Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention described herein include, in a pick-based gaming machine, a method of displaying a gaming outcome. The method includes displaying an image having a plurality of picks arranged adjacent to a plurality of objects; receiving a pick selection; simulating, as a function of the pick selection, a drop of fluid falling through the plurality of objects to fall in or past receptacles; and determining a gaming outcome as a function of fluid accumulated in the receptacles.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/715,640, filed Sep. 9, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     COPYRIGHT 
       [0002]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which the claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any person of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever. Copyright 2005, 2006, WMS Gaming, Inc. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    This patent application pertains generally to gaming systems, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system and method for displaying three-dimensional gaming effects in a gaming machine. 
         [0005]    2. Background Information 
         [0006]    Video gaming machines are popular within the gaming industry. They typically are operable to play traditional games such as slots, poker, bingo, keno and blackjack. Such machines have been enhanced in recent years by adding effects that make them more attractive, exciting and entertaining. 
         [0007]    Pick games are a popular type of game. In a pick game, the player chooses from a number of selections. The selection then triggers particular gaming outcomes. Pick games are either used alone, or in combination with reel-based games to provide bonus events. Bonus events occur outside the reel spin, injecting either a random event or fostering some player interaction to trigger a random event. 
         [0008]    The graphical capabilities of processors have increased dramatically over the last decade. At the same time, there is a continuing need to develop new and exciting effects for video gaming machines. What is needed is a way of harnessing the graphics power of processors to introduce new and innovative pick games in video gaming machines. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a gaming machine according to the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a control system suitable for operating the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0011]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a pick game according to one example embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary video gaming machine  10 , also referred to as a Video Lottery Terminal (VLT), in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented. In some embodiments, gaming machine  10  is operable to conduct a wagering game such as mechanical or video slots, poker, keno, bingo, or blackjack. The gaming machine  10  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a video display  12  such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, or other type of video display known in the art. In one such embodiment, a touch screen overlies the display  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming machine  10  is an “upright” version in which the display  12  is oriented vertically relative to a player. Alternatively, the gaming machine may be a “slant-top” version in which the display  12  is slanted at about a thirty-degree angle toward the player. Other orientations could be used as well. 
         [0014]    Gaming machine  10  includes one or more credit receiving mechanisms  14  for receiving credits to be used for placing wagers in the game. The credit receiving mechanisms  14  may, for example, include a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a ticket reader, and a card reader. The bill acceptor and the ticket reader may be combined into a single unit. The card reader may, for example, accept magnetic cards and smart (chip) cards coded with money or designating an account containing money. In some embodiments, credit receiving mechanism  14  receives credits through a network interface. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, the gaming machine  10  includes a user interface comprising a plurality of push-buttons  16 , the above-noted touch screen, and other possible devices. The plurality of push-buttons  16  may, for example, include one or more “bet” buttons for wagering, a “play” button for commencing play, a “collect” button for cashing out, a help” button for viewing a help screen, a “pay table” button for viewing the pay table(s), and a “call attendant” button for calling an attendant. Additional game specific buttons may be provided to facilitate play of the specific game executed on the machine. The touch screen may define touch keys for implementing many of the same functions as the push-buttons. Other possible user interface devices include a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball. 
         [0016]    A processor controls operation of the gaming machine  10 . In response to receiving a wager and a command to initiate play, the processor randomly selects a game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes and causes the display  12  to depict indicia representative of the selected game outcome. In the case of slots for example mechanical or simulated slot reels are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with one or more pay lines. If the selected outcome is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table, the processor awards the player with a number of credits associated with the winning outcome. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a control system suitable for operating the gaming machine  10 . Money/credit detector  22  signals a processor  20  when a player has inserted money, tickets, tokens, cards or other mechanism for obtaining credits for plays on the gaming machine through credit mechanisms  14 . Using a button panel  16  and/or a touch screen  18 , the player may select any variables associated with the wagering game and place his/her wager to purchase a play of the game. In a play of the game, the processor  20  generates at least one random event using a random number generator (RNG) and provides an award to the player for a winning outcome of the random event. 
         [0018]    Alternatively, the random event may be generated by a remote computer using an RNG or pooling schema and then transmitted to the gaming machine. The processor  20  operates the display  12  to represent the random event(s) and outcome(s) in a visual form that can be understood by the player. In addition to the processor  20 , the control system may include one or more additional slave control units for operating the display  12  and any secondary displays. 
         [0019]    System memory  24  stores control software, operational instructions and data associated with the gaming machine. In one embodiment, the system memory  24  comprises a separate read-only memory (ROM) and battery-backed random-access memory (RAM). However, it will be appreciated that the system memory  24  may be implemented on any of several alternative types of memory structures or may be implemented on a single memory structure. 
         [0020]    A payoff mechanism  26  is operable in response to instructions from the processor  20  to award a payoff to the player. The payoff may, for example, be in the form of a number of credits. The number of credits is determined by one or more math tables stored in, for example, system memory  24 . 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, gaming machine  10  includes a reel-based game with three-dimensional game effects. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, three-dimensional games are implemented using a game design package such as RenderWare Studio 2.0 running, for example, on a processor designed by Intel or AMD. 
         [0023]    An interesting pick game can be made based on the simulation of physical objects. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , an array of pick fields  40  is shown located above rows of pegs  42  and spinners  44  on a display  12 . A player selects a pick field  40 , releasing a drop of fluid from the vicinity of the pick field  40 . System  10  simulates the effects of gravity as the drop falls into the field of pegs  42  and spinners  44 , breaking into smaller drops as they encounter the pegs  42  and spinners  44 . The drops either fall into buckets  46  or appear to fall off display  12 . 
         [0024]    In one such embodiment, each drop adds some volume to the fluid accumulating in the bucket  46  into which it falls. The player can track how full each bucket is by comparing the level of the bucket  46  to gradation levels  48 . At the end of game play, system  10  evaluates each bucket and pays out based on the level of fluid in each bucket  46 . 
         [0025]    In one embodiment, as is shown in  FIG. 4 , processor  20  displays an image at  50  having two or more picks. Processor  20  receives the player&#39;s pick at  52  and simulates at  54  a drop of fluid falling through objects such as pegs  42  and spinners  44  to fall in or past buckets  46 . Processor  20  then determines a gaming outcome at  56  as a function of the simulation. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the fluid simulated is a dense liquid such as mercury. 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, players select from variables effecting game play. For instance, one player may select to play in a system with low gravity, or to play in a system with many, smaller drops of fluid, or with different or multiple fluid densities. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, players can activate two of more pick fields  40 , generating two or more drops that cascade through pegs  42  and spinners  44  fall on or past buckets  46 . 
         [0029]    In one embodiment, drops come in more than one color. In one such embodiment, drops layer into buckets  46  such that the colors do not mix. In another embodiment, the colored drops mix, with the shade of color in each bucket  46  acting to multiply the bucket&#39;s value. In yet another embodiment, a particular “special” color globule (e.g., red or gold) falling into a bucket  46  turns the bucket that color, multiplying the bucket&#39;s value. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, a drop changes color when it contacts particular objects. For instance, a gold peg would change the color of a drop to gold. If that drop fell into a bucket, it would multiply the bucket&#39;s value. 
         [0031]    In the above discussion, the term “processor” is defined to include any digital or analog data processing unit. Examples include any microprocessor or microcontroller capable of embodying the inventions described herein. 
         [0032]    Examples of articles comprising machine readable media are floppy disks, hard drives, CD-ROM or DVD media or any other read-write or read-only memory device. 
         [0033]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.