Multi-game video poker machine and system with asymmetrically accessible customization features

COPYRIGHT

p-0002A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

p-0003The present invention relates generally to gaming machines, and methods for playing wagering games, and more particularly, to poker-themed wagering games and bonus features with asymmetric customization capabilities dependent on the device and site from which the features are accessed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

p-0004Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.

p-0005Video draw poker has been played in gaming establishments for many years. In conventional video draw poker, a single player does not play against a dealer or other players, but rather attempts to achieve a highest possible poker-hand ranking. After a player makes an initial wager and is dealt five face-up cards from a standard 52-card deck, the player is allowed to discard and replace unwanted cards with replacement cards from the deck, resulting in a final card hand. The game then determines a poker-hand ranking of the final card hand and provides an award based on a paytable. The paytable includes a list of winning poker-hand rankings and the award for each ranking. The winning poker-hand rankings for a standard Jacks or Better video poker game include in order from highest to lowest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair and a Pair of Jacks or Better. Any poker hand having a ranking less than a Pair of Jacks or Better is a losing hand.

p-0006Manufacturers have developed variations to conventional video draw poker. One objective in developing such variations is to differentiate a video poker product from that of the competition. Another objective is to increase the speed of play and/or the number of coins or credits wagered. As casino patrons become bored or annoyed with existing variations to conventional video draw poker, gaming establishments are continually looking for new video poker games that will attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the gaming establishment.

p-0007One way to increase player participation and enthusiasm for a game or a family of games is by adding a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with “progressive jackpot” awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators.

p-0008Another concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is to add a social networking aspect to the gaming website. Social communication and social networking is on the rise. Internet users are enjoying a proliferation of social networking mechanisms (e.g., social networking websites, online chats, blogging, social networking applications, electronic mail or “e-mail,” text messaging, etc.) that are appearing online in vast quantities. Many wagering game companies are discovering the value of integrating wagering games with social networking mechanisms. Some wagering game companies have created online gaming websites that provide a way for wagering game enthusiasts to play games and interact with each other while connected to a communications network such as the Internet (e.g., via a web-browser). Some of those online gaming websites also provide social networks and social networking functionality. Social networks allow wagering game players (“players”) to create social network user accounts (“player accounts”) with one or more unique identifiers that represent an online persona. An online persona can be a graphical depiction (i.e., an avatar) of social network persona, and can be simply a player identification number related to a particular player. These online personas and associated avatars add to the fun of belonging to a social network. In some cases, players can utilize a gaming website to engage in non-wagering games that are related to the wagering games offered in casinos. Players can unlock content and accrue features via the gaming website, and those features and content can then be accessed at a gaming terminal. Furthermore, many social networking websites are expanding their capabilities to integrate with content providers, including wagering game providers. Thus, some online gaming websites and some social networking websites are continually looking to integrate and/or incorporate each other's features.

p-0009Yet another way to increase player interest via online gaming websites is to provide the opportunity for enhanced game play features, such as bonus games, special game content and player avatars, and customization capabilities, to players who frequent websites from remote devices. Players can obtain player account numbers from the website and then use the player accounts to store special features accrued online for use at the gaming terminal. Players at the gaming terminal can input their player account numbers to access and play the game play features that were accrued online and stored in the account.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

p-0010According to one embodiment, a gaming system with asymmetric customization capabilities comprises one or more processors and a communications interface. The one or more processors are operable to, in response to detecting, via the one or more communication interfaces, a player request from a gaming terminal, enable the player to modify a feature of the terminal set but not a feature the enhanced set. The one or more processors are also operable to, in response to detecting, via the one or more communication interfaces, a player request from a remote device, enable the player to modify a feature of the terminal set and a feature of the enhanced set, and apply both the terminal set and the feature set to the wagering game while the wagering game is played via the gaming terminal.

p-0011In another embodiment, a gaming system with asymmetric customization capabilities comprises a game server including server memory, the game server being accessible via a communications network. The gaming system further comprises one or more processors that are operable to recall, via the communications network, a terminal set of selectable game-play features and an enhanced set of selectable game-play features from a server memory storage site on the game server. Additionally, in response to a player request from a gaming terminal, the one or more processors enable the player to modify a feature of the terminal set but not a feature the enhanced set and, in response to a player request from a remote device, enable the player to modify a feature of the terminal set and a feature of the enhanced set. Also, the one or more processors save, via the communications network, the terminal set and the enhanced set in the server memory storage site, and apply both the terminal set and the feature set to the wagering game while the wagering game is played via the gaming terminal.

p-0012In another embodiment, a method of enabling asymmetric customization of a wagering game playable via a gaming system including one or more processors and a communications interface, where the wagering game includes an enhanced set of selectable game-play features, comprises, in response to detecting, via the communications interface, a player request from a remote device to modify the enhanced set, enabling the player to modify all the features in the enhanced set, and in response to detecting, via the communications interface, a player request from a gaming terminal, enabling the player to modify only a subset of the features in the enhanced set, and applying, via the one or more processors, the enhanced set to the wagering game while the wagering game is played via the gaming terminal.

p-0013In yet another embodiment, a method of enabling asymmetric customization of a wagering game playable via a gaming terminal, where the wagering game includes a terminal set of selectable game-play features and an enhanced set of selectable game-play features, comprises logging in, via a communications network, to a player account associated with a gaming community and stored in a memory storage site, and recalling the terminal set and the enhanced set from the player account. Also, in response to a player request from the gaming terminal, the method includes enabling the player to modify a feature of the terminal set but not a feature of the enhanced set, and in response to a player request from the remote device, enabling the player to modify a feature of the terminal set and a feature of the enhanced set, and also applying the terminal set and the enhanced set to the wagering game from the player account while the game is played via the gaming terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective view of a free-standing gaming terminal according to an embodiment of the invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a schematic view of a gaming system according to an embodiment of the invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is image of an introductory selection screen according to an embodiment of a multi-game video poker-game.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is an image from the embodiment shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> showing a basic game screen after a poker hand is dealt.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is an image from the embodiment shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> showing the various screens summoned by screen tabs.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> is an image of the embodiment shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> showing the log-in screen for connecting to a player account.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> is a schematic view of a gaming system having asymmetric personalization capabilities according to an embodiment of the invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> is an image of the embodiment shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> showing the personalization selection screen.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> is an image of a randomly ordered dealt hand in an embodiment of a video poker game.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> is an image of the dealt hand of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>, ordered by an embodiment of Easy Deal by Suit and from High-to-Low.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> is an image of a traditional 4-of-a-kind dealt hand highlighted by an embodiment of Deal Alert.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> is an image of a non-traditional 3-to-a-Royal dealt hand highlighted by an embodiment of Deal Alert.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref> is an image of a dealt hand with cards selected for holding and one card to be discarded.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref> is an image of an embodiment of an interactive reveal scheme showing a pick field after a player selects a card to replace the discarded card from <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 15</figref> is an image of the pick field of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref> after the remaining unpicked cards are revealed and the drawn card is added to the dealt hand.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 16</figref> is an image of an embodiment of a pseudo-interactive “Scratch-off” reveal scheme showing the drawn card hidden by a mystery card.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 17</figref> is an image of the “Scratch-off” reveal scheme of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 16</figref> after the mystery card is partially “scratched-off” to reveal the drawn card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

