Multi-game video poker machine and system with asymmetrically accessible customization features
View Patent ↗A gaming system with asymmetric customization capabilities and a method of enabling asymmetric customization of a wagering game are disclosed. A plurality of selectable game-play features are provided for utilization during the wagering game. Players accessing the game-play features are unequally limited as to which features are available for modification, depending on means of access. All features, however, are available for game-play, regardless of means of access.
1. A method of operating a gaming system including a random element generator, one or more controllers, and a gaming terminal, the gaming terminal primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming terminal including a gaming cabinet, and electronic display device, and an electronic input device, the cabinet constructed to house components associated with the casino wagering game, the electronic display device and the electronic input device being coupled to the gaming cabinet, the method comprising:
receiving, responsive to a physical input to the electronic input device of the gaming terminal, a wager input to initiate the casino wagering game;
displaying, on the electronic display device, a first plurality of selectable game-play features of the casino wagering game as being customizable by a player at the gaming terminal;
displaying, on a display device connected to a remote device that is not primarily dedicated to playing a wagering game, a second plurality of selectable game-play features of the casino wagering game as being customizable by the player at the remote device, the second plurality including at least one selectable game-play feature of the first plurality and at least one selectable game-play feature not in the first plurality;
receiving, responsive to one or more physical inputs from the player, one or more selections indicative of selectable game-play features to be customized, the selections being from at least the second plurality and including the at least one selectable game-play feature that is not in the first plurality;
generating one or more random elements with the random element generator;
determining, by the one or more controllers, an outcome of the casino wagering game based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements;
displaying the outcome on the electronic display device of the gaming terminal; and
displaying, as customized by the player and on the electronic display device, any game-play features of the first and second pluralities selected for customization and implemented during game-play at the gaming terminal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes a selection of one of a plurality of wagering games offered for play on the gaming terminal.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes a visual characteristic of the casino wagering game.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes a bonus feature of the casino wagering game.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes an award celebration of the casino wagering game.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes a player-interaction mode of the casino wagering game.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to displaying the first or second plurality, accessing the respective first or second plurality by logging into a player account.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, after displaying the first or second plurality, saving the respective first or second plurality as customized in the player account.
9. A network-connected gaming system configured to customize game-play, the gaming system comprising:
a gaming terminal primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming terminal including a gaming cabinet, an electronic display device, and an electronic input device, the electronic display device and the electronic input device being coupled to the gaming cabinet, the electronic input device configured to receive a physical input from a player to initiate the casino wagering game and transform the input into an electronic data signal;
a random element generator configured to generate one or more random elements; and
one or more controllers configured to:
receive, responsive to a physical input to the electronic input device of the gaming terminal, a wager input to initiate the casino wagering game;
display, on the electronic display device, a first plurality of selectable game-play features of the casino wagering game as being customizable by the player at the gaming terminal;
display, via a display device connected to a remote device that is not primarily dedicated to playing a wagering game, a second plurality of selectable game-play features of the casino wagering game as being customizable by the player at the remote device, the second plurality including at least one selectable game-play feature of the first plurality and at least one selectable game-play feature not in the first plurality;
receive, responsive to one or more physical inputs from the player, one or more selections indicative of one or more selectable game-play features to be customized, the selections being from at least the second plurality and including the at least one selectable game-play feature that is not in the first plurality;
generate one or more random elements with the random element generator;
determine, by the one or more controllers, an outcome of the casino wagering game based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements;
display the outcome on the electronic display device of the gaming terminal; and
display, as customized by the player and on the electronic display device, any game-play features of the first and second pluralities selected for customization and implemented during game-play at the gaming terminal.
10. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to, prior to displaying the first or second plurality, receive log-in information for accessing a player account associated with the respective first or second plurality.
11. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to display, via the display device connected to the remote device, special features related to game-play, the special features being available for accrual from the remote device but not from the gaming terminal, and the special features being downloadable for use during game-play on the gaming terminal.
12. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to save the accrued special features in a player account associated with the player for use in subsequent game-play on the gaming terminal.
13. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes a selection of one of a plurality of wagering games offered for play on the gaming terminal.
14. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the selectable game-play features of at least one of the first and second pluralities includes a visual characteristic of the casino wagering game.
15. A networked gaming terminal primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming terminal comprising:
a gaming cabinet for housing components associated with the casino wagering game;
an electronic display device coupled to the gaming cabinet;
an electronic input device coupled to the gaming cabinet, the electronic input device configured to receive a physical input from a player to initiate the casino wagering game and transform the input into an electronic data signal; and
one or more controllers disposed within the gaming cabinet and including a random element generator, the random element generator configured to generate one or more random elements, the one or more controllers configured to:
receive, responsive to a physical input to the electronic input device of the gaming terminal, a wager input to initiate the casino wagering game;
display, on the electronic display device, a first plurality of selectable game-play features of the casino wagering game as being customizable by the player at the gaming terminal;
receive, from the player at the gaming terminal, an input indicative of a selection to customize a first game-play feature of the first plurality;
display, via a display device connected to a remote device that is not primarily dedicated to playing a wagering game, a second plurality of selectable game-play features of the casino wagering game as being customizable by the player at the remote device, the second plurality including at least one game-play feature of the first plurality and at least one game-play feature not included in the first plurality;
receive, from the player at the remote device, an input indicative of a selection to customize a second game-play feature of the second plurality, the selection from the second plurality including the at least one game-play feature not included in the first plurality;
generate one or more random elements with the random element generator;
determine, by the one or more controllers, an outcome of the casino wagering game based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements;
display the outcome on the electronic display device of the gaming terminal; and
display, as customized by the player and on the electronic display device, any game-play features of the first and second pluralities selected for customization and implemented during game-play on the gaming terminal.
16. The gaming terminal of claim 15 , wherein the first and second game-play features remain as customized during subsequent game-play sessions until customized again by the player.
17. The gaming terminal of claim 15 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to, prior to displaying the first or second plurality, receive log-in information for accessing a player account associated with the respective first or second plurality.
18. The gaming terminal of claim 17 , wherein one or more controllers are further configured to:
after displaying the first and second pluralities during game-play on the gaming terminal, save, in the player account, the first and second pluralities;
initiate, in response to another input from the player at a different gaming terminal, a subsequent game-play session on the different gaming terminal; and
display, as customized by the player and via at least one display connected to the different gaming terminal, the first and second pluralities when implemented during game-play on the different gaming terminal.
19. The gaming terminal of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality is either a default plurality of game-play features or a previously-saved plurality of selectable game-play features, and the second plurality is either a default plurality of selectable game-play features or a previously-saved plurality of selectable game-play features.