Communal slot system and method for operating same

Abstract

A gaming machine system on which wagers are placed on game outcomes has at least one processor for determining a result of a slot machine game and a plurality of terminals communicatively linked to the processor. The game outcome at each terminal is determined by a single, communal game outcome result determined by the processor. The processor provides the communal result to all of said terminals, the resolution of all wagers at each terminal being dependent on said communal result.

1 . A gaming machine system on which wagers are placed on a game outcome comprising: at least one processor for determining a result of a slot machine game; and a plurality of terminals communicatively linked to said processor, wherein the game outcome at each said terminal is determined by a single, communal game outcome result determined by said processor.  
   
   
       2 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said processor is adapted to determine individual payouts for each terminal based on the communal result and any wagers made at the respective terminal.  
   
   
       3 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said processor is operatively coupled to at least one display to provide data for displaying the communal result on the at least one display.  
   
   
       4 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said processor determines communal results at predetermined time intervals, and a time to a next interval is displayed on the display and/or each terminal.  
   
   
       5 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each terminal includes a player interface that displays a history of player wagers, previous communal results, or other selected data.  
   
   
       6 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said player interface allows a player of each terminal to place wagers on the slot machine game.  
   
   
       7 . A method of operating a gaming machine system having a processor and a plurality of terminals communicatively linked to the processor, said method including the steps of: 
 at least one player making a wager on a slot machine game at a respective terminal;    determining a result of the slot machine game with said processor;    using said result to all of said plurality of terminals as a communal result; and    awarding any payout to said at least one player dependent on the communal result and the wager made by said player.    
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , further including the step of displaying the determined communal result on a display device with image signals from said processor.  
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the step of determining the communal result is performed at a predetermined interval or time.  
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , further including the step of, once the communal result is determined, displaying time remaining until a result of a next slot machine game is to be determined.  
   
   
       11 . A method of playing a communal slot machine game on a gaming machine system, including the steps of: 
 multiple players making wagers at respective terminals included in said gaming machine system;    when said wagers have been made, providing a random set of symbols into at least one payline to display a communal result;    determining an effect of the communal result on each of the multiple players' wagers; and    resolving each of the multiple players' wagers.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the random set of symbols are provided by reels of symbols or virtual reels of symbols.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein reels of symbols are provided and the processor controls rotation of a plurality of moving reels included in said gaming machine system to provide the random set of symbols.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein each reel has symbols marked on faces thereof; and the random set of symbols is provided by stopping the rotation of said moving reels to display a combination of said symbols representing a communal result.