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US 2019/0096185 A1Published application
Gaming Machine Having a Changeable Number of Held Wild Reels and Special Symbols
AssigneeAristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
InventorJason Meyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gaming machine having a number of reels. Each of the reels includes at least one special symbol that in either in an active state or a normal state. Each of the reels is in either a held state or a symbol collection state indicative of a number of special symbols currently collected. During a game, when the number of special symbols of a reel reaches a predetermined number, the special symbols on the reel are in an active state for a next play of the game. While in the active state, when a special symbol is selected for the reel, the reel is in a held state a subsequent play of the game.
Claims20
A gaming machine comprising:
- a display device;
- a credit mechanism operable to establish credits on a credit meter of the gaming machine;
- a game play mechanism operable to place a wager from the credits established and initiate play of a game;
- and
- a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing program code, a pay table, reel data defining at least a plurality of reels, each of the plurality of reels including at least one special symbol which has an active state and a normal state, and a reel state for each of the plurality of reels, the game controller executing instructions which cause the game controller to, for each play, at least:
- display, on the display device, wild symbols at each symbol display position of each of the plurality of reels which is in a held state for that play,
- select and display symbols for each of the plurality of reels that is not in the held state for that play,
- in response to determining that the selected symbols of any of the plurality of reels that is not in the held state include a special symbol in the normal state, update a symbol collection state of that respective reel,
- in response to determining that the symbol collection state of any of the plurality of reels that is not in the held state reaches a defined number, set each special symbol on the respective reel to be in the active state for at least a next play,
- in response to determining that the selected symbols of any reel of the plurality of reels include one or more special symbols in the active state, display wild symbols at each symbol display position of that respective reel and set the reel state of that respective reel to be in the held state for at least one subsequent play, and
- determine an award, based on the pay table and the symbols displayed on the reels.
8 more elements
A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising a display device;
- a credit mechanism operable to establish credits on a credit meter of the gaming machine;
- a game play mechanism operable to place a wager from the credits established and initiate play of a game;
- and a game controller comprising a processor and memory, the memory storing program code, a pay table, reel data defining at least a plurality of reels, each of the plurality of reels including at least one special symbol which has an active state and a normal state, and a reel state for each of the plurality of reels, the game controller executing instructions for each play, the method comprising:
- displaying, on the display device, wild symbols at each symbol display position of each of the plurality of reels which is in a held state for that play;
- selecting and displaying symbols for each of the plurality of reels that is not in the held state for that play;
- in response to determining that the selected symbols of any of the plurality of reels that is not in the held state include a special symbol in the normal state, updating a symbol collection state of that respective reel;
- in response to determining that the symbol collection state of any of the plurality of reels that is not in the held state reaches a defined number, setting each special symbol on the respective reel to be in the active state for at least a next play;
- in response to determining that the selected symbols of any reel of the plurality of reels include one or more special symbols in the active state, displaying wild symbols at each symbol display position of that respective reel and set the reel state of that respective reel to be in the held state for at least one subsequent play;
- and
- determining an award, based on the pay table and the symbols displayed on the reels.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.