p-0031While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

p-0032Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, there is shown a gaming terminal <b>10</b> similar to those used in land-based gaming establishments, such as casinos. With regard to the present invention, the gaming terminal <b>10</b> may be any type of gaming terminal and may have varying structures and methods of operation. For example, in some aspects, the gaming terminal <b>10</b> is be an electromechanical gaming terminal configured to play mechanical slots, whereas in other aspects, the gaming terminal is an electronic gaming terminal configured to play a video casino game, such as slots, keno, poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, etc. It should be understood that although the gaming terminal <b>10</b> is shown as a free-standing terminal of the upright type, the gaming terminal is readily amenable to implementation in a wide variety of other forms such as a free-standing terminal of the slant-top type, a portable or handheld device primarily used for gaming, such as is disclosed by way of example in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2007/000792 filed Jan. 26, 2007, titled “Handheld Device for Wagering Games,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a mobile telecommunications device such as a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA), a counter-top or bar-top gaming terminal, or other personal electronic device, such as a portable television, MP3 player, entertainment device, etcetera.

p-0033The gaming terminal <b>10</b> illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> comprises a cabinet or housing <b>12</b>. For output devices, this embodiment of the gaming terminal <b>10</b> includes a primary display area <b>14</b>, a secondary display area <b>16</b>, and one or more audio speakers <b>18</b>. The primary display area <b>14</b> and/or secondary display area <b>16</b> variously displays information associated with wagering games, non-wagering games, community games, progressives, advertisements, services, premium entertainment, text messaging, e-mails, alerts or announcements, broadcast information, subscription information, etc. appropriate to the particular mode(s) of operation of the gaming terminal. For input devices, the gaming terminal <b>10</b> illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> includes a bill validator <b>20</b>, a coin acceptor <b>22</b>, one or more information readers <b>24</b>, one or more player-input devices <b>26</b>, and one or more player-accessible ports <b>28</b> (e.g., an audio output jack for headphones, a video headset jack, a wireless transmitter/receiver, etc.). While these typical components found in the gaming terminal <b>10</b> are described below, it should be understood that numerous other peripheral devices and other elements exist and are readily utilizable in any number of combinations to create various forms of a gaming terminal in accord with the present concepts.

p-0034The primary display area <b>14</b> includes, in various aspects of the present concepts, a mechanical-reel display, a video display, or a combination thereof in which a transmissive video display is disposed in front of the mechanical-reel display to portray a video image in superposition over the mechanical-reel display. Further information concerning the latter construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433 to Loose et al. entitled “Reel Spinning Slot Machine With Superimposed Video Image,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The video display is, in various embodiments, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high-resolution liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, a light emitting diode (LED), a DLP projection display, an electroluminescent (EL) panel, or any other type of display suitable for use in the gaming terminal <b>10</b>, or other form factor, such as is shown by way of example in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. The primary display area <b>14</b> can include, in relation to many aspects of wagering games conducted on the gaming terminal <b>10</b>, one or more paylines extending along a portion of the primary display area. In the illustrated embodiment of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, the primary display area <b>14</b> comprises a plurality of mechanical reels <b>32</b> and a video display <b>34</b>, such as a transmissive display (or a reflected image arrangement in other embodiments), in front of the mechanical reels <b>32</b>. If the wagering game conducted via the gaming terminal <b>10</b> relies upon the video display <b>34</b> only and not the mechanical reels <b>32</b>, the mechanical reels <b>32</b> are optionally removed from the interior of the terminal and the video display <b>34</b> is advantageously of a non-transmissive type. Similarly, if the wagering game conducted via the gaming terminal <b>10</b> relies only upon the mechanical reels <b>32</b>, but not the video display <b>34</b>, the video display <b>34</b> depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is replaced with a conventional glass panel. Further, in still other embodiments, the video display <b>34</b> is disposed to overlay another video display, rather than a mechanical-reel display, such that the primary display area <b>14</b> includes layered or superimposed video displays. In yet other embodiments, the mechanical-reel display of the above-noted embodiments is replaced with another mechanical or physical member or members such as, but not limited to, a mechanical wheel (e.g., a roulette game), dice, a pachinko board, or a diorama presenting a three-dimensional model of a game environment.

p-0035Video images in the primary display area <b>14</b> and/or the secondary display area <b>16</b> are rendered in two-dimensional (e.g., using Flash Macromedia™) or three-dimensional graphics (e.g., using Renderware™). In various aspects, the video images are played back (e.g., from a recording stored on the gaming terminal <b>10</b>), streamed (e.g., from a gaming network), or received as a TV signal (e.g., either broadcast or via cable) and such images can take different forms, such as animated images, computer-generated images, or “real-life” images, either prerecorded (e.g., in the case of marketing/promotional material) or as live footage. The format of the video images can include any format including, but not limited to, an analog format, a standard digital format, or a high-definition (HD) digital format.

p-0036The player-input or user-input device(s) <b>26</b> include, by way of example, a plurality of buttons <b>36</b> on a button panel, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, a mouse, a joy stick, a switch, a microphone, and/or a touch screen <b>38</b> mounted over the primary display area <b>14</b> and/or the secondary display area <b>16</b> and having one or more soft touch keys <b>40</b>, as is also shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. In still other aspects, the player-input devices <b>26</b> comprise technologies that do not rely upon physical contact between the player and the gaming terminal, such as speech-recognition technology, gesture-sensing technology, eye-tracking technology, etc. The player-input or user-input device(s) <b>26</b> thus accept(s) player input(s) and transforms the player input(s) to electronic data signals indicative of a player input or inputs corresponding to an enabled feature for such input(s) at a time of activation (e.g., pressing a “Max Bet” button or soft key to indicate a player's desire to place a maximum wager to play the wagering game). The input(s), once transformed into electronic data signals, are output to a CPU or controller <b>42</b> (see <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>) for processing. The electronic data signals are selected from a group consisting essentially of an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical charge, an optical signal, an optical element, a magnetic signal, and a magnetic element.

