Wagering Game With Persistent State Of Game Assets Affecting Other Players

• US 20090011823A1
• 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 8,087,995 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

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A method of playing wagering games, comprising:

conducting said wagering games at a plurality of linked gaming machines, each of said wagering games having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, said wager input being received from a plurality of players;

for each of said plurality of players at a respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines, determining a player level based on certain criteria occurring at said respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines; and

assigning a payback percentage to each of said plurality of linked gaming machines based on (i) a player level of said player at said respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines and (ii) said player levels at said plurality of linked gaming machines.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein a first gaming machine in said plurality of gaming machines has a higher payback percentage than payback percentages at said plurality of linked gaming machines due to a high player level, said first player causing an increase in said payback percentages of other one of said plurality of linked gaming machines.

51. The method of claim 49, further comprising displaying in real time said payback percentage.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein said certain criteria is selected from a group consisting of receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game and achieving a certain event.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein said certain criteria is one of a group consisting of, frequency of wager input, turnover, winnings, elapsed time from last wager, number of wagering sessions, and number of played wagering games.

54. A method of playing wagering games, comprising:

conducting said wagering games at a plurality of linked gaming machines including a first gaming machine and a second gaming machine, each of said wagering games having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, said wager input being received from a plurality of players including a first player, a second player, and a third player;

determining a first player level of said first player based on certain criteria;

determining a second player level of said second player based on said certain criteria;

determining a third player level of said third player based on said certain criteria;

assigning a first payback percentage to said first gaming machine based on said first player level and said second player level when said first player plays said first gaming machine and said second player plays said second gaming machine; and

assigning a second payback percentage to said first gaming machine based on said first player level and said third player level when said first player plays said first gaming machine and said third player plays said second gaming machine.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said first payback percentage is an average of said first player level and said second player level and said second payback percentage is an average of said first player level and said third player level.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein said certain criteria is selected from a group consisting of receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game and achieving a certain event.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising fluctuating at least one of said first player level, said second player level, and third player level during said wagering games.

58-81. -81. (canceled)

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, said wager input being received from a plurality of players; and

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

determine, for each of said plurality of players at a respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines, a player level based on certain criteria occurring at said respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines, and

assign a payback percentage to each of said plurality of linked gaming machines based on (i) a player level of said player at said respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines and (ii) said player levels at said plurality of linked gaming machines.

83. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein a first gaming machine in said plurality of gaming machines has a higher payback percentage than payback percentages at said plurality of linked gaming machines due to a high player level, said first player causing an increase in said payback percentages of other one of said plurality of linked gaming machines.

84. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein said payback percentage is displayed in real time.

85. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein said certain criteria is selected from a group consisting of receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game and achieving a certain event.

86. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein said certain criteria is one of a group consisting of, frequency of wager input, turnover, winnings, elapsed time from last wager, number of wagering sessions, and number of played wagering games.

87. The gaming system of claim 82, wherein said player level is achieved by said player based on at least one of said player receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game, said player achieving a certain event, said player wagering a certain amount within a certain time period, and said player wagering a certain amount within a series of plays of said wagering game.

88. 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, said wager input being received from a plurality of players including a first player, a second player, and a third player; and

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

determine a first player level of said first player based on certain criteria,

determine a second player level of said second player based on said certain criteria,

determine a third player level of said third player based on said certain criteria,

assign a first payback percentage to said first gaming machine based on said first player level and said second player level when said first player plays said first gaming machine and said second player plays said second gaming machine, and

assign a second payback percentage to said first gaming machine based on said first player level and said third player level when said first player plays said first gaming machine and said third player plays said second gaming machine.

89. The gaming system of claim 88, wherein said first payback percentage is an average of said first player level and said second player level and said second payback percentage is an average of said first player level and said third player level.

90. The gaming system of claim 88, wherein said certain criteria is selected from a group consisting of receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game and achieving a certain event.

91. The gaming system of claim 88, wherein said controller is further adapted to fluctuate at least one of said first player level, said second player level, and third player level during said wagering games.

92. The gaming system of claim 88, wherein said controller is further adapted to permit a selection of a certain community-event game from a plurality of community-game events, said plurality of community-game events being played at least on said first gaming machine and said second gaming machine in response to a community-game activation event, said selection being made by one or more of said plurality of players based on respective player level.

93. A method for conducting wagering games, comprising:

conducting said wagering games at a plurality of linked gaming machines, each of said plurality of gaming machines providing access to a plurality of community events;

selecting a community event from said plurality of community events to be played by two or more eligible gaming machines within said plurality of linked gaming machines, said selecting being based on player levels of players at said plurality of gaming machines;

for each of said players at a respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines, determining a player level based on certain criteria occurring at said respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines;

playing said selected community event at said two or more eligible gaming machines; and

assigning a payback percentage to each of said plurality of linked gaming machines based on (i) a player level of said player at said respective one of said plurality of linked gaming machines and (ii) said player levels at said plurality of linked gaming machines.

94. The method of claim 93, further comprising customizing a game theme associated with said wagering game such that said game theme is similar to at least one of said plurality of community-game events.

95. The method of claim 93, further comprising accumulating one or more game assets.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein said player levels are associated with said accumulated game assets.

97. The method of claim 95, further comprising selecting said one or more game assets from a group consisting of a multiplier, an additional roll of at least one die, a bonus award, a bonus game, additional player selections, extended game play, and continued game play after a game-terminating outcome has been achieved.