FACILITATING GROUP PLAY WITH MULTIPLE GAME DEVICES

• US 20090275410A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Technologies Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Mincey, Jeff, Kisenwether, Joseph, Nelson, Loren
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Techniques are describe for providing group play events with multiple game devices. Group play events are triggered by any game device that qualifies to participate, so that when any qualifying game device triggers a group play event, all qualifying game devices participate in the group play event. In some situations, a probability for triggering a group play event is adjusted to accommodate for a dynamically changing number of game devices that qualify over time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to provide group play with multiple game devices, the method comprising:

for each of a plurality of game devices, obtaining eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to a user of the game device;

based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information, determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event before the group play event is triggered;

based at least in part on a total number of game devices determined to qualify to participate in a group play event, determining an adjustment to a value that is indicative of a probability of an occurrence of a group play event, where the adjustment to the value accommodates a variation over time in the total number of game devices that are determined to qualify to participate in the group play event; and

causing an adjustment of at least one group play event generator based on the determined adjustment to the value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an adjustment to a value that is indicative of a probability of an occurrence of a group play event includes determining at least one adjustment value that makes an aggregate probability of any of the total number of the game devices triggering the group play event at least approximate a target probability.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining at least one adjustment value that makes an aggregate probability of any of the total number of the game devices triggering the group play event at least approximate a target probability includes determining a respective adjustment value for each of the game devices.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein causing an adjustment of at least one group play event generator based on the determined adjustment to the value includes providing the adjustment value to a respective one of the game devices.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein causing an adjustment of at least one group play event generator based on the determined adjustment to the value includes providing the adjustment value for a random number generator of a respective one of the game devices.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information includes determining at least one of an amount of time that the user has played, an average amount wagered by the user, a rate at which the user is playing, and a status level assigned to the user under a loyalty program.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the group play event has been triggered, the triggering of the group play event based at least in part on the determined adjustment; and

in response to the received indication, initiating the group play event for each of at least some of the game devices determined to qualify to participate in the group play event.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after initiating the group play event, providing an award to at least one user of at least one of the at least some of the game devices determined to qualify to participate in the group play event.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein providing an award to at least one user of at least one of the at least some of the game devices determined to qualify to participate in the group play event includes providing the award as an amount apportioned from one or more progressive pools, and wherein the amount is based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein providing an award to at least one user of at least one of the at least some of the game devices determined to qualify to participate in the group play event includes apportioning an award amount from one or more progressive pools based on an index value, the index value determined based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein providing an award to at least one user of at least one of the at least some of the game devices determined to qualify to participate in the group play event includes selecting one or more progressive pools from which the award will be drawn based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after initiating the group play event,

receiving information indicative of results of the group play event from at least some of the at least some of the qualified game devices;

summarizing the received information indicative of results of the group play event; and

providing information indicative of the summarized results information to at least one of the at least some of the qualified game devices.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing group play information to each of the at least some of the qualified game devices, the group play information at least in part governing aspects of the group play event.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the group play information includes at least one of a potential amount to award the user, a pay table identifier, a number of free games, and a number of user selectable choices.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

under the control of a game device determined to qualify to participate in the group play event,

receiving an indication that the group play event has been initiated;

executing the group play event based at least in part on the received indication that the group play event has been initiated;

providing an award to a user of the game device based at least in part on the results of the group play event.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing an award to the user of the game device determined to qualify to participate in the group play event includes providing the award as an amount apportioned from one or more progressive pools, and wherein the amount is based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein providing an award to the user of the game device determined to qualify to participate in the group play event includes apportioning an award amount from one or more progressive pools based on an index value, the index value determined based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein providing an award to the user of the game device determined to qualify to participate in the group play event includes selecting one or more progressive pools from which the award will be drawn based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

under the control of a game device,

assigning a value indicative of the determined adjustment to an occurrence of an outcome of an intermediate bonus game to be played by the user of the game device, the intermediate bonus game different from a primary game played by the user and different from the group play event; and

indicating that the group play event has been triggered as a result of the occurrence of the outcome of the intermediate bonus game.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

under the control of a game device,

assigning a value indicative of the determined adjustment to an occurrence of a triggering event via the game device, the triggering event indicative of triggering the group play event;

based at least in part on the triggering event occurring, providing an indication that the group play event has been triggered.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

under the control of a game device,

maintaining the eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to the user of the game device;

receiving information indicative of the determined adjustment;

assigning a value indicative of the determined adjustment to an occurrence of a triggering event on the game device, the triggering event indicative of triggering the group play event;

based at least in part on the triggering event occurring, providing an indication that the group play event has been triggered;

receiving an indication that the group play event has been initiated; and

executing the group play event for the user.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each of at least some of the game devices determined to qualify to participate in the group play event, providing information indicative of the determined eligibility to the game device.

