Gaming system, gaming device, and method for providing a multiple player game

• US 8,795,063 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Caputo, Scott A., Wolf, Bryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/430,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20130260868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 463/15, 463/20, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A gaming system including a multiple player game, such as a community game associated with a plurality of gaming devices. This community game includes a community game area or matrix, such as a redemption area or redemption environment which is displayed to at least the players of the gaming devices. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions, spots or spaces. At least each of the players playing the primary games of the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant or avatar that occupies or is otherwise positioned at one of the displayed positions, spots or spaces of the community game matrix.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one controller configured to communicate with each of a plurality of gaming devices, each of the plurality of gaming devices configured to enable a player to place a wager to play a primary game wherein each player is associated with an individual participant, said at least one controller programmed to;

(a) for each of the players, if a community game award populator event occurs;

(i) provide the player a quantity of community game award populators, each community game award populator associated with one of;

a community game award and a community game award opportunity,

(ii) cause a display of;

(A) a community game matrix including a plurality of displayed positions, and

(B) the individual participant associated with the player at one of the displayed positions,

(iii) enable the player to place each provided community game award populator at at least one of the displayed positions, and

(iv) for each community game award populator placed at at least one of the displayed positions, associate the one of the community game award and the community game award opportunity with the at least one displayed positions; and

(b) if a community game position move accumulation event occurs;

(i) determine a quantity of position moves associated with one of the players, and

(ii) for each of the determined quantity of position moves associated with the player;

(A) enable the player to designate one of the displayed positions, wherein the displayed positions available to be designated by the player are based on the position at which the individual participant associated with the player is displayed,

(B) cause a display of the individual participant associated with the player moving to the designated displayed position,

(C) if the designated displayed position is associated with any community game awards, cause the associated community game award to be provided to the player, and

(D) if the designated displayed position is associated with any community game award opportunities;

(I) determine any community game award associated with the community game award opportunity, and

(II) cause any determined community game award to be provided to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the community game award populator event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the community game position move accumulation event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the community game award populators is associated with a first community game award opportunity having a first average expected payout and at least one of the community game award populators is associated with a second, different community game award opportunity having a second, different average expected payout.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the first community game award populator is associated with a first play of the primary game and the placement of a first wager amount and the second community game award populator is associated with a second play of the primary game and the placement of a second, different wager amount.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the placed community game award populators is associated with a plurality of the displayed positions.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to cause at least one community display device to display at least one of:

the community game matrix including the plurality of displayed positions, at least one individual participant associated with at least one of the players, at least one of any community game awards provided to at least one of the players, and at least one of any community game award opportunities.

8. A gaming system comprising:

at least one controller configured to communicate with each of a plurality of gaming devices, each of the plurality of gaming devices configured to enable a player to place a wager to play a primary game wherein each player is associated with an individual participant, said at least one controller programmed to;

(a) if a community game award populator event occurs;

(i) cause a display of;

(A) a community game matrix including a plurality of displayed positions, and

(B) the individual participant associated with at least one of the players at one of the displayed positions, and

(ii) enable at least one of the players to place a community game award at at least one of the displayed positions; and

(b) if a community game position move accumulation event occurs, for each of any accumulated position moves associated with one of the players;

(i) enable the player to designate one of the displayed positions, wherein the displayed positions available to be designated by the player are based on the position at which the individual participant associated with the player is displayed,

(ii) cause a display of the individual participant associated with the player moving to the designated displayed position,

(iii) if the designated displayed position is associated with any community game awards, cause the associated community game award to be provided to the player.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the community game award populator event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the community game position move accumulation event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

11. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the placed community game awards is associated with a plurality of the displayed positions.

12. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to cause at least one community display device to display at least one of:

the community game matrix including the plurality of displayed positions, at least one individual participant associated with at least one of the players, and at least one of any community game awards provided to at least one of the players.

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

(a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices, enabling a player to place a wager to play a primary game, each player being associated with an individual participant; and

(b) for each of the players, if a community game award populator event occurs;

(i) providing the player a quantity of community game award populators, each community game award populator associated with one of;

a community game award and a community game award opportunity,

(ii) causing at least one display device to display;

(A) a community game matrix including a plurality of displayed positions, and

(B) the individual participant associated with the player at one of the displayed positions,

(iii) enabling the player to place each provided community game award populator at at least one of the displayed positions, and

(iv) for each community game award populator placed at at least one of the displayed positions, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to associate the one of the community game award and the community game award opportunity with the at least one displayed positions; and

(c) if a community game position move accumulation event occurs;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a quantity of position moves associated with one of the players, and

(ii) for each of the determined quantity of position moves associated with the player;

(A) enabling the player to designate one of the displayed positions, wherein the displayed positions available to be designated by the player are based on the position at which the individual participant associated with the player is displayed,

(B) causing the at least one display device to display the individual participant associated with the player moving to the designated displayed position,

(C) if the designated displayed position is associated with any community game awards, providing the associated community game award to the player, and

(D) if the designated displayed position is associated with any community game award opportunities;

(I) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any community game award associated with the community game award opportunity, and

(II) providing any determined community game award to the player.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the community game award populator event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the community game position move accumulation event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the community game award populators is associated with a first community game award opportunity having a first average expected payout and at least one of the community game award populators is associated with a second, different community game award opportunity having a second, different average expected payout.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first community game award populator is associated with a first play of the primary game and the placement of a first wager amount and the second community game award populator is associated with a second play of the primary game and the placement of a second, different wager amount.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the placed community game award populators is associated with a plurality of the displayed positions.

19. The method of claim 13, which includes causing at least one community display device to display at least one of:

the community game matrix including the plurality of displayed positions, at least one individual participant associated with at least one of the players, at least one of any community game awards provided to at least one of the players, and at least one of any community game award opportunities.

20. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the data network is the internet.

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

(a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices, enabling a player to place a wager to play a primary game, each player being associated with an individual participant; and

(b) if a community game award populator event occurs;

(i) causing at least one display device to display;

(A) a community game matrix including a plurality of displayed positions, and

(B) the individual participant associated with at least one of the players at one of the displayed positions, and

(ii) enabling at least one of the players to place a community game award at at least one of the displayed positions; and

(c) if a community game position move accumulation event occurs, for each of any accumulated position moves associated with one of the players;

(i) enabling the player to designate one of the displayed positions, wherein the displayed positions available to be designated by the player are based on the position at which the individual participant associated with the player is displayed,

(ii) causing the at least one display device to display the individual participant associated with the player moving to the designated displayed position,

(iii) if the designated displayed position is associated with any community game awards, providing the associated community game award to the player.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the community game award populator event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the community game position move accumulation event occurs based, at least in part, on at least one event occurring in association with at least one of the plays of the primary game.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the placed community game awards is associated with a plurality of the displayed positions.

26. The method of claim 22, which includes causing at least one community display device to display at least one of:

the community game matrix including the plurality of displayed positions, at least one individual participant associated with at least one of the players, and at least one of any community game awards provided to at least one of the players.

27. The method of claim 22, which is provided through a data network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data network is the internet.