GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A STRATEGY GAME HAVING A PLURALITY OF AWARDS

• US 20100056247A1
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Caputo, Scott A., Nguyen, Binh T., Nicely, Mark C., Lafky, Ernie M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3274 wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

The disclosed gaming system, gaming device and method provide a game including a plurality of awards, each of the awards associated with a plurality of award characteristics, including an award value and a level of difficulty. Based at least in part on the award characteristics associated with the awards, a player strategically chooses which award or awards to play for (i.e., which award or awards to attempt to collect) in the game. In certain multiplayer embodiments, two or more players can work together to obtain awards.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each of said gaming devices including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with the gaming devices; and

a controller programmed to operate with the gaming devices and said at least one display device to;

(a) enable a plurality of players to each place a wager to participate in a play of a group game, said group game having a plurality of targets, each of the targets associated with an award and an amount of damage required to destroy said target, wherein at least one of said targets must be attacked by two different players for said target to be destroyed;

(b) for each target, cause a display of information relating to said awards associated with said target and the amount of damage required to destroy said target; and

(c) for each participating player;

(i) provide the player with a number of projectiles for said play of the group game,

(ii) enable the player to input a selection of one of said targets,

(iii) enable the player to attack the selected target using said projectiles,

(iv) determine an amount of damage caused to the attacked target;

(v) provide a portion of the award associated with the attacked target to the player, said portion of the award based on the amount of damage caused,

(vi) if the player has at least a designated number of projectiles remaining;

(1) enable the player to input another selection of one of said targets to attack in said play of the group game, and

(2) repeat (iii) to (vi) until a terminating event occurs, and

(vii) when the terminating event occurs, terminate said play of the group game for the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the number of projectiles provided to each participating player is predetermined.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the number of projectiles provided to each participating player is based on the wager placed by that participating player.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a plurality of different types of projectiles, wherein each different type of projectile causes a different amount of damage to at least one attacked target.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for each participating player, if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target by that player meets the amount of damage required to destroy said target, the portion of the award associated with said target which is provided to the player includes a full amount of said award.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein an additional award for meeting the amount of damage required to destroy said target is provided to the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the amount of damage required to destroy said target is randomly determined.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the amount of damage caused to the attacked target is randomly determined.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to enable a plurality of the participating players to form at least one team for said play of the group game, each team including a plurality of participating players.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the controller is programmed, for each team, to enable the players of said team to select the same target to attack.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the controller is programmed, for each team, to provide a portion of the award associated with the attacked target to each of the players of said team, wherein each player'"'"'s portion is determined based on one of:

(i) the number of projectiles used by that player to attack the target; and

(ii) the amount of damage caused to the target by that player.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each participating player, the terminating event occurs when that player has a designated number of usable projectiles remaining.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the designated number is zero.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each participating player, when the terminating event occurs is determined randomly.

15. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each of said gaming devices including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with the gaming devices; and

a controller programmed to operate with the gaming devices and said at least one display device to;

(a) enable a plurality of players to each place a first wager to enter a play of a group game, said group game having a plurality of awards, each of the awards associated with at least one displayed award characteristic which affects its probability of being won; and

(b) for each entered player in said play of the group game;

(i) enable the entered player to input at least one selection of one of said awards to play for,

(ii) enable the entered player to play for the selected award,

(iii) determine a portion, if any, of the selected award to provide to the player,

(iv) provide the determined portion of the selected award to the entered player,

(v) if a terminating event has not occurred for said entered player;

(1) enable the entered player to input another selection of one of said awards to play for in said play of the group game, and

(2) repeat (ii) to (v) until the terminating event occurs, and

(vi) when the terminating event occurs for said entered player;

(1) terminate the play of the group game for said entered player, wherein the group game remains in progress after the play of the group game has terminated for said entered player, and

(2) enable said entered player to place a second wager to re-enter the group game.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to enable a plurality of the entered players to form at least one team, each team including a plurality of entered players.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the controller is programmed, for each team, to enable each entered player of said team to select the same award to play for.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein, for each team, each of the entered players of said team is provided with a portion of the played-for award based on that player'"'"'s relative contribution to winning the award.

19. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein for each team, each of the entered players of said team is provided with an equal portion of the played-for award.

20. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein, for each entered player, if said player places the second wager, the controller is programmed to repeat (i) to (vi) at least once.

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

(a) enabling a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming devices to each place a wager to participate in a play of a group game, said group game having a plurality of targets, each of the targets associated with an award and an amount of damage required to destroy said target, wherein at least one of said targets must be attacked by two different players for said target to be destroyed;

(b) for each target, causing a display of information relating to said awards associated with said target and the amount of damage required to destroy said target; and

(c) for each participating player;

(i) providing the player with a number of projectiles for said play of the group game,

(ii) enabling the player to select one of said targets,

(iii) enabling the player to attack the selected target using said projectiles,

(iv) determining an amount of damage caused to the attacked target;

(v) providing a portion of the award associated with the attacked target to the player, said portion of the award based on the amount of damage caused,

(vi) if the player has at least a designated number of projectiles remaining;

(1) enabling the player to select another one of said targets to attack in said play of the group game, and

(2) repeating (iii) to (vi) until a terminating event occurs, and

(vii) when the terminating event occurs, terminating said play of the group game for the player.

22. The method of claim 21, which includes providing a predetermined number of projectiles to each participating player.

23. The method of claim 21, which includes providing a number of projectiles to each participating player, wherein said number is based on the wager placed by that participating player.

24. The method of claim 21, which includes providing a plurality of different types of projectiles, wherein each different type of projectile causes a different amount of damage to at least one attacked target.

25. The method of claim 21, which includes, for each participating player, if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target by that player meets the amount of damage required to destroy said target, providing a full amount of the award associated with said target to the player.

26. The method of claim 25, which includes providing an additional award to the player if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target by that player meets the amount of damage required to destroy said target.

27. The method of claim 25, which includes randomly determining the amount of damage required to destroy said target.

28. The method of claim 21, which includes randomly determining the amount of damage caused to the attacked target.

29. The method of claim 21, which includes enabling a plurality of the participating players to form at least one team for said play of the group game, each team including a plurality of participating players.

30. The method of claim 29, which includes, for each team, enabling the players of said team to select the same target to attack.

31. The method of claim 30, which includes, for each team, providing a portion of the award associated with the attacked target to each of the players of said team, wherein each player'"'"'s portion is determined based on one of:

(i) the number of projectiles used by that player to attack the target; and

(ii) the amount of damage caused to the target by that player.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein, for each participating player, the terminating event occurs when that player has a designated number of usable projectiles remaining.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the designated number is zero.

34. The method of claim 21, which includes, for each participating player, randomly determining when the terminating event occurs.

35. The method of claim 21, which is provided through a data network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming devices to each place a first wager to enter a play of a group game, said group game having a plurality of awards, each of the awards associated with at least one displayed award characteristic which affects its probability of being won; and

(b) for each entered player in said play of the group game;

(i) enabling the entered player to select at least one selection of one of said awards to play for,

(ii) enabling the entered player to play for the selected award,

(iii) determining a portion, if any, of the selected award to provide to the player,

(iv) providing the determined portion of the selected award to the entered player,

(v) if a terminating event has not occurred for said entered player;

(1) enabling the entered player to select another one of said awards to play for in said play of the group game, and

(2) repeating (ii) to (v) until the terminating event occurs, and

(vi) when the terminating event occurs for said entered player;

(1) terminating the play of the group game for said entered player, wherein the group game remains in progress after the play of the group game has terminated for said entered player, and

(2) enabling said entered player to place a second wager to re-enter the group game.

38. The method of claim 37, which includes enabling a plurality of the entered players to form at least one team, each team including a plurality of entered players.

39. The gaming system of claim 38, which includes, for each team, enabling each entered player of said team to select the same award to play for.

40. The gaming system of claim 39, which includes, for each team, providing each of the entered players of said team with a portion of the played-for award based on that player'"'"'s relative contribution to winning the award.

41. The gaming system of claim 39, which includes, for each team, providing each of the entered players of said team with an equal portion of the played-for award.

42. The gaming system of claim 37, which includes, for each entered player, if said player places the second wager, repeating (i) to (vi) at least once.

43. The method of claim 37, which is provided through a data network.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the data network is an internet.