U.S. patent application number 10/366002 was filed with the patent office on 2003-09-25 for gaming machine pathways with unpredictable outcome.
Invention is credited to Olive, Scott.
Application Number | 20030181237 10/366002 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3834102 |
Filed Date | 2003-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030181237 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Olive, Scott |
September 25, 2003 |
Gaming machine pathways with unpredictable outcome
Abstract
A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller
arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14.
The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 in which at least
one random event is caused to be displayed on the display 14. If a
predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize.
When a game 16 played results in a feature being awarded, to arrive
at a determination of a result of the feature, the controller
selects a pathway having a number of steps, each step relating to a
special outcome, with the number of steps taken along the pathway
varying randomly from one feature to the next.
Inventors: |
Olive, Scott; (Lane Cove,
AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
E. Thomas Wheelock
Morrison & Foerster LLP
755 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto
CA
94304-1018
US
|
Family ID: |
3834102 |
Appl. No.: |
10/366002 |
Filed: |
February 12, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3267 20130101;
G07F 17/3258 20130101; G07F 17/3244 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/20 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 12, 2002 |
AU |
PS0502 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A gaming machine having a display means and a game control means
arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display
means, the game control means being arranged to play a game in
which at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the
display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the
machine awards a prize, wherein, when a game played results in a
feature being awarded, to arrive at a determination of a result of
the feature, the control means selects a pathway having a number of
steps, each step relating to a special outcome, with the number of
steps taken along the pathway varying randomly from one feature to
the next.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the feature is a series
of free games and the results of those free games are random and
include the special outcomes.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the feature comprises a
number of special outcome selections available to the player.
4. The gaming machine of claim 3 in which the player is prompted to
make a selection from one of the special outcome selections
whereafter, if the selection, as determined from the selected
pathway, results in a positive outcome, the player is offered
another opportunity to select a further special outcome until one
of a fixed number of steps have been taken along the pathway and a
negative outcome results.
5. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which a set of pathways is
associated with each bet.
6. The gaming machine of claim 5 in which the pathways are weighted
so that those associated with larger bets provide an improved
probability of obtaining larger prizes than the pathways associated
with smaller bets.
7. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which each pathway has a
maximum number of steps that can be taken down the pathway,
following which the feature is regarded as concluded.
8. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the pathways are of
indefinite lengths where, if more than a predetermined number of
steps down the pathway have been taken, thereafter each step along
the pathway will provide a fixed, low credit prize.
9. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which there are a minimum
number of steps to be taken down a pathway which result in positive
outcomes in order to provide encouragement to the player.
10. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which certain of the special
outcomes are collected towards a further event.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Australian Provisional
Patent Application No. PS0502 filed Feb. 12, 2002, and is related
to co-pending U.S. patent application filed Feb. 12, 2003 entitled
"Linked Progressive Jackpot System" which claims priority to
Australian Provisional Patent Application No. PS0501 filed Feb. 12,
2002, and each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a gaming machine. More
particularly, the invention relates to a gaming machine and to an
improvement to a game played on such a gaming machine.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0003] Players who regularly play gaming machines quickly tire of
particular games and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers of
these machines to develop innovative game features which add
interest to the games. In so doing, it is hoped to keep players
amused and therefore willing to continue playing the game as well
as to attract new players.
[0004] Also, with the growth that has occurred in the gaming
machine market, there is intense competition between manufacturers
to supply various existing and new venues. When selecting a
supplier of gaming machines, the operator of a venue will often pay
close attention to the popularity of various games with their
patrons. Therefore, gaming machine manufacturers are keen to devise
games and/or game features which are popular with the players as a
mechanism for improving sales, retaining customers and attracting
new customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the invention, there is provided a gaming
machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to
control images of symbols displayed on the display means, the game
control means being arranged to play a game in which at least one
random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if
a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize,
wherein, when a game played results in a feature being awarded, to
arrive at a determination of a result for the feature, the control
means selects a pathway having a number of steps, each step
relating to a special outcome, with the number of steps taken along
the pathway varying randomly from one feature to the next.