p-0037The information reader <b>24</b> (or information reader/writer) is preferably located on the front of the housing <b>12</b> and comprises, in at least some forms, a ticket reader, card reader, bar code scanner, wireless transceiver (e.g., RFID, Bluetooth, etc.), biometric reader, or computer-readable-storage-medium interface. As noted, the information reader may comprise a physical and/or electronic writing element to permit writing to a ticket, a card, or computer-readable-storage-medium. The information reader <b>24</b> permits information to be transmitted from a portable medium (e.g., ticket, voucher, coupon, casino card, smart card, debit card, credit card, etc.) to the information reader <b>24</b> to enable the gaming terminal <b>10</b> or associated external system to access an account associated with cashless gaming, to facilitate player tracking or game customization, to retrieve a saved-game state, to store a current-game state, to cause data transfer, and/or to facilitate access to casino services, such as is more fully disclosed, by way of example, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0045354 entitled “Portable Data Unit for Communicating With Gaming Machine Over Wireless Link,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The noted account associated with cashless gaming is, in some aspects of the present concepts, stored at an external system <b>46</b> (see <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>) as more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,328 to Holch et al. entitled “Cashless Computerized Video Game System and Method,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, or is alternatively stored directly on the portable storage medium. Various security protocols or features can be used to enhance security of the portable storage medium. For example, in some aspects, the individual carrying the portable storage medium is required to enter a secondary independent authenticator (e.g., password, PIN number, biometric, etc.) to access the account stored on the portable storage medium.

p-0038Turning now to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the various components of the gaming terminal <b>10</b> are controlled by one or more processors (e.g., CPU, distributed processors, etc.) <b>42</b>, also referred to herein generally as a controller (e.g., microcontroller, microprocessor, etc.). The controller <b>42</b> can include any suitable processor(s), such as an Intel® Pentium processor, Intel® Core 2 Duo processor, AMD Opteron™ processor, or UltraSPARC® processor.

p-0039Although <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> indicates the controller <b>42</b> and an associated system memory <b>44</b> are contained with the gaming terminal <b>10</b>, in various embodiments the controller <b>42</b> and system memory <b>44</b> can be separate components—both separate from the terminal and separate from each other. In some embodiments, the terminal can be controlled by a distributed controller spread among many distinct sites and communicating via a communications network. By way of example, the controller <b>42</b> can include a plurality of microprocessors including a master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or parallel processor. Controller <b>42</b>, as used herein, can comprise any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware disposed in and/or disposed outside of the gaming terminal <b>10</b> that is configured to communicate with and/or control the transfer of data between the gaming terminal <b>10</b> and a bus, another computer, processor, or device and/or a service and/or a network. The controller <b>42</b> comprises one or more controllers or processors and such one or more controllers or processors need not be disposed proximal to one another and may be located in different devices and/or in different locations. For example, a first processor is disposed proximate a user interface device (e.g., a push button panel, a touch screen display, etc.) and a second processor is disposed remotely from the first processor, the first and second processors being electrically connected through a network. As another example, the first processor is disposed in a first enclosure (e.g., a gaming machine) and a second processor is disposed in a second enclosure (e.g., a server) separate from the first enclosure, the first and second processors being communicatively connected through a network. Similarly, the controller <b>42</b> can comprise a slave controller that receives instructions from a separate processor(s) via a communication interface associated with the separate processor(s). The controller <b>42</b> is operable to execute all of the various gaming methods and other processes disclosed herein.

p-0040To provide gaming functions, the controller <b>42</b> executes one or more game programs comprising machine-executable instructions stored in local and/or remote computer-readable data storage media (e.g., memory <b>44</b> or other suitable storage device). The term computer-readable data storage media, or “computer-readable medium,” as used herein refers to any media/medium that participates in providing instructions to controller <b>42</b> for execution. The computer-readable medium comprises, in at least some exemplary forms, non-volatile media (e.g., optical disks, magnetic disks, etc.), volatile media (e.g., dynamic memory, RAM), and transmission media (e.g., coaxial cables, copper wire, fiber optics, radio frequency (RF) data communication, infrared (IR) data communication, etc). Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a hard disk, magnetic tape (or other magnetic medium), a 2-D or 3-D optical disc (e.g., a CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or solid state digital data storage device, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. By way of example, a plurality of storage media or devices are provided, a first storage device being disposed proximate the user interface device and a second storage device being disposed remotely from the first storage device, wherein a network is connected intermediate the first one and second one of the storage devices.

p-0041Various forms of computer-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to controller <b>42</b> for execution. By way of example, the instructions may initially be borne on a data storage device of a remote device (e.g., a remote computer, server, or system). The remote device can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line or other communication path using a modem or other communication device appropriate to the communication path. A modem or other communication device local to the gaming terminal <b>10</b> or to an external system <b>46</b> associated with the gaming machine can receive the data on the telephone line or conveyed through the communication path (e.g., via external systems interface <b>58</b>) and output the data to a bus, which transmits the data to the system memory <b>44</b> associated with the processor <b>42</b>, from which system memory the processor retrieves and executes the instructions.

p-0042Thus, the controller <b>42</b> is able to send and receive data, via carrier signals, through the network(s), network link, and communication interface. The data includes, in various examples, instructions, commands, program code, player data, and game data. As to the game data, in at least some aspects of the present concepts, the controller <b>42</b> uses a local random number generator (RNG) to randomly generate a wagering game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes. Alternatively, the outcome is centrally determined using either an RNG or pooling scheme at a remote controller included, for example, within the external system <b>46</b>.

p-0043As shown in the example of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the controller <b>42</b> is coupled to the system memory <b>44</b>. The system memory <b>44</b> can include at least one memory storage site. The system memory <b>44</b> can comprise a volatile memory (e.g., a random-access memory (RAM)) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., an EEPROM), and can optionally include multiple RAM and multiple program memories. Also, the system memory <b>44</b> can comprise distributed memory, cloud memory, and variations and combinations of any of the aforementioned.

p-0044As shown in the example of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the controller <b>42</b> is also coupled to a money/credit detector <b>48</b>. The money/credit detector <b>48</b> is configured to output a signal to the controller <b>42</b> that money and/or credits have been input via one or more value-input devices, such as the bill validator <b>20</b>, coin acceptor <b>22</b>, or via other sources, such as a cashless gaming account, etc. The value-input device(s) is integrated with the housing <b>12</b> of the gaming terminal <b>10</b> and is connected to the remainder of the components of the gaming terminal <b>10</b>, as appropriate, via a wired connection, such as I/O <b>56</b>, or wireless connection. The money/credit detector <b>48</b> detects the input of valid funds into the gaming terminal <b>10</b> (e.g., via currency, electronic funds, ticket, card, etc.) via the value-input device(s) and outputs a signal to the controller <b>42</b> carrying data regarding the input value of the valid funds. The controller <b>42</b> extracts the data from these signals from the money/credit detector <b>48</b>, analyzes the associated data, and transforms the data corresponding to the input value into an equivalent credit balance that is available to the player for subsequent wagers on the gaming terminal <b>10</b>, such transforming of the data being effected by software, hardware, and/or firmware configured to associate the input value to an equivalent credit value. Where the input value is already in a credit value form, such as in a cashless gaming account having stored therein a credit value, the wager is simply deducted from the available credit balance.

