Software-Based Simulation of Trigger Symbol Movement

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that define a software application, wherein the software application is executed by a server machine on behalf of a client machine with a graphical display unit, wherein a memory of the server machine stores, for each reel of a plurality of reels, a respective plurality of symbols, and wherein, upon execution by the server machine, the program instructions cause the server machine to perform operations comprising:

• selecting a first set of symbols associated with respective positions of each of the reels as a first outcome event of the software application, wherein the first set of symbols includes a first trigger symbol in a first position and a second trigger symbol in a second position, wherein the first position and the second position are non-adjacent to one another;
• selecting a second set of symbols associated with respective positions of each of the reels as a second outcome event of the software application, wherein the second set of symbols includes the first trigger symbol in a third position and the second trigger symbol in a fourth position, wherein the third position is different from the first position, the fourth position is different from the second position, and the third position and fourth position are adjacent to one another;
• transmitting a representation of the second set of symbols to the client machine, wherein reception of the representation of the second set of symbols causes the graphical display unit of the client machine to display an animation that simulates a spin of the reels resulting in the display unit displaying the second set of symbols;
• determining a representation of a third set of symbols, wherein the representation of the third set of symbols is identical to the representation of the second set of symbols except that at least one symbol adjacent to the first trigger symbol or the second trigger symbol is a wild symbol;
• and
• transmitting the representation of the third set of symbols to the client machine, wherein reception of the representation of the third set of symbols causes the graphical display unit of the client machine to display an animated transformation of the second set of symbols into the third set of symbols without further spinning of the reels.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory containing program instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
• selecting a first set of symbols from a plurality of symbols associated with respective positions of each of a plurality of reels as a first outcome event, wherein the first set of symbols includes a first trigger symbol in a first position and a second trigger symbol in a second position, wherein the first position and the second position are non-adjacent to one another;
• selecting a second set of symbols from the plurality of symbols associated with respective positions of each of the reels as a second outcome event, wherein the second set of symbols includes the first trigger symbol in a third position and the second trigger symbol in a fourth position, wherein the third position is different from the first position, the fourth position is different from the second position, and the third position and fourth position are adjacent to one another;
• providing a representation of the second set of symbols, wherein reception of the representation of the second set of symbols causes display of an animation that simulates a spin of the reels resulting in display of the second set of symbols;
• determining a representation of a third set of symbols, wherein the representation of the third set of symbols is identical to the representation of the second set of symbols except that at least one symbol adjacent to the first trigger symbol or the second trigger symbol is a wild symbol;
• and
• providing the representation of the third set of symbols, wherein reception of the representation of the third set of symbols causes display of an animated transformation of the second set of symbols into the third set of symbols without further spinning of the reels.