US 20060009283A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hornik, Jeremy M., Pacey, Larry J., Englman, Allon G., Anderson, Peter A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A gaming system includes at least one community display, a first gaming machine, and a second gaming machine. The at least one community display displays a communal game that includes a plurality of elements. At least some of the plurality of elements have a communal value associated therewith. The first and second gaming machines have a respective first and second video display for displaying the plurality of elements. At least some of the plurality of elements have a first and second player value associated therewith. The first and second gaming machines determine the first and second player values by applying a respective first and second value-enhancement parameter to the communal values associated with at least some of the plurality of elements. The first value-enhancement parameter is different than the second value-enhancement parameter.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a communal wagering game on a plurality of gaming machines each having a video display, comprising;

determining, for each of the plurality of gaming machines, a value-enhancement parameter to apply to the communal wagering game, the value-enhancement parameter being a first value-enhancement parameter for a first gaming machine and a second value-enhancement parameter for a second gaming machine;

displaying on at least one community display a plurality of elements, one or more of the plurality of elements having a communal value associated therewith; and

displaying on the respective video display of the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine at least some of the plurality of elements having a player value associated therewith, the first player value on the first gaming machine being the communal value enhanced by the first value-enhancement parameter, the second player value on the second gaming machine being the communal value enhanced by the second value-enhancement parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first and a second marker to designate one of the plurality of elements on the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine respectively, the first and second markers identifying a first and second added-value element on the video display of first gaming machine and the second gaming machine respectively, the first added-value element increasing the first player value associated with the first designated element on the first gaming machine and the second gaming element increasing the second player value associated with the second designated element on the second gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of elements is a special-feature element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the special-feature element awards an award value that is independent of the special-feature element, the award value being associated with a second element of the plurality of elements.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing one or more advancement identifiers displayed on the video display of the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine, the one or more advancement identifiers indicating a length of advancement necessary to earn an award from a particular element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more advancement identifier identifies a special-feature element and an element designated with a marker.

7. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A gaming system for playing a wagering game comprising:

at least one community display for displaying a communal game, the communal game including a plurality of elements, at least some of the plurality of elements having a communal value associated therewith;

a first gaming machine having a first video display for displaying the plurality of elements, at least some of the plurality of elements having a first player value associated therewith, the first gaming machine determining the first player values by applying a first value-enhancement parameter to the communal values associated with at least some of the plurality of elements; and

a second gaming machine having a second video display for displaying the plurality of elements, at least some of the plurality of elements having a second player value associated therewith, the second gaming machine determining the second player values by applying a second value-enhancement parameter to the communal values associated with at least some of the plurality of elements,

wherein the first value-enhancement parameter is different than the second value-enhancement parameter.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the first value-enhancement parameter is a first multiplier value and the second value-enhancement parameter is a second multiplier value.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the gaming system displays an award value accrued by each of the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the at least one community display includes a communal-award meter for displaying the total award provided to at least the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine.

12. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the at least one community display includes a plurality of player-award meters for displaying the award accrued individually by at least the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine.

13. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the plurality of elements is a special-feature element adapted to initiate a special feature.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the special feature is an elimination-type feature displayed on the at least one community display.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the elimination-type feature comprises

(i) displaying a plurality of value-bearing symbols,

(ii) removing the plurality of value-bearing symbols one at a time until only one value-bearing symbol remains, and

(iii) awarding the award value associated with the remaining value-bearing symbol to each of the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine, the first value-enhancing parameter being applied to the award value on the first gaming machine and the second value-enhancing parameter being applied to the award value on the second gaming machine.

16. A method for conducting a communal wagering game on a plurality of gaming machines each having a video display, comprising:

determining, for each of the selected plurality of gaming machines, a value-enhancement parameter to apply to the communal wagering game;

displaying on at least one community display a trail formed by a plurality of stations, one or more of the plurality of stations having a communal value associated therewith; and

displaying on the video display of each of the selected plurality of gaming machines the trail formed by the plurality of stations, one or more of the plurality of stations having a player value associated therewith, the value-enhancement parameter being applied to the communal value to determine the player value for the one or more plurality of stations at each of the selected plurality of gaming machines.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a marker to designate one of the plurality of stations of the trail, the marker identifying an added-value station on the video display of each of the selected plurality of gaming machines, the added-value station increasing the player value associated with the station.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the value-enhancement parameter increases each of the communal values by a predetermined amount.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the value-enhancement parameter increases each of the communal values by a multiplier.

20. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 16.

21. A method for conducting a communal wagering game on a plurality of gaming machines, comprising;

determining, for at least one of the gaming machines, a value-enhancement parameter to apply to the communal wagering game;

displaying, on a community display, an element and a communal value associated therewith; and

displaying, on a display of the at least one of the gaming machines, the element and a player value associated therewith, the player value being the communal value enhanced by the value-enhancement parameter.