Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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An electronic gaming machine game and an electronic gaming method
Field of the invention
[001 ] This invention relates to an electronic gaming system game, a method of
implementing such a game and an arrangement for implementing the game.
Background of the invention
[002] In a standard electronic slot machine game, images representing cards or
other
tokens are displayed on a screen and caused to appear to roll on virtual
reels. Generally there 5
virtual reels, and 3 rows of tokens are displayed.
[003] Reel type electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are prohibited in some
j urisdictions.
[004] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary
indication
appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by
those skilled in the
art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application.
Summary of the invention
[005] In this specification, the term "flipped" will be used to refer to a
token which has
been selected by the random selection process to make that token a potential
contributor to a
prize result. The term "flipped" is used as some of the embodiments refer to a
game which uses
tokens representing dominoes. The concept of falling dominos can be used to
illustrate a change
in the status of a token. During a game in which dominos are used as the
tokens, the randomly
selected dominos can be considered as fallen dominos. By way of example, these
can be
represented on the display as blank tiles. Alternatively, the selected tokens
can be "removed"
from the display. A hidden image can be revealed behind the selected tokens.
However, tokens
representing other items may also be used without departing from the spirit of
the invention. For
example, the tokens may be balloons and they may be selected by bursting.
Other options for the
tokens include crackers, bombs, or keno balls which can also burst when
selected. The invention
is applicable to the selection of a number of tokens from a plurality of
tokens. However, in the
description, the term "flipped" should be understood to encompass the various
methods of
indicating selection of a token.
[006] In one embodiment the invention provides a display including plurality
of tokens,
and a game involves the random or pseudo-random selection of a second
plurality of the tokens.
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[007] The selected tokens can be a subset of the first plurality of tokens
selected on the
basis of a characteristic of the tokens.
[008] The characteristic can be a colour.
[009] The subset can be a number.
[O10] The tokens which are selected can be removed from the display.
[011 ] The tokens which are selected can be altered to provide a distinct
visual
appearance to distinguish them from the tokens which were not selected.
[012] The flipped tokens can form a pattern.
[013] The unflipped tokens can form a pattern.
[0I4] The prize can be determined by the pattern of the flipped tokens.
[015] The tokens can be displayed on a screen in a matrix.
[016] The matrix can be a first row and column array.
[017] The tokens can represent dominos.
[018] The display can be arranged so that the tokens appear to fall.
[019] The tokens can fall in sequence during the play period, and the randomly
chosen
tokens can remain fallen while the other tokens revert to the upright
orientation to show the
result of the game.
[020] The tokens can fall in sequence during the play period, and the randomly
chosen
tokens can remain upright while the other tokens remain fallen.
[021 ] The tokens can start to fall at the centre of the array and fall to an
adjacent
domino [left, right, up, down, diagonal upper left, diagonal upper right,
diagonal lower left,
diagonal lower right].
[022] The tokens can start to fall at a corner and fall sequentially.
[023] The tokens can start to fall at random point and fall to an adjacent
token.
[024] The tokens can be balloons.
[025] At the commencement of a game, all tokens are displayed on the screen.
[026] The first plurality of tokens in the array includes 49 tokens.
[027] The tokens can be arranged in a 7*7 array.
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[028] A winning combination can comprise at least 3 flipped tokens in sequence
in a
row.
[029] A winning combination can comprise at least 3 flipped tokens in sequence
in a
column.
[030] A winning combination can comprise 7 flipped tokens in sequence in a row
[031 ] A winning combination can comprise 7 flipped tokens in sequence in a
column
[032] The third plurality of tokens not in the array serve as prize
multipliers.
[033] There can be 6 prize multiplier tokens.
[034] The multiplier tokens can be arranged in a multiplier array.
[035] The multiplier can be determined by the number of multiplier tokens
flipped in
the multiplier array.
[036] The multiplier can be determined by the number of sequential multiplier
tokens
flipped.
