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US-12626559-B2 - GUI for game of chance with skill element

US12626559B2US 12626559 B2US12626559 B2US 12626559B2US-12626559-B2

Abstract

A graphical user interface for providing skill-based tests that require players of a game of chance to engage in one or more deliberate actions in order to collect an award provided in response to an outcome in a game of chance.

Inventors

  • Pratik Jhanb
  • Daniel Marks
  • Hua Xu

Assignees

  • ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230731

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An electronic gaming machine comprising: one or more displays; one or more processors; and one or more memory devices storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause a graphical user interface (GUI) for a game of chance to be presented on the one or more displays; receive one or more indications of a play of the game of chance; generate, responsive to receiving each indication of a play of the game of chance, a corresponding outcome for the game of chance and cause the corresponding outcome to be presented on the one or more displays; determine, for each corresponding outcome, whether the corresponding outcome is a winning outcome associated with a corresponding award; cause, responsive to each determination that a corresponding outcome is a winning outcome, a task GUI element to be activated that requires that one or more sub-elements of the task GUI element be interacted with in a predetermined manner by a user in order to cause a task completion signal associated with that corresponding outcome to be generated; cause, responsive to the generation of multiple task completion signals, a first sub-element of the task GUI element to, responsive to each generation of one of the task completion signals in a subset of the multiple task completion signals, transition to a next graphical state in an ordered sequence of graphical states associated with the first sub-element of the task GUI element; cause, responsive to each generation of the task completion signal, the corresponding award for the corresponding outcome to be added to a credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance; determine, in association with each generation of the task completion signal, whether a task completion bonus condition is met; and cause, responsive to each determination that the task completion bonus condition is met, a task completion bonus to be provided to the user, wherein the task completion bonus is in addition to the corresponding award.
  2. 2 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to, for each determination of whether the task completion bonus condition is met, randomly determine whether the task completion bonus condition is met.
  3. 3 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 2 , wherein the one or more memory devices store further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to: randomly determine that the task completion bonus is met according to a selected probability; select a first probability as the selected probability responsive to the corresponding award having an amount within a first range; and select a second probability as the selected probability responsive to the corresponding award having an amount within a second range, wherein the first probability is greater than the second probability and the first range is lower than the second range.
  4. 4 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to count, from a first time, a number of task completion signals generated since the first time and to determine that the task completion bonus condition is met when the number of task completion signals generated since the first time meets a first threshold number.
  5. 5 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to provide the task completion bonus to the user by adding a predetermined amount to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance.
  6. 6 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to provide the task completion bonus to the user by: causing a bonus game GUI to be presented for one or more bonus game plays, determining, based on outcomes for the bonus game, a bonus game award amount, and adding the bonus game award amount to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance.
  7. 7 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein; the one or more memory devices store further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to: cause an award animation involving, at least in part, the first sub-element of the task GUI to be presented responsive to the task completion bonus condition being met.
  8. 8 . One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause a graphical user interface (GUI) for a game of chance to be presented on one or more displays of a gaming machine; receive one or more indications of a play of the game of chance; generate, responsive to receiving each indication of a play of the game of chance, a corresponding outcome for the game of chance and cause the corresponding outcome to be presented on the one or more displays; determine, for each corresponding outcome, whether the corresponding outcome is a winning outcome associated with a corresponding award; cause, responsive to each determination that a corresponding outcome is a winning outcome, a task GUI element to be activated that requires that one or more sub-elements of the task GUI element be interacted with in a predetermined manner by a user in order to cause a task completion signal associated with that corresponding outcome to be generated; cause, responsive to the generation of multiple task completion signals, a first sub-element of the task GUI element to, responsive to each generation of one of the task completion signals in a subset of the multiple task completion signals, transition to a next graphical state in an ordered sequence of graphical states associated with the first sub-element of the task GUI element; cause, responsive to each generation of the task completion signal, the corresponding award for the corresponding outcome to be added to a credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance; determine, in association with each generation of the task completion signal, whether a task completion bonus condition is met; and cause, responsive to each determination that the task completion bonus condition is met, a task completion bonus to be provided to the user, wherein the task completion bonus is in addition to the corresponding award.
  9. 9 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to, for each determination of whether the task completion bonus condition is met, randomly determine whether the task completion bonus condition is met.
  10. 10 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to count, from a first time, a number of task completion signals generated since the first time and to determine that the task completion bonus condition is met when the number of task completion signals generated since the first time meets a first threshold number.
  11. 11 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to provide the task completion bonus to the user by adding a predetermined amount to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance.
  12. 12 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to provide the task completion bonus to the user by: causing a bonus game GUI to be presented for one or more bonus game plays, determining, based on outcomes for the bonus game, a bonus game award amount, and adding the bonus game award amount to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance.
  13. 13 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media further store additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, additionally cause the one or more processors to: cause an award animation involving, at least in part, the first sub-element of the task GUI to be presented responsive to the task completion bonus condition being met.
  14. 14 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the ordered sequence of graphical states depicts the first sub-element of the task GUI element in increasingly enlarged states.
  15. 15 . A method comprising: causing, by one or more processors of an electronic gaming machine having one or more displays, a graphical user interface (GUI) for a game of chance to be presented on the one or more displays; receiving, by the one or more processors, one or more indications of a play of the game of chance; generating, by the one or more processors and responsive to receiving each indication of a play of the game of chance, a corresponding outcome for the game of chance and causing the corresponding outcome to be presented on the one or more displays; determining, by the one or more processors and for each corresponding outcome, whether the corresponding outcome is a winning outcome associated with a corresponding award; determining, by the one or more processors and at least one of the corresponding outcomes, that the corresponding outcome is a winning outcome associated with a corresponding award; causing, by the one or more processors and responsive to each determination that a corresponding outcome is a winning outcome, a task GUI element to be activated that requires that one or more sub-elements of the task GUI element be interacted with in a predetermined manner by a user in order to cause a task completion signal associated with that corresponding outcome to be generated; causing, by the one or more processors and responsive to the generation of multiple task completion signals, a first sub-element of the task GUI element to, responsive to each generation of one of the task completion signals in a subset of the multiple task completion signals, transition to a next graphical state in an ordered sequence of graphical states associated with the first sub-element of the task GUI element; generating, by the one or more processors, at least one task completion signal responsive to the one or more sub-elements of the task GUI element being interacted with in the predetermined manner; causing, by the one or more processors and responsive to each generation of the task completion signal, the corresponding award for the corresponding outcome to be added to a credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance; determining, by the one or more processors and in association with the generation of at least one task completion signal, that a task completion bonus condition is met; and causing, by the one or more processors and responsive to determining that the task completion bonus condition is met, a task completion bonus to be provided to the user, wherein the task completion bonus is in addition to the corresponding award.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising randomly determining, by the one or more processors, that the task completion bonus condition is met.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, that the task completion bonus condition is met by a number of task completion signals generated since a first time meeting a first threshold number.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing, by the one or more processors, the task completion bonus to the user by causing a predetermined amount to be added to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing the task completion bonus to the user by: causing a bonus game GUI to be presented for one or more bonus game plays; determining, based on outcomes for the bonus game, a bonus game award amount; and adding the bonus game award amount to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising: generating, by the one or more processors, the multiple task completion signals responsive to multiple instances of the one or more sub-elements of the task GUI element being interacted with in the predetermined manner; causing, by the one or more processors, an award animation involving, at least in part, the first sub-element of the task GUI to be presented responsive to the task completion bonus condition being met.

