GAMING MACHINE AND METHOD HAVING BONUS FEATURES WITH PROGRESSIVE WIN OPTIONS
A gaming machine and method for providing slot machine game having a bonus round in which player interactions select a progressive prize to be awarded. The bonus round is entered based on a graphical accumulator object which persists between rounds of the base wagering game. Triggering events fill up the object and eventually trigger a bonus round in which a progressive is awarded. Player selections of player interactive bonus objects in the bonus round reveal progressive prize symbols or progressive eliminator symbols. The eliminator symbols cause removal of the currently lowest value progressive prize from the group of available progressive prizes. Obtaining a matching set of progressive prize symbols awards the associated progressive prize. Data structures and executable program code design are provided for implementing the methods and programming a special purpose gaming machine.
1 . A gaming machine comprising:
a cabinet to which is mounted one or more video displays;
a controller operatively coupled to control the one or more video displays;
a credit input device in communication with the controller and adapted for accepting a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a player credit balance;
a plurality of player-activated input devices in communication with the controller for setting wagers covered by the credit balance and initiating games for determining the outcomes of the wagers;
a first data structure stored in a memory comprising data corresponding to a reel-type game presentations including a set of virtual reel strips including game symbols;
a second data structure stored in memory comprising data representing a set player interactive bonus objects;
a third data structure stored in memory comprising data representing graphical indicators of progressive prize awards;
wherein the controller is programmed to:
activate the first data structure to cause the game presentation data to be displayed by at least one of the displays;
in response to a wager activation by a player on one of the player input devices, cause the game presentation to display conducting a base game including spinning the sets of virtual reel strips and stopping to produce a respective randomly selected outcome, and evaluate the outcomes for winning patterns each having an associated credit award;
determine if a bonus trigger occurs in the outcome, and if so, activate the second data structure and the third data structure to display the conduct of a bonus game and a bonus game result, comprising:
(a) displaying the graphical indicators of progressive prize awards;
(b) displaying the group of player interactive bonus objects in a gaming area of the display below the graphical indicators;
(c) receiving repeated player selection of the player interactive objects to reveal progressive prize symbols which persist on the gaming area between player selections;
(d) determining if three matching progressive prize symbols have been revealed, and if so awarding a corresponding progressive prize;
(e) determining if a designated progressive eliminator symbol has been revealed, and if so a graphical interaction between an element in the gaming area of the display and the graphical indicators, the graphical interaction including showing a lowest value graphical indicator being removed from availability; and
receive a player cash out input through the player controls and, in response, initiate a payout of the credit balance.
2 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , in which the graphical interaction between the element in the gaming area and the graphical indicators is to show a flame passing from the element to the lowest value indicator, having the effect of showing the lowest value indicator as being burned and partially turned to ashes but still being displayed when removed from availability.
3 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth a data structure stored in the memory comprising data corresponding to a graphical accumulator object, the fourth data structure having a persistent state across multiple base game rounds, and wherein the controller is further programmed to: determine if a designated symbol is present when evaluating each base game outcome, and if so cause a graphical interaction to be displayed between the designated symbol and the graphical accumulator object, increasing an accumulation level of the object; and if the accumulation level of the object fills, activate the bonus trigger.
4 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , in which the graphical interaction is displayed between progressive eliminator symbol and a selected graphical indicator.
5 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , in which the graphical interaction is displayed between an animated character in the gaming area and a selected graphical indicator.
6 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , in which the graphical interaction is shown to cross between a primary display of the displays and a secondary display of the displays.
7 . A method of providing a wagering game under control of a gaming machine electronic controller, the method comprising:
providing a first data structure stored in a memory of the gaming machine comprising data corresponding to a reel-type game presentations including a set of virtual reel strips including game symbols;
providing a second data structure stored in the memory comprising data representing a set player interactive bonus objects;
providing a third data structure stored in the memory comprising data representing graphical indicators of progressive prize awards; receiving a player deposit through a credit input device and in response activating a credit meter value that establishes a player credit balance;
activate the first data structure to cause the game presentation to be displayed by at least one of the displays;
in response to a wager activation by a player on one of the player input devices, cause the game presentation to display conducting a base game including spinning the sets of virtual reel strips and stopping to produce a respective randomly selected outcome, and evaluate the outcomes for winning patterns each having an associated credit award;
determine if a bonus trigger occurs in the outcome, and if so, activate the second data structure and the third data structure to display the conduct of a bonus game and a bonus game result, comprising:
(a) displaying the graphical indicators of progressive prize awards;
(b) displaying the group of player interactive bonus objects in a gaming area of the display below the graphical indicators;
(c) receiving repeated player selection of the player interactive objects to reveal progressive prize symbols which persist on the gaming area between player selections;
(d) determining if three matching progressive prize symbols have been revealed, and if so awarding a corresponding progressive prize;
(e) determining if a designated progressive eliminator symbol has been revealed, and if so displaying a graphical interaction between an element in the gaming area of the display and the graphical indicators, the graphical interaction including showing a lowest value graphical indicator being removed from availability; and
receive a player cash out input through the player controls and, in response, initiate a payout of the credit balance.
