Gaming machine, method and program product with simulated wheel spin

Abstract

A gaming machine, gaming method, and program product are provided to simulate a wheel spin interaction. A simulated wheel object is provided with physical simulation of movement interactions both with a player and with a simulated flapper object through simulated dividers present on the wheel. Player interaction is simulated to allow wheel pull back and spin activation. Flapper interaction is simulated to provide realistic interaction of the wheel and flapper with displacement by the dividers in both directions. The wheel may also be decelerated and nudged by the dividers.

1 . A gaming machine for providing a wagering game, the gaming machine comprising:
 a gaming cabinet,   one or more electronic displays associated with the gaming cabinet;   at least one electronic controller installed in the gaming cabinet and operable to control the electronic displays; and   tangible, non-transitory electronically accessible memory coupled to the at least one electronic controller and containing program code executable by the at least one electronic controller for:
 displaying a simulated wheel object (wheel) on one of the electronic displays, the wheel including multiple segments separated radially, and simulated dividers separating the segments; 
 displaying a simulated flapper object with a first end outside of the wheel and a second end extending, in a rest position, radially inside the wheel at least to the radial location of the dividers, 
 simulating spin movement of the wheel in two directions; and 
 simulating physical interaction of the simulated flapper object and the dividers by (a) when the wheel is moving in a default wheel spin direction, displacing the simulated flapper object in the default wheel spin direction to allow a selected divider to pass, and (b) when the wheel is moving opposite to the default wheel spin direction, displacing the simulated flapper object opposite to the default wheel spin direction to allow the selected divider to pass. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , in which the program code is further executable for:
 receiving a player touch input through a touchscreen interface to move the wheel and activate a wheel spin;   allowing the player touch input, while engaged, to move the wheel in a default wheel spin direction or to pull back the wheel opposite to the default wheel spin direction.   
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine of  claim 2 , in which the program code is further executable for activating the wheel spin upon disengagement of the player touch input by removing the player touch input or moving the touch input out of a designated area, and in response to the player pulling back the wheel before a touch disengagement, to determine an initial velocity of the wheel spin based on a rotational distance that the wheel is pulled back. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , in which the program code is further executable for:
 when the wheel spin is activated, simulating a wheel spin in the default wheel spin direction and then simulating a spin deceleration and a wheel stop;   while simulating the wheel spin, further simulating physical interaction of the simulated flapper object and the dividers including an additional wheel deceleration when the simulated flapper object is displaced by one of the dividers; and   if a simulated velocity of the wheel when beginning the simulated physical interaction is less than the additional wheel deceleration, simulating a nudge of the wheel opposite the default wheel spin direction.   
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine of  claim 4 , in which simulating the nudge of the wheel includes calculating a wheel movement based on a flapper rotation variable, a nudge velocity variable, and a nudge deceleration variable. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine of  claim 5 , further comprising program code operable to track states of the wheel including a pulling back state, then a spinning-up state in which the wheel is accelerating to begin the wheel spin, a spinning state, and a stopping state in which the nudge may be applied. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , in which one of the electronic displays is a group display associated with the gaming machine and one or more additional gaming machines in a group, and the gaming machine is operable to activate the wheel spin. 
     
