GAMING CONSOLE AND SYSTEM HAVING DYNAMIC FEATURE GAME

• US 20080146309A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Bennett, Nicholas Luke
• Granted Patent: US 9,715,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/18
• 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

Abstract

A gaming console or system including a video display, and a game control processor arranged to control images displayed on the video display. The game control processor is arranged to play a first game displayed on the video display and, if a winning combination results, the console or system pays a prize. The console or system is characterised in that the game control processor includes a dynamic game feature whereby a feature game occurs upon a first trigger condition of the first game, and wherein a second trigger condition influences one or more gameplay aspects of the feature game such as to alter the likelihood of occurrence of at least one possible outcome of a set of possible outcomes of the feature game.

Claims

1. A gaming console comprising a display, and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display, the game controller being arranged to play a first game displayed on the display and, if a winning combination results, the console pays a prize, the console being characterised in that the game controller is further arranged to play a dynamic game whereby a feature game occurs upon a first trigger condition of the first game, said feature game including;

an outcome display that displays on the display or on another display in communication with the game controller an initial set of possible outcomes of the feature game;

a dynamic outcome altering stage comprising a series of bonus games of the first game, during which at least one of the outcomes in the displayed initial set of possible outcomes is dynamically altered in response to a second trigger condition, distinct from the first trigger condition, arising during play of the series of bonus games, to provide and display an altered set of possible outcomes on the outcome display; and

subsequent to the dynamic outcome altering stage, a random outcome indicating and award stage during which an outcome from the displayed set of altered possible outcomes is indicated and an award associated with the indicated outcome is awarded,

wherein the feature game does not include another random outcome indicating and award stage that is completed before the end of the outcome altering stage.

2. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a given combination of symbols during the play of the first game.

3. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first trigger condition arises when a random number coincides with a number of credits bet on the first game.

4. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a player accumulation of a predetermined number of bonus points.

5. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a given symbol during the play of the first game.

6. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a given combination of symbols during the play of the first game.

7. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a player accumulation of a predetermined number of bonus points.

8. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition arises from a user selection of an aspect of the feature game.

9. The gaming console as claimed in claim 8 wherein the user selection occurs as a result of occurrence of the first trigger condition.

10. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition alters the probability of occurrence of a winning outcome of the feature game.

11. The gaming console as claimed in claim 10 wherein the second trigger condition alters the value of an available prize prior to the feature game.

12. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition alters the number of winning opportunities in the feature game.

13. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition alters a total number of possible outcomes of the feature game.

14. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition alters the interaction of the feature game with other games.

15. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second trigger condition alters the interaction of the feature game with other consoles in a distributed network of gaming machines including the console.

16. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein more than one type of first trigger condition occurs in the first game, and wherein a corresponding one of a plurality of feature game types occurs depending on which type of first trigger condition arises.

17. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein repeated occurrences of the second trigger condition each influence gameplay aspects of the feature game by repeatedly providing altered sets of possible outcomes.

18. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first game is of a style which creates a matrix of symbols and pays prizes for the occurrence of predetermined combinations in the matrix.

19. The gaming console as claimed in claim 18 wherein an occurrence of a given symbol in a predetermined position of the matrix constitutes the second trigger condition.

20. The gaming console as claimed in claim 18 wherein the first game pays a prize for the occurrence of a winning combination along certain paylines in the matrix, and wherein the occurrence of a winning combination along a predetermined one of said paylines constitutes the first trigger condition.

21. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outcome display of the feature game takes the form of a wheel divided into a number of sectors, at least some of the sectors indicating a prize, and at least one sector indicating no prize, wherein on at least one occurrence of the second trigger condition during a bonus game of the dynamic outcome altering stage, at least one of the sectors that indicate no prize is altered so as to display a prize and wherein if gameplay of the feature game concludes with an indicator indicating one of the sectors indicating a prize in the random outcome selecting stage, then the prize indicated by that sector is awarded.

22. The gaming console as claimed in claim 21 wherein gameplay of the feature game comprises spinning of the wheel.

23. The gaming console as claimed in claim 21 wherein gameplay of the feature game comprises movement of an indicator circumferentially around the wheel.

24. The gaming console as claimed in claim 21 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition provides an opportunity for the player to pay to add winning sectors to the wheel.

25. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feature game takes the form of one of a board game, a game of dice, a bingo game, and a spinning reel game.

26. The gaming console as claimed in claim 25 wherein the feature game is a board game and occurrence of the second trigger condition causes a prize to be added to a blank segment of the board game.

27. The gaming console as claimed in claim 26 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition provides an opportunity for the player to pay to add winning segments to the board.

56. A gaming console according to claim 1 wherein said initial set of possible outcomes includes at least one winning outcome and at least one losing outcome, and on occurrence of the second trigger condition the ratio of winning to losing outcomes is increased.

57. A gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outcome display is a spinning wheel, said wheel including a plurality of outcome indicating sectors, including at least one blank sector corresponding to a losing outcome, and wherein said second trigger condition causes a prize to be added to the blank sector of said wheel to convert it to a winning outcome.

58. A gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second trigger conditions are triggered independently of one another.

