Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A TOURNAMENT
HANDICAP FEATURE
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a method and system for providing
a tournament feature.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of casino-style games and gaming machines is in
constant evolution. Players are always demanding new
characteristics or new applications of these
characteristics that may provide them novel excitement.
While the variety of games has increased, players and game
designers are still craving for novelty.
Accordingly, improvements in this field are desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention may be described as a
method of providing a tournament feature on a game machine
in which, upon or after ending of the conduct of the
tournament feature, scores resulting from participations
are evaluated to establish a winning score. The player who
obtained the winning score is awarded a prize. The method
comprises receiving a tournament participation
authorization for a player participate in the tournament
feature. It further comprises assigning a handicap to this
participation, and conducting a tournament play sequence
illustrating said participation resulting in a score.
In another embodiment, a game machine is adapted to provide
participations in a tournament feature. The gaming machine
comprises displaying means, inputting means, and storing
means. The gaming machine further comprises controlling
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means responsible for providing tournament participations
being assigned handicaps upon detection of invitations. The
participations comprise conducting tournament play
sequences resulting in scores stored as participations in
the tournament feature.
As another embodiment of the invention, a description of a
method of providing a tournament feature is provided. The
tournament feature results in a winner being awarded a
prize based on scores resulting from participations in the
tournament feature. The method comprises storing scores
obtained on game machines providing tournament
participations upon detection of invitations, and assigning
handicaps to these participations. Tournament
participations comprise conducting tournament play
sequences each resulting in a score. The method further
comprises to determine a winner based on the tournament
participation scores upon or after the end of the
tournament feature.
Another embodiment of the invention is a tournament server
adapted for a tournament feature. The tournament server
comprises communication means exchanging data with game
machines adapted to provide participations assigned
handicaps in the tournament feature upon detection of
invitations; storing means for storing scores resulting
from these participations in the tournament feature; and
controlling means controlling the server-related processes
related to conduct of the tournament feature comprising the
determination of a tournament feature winner.
Another embodiment of the invention may be described as a
method of providing a tournament feature with
participations being assigned handicaps. The method
comprises generating tournament participation
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authorizations; and assigning handicap to these
participation authorizations. The method further comprises
providing these participation authorizations in to a game
machine, which accordingly can provide a tournament
participation to a player.
Another embodiment of the invention may be described as a
method of providing a tournament feature on a game machine.
At the end of the feature, a player I awarded a prize based
on scores obtained and stored throughout the feature. The
method comprises receiving tournament participation
authorizations; assigning handicaps to these
participations, and providing players with these
participations on game machines according to these
authorizations.
Yet, an embodiment of the invention may be described as
computer codes, suitably stored or carried, that are
adapted to provide a tournament feature wherein
participations are assigned handicaps, the tournament
feature resulting in a winner being awarded a prize based
on these participations. The computer codes are adapted for
at least one of:
- receiving tournament authorizations for players to
participate in the tournament feature; assigning handicaps
to theses participations; and providing the players with
these participations comprising conducting play sequences
illustrating these participations and resulting in scores;
- storing stores obtained on a game machine conducting
tournament participations; and determining a winner in the
tournament feature based on the stored scores at the end of
the tournament feature; and
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- generating tournament participation authorizations;
assigning handicaps to these participation authorizations;
and providing game machines with these authorizations,
resulting in players participating in the tournament
feature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed
description, taken in combination with the appended
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view
of a gaming machine suitable for the present invention;
Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the
gaming machine of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the steps performed to
provide a primary game on the gaming machine of Figures 1
and 2;
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a network of gaming
machines suitable to provide a tournament feature according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating steps performed by a
gaming machine in an embodiment of the present tournament
feature;
Figure 6 is a time chart illustrating participations taking
place in the tournament feature according to an embodiment;
Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of a suitable score
register that is used in an embodiment of the tournament
feature;
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Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating steps performed by a
tournament server in an embodiment of the tournament
feature; and
Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating steps performed by a
game machine in an embodiment of the tournament feature
wherein handicaps are assigned to participations in said
tournament feature.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings,
like features are identified by like reference numerals.
