AU3709602A - Gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Ainsworth Game Technology Limited Pai Paotrakul BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 GAMING MACHINE Details of Associated Provisional Application No. PR4684 dated 01 May 2001 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 31519AUP01 -2- "GAMING MACHINE" FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to gaming machines. The invention has been developed primarily for computerised gaming machines and will be described herein with specific reference to that application. However it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to of that particular type of gaming machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Gaming machines have long been known and are now one of the most common forms of gambling. One of the oldest and best known forms of gaming machine is the rotating reel type "poker machine". These machines use a series of three or more reels, each having symbols on their peripheral edge. The reels are rotated upon placing a bet and then stopped to produce a randomly selected arrangement of symbols. Winnings are paid if the random arrangement of symbols matches one of the predetermined winning combinations.

Recently these gaming machines have been computerised with a video display replacing the physically rotating reels. The display screen typically presents an array of symbols in five columns and three rows equating to the symbols that would normally be seen on the five rotating reels of the old style mechanical machines. Computerised -3machines have allowed players to bet on the symbols appearing in one or more rows or columns instead ofjust the line of symbols across the middle row which was the traditional practice of the old style mechanical machines. Eventually, all the practical "paylines" of symbols available in the array were being used in computerised gaming machines.

In an ongoing effort to further enhance the gaming experience, gaming machines provided secondary games of a different nature to the primary game. The secondary games are often referred to as "features". The feature would appear upon some trigger event such as a predetermined outcome in the primary game. By using a different type of feature game, the "volatility" can be easily varied to enhance the gaming experience.

The "volatility" of a gaming machine refers to the expected frequency of wins and the corresponding amount paid for each win. Over time, all gaming machines retumrn a set percentage of the bets received as winnings. However, a machine with a high volatility will return this percentage through fewer wins of higher value than a low volatility machine providing more wins of less value.

A feature with relatively high volatility will provide an opportunity for greater wins which can make the game more exciting for the player. However, because of the higher volatility, the number of wins will usually be lower and this can generate negative player sentiment towards the feature. To address this, some gaming machines have "free" features. The feature is perceived to be free because the player does not place a bet once the trigger occurs but will receive some form of reward from the feature anyway. The reward may be in the form of bonus games or simply extra credits.

-4- Ideally, the free feature should give the player an escalating sense of anticipation and excitement. Unfortunately, if the trigger simply results in extra credits, the player is quickly aware of how many extra credits they receive without any sense of slowly escalating anticipation or excitement. Similarly, a series of free games can give the player some excitement at the outcome of each individual game, however the level of anticipation and excitement over the whole feature does not escalate to a peak.

Another disadvantage of free features is the frequency that they occur. If the free feature is likely to significantly increase the amount of winnings, the player gets a strong sense of bonus whenever it is triggered. However, a feature with a high probability of yielding generous returns can only occur infrequently in order to maintain the set percentage of bets retained by the machine over a long period of time. Therefore, prolonged periods without the occurrence of a trigger can produce a negative reaction in the player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a gaming machine adapted to: display a game that has random outcomes including predetermined winning outcomes; accept a bet on the occurrence of one or more of the winning outcomes; pay winnings on the occurrence of any of the winning outcomes carrying a bet; display a feature that operates irrespective of the outcomes in the game, the operation of the feature being random; wherein, the outcome of the game is adjusted in response to a predetermined trigger event during the operation of the feature.

The feature can be designed so that its random operation and the trigger event are of a type that escalates player anticipation and excitement when the feature appears to be progressing towards a trigger event.

In a preferred form, the game involves displaying an array of randomly selected symbols on a video screen wherein the winning outcomes are predetermined winning combinations of symbols, such that the adjustment to the outcome of the game is the substitution of wild card symbols for one or more of the symbols in the array.

The use of wildcards is well known in many different forms of gambling. It is a reference to a card or symbol that can substitute for any of the other available cards or symbols. It will be appreciated that the appearance of a wildcard in the array of symbols increases the probability of a winning combination.

In a further preferred form, the adjustment is a single oversized wildcard symbol that substitutes for two or more adjacent symbols in the array.

An oversized wildcard symbol that occupies two or more adjacent sites in the array is particularly advantageous to the player because of the high number of paylines that will include the oversized wildcard. Furthermore, the appearance of a large single wildcard in the array has a strong visual impact and helps to reinforce the sense of bonus.

-6- In a particularly preferred form, the oversized wildcard symbol can occupy an entire column of the array. In other preferred forms, the oversized wildcard symbol can increase the winnings normally paid for any winning combinations. In some embodiments the oversized wildcard symbol can double the winnings normally paid for a winning combination or it may also triple the winnings normally paid.

Preferably, the feature involves an animation that takes a random path across the display screen and the trigger event occurs when the animation crosses one or more predetermined areas in the display. The use of a meandering animated figure is visually dynamic and helps to maintain the player's interest. Furthermore, as the figure moves towards a designated trigger area, the player experiences an escalating sense of anticipation and excitement. In other preferred forms, the animation may be a simulated race between a set of competitors whereby the player gets to select which competitor they believe will win wherein the trigger event occurs if the selected competitor does win. This embodiment will also provide an escalating sense of excitement and anticipation by configuring the animation to make the outcome of the simulated race uncertain until the completion of the race by keeping the competitors relatively close with the lead competitor changing several times.