8 . The method of claim 7 , in which the graphical interaction between the element in the gaming area and the graphical indicators is to show a flame passing from the element to the lowest value indicator, having the effect of showing the lowest value indicator as being burned and partially turned to ashes but still being displayed when removed from availability.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
providing a fourth a data structure stored in the memory comprising data corresponding to a graphical accumulator object, the fourth data structure having a persistent state across multiple base game rounds;
determining if a designated symbol is present when evaluating each base game outcome, and if so cause a graphical interaction to be displayed between the designated symbol and the graphical accumulator object, increasing an accumulation level of the object; and
if the accumulation level of the object fills, activate the bonus trigger.
10 . The method of claim 7 , in which the graphical interaction is displayed between progressive eliminator symbol and a selected graphical indicator.
11 . The method of claim 7 , in which the graphical interaction is displayed between an animated character in the gaming area and a selected graphical indicator.
12 . The method of claim 7 , in which the graphical interaction is shown to cross between a primary display of the displays and a secondary display of the displays.
13 . A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium holding a program product for execution by a controller of a gaming machine having one or more video displays, the program product including machine instructions for:
operating a credit input device in communication with the controller to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value and, in response, establishing a player credit balance;
controlling a plurality of player-activated input devices in communication with the controller for setting wagers covered by the credit balance and initiating games for determining the outcomes of the wagers;
providing a first data structure stored in a memory comprising data corresponding to a reel-type game presentations including a set of virtual reel strips including game symbols;
providing a second data structure stored in memory comprising data representing a set player interactive bonus objects;
providing a third data structure stored in memory comprising data representing graphical indicators of progressive prize awards;
activating the first data structure to cause the game presentation data to be displayed by at least one of the displays;
in response to a wager activation by a player on one of the player input devices, causing the game presentation to display conducting a base game including spinning the sets of virtual reel strips and stopping to produce a respective randomly selected outcome, and evaluate the outcomes for winning patterns each having an associated credit award;
determining if a bonus trigger occurs in the outcome, and if so, activate the second data structure and the third data structure to display the conduct of a bonus game and a bonus game result, comprising:
(a) displaying the graphical indicators of progressive prize awards;
(b) displaying the group of player interactive bonus objects in a gaming area of the display below the graphical indicators;
(c) receiving repeated player selection of the player interactive objects to reveal progressive prize symbols which persist on the gaming area between player selections;
(d) determining if three matching progressive prize symbols have been revealed, and if so awarding a corresponding progressive prize;
(e) determining if a designated progressive eliminator symbol has been revealed, and if so a graphical interaction between an element in the gaming area of the display and the graphical indicators, the graphical interaction including showing a lowest value graphical indicator being removed from availability; and
receiving a player cash out input through the player controls and, in response, initiate a payout of the credit balance.
14 . The program product of claim 13 , in which the graphical interaction between the element in the gaming area and the graphical indicators is to show a flame passing from the element to the lowest value indicator, having the effect of showing the lowest value indicator as being burned and partially turned to ashes but still being displayed when removed from availability.
15 . The program product of claim 13 , further comprising a fourth a data structure stored in the memory comprising data corresponding to a graphical accumulator object, the fourth data structure having a persistent state across multiple base game rounds, and wherein the controller is further programmed to: determine if a designated symbol is present when evaluating each base game outcome, and if so cause a graphical interaction to be displayed between the designated symbol and the graphical accumulator object, increasing an accumulation level of the object; and if the accumulation level of the object fills, activate the bonus trigger.
16 . The program product of claim 13 , in which the graphical interaction is displayed between progressive eliminator symbol and a selected graphical indicator.
17 . The program product of claim 13 , in which the graphical interaction is displayed between an animated character in the gaming area and a selected graphical indicator.
18 . The program product of claim 13 , in which the graphical interaction is shown to cross between a primary display of the displays and a secondary display of the displays.