Abstract: The Return Driven Casino Game Outcome Generator makes the first true class of casino video game possible by creating games that measure and reward skills like fast reflexes and manual dexterity while earning consistent and reliable profits for game operators. An RDOG gaming machine may include a game that includes a reward generating assets and a graphic shown on a display. The graphic is at least partially controlled by the player and configured to interact with the reward generating asset. A reward table is associated with the reward generating assets and is configured such that when the graphic successfully interacts therewith on the display, a random number is obtained and used as an index into the reward table to derive a reward multiplier.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and method disclosed herein maintains a designated award which is associated with a variable score for a skill-based game. In one such embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to play a game, wherein the gaming system forms a score for the player. The player's formed score is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player during the play of the skill-based game (i.e., which tends to measure one or more aspects of that player's skills). If the player's score does not reach the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system modifies the variable score associated with the designated award of that skill-based game. If the player's score reaches or exceeds the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system provides the player a designated quantity of opportunities to win the maintained designated award.

Abstract: Time Based Wagering with Optional Reinvestment allows casino players to play their favorite casino games in a mixed time-based and credit-based fashion. The player purchases a contract for a window of time on the gaming machine at a set price that guarantees him or her the ability to play at a pace of his choosing over the entire duration of his contract. As the player accumulates winnings dining the execution of the time contract, the player may elect to protect his or her accrued winnings by cashing them out at the end of his contract or may elect to re-invest part or all of his accrued winnings for the opportunity to achieve even larger wins as the time contract progresses. The player may activate this optional feature by placing additional wagers via a dynamic wager selection menu.

Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device and method disclosed herein determines whether to provide at least one of the plurality of progressive awards to the player based on that player's measured level of skill in: (i) a plurality of plays of a partial skill-based game, (ii) a skill-based progressive award sequence, or (iii) a plurality of plays of a partial skill-based game and a skill-based progressive award sequence. The determination is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player which tend to measure that player's level of skill in at least one of a partial skill-based game and a skill-based progressive award sequence.

Abstract: Casino operators can reduce their energy bills by placing the main controller of selected unused gaming machines into low-power mode while retaining total control and trust. Trusted Energy Saving is accomplished by: (1) establishing a secure “out-of-band” communication (or equivalent) between gaming machines and the casino's management system such that full network security is maintained while the main controller is in low power standby mode, (2) employing intelligent strategies to wake-up and turn-off the main controller of selected gaming machines by anticipating player use, (3) waiving the lengthy security verification required by regulation upon every gaming machine start-up and optionally (4) by displaying video promotional content on each turned-off gaming machine to continue to attract prospective players and to use the timing of each player approach to intelligently structure game menus based on the promotional content that has successfully attracted the player.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and method disclosed herein maintains a designated award which is associated with a variable score for a skill-based game. In one such embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to play a game, wherein the gaming system forms a score for the player. The player's formed score is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player during the play of the skill-based game (i.e., which tends to measure one or more aspects of that player's skills). If the player's score does not reach the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system modifies the variable score associated with the designated award of that skill-based game. If the player's score reaches or exceeds the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system provides the player a designated quantity of opportunities to win the maintained designated award.

Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device and method disclosed herein determines whether to provide at least one of the plurality of progressive awards to the player based on that player's measured level of skill in: (i) a plurality of plays of a partial skill-based game, (ii) a skill-based progressive award sequence, or (iii) a plurality of plays of a partial skill-based game and a skill-based progressive award sequence. The determination is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player which tend to measure that player's level of skill in at least one of a partial skill-based game and a skill-based progressive award sequence.

Abstract: A method of the present invention includes requiring a player to purchase a predetermined amount of playing time for a predetermined amount of money; inputting an initial average Return-To-Player (RTP) percentage of the regulated game; initiating the regulated game, and during the purchased predetermined amount of playing time: providing a plurality of reward generating assets and enabling the player to interact therewith, a successful interaction with a reward generating asset generating a reward for the player, and providing a plurality of time penalty inducing assets, interaction with one of which imposes a predetermined time penalty during which the player is prevented from interacting with any of the plurality of reward generating assets whereby, after interaction with one of the plurality of penalty inducing assets, the initial average RTP percentage is reduced by an amount proportional to a length of the predetermined time penalty.

Abstract: Casino operators can reduce their energy bills by placing the main controller of selected unused gaming machines into low-power mode while retaining total control and trust. Trusted Energy Saving is accomplished by: (1) establishing a secure “out-of-band” communication (or equivalent) between gaming machines and the casino's management system such that full network security is maintained while the main controller is in low power standby mode, (2) employing intelligent strategies to wake-up and turn-off the main controller of selected gaming machines by anticipating player use, (3) waiving the lengthy security verification required by regulation upon every gaming machine start-up and optionally (4) by displaying video promotional content on each turned-off gaming machine to continue to attract prospective players and to use the timing of each player approach to intelligently structure game menus based on the promotional content that has successfully attracted the player.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and method disclosed herein maintains a designated award which is associated with a variable score for a skill-based game. In one such embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to play a game, wherein the gaming system forms a score for the player. The player's formed score is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player during the play of the skill-based game (i.e., which tends to measure one or more aspects of that player's skills). If the player's score does not reach the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system modifies the variable score associated with the designated award of that skill-based game. If the player's score reaches or exceeds the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system provides the player a designated quantity of opportunities to win the maintained designated award.

