Associative community bonus round

Abstract

A software product for gaming can comprise software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to activate an associative community bonus round on a first game machine, select a second game machine to join the first game machine in an associative community bonus round game, transmit an initiation message to the selected second game machine, and display the associative community bonus round game on the first game machine. The software product may be stored in a storage medium.

1 . A software product for gaming, the software product comprising: 
 software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to activate an associative community bonus round on a first game machine, select a second game machine to join the first game machine in an associative community bonus round game, transmit an initiation message to the selected second game machine, and display the associative community bonus round game on the first game machine; and    a storage medium configured to store the software.    
   
   
       2 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein activation of the associative community bonus round is based on a normal play game result on the first game machine.  
   
   
       3 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein selection of the second game machine is based on a player association between a first user of the first game machine and a second user of the second game machine within a player loyalty system.  
   
   
       4 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the initiation message is configured to initiate display of the associative community bonus round game on the selected second game machine.  
   
   
       5 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the software is operational when further executed by the processor to determine an associative bonus round game result and determine a prize to a first user of the first game machine based on the associative bonus round game result.  
   
   
       6 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein a bonus display of the first game machine displays the associative community bonus round game.  
   
   
       7 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the software is operational when further executed by the processor to display a prize to a first user of the first game machine.  
   
   
       8 . The software product of  claim 7  wherein the software is operational when further executed by the processor to store prize information associated with the prize within a player loyalty system.  
   
   
       9 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the software is operational when further executed by the processor to process game logic of the associative bonus round game.  
   
   
       10 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the first game machine comprises a slot machine.  
   
   
       11 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the first game machine comprises an amusement device.  
   
   
       12 . The software product of  claim 1  wherein the software is operational when executed by the processor to command the first game machine to award one or more points redeemable by a first user.  
   
   
       13 . A method of gaming, the method comprising: 
 activating an associative community bonus round on a first game machine;    selecting a second game machine to join the first game machine in an associative community bonus round game;    transmitting an initiation message to the selected second game machine; and    displaying the associative community bonus round game on the first game machine.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein activating the associative community bonus round is based on a normal play game result on the first game machine.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein selecting the second game machine is based on a player association between a first user of the first game machine and a second user of the second game machine within a player loyalty system.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the initiation message is configured to initiate displaying the associative community bonus round game on the selected second game machine.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 determining an associative bonus round game result; and    determining a prize to a first user of the first game machine based on the associative bonus round game result.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein a bonus display of the first game machine displays the associative community bonus round game.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising displaying a prize to a first user of the first game machine.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising storing prize information associated with the prize within a player loyalty system.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising processing game logic of the associative bonus round game within the first game machine.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising processing game logic of the associative bonus round game within a bonus server.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first game machine comprises a slot machine.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first game machine comprises an amusement device.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising commanding the first game machine to award one or more points redeemable by a first user.  
   
   
       26 . A gaming system comprising: 
 a first game machine configured to activate an associative community bonus round, select a second game machine to join within an associative bonus round game, and display an associative community bonus round game; and    the selected second game machine configured to display the associative community bonus round game.    
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein activating the associative community bonus round is based on a normal play game result on the first game machine.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein selecting the second game machine is based on a player association between a first user of the first game machine and a second user of the second game machine within a player loyalty system.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the first game machine is further configured to determine an associative bonus round game result and determine a prize to a first user of the first game machine based on the associative bonus round game result.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 26  wherein a bonus display of the first game machine displays the associative community bonus round game.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the first game machine is further configured to display a prize to first user of the first game machine.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the first game machine is further configured to process the game logic of the associative bonus round game.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 26  further comprising a bonus server configured to process the game logic of the associative bonus round game.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the first game machine comprises a slot machine.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the first game machine comprises an amusement device.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the first processor is configured to command the first game machine to award one or more points redeemable by a first user.