Gaming system, gaming device and method for providing a strategy game having a plurality of awards

• US 8,708,800 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Caputo, Scott A., Lafky, Ernie M., Nicley, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US13/773,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/42, 463/5
• 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:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager to participate in a play of a game, said game having a plurality of targets, each target associated with an award and an amount of damage required to destroy said target;

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

(c) provide the player with a number of projectiles for said play of the game;

(d) enable the player to input a selection of one of said targets;

(i) enable the player to attack the selected target using said projectiles;

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

(iii) 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, wherein;

(A) if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target reaches the amount of damage required to destroy the attacked target, the portion of the award associated with the attacked target includes a full amount of said award; and

(B) if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target does not reach the amount of damage required to destroy the attacked target, the portion of the award associated with the attacked target includes less than the full amount of said award;

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

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

(B) repeat (i) to (iv) until a terminating event occurs; and

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

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

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

4. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a plurality of different types of projectiles, and 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 an additional award for reaching the amount of damage required to destroy said target is provided to the player.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the amount of damage required to destroy the attacked target is randomly determined.

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

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the terminating event occurs when the player has a designated quantity of usable projectiles remaining.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the designated quantity is zero.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the terminating event occurs randomly.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager to participate in a play of a game, said game having a plurality of targets, each target associated with an award and an amount of damage required to destroy said target;

(b) for each target, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to cause a display of information relating to the award associated with said target and the amount of damage required to destroy said target;

(c) providing the player with a number of projectiles for said play of the game;

(d) enabling the player to input a selection of one of said targets,

(i) enabling the player to attack the selected target using said projectiles;

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an amount of damage caused to the attacked target;

(iii) 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, wherein;

(A) if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target reaches the amount of damage required to destroy the attacked target, the portion of the award associated with the attacked target includes a full amount of said award; and

(B) if the amount of damage caused to the attacked target does not reach the amount of damage required to destroy the attacked target, the portion of the award associated with the attacked target includes less than the full amount of said award;

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

(A) enabling the player to input another selection of one of said targets to attack in said play of the game, and

(B) repeating (i) to (iv) until a terminating event occurs; and

(v) when the terminating event occurs, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to terminate said play of the game for the player.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to predetermine the number of projectiles to provide to the player.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine the number of projectiles to provide to the player based on the wager placed by the player.

14. The method of claim 11, 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.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein an additional award for reaching the amount of damage required to destroy said target is provided to the player.

16. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine the amount of damage required to destroy the attacked target.

17. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine the amount of damage caused to the attacked target.

18. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause the terminating event to occur when the player has a designated quantity of usable projectiles remaining.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the designated quantity is zero.

20. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine when the terminating event occurs.

21. The method of claim 11, which is provided through a data network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is an internet.

23. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager to participate in a play of a game, said game having a plurality of targets, each target associated with an award and an amount of damage required to destroy said target;

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

(c) provide the player with a number of projectiles for said play of the game;

(d) enable the player to join at least one team for said play of the game; and

(e) enable the player to input a selection of one of said targets, wherein each of a plurality of players of said at least one team may select the same target to attack;

(i) enable the player to attack the selected target using said projectiles;

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

(iii) 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;

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

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

(B) repeat (i) to (iv) until a terminating event occurs; and

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

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device 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) a number of projectiles used by said player to attack said target; and

(ii) an amount of damage caused to the attacked target by said player.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager to participate in a play of a game, said game having a plurality of targets, each target associated with an award and an amount of damage required to destroy said target;

(b) for each target, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to cause a display of information relating to the award associated with said target and the amount of damage required to destroy said target;

(c) providing the player with a number of projectiles for said play of the game;

(d) enabling the player to join at least one team for said play of the game;

(e) enabling the player to input a selection of one of said targets, wherein each of a plurality of players of said at least one team may select the same target to attack;

(i) enabling the player to attack the selected target using said projectiles;

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an amount of damage caused to the attacked target;

(iii) 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;

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

(A) enabling the player to input another selection of one of said targets to attack in said play of the game, and

(B) repeating (i) to (iv) until a terminating event occurs; and

(v) when the terminating event occurs, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to terminate said play of the game for the player.

26. The method of claim 25, which includes 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) a number of projectiles used by said player to attack said target; and

(ii) an amount of damage caused to the attacked target by said player.