Wagering game, gaming machine and networked gaming system with customizable player avatar

• US 9,064,369 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Schueller, Darren, Conway, Michael, Garretsen, William, Schulze, Jennifer, Wabschall, Michael, Owen, Clint, Cody, JP
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US12/818,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/20, 463/25, 463/42, 463/43, 463/30, 705/14, 705/3, 705/1, 715/757
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

Abstract

A method, gaming machine, and networked gaming system are disclosed for operating a wagering game that includes an interface activate-able by a player; a set of game plays, with at least one of the game plays occurring after activation of the interface by the player; and a persistent customizable player avatar interactive with a player and the wagering game, and, providing entertainment and companionship for a player during game play.

Claims

1. A wagering game system including:

(a) a player interface system enabling a player to initiate a wager for a play in a wagering game;

(b) one or more display devices; and

(c) one or more processors configured to;

(i) cause at least one of the one or more display devices to display a player avatar presentation including at least one player avatar and also including an avatar point value in an avatar point display area of the player avatar presentation,

(ii) cause the player avatar presentation to include a customization for the player avatar responsive to a redemption of avatar points from the avatar point value,

(iii) cause the one or more display devices to display a game presentation showing an outcome for the play in the wagering game, a win value for the outcome, and a remaining credit value for the player, the game presentation being displayed concurrently with the player avatar presentation, and the remaining credit value and win value being separate from the avatar point value, and

(iv) cause the player avatar to present an animation responsive to the outcome, the presented animation being selected from at least two different animations wherein each different animation corresponds to a particular outcome type in the game.

2. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the game presentation and player avatar presentation are displayed concurrently in separate distinct windows on one of the one or more display devices.

3. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the area of the avatar presentation to change to an avatar trophy wall presentation including at least one avatar award symbol for an award which has been obtained for the player avatar.

4. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause one of the one or more display devices to display an avatar award ceremony including an animation of a pin up presenter presenting the player avatar with an avatar award.

5. The wagering game system of claim 4 wherein the pin up presenter is selected from a number of different player-selectable pin up presenter options.

6. The wagering game system of claim 1 further including an overhead display device associated with two or more separate gaming machines, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the overhead display device to display a player avatar celebration graphic presentation in which the player avatar is shown in a celebration animation.

7. The wagering game system of claim 6 wherein the celebration animation is selected from a number of different player-selectable celebration animations.

8. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the display device displaying the player avatar presentation to display a player avatar celebration graphic display in which the player avatar is shown in a celebration animation.

9. The wagering game system of claim 8 wherein the celebration animation is selected from a number of different player-selectable celebration animations.

10. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the player avatar presentation includes a generic player avatar and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the display device displaying the player avatar presentation to change the generic player avatar to a player-customized player avatar responsive to a login by the player.

11. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors include an avatar server processor configured to maintain the avatar point value.

12. The wagering game system of claim 11 wherein the one of more processors include a web server providing a web interface enabling the player to customize the player avatar.

13. The wagering game system of claim 12 wherein the web interface enables the player to modify the avatar point value.

14. A wagering game system including:

(a) a player interface system enabling a player to initiate a wager for a play in a wagering game;

(b) a display device; and

(c) one or more processors configured to;

(i) cause the display device to display a player avatar presentation including at least one player avatar and also including an avatar point value in an avatar point display area of the player avatar presentation,

(ii) cause the player avatar presentation to include a customization for the player avatar responsive to a redemption of avatar points from the avatar point value,

(iii) cause the one or more display devices to display a game presentation showing an outcome for the play in the wagering game, a win value for the outcome, and a remaining credit value for the player, the game presentation being displayed concurrently with the player avatar presentation, and the remaining credit value and win value being separate from the avatar point value, and

(iv) cause the player avatar to present an animation responsive to the outcome, the presented animation being selected from at least two different animations wherein each different animation corresponds to a particular outcome type in the game.

15. The wagering game system of claim 14 wherein the game presentation and player avatar presentation are displayed concurrently in separate distinct windows on the display device.

16. The wagering game system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the area of the avatar presentation to change to an avatar trophy wall presentation including at least one avatar award symbol for an award which has been obtained for the player avatar.

17. The wagering game system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the display device to display an avatar award ceremony including an animation of a pin up presenter presenting the player avatar with an avatar award.

18. The wagering game system of claim 17 wherein the pin up presenter is selected from a number of different player-selectable pin up presenter options.

19. A method of operating a gaming machine, the method including:

(a) accepting a wager through a wager input mechanism;

(b) under control of one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, initiating a play in a game for the wager;

(c) under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing a display device associated with the gaming machine to display a player avatar presentation including at least one player avatar and also including an avatar point value in an avatar point display area of the player avatar presentation;

(d) under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing the player avatar presentation to include a customization for the player avatar responsive to a redemption of avatar points from the avatar point value;

(e) under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing the one or more display devices to display a game presentation showing an outcome for the play in the game, a win value for the outcome, and a remaining credit value for the player, the game presentation being displayed concurrently with the player avatar presentation, and the remaining credit value and win value being separate from the avatar point value; and

(f) under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing the player avatar to present an animation responsive to the outcome, the presented animation being selected from at least two different animations wherein each different animation corresponds to a particular outcome type in the game.

20. The method of claim 19 further including, under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, displaying the game presentation and player avatar presentation concurrently in separate distinct windows on one of the one or more display devices.

21. The method of claim 19 further including, under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing the area of the avatar presentation to change to an avatar trophy wall presentation including at least one avatar award symbol for an award which has been obtained for the player avatar.

22. The method of claim 19 further including, under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing one of the one or more display devices to display an avatar award ceremony including an animation of a pin up presenter presenting the player avatar with an avatar award.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the pin up presenter is selected from a number of different player-selectable pin up presenter options.

24. The method of claim 19 further including, under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing an overhead display device associated with two or more separate gaming machines to display a player avatar celebration graphic presentation in which the player avatar is shown in a celebration animation.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the player avatar presentation includes a generic player avatar and further including, under control of the one or more processors associated with the gaming machine, causing the display device displaying the player avatar presentation to change the generic player avatar to a player-customized player avatar responsive to a login by the player.