[0006] With the provision of these pathways, it is unnecessary to
fix a feature outcome according to a pathway selected. Accordingly,
although the pathway is fixed once the feature occurs, the outcome
of that feature is still not predictable because it remains unknown
how far down the pathway that feature will proceed.
[0007] The use of pathways is particularly advantageous where a
random feature is awarded. Such random features occur, for example,
when a series of free games is awarded and the results of those
free games are random. In such free games, special outcomes may
occur where bonus prizes are awarded. These special outcomes may,
for example, result from the occurrence of special symbols which,
when acted on by a player of the game, are converted into the
awarding of the special outcome being a bonus credit prize, a bonus
feature or a jackpot symbol. The jackpot symbols may need to be
accumulated so that, when a predetermined number of the jackpot
symbols have been accumulated, a jackpot prize is awarded.
[0008] In another embodiment of the invention, the feature event
may comprise a number of special outcome selections available to
the player. The player may be prompted to make a selection from one
of the special outcome selections where after, if the selection
results in a positive outcome, the player may be offered another
opportunity to select a further special outcome, and so on until a
number of steps have been taken along the pathway or a negative
outcome results. The special outcome selection may be based on
steps taken along a pathway which may be randomly selected from a
set of pathways by the control means.
[0009] A set of pathways may be associated with each bet. Any
number of pathways may constitute each set. The pathways may be
weighted so that those associated with larger bets provide an
improved probability of obtaining larger prizes than the pathways
associated with smaller bets.
[0010] Further, each pathway may have a maximum number of steps
that can be taken down the pathway. For example, all the pathways
in the set may be fifty steps long and, if the fiftieth step is
reached, the gaming machine will not continue. Instead, the
pathways may be of indefinite lengths where, if more than a
predetermined number of steps down the pathway have been taken,
thereafter each step along the pathway will provide a fixed, low
credit prize. It will be appreciated that, in general, the chances
of reaching such a large number of steps down a pathway are
extremely small.
[0011] In addition, there may be a minimum number of steps to be
taken down a pathway in order to provide encouragement to the
player. As an example, at least three steps may be taken down a
pathway during the playing of the feature.
[0012] Still further, certain of the special outcomes may be
collected towards a further event such as the awarding of a
progressive jackpot prize. It will therefore be appreciated that,
if the player succeeds in getting far enough down the pathway, the
player will have a good chance of having collected enough of the
special outcomes to win the progressive prize.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The invention is now described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gaming machine, in
accordance with the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the
gaming machine;
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a first embodiment of a game
played on the gaming machine of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 4 shows a table of a part of each of a number of
pathways used in a second embodiment of a game played on the gaming
machine; and
[0018] FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of the second embodiment of the
game.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a
gaming machine, including a game, in accordance with the invention.
The machine 10 includes a console 12 having a video display unit 14
on which a game 16 is played, in use. The game 16 is, conveniently,
a spinning reel game which simulates the rotation of a number of
spinning reels 18 but the invention is not limited to spinning reel
games. A midtrim 20 of the machine 10 houses a bank 22 of buttons
for enabling a player to play the game 16. The midtrim 20 also
houses a credit input mechanism 24 including a coin input chute
24.1 and a bill collector 24.2.
[0020] The machine 10 includes a top box 26 on which artwork 28 is
carried. The artwork 28 includes paytables, details of bonus
awards, etc. and may further include items, such as highlightable
sections, associated with a feature awarded in the game 16
[0021] A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash
payouts from the machine 10.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a control means or
control circuit 32 is illustrated. A program which implements the
game and user interface is run on a processor 34 of the control
circuit 32. The processor 34 forms part of a controller 36 which
drives the screen of the video display unit 14 and which receives
input signals from sensors 38. The sensors 38 include sensors
associated with the bank 22 of buttons and touch sensors mounted in
the screen of the video display unit 14. The controller 36 also
receives input pulses from the mechanism 24 to determine whether or
not a player has provided sufficient credit to commence playing.
The mechanism 24 may, instead of the coin input chute 24.1 or the
bill collector 24.2, or in addition thereto, be a credit card
reader (not shown) or any other type of validation device.
[0023] Finally, the controller 36 drives a payout mechanism 40
which, for example, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the
coin tray 30 to make a pay out to a player when the player wishes
to redeem his or her credit.