In one example, the animation may be a lion that runs through the display screen in a random fashion and the trigger event occurs when the lion jumps through a flaming hoop positioned at a predetermined location on the screen. The animation could also be an eagle that flies around the display screen or any other suitable character or figure. The animation may appear at the conclusion of each single operational cycle of the game or it may be present on the screen while the game is operating.

-7- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows part of the display screen of a gaming machine according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 shows the adjusted outcome of the game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Fig. 1, the gaming machine display is a simulation of a five reel array 10 of symbols which is the typical format for computerised poker machines of the spinning reel type. The array 10 has paylines 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7 available for betting. The player can place a bet on one or more of the paylines and if the outcome of the game shows a winning combination of symbols along a payline carrying a bet, the machine awards the player predetermined winnings. The winnings for all the winning combinations are presented in a table (not shown) often referred to as a paytable. In the present example, three cherry symbols 12, 13 and 14 in any payline carrying a bet of 1 credit will win 20 credits. Hence the player would receive winnings for the outcome shown in Fig. 1 ifpayline 1-1 and/or payline 4-4 are carrying a bet.

In the present example, the operation of the feature initiates once the outcome of the base game has been established. The feature is an animation of a lion 15 which runs across the display screen in a random path. It can be restricted to a designated area of the screen or across the entire screen including the array of symbols 10. If the lion 15 enters a predetermined area of the screen showing a flaming hoop 16 symbol, the machine is -8programmed to show the lion 15 jumping through the hoop 16 in order to indicate to the player that the trigger event has occurred.

Referring to Fig. 2, the array of symbols 10 is shown after it has been adjusted in response to the trigger in the feature. The symbols 18, 19 and 20 that were originally in reel 17 of the array 106 have been substituted by an oversized wildcard symbol 21 which occupies all three symbol sites in the column. Every available payline intersects the oversized wildcard 21 which provides a strong incentive to place bets on all the available paylines to maximise winnings upon the appearance of the wildcard. For example, if the machine pays 50 credits upon the occurrence of four cherry symbols in any one payline, the player would receive 100 credits upon the appearance of the wildcard 21 ifpaylines 1-1 and 4-4 were carrying a bet of one credit each.

Playing all paylines also increases the profit from the machine. Players can place a single high value bet on a single payline but the natural tendency is to spread the bet over a number ofpaylines. Therefore playing all paylines tends to increase the total amount bet over time.

The appearance of a large wildcard symbol in the array has a significant visual impact which helps to reinforce the sense of bonus in the player. To further enhance this, the wildcard 21 can also be configured to double or treble the normal winnings paid for any winning combinations on the paylines. This provides an even greater incentive for the player to place a bet on all available paylines.

This arrangement provides a gaming machine that maintains player interest with a highly visually dynamic feature that operates regardless of the outcome from the -9primary game. The feature still provides an escalating sense of anticipation and excitement by being able to move towards a trigger event while keeping the player uncertain as to whether or not the animation will reach the trigger event. By maintaining the player's interest in this way, the trigger in the feature can occur less often than it would if it were in the primary game thereby allowing the adjustment to the primary game to be more generous to the player.

The present invention has been described herein by way of example only.

Ordinary workers in this field will recognise many variations and modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the broad inventive concept.

Claims (14)

1. A gaming machine adapted to: display a game that has random outcomes including predetermined winning outcomes; accept a bet on the occurrence of one or more of the winning outcomes; pay winnings on the occurrence of any of the winning outcomes carrying a bet; display a feature that operates irrespective of the outcomes in the game, the operation of the feature being random; wherein, the outcome of the game is adjusted in response to a predetermined trigger event during the operation of the feature.

2. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game involves displaying an array of randomly selected symbols on a video screen wherein the winning outcomes are predetermined winning combinations of symbols, such that the adjustment to the outcome of the game is the substitution of a wild card symbol for one or more of the symbols in the array.

3. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adjustment is a single oversized wildcard symbol that substitutes for two or more adjacent symbols in the array.

4. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the oversized wildcard symbol occupies an entire column of the array.

5. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the oversized wildcard symbol increases the winnings normally paid for any winning combinations. -11

6. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the oversized wildcard symbol doubles the winnings normally paid for a winning combination.

7. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the oversized substitute symbol triples the winnings normally paid for a winning combination.

8. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feature involves an animation that takes a random path across the display and the trigger event occurs when the animation crosses one or more predetermined areas in the display.

9. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the animation is a simulated race between a set of competitors whereby the player gets to select which competitor they believe will win wherein the trigger event occurs if the selected competitor does win.

A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the animation is a lion that runs through the display screen in a random fashion and the trigger event occurs when the lion jumps through a flaming hoop positioned at a predetermined location on the screen.

11. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the animation is an eagle that flies around the display screen or any other suitable character or figure.

12. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the animation appears at the conclusion of each single operational cycle of the game.

13. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the animation is present on the screen whenever the game is operating. 12-

14. A gaming machine according to the present invention substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 1 st Day of May, 2002 AINSWORTH GAME TECHNOLOGY LIMITED Attorney: KENNETH W. BOLTON Registered Patent and Trade Mark Attorney of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS