GB2382447A

GB2382447A - Coin-operated game machine

Info

Publication number: GB2382447A
Application number: GB0127995A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frans Mullers
Original assignee: IGT UK Ltd; Barcrest Development BV
Current assignee: Barcrest Development BV
Priority date: 2001-11-22
Filing date: 2001-11-22
Publication date: 2003-05-28
Also published as: GB0127995D0

Abstract

A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine has a main game which can result in an award. This may involve rotatable reels (9) which select and display a combination of symbols. Instead of taking a payout of the award, the player can sacrifice half the award and gamble the remainder, by pressing a button (18). A winning gamble results in an award, and the player can continue gambling in repeat stages until a gamble has a losing outcome whereupon accumulated gamble awards are paid out to the player.

Description

ENTERTAINMENT MACHINES This invention relates to player-operable entertainment machines, particularly coin-operated amusement with prizes (AWP) machines, such as"fruit"or"poker"machines of the kind having a main display device for displaying a selected combination of symbols at a win zone. As used herein the term coin is intended also to cover tokens, charge or credit cards or any other means of supplying credit or monetary value.

The main display device of a fruit machine may comprise multiple actual or video-simulated side-by-side reels which are rotatable about a common horizontal axis within a housing behind a window at the win zone. Each reel has symbols at equally spaced positions around its periphery and the reels can be brought to rest with one symbol on each reel displayed through the window on a win line.

If the displayed combination of symbols constitutes a predetermined winning combination an award may be made available to the player.

It is known to provide features, such as'nudge'or'hold'controls which can be used by the player to seek to influence selection of the displayed combination of symbols.

It is also well known to provide a supplementary display or'feature game'which can be used to enhance the entertainment value of the machine and provide additional or alternative opportunities for winning.

Further, it is known to provide a gamble feature whereby an

attained award can be gambled with the result that its value is increased or decreased.

However, there may be limits imposed on the value of an award which can be attained in a single game, to comply with legislation and/or to maintain payout percentage within a desired range, and this may adversely affect entertainment value.

An object of the present invention is to provide a feature whereby the player has the opportunity of increasing the value of an award in a game, without necessarily unduly disturbing overall award characteristics.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided a player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine with which a game can be played having an outcome which if of a winning nature results in an award characterised by the provision of a repeat device which is operable in substitution for part of such an award in successive repeat stages in each of which a respective supplement is won or lost and after a final such stage won supplements are accumulated and awarded.

With this arrangement the player can seek to increase an attained award by exchanging a sacrificed part of that award for a repeat feature. If the repeat feature initially has an unsuccessful outcome, i. e. in the first stage, the player may receive only the remainder of the initial award. If however one or more repeat stages has a successful outcome, the player can receive the remainder of the initial award and also one or more supplements. Depending on the number and value of the supplements

there is the possibility of the player receiving an accumulated award having a value appreciably in excess of the value of the initial award.

Thus, the player can attain sufficient supplements to give a total award value in excess of the initially attained award in a game. However, this is at the risk of losing the sacrificed part of the award and not attaining any supplement. Accordingly, by appropriate selection of risk factors it can be ensured that the overall award structure meets requirements for example as to average maximum award values and/or payout percentages. In particular, it can be ensured that the average value of the maximum award using the repeat device is equal to or no greater than a predetermined maximum award value. This predetermined maximum award value may be equal to that which can be attained when the repeat device is not used. Alternatively it may be greater than that which can be attained when the repeat device is not used. In particular it may be a multiple, e. g. twice the value or in a preferred embodiment equivalent to a legal maximum allowed.

The supplement may have a fixed value for each repeat stage and this may be equal to the sacrificed part of the initial award or equal to the remainder following the sacrifice. However, the invention is not restricted to this arrangement and, if desired, the supplement may be fixed at a value different from the sacrificed part or may vary so as to be different for different stages and/or for different operations of the repeat device (in different games).

