METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DISPLAYING GAMING RESULTS THROUGH A VARIABLE PRIZE WHEEL

• US 20090124339A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Eulenfeld, Daniel, Barton, Andrea R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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

Gaming machines, methods, and programs are provided for displaying gaming results through a player interaction process that provides multiple prize enhancements for a player and varies the prize enhancements during the course of play. One preferred game includes conducting multiple instances of a first game to obtain a number of first game outcomes. These first game outcomes will include a number of prize enhancer activating outcomes, which may cause a change in the game prize distribution. Each respective prize enhancer activating outcome prompts persistent display of a respective prize enhancer symbol. In some versions, one or more of the prize enhancer symbols are multiplier values. The symbols move in graphic sequence to a bonus round where they occupy spaces in a multiplier wheel, which is spun along with a prize wheel to determine a total prize.

Claims

1. A method including:

(a) conducting multiple instances of a first game to obtain a number of first game outcomes, the number of first game outcomes including a number of prize enhancer activating outcomes;

(b) in response to each prize enhancer activating outcome, displaying a respective prize enhancer symbol;

(c) in response to a trigger event, displaying a first wheel having a first diameter, a first rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the first rotational axis, the first wheel being displayed with the first rotational axis extending substantially perpendicular to a display plane;

(d) also in response to the trigger event, displaying a second wheel having a second diameter, a second rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the second rotational axis, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second wheel being displayed within the area defined by the first wheel with the second rotational axis extending parallel to and offset from the first rotational axis;

(e) also in response to the trigger event, moving each respective displayed prize enhancer symbol to a different one of the symbol locations of the first wheel or the second wheel;

(f) in response to an activation by a player, causing the first wheel to rotate about the first rotational axis and causing the second wheel to rotate about the second rotational axis for a period of time and ultimately each stop at a particular angular orientation with a respective prize enhancer symbol aligned in an award relationship with a prize symbol on the other one of the first wheel or second wheel; and

(g) awarding a prize to the player, the prize corresponding to a combined effect of the prize symbol and the respective prize enhancer symbol aligned in the award relationship.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the prize enhancers are multiplier values.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each respective displayed prize enhancer symbol is moved to a different one of the symbol locations of the first wheel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the prize symbol is one of a number of numerical prize values spaced apart on the second wheel at different angular orientations about the second rotational axis.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each first game outcome is displayed through a matrix of symbol locations and wherein each respective prize enhancer symbol is displayed in a peripheral area around the matrix of symbol locations.

6. The method of claim 1 further including producing an obscuring graphic to obscure the second wheel as it rotates about the second rotational axis for portion of the rotation time for the second wheel less than the entire rotation time.

7. A gaming apparatus including:

(a) a display device arrangement;

(b) a player input device arrangement;

(c) a first game controller for (i) responding to a number of first game activations entered from the player input device arrangement to obtain a number of first game outcomes, the number of first game outcomes including a number of prize enhancer activating outcomes, and for (ii) causing a respective prize enhancer symbol to by displayed at the display device in response to each prize enhancer activating outcome;

(d) a game display controller for responding to a trigger event to (i) cause a first wheel to be displayed at the display device arrangement, the first wheel having a first diameter, a first rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the first rotational axis, the first wheel being displayed with the first rotational axis extending substantially perpendicular to a display plane, to (ii) cause a second wheel to be displayed at the display device arrangement, the second wheel having a second diameter, a second rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the second rotational axis, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second wheel being displayed within the area defined by the first wheel with the second rotational axis extending parallel to and offset from the first rotational axis, and to (iii) cause each respective displayed prize enhancer symbol to be moved to a different one of the symbol locations of the first wheel or the second wheel;

(e) a second game controller for, in response to an activation by a player through the player input arrangement, causing the first wheel to rotate about the first rotational axis and causing the second wheel to rotate about the second rotational axis for a period of time and ultimately each stop at a particular angular orientation with a respective prize enhancer aligned in an award relationship with a prize symbol on the other one of the first wheel or second wheel; and

(f) an award controller for awarding a prize to the player, the prize corresponding to a combined effect of the prize symbol and the respective prize enhancer aligned in the award relationship.

