Tournament game

Abstract

A method implemented on a gaming machine to provide game play of a game is provided. The method includes: defining a plurality of variables for the game, each variable having a plurality of possible values; assigning the variables into a plurality of groups, wherein the number of variables assigned to each group is variable between plays of the game; for each variable assigned to each of the groups, determining a value from within its plurality of possible values and determining there from, a combined value for each group; and, dependent on the combined value for a said group, awarding a prize associated with that group.

1 . A method implemented on a gaming machine to provide game play of a game, the method including:
 defining a plurality of variables for the game, each variable having a plurality of possible values;   assigning the variables into a plurality of groups, wherein the number of variables assigned to each group is variable between plays of the game;   for each variable assigned to each of the groups, determining a value from within its plurality of possible values and determining there from, a combined value for each group; and   dependent on the combined value for a said group, awarding a prize associated with that group.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game is provided as a feature game to a base game provided on the gaming machine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature game is provided on the gaming machine when the accumulated wagers of a player of the gaming machine reaches a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature game is provided randomly, either dependent on symbols occurring in the base game or independent of symbols occurring in the base game. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the variables are dice, whereby each face of each die shows one of said plurality of possible values and whereby the assignment of the dice includes grouping the dice into groups, each group associated with a said prize and whereby the step of determining a combined value for a said group includes rolling the dice assigned to that group and combining the rolled values of the dice in the group. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the number of variables in said plurality of variables exceeds the number of said plurality of groups. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein there are twice as many variables in the plurality of variables as there are groups in the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein there are more than twice as many variables in the plurality of variables as there are groups in the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of assigning the variables into a plurality of groups is made by a player of the gaming machine by operating a user interface of the gaming machine. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of assigning the variables into a plurality of groups is made by a controller of the gaming machine, whereby a player of the gaming machine has no control over the distribution of the variables into the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further including selecting the plurality of groups into which the variables are assigned from a larger set of groups, whereby a different plurality of groups can be selected in different game plays of the game. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a said prize associated with a group is awarded if the combined value for that group exceeds a prize threshold value, which is fixed and constant for each play of the game. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein if the prize threshold value is not exceeded, the prize not awarded is added to the prize associated with the same group in a subsequent play of the game. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a said prize associated with a group is awarded if the combined value for the group exceeds a prize threshold value, which is variable and determined based on the combined value of one or more second variables also assigned to the same group. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more second variables are automatically assigned by a controller of the gaming machine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the gaming machine is linked to another gaming machine and the one or more second variables are assigned by a player playing the other gaming machine. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of assigning a variable to group and determining a value for that variable are both completed for a first said variable before being completed for the next said variable. 
     
     
         18 . A method implemented on a gaming system including a plurality of linked gaming machines, the method including providing a tournament game on two or more of the linked gaming machines by:
 for each gaming machine assigning tournament game variables into a plurality of groups, wherein:
 each group on one gaming machine is associated with one of the plurality of groups on each of the other gaming machines in the tournament; 
 the number of variables assigned to each group is variable between plays of the tournament game; 
 the number of variables assigned to associated groups on different gaming machines may be different for the same play of the tournament game; 
   for each gaming machine, determining values for the tournament game variables and a combined value for the tournament game variables assigned to each group;   awarding a prize associated with a said group, dependent on the combined values for that group for each of the gaming machines in the tournament game.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of awarding a prize associated with a group includes awarding the prize to one of the gaming machines in the tournament to the exclusion of another of the gaming machines in the tournament so as to implement a tournament game in which gaming machines compete for the prize associated with the group. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of awarding a prize associated with a group includes awarding the prize to each of the gaming machines in the tournament if the combined values across the gaming machines satisfy win a criterion or win criteria so as to implement a tournament game in which gaming machines cooperate to win the prize. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the tournament game is provided as a feature game. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the feature game is provided on a said gaming machine when a trigger condition has been achieved on that gaming machine, wherein the trigger condition is determined independently for each said gaming machine and wherein the method includes matching gaming machines that achieve the trigger condition. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the feature game is provided on a plurality of said gaming machines simultaneously when a single trigger condition occurs. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , when the trigger condition is the accumulated wagers of a player of the gaming machine reaching a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the variables for the game are dice, which are rolled to determine their values. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the number of variables in said plurality of variables exceeds the number of said plurality of groups. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of assigning the variables into a plurality of groups is made by a player of the gaming machine by operating a user interface of the gaming machine. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of assigning the variables into a plurality of groups is made by a controller of the gaming machine, whereby a player of the gaming machine has no control over the distribution of the variables into the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a said prize associated with a group is only awarded if the combined value for that group exceeds a prize threshold value, which is fixed and constant for each play of the game. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein if the prize threshold value is not exceeded, the prize not awarded is added to the prize associated with the same group in a subsequent play of the tournament game. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 18 , further including, for each gaming machine, selecting the plurality of groups into which the variables are assigned from a larger set of groups, whereby a different plurality of groups can be selected in different game plays of the game. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein for the same game play of the tournament game, there is at least a chance that different groups will be selected for different gaming machines. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the steps of assigning a variable to group and determining a value for that variable are both completed for a first said variable before being completed for the next said variable. 
     
     
         34 . A gaming machine including game controller and a user interface including a display and selectors, the game controller configured to provide a game by receiving inputs at the selectors, displaying symbols on the display and cause the awarding of a prize on the occurrence of winning events, wherein providing the game further includes:
 assigning a plurality of variables into a plurality of groups, wherein the number of variables assigned to each group is variable between plays of the game;   for each variable assigned to each of the groups, determining a value from within the plurality of possible values of that variable and determining a combined value for each group;   dependent on the determined combined value for a said group, awarding a prize associated with that group.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a game controller. 
     
     
         36 . A gaming system including plurality of linked gaming machines, the gaming system including a game controller to control play of a tournament game on each of the gaming machines, the gaming machines each including a user interface including a display and selectors, wherein the gaming system provides a tournament game on two or more of the linked gaming machines by:
 for each gaming machine assigning tournament game variables into a plurality of groups, wherein:
 each group on one gaming machine is associated with one of the plurality of groups on each of the other gaming machines in the tournament; 
 the number of variables assigned to each group is variable between plays of the tournament game; 
 the number of variables assigned to associated groups on different gaming machines may be different for the same play of the tournament game; 
   for each gaming machine, determining values for the tournament game variables and a combined value for the tournament game variables assigned to each group;   awarding a prize associated with a said group, dependent on the combined values for that group for each of the gaming machines in the tournament game.   
     
     
         37 . A game controller comprising instructions readable by the game controller to:
 define a plurality of variables for the game, each variable having a plurality of possible values;   assign the variables into a plurality of groups, wherein the number of variables assigned to each group is variable between plays of the game;   for each variable assigned to each of the groups, determine a value from within its plurality of possible values and determine there from, a combined value for each group; and   dependent on the combined value for a said group, award a prize associated with that group.