EP1378875A1

EP1378875A1 - Entertainment machines

Info

Publication number: EP1378875A1
Application number: EP03254069A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dov Liam Randall
Original assignee: IGT UK Ltd
Current assignee: Barcrest Group Ltd
Priority date: 2002-07-02
Filing date: 2003-06-26
Publication date: 2004-01-07
Also published as: GB0215236D0

Abstract

A coin operated entertainment machine is operated by a player using controls (4, 5, 6, 18) to play a game involving rotation of symbol-bearing reels (9). If the reels (9) come to rest displaying a winning combination of symbols an award or prize is made available to the player. The player controls (4, 5, 6, 18) can be used by the player to selectively actuate game-play features such as hold, nudge, gamble, automatic reel rotation, prize selection. As an alternative to player-selection of actuation of these features, the player can use one of the controls (4) in conjunction with a visual display (21) to select an auto-play mode of one or more of the features.

Description

This invention relates to player-operable entertainment machines, particularly coin-operated machines which may be designated amusement with prizes (AWP) machines or otherwise depending on the country of origin, such as "fruit" or "poker" machines, of the kind having a main display device for displaying a selected combination of symbols at a win zone. As used herein the term coin is intended also to cover tokens, charge or credit cards or any other means of supplying credit or monetary value.
The main display device of a fruit machine may comprise multiple actual or video-simulated side-by-side reels which are rotatable about a common horizontal axis within a housing behind a window at the win zone. Each reel has symbols at equally spaced positions around its periphery and the reels can be brought to rest with one symbol on each . reel displayed through the window on a win line.
If the displayed combination of symbols constitutes a predetermined winning combination an award may be made available to the player.
It is known to provide features such as "nudge" or "hold" controls which can be used by the player to seek to influence selection of the displayed combination of symbols.
It is also known to provide a supplementary display or "feature game" which can be used to enhance the entertainment value of the machine and provide additional or alternative opportunities for winning.
Feature prizes may be made available for selection by the player.
Furthermore, it is known to provide a gamble feature whereby an attained award can be gambled with the result that its value is increased or decreased.
Particularly on large-jackpot 'club' machines it is also well known to provide an auto-play feature, a feature often referred to as "G for George". When a "G for George" button is pressed by the player, the machine will then proceed to play automatically, making all decisions for the player, although, the player can interrupt the automatic play by pressing any of the other game playing buttons.
This auto-play feature has its attractions but for many players it is usually undesirable for player involvement to be significantly reduced by allowing the machine to take all decisions automatically.
An object of the present invention is to provide an auto-play mechanism which is of greater acceptability to players.
According to the present invention therefore there is provided a player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine with which a game can be played involving operation of player controls and having an outcome which if of a winning nature results in an award being made available to the player, wherein an auto-play device is provided which is operable to effect play of the game automatically in substitution for said operation of the player controls, characterised in that the device is selectively operable in different modes corresponding to different extents of substitution for said player controls.
With this arrangement the player is able to customise the machine by selecting different extents of auto-play suited to his particular playing requirements. For example, some players may wish the machine to make only some of the decisions during game play, and may wish to make other decisions themselves, whilst other players may be happier for the machine to make all the decisions during game play.
Accordingly, the machine of the present invention allows for the preferences or styles of different players to be catered for in one machine.
The chosen style of auto-play may be maintained throughout a period of play or number of games for which the machine is actuated for game play (e.g. for which sufficient game-play credit has been inserted into the machine). Alternatively a fresh selection may be required for each game and/or at anytime during play the player has the option to change the selected auto-play style or disable the auto-play device entirely.
In one embodiment, the machine is of the kind having reels or simulated reels preferably with hold and nudge features, and one or more selections may give rise to automatic spinning of the reels, and/or all hold and nudge operations being performed automatically, but other decisions, preferably all other decisions, being left to the player.
In another embodiment, the machine has a gamble feature, and one selection applies to automatic operation of this feature. The gamble feature may involve progression, backwards or forwards, along a series of progressively increased award values. By way of example, the award values may have the following increments: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 40, 48, 60, 80, 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000. When the player achieves a win, say 16, play transfers to the relevant position on the gamble feature succession. Following a successful gamble, play may advance to the next position on the gamble feature succession, in this case 20, or if the next gamble is unsuccessful play may fall back to the previous position on the gamble feature succession, in this case 12. After taking a gamble there may be the possibility of allowing gamble to continue, or collection of the current award value. The auto-play device may be selectively operable to control automatically these possibilities.
The auto-play device may also be selectively operable to make different levels of gambling available automatically. For example, the player may be able to gamble up to one or more selectable position on the gamble feature succession, e.g. 20 or 48 or 200, and collect the award corresponding to that position if and when reached, or the player may be able to gamble up to the maximum, in this case 1000, and if this position is not reached the player loses everything which he has previously accumulated. These options may be individually selectable for auto-play.
Instead of relying on predetermined selectable maximums at which auto-play stops the gamble feature and collects the award value, it may be possible to select a 'gamble to value and collect' option with the auto-play device and then operate another control to select the value at which he wishes the machine to terminate the gamble feature and collect an award automatically.
Where positions on the gamble feature succession or in connection with other features of the machine have as an offered award, or alternative award, one or a range of selectable prizes, which may be displayed on the machine, the player may opt to accept the (or one) prize himself, or there may be the possibility of selecting an auto-play function whereby the machine would accept a prize automatically.
In a preferred embodiment of the machine, the player has the opportunity to step successively through a series of auto-play functions indicated on a visual display and to select one or more. Such functions may be as follows:
1) Automatically spin reels;
2) Perform nudge and hold operations;
3) Gamble to a value then collect; and
4) Accept offered prize