p-0045As seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the controller <b>42</b> is also connected to, and controls, the primary display area <b>14</b>, the player-input device(s) <b>26</b>, and a payoff mechanism <b>50</b>. The payoff mechanism <b>50</b> is operable in response to instructions from the controller <b>42</b> to award a payoff to the player in response to certain winning outcomes that occur in the base game, the bonus game(s), or via an external game or event. The payoff is provided in the form of money, credits, redeemable points, advancement within a game, access to special features within a game, services, another exchangeable media, or any combination thereof. Although payoffs may be paid out in coins and/or currency bills, payoffs are alternatively associated with a coded ticket (from a ticket printer <b>52</b>), a portable storage medium or device (e.g., a card magnetic strip), or are transferred to or transmitted to a designated player account. The payoff amounts distributed by the payoff mechanism <b>50</b> are determined by one or more paytables stored in the system memory <b>44</b>.

p-0046Communications between the controller <b>42</b> and both the peripheral components of the gaming terminal <b>10</b> and the external system <b>46</b> occur through input/output (I/O) circuit <b>56</b>, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. Although the I/O circuit <b>56</b> is shown as a single block, it should be appreciated that the I/O circuit <b>56</b> alternatively includes a number of different types of I/O circuits. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the components of the gaming terminal <b>10</b> can be interconnected according to any suitable interconnection architecture (e.g., directly connected, hypercube, etc.).

p-0047The I/O circuit <b>56</b> is connected to a communications interface or communication device <b>58</b>, which is connected to the external system <b>46</b>. The controller <b>42</b> communicates with the external system <b>46</b> via the external system interface <b>58</b> and a communication path (e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10 bT, near field, etc.). The external system <b>46</b> includes, in various aspects, a gaming network, other gaming terminals, a gaming server, a remote controller, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components, in any combination. In yet other aspects, the external system <b>46</b> may comprise a player's portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone, electronic wallet, etc.) and the external system interface <b>58</b> is configured to facilitate wireless communication and data transfer between the portable electronic device and the controller <b>42</b>, such as by a near field communication path operating via magnetic field induction or a frequency-hopping spread spectrum RF signals (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.).

p-0048The gaming terminal <b>10</b> optionally communicates with external system <b>46</b> (in a wired or wireless manner) such that each terminal operates as a “thin client” having relatively less functionality, a “thick client” having relatively more functionality, or with any range of functionality therebetween (e.g., an “intermediate client”). In general, a wagering game includes an RNG for generating a random number, game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number, and game assets (e.g., art, sound, etc.) for presenting the determined outcome to a player in an audio-visual manner. The RNG, game logic, and game assets are contained within the gaming terminal <b>10</b> (“thick client” gaming terminal), the external systems <b>46</b> (“thin client” gaming terminal), or are distributed therebetween in any suitable manner (“intermediate client” gaming terminal).

p-0049In some embodiments, a user may be referred to as a player (i.e., of wagering games), and a player may be referred to interchangeably as a player account. Account-based wagering systems utilize player accounts when transacting and performing activities, at the computer level, that are initiated by players. Therefore, a “player account” represents the player at a computerized level. The player account can perform actions via computerized instructions. For example, in some embodiments, a player account may be referred to as performing an action, controlling an item, communicating information, etc. Although a player, or person, may be activating a gaming terminal or remote device to perform the action, control the item, communicate the information, etc., the player account, at the computer level, can be associated with the player, and therefore any actions associated with the player can also be associated with the player account. Therefore, for brevity, to avoid having to describe the interconnection between player and player account in every instance, a “player account” may be referred to herein in either context. Further, in some embodiments herein, the word “gaming” is used interchangeably with “gambling.”

p-0050At least one embodiment of the invention is directed to a basic poker-themed game adapted to be displayed on the primary display area <b>14</b>. A player begins play of a basic wagering game by providing a wager. A player can operate or interact with the wagering game using the one or more player-input devices <b>26</b>. The controller <b>42</b>, the external system <b>46</b>, or both, in alternative embodiments, operate(s) to execute a wagering game program causing the primary display area <b>14</b> to display the wagering game such as the poker-themed wagering game shown in FIG.'s <b>3</b> and <b>4</b> that includes a plurality of visual elements.

p-0051In accord with various methods of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system in accord with the present concepts, the wagering game includes a game sequence in which a player makes a wager, such as through the money/credit detector <b>48</b>, touch screen <b>38</b> soft key, button panel <b>26</b>, or the like, and a wagering game outcome is associated with the wager. The wagering game outcome is then revealed to the player in due course following initiation of the wagering game. The method comprises the acts of conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus, such as the gaming terminal <b>10</b> depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, following receipt of an input from the player to initiate the wagering game. The gaming terminal <b>10</b> then communicates the wagering game outcome to the player via one or more output devices (e.g., primary display area <b>14</b>) through the display of information such as, but not limited to, text, graphics, text and graphics, static images, moving images, etc., or any combination thereof. In accord with the method of conducting the wagering game, the controller <b>42</b>, which comprises one or more processors, transforms a physical player input, into an electronic data signal indicative of an instruction relating to the wagering game (e.g., an electronic data signal bearing data on a wager amount).

p-0052In the aforementioned method, for each data signal, the controller <b>42</b> is configured to processes the electronic data signal, to interpret the data signal (e.g., data signals corresponding to a wager input), and to cause further actions associated with the interpretation of the signal in accord with computer instructions relating to such further actions executed by the controller. As one example, the controller <b>42</b> causes the recording of a digital representation of the wager in one or more storage devices (e.g., system memory <b>44</b> or a memory associated with an external system <b>46</b>), the controller, in accord with associated computer instructions, causing the changing of a state of the data storage device from a first state to a second state. This change in state is, for example, effected by changing a magnetization pattern on a magnetically coated surface of a magnetic storage device or changing a magnetic state of a ferromagnetic surface of a magneto-optical disc storage device, a change in state of transistors or capacitors in a volatile or a non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., DRAM), etc.). The noted second state of the data storage device comprises storage in the storage device of data representing the electronic data signal from the controller (e.g., the wager in the present example). As another example, the controller <b>42</b> further, in accord with the execution of the instructions relating to the wagering game, causes the primary display <b>14</b> or other display device and/or other output device (e.g., speakers, lights, communication device, etc.), to change from a first state to at least a second state, wherein the second state of the primary display comprises a visual representation of the physical player input (e.g., an acknowledgement to a player), information relating to the physical player input (e.g., an indication of the wager amount), a game sequence, an outcome of the game sequence, or any combination thereof, wherein the game sequence in accord with the present concepts comprises acts described herein. The aforementioned executing of computer instructions relating to the wagering game is further conducted in accord with a random outcome (e.g., determined by the RNG) that is used by the controller <b>42</b> to determine the outcome of the game sequence, using a game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number. In at least some aspects, the controller <b>42</b> is configured to determine an outcome of the game sequence at least partially in response to the random parameter.

