GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING A GAMING DEVICE INCLUDING PLAYER CONTROLLED TARGETING

• US 20080234021A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Palmer, David M., Low, Michael N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/38 Ball games; Shooting apparatus

Abstract

A gaming machine, system, and method including a game event in which a player aims at a target. In one embodiment, the game event includes a plurality of targets. The gaming device displays the plurality of targets to the player and enables the player to select one of the targets. The gaming device designates the player-selected target as the primary target for the game event. Based on the designated primary target, the gaming device identifies one or more of the other targets as secondary targets for the game event. The gaming device determines for each of the primary and secondary targets a probability that that target will be hit in the game event. The gaming device determines which of the targets is actually hit in the game event based on the probabilities associated with the targets.

Claims

1. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game operable upon a wager;

at least one display device; and

at least one input device operable to communicate with the at least one processor;

said at least one processor programmed to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a game event which includes a plurality of selectable outcomes,

(b) enable the player to select one of the outcomes,

(c) after the player has selected said one of the outcomes, designate the player-selected outcome as a primary outcome for the game event, which causes a designation of one or more of the other outcomes as secondary outcomes for the game event,

(d) associate one of a plurality of probabilities of occurring with each of the primary and secondary outcomes,

(e) randomly determine an actual game event outcome based on the respective probabilities associated with the primary and secondary outcomes, and

(f) display any award provided to the player based on the actual game event outcome.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the probability of occurring associated with the primary outcome is different than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the probability of occurring associated with the primary outcome is higher than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

4. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is the same.

5. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is different.

6. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the probability of occurring associated with a plurality of the secondary outcomes is different.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the probabilities of occurring associated with the primary and secondary outcomes are selected from the group consisting of:

(i) randomly determined probabilities, (ii) predetermined probabilities, and (iii) probabilities determined based on the wager made by the player.

8. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game operable upon a wager;

at least one display device; and

at least one input device operable to communicate with the at least one processor;

said at least one processor programmed to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a game event which includes a plurality of selectable outcomes,

(b) enable the player to select at least one of the outcomes,

(c) after the player has selected said at least one of the outcomes, designate any player selected outcome as a primary outcome for the game event, wherein designating the primary outcome or outcomes causes a designation of one or more of the other outcomes as secondary outcomes for the game event,

(d) associate one of a plurality of probabilities of occurring with each of the primary and secondary outcomes,

(e) randomly determine an actual game event outcome based on the respective probabilities associated with the primary and secondary outcomes, and

(f) display any award provided to the player based on the actual game event outcome.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each primary outcome is different than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

10. The gaming device of claim 9, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each primary outcome is higher than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

11. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is the same.

12. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is different.

13. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the probability of occurring associated with a plurality of the secondary outcomes is different.

14. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the probabilities of occurring associated with the primary and secondary outcomes are selected from the group consisting of:

(i) randomly determined probabilities, (ii) predetermined probabilities, and (iii) probabilities determined based on the wager made by the player.

15. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game operable upon a wager;

at least one display device; and

at least one input device operable to communicate with the at least one processor;

said at least one processor programmed to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a game event which includes a plurality of selectable targets,

(b) enable the player to select one of the targets,

(c) after the player selects said one of the targets, designate the selected target as a primary target for the game event, which causes a designation of one or more of the other targets as secondary targets for the game event,

(d) associate one of a plurality of probabilities of being hit in said game event with each of the primary and secondary targets,

(e) display a game event outcome which includes one of said targets being hit, wherein the target that is hit in the game event outcome is randomly determined based on the respective probabilities associated with the primary and secondary targets, and

(f) display any award provided to the player based on the target that is hit in the game event.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the probability of being hit associated with the primary target is higher than the probability of being hit associated with each of said secondary targets.

17. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the probability of being hit associated with the primary target is higher than the probability of being hit associated with a plurality of said secondary targets.

18. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the probability of being hit associated with each of the secondary targets is the same.

19. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the probability of being hit associated with each of the secondary targets is different.

20. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the probabilities of being hit associated with the primary and secondary targets are selected from the group consisting of:

(i) randomly determined probabilities, (ii) predetermined probabilities, and (iii) probabilities determined based on the wager made by the player.

21. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the player selects the target which is designated as the primary target using a target selector.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the probability of being hit associated with each of the primary and secondary targets is based on that target'"'"'s location relative to the target selector.

23. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein said processor is operable to modify said target selector based on:

(i) the wager placed by the player, (ii) a player'"'"'s skill level, (iii) time, and (iv) any combination of these.

24. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein said processor is operable to enable the player to modify said target selector.

25. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to make a wager to initiate a game;

(b) displaying a game event which includes a plurality of selectable outcomes;

(c) enabling the player to cause a selection of one of the outcomes;

(d) after receiving the player'"'"'s selection of said one of the outcomes, designating the player-selected outcome as a primary outcome for the game event, which causes a designation of one or more of the other targets as secondary outcomes for the game event;

(e) associating one of a plurality of probabilities of occurring with each of the primary and secondary outcomes;

(f) randomly determining an actual game event outcome based on the respective probabilities associated with the outcomes; and

(g) displaying any award provided to the player based on the actual game event outcome.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the probability of occurring associated with the primary outcome is different than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the probability of occurring associated with the primary outcome is higher than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is the same.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is different.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the probability of occurring associated with a plurality of the secondary outcomes is different.

31. The method of claim 25, which includes selecting the probabilities of occurring associated with primary and secondary outcomes from the group consisting of:

(i) randomly determined probabilities, (ii) predetermined probabilities, and (iii) probabilities determined based on the wager made by the player.

32. The method of claim 25, which is provided to the player through a data network.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the data network is an internet.

34. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to make a wager to initiate a game;

(b) displaying a game event which includes a plurality of selectable outcomes;

(c) enabling the player to select at least one of the outcomes;

(d) after the player selects said at least one of the outcomes, designating any player selected outcome as a primary outcome for the game event, wherein designating the primary outcome or outcomes causes a designation of one or more of the other outcomes as secondary outcomes for the game event;

(e) associating one of a plurality of probabilities of occurring with each of the primary and secondary outcomes;

(f) randomly determining an actual game event outcome based on the respective probabilities associated with the outcomes; and

(g) displaying any award provided to the player based on the actual game event outcome.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each primary outcome is different than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each primary outcome is higher than the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is the same.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the probability of occurring associated with each of the secondary outcomes is different.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the probability of occurring associated with a plurality of the secondary outcomes is different.

40. The method of claim 34, which includes selecting the probabilities of occurring associated with the primary and secondary outcomes from the group consisting of:

(i) randomly determined probabilities, (ii) predetermined probabilities, and (iii) probabilities determined based on the wager made by the player.

41. The method of claim 34, which is provided to the player through a data network.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the data network is an internet.

43. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to make a wager to initiate a game;

(b) displaying a game event which includes a plurality of selectable targets,

(c) enabling the player to cause a selection of one of the targets;

(d) after receiving the player'"'"'s selection, designating the selected target as a primary target for the game event, which causes a designation of one or more of the other targets as secondary targets for the game event;

(e) associating one of a plurality of probabilities of being hit in said game event with each of the primary and secondary targets;

(f) displaying a game event outcome which includes one of said targets being hit, wherein the target that is hit in the game event outcome is randomly determined based on the respective probabilities associated with the primary and secondary targets; and

(g) displaying any award provided to the player based on the target that is hit in the game event.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the probability of being hit associated with the primary target is higher than the probability of being hit associated with each of said secondary targets.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the probability of being hit associated with the primary target is higher than the probability of being hit associated with a plurality of said secondary targets.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the probability of being hit associated with each of the secondary targets is the same.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the probability of being hit associated with each of the secondary targets is different.

48. The method of claim 43, which includes predetermining the probabilities of being hit associated with the primary and secondary targets.

49. The method of claim 43, which includes determining the probabilities of being hit associated with the primary and secondary targets based on the player'"'"'s wager.

50. The method of claim 43, which includes enabling the player to cause the selection of the target which is designated as the primary target using a target selector.

51. The method of claim 43 which includes determining the probabilities of being hit associated with each of the primary and secondary targets based on that target'"'"'s location relative to the target selector.

52. The method of claim 50, which includes modifying the target selector based on:

(i) the wager placed by the player, (ii) a player'"'"'s skill level, (iii) time, and (iv) any combination of these.

53. The method of claim 50, which includes enabling the player to modify the target selector.

54. The method of claim 43 which is provided through a data network.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the data network is an internet.