LEXICON
In this specification, the terms "game outcome" mean "the
result of a play of a game, which is evaluated in
comparison with criteria to determine an outcome value".
Examples of such game outcomes comprise a card combination
resulting from a poker game play, or the game indicia
displayed once the reels stopped in a line game.
The term "invitation" means NN a tournament feature
participation offer". This invitation may either or not be
refused, and is usually provided as a signal or a state
change.
The terms "eligible" or "eligibility" mean "a state in
which something or someone is qualified to be chosen".
Thus, in an embodiment of the invention only eligible
gaming machines may initiate tournament participations.
The term "asynchronous" means "capable of being non-
concurrent" or "being not strictly synchronous".
Accordingly, an asynchronous participation in the present
tournament feature may or may not take place at the same
time, but however it can take place at different times.
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The term "activity" means either one of "the state of being
active" and "the different functions that may be operated".
Therefore, gaming machine activity would comprise for
instance the gaming machine being operated by a player, the
credit information received in the gaming machine, the
amount played, and the outcomes occurring on the gaming
machine.
The term "identifier" means "some method, means or
information suitable for associating someone to something
in an individual manner". The method or information used
may take many formats, for instance data format, an
electronic format, or a physical format.
The term "handicap" for its part means "an advantage given
or a disadvantage imposed". Handicaps are assigned to
tournament participations. These handicaps may take many
forms as described below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention is carried out on a
gaming machine, as illustrated on Figures 1 and 2. The
gaming machine 10 comprises displaying means 12, such as a
video screen, a LCD screen or mechanical reels; accepting
means 14, such as a card reader, or a coin and/or bill
acceptor; inputting means 16, such as buttons, levers or a
touch screen; awarding means 18, such as a ticket printer,
a card reader or a hopper; storing means 20, such as RAM,
flash memory, a hard drive or a removable memory medium;
and controlling means 22, such as a computer, computer
codes, or a hardware controller. The gaming machine 10
further comprises, depending on the embodiments,
identifying means 24, such as smart card, voucher printer,
and computer codes.
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Such gaming machine 10 is designed, as shown on Figure 3,
to receive credit information from a player (step 30)
either in a physical format (such as coins or bills) or in
an electronic format (such as a player card or a money
transfer from a bank account), to receive activation
information from the player (step 32), to randomly generate
(step 34) and display (step 36) a game outcome, to evaluate
said game outcome according to game rules (e.g. a pay
table) (step 38), and to award a prize to the player for a
winning game outcome (step 40).
Two non-limiting architectures are suitable for embodiments
of the present tournament feature: stand-alone gaming
machines (illustrated on Figure 1) and networked gaming
machines (illustrated on Figure 4). The first architecture
includes as stated above storing means 20 in the gaming
machine 10 in which dynamic data regarding the tournament
feature are stored and continually updated. The second
architecture (Figure 4) involves a tournament server 15
communicatively linked with gaming machines 10 offering the
tournament feature and also including storing means 20
storing and continually updating data in regard with the
present tournament feature. Although these two
architectures are physically different, similar functions
are performed by components of both architectures with a
result of a tournament feature being available on both
architectures and respecting the scope of the present
tournament feature. Furthermore, the network in one of
these architectures may comprise one or more local area
networks and even the Internet, suitably managed to provide
an embodiment of the tournament feature.
In embodiments of the invention, an asynchronous tournament
feature allowing players to asynchronously participate in a
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tournament feature upon processing of a tournament
participation invitation is illustrated. These
participations continuously take place until the end of the
tournament feature. Upon detection of the end of the
feature, an evaluation of scores resulting from these
tournament participations is performed in order to
determine winning participations and associated awards.