p-0053An embodiment of the invention, a multi-game video poker game played via a gaming terminal <b>10</b>, includes many features and capabilities that can also be utilized across a spectrum of wagering games. For clarity and brevity, the following will describe these features and capabilities as applied to the video poker game, but it will be clear to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) that these same features and variations thereof can be incorporated in other wagering games while still embodying the inventive and novel principles of the invention.

p-0054In <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the image of the video poker game includes an introductory selection screen <b>300</b> that enables a player to make selections for executing a poker game with a desired bonus feature, paytable, and bet denomination. The introductory screen <b>300</b> includes touch screen buttons (which could also be embodied as mechanical, soft touch, etc.) such as a bonus feature button <b>301</b>-<b>305</b>, a basic game button <b>311</b>-<b>318</b>, a “COLLECT” button <b>333</b>, and a denomination button <b>321</b>-<b>327</b>. Also included on the introductory screen are game meters <b>331</b>-<b>332</b> showing the players available credits (and dollar value.)

p-0055In an embodiment, the video poker game can comprise a plurality of different basic poker games. The basic games shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> are all variations of a five-card draw poker game, and the basic games can be played with symbol-objects such as a single standard 52-card deck (i.e., Ace through King of four different suits). However, a poker game may be played with any number of decks and/or with a variety of different card compositions (e.g., additional value objects, wild cards, etc.).

p-0056According to one example, during a particular poker hand, all of the cards are dealt from the same deck. After a card is dealt from the deck into the poker hand, the card is “used up” and cannot appear again until the next poker hand. The deck may be replenished and randomly shuffled prior to every poker hand. The system memory <b>44</b> includes a data structure for storing data representing each card of the deck. The controller <b>42</b> randomly selects cards for each poker hand from the data structure and controls the primary display area <b>14</b> to display the cards.

p-0057Variations on the basic five-card draw poker game offered in the video poker game can include but are not limited to:

p-0058Jacks or Better where payoffs begin at a pair of Jacks. <ul><li id="ul0001-0001" num="0000"><ul><li id="ul0002-0001" num="0058">Bonus Poker including bonus pays for any 2s, 3s, and 4s four-of-a-kind hands, as well as a bonus pay for four Aces.</li><li id="ul0002-0002" num="0059">Double Bonus Poker which doubles the bonus payoffs for four-of-a-kind hands.</li><li id="ul0002-0003" num="0060">Double Double Bonus Poker which adds bonus payoffs for four-of-a-kind hands with certain “kicker” fifth cards.</li><li id="ul0002-0004" num="0061">Triple Double Bonus Poker where the payoff for four Aces with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker card is the same as the payoff for a Royal Flush.</li><li id="ul0002-0005" num="0062">Deuces Wild Poker where any 2 in a hand can substitute for any other card, making five-of-a-kind hands possible.</li><li id="ul0002-0006" num="0063">Joker Poker which adds one Joker to a standard 52 card deck, and the Joker can substitute for any other card. <br /> The abovementioned variations can be augmented by additional variations and additional games, and they can be modified from the descriptions provided herein. </li></ul></li></ul>

p-0059<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> shows a poker-themed game image <b>400</b> featuring a basic wagering game such as a five-card draw poker game—Double Double Bonus Poker in this example—which may be displayed on the primary display area <b>14</b>. In the illustrated example, the image <b>400</b> of the basic poker-game displays a playable hand <b>402</b> composed of a plurality of cards <b>404</b><i>a</i>-<i>e</i>. The basic poker-game image <b>400</b> also displays a paytable <b>408</b>, game-session meters, and various buttons selectable by a player. In a five-card draw-poker game, five cards are displayed face-up to a player to form a first playable hand once the wager is accepted and the player selects the deal button. The player is able to select none, one, or a plurality of the cards <b>404</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>in the playable hand to hold. However, the player generally will hold any winning cards (e.g., either card <b>404</b><i>c </i>or card <b>404</b><i>e </i>because they form a pair of queens, which form a hand specified in the paytable <b>408</b>). In this example, if the first playable hand were to form a five-card straight or flush, full house, etc., and the player held all five of the dealt cards, the player would be awarded a payout and the gaming session would end. However, where one or more of the cards are not selected to be held, the non-selected card or cards may then be replaced to form a second playable hand—which in some examples is also the final playable hand.

p-0060The game-session meters include: a “Credits” meter <b>410</b> for displaying a number of credits available for play on the machine; a “Bet” meter <b>412</b> for displaying a number of credits wagered (e.g., from 1 to 5 credits); and a “Win” meter <b>414</b> for displaying an amount to be awarded based on the results of the particular round's outcome. The player-selectable buttons can also include a “Collect” button to cash out the credits remaining on the credits meter <b>410</b>, a “Help” button <b>415</b> for viewing instructions on how to play the video poker game, and a “Max Bet” button <b>413</b> for wagering a maximum number of credits (e.g., 5 credits). The wagering game is initiated after a wager is made by a “Deal” button <b>420</b> for causing the game to initially deal cards face-up from a deck into the playable hand <b>402</b>.

p-0061The paytable <b>408</b>, shown on the primary display area <b>14</b>, may also or alternatively be displayed on the secondary display area <b>16</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. The paytable <b>408</b> includes a column listing winning-poker-hand rankings <b>430</b> and a plurality of payout columns <b>432</b>, <b>434</b>, <b>436</b>, <b>438</b>, and <b>440</b> with payouts associated with each ranking. The list of winning poker-hand-rankings <b>430</b> includes predetermined non-monetary criteria, which in this example are standard poker-hand rankings beginning at a pair of jacks or better and includes hands through a royal flush. The number of credits won is linearly proportional to the number of credits wagered, except that a royal flush typically yields a bonus when achieved on a maximum wager. In this example, the payout columns <b>432</b>, <b>434</b>, <b>436</b>, and <b>438</b> list credits that are paid for 1, 2, 3, and 4 credits respectively. The maximum wager payouts for a basic wager of 5 credits are listed in column <b>440</b>. The basic wagering game shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> includes a bonus feature—in this case No-Risk Double Up Poker—that allows a player greater awards. A bonus feature field <b>442</b> for the No-Risk Double Up feature is included in this example.

