System and method of an interactive multiple participant game

Abstract

A plurality of linked gaming machines are disclosed that enhance the community participation and enjoyment of a game on multiple gaming machines. Players participate in an interactive game, either simultaneously, alternatively or in a systematic sequence, as a group or community. The participating players compete in the game such that the actions and results of each player affect the other players in the community. The interactive game combines skill and luck to improve play of the game. The interactive game could be a bonus game which players need to qualify in order to participate. If a player does not qualify, a wager can be placed to participate in the game. Players with different wagers can participate in the same game and players can wager on the outcomes of other players.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 633,718 filed Dec. 6, 2004 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 726,372 filed Oct. 13, 2005.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to games in general, and particularly to gaming machines allowing wagers to be placed on a game, and more particularly to a plurality of gaming machines networked together for interactive play by a community of multiple players. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Wagering games, like those in a casino environment, for example table games and slot machines, are typically each played individually by a single player who makes a wager and collects or loses coins, or credits and the like, based upon the outcome of the game played. The outcome is ordinarily independent of the result of any other player or slot machine in the casino. [0004] Table games are well known wagering games (e.g., blackjack, craps, roulette) generally played by multiple players who sit aro...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0027] The addition of a community bonus game can be a great enhancement to playing in solitude on an individual machine. It is a principal objective of the present invention to create features that enhance the community participation and enjoyment of a shared game on multiple gaming machines. While there have been games where players participated in bonus games at the same time, there has not been (until the present invention) a group or community bonus game wherein the participating players compete in the game such that the actions and results of each player affects the other players in the community. The game is thus interactive. Each player can be two or more people, one person with two or more inputs, a person and a machine, etc.

[0028] The present invention satisfies the need for a group, or community, bonus game where the players interactively take turns playing the bonus game. One player's gain is at the expense of another player in the group play for a pool of bonus money. Thus, good choices by one player improve his or her outcome at the expense of other players and bad choices improve the other players' outcome.

[0046] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bonus game wherein each player involved uses skill to improve play of the bonus game. The player's skill enables the player to win more than if playing without skill. This allows the player with a better combination of skill and luck to win additional money at the expense of other competing players, without risk to the casino or operator. This is similar to the situation in a typical casino live poker room.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, good choices by one player improve his or her outcome at the expense of other players and bad choices improve the other players' outcome.

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