Figure 5 illustrates the steps being performed by a gaming
machine providing an asynchronous tournament feature. The
steps include providing to a player a play of a primary
game to its outcome (step 50), the detection of a
tournament participation invitation (step 52), with a
negative detection of said invitation resulting in the
gaming machine being ready to conduct the primary game
(step 50). Upon positive detection of an invitation, a
tournament play sequence is initiated and played (step 54)
with a score being obtained along the play. When the
tournament play sequence ends, the score is registered
(storing) (step 56), which can be performed either by the
gaming machine or the tournament server either or not in
association with a player identifier according to
embodiments, followed with the gaming machine returning to
its original state (ready to conduct the primary game, thus
to perform step 50).
Such embodiments include a gaming machine on which is
played a poker game as a primary game. Upon detection of a
tournament participation invitation, the player may
participate in an asynchronous tournament feature either or
not in exchange with a participation fee. In one
embodiment, participation is determined by an outside
feature, such a monitoring feature and/or random-based
feature, determining which of the gaming machines may
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participate in the tournament feature and when this
participation may take place. Determination of eligible
gaming machines and non-eligible gaming machines that may
or may not participate in the tournament feature may also
be performed, the eligibility being determined based on
current gaming information, player information, or
independently from this information. In another embodiment,
participation in the tournament feature is triggered by the
occurrence of a particular outcome in the primary game. In
a third embodiment, the participation is triggered by the
gaming machine independently from any outcome. Depending on
the embodiments, any data can be used to determine
eligibility for the tournament feature and participation in
said feature; for instance game data, cumulative game data,
random data, data depending on multiple gaming machines,
and a combination of the above. When determination is based
on combination of elements, these elements may necessitate
concurrent occurrence, or may occur according to
predetermined criteria such as within a preset delay (for
instance the first event determining a positive eligibility
state with the second one triggering the generation of a
tournament feature invitation when occurring during a
predetermined delay during which the eligibility state
remains positive). The selection of the participation-
and/or eligibility-deterministic data and the associated
criteria is a question of which incentive is to be
provided, not feature-related limitations. Moreover, the
device(s) generating tournament invitations and determining
eligibility are also a question of incentive, and thus not
feature-related limitations.
When participating in the tournament feature, the player
operating the gaming machine plays a tournament play
sequence resulting in the player obtaining a score. At the
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end of his participation, the score is recorded as a
participation in the tournament feature with an identifier
associating the player with that score.
A tournament play sequence in one embodiment is a series of
plays of modified poker game. Upon initiation of the
tournament play sequence, a preset number of plays of a
three-hand poker game are played with a modified pay
schedule. Modifications in the pay schedule are triggered
during the tournament play sequence; the modifications
improving the number of points awarded for particular
outcomes. Another tournament play sequence involves a line
game with specific point schedule, bonuses, and features
allowing the player to obtain a score during its play.
Another embodiment consists in a combination of games
played in a predetermined order or according to a preset
process, for instance the occurrence of a trigger event in
a first game of the tournament play sequence initiating the
play of a second game for the remaining part of the
tournament play sequence.
In the present embodiment, participations continue taking
place in the tournament feature up to the end of the
tournament feature. Typically, players enter participations
regardless of the fact that other players are already
having participations taking place, are currently obtaining
a score, or taking place into the tournament feature at the
time. The process is seamless. Figure 6 illustrates a
timeline wherein tournament feature participations are
illustrated for a network embodiment, including
participation starting time 60, tournament play sequence
62, and the obtained score starting time 64.
To associate a score to a player, many solutions exist,
with the selection of one solution over another depending
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on a mix of available hardware and software, cost
evaluation, security, and of the desired environment.
