METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING IN VIDEO A SECONDARY GAME RESPONSIVE TO PLAYER INTERACTION WITH A PRIMARY GAME

摘要

A method for operating a group of gaming machines interconnected by a networktoplay both primary and secondary games from the machines. Each of the gamingmachines has aprimary game associated with it. Play is allowed to occur on the gamingmachines while atriggering event is detected. In a preferred embodiment, the triggering eventis detected bymonitoring an operating parameter of the gaming machines over the network,such as total coinsplayed. A predetermined criterion or threshold is set for the operatingparameter and, if theoperating parameter meets the predetermined criterion, a triggering eventsignal is sent throughthe network. Upon the occurrence of the triggering event, a secondary game isinitiated from aselected one of the gaming machines whereby the secondary game is common tothe group ofgaming machines. The secondary game is most preferably a wheel-of fortune-typegame and isdisplayed in common to all of the machines and local spectators on a plasma-based displaymonitor of the type marketed by Fujitsu under their Plasmatron TM brand.Driving the plasma-basedmonitor is an animation computer that contains software coded animationprograms fordisplaying the wheel-of fortune and related audio/video events responsive to astand-alonebonus server (SBS).