Wagering Game With Persistent State Of Game Assests Affecting Other Players

• US 20090011822A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B., Hornik, Jeremy M., Englman, Allon G., Pacey, Larry J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,622,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines, each gaming machine including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The randomly selected outcome is selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input. Each gaming machine allows a player to achieve a player level from a plurality of player levels. The gaming system further includes a controller linked to the gaming machines. The controller is adapted to permit a certain community-event game from a plurality of community-game events to be played at two or more of gaming machines in response to a conditional state at the gaming machines. The conditional state is a function of the player levels at the gaming machines.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method of playing a wagering game, comprising:

conducting, via a first player, said wagering game at a gaming machine, said wagering game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, at least one of said outcomes providing an asset that can be saved by said first player for use during a subsequent gaming session;

providing said first player with an opportunity to convey said asset to a second player to encourage said second player to play said wagering game; and

in response to said first player conveying said asset, providing said first player with a game-enhancement parameter to be applied to said wagering game.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said game-enhancement parameter is selected from a group consisting of changing line pays into scatter pays, varying the number of wild symbols, varying symbol upgrades, using nudges, using lifelines, asking-a-friend, randomly selecting a multiplier, changing a pay table, increasing a wager, holding a symbol, moving a symbol, re-spinning, and changing between left-to-right and right-to-left payline configurations.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising notifying at least one of said first player and said second player that said game-enhancement parameter has been acquired.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising removing said game-enhancement parameter if said game-enhancement parameter is not used within a period of time.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said period of time is selected from a group consisting of a randomly selected period of time and a fixed period of time.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising removing said asset if said asset is not used within a period of time.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said period of time is selected from a group consisting of a randomly selected period of time and a fixed period of time.

30-32. -32. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

40-70. -70. (canceled)

71. A method for conducting a wagering game, comprising:

conducting a first wagering game at a first gaming machine, said first gaming machine providing access to a first special event in response to a first collection, by a first player, of a set of assets including at least a first asset and a second asset;

conducting a second wagering game at a second gaming machine linked to said first gaming machine, said second gaming machine providing access to a second special event in response to a second collection, by a second player, of said set of assets including at least said first asset and said second asset;

awarding said first asset to said first player at said first gaming machine;

awarding said second asset to said second player at said second gaming machine; and

allowing said second player to transfer said second asset to said first player such that said first player may access said special event.

72. The method of claim 71, further comprising trading other assets of said set of assets during said transfer of said second asset.

73. The method of claim 71, further comprising paying a fee by said first player for said second asset.

74. The method of claim 71, further comprising auctioning said second asset to a plurality of players including said first player.

76. The method of claim 71, further comprising awarding a special award to said second player for said transfer of said second asset.

77. The method of claim 71, further comprising transferring said second asset only if said second collection includes an additional second asset, said additional second asset being identical to said second asset.

75. (canceled)

78. A method of playing a plurality of wagering games, comprising:

conducting said wagering games at a plurality of linked gaming machines, said wagering games providing assets that can be accumulated by players at said plurality of linked gaming machines;

providing a special award to said players in response to a cumulative value of said assets of said players being a predetermined value; and

adding assets of a new player to said cumulative value in response to said new player beginning play at one of said plurality of linked gaming machines.

79. The method of claim 78, further comprising removing certain assets from said cumulative value in response to any of said players achieving an unfavorable outcome.

80. The method of claim 78, further comprising displaying said cumulative value of said assets in a signage coupled to said plurality of linked gaming machines.

81. The method of claim 78, further comprising distributing said special award to said players based on individual player contribution to said cumulative value of said assets.

82. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of linked gaming machines, each of said plurality of linked gaming machines including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, at least one of said outcomes providing an asset that can be saved by a first player for use during a subsequent gaming session; and

a controller linked to said plurality of linked gaming machines and adapted to

provide said first player with an opportunity to convey said asset to a second player to encourage said second player to play said wagering game, and

in response to said first player conveying said asset, provide said first player with a game-enhancement parameter to be applied to said wagering game.

83. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein the controller is further adapted to allows said first player to collect said assets over a period of time.

84. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein the controller is further adapted to provide said first player with said opportunity to convey said asset to said second player in response to certain events.

85. The gaming system of claim 84, wherein said certain events are selected from a group consisting of a symbol combination event, a random mystery event, and a certain person being a second player at an adjacent machine event.

86. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of linked gaming machines including a first gaming machine and a second gaming machine, each of said plurality of linked gaming machines including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input; and

a controller linked to said plurality of linked gaming machines and adapted to

in response to a first collection, by a first player, of a set of assets including at least a first asset and a second asset, provide access to a first special event of a first wagering game being conducted at said first gaming machine,

in response to a second collection, by a second player, of said set of assets including at least said first asset and said second asset, provide access to a second special event being of a second wagering game being conducted at said second gaming machine,

award said first asset to said first player at said first gaming machine,

award said second asset to said second player at said second gaming machine, and

allow said second player to transfer said second asset to said first player such that said first player may access said special event.

87. The gaming system of claim 86, wherein said controller is further adapted to allow trading other assets of said set of assets during said transfer of said second asset.

88. The gaming system of claim 86, wherein said first wagering game and said second wagering game are the same game.

89. The gaming system of claim 86, wherein said controller is further adapted to award a special award to said second player for said transfer of said second asset.