Hierarchy of celebration graphics

• US 20070010315A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Hein, Marvin
• Application Number:
  US11/176,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010315A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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

Abstract

Hierarchical systems of celebration graphics for use with gaming machines are disclosed. In one embodiment, a gaming machine comprises a cabinet having a game display and a gaming mechanism for providing a game for play on the gaming machine. The game has one or more winning combinations of symbols and the winning combinations have varying values. A memory is connected to the gaming machine for storing a plurality of varying celebration graphics. The occurrence of a winning combination in the game triggers the presentation, on the display, of a particular celebration graphic depending on the value of the winning combination.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a game having one or more winning combinations of symbols, wherein the winning combinations have varying values;

a display for displaying the game; and

a memory storing a plurality of varying celebration graphics, wherein the occurrence of a winning combination triggers the presentation, on the display, of a particular celebration graphic depending upon the value of the winning combination.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the values of the one or more winning combinations are categorized into a plurality of levels, and a particular celebration graphic is associated with each level.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the varying values of the winning combinations range from a predetermined minimum value to a predetermined maximum value.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the amount of time the celebration graphic is presented on the display depends on the value of the winning combination.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the varying celebration graphics comprise animated graphics and the duration of the presented animated graphic depends on the value of the winning combination.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the presentation of the particular celebration graphic includes sound.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of celebration graphics have varying degrees of complexity that correspond to the values of the winning combinations.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of celebration graphics is a user-interactive graphic.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the game has a theme and the celebration graphics correspond to the theme of the game.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a secondary display, wherein the triggered celebration graphic is presented on the secondary display.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the amount of time the celebration graphic is presented on the display depends on an amount of a wager.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the celebration graphic comprises photographs, movie clips, or a combination thereof.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a player tracking feature.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a camera, wherein images from the camera are incorporated into the celebration graphics.

15. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the celebration graphic varies based upon at least one of the winning combination value, player information, date, and time.

16. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the celebration graphic comprises one or more substitution symbols.

17. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each winning symbol combination is assigned a payout value based on a standard pay table.

18. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each winning symbol combination is assigned a payout value based on a non-standard pay table.

19. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each winning symbol combination is assigned a payout value based on a predetermined pay scheme and the pay scheme includes scatter pays.

20. A method for celebrating winning symbol combinations in a game on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

beginning play of the game on a gaming machine;

presenting one or more symbols on a gaming machine display, at the prompt of a user;

determining whether the combination of presented symbols matches predetermined winning symbol combinations, wherein the winning symbol combinations have varying values;

accessing a memory storing a hierarchy of celebration graphics;

retrieving one or more than one celebration graphic that corresponds to the value of the winning symbol combination; and

presenting the one or more than one retrieved celebration graphic on the display to celebrate the winning symbol combination.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising categorizing the varying values of the winning combinations into a plurality of levels such that a particular celebration graphic corresponds to each level.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the amount of time the celebration graphic is presented on the display depends on the value of the winning combination.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the celebration graphics comprise animated graphics and the duration of the presented animated graphic depends on the value of the winning combination.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the presentation of the particular celebration graphic includes sound.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the celebration graphics have varying degrees of complexity that correspond to the values of the winning combinations.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein one or more of the plurality of celebration graphics is a user-interactive graphic.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising capturing an image from a camera, wherein the captured image is incorporated into the celebration graphics.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying a player.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising presenting a celebration graphic on a second display.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the celebration graphic varies based upon at least one of a winning value, player information, date, and time.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the celebration graphic comprises one or more substitution symbols.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising assigning a particular payout value to each winning symbol combination, wherein the payout value is based on a standard pay table.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising assigning a particular payout value to each winning symbol combination, wherein the payout value is based on a non-standard pay table.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising assigning a payout value to each winning symbol combination, wherein the payout value is based on a predetermined pay scheme and the pay scheme includes scatter pays.