Gaming system and method for providing awards based on accumulating symbols over a predefined quantity of games played

An electronic gaming machine comprising:

• a housing comprising an access door;
• a security monitoring circuit supported by the housing;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor in association with a symbol accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of a game comprising a plurality of non-designated plays of the game that are determined to be non-designated plays of the game prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, cause the processor to:
• for each of the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• for each of a plurality of symbol display positions, cause a display, by a display device, of a randomly determined symbol at that symbol display position, and
• for each of the plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to the displayed symbol being a designated symbol, accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position, and
• when an opening of the access door is detected via the security monitoring circuit following the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• pause the symbol accumulation sequence,
• store data associated with any designated symbols accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and
• following at least a closing of the access door detected via the security monitoring circuit:
• load the stored data associated with any designated symbols accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence,
• resume the symbol accumulation sequence,
• responsive to a first quantity of designated symbols being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• determine a first award, and
• cause a display, by the display device, of the determined first award, and
• responsive to a second, different quantity of designated symbols being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• determine a second, different award, and
• cause a display, by the display device, of the determined second, different award.

An electronic gaming machine comprising:

• a housing comprising an access door;
• a security monitoring circuit supported by the housing;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor in association with a symbol accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of a game comprising a plurality of non-designated plays of the game that are determined to be non-designated plays of the game prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, cause the processor to:
• for each of the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• for each of a plurality of symbol display positions, cause a display, by a display device, of a randomly determined symbol at that symbol display position, and
• for each of the plurality of symbol display positions, responsive to the displayed symbol being a designated symbol, accumulate the displayed designated symbol in association with that symbol display position, and
• when an opening of the access door is detected via the security monitoring circuit following the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• disable modifying any parameters of a designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence,
• store data associated with any designated symbols accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and
• following at least a closing of the access door detected via the security monitoring circuit:
• load the stored data associated with any designated symbols accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence,
• enable modifying any parameters of the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence, and
• for the designated play of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• for each of the plurality of symbol display positions, cause a display, by the display device, of a symbol at that symbol display position, and
• responsive to at least a first quantity of designated symbols being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the game of the symbol accumulation sequence:
• modify at least one parameter of the designated play of the game, and
• determine any award for the designated play of the game, the determination being based on the at least one modified parameter of the designated play of the game.