Encouraging multiple player participation in primary or secondary bonus games

Abstract

A gaming method and system for networked gaming machines to award a cooperative prize is described. The method comprises networking a plurality of gaming machines and operating a primary game on each of the plurality of networked gaming machines. The primary game has a normal state that is engaged after a wager is received and before awarding a prize. The method then proceeds to trigger a cooperative feature state that corresponds to awarding an initial prize when a first networked gaming machine triggers the cooperative feature state. The cooperative feature state is then communicated to at least one other gaming machine. The initial prize is increased when two or more networked gaming machines enter the cooperative feature state.

1 . A first gaming machine configured to award a cooperative prize, the first game machine comprising:
 at least a primary game configured to operate on the first gaming machine;   a cooperative award state configured to operate on the first gaming machine, wherein the cooperative award state is invoked upon the occurrence of a designated game play event;   a networking component operably disposed in the first gaming machine, the networking component configured to send and receive data, including sending an indication that the first gaming machine is in the enhanced award state when the designated game event occurs; and   where the first gaming machine is configured to determine an enhanced award associated with the cooperative award state using a value received via the network component, the received value based on a number of gaming machines that entered the cooperative award state during a time period associated with the cooperative award state.   
   
   
       2 . The first gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the indication of entering the cooperative award state sent over the network component is further configured for reception by a server that communicates the cooperative award state to other networked game machines. 
   
   
       3 . The first gaming machine of  claim 2 , wherein the cooperative award state is triggered by the first gaming machine, further comprises a timer that is also triggered by the first gaming machine, wherein the timer provides the time period. 
   
   
       4 . The first gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein after the duration of the time period associated with the first cooperative award state, either an initial prize or the enhanced prize is awarded by the first gaming machine. 
   
   
       5 . The first gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of entering the cooperative award state sent over the network component is further configured for reception by a server and where the network component receives a communication from the server that at least one other gaming machine entered the cooperative award state before the first gaming machine. 
   
   
       6 . The first gaming machine of  claim 5 , wherein the cooperative award state is triggered by another gaming machine, further comprises a timer that is initiated by the other gaming machine, wherein the timer provides the time period. 
   
   
       7 . The first gaming machine of  claim 6 , wherein after the duration of the first cooperative award state, either no prize or an enhanced prize is awarded by the first gaming machine. 
   
   
       8 . A gaming system configured to award a cooperative prize, the gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of networked gaming machines, wherein each networked gaming machine comprises at least a primary game;   a cooperative award state configured to operate on each networked gaming machine, wherein the cooperative award state is invoked upon the occurrence of a designated game play result;   a networking component in operable communication with each networked game machine; and   a cooperative award communicable to each networked gaming machine that enters the cooperative award state during a time period, the time period established as a result of a first networked gaming machine entering the cooperative award state when no cooperative award state is current, and where the cooperative award is based on a total number of gaming machines that enter the cooperative award state during the time period.   
   
   
       9 . The gaming system of  claim 8  further comprising a server that is communicatively coupled to each networked gaming machine, wherein the server is informed that one of the networked gaming machines has entered the cooperative award state. 
   
   
       10 . The gaming system of  claim 9  wherein the server is configured to communicate the cooperative award state to each networked gaming machine eligible to participate in the current cooperative award state. 
   
   
       11 . The gaming system of  claim 10  wherein the eligible gaming machines are those within a geographically localized area. 
   
   
       12 . The gaming system of  claim 11 , wherein the cooperative award state that is triggered by one of the networked gaming machines, further comprises a timer supplied by the server that provides a duration for the cooperative award state. 
   
   
       13 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein each networked gaming machine that enters the cooperative award state during the duration of the cooperative award state is updated by the server about changes to the cooperative prize. 
   
   
       14 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein after the duration of the cooperative award state, the cooperative prize value, or a factor usable to calculate the cooperative prize value, is propagated to each of the networked gaming machines that were in the cooperative award state. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming method for networked gaming machines to award a cooperative prize, the method comprising:
 networking a plurality of gaming machines;   operating at least a primary game on each of the plurality of networked gaming machines, where there is a game play result which comprises triggering entry into a cooperative award state;   triggering a cooperative award state;   
     determining a time period for the triggered cooperative award state;
 determining when gaming machines enter the cooperative award state during the time period; and 
 determining a cooperative award based on a total number of gaming machines that entered the cooperative award state during the time period, due to the occurrence of an eligible game play event on each gaming machine that enters the cooperative award state. 
 
   
   
       16 . The gaming method of  claim 15  further comprising communicatively coupling a server to each networked gaming machine, wherein the server is informed when one of the networked gaming machines enters the cooperative award state. 
   
   
       17 . The gaming method of  claim 16  wherein the server is configured to communicate the cooperative award state to each networked gaming machine that forms a predetermined set of gaming machines. 
   
   
       18 . The gaming method of  claim 17  wherein the predetermined set of gaming machines comprise networked gaming machines within a geographically localized area. 
   
   
       19 . The gaming method of  claim 18  further comprising configuring the timer by the first gaming machine to enter the cooperative award state. 
   
   
       20 . The gaming method of  claim 18  further comprising configuring the timer by the server. 
   
   
       21 . The gaming method of  claim 16  further comprising triggering the cooperative award state by the server and determining the time period by the server.