     
         8 . A method for providing player interaction on a gaming machine, the method comprising:
 under control of an electronic processor in a gaming machine, displaying a simulated wheel object (wheel) on an electronic display, the wheel including multiple segments separated radially, and simulated dividers separating the segments;   displaying a simulated flapper object, the simulated flapper object having a first end outside of the wheel and a second end extending, in a rest position, radially inside the wheel at least to the radial location of the dividers;   simulating spin movement of the wheel in two directions; and   simulating physical interaction of the simulated flapper object and the dividers by, (a) when the wheel is moving in a default wheel spin direction, displacing the simulated flapper object in the default wheel spin direction to allow a selected divider to pass, and (b) when the wheel is moving opposite to the default wheel spin direction, displacing the simulated flapper object opposite to the default wheel spin direction to allow the selected divider to pass.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving a player touch input through a touchscreen interface of the electronic display to move the wheel and activate a wheel spin; and   allowing the player touch input, while engaged, to move the wheel in a default wheel spin direction or to pull back the wheel opposite to the default wheel spin direction.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising activating the wheel spin upon disengagement of the player touch input by removing the player touch input or moving the player touch input out of a designated area, and in response to the player pulling back the wheel before a touch disengagement, to determine an initial velocity of the wheel spin based on a rotational distance that the wheel is pulled back. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 when the wheel spin is activated, simulating a wheel spin in the default wheel spin direction and then simulating a spin deceleration and a wheel stop;   while simulating the wheel spin, further simulating physical interaction of the simulated flapper object and the dividers including an additional wheel deceleration when the simulated flapper object is displaced by a passing divider; and   if a simulated velocity of the wheel when beginning the simulated physical interaction is less than the additional wheel deceleration, simulating a nudge of the wheel opposite the default wheel spin direction.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , in which simulating the nudge of the wheel includes calculating a wheel movement based on a flapper rotation variable, a nudge velocity variable, and a nudge deceleration variable. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising tracking states of the wheel including a pulling back state, a spinning-up state in which the wheel is accelerating to begin the wheel spin, a spinning state, and a stopping state in which the nudge may be applied. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , in which the electronic display is a group display associated with the gaming machine and one or more additional gaming machines in a group, and in the gaming machine is operable to conduct the wheel spin and player touch interaction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , in which displacing the simulated flapper object opposite to the default wheel spin direction to allow a selected divider to pass further comprises tracking a rotational angle of the simulated flapper object, tracking a moving position of the selected divider, and calculating a rotational displacement based on a characteristic of the selected divider. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , in which displacing the simulated flapper object opposite to the default wheel spin direction to allow the divider to pass further comprises producing a simulated return to a stationary position of the simulated flapper object following the displacement. 
     
     
         17 . A tangible, non-transitory electronically accessible memory containing program code executable by at least one electronic controller for:
 under control of an electronic processor in a gaming machine, displaying a simulated wheel object (wheel) on an electronic display, the wheel including multiple segments separated radially, and simulated dividers separating the segments;   displaying a simulated flapper object, the simulated flapper object having a first end outside of the wheel and a second end extending, in a rest position, radially inside the wheel at least to the radial location of the dividers;   simulating spin movement of the wheel in two directions; and   simulating physical interaction of the simulated flapper object and the dividers by, (a) when the wheel is moving in a default wheel spin direction, displacing the simulated flapper object in the default wheel spin direction to allow a selected divider to pass, and (b) when the wheel is moving opposite to the default wheel spin direction, displacing the simulated flapper object opposite to the default wheel spin direction to allow the selected divider to pass.   
     
     
         18 . The tangible, non-transitory electronically accessible memory containing program code of  claim 17 , in which the program code is further executable for:
 receiving a player touch input through a touchscreen interface of the electronic display to move the wheel and activate a wheel spin; and   allowing the player touch input, while engaged, to move the wheel in a default wheel spin direction or to pull back the wheel opposite to the default wheel spin direction.   
     
     
         19 . The tangible, non-transitory electronically accessible memory containing program code of  claim 17 , in which the program code is further executable for:
 activating a wheel spin in response to disengagement of the player touch input;   when the wheel spin is activated, simulating a wheel spin in the default wheel spin direction and then simulating a spin deceleration and a wheel stop;   while simulating the wheel spin, further simulating physical interaction of the simulated flapper object and the simulated pin objects including an additional wheel deceleration when the simulated flapper object is displaced by a passing simulated pin object; and   if a simulated velocity of the wheel when beginning the simulated physical interaction is less than the additional wheel deceleration, simulating a nudge of the wheel opposite the default wheel spin direction.   
     
     
         20 . The tangible, non-transitory electronically accessible memory containing program code of  claim 17 , further comprising program code operable to track states of the wheel including a pulling back state in which the wheel is moving opposite the default spin direction, then a spinning up state in which the wheel is accelerating to begin the wheel spin, a spinning state, and a stopping state.