Gaming machine with visual and audio indicia changed over time
View Patent ↗A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines and a controller coupled to the gaming machines. The gaming machines are used for playing one or more wagering games having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome. Each gaming machine includes at least one wager-input device for receiving a first type of wager, which allows the player to play the wagering game, and the second type of wager, which allows the player to be eligible for a progressive jackpot. The controller determines a first cumulative value of the first type of wagers, a second cumulative value of the second type of wagers, and a distributable wager pool that is derived from a portion of the first cumulative value and a portion of the second cumulative value. The distributable wager pool can fund the progressive jackpot.
1. A gaming system, comprising:
a gaming machine for playing a basic game having a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes, one of said plurality of outcomes including a bonus-game triggering outcome causing a first bonus game to be played at said gaming machine; and
a controller coupled to said gaming machine and operative to download to said gaming machine a data set corresponding to a second bonus game in response to a predetermined condition, and wherein said second bonus game is played in response to said bonus-game triggering outcome at said gaming machine instead of said first bonus game.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined condition is a predetermined time.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said predetermined time is a time of day.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined condition relates to a number of wager inputs at said gaming machine.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said second bonus game has a theme indicative of a commonly known societal event.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said controller is located external to said gaming machine.
7. The system of claim 1 , further including other gaming machines and said controller is coupled to said other gaming machines, said controller operative to download said data set for said second bonus game to said other gaming machines.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said controller is further operative to download to said gaming machine another data set corresponding to a third bonus game in response to another predetermined condition, said third bonus game being played in response to said bonus-game triggering outcome at said gaming machine instead of said first bonus game and said second bonus game.
9. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:
storing, in a memory device remote from said gaming machine, a plurality of data sets for producing respective bonus games, each of said bonus games having different bonus game formats;
conducting a basic game at said gaming machine;
selectively enabling said bonus games at different times of operation, said selectively enabling including downloading said plurality of date sets from said remote memory device to said gaming machine; and
activating one of said enabled bonus games in response to a start-bonus outcome being achieved during said basic game.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said different times of operation include first and second times of operation, and wherein said selectively enabling enables different groups of bonus games at said first and second times of operation.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said different times of operation are determined by monitoring wager inputs of players at said gaming machine.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said different times of operation are determined by determining a favorite bonus game that can be played at said gaming machine and enabling said favorite bonus game.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein said different times of operation are determined by monitoring real time.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said different times of operation occur at different times of a day.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein said different bonus game formats present different player-selectable options.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein said different bonus game formats include bonus game themes indicative of a commonly known societal event.
17. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:
storing, in a memory device remote from said gaming machine, a plurality of data sets for producing respective bonus games including a first bonus game and a second bonus game that is different from said first bonus game;
conducting a basic game at said gaming machine;
in response to achieving a start-bonus outcome in said basic game, conducting said first bonus game at said gaming machine;
in response to a predetermined condition, downloading said data set corresponding to said second bonus game from said memory device to said gaming machine; and
subsequent to said downloading and in response to achieving a start-bonus outcome in said basic game, conducting said second bonus game at said gaming machine.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said predetermined condition is a predetermined time.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein said predetermined condition relates to a number of wager inputs at said gaming machine.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein said predetermined condition is a determination of a favorite bonus game that is activatable at said gaming machine.