[0024] The game 16, in accordance with the invention, uses fixed
pathways of outcomes during a feature event. Examples of pathways,
which are intended particularly for the second embodiment of the
invention to be described below but which also could be used in the
first embodiment, are shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings and are
designated generally by the reference numeral 50.
[0025] It will be appreciated that, in the case of a spinning reel
game having a number of lines which can be bought and where
multiple credits can be bet per line, various bets can be made by a
player. The more lines bought and number of credits bet per line,
the higher the wager made by the player.
[0026] A set of pathways 50 is associated with each bet. Any number
of pathways constitutes each set. The reason for having a number of
pathways 50 associated with each bet is to increase the
unpredictability of the outcome. Typically, fifty pathways 50 may
be associated with each bet. Each pathway 50 is constituted by a
number of steps.
[0027] In the first embodiment of the invention, the flowchart of
which is shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, each pathway 50 has a
length of fifty steps. For the embodiment of the invention shown in
FIG. 5 of the drawings, each pathway has a length exceeding one
hundred steps.
[0028] Thus, it will be appreciated that the four pathways shown in
FIG. 4 of the drawings show only a part of the total length of each
of those four pathways and are but a small sample of the total
number of pathways associated with the game 16. Thus, each pathway
50 shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings only has the first twenty-five
steps shown, not the full number of steps of each pathway 50.
[0029] The pathways 50 are used in a feature following a base game.
The base game can be any suitable base game and need not be limited
to a spinning reel game. However, for ease of reference the
invention is described with reference to the base game being a
spinning reel game having five reels 18.
[0030] In the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 3 of the
drawings, once a trigger condition has occurred in the base game,
for example, the occurrence of three or more scatter symbols, a
feature is triggered. The feature is a second screen feature. At
the start of the feature a pathway 50 is randomly selected from one
of the sets of pathways.
[0031] In the second screen feature, once a "Start Feature" button
has been pressed in the bank 22 of buttons of the gaming machine
10, five treasure chests are displayed on the screen of the video
display unit 14 and the player is invited to choose a treasure
chest from the five displayed treasure chests. The player selects
the treasure chest by touching it. The chosen treasure chest
animates to reveal a first prize dictated by the pathway previously
selected by the controller 36 of the gaming machine 10.
[0032] A random selection is then made by the controller 36 to
determine whether or not to continue. If the answer is in the
affirmative, the player is afforded a further chance to choose
another treasure chest from a further set of five treasure chests.
The treasure chest, once again, animates to reveal a prize at the
second step or position along the pathway. This procedure continues
until a decision has been made by the controller 36 not to continue
or the end of the pathway has been reached.
[0033] Typically, for this embodiment of the invention a maximum
limit to the number of steps down the pathway 50 which can be taken
is enforced. Thus, as described above, each pathway 50 in the set
has fifty steps and if the fiftieth step is reached by the gaming
machine, the feature is regarded as completed and does not
continue.
[0034] To serve as an encouragement to a player of this embodiment
of the invention, there are a predetermined minimum number of steps
at the beginning of the pathway 50 that result in a positive
outcome. In other words, once a pathway 50 has been selected there
is a one hundred per cent chance that at least three steps along
the pathway will be taken. This is shown in detail in FIG. 3 of the
drawings.
[0035] Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, a second embodiment
of the invention is described with reference to a modified version
of the applicant's Queen of the Nile TM game.
[0036] For every different total amount bet in the Queen of the
Nile game, a set of pathways 50 (once again, for example, fifty
different pathways) is provided. The theoretical return to player
percentage for each individual pathway 50 differs but, since the
pathways 50 are randomly selected from the set when the feature is
triggered, the overall expected return to player will be the
average across all of the pathways 50 in the set associated with
that particular bet. The set from which the pathway 50 is selected
is governed by, and associated with, the size of the bet made by
the player. The pathways are established such that, in the pathways
associated with larger bets, there is a greater probability of
winning larger prizes than in pathways associated with smaller
bets.
