# US 2013/0157756 A1 · Gaming Machine With Modified Prize Feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157756 A1 - Document ID: US20130157756A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/617,518 - Filed: 2012-09-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2005-01-21 - Assignees: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited - Inventors: Naomi Hall; Scott Olive - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157756A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3267: {Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games} - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F 17/3262: {Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A gaming system is provided having a display and a game controller. The system implements a game wherein random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event results, the system awards a prize. A feature game of the gaming system includes a series of prize outcomes and a series of intervening games, which provide a player with a chance of advancing to a subsequent prize outcome in the event of a winning outcome in an intervening game. A monitoring means may be provided for monitoring and indicating the number of non-winning game outcomes and triggering a penalty event in the event of the non-winning outcomes exceeding a threshold number. In another aspect, a prize outcome of a feature is a progressive prize and a progressive prize modifier for modifying the progressive prize before awarding the prize. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming system for playing a base game having a base game outcome, and a bonus game having a plurality of bonus game rounds, wherein each said bonus game round has a losing outcome or a winning outcome, and wherein said base game is suspended when the bonus game commences, the system comprising: a prize ladder showing a plurality of prize series selectable by a player, each prize series having a plurality of prizes, each prize having a value, wherein each of the prize series has a value, wherein the prize ladder has a ladder bottom, and wherein the prize ladder is arranged in an increasing order of respective values and difficulties starting with the ladder bottom, and wherein information related to the difficulty is displayed to the player; a selection prompt prompting a player selection of one of said plurality of selectable prize series; a strike count maintaining a count of losing bonus game round outcomes and a positive threshold; and a credit module awarding a current prize value from said selected prize series when said bonus game outcome is a winning outcome, indicating a subsequent prize value in said selected prize series to be subsequently competed for when said bonus game round outcome is a winning outcome, increasing said strike count when said bonus game round outcome is a losing outcome, terminating the bonus game in response to said strike count equaling said positive threshold, and recommencing said base game on said display when said bonus game has been terminated; and wherein said plurality of values comprise: at least one fixed prize value having a static value that remains unchanged over a period of time; and a variable prize value having a dynamic value, the dynamic value being determined by combining a prize modifier to a pre-determined prize value, wherein the combination of the prize modifier and the pre-determined prize progressively increases the dynamic value of the variable prize value over the period of time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of values defining one of a plurality of prize value series are different from another plurality of values defining another one of the prize series. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a controller arranged to randomly select a one of said plurality of prize series. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gaming system of claim 3, wherein said random selection is biased such that said plurality of prize series have different probabilities of being selected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the random selection is unbiased such that said plurality of prize series have equal probabilities of being selected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The gaming system of claim 3, wherein said controller receives an external selection from among said plurality of prize series. ### Claim 7 A method of operating a bonus game play for use in a gaming machine having a display and a game controller, the method comprising: displaying a base game on the display; generating via the game controller a base game outcome; based on said base game outcome, suspending said base game via the game controller; showing on the display a plurality of prize series selectable by a player, each prize series having a plurality of prizes, each prize having a value, wherein each of the prize series has a value, wherein the prize ladder has a ladder bottom, and wherein the prize ladder is arranged in an increasing order of respective values and difficulties starting with the ladder bottom, and wherein information related to the difficulty is displayed to the player; prompting via the game controller a player selection of one of a plurality of selectable prize series; count maintaining a count of losing bonus game round outcomes and a positive threshold; and awarding a current prize value from said selected prize series when said bonus game outcome is a winning outcome, indicating a subsequent prize value in said selected prize series to be subsequently competed for when said bonus game round outcome is a winning outcome, increasing said strike count when said bonus game round outcome is a losing outcome, terminating the bonus game in response to said strike count equaling said positive threshold, and recommencing said base game on said display when said bonus game has been terminated; and wherein said plurality of values comprise: at least one fixed prize value having a static value that remains unchanged over a period of time; and a variable prize value having a dynamic value, the dynamic value being determined by combining a prize modifier to a pre-determined prize value, wherein the combination of the prize modifier and the pre-determined prize progressively increases the dynamic value of the variable prize value over the period of time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of values defining one of a plurality of prize series are different from another plurality of values defining another one of the prize series. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising randomly selecting a one of said plurality of prize series. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein said random selection is biased such that said plurality of prize series have different probabilities of being selected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein said random selection is unbiased such that said plurality of prize series have equal probabilities of being selected. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving an external selection from among said plurality of prize series.