[037] In a game, more tokens can be flipped than the number required for a
prize.
[038] 15 tokens can be flipped in a game.
[039] The tokens in the first array can be "shuffled" before the random
selection
process.
[040] A prize can be awarded when a hidden image is uncovered.
[041] The image is behind two or more tokens.
[042] There can be two or more hidden images.
[043] The invention also provides a method of implementing a game on an
electronic
gaming machine including the steps of:
displaying a first plurality of tokens;
randomly or pseudo-randomly selecting a second plurality of said tokens;
comparing the selected tokens against one or more prize results;
awarding a prize when at least some of the selected tokens match a prize
result.
[044] The invention can be implemented on an electronic gaming machine
programmed
to implement the above method to produce the various game options described
herein.
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Brief description of the drawings
[045] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be
described,
by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[046] Figure 1 represents a screen display showing an array of dominos
according to an
embodiment of the invention;
[047] Figure 2 represents an array of dominos with a first winning selection;
[048] Figure 3 represents an array of dominos with a second winning selection;
[049] Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate additional methods of awarding prizes
according to a
further embodiment of the invention;
[050] Figure 7 illustrates an electronic gaming machine adapted to implement
the
invention; and
[051 ] Figure 8 is s pictorial illustration of falling tokens.
Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments
[052] Referring to Figure 1, a screen 102 displays a number of tokens 110
representing
dominos. A set of dominos includes a tile which is blank on one side and
carries two sets of dots
on the other side, the number of dots in each set representing that number.
The values of the sets
of dots can range from 0 to 9. Thus there can be 55 different tiles ranging
from 0/0 to 9/9. In an
electronic display, the tokens can display either the dots or the actual
numbers.
[053] In the embodiment illustrated in the display in Figure 1, the dominos
are arranged
in a spiral starting from 0/1 in the centre and spiralling out along dotted
line 112 to 7/7 to form a
7*7 array. The columns have been labelled C1 to C7 and the rows are labelled
R1 to R7. The
remaining tiles are shown arranged in a separate column 108. However, the
tokens can be
arranged in any suitable arrangement, including a pseudo random or random
sequence
arrangement.
[054] The array of 7*7 tokens includes 49 tokens. As a set of dominos contains
55 tiles,
there are thus 6 additional tokens. As shown in Figure 1, the additional 6
tokens are arranged in a
column 108 to the right of the main array.
[055] These additional tokens can be utilized to provide additional game
features. For
example, the additional tokens can be used as prize multipliers. Thus, if 3 of
the additional
tokens in column 108 are flipped during a game, the result can be a prize
multiplier of 2, while if
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4 of the additional tokens flip, the multiplier can be 3. Similarly, 5
additional tiles in column 108
being flipped could provide a multiplier of 5, and flipping 6 additional tiles
could provide a
multiplier of 10.
[056] In one embodiment, when a game is played, 15 dominos can be selected at
random and the screen display of each selected token flipped or turned. If the
flipped tokens
form a prize winning sequence, the player wins the corresponding prize.
[057] A prize winning play is predetermined to include, for example, a
sequence of four
or more flipped tokens. Larger prizes can be awarded for longer sequences of
flipped tokens, up
to an entire row of 7 tokens. Thus, in Figure 2, all the tokens on row R4 have
been flipped. R4,
being the central row, is the default prize row.
[058] As shown in Figure 2, all the tokens in row R4 have been flipped, and
all the
tokens in t column 208 have been flipped. Thus, where column 208 acts as the
multiplier, the
maximum multiplier would apply as all the tokens in column 208 have been
flipped. This
multiplier would be applied to the prize won due to all the tokens in row R4
being flipped.
[059] In addition, tokens corresponding to R1C2 and R6C5 have also been
flipped.
However, these two tokens may not be associated with a prize award as they are
isolated tokens.
[060] Figure 3 shows another representative result with 15 tokens selected. In
this case
tokens R2[C1, C2], R3[C3, C4, C6], R4[C4, C5, C6, C7], RS[C4, C6], R6[C2], and
R7[C4]
have been selected in the main array, and tokens 1 and 5 in column 308 have
been selected.