The sacrificed part may be a fixed part. In a particularly preferred embodiment the part is 50%. However, other fixed parts can apply, and also, if desired, the part may vary for different games.

When a stage results in a lost supplement this may be a total or partial loss, preferably a total loss whereby nothing at all is awarded for that stage, although other arrangements are also possible.

The occurrence of the final stage is preferably determined by the occurrence of a lost supplement. That is, the operation of the repeat device terminates immediately after loss of a supplement. Alternatively or additionally, operation may terminate on some other basis such as a time or a number of stages a limit accumulated award value or the like.

Operation of the repeat device may become available for all awards or for only an initial award of a predetermined value or kind, such as a maximum award, or a jackpot award.

When available, operation of the repeat device may be initiated automatically or under the control of the player. Thus, there may be a push-button or other control device which has to be operated by the player to initiate the repeat device. The player may be able to choose not to initiate or to stop or cancel initiation of the repeat device so as to attain the entire initial award without putting part of the award at risk.

Where there are possible variations in the operation of the repeat device, such as value of the supplement, value of the sacrificed part of the award, etc. one or more of these may be selectable by or otherwise

under the control of the player, or may be set automatically.

The repeat device, once initiated may operate automatically and the outcome of each stage (win or loss) may be determined wholly by automatic operation of a control system of the machine. This may occur on a random, or pseudo random basis with a predetermined win likelihood which may be any other suitable value. As mentioned above, the win likelihood is preferably selected to give an average maximum award value which may be twice the initial award value.

Alternatively, the outcome of each stage may be selected by, or at least partially under the control of, the player. Thus the player may be required to press a button to initiate a selection device, or to press a button from a range of buttons to select the outcome. In this respect the player may be able to influence the outcome by exercise of skill, e. g. by pressing a rapidly intermittently actuated button in the hope of synchronising pressing with actuation, or alternatively little or no skill may be involved.

There may be a display device associated with the repeat device which may indicate the operation of the repeat device and/or any options open to the player in connection with the repeat device. This display device may involve back illumination of sections of a transparent or translucent panel of the machine or a video display or the like.

The award may be a monetary award or any other suitable award. The machine may be a fruit machine and thus may have a main

selection device, such as actual or simulated rotatable reels, operable to select and display a combination of symbols, and there may be one or more supplementary features which influence the selection of the symbols or provide a supplementary game or enhancement to a game outcome, such as nudge, hold and gamble features or a supplementary feature game.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one form of a fruit machine according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic block circuit diagram of the machine of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a fruit machine having a floor-standing box shaped housing 1 having a front wall which includes upper and lower glass panels, 2,3, a number of operating buttons 4,5, 6,18, a coin slot 7 and a payout opening 8.

Within the housing 1 there are three axially aligned reels 9 having say 20 symbols at regularly spaced positions around their peripheries. The reels 9 are axially rotatable and are drivable connected to respective stepper motors 10. The reels 9 are arranged behind a window 11 defined by a printed region of the lower glass panel 3. Each reel 9 can be arrested by the respective stepper motor 10 in any of 20 stopping positions in which one symbol is in precise registration with a horizontal

win line in the centre of the window 11 and two further symbols are visible above and below the win line.

The stepper motors 10 are connected to a microprocessor-based control unit 12. This unit is also connected to a coin-mechanism 13, a pay-out mechanism 14 and the buttons 4,5, 6,18.

In use, the player inserts coins into the coin mechanism 13 through the slot 7 sufficient to generate credit for one or more games, and the machine is actuated so that a game can now be played. The game commences after a start button 4 has been pressed and the reels 9 spin and then come to rest so as to select a combination of symbols displayed on the win line. The displayed symbol combination is assessed by the control unit 12 and a win indication is given in the event that the combination is of a predetermined winning nature. A corresponding award may then be made available to the player and the value of this may be shown on an LED display 16.

