GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD HAVING A FIRST INTERACTIVE GAME WHICH DETERMINES A FUNCTION OF A SECOND WAGERING GAME

• US 20080119283A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A gaming device including a first player interactive game requiring one or more player inputs which result in an outcome. The outcome does not result in an award provided to the player. In one embodiment, the gaming device determines a paytable employed in the wagering game based on an outcome of the interactive game. In another embodiment, the gaming device includes a plurality of different wagering games. The gaming device determines which wagering game to provide to the player based, at least in part, on the outcome of the interactive game. Other suitable functions can be employed in the wagering game based on the outcome of the interactive game in accordance with the present invention. In any embodiment, the gaming device provides an outcome to the player for the wagering game which can result in an award.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines, said method comprising:

(a) for each gaming machine, enabling a player of said gaming machine to place a wager for a play of both an interactive game and a wagering game;

(b) determining which gaming machines are in an active state for said play of the interactive game and the wagering game, wherein each gaming machine is in an active state upon placement of said wager by the player of said gaming machine;

(c) for each active gaming machine, enabling the player of said active gaming machine to play the interactive game;

(d) for each active gaming machine, determining and displaying an interactive game outcome for the play of the interactive game;

(e) for at least one active gaming machine, determining at least one aspect of the group consisting of;

an eligibility for a bonus game,

an eligibility for a multiplier,

an eligibility for a progressive award,

a number of selections in a bonus game, and

an amount of a modifier,

said determination based at least in part on the displayed interactive game outcome; and

(f) for the play of the wagering game for each of said active gaming machines;

(i) displaying the play of the wagering game;

(ii) determining a wagering game outcome, wherein for said at least one gaming machine, the wagering game outcome is based, at least in part, on said determined aspect;

(iii) displaying the determined wagering game outcome; and

(iv) determining any award to provide to the player based on the displayed wagering game outcome; and

(v) displaying any determined awards.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes funding an interactive game pool with a portion of the wagers and providing the player of the gaming machine with an interactive game designated outcome an interactive game award based on the interactive game pool.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion of the wagers that funds the interactive game pool is a predetermined percentage of each of the wagers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion of the wagers that funds the interactive game pool is a predetermined amount of each of the wagers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive game is a competition game.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes basing the interactive game outcomes on one of the group consisting of point accumulations, lengths of time and a predefined event.

7. The method claim 1, which is provided to the player through a data network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data network is an internet.

9. A method of operating a gaming system, including a plurality of gaming machines, said method comprising:

(a) for each gaming machine, enabling a player of said gaming machine to place a wager for a play of both an interactive game and a wagering game, wherein the interactive game is a skill game or a pseudo skill game;

(b) determining which gaming machines are in an active state for said play of the interactive game and the wagering game, wherein each gaming machine is in an active state upon placement of the wager by the player of said gaming machine;

(c) automatically funding an interactive game pool with a predetermined amount of each of the wagers;

(d) for each active gaming machine, enabling the player of said active gaming machine to play the interactive game;

(e) for each active gaming machine, determining and displaying an interactive game outcome from a plurality of different interactive game outcomes for the play of the interactive game, wherein the interactive game outcomes include an interactive game designated outcome;

(f) providing the player of the gaming machine with the interactive game designated outcome an award based on the interactive game pool; and

(g) for the play of the wagering game for each of said active gaming machines;

(i) displaying the play of the wagering game;

(ii) displaying a wagering game outcome;

(iii) determining any award to provide to the player based on the displayed wagering game outcome; and

(iv) displaying any determined awards.

10. The method of claim 9, which includes accumulating a portion of the interactive game pool until an occurrence of a designated interactive game event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said designated interactive game event is selected from at least one of the group consisting of an accumulation of a designated number of points in the interactive game, a displayed interactive game win, a length of play time in the interactive game, a designated number of active gaming machines and a designated amount in the interactive game pool.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the award provided to the player of the gaming machine with the designated interactive game outcome is equal or substantially equal to the total of the interactive game pool.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the interactive game is a competition game.

14. The method of claim 9, which includes basing the interactive game outcomes on one of the group consisting of point accumulations, lengths of time and a predefined event.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the wagering game includes a plurality of different paytables and the wagering game outcomes are based on the paytables.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least two of the paytables have different volatilities.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein at least two of the paytables have a same or a substantially same average expected payout and said paytables have different volatilities.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes determining any paytables employed for the wagering game based, at least in part, on the obtained interactive game outcome in said play of the interactive game.

19. The method claim 9, which is provided to the player through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.

21. A method of operating a gaming system, including a plurality of gaming machines, said method comprising:

(a) for each gaming machine, enabling a player of said gaming machine to place a wager for a play of both an interactive game and a wagering game;

(b) determining which gaming machines are in an active state for said play of the interactive game and the wagering game, wherein each gaming machine is in an active state upon placement of the wager by the player of said gaming machine;

(c) for each active gaming machine, enabling the player of said active gaming machine to play the interactive game;

(d) for each active gaming machine, determining and displaying an interactive game outcome from a plurality of different interactive game outcomes for the play of the interactive game wherein the interactive game outcomes include an interactive game designated outcome;

(e) determining if one of the gaming machines displayed the interactive game designated outcome in a designated period of time;

(f) if determined that one of the active gaming machines displays the interactive game designated outcome in the designated period of time, displaying an interactive game award to the player of said determined active gaming machine; and

(g) for the play of the wagering game for each of said active gaming machines;

(i) displaying the play of the wagering game;

(ii) displaying a wagering game outcome; and

(iii) determining any award to provide to the player based on the displayed wagering game outcome; and

(iv) displaying any determined awards.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the interactive game award is funded by marketing dollars.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the interactive game designated outcome is selected from one of the group consisting of a highest number of points, a highest number of credits, a length of play time and a designated ranking.

24. The method of claim 21, which includes funding an interactive game pool with a portion of the wagers and funding the interactive game award with the interactive game pool.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the interactive game is a competition game.

26. The method of claim 21, which includes basing the interactive game outcomes on one of the group consisting of point accumulations, lengths of time and a predefined event.

27. The method claim 21, which is provided to the player through a data network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data network is an internet.

29. A method of operating a gaming system, including a plurality of gaming machines, said method comprising:

(a) for each gaming machine, enabling a player of said gaming machine to place a wager for a play of at least one of a plurality of game rounds, wherein each game round includes a play of both an interactive game and a wagering game;

(b) determining which gaming machines are in an active state for said game round, wherein each of the gaming machines is in an active state upon a wager by the player on said gaming machine; and

(c) enabling the player of each active gaming machine to make an input to play at least one of the game rounds, wherein each game round includes;

(i) enabling the player to play an interactive game;

(ii) determining an interactive game outcome;

(iii) displaying a wagering game outcome; and

(iv) displaying any awards based on the wagering game outcomes.

30. The method of claim 29, which includes requiring each player to make an additional input to play a next round.

31. The method of claim 29, which includes requiring each player to place a designated wager amount at the beginning of a first round.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the game rounds include a final game round and the final game round includes an advantage over at least one of the other game rounds.

33. The method claim 32, wherein the advantage is chosen from the group selected from an extra play of the wagering game, a higher payback percentage for the wagering game, an eligibility for a progressive jackpot award opportunity, an eligibility for a bonus game opportunity and an eligibility for a free wagering game opportunity.

34. The method of claim 29, which includes funding an interactive game pool with a portion of the wagers and providing the player of the gaming machine with an interactive game designated outcome an interactive game award based on the interactive game pool.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the interactive game is a competition game.

36. The method of claim 29, which includes basing the interactive game outcomes on one of the group consisting of point accumulations, lengths of time and a predefined event.

37. The method claim 29, which is provided to the player through a data network.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the data network is an internet.