GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING A PLAYER-SELECTED FEATURE FOR A PLAY OF A GAME OR USING THE PLAYER-SELECTED FEATURE TO MODIFY ANOTHER FEATURE FOR A SUBSEQUENT PLAY OF THE GAME

• US 20140329591A1
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Caputo, Scott A., Saunders, Brian F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3267 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game employing a player-selected one of a plurality of different features. In one embodiment, the gaming system is configured to operate a game associated with a set of a plurality of different features, and enables a player to select one of the features for a play of the game. In certain instances, the gaming system provides the play of the game in accordance with the selected feature. In other instances, the gaming system provides the play of the game without the selected feature, and uses the selected feature to modify one of the other, non-selected features that has a designated relationship with the selected feature. The gaming system subsequently enables the player to select the modified feature for a subsequent play of the game.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing 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 input device and the at least one display device to;

(a) initiate a first bonus round upon an occurrence of a bonus triggering event and, for said first bonus round;

(i) for each of a plurality of different locked features, display a partially-obscured representation of said locked feature;

(ii) receive a selection of a first one of the displayed partially-obscured representations associated with a locked first one of the features;

(iii) unlock said locked first feature and display an unobscured representation of said unlocked first feature; and

(iv) display a play of a game in accordance with said unlocked first feature; and

(b) initiate a second subsequent bonus round upon another occurrence of the bonus triggering event and, for said second bonus round;

(i) display the unobscured representation of the unlocked first feature;

(ii) for each remaining locked feature, display the partially-obscured representation of said locked feature;

(iii) receive a selection of a second one of the displayed partially-obscured representations associated with a locked second one of the features;

(iv) unlock said locked second feature and display an unobscured representation of said unlocked second feature; and

(v) display another play of the game in accordance with at least one of the unlocked first and second features.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for each locked feature, the partially-obscured representation of said locked feature provides incomplete information associated with said locked feature.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to select the plurality of different locked features from a pool of features.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, upon initiation of a first bonus round after each of the features has been unlocked, select another, different plurality of features from the set and, for said bonus round, repeat (a)(i) to (a)(iv).

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) select one of a plurality of different pools of features based on virtual currency accumulated by the player, and

(b) select at least one of the plurality of different features from the selected pool.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the pools includes at least one feature not included in at least one of the other pools.

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

(a) initiating a first bonus round upon an occurrence of a bonus triggering event and, for said first bonus round;

(i) for each of a plurality of different locked features, 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 display a partially-obscured representation of said locked feature;

(ii) receiving a selection of a first one of the displayed partially-obscured representations associated with a locked first one of the features;

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to unlock said locked first feature and operate with the at least one display device to display an unobscured representation of said unlocked first feature; and

(iv) operate with the at least one display device to display a play of a game in accordance with said unlocked first feature; and

(b) initiating a second subsequent bonus round upon another occurrence of the bonus triggering event and, for said second bonus round;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display the unobscured representation of the unlocked first feature;

(ii) for each remaining locked feature, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display the partially-obscured representation of said locked feature;

(iii) receiving a selection of a second one of the displayed partially-obscured representations associated with a locked second one of the features;

(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to unlock said locked second feature and operate with the at least one display device to display an unobscured representation of said unlocked second feature; and

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display another play of the game in accordance with at least one of the unlocked first and second features.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, for each locked feature, the partially-obscured representation of said locked feature provides incomplete information associated with said locked feature.

9. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select the plurality of different locked features from a pool of features.

10. The method of claim 9, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, upon initiation of a first bonus round after each of the features has been unlocked, select another, different plurality of features from the set and, for said bonus round, repeat (a)(i) to (a)(iv).

11. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to:

(a) select one of a plurality of different pools of features based on virtual currency accumulated by the player, and

(b) select at least one of the plurality of different features from the selected pool.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the pools includes at least one feature not included in at least one of the other pools.

13. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) initiate a first bonus round upon an occurrence of a bonus triggering event and, for said first bonus round;

(i) for each of a plurality of different locked features, cause at least one display device to display a partially-obscured representation of said locked feature;

(ii) operate with at least one input device to receive a selection of a first one of the displayed partially-obscured representations associated with a locked first one of the features;

(iii) unlock said locked first feature and cause at least one display device to display an unobscured representation of said unlocked first feature; and

(iv) cause at least one display device to display a play of a game in accordance with said unlocked first feature; and

(b) initiate a second subsequent bonus round upon another occurrence of the bonus triggering event and, for said second bonus round;

(i) cause at least one display device to display the unobscured representation of the unlocked first feature;

(ii) for each remaining locked feature, cause at least one display device to display the partially-obscured representation of said locked feature;

(iii) operate with the at least one input device to receive a selection of a second one of the displayed partially-obscured representations associated with a locked second one of the features;

(iv) unlock said locked second feature and cause at least one display device to display an unobscured representation of said unlocked second feature; and

(v) cause at least one display device to display another play of the game in accordance with at least one of the unlocked first and second features.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein, for each locked feature, the partially-obscured representation of said locked feature provides incomplete information associated with said locked feature.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to select the plurality of different locked features from a pool of features.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, upon initiation of a first bonus round after each of the features has been unlocked, select another, different plurality of features from the set and, for said bonus round, repeat (a)(i) to (a)(iv).

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) select one of a plurality of different pools of features based on virtual currency accumulated by the player, and

(b) select at least one of the plurality of different features from the selected pool.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein at least one of the pools includes at least one feature not included in at least one of the other pools.