Wagering game with persistent state of game assets affecting other players

• US 8,172,685 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Englman, Allon G., Pacey, Larry J., Gagner, Mark B., Hornik, Jeremy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US12/281,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20090011824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 22, 463 24- 29, 463/33, 463 42- 43, 463/47, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/141.A, 273/269, 273454-456, 273460-461
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines, each gaming machine including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The randomly selected outcome is selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input. Each gaming machine allows a player to achieve a player level from a plurality of player levels. The gaming system further includes a controller linked to the gaming machines. The controller is adapted to permit a certain community-event game from a plurality of community-game events to be played at two or more of gaming machines in response to a conditional state at the gaming machines. The conditional state is a function of the player levels at the gaming machines.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of linked gaming machines, each of said plurality of linked gaming machines including a display that displays a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each of said plurality of linked gaming machines allowing a player to achieve a player level from a plurality of player levels, the plurality of player levels including player levels increasing from a lower level to a higher level based on game-play progression; and

a controller linked to said plurality of linked gaming machines and programmed to permit a certain community-game event from a plurality of community-game events to be played at two or more of said plurality of linked gaming machines in response to a conditional state at said plurality of linked gaming machines, said conditional state being a function of at least two of said player levels at said plurality of linked gaming machines.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of linked gaming machines allows said player to accumulate one or more game assets, said player level being associated with an accumulation of said one or more game assets.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said one or more game assets are transferred to other ones of said plurality of gaming machines to improve said conditional state of at said plurality of linked gaming machines.

4. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said game assets are tradable to a player at another one of said plurality of gaming machines in exchange for a game enhancement parameter awarded by said system.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said player level is achieved by said player based on said player receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game or said player achieving a certain event.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said player level is achieved by said player wagering a certain amount within a certain time period or within a series of plays of said wagering game.

7. A method for conducting wagering games, comprising:

conducting said wagering games at a plurality of gaming machines, each of said plurality of gaming machines providing access to a plurality of community events;

selecting a community event from said plurality of community events to be played by two or more eligible gaming machines within said plurality of gaming machines, said selecting being based on at least two player levels of players at said plurality of gaming machines, the player levels including player levels increasing from a lower level to a higher level based on game-play progression; and

playing said selected community event at said two or more eligible gaming machines.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising customizing a game theme associated with said wagering game such that said game theme is similar to at least one of said plurality of community-game events.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising accumulating one or more game assets.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said player levels are associated with said accumulated game assets.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting said one or more game assets from a group consisting of a multiplier, an additional roll of at least one die, a bonus award, a bonus game, additional player selections, extended game play, and continued game play after a game-terminating outcome has been achieved.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising achieving said player level based on at least one of said player receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game, said player achieving a certain event, and wager input received from said player.

13. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of linked gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including a display that displays a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each of said gaming machines allowing a player to achieve a player level from a plurality of player levels, the plurality of player levels including player levels increasing from a lower level to a higher level based on game progression; and

a controller linked to said plurality of linked gaming machines and programmed to permit a selection of a certain community-game event from a plurality of community-game events, said plurality of community-game events being played at two or more of said plurality of linked gaming machines in response to a community-game activation event, said selection being made by one or more players based on at least two of said player levels at said plurality of linked gaming machines.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein said selection is based on a weighted average of said player levels.

15. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein said selection is transferred transferable from a first player to a second player.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein said community-game activation event is based on either an outcome in said wagering game or an event independent of an outcome in said wagering game.

17. A method of playing wagering games, comprising:

conducting said wagering games at a plurality of linked gaming machines, each of said wagering games having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome that has been selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input;

for each of said plurality of players, determining a player level based on certain criteria occurring at said respective one of said gaming machines, said player level fluctuating during a gaming session in which said wagering game is played multiple times, said player level increasing from a lower level to a higher level based on game-play progression; and

in response to a community-game triggering event, selecting a community game from a plurality of community games based on at least two of said player levels of said players at said gaming machines that are eligible for said community game at the time said community-game triggering event occurs.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said players at said eligible gaming machines select said community game based on a highest-ranked level of said player levels.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said criteria is selected from a group consisting of receiving a certain combination of symbols in said wagering game and achieving a certain event.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said player level fluctuates based on at least one of wager input, frequency of wager input, turnover, winnings, elapsed time from last wager, number of wagering sessions, and number of wagering games.

21. A method for conducting a wagering game, comprising:

conducting a first wagering game at a first gaming machine, said first gaming machine providing access to a plurality of community events, a first player at said first gaming machine having a first player-level status;

conducting a second wagering game at a second gaming machine that is linked to said first gaming machine, said second gaming machine providing access to said plurality of community events, a second player at said second gaming machine having a second player-level status;

increasing said second player-level status to a modified player-level status by a transfer from said first player; and

in response to said first player-level status and said modified player-level status at said first gaming machine and said second gaming machine, respectively, accessing a certain community event from said plurality of community events.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising suggesting said transfer to at least one of said first player and said second player.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising suggesting which one of said plurality of community events has not been played by at least one of said first player and second player.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing an option to at least one of said first player and said second player to select said certain community event.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising awarding a special award to said first player in response to said transfer.