Regulated games: multi-act games

• US 9,039,514 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Linard, Sylvie, Papanastasiou, John, de Courssou, Thierry Brunet
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US14/193,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20140179407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/15, 463/22
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/18 Question-and-answer games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• 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 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

Creative multi-act games for the younger generation of casino players accustomed to creative simulation games such as “The Sims®” and familiar TV characters such as the cast of “Friends”. Stories unfold through acts that have been staged by the player by selecting and placing acting objects. A palette of betting opportunities may be provided in each act in accordance with the staged act to allow the player(s) to place bets. A typical storyboard may include three acts: (a) a construction act, (b) a testing act and (c) a destruction or resolution act. The unfolding of acts may be non-linear and several players may participate simultaneously, sharing the opportunity to affect a storyboard'"'"'s direction through decision-making.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing,

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value,

(ii) a validator configured to identify the first physical item, and

(iii) a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance,

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 plurality of input devices to;

(a) receive at least one selectively placed bets on whether a conduit will enable an object to travel from a predetermined source to a predetermined destination through the conduit,

(b) randomly determine a layout of the conduit,

(c) display the determined layout of the conduit,

(d) randomly determine an outcome, said randomly determined outcome being based, at least in part, on the determined layout of the conduit; and

(e) display the randomly determined outcome.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a liquid.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the object travelling through at least part of the conduit.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine an award if a bet was placed that the object would travel from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination through the conduit and the object traveled through the conduit from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine an award if a bet was placed that the object would not travel from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination through the conduit and the object did not travel through the conduit from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination.

6. A gaming system server comprising:

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;

(a) receive data representing at least one selectively placed bet on whether a conduit will enable an object to travel from a predetermined source to a predetermined destination through the conduit, said bet selectively placed via an actuation of a bet button

(b) randomly determine a layout of the conduit,

(c) cause at least one display device to display the determined layout of the conduit,

(d) randomly determine an outcome, said randomly determined outcome being based, at least in part, on the determined layout of the conduit;

(e) cause the at least one display device to display the randomly determined outcome; and

(f) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, causing an initiation of a payout associated with any credit balance displayed by the at least one display device.

7. The gaming system server of claim 6, wherein the object includes a liquid.

8. The gaming system server of claim 6, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display the object travelling through at least part of the conduit.

9. The gaming system server of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine an award if a bet was placed that the object would travel from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination through the conduit and the object traveled through the conduit from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination.

10. The gaming system server of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine an award if a bet was placed that the object would not travel from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination through the conduit and the object did not travel through the conduit from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination.

11. The gaming system server of claim 6, which transmits and receives data over a data network.

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

(a) receiving, via an actuation of a bet button, at least one selectively placed bets on whether a conduit will enable an object to travel from a predetermined source to a predetermined destination through the conduit,

(b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to randomly determine a layout of the conduit,

(c) causing at least one display device to display the determined layout of the conduit,

(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine an outcome, said randomly determined outcome being based, at least in part, on the determined layout of the conduit; and

(e) causing the at least one display device to display the randomly determined outcome; and

(f) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause an initiation of a payout associated with any credit balance displayed by the at least one display device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the object includes a liquid.

14. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the object travelling through at least part of the conduit.

15. The method of claim 14, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award if a bet was placed that the object would travel from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination through the conduit and the object traveled through the conduit from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination.

16. The method of claim 14, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award if a bet was placed that the object would not travel from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination through the conduit and the object did not travel through the conduit from the predetermined source to the predetermined destination.

17. The method of claim 12, which is executed through a data network.