Available solutions include association of information such
as player input data (PIN for instance); of player
biometric information; of hardware provided data (player
card providing the identifier); or to generate the
identifier and store it on a medium such as a smart card or
a voucher provided to the player to list a few. The player
identifying data is associated with the player score in the
storing means that stores tournament data, thereby
allowing, at the end of the tournament feature, to identify
the player associated with a winning score with or without
help of the player. However, for instance when the score is
the last one of the tournament feature, or when the player
remains on the gaming machine, no identifier may be stored
or the identifier may be stored later. Figure 7 illustrates
an example of a tournament score register in which player
identifications are associated with scores.
Figure 8 illustrates the steps performed by the tournament
feature in the present embodiment. As the tournament
feature is conducted, the tournament server receives and
stores scores (step 80). Upon detection of the end of the
tournament feature (step 82), evaluation of the stored
scores for determination of at least one winning score is
performed (step 84); and an award is available to the
player who entered a winning score (step 86). Depending on
the method used to identify the player to the winning
score, it can be necessary for a winning player to monitor
tournament outcomes to claim the prize or rather the
tournament providing authority may contact the winning
player.
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The end of the tournament feature may depend on different
set factors. For instance, a tournament feature may have a
preset duration, a preset number of participations, or a
preset or random-based criterion regarding one or a
combination of tournament features and/or primary-game
based data including the above listed factors.
In another embodiment, invitations and eligibility are
monitored in order to provide participations in the
tournament feature. In a primary game, a play is performed.
Monitoring regarding participation eligibility and
invitation statuses is performed. Upon allowing the gaming
machine to provide a participation in the tournament
feature (for instance by having received an invitation when
in a eligible state), an invitation is prompted on the
gaming machine screen for the player to participate in the
tournament feature, followed with the player playing a
tournament play sequence (for free in the present
embodiment) through which a tournament score is obtained.
At the end of the tournament participation, the score is
identified to the player and stored in a tournament
register in the appropriate storing means.
In a networked embodiment, the tournament feature is
initiated by the tournament server signaling gaming
machines to offer participations in the tournament feature.
Continuously, tournament ending criterion is monitored
while obtained scores are stored in the tournament register
as players participate in the tournament feature. When the
tournament ending criterion is fulfilled, no more entry can
take place in the tournament feature. Then, evaluation of
the stored scores is performed, with at least one winner
being determined. Finally, each winner is provided with
their prize.
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The latter embodiment and other embodiments may include
further steps as verifying if tournament participations are
in process when the ending criterion is fulfilled, and
waiting for the scores associated with these participations
to be stored to elect a tournament winner. It may further
include signaling tournament winning information to gaming
machines offering participation in the tournament feature,
or on a distinct means for displaying tournament
information to be seen by tournament-feature participating
and non-participating persons. Another addition may be to
prevent initiation of a new tournament feature until a
certain criterion is fulfilled, such as all participation
scores being received for the present tournament feature.
Another embodiment is a network of gaming machines on which
a standard poker game is available for playing. On each
gaming machine a monitoring is continuously performed to
set eligibility of the gaming machine to provide a
participation in the tournament feature, with the result
being transmitted to the tournament server. A tournament
server communicatively linked to the gaming machines sends,
once in a while, a tournament invitation to a randomly
elected eligible gaming machine. Accordingly, the player is
invited to play a modified poker game (for instance with a
modified pay table yielding score points for free) . The
player plays a maximum of N rounds with P betting points
available at the beginning of these rounds with possibility
to bet the points won during already played rounds into the
next rounds of the tournament game sequence. The player may
have limited time to complete the sequence. The player's
score is the numbers of points the player has at the end of
the play sequence. When the participation is complete, the
gaming machine may prompt the player to enter
identification, and may send a PIN back the player or a
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voucher that the player may use to certify his identity in
case he wins the tournament feature. The tournament server
stores tournament scores until the end of the tournament
feature. When the tournament feature ends, the tournament
server elects the player who has the best score as the
winner. The winner is either contacted or published, the
latter requiring the winner to verify himself his status
after the end of the tournament feature in order to receive
his prize. In the last case, a player identifying himself
as the winner contacts the tournament providing authority
to be provided his prize.