23. A computer-readable medium whose contents enable a computing device to provide group play with multiple game devices, by:

for each of a plurality of game devices, obtaining eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to a user of the game device;

based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information, determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event before the group play event is triggered;

based at least in part on a total number of game devices determined to qualify to participate in a group play event, determining an adjustment to a value that is indicative of a probability of an occurrence of a group play event, where the adjustment to the value accommodates a variation over time in the total number of game devices that are determined to qualify to participate in the group play event; and

causing an adjustment of at least one group play event generator based on the determined adjustment to the value.

24. A computing system configured to provide group play with multiple game devices, comprising:

a memory; and

a component that is configured to provide group play with multiple game devices, by;

for each of a plurality of game devices, obtaining eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to a user of the game device;

based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information, determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event before the group play event is triggered;

based at least in part on a total number of game devices determined to qualify to participate in a group play event, determining an adjustment to a value that is indicative of a probability of an occurrence of a group play event, where the adjustment to the value accommodates a variation over time in the total number of game devices that are determined to qualify to participate in the group play event; and

causing an adjustment of at least one group play event generator based on the determined adjustment to the value.

25. A computer-implemented method to provide group play between multiple game devices that provide interfaces for users to play primary games, bonus games and group play, the method comprising:

for each of a plurality of game devices, obtaining eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to a user of the game device;

based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information, determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event before the group play event is triggered; and

for each of at least some of the game devices determined to qualify, initiating the group play event based at least in part on an outcome of a bonus game occurring.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

determining a likelihood of triggering the group play event corresponding to an outcome of a bonus game to be played on at least one of the plurality of game devices;

providing information indicative of the determined likelihood of triggering the group play event to at least one of the game devices determined to qualify, wherein the bonus game is to be played via the one qualified game device and wherein the one qualified game device assigns the likelihood of triggering a group play event to an outcome of the bonus game; and

receiving information indicative of the outcome of the bonus game occurring.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

before providing information indicative of the determined likelihood to the at least one game devices, receiving information indicative of the bonus game being triggered by at least one of the at least one game devices.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the received indication that the bonus game has been triggered further includes an event identifier to be used in communications related to the group play event, the communications with the at least some of the game devices determined to qualify.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information includes determining at least one of an amount of time that the user has played, an amount wagered by the user, a rate at which the user is playing, and a status level assigned to the user under a loyalty program.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

under the control of a game device,

receiving information indicative of a likelihood of triggering the group play event corresponding to an outcome of a bonus game to be played on at least one of the plurality of game devices;

assigning the likelihood of triggering the group play event to an outcome of a bonus game to be played by a user of the game device;

executing the bonus game for the user; and

providing information indicative of the outcome of the bonus game occurring as a result of the bonus game executing.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

under the control of the game device, for each of one or more other outcomes of the bonus game, the one or more other outcomes different from the outcome of the bonus game triggering the group play event, adjusting the relative likelihood of the other outcome occurring based at least in part on the likelihood of triggering a group play event and a likelihood of the other one or more outcomes occurring.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

under the control of the game device, triggering the bonus game based at least in part on at least one of an amount wagered by the user, a cumulative amount wagered by the user, a number of games played by the user, an amount of time the user has played, an outcome of a primary game, and an indication received from a device other than the game device.

33. A computer-readable medium whose contents enable a computing device to provide group play between multiple game devices that provide interfaces for users to play primary games, bonus games and group play, by:

for each of a plurality of game devices, obtaining eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to a user of the game device;

based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information, determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event before the group play event is triggered; and

for each of at least some of the game devices determined to qualify, initiating the group play event based at least in part on an outcome of a bonus game occurring.

34. A computer system configured to provide group play between multiple game devices that provide interfaces for users to play primary games, bonus games and group play, comprising:

a memory; and

a component that is configured to provide group play between multiple game devices, by;

for each of a plurality of game devices, obtaining eligibility information indicative of at least one characteristic related to a user of the game device;

based at least in part on the obtained eligibility information, determining which of at least some of the plurality of game devices qualify to participate in a group play event before the group play event is triggered; and

for each of at least some of the game devices determined to qualify, initiating the group play event based at least in part on an outcome of a bonus game occurring.