[061] If only one row is being played, this will be the default row R4. In
this case, 4
tokens R4[C4, CS, C6, C7] have been selected. If 4 sequential tokens equate to
a prize then this
will be a prize winning result.
[062] As only two tokens are flipped in column 308, there is no multiplier, as
multipliers are assumed for this example to have been set to start at 3 tokens
in the multiplier
column 308.
[063J A player can choose to play more than one row and one or more columns.
The
order in which the lines are "purchased" can be: - R4, C4, R1, C1, R7, C7, R3,
C3, R5, C5, R2,
C2, R6, C6. Thus by wagering one unit, the player can win only if the default
prize line, in this
case R4, contains a prize winning sequence. By wagering 2 units, the player
can win if either R4
or C4 contains a prize winning sequence. By wagering 5 units, a player may
play 6 lines. By
wagering 10 units a player may play 10 lines, a line being either a row or a
column. By wagering
25 units, a player may play 14 lines.
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[064] Figures 4, S, and 6 illustrate additional methods of awarding prizes
according to a
further embodiment of the invention. A "scatter prize" may be provided by
having an image or
prize logo which is revealed as the tokens in that part of the array above the
scatter prize fall.
The prize is only awarded if all the tokens, e.g., 4 tokens, "covering" the
scatter prize fall, but if
one or more of the covering tokens fall, part of the scatter prize is
revealed, to provide a "near
miss" element.
[065] The scatter prize can be multiplied by the number of units wagered by
the player.
[066] In Figure 4, scatter prizes are located under the blocks of 4 tokens
402, 404, 406,
and 408, located at the corners of the main array.
[067] There can be more than one scatter prize. For example, in Figure 5 there
are four
2*2 token scatter prizes 502, 504, 506, 508, one at each corner, and a 3*3
scatter prize 510 at the
centre of the array. The scatter prize values can be awarded in inverse
proportion to the
probability of the particular scatter prize being uncovered. For example, a
2*2 scatter prize 504
in the upper right corner may have a prize value of 10 units, a 2*2 scatter
prize 502 in the upper
left corner of the array may provide a prize of 15 units, a 2*2 scatter prize
508 in the bottom left
corner may provide a prize of 35 units, and a 2*2 scatter prize 506 in the
lower right corner of
the array may pay 50 units, while a 3*3 scatter prize 510 in the middle of the
array may pay 1000
units. The 3*3 scatter prize in 510 the centre may be a jackpot size bonus
prize as the probability
of a larger block of tokens being flipped can be sufficiently small to ensure
that it rarely occurs.
[068] Where the tokens are dominos, the array of tokens can be arranged so
that all the
absolute pairs [1/1], [2/2], up to [9/9], except [0/0], are in the central 3*3
sub-array. The
absolute pairs can be provided with the least probability of being selected.
[069] The probability of each tile being selected can be weighted
individually. For
example, the selection software may be designed so that there is a range of
probabilities for
various subsets of tokens. This can be exemplified by postulating a set of
numbers including 4
subsets of numbers of decreasing probability. The numbers in the first subset
appear 4 times in
the overall set, the numbers of the next most common subset appear 3 times,
those of the next
subset appear twice, and those in the least probable subset appear only once.
The selection can
then be made by random selection from within such a set. This example is
illustrative of a
method of weighting the tokens. For example, the tokens could be numbered 1 to
55. However,
there are various means of weighting selection of individual tokens.
[070] One method of choosing the tokens is to randomly select a subset of the
symbols
or numbers displayed on the face of the tokens and then each token displaying
that member of
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that subset as part of their representation is flipped. The subset can be any
suitable characteristic
of the tokens, for example, the colour of the token, or a number on the token.
In one
embodiment, a digit between 0 and 9 may be selected, and each domino token
with the digit on
its face will be flipped.