Based on the last embodiment, available variants include
processing all participations in the tournament feature
regardless of player participation level (i.e. bet level)
in the primary game, the triggering event resulting in the
participation, etc. Another variant involves storing the
participations in different groups based on such criteria.
For example, players playing the primary game at a play
level A when invited to participate in the tournament
feature would result in the score being stored in a
register A, while a player playing at a participation level
B would see his score obtained being stored in a register
B. Therefore, the latter would result in distinct
tournament features having similar characteristics or not.
In an embodiment, the tournament server provides tournament
participation invitations without knowing the eligibility
status of the signaled gaming machine. In another
embodiment, the gaming machines continuously provide either
their eligibility status or data to determine their
eligibility status to the tournament server, and the
tournament server signals tournament participation
invitations only to eligible gaming machines.
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Depending on the desired results, criteria used to set
eligibility of a gaming machine may be based on the player
being identified, either through means such a smart card or
machine inserted VIP card, or a manually entered
identification such a PIN. It may also be based on the play
level on the gamine machine, for instance the amount of the
last bet placed, the number of plays initiated during a
monitoring period (e.g., during the last 5 minutes), the
frequency of play initiations (e.g., an average of less
than ten seconds between the last four play initiations),
or even the time of the last play initiation (e.g. within
the last twenty seconds).
In other embodiments, one, two, or more winners may be
elected at the end of a tournament feature. Each winner may
be awarded a different prize value. Accordingly, a
different incentive is created. An example is electing
three best scores to be awarded prizes; these players being
accordingly awarded 60%, 30% and 10% of a total tournament
prize in respect with their score order. Another example is
to reward players who obtained extreme scores (highest and
lowest). The value of these prizes may be predetermined or
may be one or a portion of a progressive prize either or
not dedicated to the tournament feature.
In another embodiment, a player participating in the
tournament feature may be awarded instant prizes.
Accordingly, the value of these prizes and the criteria
used to determine if a player is awarded such a prize is a
question of incentive and of payout control. For instance,
in one such embodiment, the nth player being provided
participation in the tournament feature may be awarded a
prize based on the score he obtained; the instant prize
being awarded as soon as the participation ends. In another
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embodiment, it may be associated with the first player
obtaining a score over a preset threshold.
The value of the prize awarded may be preset, may be taken
from a pool dedicated to the tournament feature, or may be
taken from a pool shared with another feature such as a
random-based progressive jackpot. For instance, the
tournament feature winner could be awarded a percentage of
the value of a progressive jackpot at the time the
tournament feature ends or at the time the winning score
was stored.
In one embodiment, a tournament score may depend only on a
number of accumulated points the player scored throughout
the outcomes obtained during the tournament game sequence.
In other embodiments, the score may also depend on the time
necessary to complete the tournament game sequence, a play
or point betting sequence, or point evolution during the
play of the rounds. Example of the latter is to increase
scoring weight of the points won as the tournament
participation advances; the points won gradually increasing
their weight in the score from one time to two times their
nominal values. Another is a tournament play sequence with
a goal to reach, the score obtained depending on the goal
being reached or not, the different intermediary states
that were achieved, and the time that was necessary to
reach the goal and the intermediary states. Therefore, the
variety of games and methods to score points is solely
limited by the objective of obtaining a score. Thus, these
examples are provided for teaching purposes only.
In different embodiments, the end of a tournament feature
may be differently set. As stated earlier, in one
embodiment, time or feature duration may be used to
determine the end of the tournament feature. In another
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embodiment, the number of participations may be used to set
when the tournament feature ends. In another one, a tallied
total score is used to set the tournament feature ending
criteria. In these embodiments, these criteria may be
predetermined or may depend on random determination
setting. Furthermore, the winning prize in these
embodiments may also be predetermined or differently set.
