Method, apparatus, and program product employing a touch screen button for presenting game feature information in a gaming machine
View Patent ↗A method includes displaying a button graphic on a touch screen video display device associated with a gaming machine. The button graphic defines a button display area on the touch screen video display device which may be touched to cause a touch screen controller associated with the touch screen video display device to generate a game feature input. In response to the game feature input, a game feature in a game offered through the gaming machine is modified in some fashion. In addition to displaying the button graphic, the button graphic is modified to add a first message regarding the game feature. This modification of the button graphic is performed in association with a modification of the game feature, and the first message includes text indicating that the game feature has been modified.
1. A method of presenting game feature information through a gaming machine, the method including:
(a) displaying a button graphic on a touch screen video display device associated with a gaming machine, the button graphic defining a button display area which, when touched, causes a touch screen controller associated with the touch screen video display device to generate a game feature input which in turn causes the gaming machine to modify a game feature offered through the gaming machine;
(b) in association with modifying the game feature, modifying the button graphic to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being added within the button display area and including text indicating that the game feature has been modified; and
(c) modifying the button graphic to add a second message, the second message being added within the button display area and comprising additional text separate from the text of the first message, and the second message being added without any additional modification to the game feature.
2. A gaming machine including:
(a) a touch screen video display device, the touch screen video display device displaying a button graphic which defines a button display area;
(b) a touch screen controller for generating a game feature input in response to a touch within the button display area defined by the button graphic; and
(c) a presentation controller for (i) modifying a game feature in a game offered through the gaming machine, and for (ii) in association with modifying the game feature, causing the button graphic to be modified to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being added within the button display area and including text describing an aspect of the game feature, and for (iii) causing the button graphic to be modified to add a second message regarding the game feature, the second message being added within the button display area and comprising a separate message from the first message, and the second message being added without modifying the game feature.
3. A program product comprising one or more computer readable media storing program code, the program product including:
(a) game feature program code executable for modifying a game feature offered through a gaming machine in response to a touch within a button display area of a button graphic displayed on a touch screen display of the gaming machine; and
(b) button graphic program code executable for (i) causing the button graphic displayed by the gaming machine to be modified to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being located within the button display area of the button graphic and including text indicating an aspect of the game feature, and the button graphic being modified in association with a modification of the game feature, and for (ii) causing the button graphic to be modified to add a second message regarding the game feature, the second message being added within the button display area and comprising a separate message from the first message, and the second message being added without modifying the game feature.
4. A method of presenting game feature information through a gaming machine, the method including:
(a) displaying a button graphic on a touch screen video display device associated with a gaming machine, the button graphic defining a button display area which, when touched, causes a touch screen controller associated with the touch screen video display device to generate a game feature input which in turn causes the gaming machine to modify a game feature offered through the gaming machine, wherein the game feature is a bonus game, and wherein modifying the game feature includes changing a state of the gaming machine from an ineligible state for the bonus game to an eligible state for the bonus game in response to a touch of the button display area defined by the button graphic;
(b) in association with modifying the game feature, modifying the button graphic to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being added within the button display area and including text indicating that the game feature has been modified, and wherein the first message includes text indicating that the gaming machine is in the eligible state for the bonus game;
(c) modifying the game feature to change the state of the gaming machine from the eligible state for the bonus game to the ineligible state for the bonus game; and
(d) modifying the button graphic to add an ineligibility message including text indicating the gaming machine is in the ineligible state for the bonus game, the ineligibility message being added within the button display area.
5. The method of claim 4 further including after modifying the button graphic to add the ineligibility message, modifying the button graphic to add an eligibility requirement message within the button display area, the eligibility requirement message including text indicating requirements for changing the state of the gaming machine from the ineligible state for the bonus game to the eligible state for the bonus game.