p-0062The video poker game can include bonus features that can be applied to any of the abovementioned basic games. The bonus features can modify the paytable of the basic games by adding additional payout columns <b>442</b> for the bonus features, and can add new features such as extra bonus pays for certain hands, free play, opportunities to double the original bet, repays of prior hand winnings, and various other schemes that can increase the probability of winning hand or increase the amount of the award associated with the ranking of a winning hand. Some bonus features require additional credits added to the original wager.

p-0063Bonus features in the video poker game can include but are not limited to: <ul><li id="ul0003-0001" num="0000"><ul><li id="ul0004-0001" num="0069">Standard Poker—The Standard Poker feature plays the selected basic game with no enhancements.</li><li id="ul0004-0002" num="0070">Bonus Royals—The Bonus Royals feature adds a bonus payoff to Royal Flush hands.</li><li id="ul0004-0003" num="0071">No-Risk Double Up—For a 5-credit additional buy-in, a winning hand enables the option to pick cards for up to a 16× multiplier without risking the initial winning payoff.</li><li id="ul0004-0004" num="0072">Free Play Poker—For a 1 or 2 credit buy-in, the player gets a chance for a free play at 1× or 2× with each winning hand, a free plays continue during a winning streak up to 100 free hands.</li><li id="ul0004-0005" num="0073">Win-It-Again Poker—With a 3 credit buy-in, any winning hand re-pays the awards from the previous five hands. <br /> The abovementioned bonus features can be augmented by additional features, and they can be modified from the descriptions provided herein. </li></ul></li></ul>

p-0064An embodiment of the video poker game includes tabbed browsing to simplify and speed-up switching between various game-play and game-related screens while the game is played. As seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, selectable tabs <b>461</b>-<b>465</b> are displayed on multiple screens related to the video poker game. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> shows exemplary screens <b>501</b>-<b>505</b> that can be summoned by the picking the various tabs. The following examples are provided for illustration purposes and it is understood that an embodiment of the invention can comprise different and additional tabs and that the exemplary screens can vary from those shown herein.

p-0065The tabs enable the player to transition quickly between various pages and menus by simply touching on, or otherwise selecting, a tab. For example, the “Current Game” tab <b>561</b>, in this embodiment showing “Double Double Bonus”, will bring up the Current Game screen <b>501</b> showing the paytable, cards, denomination, and other relevant game information related to the currently selected game. The “Help” tab <b>563</b> calls up the Help screen <b>502</b> related to the currently selected game. The “More Games” tab <b>562</b> recalls the introductory screen <b>503</b> so that the player can choose a new feature, new game, or different denomination.

p-0066Referring now to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, the “My Poker Log-in” tab <b>664</b> displays the player's Life™ log-in screen <b>600</b>, for logging in to a player account associated with a gaming community, a gaming website, a social networking site, on a game server, and in various memory storage sites, via a communications network. The player account can be used to restrict access to game data and information to only those players authorized to access the account. The player's Life™ log-in screen <b>600</b> includes a touch screen keyboard <b>601</b> that can be used to enter symbols in a player ID field <b>602</b> and a password field <b>603</b>. The player can create a new player account and can log-in to an existing player account from the log-in screen.

p-0067The video poker game takes advantage of many features and functions available via on-line gaming communities, social networks, gaming websites etc. Once logged-in, the player can access features such as unlockable game content, special games and game-related activities, enhanced customization features, and various other offerings that can be accessed on-line via a game server, from the gaming terminal within the land-based gaming establishment and from a remote device (e.g., a personal computer, tablet, mobile phone, or other Internet-connected device) outside the gaming establishment.

p-0068It can be useful to facilitate asymmetry between the access capabilities of the remote device and the gaming terminal. So, for example, in one embodiment, a player might log-in to a gaming website from the remote device, accrue some special features related to game play, and then store the special features in their player account. These special features cannot be accrued from the gaming terminal, even if the player logs in to their player account. Once accrued, however, the special features can be downloaded to the gaming terminal by logging in to the player account, and then applied during game play at the gaming terminal. In this fashion the player is encouraged to utilize both the gaming website, using the remote device to access the site and to accrue special features, and the gaming terminal, to download the special features and use them while playing the wagering game at the terminal. Similarly, a player could log into their player account via the remote device to access an enhanced set of customization features, in order to select and modify some of the features according to personal preference, and then save the selected features in their player account. A player logging in from the gaming terminal would not have access to the enhanced set of features for the purpose of selecting and modifying the features, but the enhanced features saved in their player account could be downloaded and applied while playing the wagering game at the terminal. A person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) can envision other examples of asymmetric capabilities of the remote device and the gaming terminal that could enhance the players gaming experience and encourage players to use both the gaming website and the gaming terminal to fully implement all the game features.

p-0069<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> demonstrates an embodiment of the invention that utilizes asymmetric customization capabilities, depending on whether the player is at a gaming terminal, for example on a casino floor, or at a remote device such as a personal computer and connected to a communications network. In this embodiment, asymmetry is used in determining access to the full set of customization features provided to the player, so that only some of the features are available for modification from the gaming terminal but all features are available from the remote device. Asymmetric access to the customization features from the gaming terminal and the remote device can be useful to encourage players to visit the gaming website or social networking site, and also to limit the time players spend customizing at the gaming terminal rather than playing the game.

p-0070The video poker game provides a plurality of selectable game-play features for customization, both at the gaming terminal and via a remote device. However, not all features can be modified by a player at the gaming terminal. Here and throughout, the full set of customization features available in the video poker game will be referred to as the game set <b>720</b>, the features available for modification at the gaming terminal will be referred to as a terminal set <b>722</b>, and the remaining game set features that are not members of the terminal set will be referred to as an enhanced set <b>721</b>. In this embodiment, only the terminal set <b>722</b> of features can be modified by a player at the gaming terminal. The entire game set <b>720</b> (terminal set plus enhanced set) is available for modifying via the remote device. The entire game set <b>720</b>, it should be further noted, is available for playing, but not modifying, at the gaming terminal.

p-0071In an embodiment of the video poker game, a full set of customization features resides in a memory storage site that can be accessed via a game system <b>710</b> having a processor and a communication interface. To illustrate the asymmetric customization capability of the video poker game, consider a player logging in <b>711</b> to the gaming system <b>710</b> from a gaming terminal. The player can recall <b>712</b> a game set <b>720</b> of features from a memory storage site <b>730</b>. The game set <b>720</b> can be a default game set and can be a previously-saved game set. The player at the gaming terminal can optionally modify <b>713</b> some of the features—the terminal set <b>722</b> of features—included in the game set, but not other features—the enhanced set <b>721</b>. While the game set (both default and saved) includes the full set of game-play features, the player at the terminal can only modify (customize) those features that are included in the terminal set subset of the game set. All of the features—both the terminal set <b>722</b> and the enhanced set <b>721</b>—will be applied when the game is played <b>714</b>, but only the terminal set <b>722</b> can be modified from its recalled state by the player at the gaming terminal. After playing the game <b>714</b>, the player can choose to save <b>715</b> the applied game set—again including both the terminal set and the enhanced set—in the memory storage site <b>730</b>.

