Gaming machine and method for displaying an expanded plurality of active symbols on a mechanical reel

A method for presenting a wagering game on an electronic gaming machine, the electronic gaming machine comprising a plurality of mechanical reels, each mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanically reels including a plurality of symbols, the plurality of mechanical reels being controlled by one or more stepper motors configured to spin and stop the plurality of mechanical reels during game play, and a processor, the electronic gaming machine presenting a visible portion of each of the mechanical reels of the plurality of mechanical reels after a spin, the method comprising:

• controlling, by the processor and during the spin of a base game, the one or more stepper motors to spin and stop the plurality of mechanical reels on a first stop position relative to a centerline, each mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanical reels presenting a plurality of complete symbol positions and one or more partial symbol positions within the visible portion after the spin of the base game, the one or more partial symbol positions being excluded in resolving an outcome of the spin of the base game;
• activating a feature game based on the outcome of the spin of the base game;
• and
• during a spin of the feature game, controlling, by the processor, at least one mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanical reels to spin and stop on a second stop position relative to the centerline offset from the first stop position, the at least one mechanical reel presenting at least one additional complete symbol position within the visible portion of the at least one mechanical reel when stopped at the second stop position, the at least one additional complete symbol position being included in resolving an outcome of the feature game.

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

• during a spin of a base game, control a plurality of mechanical reels to spin and stop on a first stop position relative to a centerline, each mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanical reels being spun and stopped by one or more stepper motors and presenting a plurality of complete symbol positions and one or more partial symbol positions within the visible portion after the spin of the base game, the one or more partial symbol positions being excluded in resolving an outcome of the spin of the base game, the electronic gaming machine presenting a visible portion of each of the mechanical reels of the plurality of mechanical reels after the spin;
• activate a feature game based on the outcome of the spin of the base game;
• and
• during a spin of the feature game, control a at least one mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanical reels to spin and stop on a second stop position relative to the centerline offset from the first stop position, the at least one mechanical reel presenting at least one additional complete symbol position within the visible portion of the at least one mechanical reel when stopped at the second stop position, the at least one additional complete symbol position being included in resolving an outcome of the feature game.