Logging, recovery and replay of wagering game instances

Abstract

A gaming device may be configured for receiving, via a user interface, user input corresponding to a request for play of a gambling game and for determining whether the gambling game is a base game or a sub game. Upon determining that the gambling game is a sub game, the gaming device may be configured for controlling a display system to provide a sequence of images corresponding to an instance of the sub game, for determining sub game data and sub game metadata corresponding to the instance of the sub game, for adding a sub game trace to a game history data structure corresponding to the sub game data and the sub game metadata and for adding a game round index marker to the game history data structure corresponding to the instance of the sub game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming device, comprising:
 an interface system comprising a user interface;   a display system comprising at least one display device;   a memory system configured for storing a game history data structure; and   a control system configured for:
 controlling the display system to provide a sequence of images corresponding to a round of a base game; 
 storing a first trace corresponding to the round of the base game to a game history data structure; 
 determining that the round of the base game triggers a sub game; 
 controlling the display system to provide a sequence of images corresponding to a round of a plurality of rounds of the sub game; and 
 storing a second trace and a marker corresponding to the round of the sub game to the game history data structure, wherein:
 the first trace corresponding to the round of the base game that triggers the sub game is the same as the second trace, and 
 both the second trace and the marker together enable indexing to, retrieving, and displaying to a user a particular instance of a plurality of instances of the sub game. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured for storing a second trace event corresponding to an event within a round of a sub game. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 2 , wherein the event corresponding to the second trace event includes one of a mouse click, a mouse move, a button click, a game round invoke, a balance update, a bet update, a game configuration value change, a game configuration attribute change, an initial configure, and a jackpot trigger. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first trace comprises base game data and metadata that make a record of the base game and provide a replay of the base game. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 4 , wherein the metadata includes at least one of RNG values, user presses, starting credits, credits wagered, credits won, ending credits, game results, slot symbol data, reel stop information, and other game outcome presentation data. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the sub game comprises a feature game or a free game. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured for:
 receiving, via the user interface, user input corresponding to a request for replay of the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game, the request comprising a game round indication pertaining to the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game; and   displaying, in response to receiving the request for replay of the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game, the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game.   
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the marker comprises a render state field indicating that an instance of the sub game should render to a display. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 controlling, via a control system, a display system having at least one display device to provide a sequence of images corresponding to a round of a base game;   storing, via the control system to a memory system configured for storing a game history data structure, a first trace corresponding to the round of the base game to the game history data structure;   determining, via the control system, that the round of the base game triggers a sub game;   controlling, via the control system, the display system to provide a sequence of images corresponding to a round of a plurality of rounds of the sub game; and   storing, via the control system, a second trace and a marker corresponding to the round of the sub game to the game history data structure, wherein:
 the first trace corresponding to the round of the base game that triggers the sub game is the same as the second trace, and 
 both the second trace and the marker together enable indexing to, retrieving, and displaying to a user a particular instance of a plurality of instances of the sub game. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising storing, via the control system, a second trace event corresponding to an event within a round of a sub game. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the event corresponding to the second trace event includes one of a mouse click, a mouse move, a button click, a game round invoke, a balance update, a bet update, a game configuration value change, a game configuration attribute change, an initial configure, and a jackpot trigger. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first trace comprises base game data and metadata that make a record of the base game and provide a replay of the base game. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, via an interface system having a user interface, user input corresponding to a request for replay of the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game, the request comprising a game round indication pertaining to the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game; and   displaying, via the display system and in response to receiving the request for replay of the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game, the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the marker comprises a render state field indicating that an instance of the sub game should render to a display. 
     
     
         15 . One or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for controlling one or more devices to perform a method of recording gambling game events for replay, the method comprising:
 controlling, via a control system, a display system having at least one display device to provide a sequence of images corresponding to a round of a base game;   storing, via the control system to a memory system configured for storing a game history data structure, a first trace corresponding to the round of the base game to the game history data structure;   determining, via the control system, that the round of the base game triggers a sub game;   controlling, via the control system, the display system to provide a sequence of images corresponding to a round of a plurality of rounds of the sub game; and   storing, via the control system, a second trace and a marker corresponding to the round of the sub game to the game history data structure, wherein:
 the first trace corresponding to the round of the base game that triggers the sub game is the same as the second trace, and 
 both the second trace and the marker together enable indexing to, retrieving, and displaying to a user a particular instance of a plurality of instances of the sub game. 
   
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory media of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises storing, via the control system, a second trace event corresponding to an event within a round of a sub game. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory media of  claim 16 , wherein the event corresponding to the second trace event includes one of a mouse click, a mouse move, a button click, a game round invoke, a balance update, a bet update, a game configuration value change, a game configuration attribute change, an initial configure, and a jackpot trigger. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory media of  claim 15 , wherein the first trace comprises base game data and metadata that make a record of the base game and provide a replay of the base game. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory media of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, via an interface system having a user interface, user input corresponding to a request for replay of the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game, the request comprising a game round indication pertaining to the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game; and   displaying, via the display system and in response to receiving the request for replay of the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game, the particular instance of the plurality of instances of the sub game.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory media of  claim 15 , wherein the marker comprises a render state field indicating that an instance of the sub game should render to a display.