COMMUNITY GAMING SYSTEM WITH HYBRID COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES AND AWARDS

• US 20100137047A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Hornik, Jeremy M., Englman, Allon G., Flemming, Peter W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/6
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method for conducting a community wagering game on one or more gaming devices comprises receiving a first wager from a first player and determining a first modifier associated with the first player based upon play of a first base game. The method further comprises triggering and displaying a community gaming event comprising a competition and determining a finishing order of a plurality of participants in the competition, the plurality of participants including at least first and second participants. The method further comprises associating the first player with the first participant, determining a first prize value for the first participant, the first prize value based upon the finishing order, and awarding the first player a first award comprising the first prize value as modified by the first modifier.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a community wagering game on one or more gaming devices, comprising:

receiving a first wager from a first player;

determining a first modifier associated with the first player based upon play of a first base game;

triggering and displaying a community gaming event comprising a competition;

determining a finishing order of a plurality of participants in the competition, the plurality of participants including at least first and second participants;

associating the first player with the first participant;

determining a first prize value for the first participant, the first prize value based upon the finishing order; and

awarding the first player a first award comprising the first prize value as modified by the first modifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second wager from a second player;

determining a second modifier associated with the second player based upon play of a second base game;

associating the second player with the second participant;

determining a second prize value for the second participant, the second prize value based upon the finishing order; and

awarding the second player a second award comprising the second prize value as modified by the second modifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the competition is selected from the group consisting of a race, a contest, and a sporting event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modifier is a multiplier.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second modifiers are multipliers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the community gaming event is displayed on a community display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modifier is determined based upon one or more of a wager amount, a rate of wagering by the first player, and a rate of play of the first base game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of participants is represented by a graphical icon associated with a theme of the community wagering game.

9. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A community gaming system comprising:

a wager input device;

a first display for displaying a first randomly selected outcome of a first community wagering game, the first randomly selected outcome comprising a community portion and a first individual portion;

a community controller operative to determine the community portion; and

a first controller operative to;

(i) determine the first individual portion of the first randomly selected outcome;

(ii) cause the first display to display the first randomly selected outcome; and

(iii) award a prize if the first randomly selected outcome comprises a winning outcome.

11. The community gaming system of claim 10, further comprising:

a second wager input device;

a second display for displaying a second randomly selected outcome of the first community wagering game, the second randomly selected outcome comprising the community portion and a second individual portion; and

a second controller operative to;

(i) determine the second individual portion;

(ii) cause the second display to display the second randomly selected outcome; and

(iii) award a second prize if the second randomly selected outcome comprises a second winning outcome.

12. The community gaming system of claim 10, wherein the community portion is randomly determined.

13. The community gaming system of claim 10, wherein the community portion is predetermined and the first individual portion is randomly determined.

14. The community gaming system of claim 10, wherein the first display displays a plurality of symbols arranged in an array, wherein at least a first one of the plurality of symbols comprises the community portion, wherein at least a second one of the plurality of symbols comprises the first individual portion.

15. The community gaming system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of symbols are arranged on a plurality of reels, the at least a first one of the plurality of symbols being displayed on a first reel of the plurality of reels and the at least a second one of the plurality of symbols being displayed on a second reel of the plurality of reels.

16. The community gaming system of claim 10, further comprising a community display, wherein the community portion is further displayed on the community display.

17. A community gaming system comprising:

a wager input device;

at least one display for displaying a plurality of community wagering games, the plurality of community wagering games including a first community wagering game and a second community wagering game, the first community wagering game comprising presentation of a plurality of first outcomes, each first outcome having a community portion and an individual portion, the second community wagering game comprising presentation of a plurality of second outcomes, each second outcome comprising a community outcome;

a community controller operative to;

(i) in response to the occurrence of a triggering event, select which of the plurality of community wagering games to display;

(ii) in response to the first community wagering game being selected, determine the community portion of the first community wagering game; and

(iii) in response to the second community wagering game being selected, determine a randomly selected second outcome;

and

a first controller operative, in response to the first community wagering game being selected, to (i) determine the individual portion of the first outcome, (ii) cause the at least one display to display the first outcome, and (iii) award a prize if the first outcome comprises a winning outcome.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first outcome comprises a plurality of symbols arranged in an array, wherein at a first one of the symbols comprises the community portion, wherein at least a second one of the symbols comprises the individual portion.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the individual portion is randomly selected by the first controller.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the entirety of each second outcome is determined by the community controller.