# US 2014/0155149 A1 · Community game that adapts communal game appearance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155149 A1 - Document ID: US20140155149A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/176,805 - Filed: 2014-02-10 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-30 - Assignees: WMS Gaming Inc. - Applicants: WMS Gaming Inc. - Inventors: Damon E. Gura; Alfred Thomas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155149A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3276: {wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament} - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - G07F 17/3272: {Games involving multiple players} - G07F 17/3274: {wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play} - G07F 17/3279: {wherein the competition is one-to-one, e.g. match} - 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 community game that adapts a scene on a community display based on the number of participating players and/or player locations from one session of the community game to another or in any given session and/or number of the gaming terminals. Selectable elements are displayed on the community display for selection by the participating players. When additional players are eligible to participate in the community game, a field of view or a virtual camera angle of a scene is changed to reveal additional selectable elements or a greater variety of selectable elements than were available for selection with fewer participating players. Any of the selectable elements can be cooperatively selectable elements which multiple players can select to reveal an enhanced award. Based on the players' locations, the scene can be adapted to portray selectable elements or previously hidden or obscured areas of the scene closest to the newly participating player(s). ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A method of adapting a community game based on a configuration of linked gaming terminals, comprising: determining, by a controller, a first configuration of a first bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a community game on one or more displays, the community game being played by respective players at each of the gaming terminals of the first bank, the community game being of a first game category type that defines whether the players compete or cooperate to accumulate awards in the community game; detecting, by the controller, a change in the first configuration to a second configuration of a second bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a modified community game on the one or more displays, the second bank of gaming terminals including the first bank of gaming terminals and at least one additional gaming terminal communicatively linked to the first bank of gaming terminals to form the second configuration, the modified community game being of a second game category type that differs from the first game category type such that the players of the modified community game accumulate awards in the modified community game differently from how the players of the community game accumulate awards; and the controller or another controller causing the modified community game to be displayed on the one or more displays. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the first or the second game category type defines that the players compete head-to-head against one another to accumulate awards such that any one player is awarded the entire value of an award, and wherein the other of the first or the second game category type defines that the players cooperate with one another to accumulate awards such that an award is shared among more than one of the players. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: detecting, by the controller, a change in the second configuration to a third configuration of a third bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a second modified community game on the one or more displays, the third bank of gaming terminals including the first bank of gaming terminals and at least two additional gaming terminals communicatively linked to the first bank of gaming terminals to form the third configuration, the second modified community game being of a third game category type that differs from the first game category type and from the second game category type such that the players of the second modified community game accumulate awards in the second modified community game differently from how the players of the community game and how the players of the modified community game accumulate awards. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the first, second, or third game category type defines that the players compete head-to-head against one another to accumulate awards such that any one player is awarded the entire value of an award, wherein another of the first, second, or third game category type defines that the players cooperate with one another to accumulate awards such that an award is shared among more than one of the players, and wherein yet another of the first, second, or third game category defines that at least some of the players form a team to accumulate awards such that an award is awarded to the team. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the third game category defines that at least two of the players form a first team and at least another two of the players form a second team that competes against the first team to accumulate awards in the second modified community game, and wherein the third set of features includes a team multiplier that is applied to the award awarded to the first team or the second team based on which of the first and second teams wins a round of the second modified community game, the team multiplier not being available in the first set of features or in the second set of features. ### Claim 23 A method of adapting a community game based on a configuration of linked gaming terminals, comprising: determining, by a controller, a first configuration of a first bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a community game on one or more displays, the community game being played by respective players at each of the gaming terminals of the first bank, the community game having a first set of features defining (a) awards associated with randomly selected outcomes of the community game and (b) graphical symbols associated with the awards and configured to be displayed on the one or more displays; detecting, by the controller, a change in the first configuration to a second configuration of a second bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a modified community game on the one or more displays, the second bank of gaming terminals including the first bank of gaming terminals and at least one additional gaming terminal communicatively linked to the first bank of gaming terminals to form the second configuration, the modified community game having a second set of features that differs from the first set of features in that the second set of features defines enhanced awards associated with randomly selected outcomes of the modified community game or a greater number of graphical symbols associated with the enhanced awards; and the controller or another controller causing the modified community game to be displayed on the one or more displays. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the awards defined in the first set of features have a lower value compared to the enhanced awards in the second set of features. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the graphical symbols in the first set of features are hidden or partially obscured from the players in the community game, and wherein the graphical symbols in the second set of features are visible to the players in the modified community game. ### Claim at position 10 26-35. (canceled) ### Claim 36 One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: determining, by a controller, a first configuration of a first bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a community game on one or more displays, the community game being played by respective players at each of the gaming terminals of the first bank, the community game being of a first game category type that defines whether the players compete or cooperate to accumulate awards in the community game; detecting, by the controller, a change in the first configuration to a second configuration of a second bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a modified community game on the one or more displays, the second bank of gaming terminals including the first bank of gaming terminals and at least one additional gaming terminal communicatively linked to the first bank of gaming terminals to form the second configuration, the modified community game being of a second game category type that differs from the first game category type such that the players of the modified community game accumulate awards in the modified community game differently from how the players of the community game accumulate awards; and the controller or another controller causing the modified community game to be displayed on the one or more displays. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 36, wherein the first or the second game category type defines that the players compete head-to-head against one another to accumulate awards such that any one player is awarded the entire value of an award, and wherein the other of the first or the second game category type defines that the players cooperate with one another to accumulate awards such that an award is shared among more than one of the players. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 36, the operations further comprising: detecting, by the controller, a change in the second configuration to a third configuration of a third bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a second modified community game on the one or more displays, the third bank of gaming terminals including the first bank of gaming terminals and at least two additional gaming terminals communicatively linked to the first bank of gaming terminals to form the third configuration, the second modified community game being of a third game category type that differs from the first game category type and from the second game category type such that the players of the second modified community game accumulate awards in the second modified community game differently from how the players of the community game and how the players of the modified community game accumulate awards. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 36, wherein the first, second, or third game category type defines that the players compete head-to-head against one another to accumulate awards such that any one player is awarded the entire value of an award, wherein another of the first, second, or third game category type defines that the players cooperate with one another to accumulate awards such that an award is shared among more than one of the players, and wherein yet another of the first, second, or third game category defines that at least some of the players form a team to accumulate awards such that an award is awarded to the team. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 39, wherein the third game category defines that at least two of the players form a first team and at least another two of the players form a second team that competes against the first team to accumulate awards in the second modified community game, and wherein the third set of features includes a team multiplier that is applied to the award awarded to the first team or the second team based on which of the first and second teams wins a round of the second modified community game, the team multiplier not being available in the first set of features or in the second set of features. ### Claim 41 One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: determining, by a controller, a first configuration of a first bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a community game on one or more displays, the community game being played by respective players at each of the gaming terminals of the first bank, the community game having a first set of features defining (a) awards associated with randomly selected outcomes of the community game and (b) graphical symbols associated with the awards and configured to be displayed on the one or more displays; detecting, by the controller, a change in the first configuration to a second configuration of a second bank of gaming terminals communicatively linked together to provide a modified community game on the one or more displays, the second bank of gaming terminals including the first bank of gaming terminals and at least one additional gaming terminal communicatively linked to the first bank of gaming terminals to form the second configuration, the modified community game having a second set of features that differs from the first set of features in that the second set of features defines enhanced awards associated with randomly selected outcomes of the modified community game or a greater number of graphical symbols associated with the enhanced awards; and the controller or another controller causing the modified community game to be displayed on the one or more displays. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 41, wherein the awards defined in the first set of features have a lower value compared to the enhanced awards in the second set of features. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 41, wherein the graphical symbols in the first set of features are hidden or partially obscured from the players in the community game, and wherein the graphical symbols in the second set of features are visible to the players in the modified community game.