Game Conversion Method

Abstract

A method is disclosed for enabling play of legacy games on a previously-incompatible enhanced gaming platform that provides enhanced functionality using a game conversion system. The method includes: providing a game cabinet for a gaming machine; operatively associating an enhanced gaming platform with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhanced gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board; loading one or more legacy games onto the enhanced gaming platform, wherein the one or more legacy games are configured to operate on a legacy gaming platform, and wherein the one or more legacy games are not natively configured to operate on an enhanced gaming platform; converting legacy data from legacy game EPROMS into files usable by the enhanced gaming platform via a configuration file generator system; and enabling game play of the one or more legacy games using the converted legacy data on the enhanced gaming platform, wherein the enhanced gaming platform provides increased functionality associated with the platform. The game conversion system increases the number of game titles that are available to be played on the newer game platforms by enabling operability of legacy games. Additionally, the game conversion system decreases the amount of certification processing required by utilizing previously-certified legacy games.

1 . A method for enabling play of legacy games on a previously-incompatible enhanced gaming platform that provides enhanced functionality using a game conversion system, the method comprising: 
 providing a game cabinet for a gaming machine;    operatively associating an enhanced gaming platform with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhanced gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board;    loading one or more legacy games onto the enhanced gaming platform, wherein the one or more legacy games are configured to operate on a legacy gaming platform, and wherein the one or more legacy games are not natively configured to operate on an enhanced gaming platform;    converting legacy data from legacy game EPROMS into files usable by the enhanced gaming platform via a configuration file generator system; and    enabling game play of the one or more legacy games using the converted legacy data on the enhanced gaming platform, wherein the enhanced gaming platform provides increased functionality associated with the platform;    whereby the game conversion system increases the number of game titles that are available to be played on the newer game platforms by enabling operability of legacy games, and whereby the game conversion system decreases the amount of certification processing required by utilizing previously-certified legacy games.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform enables increased functionality while playing a legacy game includes, dual slot accounting system functionality, multi-percentage gaming, and multi-denomination gaming, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein legacy data is from legacy game EPROMS that have been previously submitted and approved by game regulators.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the legacy data comprises S6000 gaming data.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform comprises an Alpha platform.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration file generator system reads a binary file created from data contained in the legacy game EPROMS and generates a set of configuration files necessary for proper operation of game personalities on an enhanced gaming platform.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration file generator system acts as a translator, and wherein the configuration file generator system does not alter any original mathematical modeling of a game program processed by the system.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game conversion system enables pre-approved legacy game personalities to be used on enhanced gaming platform-based systems without requiring new development, testing, and submission costs.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the legacy game titles available to an enhanced gaming platform are selected from the group consisting of: jumpin'joker, flaming sevens; fireball, fireball frenzy; wacky winners, bonus frenzy; hat trick, nudge; bonus game, diamonds and devils; monte carlo, hit and run; and S5500 legacy game programs.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform running a legacy game using the game conversion system supports up to three game denominations.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform running a legacy game using the game conversion system supports up game denominations do not exceed a value ratio of 10:1.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a video display of enhanced gaming platform enabled gaming machine using the game conversion system supports utilities selected from the group consisting of: game setup/configuration; diagnostics/accounting/game recall; tilt messages; door statuses; ticket in messages; hand pay messages; denomination selection; denomination help screen; credit meter continuously displayed in dollar and cents; and paid meter displayed in dollar and cents upon cashout.  
   
   
       13 . A method for enabling play of single display screen games on a enhanced gaming platform while providing related content on a second display screen using a game conversion system, the method comprising: 
 providing a game cabinet for a gaming machine, wherein the gaming includes at least a first display screen and a second display screen;    operatively associating an enhanced gaming platform with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhanced gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board, and wherein the enhance gaming operating system supports the first and second display screens;    loading one or more legacy games onto the enhanced gaming platform, wherein the one or more legacy games are configured to operate on only a single display screen, and    presenting game theme content on the second display screen when a single display screen game operates on the single display screen using a dynamic glass system, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on the second display screen that is related to the single display screen game if related game theme content is available.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second display screen is located in the upper panel of a gaming machine.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein game theme related content that was previously printed on an upper panel of a legacy gaming machine that supported single display screen game is virtually mimicked on the second display screen of enhanced gaming platform based gaming machine using the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein dynamic glass system changes content presented on the second display screen to correspond to a currently selected single display screen game presented on the first display screen.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the single display screen game is selectable by the patron, thereby enabling multiple enhance legacy games to be played consecutively on a gaming cabinet without requiring printed theme content on an upper panel to be replaced or otherwise changed.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein dynamic glass system enables second display surrogate content capability into an enhanced gaming operating system release, wherein the dynamic glass system supports both games having single display screen configurations and games containing intrinsic content for second display screen.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the dynamic glass system only activates, and presents game theme content on the second display screen, when the system detects a single display screen game in operation.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is stored on the operating system compact flash.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is stored on the operating system compact flash in a dedicated partition of the operating system program.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the dedicated partition of the operating system program in which the game theme content for the second display screen is stored, is a read-only partition, wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is non-alterable media.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is a static image.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is multi-media.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the dynamic glass system first checks a game compact flash for second display screen content, and if second display screen content is not present on the game content flash, the dynamic glass system checks for second display screen content on the operating system compact flash, and if second display screen content is not present on the operating system compact flash, the dynamic glass system uses default second display screen content from the operating system compact flash.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein second display screen content that is stored on a partition of the operating system compact flash is authenticated before use by the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the operating system disables game play and displays an error message if authentication of the second display screen content fails.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the operating system of the game conversion system includes a configuration option for enabling or disabling the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein game theme content for the second display screen includes a plurality of language components that enable games to be quickly converted from a first displayed game in a first language to the first displayed game in a second language using the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       30 . A method for enabling play of single display screen games on a enhanced gaming platform while providing related content on a second display screen using a game conversion system, the method comprising: 
 providing a game cabinet for a gaming machine, wherein the gaming includes at least a first display screen and a second display screen;    operatively associating an enhanced gaming platform with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhanced gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board, and wherein the enhance gaming operating system supports the first and second display screens, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes a universal serial bus dongle connection, and wherein a universal serial bus flash memory device is attachable to the dongle connection; and    presenting game theme content on the second display screen when a single display screen game operates on the single display screen using a dynamic glass system, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on the second display screen that is related to the single display screen game from the universal serial bus flash memory device is attached to the dongle connection.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the second display screen related to the single display screen game stored in the universal serial bus flash memory device is language data for corresponding foreign games.