[071 ] A further method of awarding a prize can be for some of the unflipped
tokens to
form a predetermined pattern. The faces some of the tokens may form part of a
prize image. If all
the tokens forming the image remain unflipped, the prize is awarded.
[072] The selection of a token can be indicated in various ways. in the case
where the
tokens are dominos, the dominos can be flipped by causing the domino to appear
to bhe subject
to rotation about an axis in the plane of the screen, rotation about an axis
perpendicular to the
screen, or rotation about an axis inclined at an angle to the plane of the
screen. The token can be
subject to apparent rotation about more than one axis. In the case of a
vertical domino displayed
with its major surface area in the plane of the screen, 90° rotation
about a vertical axis in the
plane of the screen will result in the thickness dimension of the domino being
displayed along
the height of the domino.
[073] Again starting from the vertical orientation of the major area, rotation
about a
horizontal axis in the plane of the screen will result in the thickness
dimension being displayed
along the width of the domino. In this case, the domino can be made to appear
to fall into or out
of the screen.
[074] Similarly, rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the
screen can
create the effect of the domino toppling to the side.
[075] In the case where the dominos are displayed at a skew angle, they can be
made to
appear to fall at an angle apparently perpendicular to the transverse
direction of the domino.
[076] Figure 8 shows three tokens 802, 804, 806 arranged to appear to be at an
angle to
the plane of the screen. The plane of the screen is defined by the XY
coordinates 812, 814. Line
810 represents the perpendicular to the major face of token 802. Token 802 can
thus be made to
topple along the dotted arrow 816. Token 804 is within the arc of curve 816
and will be "struck"
by token 802 so the cascading fall of tokens can be simulated. When token 802
"strikes" token
804, an appropriate "click" sound can be produced.
[077] Player participation can be enhanced in a number of ways. For example,
the
player can choose a subset of tokens before the commencement of a game, and a
prize is
awarded if the subset chosen by the player is flipped.
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[078] A further feature is that a hidden image can change its position and /or
the image
displayed.
[079] Another form of prize award is the award of free games. Figure 6
includes
additional free game prizes if any one pair of the centre two tokens, 650,
652; 654, 656; 658,
660; 662, 664, along each edge in the outer and next inner ring are flipped.
If all 4 pairs are
flipped, the prize could be 100 free games, if 3 pairs are flipped, the prize
can be 15 free games,
if 2 pairs are flipped the prize can be 5 free games, and if 1 pair is
flipped, 2 free games can be
awarded.
[080] The free games can also be multiplied in accordance with the number of
tokens
flipped in the additional column 108.
[081 ] A further feature which can be implemented is the drawing of additional
tokens in
response to a particular event, for example, when a specific "underlying"
image is revealed or a
particular pattern of tokens is flipped. This feature increases the
probability of a prize winning
play.
[082] Alternatively, a random mechanism can be used to cause additional tokens
to flip.
(083] A further feature is the provision of an option for the player to "lock
in" tokens
which flipped in a previous game for one or more subsequent games.
[084] Figure 7 illustrates an electronic gaming machine (EGM) 700 on which the
game
can be implemented. The EGM 700 includes a display screen 702 and associated
electronics 704
which may include display controls and either a "dumb" terminal or a processor
with associated
memory to implement the game. The EGM 700 may be connected to a central
management
system 708 via a communications link, which may include a communication
network 706. The
central management system can be used to update game software on the EGM. It
can also
maintain audit and other information relating to operation of the EGM. Several
EGMs can be
connected to the central control via communication links.
[085] Where ever it is used, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its
"open"
sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its
"closed" sense, that is the
sense of "consisting only of'. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to
the corresponding
words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear.
[086] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein
extends to all
alternative combinations of the individual features mentioned or evident from
the text. All of
these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the
invention.
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[087] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it
will be
evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied
in other specific
forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiments and
examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and
not restrictive, and all
modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore
intended to be
embraced therein.