The player may select any combination of features 1 to 4 above, for example, if the player selected features 1,2 and 3 the machine would automatically spin the reels, perform nudge and hold operations and gamble to a value specified by the player and collect the award of that value if it were attained. The machine would not accept an offered prize and would interrupt the auto-play at this point to allow the player to decide whether or not to accept the prize. Declining the prize would return the machine to its auto-play mode.
The machine of the invention is preferably a fruit machine as hereinbefore described as applicable in any country's jurisdiction.
The auto-play device may be manually operable with a press-button or touch screen or any other suitable device.
The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1: is a diagrammatic perspective view of one form of a fruit machine according to the invention; and
Figure 2: is a diagrammatic block circuit diagram of the machine of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a fruit machine having a floor-standing box shaped housing 1 having a front wall which includes upper and lower glass panels 2 and 3, a number of operating buttons 4, 5, 6 and 18, a coin slot 7 and a payout opening 8.
Within the housing 1 there are three axially aligned reels 9 having say 20 symbols at regularly spaced positions around their peripheries. The reels 9 are axially rotatable and are drivable connected to respective stepper motors 10. The reels 9 are arranged behind a window 11 defined by a printed region of the lower glass panel 3. Each reel 9 can be arrested by the respective stepper motor 10 in any of a plurality of stopping positions in which one symbol is in precise registration with a horizontal win line in the centre of the window 11 and two further symbols are visible above and below the win line.
The stepper motors 10 are connected to a microprocessor based control unit 12. This unit is also connected to a coin-mechanism 13, a payout mechanism 14, an auto-play mechanism 20 and the buttons 4, 5, 6 and 18.
In use, the player inserts coins into the coin mechanism 13 through the slot 7 sufficient to generate credit for one or more games as indicated on an LED display 16, and the machine is actuated so that a game can now be played.
Before commencement of the game the player is given the opportunity to select an auto-play function from a range of such functions as displayed on a back illuminated region 21 of the panel 3. This opportunity may be available at the start of every game or only for some games on a random or predetermined basis. The choice may be made by pressing the start button 4 to step through the functions as described hereafter or may be made by using a designated auto-play button. The game then commences after the start button 4 has been pressed and the reels 9 spin and then come to rest so as to select a combination of symbols displayed on the win line. The displayed symbol combination is assessed by the control unit 12 and a win indication is given in the event that the combination is of a predetermined winning nature. A corresponding award may then be made available to the player and the value of this may be shown on the LED display 16.
On occasions when an auto-play function has not been selected the player is given the opportunity to perform "hold" or "nudge" functions, with control buttons 5, so that the player can seek to influence the outcome of the game, in a conventional manner.
The upper panel 2 is a transparent glass panel and within this there is a printed display region 15, which can be back illuminated with a bank of lamps, and which provides a supplementary feature game to which play may transfer on occasions on a random or predetermined basis.
This feature game may comprise a wraparound trail and a rotatable auxiliary feature reel 19 visible through a window in the panel 2.
The player can attain further awards with the feature game.
On occasions when an auto play function has not been selected the player may be given the opportunity of increasing an award attained in a game with a gamble feature. This may occur on any suitable predictable, random or pseudo random basis.
When this opportunity arises, this is signalled to the player by steady or flashing back illumination of a section 17 of the panel 3 which bears a ladder consisting of a succession of progressively increased award values, such as 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 40, 48, 60, 80, 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000.
The player can press the usual gamble button 18 to cause an attained award (highlighted at the appropriate position in the succession printed on the region 17) to be increased or decreased (e.g. as selected at random, or on a speed of reaction basis) whereby the next higher or lower value is highlighted. The player now has the option at any time of pressing the usual "collect" button 6 instead of the gamble button 18. If the "collect" button 6 is pressed the current award value is paid out or credited on the display 16 without further gamble.
The functions controlled by some or all of the above described player- operable controls 5, 6, 18 can be substituted by operation of the auto-play selector control 4.
The control 4 can be operated to step through options highlighted on the panel section 21, namely:
1) Automatically spin reels;
2) Perform nudge and hold operations;
3) Gamble to a value then collect; and
4) Accept offered prize
Repeated operation of the control 4 may select successively: option 1, option 1 & 2, option 1 & 2 & 3, option 1 & 2 & 3 & 4, although other arrangements are also possible.
If option 1 is selected, the machine operates in conventional mode. That it the reels 9 spin automatically but all other functions are in response to operation of the player controls.
If option 2 is selected, hold and nudge functions are now under the automatic control of the machine, in substitution for player control using the buttons 5.
The machine decides automatically, which reels to hold prior to spinning and which reels to nudge after spinning. This is effected in accordance with the availability of hold and nudge, and the number of available nudges, which is determined by the machine in conventional manner. The decision taken by the machine with regard to implementation of hold and nudge may be influenced in any suitable manner by calculation of the optimum action to attain, or try to attain, the best outcome using any suitable computation, or any other suitable basis.
If option 3 is selected, the gamble feature, when available, operates automatically, without requiring the player to press any buttons, until either the initial award value is increased to a predetermined maximum value, or is lost. The predetermined maximum value may be automatically pre-selected on any suitable random or predictable basis, or the player may have the option of pre-selecting this, at any value up to the highest (1000) or at any of a selected range of values (say 20, 48, 200). This pre-election may be effected by the player pressing a control button to step through a range of values highlighted on the section 17, or section 21 or the LED 16.
At the end of the automatic procedure, any increased value is credited to the player and indicated on the display 16.
If option 4 is selected, on those occasions when the machine generates an alternative prize, or a range of alternative prizes, instead of giving the player an opportunity to accept or refuse, or select from a range of prizes, this is effected automatically by the machine on the basis that an offered prize is always accepted. Where there is a range of prizes, one prize may be accepted on a random or predetermined basis.
In the case where an auto-play selection has been made, the arrangement may be such that this prevails until game play credit is consumed, or until a next game is commenced. Alternatively, the player may have the option at any time to override auto-play by pressing an appropriate one of the controls 5, 6, 18 which may return the machine to player-control mode.
The possibility of selecting the extent of automatic operation of the machine gives enhanced player interest and entertainment value.
It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiments which are described by way of example only.