6. A method of presenting game feature information through a gaming machine, the method including:
(a) displaying a button graphic on a touch screen video display device associated with a gaming machine, the button graphic defining a button display area which, when touched, causes a touch screen controller associated with the touch screen video display device to generate a game feature input which in turn causes the gaming machine to modify a game feature offered through the gaming machine, wherein the game feature is a bonus game, and wherein modifying the game feature includes changing a state of the gaming machine from an eligible state for the bonus game to an ineligible state for the bonus game;
(b) in association with modifying the game feature, modifying the button graphic to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being added within the button display area and including text indicating that the game feature has been modified, wherein the first message comprises an ineligibility message including text indicating that the gaming machine is in the ineligible state for the bonus game; and
(c) modifying the button graphic to add an eligibility requirement message within the button display area, the eligibility requirement message including text indicating requirements for modifying the state of the gaming machine to the eligible state for the bonus game.
7. A gaming machine including:
(a) a touch screen video display device, the touch screen video display device displaying a button graphic which defines a button display area;
(b) a touch screen controller for generating a game feature input in response to a touch within the button display area defined by the button graphic; and
(c) a presentation controller for (i) responsive to the game feature input, modifying a game feature in a game offered through the gaming machine wherein modifying the game feature includes changing the gaming machine from an ineligible state for a bonus game to an eligible state for the bonus game, and for (ii) in association with modifying the game feature, causing the button graphic to be modified to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being added within the button display area and including text indicating that the gaming machine is in the eligible state, and for (iii) changing the gaming machine from the eligible state for the bonus game to the ineligible state for the bonus game in response to an end eligibility condition, and for (iv) in association with changing the gaming machine from the eligible state for the bonus game to the ineligible state for the bonus game, causing the button graphic to be modified to add an ineligibility message regarding the game feature, the ineligibility message being added within the button display area and including text indicating the gaming machine is no longer eligible for the bonus game.
8. A gaming machine including:
(a) a touch screen video display device, the touch screen video display device displaying a button graphic which defines a button display area;
(b) a touch screen controller for generating a game feature input in response to a touch within the button display area defined by the button graphic; and
(c) a presentation controller for (i) modifying a game feature in a game offered through the gaming machine, wherein modifying the game feature includes changing the gaming machine from an eligible state for a bonus game to an ineligible state for the bonus game, and for (ii) in association with modifying the game feature, causing the button graphic to be modified to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being added within the button display area and including text indicating that the gaming machine is in the ineligible state, and for (iii) modifying the button graphic to add an eligibility requirement message within the button display area, the eligibility requirement message including text indicating requirements for placing the gaming machine in the eligible state for the bonus game.
9. A program product comprising one or more computer readable media storing program code, the program product including:
(a) game feature program code executable for (i) modifying a game feature offered through a gaming machine in response to a touch within a button display area of a button graphic displayed on a touch screen display of the gaming machine, wherein modifying the game feature includes changing the gaming machine from an ineligible state for a bonus game to an eligible state for the bonus game, and for (ii) for changing the gaming machine from the eligible state for the bonus game to the ineligible state for the bonus game in response to an end eligibility condition; and
(b) button graphic program code executable for (i) causing the button graphic displayed by the gaming machine to be modified to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being located within the button display area of the button graphic and including text indicating that the gaming machine is in the eligible state, and the button graphic being modified in association with a change of the gaming machine from the ineligible state for the bonus game to the eligible state for the bonus game, and for (ii) in association with a change of the gaming machine from the eligible state for the bonus game to the ineligible state for the bonus game, causing the button graphic to be modified to add an ineligibility message regarding the game feature, the ineligibility message being added within the button display area and including text indicating the gaming machine is no longer eligible for the bonus game.
10. A program product comprising one or more computer readable media storing program code, the program product including:
(a) game feature program code executable for modifying a game feature offered through a gaming machine in response to a touch within a button display area of a button graphic displayed on a touch screen display of the gaming machine, wherein modifying the game feature includes changing the gaming machine from an eligible state for a bonus game to an ineligible state for the bonus game; and
(b) button graphic program code executable for (i) in association with a change of the gaming machine from the eligible state for the bonus game to the ineligible state for the bonus game, causing the button graphic displayed by the gaming machine to be modified to add a first message regarding the game feature, the first message being located within the button display area of the button graphic and including text indicating that the gaming machine is in the ineligible state, and for (ii) modifying the button graphic to add an eligibility requirement message, the eligibility requirement message being added within the button display area and including text indicating requirements for placing the gaming machine in the eligible state for the bonus game.