Multi-player game and gaming system

Abstract

A variety of methods of playing dice games and apparatus for implementing the games are disclosed. In one embodiment, at least two indicia are displayed, the indicia selected from a group of indicia including two indicia representing each side of a dice, the indicia representing each side of a dice having a distinguishing characteristic. In one embodiment, the group of indicia includes each side of a dice distinguishable by color. After display of the indicia, a player is permitted to hold none, one or more or all of the indicia. An indicia is then selected from the group of indica for each non-held indica. The resulting combination of indicia is then evaluated to determine if it comprises a predetermined winning combination of indicia. In one embodiment, a video machine is arranged to implement the game. Machine-readable media reading and writing devices allow players to save and restore games in progress. In one or more embodiments, two or more gaming devices are associated with a common controller. The controller dictates a time period by which a player must provide game play input to the gaming device in order to proceed with the game. The outcome of the game may be determined by comparison to the outcome(s) received by other players playing the game. In one embodiment the game comprises the display of a plurality of game indicia and a plurality of player indicia and includes the step of determining if any of the game indicia and player indicia match. A score is generated based upon matching symbols.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of playing a game by two or more players, said game having the possibility of different outcomes to each of said at least two players, said game having a plurality of steps, one or more of which define said outcomes, comprising: 
 indicating to said two or more players information regarding times by which each of said steps of said game must be completed by said two or more players;    permitting each player of said two or more players to continue playing said game if said steps are completed within said times;    preventing any of said at least two or more players having not completed a step within a defined time from continuing to play said game; and    determining a winner of said game by comparison of the outcomes of games completed by any of said two or more players.    
     
     
         2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said indicating step comprises displaying information regarding a time by which a step of said game must be completed by said two or more players.  
     
     
         3 . The method in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said information defines a time period during which a step of said game must be completed by said two or more players.  
     
     
         4 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  including the steps of indicating a time by which each of said two or more players must place a bet in order to continue playing said game.  
     
     
         5 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  including the step of indicating a time by which each of said two or more players having placed a bet must provide input to display indicia for play of said game.  
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said outcomes of said game include point totals and said step of determining a winner of said game comprises comparing point totals received by any of said two or more players completing said game.  
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 6  including the step of declaring a player having the highest point total the winner of said game.  
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  including the step of presenting said game to each of said two or more player with a gaming device.  
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 8  including the step of associating each gaming device with a controller.  
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9  including at least one input device whereby a caller may cause the controller to generate a signal used to indicate one or more of said times.  
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 9  wherein at least one of said players comprises a computer-generated play result by said controller.  
     
     
         12 . A method of playing a game by two or more players, said game having the possibility of different outcomes to said at least two players, said game having at least two steps comprising: 
 indicating information regarding a time by which a first step of said game must be completed by said two or more players;    permitting each player of said two or more players to continue playing said game if said step is completed by said time;    preventing any of said at least two or more players having not completed said step by said time from continuing to play said game; and    indicating information regarding a time by which a next step of said game must be completed by each player of said two or more player permitted to continue playing said game.    
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said steps of indicating comprise indicating a time period.  
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 12  including the step of determining an outcome of said games played by said players by comparing results of each player's game outcome to the result of other players' game outcomes.  
     
     
         15 . A system permitting two or more players to play a game, said game having the possibility of different outcomes to each player comprising: 
 at least two gaming devices, said gaming devices adapted to present said game to at least one player;    at least one controller, said controller adapted to generate a control signal regarding a time by which a player must provide an input to one of said at least two gaming devices; and    a communication link between said at least one controller and each of said at least two gaming devices for transmitting said control signal from said at least one controller to said at least two gaming devices and for transmitting an input signal from one or more of said at least two gaming devices to said at least one controller.    
     
     
         16 . The system in accordance with  claim 15  including at least one input device associated with said controller, said at least one input device adapted to provide a signal to said at least one controller causing said controller to generate said control signal.  
     
     
         17 . A method of at least two players playing a game, said game having the possibility of different outcomes to each of said at least two players, comprising: 
 providing at least two gaming devices adapted to present said game to one or more of said players;    establishing a communication pathway between each of said at least two gaming devices and a controller;    generating a control signal with said controller;    transmitting said control signal to said at least two gaming devices;    indicating a time by which a player of each of said at least two gaming devices must provide input thereto;    accepting input from a player of each of said at least two gaming devices if said input is provided during said indicated time; and    transmitting a signal from said at least two gaming devices regarding the status of player input to said gaming device.    
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 17  including the step of transmitting a signal from said controller to each gaming device to which player input was not provided within said indicated time, said signal preventing further play of said game by said player.  
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 17  including the step of transmitting game play data from said controller to each gaming device which transmitted a signal indicating player input was received within said indicated time.  
     
     
         20 . A method of playing a game comprising the steps of: 
 placing a wager;    displaying a first set of symbols comprising a main set of symbols;    displaying a set of player symbols;    determining if any of said symbols in said first set of symbols match any of the symbols displayed in said player set of symbols;    displaying a second set of symbols comprising said main set of symbols;    determining if any of said symbols in said second set of symbols match any of the symbols in said player set of symbols.    
     
     
         21 . The method in accordance with  claim 20  including the step of displaying a plurality of rows of symbols comprising said set of player symbols, determining if any of said symbols of said first set of symbols match any of said symbols in one or said rows of said player symbols and determining if any of said symbols of said second set of symbols match any of said symbols said row of player symbols.  
     
     
         22 . The method in accordance with  claim 20  wherein said symbols in said first set of symbols and said player symbols are arranged into positions and set step of determining if said symbols match comprise determining if a symbols in corresponding positions of said first set of symbols and said set of player symbols are the same.  
     
     
         23 . The method in accordance with  claim 20  including the step of assigning a score for each matched symbol.  
     
     
         24 . The method in accordance with  claim 20  wherein said sets of symbols are displayed on a single display.  
     
     
         25 . A method of playing a game comprising the steps of: 
 displaying at least a first set of player symbols and a second set of player symbols;    displaying a first set of game symbols;    determining if one or more of said first set of game symbols matches one or more of said first set of player symbols;    displaying at least a second set of game symbols;    determining if one or more of said second set of game symbols matches one or more of said first set of player symbols;    displaying at least a third and a fourth set of game symbols; and    determining if one or more of said third and fourth sets of game symbols matches one or more of said second set of player symbols.    
     
     
         26 . The method in accordance with  claim 25  wherein said first set of player symbols has symbols in at least two positions and said first set of game symbols has symbols in at least two positions and said determining step comprises determining if symbols in corresponding positions of said first set of player symbols and first set of game symbols match.  
     
     
         27 . The method in accordance with  claim 25  wherein said symbols comprise at least a portion of a dice.  
     
     
         28 . The method in accordance with  claim 25  including the step of generating a score associated with said matched symbols.