Gaming machine with separately selectable wagering games
View Patent ↗A gaming system for conducting a wagering game allows players, casino operators, and/or gaming machine manufacturers to selectively combine base games and bonus games. This modular approach allows players, casino operators, and/or gaming machine manufacturers to mix and match base games and bonus games as needed. In some embodiments, players, casino operators, and/or gaming machine manufacturers may also select different game features to employ in the bonus and/or base games. Such an arrangement allows players, casino operators, and/or gaming machine manufacturers to configure each base game and/or bonus game according to their preferences.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
selecting, responsive to a first user input via an input device, a base game package from a plurality of possible base game packages;
selecting, independent of the selecting of the base game package and responsive to a second user input via the input device, a bonus game package from a plurality of possible bonus game packages;
downloading the selected base and bonus game packages to a gaming machine; and
permitting a wagering game, including the selected base and bonus game packages, to be played via the gaming machine, the wagering game including a bonus game in the selected bonus game package being triggerable during play of a base game in the selected base game package.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base game package includes a plurality of possible base game features, and the bonus game package includes a plurality of possible bonus game features, and further comprising:
selecting, responsive to a third user input, a base game feature from the plurality of possible base game features; and
selecting, responsive to a fourth user input, a bonus game feature from the plurality of possible bonus game features.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the downloading, the base and bonus game packages are stored in one or more storage units coupled to the gaming machine via a network.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing the wagering game at the gaming machine.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected base and bonus game packages are independently funded by respective wagers.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting expected values of the base and bonus game packages after the base and bonus game packages are selected.
7. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine;
an input device; and
game circuitry, including at least one processor and at least one memory device, the memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the gaming system to:
select, responsive to a first user input via an input device, a base game package from a plurality of base game packages;
select, independent of the selecting of the base game package and responsive to a second user input via the input device, a bonus game package from a plurality of bonus game packages;
download the selected base and bonus game packages to the gaming machine; and
permit a wagering game, including the selected base and bonus game packages, to be played via the gaming machine, the wagering game including a bonus game in the selected bonus game package being triggerable during play of a base game in the selected base game package.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the base game package includes a plurality of possible base game features, and the bonus game package includes a plurality of possible bonus game features, and wherein the instructions further cause the gaming system to:
select, responsive to a third user input from the input device, a base game feature from the plurality of possible base game features; and
select, responsive to a fourth user input from the input device, a bonus game feature from the plurality of possible bonus game features.
9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising one or more storage units coupled to the gaming machine via a network, wherein prior to the download, the base and bonus game packages are stored in the one or more storage units.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the gaming system to execute the wagering game at the gaming machine.
11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the selected base and bonus game packages are independently funded by respective wagers.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the gaming system to set expected values of the base and bonus game packages after the base and bonus game packages are selected.
13. One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
selecting, responsive to a first user input via an input device, a base game package from a plurality of possible base game packages;
selecting, independent of the selecting of the base game package and responsive to a second user input via the input device, a bonus game package from a plurality of possible bonus game packages;
downloading the selected base and bonus game packages to a gaming machine; and
permitting a wagering game, including the selected base and bonus game packages, to be played via the gaming machine, the wagering game including a bonus game in the selected bonus game package being triggerable during play of a base game in the selected base game package.
14. The storage media of claim 13 , wherein the base game package includes a plurality of possible base game features, and the bonus game package includes a plurality of possible bonus game features, and the operations further comprise:
selecting, responsive to a third user input, a base game feature from the plurality of possible base game features; and
selecting, responsive to a fourth user input, a bonus game feature from the plurality of possible bonus game features.
15. The storage media of claim 14 , wherein the base game features include at least one of the group of bonus game triggering mechanisms, payout multipliers, payout frequency, scatter pays, mystery pays, game-ending mechanisms and progressive jackpot levels.
16. The storage media of claim 13 , wherein prior to the downloading, the base and bonus game packages are stored in one or more storage units coupled to the gaming machine via a network.
17. The storage media of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise executing the wagering game at the gaming machine.
18. The storage media of claim 13 , wherein the selected base and bonus game packages are independently funded by respective wagers.
19. The storage media of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise setting expected values of the base and bonus game packages after the base and bonus game packages are selected.
20. The storage media of claim 13 , wherein at least one default base game package or bonus game package is selected for a player based on predefined preferences or selection history of the player.