Gaming machine with player selected events

• US 6,592,457 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jaffe, Joel R., Gura, Damon E., Giobbi, John J., Raneses, Marc A., Frohm, Erica A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/538,934
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-4, 463/6, 463/8, 463/16-20, 463/22, 463/25-26, 463/30-31, 463/36-37, 463/40, 463/43-44, 273/108.1, 273/108.3, 273/277, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/274, 273/317.1, 273/317--31, 273/461
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0664 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3262 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a presentation element and an animation feature. In response to a wager amount, a processor controls the presentation element. The presentation element is capable of presenting a plurality of action selections for a player. When a player selects one of the actions, the animation feature animates a multi-step event corresponding to the selected action. Combinations of multi-step events result in a continuing gameplay experience, and payoffs are rewarded to the player in response to certain multi-step events or certain achievements in the continuing gameplay experience.

Claims

1. A gaming machine controlled by processing circuitry in response to a wager, said gaming machine comprising a presentation medium presenting a multi-stage game including a plurality of stages and a plurality of player-selectable options, each of said stages including an action executed on said presentation medium in response to selection of at least one of said options by a player, said action in at least one of said stages resulting in a payoff if said action matches a first predetermined criterion, said actions in said stages relating to one another to form a continuing performance that produces a game outcome, said game outcome resulting in a payoff if said game outcome matches a second predetermined criterion, said multi-stage game being other than reel spinning slots, cards, roulette, dice, dominoes, bingo, or keno, the selection of one of said options by the player in one or more of said stages resulting in a different set of options being made available for selection by the player in a subsequent one or more of said stages.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the multi-stage game includes a sporting event.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein said sporting event is selected from a group consisting of football, boxing, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, racing, track-and-field, golf, tennis, and bowling.

4. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein said action in each of said stages includes a play of said sporting event.

5. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein said sporting event is football, said action in each of said stages includes a football play, said player-selectable options being different types of offensive or defensive plays.

6. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein said sporting event is boxing, said action in each of said stages including a boxing move, said player-selectable options being different types of boxing moves.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said action in each of said stages is executed in response to a stage wager being placed by the player.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said presentation medium is a visual display, said multi-stage game being animated on said visual display.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said presentation medium includes mechanical actors.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said actions in said stages vary from one another.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein said action in each of said stages varies with the selection of different ones of said options.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said action in each of said stages varies with the selection of different ones of said options.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said action in each of said stages continues the action occurring in an immediately preceding one of said stages.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said action in each of said stages results in a stage outcome, said stage outcome resulting in a stage payoff if said stage outcome matches the first predetermined criterion.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein said stage payoff is based on a degree of success of said action.

16. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said second predetermined criterion for awarding a payoff based on said game outcome is established by the player.

17. The gaming machine controlled by processing circuitry in response to a wager, said gaming machine comprising:

a presentation medium; and

a multi-stage game played on said presentation medium, said game including a plurality of stages and a plurality of player-selectable options, each of said stages including an action executed on said presentation medium in response to selection of at least one of said options by a player, by action varying with the selection of different ones of said options, said action representing a stage outcome, said stage outcome resulting in a stage payoff if said stage outcome matches a first predetermined criterion, said options available for selection by the player in one or more of said stages changing based upon the selection of previous options by the player in a prior one or more of said stages, said actions in said stages relating to one another to form a continuing performance that produces a game outcome, said game outcome resulting in a payoff if said game outcome matches a second predetermined criterion, said game being other than reel spinning slots, cards, roulette, dice, dominoes, bingo, or keno.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the multi-stage game includes a sporting event.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein said sporting event is selected from a group consisting of football, boxing, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, racing, track-and-field, golf, tennis, and bowling.

20. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein said action in each of said stages includes a play of said sporting event.

21. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein said sporting event is football, said action in each of said stages including a football play, said player-selectable options being different types of offensive or defensive plays.

22. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein said sporting event is boxing, said action in each of said stages including a boxing move, said player-selectable options being different types of boxing moves.

23. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said action in each of said stages is executed in response to a stage wager being placed by the player.

24. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein said second predetermined criterion for awarding a payoff based on said stage outcomes is established by the player.

25. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said presentation medium is a visual display, said multi-stage game being animated on said visual display.

26. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said presentation medium includes mechanical actors.

27. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said actions in said stages vary from one another.

28. The gaming machine of claim 27, wherein said action in each of said stages varies with the selection of different ones of said options.

29. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said action in each of said stages varies with the selection of different ones of said options.

30. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said action in each of said stages continues the action occurring in an immediately preceding one of said stages.

31. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said action in each of said stages represents a stage outcome, said stage outcome resulting in a stage payoff if said stage outcome matches said first predetermined criterion.

32. The gaming machine of claim 31, wherein said stage payoff is based on a degree of success of said action.

33. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein said second predetermined criterion for awarding a payoff based on said game outcome is established by the player.

34. A gaming machine controlled by processing circuitry, said gaming machine comprising a presentation medium presenting a multi-stage game simulating an action of an animated entity in each stage, said action being executed on said presentation medium in response to a wager placed by a player and further in response to the selection by the player of one of a plurality of options presented to the player, said action resulting in a payoff if said action yields an outcome matching a first predetermined criterion, said actions in said stages relating to one another to form a continuing performance that produces a game outcome, said game outcome resulting in a payoff if said game outcome matches a second predetermined criterion, said game including a sporting event selected from a group consisting of football, boxing, basketball, hockey, soccer, racing, track-and-field, golf, and tennis, said options available for selection by the player varying at different stages of said game.

35. The gaming machine of claim 34, wherein said presentation medium is a visual display, said game being animated on aid visual display.

36. The gaming machine of claim 34, wherein said presentation medium includes mechanical actors.

37. The gaming machine of claim 34, wherein said second predetermined criterion for awarding a payoff based on said game outcome is established by the player.