Communal slot system and method for operating same

Abstract

A gaming machine system for a communal slot machine game is disclosed. The system includes processing means ( 1 ) for determining a result of a slot machine game and a plurality of terminals ( 3 ) linked via communication means ( 4 ) to the processing means. In playing a communal slot machine game with the system, the outcome at each of the terminals is solely dependent on the single, communal result determined by the processing means.

1 . A gaming machine system, including: 
 processing means for determining a result of a slot machine game; and    a plurality of terminals linked via communication means to said processing means, the outcome at each said terminal being solely dependent on the single, communal result determined by said processing means.    
   
   
       2 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said processing means is adapted to determine individual payouts for each terminal based on the communal result and a wager made at the respective terminal.  
   
   
       3 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said processing means is operatively coupled to at least one display means for displaying the communal result.  
   
   
       4 . A gaming machine system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said processing means determines communal results at predetermined intervals, and the time to the next interval is displayed on the display means 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 assists the player of each terminal to place wagers on the slot machine game.  
   
   
       7 . A method of operating a gaming machine system having processing means and a plurality of terminals linked thereto, said method including the steps of: 
 at least one player making a wager on a slot machine game at a respective terminal;    determining the result of the slot machine game with said processing means;    providing 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 with said processing means.  
   
   
       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 the time remaining until the result of the 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: 
 players making wagers at respective terminals included in said gaming machine system;    when said wagers have been made, rotating a plurality of moving reels included in said gaming machine system a predetermined or random number of times, each moving reel having symbols marked on faces thereof;    stopping the rotation of said moving reels to display a combination of said symbols representing a communal result; and    providing said communal result to all of said terminals, the outcome at each terminal being dependent on said communal result.