System and method for decoupled and player selectable bonus games
Various embodiments are directed to gaming systems and methods including a bonus game that can be decoupled from base games and/or are player selectable. Bonus features can be added to existing games and player selection of progressive play can be provided. The method and system can further provide switching among possible links without dynamic reconfiguration.
1. A system for players of electronic gaming machines on a communication network to select between different first and second progressive jackpots, each gaming machine configured for accepting coin-in wagers to play a base game displayed at a touch screen video display on the gaming machine and including video mixing apparatus and a video stream decoder, the progressive jackpots awarded independent of any outcome of the base game, the system comprising:
a jackpot controller in communication with gaming machines over the network and configured to (a) receive coin-in wager signals for all gaming machines playing either of the different first and second progressive jackpots over the network (b) receive selection signals from one or more electronic gaming machines to select between (i) a link with the first progressive jackpot or (ii) a link with the second progressive jackpot and (c) accumulate coin-in wager signals from the one or more electronic gaming machines linked to the first progressive jackpot to the first progressive jackpot;
a stream server in communication with the jackpot controller and each electronic gaming machine video mixing and video stream decoder and configured to send signals to mix the video display to display the base game in an area defining most of the video display with display of (a) the current values for each of the first and second progressive jackpots and (b) a touch enabled button for the player to touch to send the selection signal;
the jackpot controller further configured to detect a first progressive jackpot trigger condition related to the coin-in wagers from the electronic gaming machines linked thereto and issue a jackpot trigger condition for a bonus;
in response to detection of the trigger condition the stream server configured to control the video mixing apparatus and video stream decoder to control the video display to display a progressive award video sequence at a location of the video display in place of at least a portion of the area for the base game;
wherein the jackpot controller accumulates coin-in information from all electronic gaming machines so that no dynamic reconfiguration is necessary when a player switches their selection from linking with the first progressive jackpot to the second progressive jackpot.
2. The system of claim 1 comprising in response to detection of the trigger condition the stream server configured to control the video mixing apparatus and video stream decoder to control the entire video display to display a progressive award video sequence.
3. The system of claim 1 comprising the video mixing apparatus is display manager including a touch router to manage touches between the base game and the touch enabled button.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the base game for an electronic gaming machines has a base game return to player and each of the first and second progressive jackpots has a bonus return to player, the jackpot controller configured to enable linking between the electronic gaming machine and the first progressive jackpot if the base game return to player and the bonus game return to player are compatible.
5. A system for players of electronic gaming machines on a communication network to select to link to different first and second progressive jackpots, each gaming machine configured for accepting coin-in wagers to play a base game displayed at a touch screen video display on the gaming machine and including video mixing apparatus and a video stream decoder, the progressive jackpots awarded independent of any outcome of the base game, the system comprising:
first and second jackpot controllers to control the first and second jackpots in communication with gaming machines over the network and each configured to (a) receive coin-in wager signals for all gaming machines playing either of the first and second progressive jackpots over the network (b) receive selection signals from one or more electronic gaming machines to select between (i) a link with the first progressive jackpot or (ii) a link with the second progressive jackpot and (c) accumulate coin-in wager signals from the one or more electronic gaming machines linked to the first progressive jackpot to the first progressive jackpot;
a stream server in communication with the jackpot controller and each electronic gaming machine video mixing and video stream decoder and configured to send signals to mix the video display to display the base game in an area defining most of the video display with display of (a) the current values for each of the first and second progressive jackpots and (b) a touch enabled button for the player to touch to send the selection signal;
the jackpot controller further configured to detect a first progressive jackpot trigger condition related to the coin-in wagers from the electronic gaming machines linked thereto and issue a jackpot trigger condition for a bonus;
in response to detection of the trigger condition the stream server configured to control the video mixing apparatus and video stream decoder to control the video display to display a progressive award video sequence at a location of the video display in place of at least a portion of the area for the base game;
wherein the jackpot controller accumulates coin-in information from all electronic gaming machines so that no dynamic reconfiguration is necessary when a player switches their selection from linking with the first progressive jackpot to the second progressive jackpot.
6. The system of claim 5 comprising the video mixing apparatus is display manager including a touch router to manage touches between the base game and the touch enabled button.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein the base game for an electronic gaming machines has a base game return to player and each of the first and second progressive jackpots has a bonus return to player, the jackpot controller configured to enable linking between the electronic gaming machine and the first progressive jackpot if the base game return to player and the bonus game return to player are compatible.