Fixed pool bonus method and apparatus
View Patent ↗A gaming system that uses centrally determined game outcomes to generate both a simulated primary game and a multiplicity of bonus games are revealed. The predetermined outcome bonus games are designed to mimic actual Nevada-style bonus games using novel methods to both create the look-and-feel of the actual bonus games as well as being able to use existing central determination game system protocols, which have severe limitations in their message fields.
1. A gaming system, comprising:
a central server configured to generate game results using fixed-pools of elements derived from a non-fixed-pool slot machine game, each element corresponding to a single game play result determined prior to base and bonus game play and divided into a base game play result and a bonus game play result;
a player terminal in operable communication with the central server, configured to send game play requests to the central server and receive game play results from the central server; and
the player terminal further configured to determine a base game play result and a bonus game play result from a single game play result received from the central server, to reverse-map the base game play result into a display such that the display simulates the non-fixed-pool slot machine game by showing game indicia having a value corresponding to the base game play result, and further shows bonus game indicia, different from the base game play display, having a value corresponding to the bonus game play result, wherein the single game play result is a fixed sum that is awarded to the player.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the bonus game indicia further comprises a plurality of indicia.
3. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of indicia is selectable, and where the bonus result is divided into a set of partial win results that, in total, are an amount equal to the bonus result, and where the partial win results are awarded one at a time as a result of a selectable indicium being selected, until all of the partial win results are awarded.
4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game play result further includes an indicator recognizable by the player terminal, the indicator indicating that the game play result comprises a base game play result and a bonus game play result.
5. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the bonus game play amount is calculated by subtracting a known base game amount from the game play result.
6. A method of gaming on a gaming system, the method comprising:
enabling a fixed pool of game results derived from a non-fixed-pool slot machine game, a game result being selectable upon a request from a player terminal;
selecting a game play result after receiving the game result request from a player terminal, wherein the game play result represents a fixed sum award determined prior to base and bonus game play and having a base game play result and a bonus game play amount;
sending the game play result to the player terminal;
receiving the game play result at the player terminal;
determining a base game play result and a bonus game play amount from the game play result; and
simulating the non-fixed-pool slot machine game by:
awarding the base game play result;
starting a bonus game;
enabling play of the bonus game; and
awarding the bonus game play amount.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the bonus game comprises a plurality of indicia.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of indicia is selectable, and wherein the bonus game play result is divided into a set of partial win results that, in total, are an amount equal to said bonus game play result, and wherein the partial win results are awarded one at a time as a result of a selectable indicium being selected, until all of said partial win results are awarded.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
including, in the game play result, an indicator recognizable by the player terminal, the indicator indicating that the game play result comprises a base game play result and a bonus game play result.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
calculating the bonus game play amount by subtracting a base game amount from the game play result.
11. A method of play in a gaming system, the method comprising:
receiving a wager on a game at a player terminal;
generating a game result request;
selecting a game result from a fixed pool of game results derived from a non-fixed-pool slot machine game, wherein the game play result represents a fixed sum award determined prior to base and bonus game play and having a base game play result and a bonus game amount;
determining the base game result and the bonus game amount from the selected game result; and
simulating the non-fixed pool slot machine game by:
playing the game and awarding the base game result;
starting a bonus game;
enabling play of the bonus game; and
awarding the bonus game amount.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the bonus game comprises a plurality of indicia.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
dividing the bonus game play amount into a set of partial win results that, in total, are an amount equal to the bonus game result;
selecting bonus game indicia;
awarding one of the partial win results; and
repeating the selecting and awarding until all of the partial win amounts are awarded.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
recognizing, in the game result, an indicator indicating that the game result
comprises a base game result and a bonus game result.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
calculating the bonus game result by subtracting a base game result from the game result.