Claims

A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine with which a game can be played involving operation of player controls (4, 5, 6, 18) and having an outcome which if of a winning nature results in an award being made available to the player, wherein an auto-play device is provided which is operable to effect play of the game automatically in substitution for said operation of the player controls, characterised in that the device is selectively operable in different modes corresponding to different extents of substitution for said player controls.
A machine according to claim 1 which can be actuated for play of a number of games characterised in that the selected said mode is arranged to be maintained throughout all such games.
A machine according to claim 1 or 2 which has real or simulated rotatable symbol-bearing reels (9) characterised in that at least one said mode corresponds to automatic rotation of the reels.
A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3 which has real or simulated rotatable symbol-bearing reels (9) with hold and nudge features characterised in that at least one said mode corresponds to automatic hold and nudge operations.
A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 which has a gamble feature (17) characterised in that one said mode corresponds to automatic operation of said gamble feature.
A machine according to claim 5 characterised in that the gamble feature (17) involves progression backwards and forwards along a series of progressively increased award values.
A machine according to claim 6 characterised in that one said award value is player selectable whereby the gamble feature (17) terminates when said award is attained when the said mode corresponding to the gamble feature is selected.
A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7 which has a feature with an outcome corresponding to a range of selectable prizes characterised in that one said mode corresponds to automatic selection of one said prize.
A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that a display device (21) is provided which indicates visually said modes for selection by the player.
A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that a plurality of said modes are simultaneously selectable.