p-0072Continuing the illustration of the embodiment, a player logging in <b>716</b> from the remote device can recall <b>717</b> the game set <b>720</b> of features from the memory storage site <b>730</b>, and can modify <b>718</b> the entire game set <b>720</b>, including features from terminal set <b>722</b> and from the enhanced set <b>721</b>. Also, the player at the remote device can save <b>719</b> the game set <b>720</b>, including any modifications to the terminal set <b>722</b> and the enhanced set <b>721</b>, in the memory storage site <b>730</b>. The game set that is modified and saved from the remote device can be applied, including all features in the terminal set and the enhanced set, while playing the game at the gaming terminal.

p-0073Referring now to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref>, the “Personalize” tab <b>865</b> opens the customization screen <b>800</b>, where a player can select from a plurality of selectable game-play features <b>802</b> that can be modified to adapt game play according to a player's personal preferences. The selectable game-play features listed below can be included in either the terminal set or in the enhanced set, depending on decisions by a system administrator such as the casino operator, the game manufacturer, or other authority. Features can be restricted by graying-out the selection buttons, by hiding the selection buttons, by graying-out selections on a drop-down menu, and by providing different menus depending on whether the player logs in from the remote device or from the gaming terminal. Other methods and modes for restricting features can be easily envisioned by PHOSITA while still exemplifying the broad principles of the invention.

p-0074Some of the customization features included with the video poker game can be:

p-0075Card Art—Allows players to choose their card art, both front and back. Selections can be made from a library of preset options, such as Fancy and Big Pips, as well as themed decks (i.e. Pirate Deck, Western Deck, etc.) “Build-your-own” decks can be created using player-supplied art and images.

p-0076Brightness—Allows players to adjust the brightness of the screen.

p-0077Card Size—Allows players to adjust the size of the cards displayed on the screen.

p-0078Layout—Allows players to choose the layout of the screen including Card position, Pay Table position, Meter positions, and Buttons (on/off and position.) Players can choose from preset layouts and can create their own layouts.

p-0079Easy Deal—Allows players to choose the order in which cards are dealt, for example, Low to High, High to Low, and By Suit. Players can select from a menu of preset deal orders. Easy Deal can order dealt cards so that the player can quickly identify winning combinations and partial combinations, and so assist the player in selecting cards to discard and to hold. Some embodiments of Easy Deal can include a “layering” option. Layering refers to the ability to choose multiple options and their order. For example: The player may choose ‘By Suit’ as their primary Easy Deal option, then ‘High to Low as their secondary option. The cards will be dealt by order of suit first, then high to low within each suit.

p-0080To help illustrate an embodiment of the Easy Deal customization feature, <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> shows a dealt hand <b>902</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>in random order. In contrast, <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> shows a dealt hand <b>1002</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>ordered by Easy Deal so that same suit cards are grouped together and ranked from high to low. It is evident from these figures that Easy Deal can help the player identify possible combinations, in this case a potential straight that might be missed without the Easy Deal feature. Regardless of the Easy Deal feature selected, the player still has the option of discarding some or all of the dealt cards.

p-0081Easy Deal options can be utilized to tailor the ordering of dealt hands to a particular poker variation and to a particular bonus feature. For example, if the poker game pays higher awards for four 2's than other four-of-a-kind hands, the player can choose to be alerted when a pair of 2's or three 2's are dealt.

p-0082Deal Alert—Highlights winning dealt cards by flashing the cards found in any winning combination. Players can select from preset combinations and can individually select which winning combinations are flashed. Also, players can select non-winning combinations for flashing, such as “lucky” cards and combinations. For example, a particular player may favor drawing to a flush. The player could choose to be alerted on being dealt four cards of the same suit but not on four cards in a possible straight. An embodiment of Deal Alert highlighting is shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> and in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref>. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> shows a dealt hand <b>1102</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>including four Aces. Four Aces is traditionally a winning hand and is included in the paytable shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> as “4-Aces's”. In an embodiment of Deal Alert, the four Aces are highlighted, after the deal and before the draw, to indicate a potential winning combination. The player is alerted to the potential winning combination but still has the option to discard some or all of the dealt cards.

p-0083<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> shows a dealt hand <b>1202</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>highlighting an A-Q-10 of clubs, which could build up to a Royal Flush if the player draws the King and Jack of clubs. An embodiment of Deal Alert can enable the player to highlight even a non-traditional combination such as 3-to-a-Royal, and the player in this case has selected the Deal Alert option to highlight a 3-to-a-Royal combination even though the dealt cards do not make a complete winning hand. Various other combinations can be selected by the player for highlighting. As in the previous example, the player can choose to discard any or all of the dealt cards regardless of the Deal Alert selection.

p-0084Highlight Wins—Highlights winning hands after the draw and darkens losing cards. Players can opt to turn Highlight Wins on and off, and can change the type of highlighting, for example; Raise Winners, Scale Winners, Animate Winners etc.

p-0085Celebration—Plays celebration animation for certain winning combinations. Players can turn Celebration on and off, choose the type of animation, and can individually select the combinations that are celebrated. Also, players can set thresholds for Celebration, for example, at least a 50× multiplier or any winning combination. Threshold selection enables a player to choose which winning combinations are celebrated regardless of the current game and the current game table. For example, if Jacks-or-Better pays less than a maximum bet, the player can elect to skip celebrations for Jacks-or-Better hands and celebrate only higher paying hands. Similarly, the player may consider four Queens to be a “lucky” hand and skip celebrations for all but hands showing four Queens.

p-0086Anticipation—Slowly reveals cards in near-win situations. When Anticipation is on, certain draw scenarios are accompanied by a “slow reveal” of the drawn cards. For example, if the held cards include two Aces, the drawn cards can be “slow revealed” in anticipation of a third Ace. Players can individually select which combinations trigger the slow reveal and can choose between different types of slow reveal schemes. Types of reveal schemes can include simple animation effects such as fade-ins, suits first, and ranks first. As with the Easy Deal and Deal Alert features, the Anticipation features can include various levels of customization, including non-traditional combinations and thresholds to trigger a slow reveal scheme.

