Gaming apparatus and systems
Gaming apparatus, e.g. an Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) ( 1 ), includes a controller ( 2 ) for implementing e.g. a slot-machine game, a poker game or the like. The EGM ( 1 ) displays a gaming image on a display ( 5 ), e.g. virtual symbol reels or card hands, and receives player instructions via an input ( 6 ) or the like, e.g. to spin the reels or manage the cards. The EGM ( 1 ) includes a guarantee feature in which an event is guaranteed to trigger if a monitored event (e.g. of the same type as the guaranteed event) does not occur within a set amount of gameplay. A guarantee indicator ( 9 ), e.g. a numerical countdown or gauge, indicates the remaining amount of gameplay required before the guarantee feature triggers. The monitored and/or guaranteed event may be a win event or a feature event, e.g. the triggering of a bonus round, free game or the like.
1. A gaming apparatus comprising:
a component for monitoring gameplay;
a component for monitoring an occurrence of a game event; and
an event guarantee component for guaranteeing that a game event will trigger within a set amount of gameplay,
the event guarantee component including a trigger component for triggering a game event when the set guarantee gameplay amount is reached without the monitored event having been triggered, and
an indicator component for indicating an amount of gameplay remaining to be played before a guaranteed game event will trigger, wherein the amount indicated by the guarantee indicator decreases as gameplay progresses towards a game event guaranteed to trigger by the event guarantee component.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein gameplay is measured based on the number of plays of a game, and/or on the amount bet on a game.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitored event and the guaranteed game event are the same event.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitored event and/or guaranteed event is chosen from either or both of a prize win and/or a feature event.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the prize win is a win of a certain value or a win based on a particular set of circumstances.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the feature event is chosen from the appearance of one or more particular symbols and the appearance of a wild feature.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the feature event is one of an extraneous game from a main game, a bonus game, a free play, a respin, or a high payout game.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitored game event is an event from a set of monitored events.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monitored game event is normally triggered either randomly or based on a particular set of game circumstances.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the event guarantee component includes a reset component for resetting the guarantee gameplay amount if the monitored game event is triggered before the guarantee gameplay amount is reached.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the event guarantee component includes a reset component for resetting the guaranteed event to a different event when a guaranteed event is triggered and/or when a monitored game event is triggered normally.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the indicator component displays either a numerical countdown of the remaining guarantee gameplay amount or a gauge having a scale on which the remaining guarantee gameplay amount is indicated.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein play parameters for the guaranteed event are determined either from play parameters existing during normal play, from an average of play parameters existing during normal play or randomly.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the guarantee gameplay amount that must be played before the guaranteed event is triggered is determined either randomly or is set to a predetermined value.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an electronic gaming machine.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus includes a central control and a plurality of remote devices in communication with the central control.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus includes a network of electronic devices.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the guarantee gameplay amount is based on combined gameplay for a plurality of said devices.
19. A gaming system comprising:
a component for monitoring gameplay;
a component for monitoring the occurrence of a game event;
an event guarantee component for triggering a guaranteed game event if the monitored game event has not triggered within a set amount of gameplay; and
a guarantee indicator component for providing a guarantee indicator that indicates the amount of gameplay that must occur before the guaranteed event is triggered, wherein the amount indicated by the guarantee indicator decreases as gameplay progresses towards a game event guaranteed to trigger by the event guarantee component.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the system includes a central control for running a gaming algorithm, and
a plurality of remote clients in communication with the central control over a communications network,
the remote clients including screens for displaying gaming screens and inputs for allowing player interaction with the central control, and
guarantee indicators being provided on the client screens.