GAMING DEVICE HAVING NEAR-MISS CONFIGURATION

• US 20110065492A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Acres Technology
• Inventors: Acres, John F.
• Application Number:
  US12/559,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20110065492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to implementing a near-miss outcome on a gaming device. The display characteristics of the near-miss outcome including the representative indicia that makes up the near-miss outcome and the display positioning of this representative indicia is determined. The near-miss outcome may be directly selected as a game outcome from a plurality of possible game outcomes, or may be identified as the result of a triggering game event and displayed instead of or in conjunction with a determined game outcome.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a near-miss game outcome on a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a game outcome is a near-miss outcome;

determining display characteristics of the near-miss outcome including representative outcome indicia of the near-miss outcome and display locations of the representative outcome indicia; and

displaying the near-miss outcome on the gaming device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining display characteristics of the near-miss outcome further includes selecting a near-miss outcome from a plurality of possible near-miss outcomes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting a near-miss outcome from a plurality of possible near-miss outcomes includes obtaining a random number that corresponds to a weighted range of numbers associated with the plurality of possible near-miss outcomes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein prior to obtaining the random number, the weighted range of numbers associated with the plurality of possible near-miss outcomes is updated in response to a predetermined criterion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined criterion is a periodic time-based measurement.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

tracking prior gaming events on the gaming device; and

updating the weighted range of numbers associated with the plurality of possible near-miss outcomes based on the tracked gaming events.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tracked gaming event includes whether the player has been identified to the gaming device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining representative outcome indicia of the near-miss outcome includes determining reel stops associated with the near-miss outcome.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining representative outcome indicia of the near-miss outcome includes determining cards associated with the near-miss outcome.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining display locations of the representative outcome indicia includes determining reel positions to display the near-miss outcome.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining display characteristics of the near-miss outcome further includes:

determining if each possible payline of the gaming device is played; and

selecting a winning outcome to display on a non-played payline when every possible payline on a gaming device is not played.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting a near-miss outcome to display on one of the played paylines when every possible payline on a gaming device is played.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a winning outcome to display on the gaming device; and

selecting the reel positions such that the winning outcome is not displayed on any possible payline.

14. A method of implementing a near-miss game outcome on a gaming device, the method comprising:

identifying a triggering event to display a near-miss outcome;

determining display characteristics of the near-miss outcome including representative outcome indicia of the near-miss outcome and display locations of the representative outcome indicia; and

displaying the near-miss outcome on the gaming device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying a triggering event to display a near-miss outcome includes:

tracking gaming events on the gaming device; and

monitoring when one or more tracked gaming events satisfies a predetermined criterion for triggering a near-miss outcome.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein tracking gaming events on the gaming device includes tracking a number of games that have losing outcomes.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein tracking gaming events on the gaming device includes tracking a number of games remaining on a time-limited banked item associated with a player.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein tracking a number of games remaining on a time-limited banked item associated with a player includes tracking a number of games remaining for which a player can utilize a banked nudge item or a banked respin item.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining display characteristics of the near-miss outcome includes:

determining if a next game outcome to display is a winning outcome;

replacing the next game outcome with the near-miss outcome when the next game outcome is a losing outcome; and

selecting display locations of the representative near-miss outcome indicia to not interfere with the next game outcome when the next game outcome is a winning outcome.

20. A gaming device comprising:

a player interface panel including at least one game initiation device;

a memory to store a plurality of possible game outcomes including at least one near-miss outcome;

a processor configured to determine a game outcome from the plurality of possible outcomes and configured to determine display parameters of the game outcome; and

a game display to show the game outcome having the determined display parameters.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of the near-miss game outcome by selecting reel stops corresponding to the near-miss outcome.

22. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the plurality of possible outcomes includes a single generic near-miss game outcome.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the memory further stores a plurality of possible near-miss outcomes associated with the stored single generic near-miss game outcome.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of possible near-miss outcomes has a corresponding table range with which it is associated.

25. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the table ranges of each outcome is associated with the hit frequency of that game outcome.

26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the memory is modifiable by a casino operator to alter the table ranges of each outcome.

27. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the table ranges stored in the memory are modifiable based on game events occurring on the gaming device.

28. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the table ranges stored in the memory are modifiable based on characteristics of a player.

29. The gaming device of claim 20, further comprising a meter to track a number of near-miss outcomes received by a player.

30. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to award the player a prize when the tracked number of near-miss outcomes received by a player meets a predetermined criterion.