p-0087Some embodiments of the video poker game can include interactive reveal schemes, where the player selects cards for drawing from a random selection of potential drawn cards. FIG.'s <b>13</b>-<b>15</b> illustrate one embodiment of an interactive reveal scheme. In <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref>, a dealt hand <b>1302</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>including 4-to-a-Royal Flush in Spades is displayed via the gaming terminal <b>10</b>. The hand shows the player has elected to hold the four spades and discard the 5 of Hearts <b>1302</b><i>c</i>. When the player hits the DRAW button <b>1304</b> (in this case a soft button displayed on the screen), the screen switches to a pick field screen shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref>. The pick field displays the original dealt hand at the bottom of the screen, and the remaining 47 cards <b>1412</b> from a standard 52-card deck are shown face down at the top of the screen. In the illustrated embodiment, player selects drawn cards from the 47 cards <b>1412</b> by touching a touch screen over the selected cards, although there are various methods and means for detecting player selections via a player input device. In <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref>, the player has selected a drawn card <b>1401</b> in the pick field, and the drawn card <b>1401</b> (the King of Clubs) is shown face up and highlighted.

p-0088<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 15</figref> illustrates the embodiment after all drawn cards have been selected and shown face up. All the remaining unpicked cards <b>1512</b> are revealed to the player, including the sought-after King of Spades <b>1503</b>. The drawn card <b>1502</b> is added to the dealt hand which, in this example, does not form a winning combination. Interactive reveal schemes detect and respond to player inputs in such a way as to enable the player to influence the game outcome.

p-0089As illustrated in FIG.'s <b>16</b>-<b>17</b>, pseudo-interactive reveal schemes can be utilized to generate extra interest in the game-play. In a pseudo-interactive reveal scheme, drawn cards are randomly selected for the player, and player input is required to reveal the randomly selected drawn cards. For example, <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 16</figref> shows the same dealt hand <b>1602</b><i>a</i>-<i>e </i>from <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref>, including the 4-to-a-Royal Flush in Spades. The player has selected the four Spades for holding and the last card <b>1602</b><i>c </i>has been drawn and is displayed as a mystery card to hide its suit and rank.

p-0090In <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 17</figref>, the player has “scratched-off” a corner of the mystery card <b>1702</b> by rubbing the touch screen over the card, to reveal the King of Spades and complete the Royal Flush. The cards in the Royal Flush are highlighted, the paytable <b>1708</b> is highlighted to show the payoff, and the Win meter <b>1712</b> and the Credit meter <b>1714</b> both indicate the 4000 award associated with the Royal Flush.

p-0091While the player's input in the pseudo-interactive reveal scheme does not affect the game outcome, the pseudo-interactive scheme can generate enthusiasm and help to engage the player's interest in a particular game.

p-0092Can't Miss—Alerts when an obvious mistake is made relative to computer-programmed optimum play. “Can't Miss” alerts players when they choose to discard dealt cards that are usually held. For example, if a player is dealt three Kings and elects to discard one of the Kings, the player is alerted to the presence of the three Kings before the discard, allowing the player to reconsider their choices. In some embodiments of the video poker game, players can turn Can't Miss on and off, and can choose from preset alert combinations. Also, in an embodiment, players can individually select combinations to create new alert combinations and can select the order of importance of alert combinations.

p-0093Speed—Adjusts the speed of dealt and drawn cards. Players can select options to control the “global speed” of all game scenarios, and can adjust the speed of specific game scenarios such as Draw Speed, Deal Speed etc. There can also be an option for “Instant” play of scenarios.

p-0094Speed Timer—Allows players to see their average and current speed of play, including hands per hour (Current/Average) and hands per minute (Current/Average.) Players can select on and off, and can save sessions statistics in a memory storage site. After saving to memory, players can access statistics in various formats, for example, a player may view their hands per hour average over their entire lifetime, or only during the last gaming session. Another embodiment would allow a player to view winning hands from previous gaming sessions.

p-0095An embodiment of the Speed Timer feature can be implemented in conjunction with a player account associated with a gaming community, gaming website, social networking site, etc. The historical data related to the player's speed can be directed to a memory storage site associated with the player's individual player account each time the player initiates a gaming session, so that speed time statistics for gaming sessions are cumulative over time. An additional option in some embodiments enables the player to store past winning hands in the memory storage site and recall the hands for viewing at a later date. The player has the opportunity to re-live big wins and lucky streaks from past gaming sessions, which can increase player enthusiasm and loyalty.

p-0096Screen Art—Customized screen graphics. Players can customize their on-screen graphics, including colors and themes. Players can select from preset graphics schemes and can create their own schemes by selecting from a library of tools and art.

p-0097Volume—Adjusts the game volume. Players can select options to control the “global volume” used during game play, and can adjust the volume of specific game sounds such as Deal Sound, Winning Hand Sound, Bang-up Sound etc.

p-0098The aforementioned features and feature options should not be considered an exhaustive listing of possible features, and additions and variations will be evident to those PHOSITA. These inventive and novel features and feature options demonstrate the broad aspects of the invention that will also encompass those alternate embodiments that incorporate to the principles presented herein.

p-0099As previously mentioned, selectable game-play features can be included in the terminal set and in the enhanced set, the inclusion affecting primarily the means of accessing and modifying the features. Also, customized game sets can be saved, both from the gaming terminal and the remote device, in a memory storage location such as a player account on a game server. Game sets stored in a player account can be accessed by authorized players and can be modified in accordance with the access capabilities (symmetric, asymmetric, etc.) dictated by the system administrator. Authorized players can recall the stored game set and apply the game set while playing the game at the game terminal. Even selectable game-play features that are not available for modification at the game terminal (i.e., enhanced sets) can be downloaded as part of a stored game set and played while at the game terminal. Player accounts can include multiple stored game sets and preset game sets. The Personalize screen <b>800</b> provides a “Save” button <b>805</b> for saving the current setting to the memory storage site. Additionally, the “Default” button <b>803</b> and the “Saved Set” buttons <b>804</b> can recall saved sets for modification and for applying while playing the video poker game.

p-0100Another feature included in the video poker game is the “Did You Know . . . ” screen. “Did You Know . . . ” screens can provide various facts, tips, trivia, and other helpful information related to the different games, features, and aspects of the video poker game. “Did You Know . . . ” can be displayed while new games or features are being loaded and when game-play has momentarily halted.

p-0101It should be understood that the above invention is not limited to a video poker game and may be instituted on a video slot machine, mechanical slot machine, networked and standalone systems, or another means sufficient to practice the inventive concepts disclosed herein.

p-0102This detailed description refers to specific examples in the drawings and illustrations. These examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventive subject matter. These examples also serve to illustrate how the inventive subject matter can be applied to various purposes or embodiments. Other embodiments are included within the inventive subject matter, as logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes can be made to the example embodiments described herein. Features of various embodiments described herein, however essential to the example embodiments in which they are incorporated, do not limit the inventive subject matter as a whole, and any reference to the invention, its elements, operation, and application are not limiting as a whole, but serve only to define these example embodiments. This detailed description does not, therefore, limit embodiments, which are defined only by the appended claims. Each of the embodiments described herein are contemplated as falling within the inventive subject matter, which is set forth in the following claims.