59. A gaming console as claimed in claim 1 wherein said initial set of possible outcomes includes at least one lower winning outcome and at least one higher winning outcome, whereby said second trigger condition is arranged to alter the likelihood of occurrence of said lower or higher winning outcome.

60. A gaming console as claimed in claim 59 whereby the likelihood of occurrence of said lower winning outcome is altered by the changing of said lower winning outcome for said higher winning outcome.

28. A gaming system comprising at least one display, and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on at least one display, the game controller being arranged to play a first game displayed on a said display and, if a winning combination results, the gaming system pays a prize, the gaming system being characterised in that the game controller is further arranged to play a dynamic game feature whereby a feature game occurs upon a first trigger condition of the first game, the feature game comprising a different display format to the first game and comprising a plurality of first possible outcomes each associated with a prize value, which may be zero, and the outcome that eventuates is determined in a random selection process, the random selection process comprising a first random selection process and a second random selection process, wherein in the first random selection process at least one outcome from a plurality of second outcomes, distinct from the first possible outcomes, is selected and displayed on a said display as a game play having the same format as the first game, and if the outcome comprises a second trigger condition, then the game controller alters at least one aspect of the plurality of first possible outcomes, and in the second random selection process, one of the plurality of first possible outcomes, as altered due to any occurrences of the second trigger condition, is indicated in the format of the feature game and the gaming system awards the prize associated with the indicated outcome.

29. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a given combination of symbols during the play of the first game.

30. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first trigger condition arises when a random number coincides with a number of credits bet on the first game.

31. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a player accumulation of a predetermined number of bonus points.

32. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first game includes a plurality of outcomes that are the same as the plurality of second outcomes and wherein the second trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a given symbol during the play of the first game.

33. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first game includes a plurality of outcomes that are the same as the plurality of second outcomes and wherein the second trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a given combination of symbols during the play of the first game.

34. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first game includes a plurality of outcomes that are the same as the plurality of second outcomes and wherein the second trigger condition arises upon the occurrence of a player accumulation of a predetermined number of bonus points during play of the first game.

35. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the second trigger condition arises within a bonus game of a base game which has come about during play of the console, and wherein the first trigger condition occurs during play of the base game, and wherein both the first game and the bonus game have outcomes that are the same as the plurality of second outcomes, except that the second trigger condition is not active in the first game.

36. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition increases the probability of occurrence of a winning outcome of the feature game.

37. The gaming system as claimed in claim 36 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition alters the value of an available prize value associated with the plurality of first outcomes prior to the second random selection process.

38. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition alters the number of outcomes in the plurality of first outcomes that are associated with a non-zero prize value.

39. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition alters the total number of first outcomes available to be indicated as a result of the second selection process.

40. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the second trigger condition alters the interaction of the feature game with other games.

41. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the second trigger condition alters the interaction of the feature game with other systems in a distributed network of gaming systems including the system.

42. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein more than one type of first trigger condition occurs in the first game, and wherein a corresponding one of a plurality of feature game types occurs depending on which type of first trigger condition arises.

43. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first random selection process comprises a plurality of selections from the plurality of second outcomes wherein repeated occurrences of the second trigger condition each influence gameplay aspects of the feature game by progressively altering aspects of the plurality of first possible outcomes.

44. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the first game is of a style which creates a matrix of symbols and pays prizes for the occurrence of predetermined combinations in the matrix.

45. The gaming system as claimed in claim 44 wherein an occurrence of a given symbol in a predetermined position of the matrix constitutes the second trigger condition.

46. The gaming system as claimed in claim 44 wherein the first game pays a prize for the occurrence of a winning combination along certain “

paylines”

in the matrix, and wherein the occurrence of a winning combination along a predetermined payline constitutes the first trigger condition.

47. The gaming system as claimed in claim 44 wherein the first game pays a prize for the occurrence of a winning combination along certain “

paylines”

in the matrix, and wherein the occurrence of a winning combination along a predetermined payline constitutes the second trigger condition.

48. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the feature game takes the form of a wheel divided into a number of sectors, at least some of the sectors indicating a prize, and wherein if gameplay of the feature game concludes with an indicator indicating one of the sectors indicating a prize, the prize indicated by that sector is awarded.

49. The gaming system as claimed in claim 48 wherein gameplay of the feature game comprises spinning of the wheel.

50. The gaming system as claimed in claim 48 wherein gameplay of the feature game comprises movement of an indicator circumferentially around the wheel.

51. The gaming system as claimed in claim 48 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition causes a prize to be added to a blank sector of the wheel.

52. The gaming system as claimed in claim 48 wherein occurrence of the second trigger condition provides an opportunity for the player to pay to add winning sectors to the wheel.

53. The gaming system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the feature game takes the form of one of a board game, a game of dice, a bingo game, and a spinning reel game.

54. The gaming system as claimed in claim 53 wherein the feature game is a board game and occurrence of the second trigger condition causes a prize to be added to a blank segment of the board game.

55. The gaming system as claimed in claim 53 wherein the feature game is a board game and occurrence of the second trigger condition provides an opportunity for the player to pay to add winning segments to the board.