Gaming machine and method with persistence reveal feature

A method for operating a gaming machine of a gaming system, the gaming system including game-logic circuitry in communication with a presentation assembly of the gaming machine, the method comprising:

• presenting, via the presentation assembly, a plurality of award groups and a symbol array including a plurality of symbol positions arranged into a plurality of position subsets;
• causing, by the game-logic circuitry, the presentation assembly to present a first game outcome by populating the symbol array with a plurality of randomly selected symbols from one or more sets of available symbols including trigger symbols and value-bearing symbols, each of the value-bearing symbols including award indicia visually indicating a respective award value associated with the value-bearing symbol, wherein the trigger symbols include one or more of the value-bearing symbols;
• in response to the first game outcome including at least one trigger symbol in a first subset of the plurality of subsets, causing, by the game-logic circuitry, the presentation assembly to lock the at least one trigger symbol in a first award group of the plurality of award groups that is associated with the first subset;
• initiating, by the game-logic circuiting a subset counter associated with the first subset to an initial count in response to the first game outcome and causing the presentation assembly to present the subset counter;
• with the at least one trigger symbol locked in the first award group, causing, by the game-logic circuitry, the presentation assembly to present at least one subsequent game outcome by populating the symbol array with another plurality of randomly selected symbols for each of the at least one subsequent game outcome;
• in response to detecting a value-bearing trigger symbol occupying the first subset within the at least one subsequent game outcome, selecting, by the game-logic circuitry, a presentation state of the value-bearing trigger symbol, wherein the presentation state is selected from a set of states comprising a full presentation state and a hidden presentation state;
• causing, by the game-logic circuitry, the presentation assembly to lock the value-bearing trigger symbol within the first award group based on the selected presentation state, wherein the full presentation state includes presenting the value-bearing trigger symbol with award indicia matching a first award value associated with the value-bearing trigger symbol, and the hidden presentation state includes visually obscuring a relationship between the value-bearing trigger symbol and the first award value;
• in response to a number of trigger symbols within the first award group meeting a trigger amount, causing, by the game-logic circuitry, the presentation assembly to present an award sequence to provide an award at least partially as a function of the first award value and respective award values associated with other trigger symbols in the first award group, wherein the award sequence includes updating the value-bearing trigger symbol in the hidden presentation state to the full presentation state;
• and
• in response to the subset counter meeting a termination count, causing, by the game-logic circuitry, the presentation assembly to remove any locked trigger symbols from the first award group.

A gaming system comprising:

• a gaming machine comprising a presentation assembly configured to present a plurality of award groups and a symbol array including a plurality of symbol positions arranged into a plurality of position subsets;
• and
• game-logic circuitry in communication with the presentation assembly, the game-logic circuitry configured to:
• cause the presentation assembly to present a first game outcome by populating the symbol array with a plurality of randomly selected symbols from one or more sets of available symbols including trigger symbols and value-bearing symbols, each of the value-bearing symbols including award indicia visually indicating a respective award value associated with the value-bearing symbol, wherein the trigger symbols include one or more of the value-bearing symbols;
• in response to the first game outcome including at least one trigger symbol in a first subset of the plurality of subsets, cause the presentation assembly to lock the at least one trigger symbol in a first award group of the plurality of award groups that is associated with the first subset;
• initiate a subset counter associated with the first subset to an initial count in response to the first game outcome and cause the presentation assembly to present the subset counter;
• with the at least one trigger symbol locked in the first award group, cause the presentation assembly to present at least one subsequent game outcome by populating the symbol array with another plurality of randomly selected symbols for each of the at least one subsequent game outcome;
• in response to detecting a value-bearing trigger symbol occupying the first subset within the at least one subsequent game outcome, select a presentation state of the value-bearing trigger symbol, wherein the presentation state is selected from a set of states comprising a full presentation state and a hidden presentation state;
• cause the presentation assembly to lock the value-bearing trigger symbol within the first award group based on the selected presentation state, wherein the full presentation state includes presenting the value-bearing trigger symbol with award indicia matching a first award value associated with the value-bearing trigger symbol, and the hidden presentation state includes visually obscuring a relationship between the value-bearing trigger symbol and the first award value;
• in response to a number of trigger symbols within the first award group meeting a trigger amount, cause the presentation assembly to present an award sequence to provide an award at least partially as a function of the first award value and respective award values associated with other trigger symbols in the first award group, wherein the award sequence includes updating the value-bearing trigger symbol in the hidden presentation state to the full presentation state;
• and
• in response to the subset counter meeting a termination count, cause the presentation assembly to remove any locked trigger symbols from the first award group.