8. A program product embodied in one or more computer readable media, the program product including:

(a) first game program code executable for (i) responding to a number of first game activations entered from the player input device arrangement to obtain a number of first game outcomes, the number of first game outcomes including a number of prize enhancer activating outcomes, and for (ii) causing a respective prize enhancer symbol to by displayed at the display device in response to each prize enhancer activating outcome;

(b) game display program code executable for responding to a trigger event to (i) cause a first wheel to be displayed at the display device arrangement, the first wheel having a first diameter, a first rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the first rotational axis, the first wheel being displayed with the first rotational axis extending substantially perpendicular to a display plane, to (ii) cause a second wheel to be displayed at the display device arrangement, the second wheel having a second diameter, a second rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the second rotational axis, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second wheel being displayed within the area defined by the first wheel with the second rotational axis extending parallel to and offset from the first rotational axis, and to (iii) cause each respective displayed prize enhancer symbol to be moved to a different one of the symbol locations of the first wheel or the second wheel;

(e) second game program code executable for, in response to an activation by a player through the player input arrangement, causing the first wheel to rotate about the first rotational axis and causing the second wheel to rotate about the second rotational axis for a period of time and ultimately each stop at a particular angular orientation with a respective prize enhancer aligned in an award relationship with a prize symbol on the other one of the first wheel or second wheel; and

(f) award program code for awarding a prize to the player, the prize corresponding to a combined effect of the prize symbol and the respective prize enhancer aligned in the award relationship.

9. A method including:

(a) conducting multiple instances of a first game to obtain a number of first game outcomes, the number of first game outcomes including a number of prize enhancer activating outcomes;

(b) in response to each prize enhancer activating outcome, incrementally increasing a persistent prize enhancement level of the first game;

(c) in response to each prize enhancer activating outcome, displaying a respective persistent prize enhancer symbol;

(d) in response to each prize enhancer activating outcome, persistently changing a prize distribution of the first game;

(e) in response to a trigger event, displaying a bonus round display state in which the persistent prize enhancement symbols are employed in displaying bonus outcomes.

10. The method of claim 9 further including:

(a) in response to a trigger event, displaying a first wheel having a first diameter, a first rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the first rotational axis, the first wheel being displayed with the first rotational axis extending substantially perpendicular to a display plane;

(b) also in response to the trigger event, displaying a second wheel having a second diameter, a second rotational axis, and a number of symbol locations spaced apart at different angular orientations about the second rotational axis, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second wheel being displayed within the area defined by the first wheel with the second rotational axis extending parallel to and offset from the first rotational axis;

(c) also in response to the trigger event, moving each respective displayed prize enhancer symbol to a different one of the symbol locations of the first wheel or the second wheel;

(d) in response to an activation by a player, causing the first wheel to rotate about the first rotational axis and causing the second wheel to rotate about the second rotational axis for a period of time and ultimately each stop at a particular angular orientation with a respective prize enhancer symbol aligned in an award relationship with a prize symbol on the other one of the first wheel or second wheel; and

(e) awarding a prize to the player, the prize corresponding to a combined effect of the prize symbol and the respective prize enhancer symbol aligned in the award relationship.

11. The method of claim 9 further including:

(a) in response to a trigger event, selecting a set of display control scripts from a group of display control scripts, the group associated with a current based on a current game outcome and a current persistent prize enhancement level;

(b) from the selected set of display control scripts, randomly selecting a first script to display the current game outcome;

(c) based on the selected first script, selecting a set of display item position data objects from a group of display item position data objects;

(d) from the selected set of display item position data objects, randomly selecting a first display item position data object; and

(e) controlling multiple display item positions based on the first display item position data object.