For instance, it may rather depend on the number of
tournament feature participations or on the period the
tournament feature lasts. Consequently, any game-related
and tournament-related data alone or in combination,
randomly set and preset, may be used to determine when the
tournament feature ends and/or the winning prize value(s)
according to the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the
prize awarded to a tournament feature winner may also take
different formats such as participation rights to a special
feature or event, comps, gifts, etc.
In an embodiment in which at least one gaming machine does
not provide players with possibility to autonomously
associate a personal identifier (such as a PIN or
smartcard-provided data) with their scores, or when
anonymous tournament feature participation is available,
players may receive a voucher each time they participate in
the tournament feature. The voucher bears a unique
identifier that may be compared to winner identifier(s) at
the end of the tournament. If the voucher identifier
matches one winner identifier, the player may claim a
prize.
In another embodiment, eligibility is not set at the same
level for all players. Accordingly, depending on the bet
level of the player, data associated with the player and
provided by a player tracking system, game played,
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conditions in which the tournament feature participation is
offered to the player, etc., an eligibility level will be
set. Depending on this eligibility level, the player would
see a handicap being assigned to his participation in the
tournament feature; this handicap influencing the present
tournament feature participation process.
Once again, the kind of handicap selected depends more on
the desired feature than on feature associated limitations.
Examples of applicable handicaps include, tournament play
time, tournament initial state settings, game process
settings, and score obtaining process settings. These are
provided for teaching purposes only.
Another variant of the latter embodiment is to modify the
score obtained with a modifying value according to the
state in which the initiation of the tournament
participation takes place. Accordingly, a participation
resulting from an invitation would store an unmodified
obtained score while a participation resulting from another
situation could be applied a modifying value stored in a
stored score that would differ from the score obtained.
Another embodiment consists in an asynchronous tournament
feature as described previously in which time is set as the
handicap assigned to tournament feature participations. In
this embodiment, players participating in the tournament
feature are assigned a handicap (i.e., a time), with this
handicap depending on participation initiation state,
namely the game they were playing, their bet level, and the
outcome that triggered generation of the invitation.
Accordingly, the player has more or less time to play the
tournament game sequence.
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In another embodiment, players may either be invited or may
manually request participation in the tournament feature.
In response to such a manual request, the gaming machine
requests an entry fee, and provides tournament
participation to the player. For their part, invitation-
based participations are fee free. At the end of the
tournament feature, tournament feature participations,
regardless of having been performed on invitation or not,
are compared to elect a winner. In this embodiment,
participations are assigned a different handicap depending
on whether or not they are performed on invitation. This
handicap as stated above may take many forms: a different
pay table, enabled/disabled bonuses, different
participation duration, different initial points, different
point weighting, etc.; or a combination of the above.
Furthermore, in the last embodiment, when identification of
participants is required before the initiation of
participation, the handicap assigned to a fee-based
participant may be based on player identification or may
evolve as one participant increases his number of
participations.
Another embodiment is a synchronous tournament feature
wherein all participants concurrently participate. Thus the
winner(s) is known as soon as the tournament feature ends.
In this embodiment, players participating in the tournament
feature are assigned a handicap with this handicap
depending on participation request-related data and/or
player identification-related data. For instance, the time
to complete the tournament game sequence could vary from
one tournament feature participant to another depending on
the fee paid to participate in said tournament feature or
on invitation being stored for a particular participation.
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Figure 9 illustrates the latter embodiment, with the method
comprising receiving an authorization to participate in the
tournament feature on a game machine (step 90); assigning a
handicap to a participation (step 92); providing said
participation to the player (step 94) through which a score
is obtained; and storing the score in a storing means (step
96) with other tournament scores, wherein a winning score
may be determined based on the scores stored.
