Gaming device having a free spin game including an accumulated modifier

A gaming device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

• a game controlled by the processor;
• a plurality of reels in the game;
• a plurality of symbols on said reels, said symbols including at least one locking symbol;
• a plurality of winning symbol combinations;
• a plurality of awards;
• an unlimited number of free spins of the plurality of reels, wherein in each unlimited free spin of the reels, one of the awards is provided if one of the winning symbol combination is indicated on said reels;
• and
• an unlimited free spin terminating event triggered upon a generation of said locking symbol on one of said reels in one of said unlimited free spins, wherein upon the occurrence of the unlimited free spin terminating event, the processor is operable to:
• (a) lock said reel indicating said locking symbol in place for a number of additional free spins of the reels, said number being at least one;
• (b) cause a selection of one of a plurality of designated symbols associated with said non-locked reels;
• (c) activate the non-locked reels which reduces the remaining additional free spins of the reels;
• (d) increment a modifier for each occurrence of the selected symbol on the non-locked reel associated with said selected symbol for said additional free spin;
• (e) repeat (c) to (d) until no additional free spins remain;
• (f) modify any awards in the additional free spin(s) by the modifier;
• and
• (g) display any modified awards.

A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

• (a) activating a primary game upon a wager;
• (b) providing an unlimited free spin mode if a triggering event occurs, said unlimited free spin mode including an unlimited number of free spins of a plurality of reels without an additional wager, wherein one of the awards is provided for each winning symbol combination indicated by the reels in said unlimited number of free spins;
• and
• (c) if a locking symbol is generated by one of said reels in the unlimited free spin mode
• (i) holding at least one of the reels stationary for a number of additional free spins, said number being at least one;
• (ii) causing a selection of one of a plurality of designated symbols associated with the non-held reels;
• (iii) activating at least one of the non-held reels which reduces the remaining additional free spins;
• (iv) incrementing a modifier for each occurrence of the selected symbol on the reels in said additional free spin;
• (v) repeating (iii) to (iv) until no additional free spins remain;
• (vi) modifying any awards obtained in said additional free spins using the modifier;
• and
• (vii) displaying any modified awards.

A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

• (a) providing an unlimited number of free spins of a plurality of reels, wherein in each unlimited free spin of the reels, one of a plurality of awards is provided if one of the winning symbol combination is indicated on said reels;
• and
• (b) providing an unlimited free spin terminating event triggered upon a generation of a locking symbol on one of said reels in one of said unlimited free spins, and upon the occurrence of the unlimited free spin terminating event:
• (i) locking said reel indicating said locking symbol in place for a number of additional free spins of the reels, said number being at least one;
• (ii) causing a selection of one of a plurality of designated symbols associated with said non-locked reels;
• (iii) activating the non-locked reels which reduces the remaining additional free spins of the reels;
• (iv) incrementing a modifier for each occurrence of the selected symbol on the non-locked reel associated with said selected symbol in said additional free spin;
• (v) repeating (iii) to (iv) until no additional free spins remain;
• (vi) modifying any awards in the additional free spin(s) by the modifier;
• and
• (vii) displaying any modified awards.