[0037] The return to player percentage of the game is calculated as
follows. Probabilities are calculated for each possible number of
special symbols (being a Cleopatra symbol) appearing anywhere over
the entire free games feature. Since the free games can also be
re-triggered, the probabilities of getting from zero to one hundred
special symbols are separately calculated then the probability of
getting more than one hundred special symbols is also
calculated.
[0038] For each bet, a set of fifty predetermined pathways 50 is
developed which provide the separate outcomes for each special
symbol during the free game feature up to a possible one hundred
steps along the pathway 50. A fixed prize of a low number of
credits, for example, five credits, is used once more than one
hundred special symbols have appeared. As indicated above, the
reason fifty pathways 50 are developed rather than just one is to
avoid predictability of prizes for consecutive special symbols.
[0039] The prize outcome at any one position along the pathway 50
is dependent on the probability of getting the required number of
special symbols necessary to reach that position on the pathway 50.
In other words, the value of each of the prizes is weighted to the
number of special symbol outcomes required in order to get those
prizes.
[0040] In the Queen of the Nile game, there are four possible
jackpots being a grand jackpot, a major jackpot, a minor jackpot
and a mini jackpot. The probability of each jackpot being won is
averaged over the fifty different pathways 50. These average
probabilities are weighted to the bet made. Thus, for a bet of five
hundred credits, the probability of achieving the jackpot is
approximately twenty times greater than for a bet of twenty-five
credits. The bonus prizes are also averaged over the fifty
different pathways and weighted according to the bet. Thus, once
again, the bonus prizes for five hundred credits are approximately
twenty times greater than those for a bet of twenty-five credits.
The bonus prizes that are revealed along the pathway when jackpot
symbols are not revealed will be such that the average return to
player contributed by the prizes across the set of pathways
applicable to the bet is the same for every possible total bet.
Because the position of the jackpot symbols in the pathways will be
different for different bets to compensate for the change in
probability of winning a jackpot, the bonus prizes have to be
independently calculated for every pathway of every total bet.
[0041] In FIG. 4 of the drawings it is shown that the chances of
winning a jackpot prize are generally larger for the higher bet. If
path A of the twenty-five bet pathway 50 is chosen then the player
would need to have twenty-four special symbols occurring in the
free game series before that player would win a progressive mini
jackpot. If path B of the twenty-five bet pathway 50 were selected
by the controller, only sixteen special symbols would be needed to
win a minor jackpot and, after twenty-three special symbols had
been spun up the mini jackpot would also be won.
[0042] In contrast, if the maximum number of bets has been made by
the player, being five hundred credits, then, if path A of the five
hundred credit pathway 50 were chosen by the controller 36, the
player would win the mini jackpot after the fourth special symbol
had been spun up. In the case of path B of the five hundred bet
pathway 50, the mini jackpot would be awarded after five special
symbols had been spun up, the minor jackpot after ten special
symbols had been spun up and the major jackpot would be awarded
after twenty-two special symbols had been spun up during the free
game series.
[0043] While the invention has been described with reference to its
application in a stand-alone gaming; machine 10 it will be
appreciated that it is equally applicable to gaming machines 10 of
a linked system (not shown) where the gaming machines are linked
via a network to a jackpot controller. Those skilled in the art
will appreciate that, using such linked systems, a percentage of
the turnover of each gaming machine linked to the network
contributes to the jackpot pool from which the jackpot prizes,
being the mini jackpot prize, the minor jackpot prize, the major
jackpot prize and the grand jackpot prize, are paid.
[0044] It is a particular advantage of the invention that, even in
the unlikely scenario that a player could memorise all the pathways
50 and recognise what path they were on during a free game;
feature, there would still be anticipation in knowing what prizes
were coming and attempting to chase the special symbols that are
required in order to win them. In addition, it is also an advantage
of the invention that it provides a way to use pathways without
having to fix the feature outcome according to the path selected.
This is achieved by having fixed pathways of outcomes which are
used during a feature event but the number of steps which are taken
down that pathway in any game varies randomly for each feature
event. Thus, even though the pathways are fixed, once the feature
event has been triggered the outcome of that feature event is still
not predictable as it remains unknown how many steps down the
pathway will be taken as the feature proceeds.
[0045] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the
invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing
from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The
present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
* * * * *