In the latter embodiment, players may participate on game
machines dedicated to the tournament feature. For instance,
a voucher may be provided to players. They can enter the
voucher in the game machine to participate in the
tournament feature; the machines responding to it with the
conduct of a tournament play sequence on all participating
game machines at the same time. In this embodiment, each
one of the tournament participations is assigned a
handicap. The handicap is transmitted to the game machine
through one of a network signal or the voucher.
Accordingly, the game machines may either be dedicated to
the tournament feature or may be available when not
providing tournament participations to play an amusement
game for instance.
In such an embodiment, the tournament server may also
provide the game machine with data on which will be based
on the tournament play sequence. For instance, the
tournament server may signal data to each game machine with
said data identifying the order of some features
potentially occurring during the conduct of the tournament
play sequence, or rules to conduct the tournament play
sequence.
Other embodiments of synchronous tournament features are
available embodying the different features, criteria,
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variants, etc. that have been disclosed in the present
document are possible. For instance, a tournament feature
wherein players accumulate tournament feature invitations
when playing a primary game with the tournament feature
being forecast to start at a preset time. According to the
primary game in which the player received the invitation,
the participation level when the player received his
participation, the number of invitations received, etc.
each participation would be assigned a handicap that would
influence the associated tournament play sequence, and
potentially the score obtained. Furthermore, a player may
or may not buy participations in the synchronous tournament
feature, the assigned handicap varying for instance
according to the buying fee and the moment the
participation was bought.
In another embodiment, only fee-based tournament
participations may be available. Furthermore, participants
may select different participation fees for their
participations. According to players' selected fees,
different handicaps are assigned to participations in the
same tournament feature. Accordingly, depending on
strategy, or on desired incentive, players may take
different decisions.
In another embodiment, supplementary data is affixed to the
participation in addition to identifier, with the affixed
data being used to determine the winning value to award to
the winner. An example of this embodiment is that the
handicap assigned to a participation being stored in
combination with the score obtained. When determining the
winner, the scores are compared regardless of the handicap
experienced by the player when obtaining the score.
However, when determining the prize to award to the winner,
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the handicap is taken into consideration. Therefore, the
prize value would potentially vary depending on the
handicap from, for instance, a maximum prize to a portion
of said maximum prize.
Furthermore, in an embodiment an individual monitoring of
participants and modification of the assigned handicap as
their number of participations increase may be performed.
The handicap modification may also depend on the last
scores, for instance to correct unfair advantage a player
may have when he experiences the tournament play sequence
many times.
Regardless of the embodiments, displaying tournament
feature information is possible. Such information may
comprise individual participant scores, best scores,
tournament lasting information, prizes, rules, special
features related to the tournament feature, etc. This
information may be available on the gaming machines, or
other displaying means as deemed appropriate.
Those skilled in the art may recognize other embodiments
and/or methods to provide such functionalities, either
through a central distribution of play data to networked
gaming machines, a computer program adapted for such an
application and performing said application on computers,
or program codes broadcasted using a suitable carrier or
saved in memory or another storing medium. The program
codes are suitable or responsible, when loaded on a
computer or a gaming machine, for making the apparatus
perform functionalities of the present invention. However,
all of such alternatives are intended to be incorporated in
the present document through the herein reference.
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It will be noted that the above embodiments illustrate
different characteristics the current invention may
present. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, even
if the embodiments of the present document describe these
characteristics as part of different embodiments, one could
differently use or combine some of these characteristics
without departing from the scope of the invention as
intended to be set. Furthermore, embodiments may also
present other characteristics and/or variations, with such
characteristics falling within the scope of the invention,
as set forth in the appended claims.
Furthermore, while some of the appended figures illustrate
the invention as groups of discrete components, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that the invention
may be embodied differently, for instance through a
combination of hardware and software components with some
components being implemented by a given function or
operation of a hardware or software system. The structure
illustrated is thus provided for efficiency of teaching
embodiments of the invention.
Thereupon, it is the intent through the present document to
efficiently teach the invention through embodiments, while
the scope of the invention is solely intended to be limited
by the appended claims.
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