Description

BACKGROUND Electronic gaming machines (“EGMs”) or gaming devices provide a variety of wagering games such as slot games, video poker games, video blackjack games, roulette games, video bingo games, keno games and other types of games that are frequently offered at casinos and other locations. Play on EGMs typically involves a player establishing a credit balance by inputting money, or another form of monetary credit, and placing a monetary wager (from the credit balance) on one or more outcomes of an instance (or single play) of a primary or base game. In some cases, a player may qualify for a special mode of the base game, a secondary game, or a bonus round of the base game by attaining a certain winning combination or triggering event in, or related to, the base game, or after the player is randomly awarded the special mode, secondary game, or bonus round. In the special mode, secondary game, or bonus round, the player is given an opportunity to win extra game credits, game tokens or other forms of payout. In the case of “game credits” that are awarded during play, the game credits are typically added to a credit meter total on the EGM and can be provided to the player upon completion of a gaming session or when the player wants to “cash out.” “Slot” type games are often displayed to the player in the form of various symbols arrayed in a row-by-column grid or matrix. Specific matching combinations of symbols along predetermined paths (or paylines) through the matrix indicate the outcome of the game. The display typically highlights winning combinations/outcomes for identification by the player. Matching combinations and their corresponding awards are usually shown in a “pay-table” which is available to the player for reference. Often, the player may vary his/her wager to include differing numbers of paylines and/or the amount bet on each line. By varying the wager, the player may sometimes alter the frequency or number of winning combinations, frequency or number of secondary games, and/or the amount awarded. Typical games use a random number generator (RNG) to randomly determine the outcome of each game. The game is designed to return a certain percentage of the amount wagered back to the player over the course of many plays or instances of the game, which is generally referred to as return to player (RTP). The RTP and randomness of the RNG ensure the fairness of the games and are highly regulated. Upon initiation of play, the RNG randomly determines a game outcome and symbols are then selected which correspond to that outcome. Notably, some games may include an element of skill on the part of the player and are therefore not entirely random. In some games of chance, e.g., slot-type games, there may be certain symbols that, when displayed (or when at least a certain number of them are displayed) as part of a game outcome cause awards specific to each such symbol to be awarded to the player. Such symbols are typically referred to as “cash-on-reel” symbols. SUMMARY Disclosed herein are graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for use with games of chance having a skill element. In some jurisdictions, games of chance may be required to involve at least some element of skill, e.g., such a game may not provide a winning outcome that provides a payout based on a purely random determination without first requiring the user to perform some additional, non-random and deliberate action or task. For example, such games of chance may, in conjunction with presenting a random winning outcome, present a task GUI element that includes one or more sub-elements that must be interacted with in a predetermined manner by a user in order to cause a task-completion signal that is associated with that outcome. The gaming machine employing such a task GUI element may then, responsive to the generation of such a task completion signal, cause the corresponding award for that random winning outcome to be added to the credit meter of the GUI for the game of chance. However, if the task completion signal associated with a particular winning outcome is not received, e.g., within a predetermined period of time after the task GUI element is presented or, for example, prior to initiation of a subsequent play of the game of chance, then the user may forego the corresponding award for that winning outcome. In some cases, incorrect or inaccurate interaction with the task GUI element, e.g., dragging a coin to an incorrect sub-element of the task GUI element (for example, dragging a blue coin to a red piggy bank instead of a blue piggy bank), will be interpreted as an interaction that does not cause the task completion signal to be generated. In some such cases, such incorrect interactions with the task GUI element may also preclude the user from later causing the task completion signal to be generated by repeating the task GUI element interaction correctly for that winning outcome (for example, dragging a coin to an incorrect sub-element, e.g., pigg