Abstract: Trusted Energy Saving (TES) methods applied to server based distributed downloadable gaming for allowing casino operators to significantly reduce their energy bills by placing the main controller of selected unused gaining machines into low-power mode while retaining total control and trust.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and method disclosed herein maintains a designated award which is associated with a variable score for a skill-based game. In one such embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to play a game, wherein the gaming system forms a score for the player. The player's formed score is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player during the play of the skill-based game (i.e., which tends to measure one or more aspects of that player's skills). If the player's score does not reach the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system modifies the variable score associated with the designated award of that skill-based game. If the player's score reaches or exceeds the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system provides the player a designated quantity of opportunities to win the maintained designated award.

Abstract: A reconfigurable game machine consists of an electronic game machine supported by an adjustable frame. A control system is configured to automatically adjust the elevation of a main display of the electronic game machine from a first elevation associated with a first angle associated with a first game to a second elevation associated with a second angle associated with a second game. The control system may automatically adjust a respective position of the user interface panel. The electronic game machine may be configured to offer a game selected from any of a plurality of games, and the control system is configured to automatically position the adjustable frame so as to support the main display at an angle and an elevation appropriate to the selected game.

Abstract: A card reader may be configured for reading a bar code on a card, regardless of whether the bar code is on a first side of the card or a second side of the card. The card reader may be implemented in a wager gaming machine or in another context. If a card has a bar code printed on the first side and decorative material printed on the second side, the card reader may be configured to read the bar code regardless of the card's orientation. The bar code may be a two-dimensional bar code. A controller of the card reader may be configured for determining whether the bar code contains player tracking account information and/or other information regarding a person associated with the card.

Abstract: Tournament-Style casino games bring players all of the advantages of gaming tournaments such as rapid play, building excitement, and player vs. player competition in a manner that addresses limitations of existing games by: a) generating revenue for tire casino in all featured embodiments; b) being available on-demand; c) paying winners instantaneously; and d) featuring a casino hold that is stable enough to meet regulator requirements. In one embodiment of tournament style gaming, a high score progressive jackpot is provided such that players are playing against both the game's built in pay table and against the daily performances of other players. Inefficient game play results in increasing the progressive jackpot by a value of the time wasted by such inefficient game play.

Abstract: A dispute resolution model for next generation action/skill casino games comprising a variety of friendly onscreen methods to demonstrate the fairness of a disputed game or simply to allow the player to eliminate confusion created by fast action wagering. Such methods may include running on-demand instant replays of segments of wagered games to allow both players and operators to verify those games' fairness and providing the player with historical information regarding the operation of the casino game and/or the gaming machine. The historical information includes historical win information to demonstrate the distribution of previous wins; Skill vs. luck historical information to demonstrate the exact role both luck and skill played in a player's game outcome; and peer comparison historical information to enable the player to compare the recent payback history of a given game to identical games on the casino floor, and to show the player which machines have been the luckiest over a given period of time.

Abstract: A dispute resolution model for next generation action/skill casino games comprising a variety of friendly onscreen methods to demonstrate the fairness of a disputed game or simply to allow the player to eliminate confusion created by fast action wagering. Such methods may include running on-demand instant replays of segments of wagered games to allow both players and operators to verify those games' fairness and providing the player with historical information regarding the operation of the casino game and/or the gaming machine. The historical information includes historical win information to demonstrate the distribution of previous wins; Skill vs. luck historical information to demonstrate the exact role both luck and skill played in a player's game outcome; and peer comparison historical information to enable the player to compare the recent payback history of a given game to identical games on the casino floor, and to show the player which machines have been the luckiest over a given period of time.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes an electronic display device and a controller coupled to the display device. The controller is configured to present a base game via the display device, wherein the base game includes a plurality of base game symbols, and to transmit display coordinates of at least a portion of the plurality of base game symbols to a bonus controller via a network. The display device is configured to display, under control of the bonus controller, an overlay image including at least one bonus symbol having substantially similar display coordinates as at least one of the at least a portion of the plurality of base game symbols.

Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device and method disclosed herein determines whether to provide at least one of the plurality of progressive awards to the player based on that player's measured level of skill in: (i) a plurality of plays of a partial skill-based game, (ii) a skill-based progressive award sequence, or (iii) a plurality of plays of a partial skill-based game and a skill-based progressive award sequence. The determination is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player which tend to measure that player's level of skill in at least one of a partial skill-based game and a skill-based progressive award sequence.

Abstract: A gaming system receives a total wager for a game session which occurs over a designated period of time. The game session includes a plurality of different wagering events. Each of the wagering events is associated with one of a plurality of different magnitudes. For each of the plurality of different wagering events, the gaming system determines: a portion of the total wager amount, and a wager by modifying the determined portion by the magnitude associated with that wagering event. The gaming system causes the wagering event to occur, determines at least one outcome for the wagering event, determines any awards based on the determined wager and the at least one determined outcome, and provides any of the determined awards to the player.