Skill-based wagering machine providing a predetermined return-to-player
AssigneeAristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
InventorT. Grant Bolling, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gaming machine includes a player interface, a memory, a display device, and a game controller. The memory stores data that defines initial symbol arrangements. Each initial symbol arrangement provides a respective, predetermined minimum return-to-player. The game controller randomly selects an initial symbol arrangement from the initial symbol arrangements and displays, with the display device, symbols per the selected initial symbol arrangement. The game controller further updates the symbols displayed on the display device to an updated symbol arrangement by moving a symbol per input signals from the player interface. The game controller also presents, on the display device, an award for the updated symbol arrangement.
Claims20
A gaming machine, comprising:
- a credit input mechanism;
- a player interface;
- a memory storing data that defines a plurality of initial symbol arrangements, wherein each initial symbol arrangement provides a respective, predetermined minimum return-to-player;
- a display device;
- and
- a game controller configured to:
- randomly select an initial symbol arrangement from the plurality of initial symbol arrangements;
- display, with the display device, a plurality of symbols per the initial symbol arrangement selected from the plurality of initial symbol arrangements;
- update the plurality of symbols displayed on the display device to an updated symbol arrangement by moving, per input signals from the player interface, a symbol of the plurality of symbols;
- remove a winning pattern of symbols from the updated symbol arrangement to form a plurality of vacated display positions;
- drop a first symbol of the updated symbol arrangement from a first display position into a first vacated display position;
- present, on the display device, an award for the updated symbol arrangement;
- adjust a credit balance based on a credit value for a physical item received by the credit input mechanism;
- and
- adjust the credit balance based on the award for the updated symbol arrangement.
A method of a gaming machine, the method comprising:
- randomly selecting, with a game controller of the gaming machine, an initial symbol arrangement from a plurality of initial symbol arrangements, wherein each initial symbol arrangement has a respective, predetermined minimum return-to-player;
- displaying, with a display device of the gaming machine, a plurality of symbols per the initial symbol arrangement selected from the plurality of initial symbol arrangements;
- updating the plurality of symbols displayed on the display device to an updated symbol arrangement by moving, per input signals from a player interface, a symbol of the plurality of symbols;
- removing a winning pattern of symbols from the updated symbol arrangement to form a plurality of vacated display positions;
- dropping a first symbol of the updated symbol arrangement from a first display position into a first vacated display position;
- filling the first display position with a replacement symbol specified by an ordered symbol set associated with the initial symbol arrangement selected from the plurality of initial symbol arrangements;
- presenting, with the display device, an award for the updated symbol arrangement;
- adjusting, with the game controller, a credit balance based on a credit value of a physical item received by a credit input mechanism of the gaming machine;
- and
- adjusting the credit balance based on the award for the updated symbol arrangement.
A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that in response to being executed, cause a gaming machine to:
- randomly select an initial symbol arrangement from a plurality of initial symbol arrangements, wherein each initial symbol arrangement has a respective, predetermined minimum return-to-player;
- display a plurality of symbols per the initial symbol arrangement selected from the plurality of initial symbol arrangements;
- update the plurality of symbols to an updated symbol arrangement by moving, per received input, a symbol of the plurality of symbols;
- remove a winning pattern of symbols from the updated symbol arrangement to form a plurality of vacated display positions;
- drop a first symbol of the updated symbol arrangement from a first display position into a first vacated display position;
- fill the first display position with a replacement symbol specified by an ordered symbol set associated with the initial symbol arrangement selected from the plurality of initial symbol arrangements;
- present an award for the updated symbol arrangement;
- adjust a credit balance based on a credit value for a physical item received by a credit input mechanism of the gaming machine;
- and
- adjust the credit balance based on the award for the updated symbol arrangement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.