The control buttons 5 can be used to perform'hold'or'nudge' functions, when made available to the player, so that the player can seek to influence the outcome of a game, in conventional manner.

The upper panel 2 is a transparent glass panel and within this there is a printed display region 15, which can be back-illuminated with a bank of lamps, and which provides a supplementary feature game.

This feature game may comprise a wraparound trail and a rotatable auxiliary feature reel 19 visible through a window in the panel 2.

Play transfers to the feature game in the usual way on a random or predetermined basis, e. g. when predetermined transfer symbols on the main reels 9 are selected on the win line or otherwise.

The player can attain further awards with the feature game.

On occasions the player may be given the opportunity of increasing an award attained in a game. This may occur on any suitable basis e. g. whenever an award of maximum value is attained, or on some other predictable, random or pseudo random basis.

When this opportunity anses, this is signalled to the player in any suitable manner e. g. by steady or flashing back illumination of a section 17 of the panel 3 and/or by steady or flashing illumination of a special'repeat'press button 18.

The player now has the option either of pressing the usual'collect' button 6 or of pressing the special'repeat'button 18.

If the'collect'button 18 is pressed the award is paid out unchanged to the player.

If the'repeat'button 18 is pressed, 50% of the award is immediately deducted and a repeat function is now implemented.

This repeat function takes place in a number of successive repeat stages.

In each stage there is an outcome which represents win or loss of a supplemental award equal in value to the initial sacrificed 50% award value.

Thus, by way of example, if the initial award before operation of the repeat button 18 was 100 units, after operation of the repeat button 18 this is reduced to 50 and in each repeat stage a win results in award of 50. In the case where three repeat stages have had winning outcomes the accumulated total award value is 200 (50 remaining from the original 100 plus 3x50 supplemental awards).

The successive repeat stages continue until one such stage results in a loss. The repeat procedure then terminates and no supplemental award is made in respect of the losing stage.

The player can then press the collect button 6 to obtain a pay out of the accumulated award value which may be more or less than the award before operation of the repeat button 18.

During implementation of the successive repeat stages there may be an appropriate display on the panel section 17 e. g. alternate flashing of 'win'and'lose', or the like.

There may be an overall limit to the operation of the repeat function i. e. such that the repeat function terminates, e. g. on reaching a predetermined maximum accumulated award value, even if there has not yet been a losing outcome to a repeat stage.

The selection of the outcome of each repeat stage is effected on a random or pseudo random basis in software in the control unit 12 of the machine. The likelihood of a win in each stage is predetermined so that overall on average the accumulated award value is equal to the initial

award before use of the repeat button. Thus, in the case where the initial award is 200, an average use of the repeat button will give an accumulated award of 200 with, of course, cases where the accumulated award will be less than 200 and cases where it will be more than 200.

This enables the player to attain maximum awards in excess of the usual maximum (e. g. in excess of 200) without changing the average value of the maximum award or the payout percentage.

This gives enhanced player interest and entertainment value without changing the basic payout structure of the machine.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine with which a game can be played having an outcome which if of a winning nature results in an award characterised by the provision of a repeat device which is operable in substitution for part of such an award in successive repeat stages in each of which a respective supplement is won or lost and after a final such stage won supplements are accumulated and awarded.
2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the average value of the accumulated award attained using the repeat device is equal to the value of the award attained prior to using the device.
3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the supplement attainable with the repeat device has a fixed value for each repeat stage.
4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein the supplement is equal to the said award part.
5. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the said award part is a fixed proportion of the award.
6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein the proportion is 50%.
7. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the final stage is determined by the occurrence of a lost supplement.
8. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the repeat device is made available only for a predetermined initial

<Desc/Clms Page number 12>

award.
9. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the repeat device, when made available, is operable by a player control.
10. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9 which has a main selection device comprising actual or simulated rotatable reels operable to select and display a combination of symbols.
11. A machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.