Video gaming machine playing secondary game using displayed symbols
AssigneeAtronic International GmbH
InventorMichael Gauselmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment of the invention, a video gaming machine displays an array of symbols, and an award is granted based on any winning symbol combinations across activated pay lines. As a secondary game, after the initial display of the symbols, the player may designate one species of symbol in the array. Then, one of the symbols in the array is selected at random by the gaming machine. If the symbol designated by the player is the one selected by the machine, the player wins a special award. The secondary game may be activated pursuant to any of a variety of events, or activated after each game. The player may designate the symbol species by means of a touch screen or any other type of controller.
Claims22
A gaming method performed by a gaming device wherein an award is granted to a player for winning combinations of symbols on a display screen, the method comprising:
- conducting an initial game, conducting the initial game comprising displaying a randomly selected matrix of symbols on a screen, wherein a processor randomly selects the matrix of symbols;
- granting an award to the player for any winning combinations of symbols displayed in the initial game, without any player involvement in selecting any symbols displayed in the initial game;
- conducting a secondary game after the initial game has been completed and after the winning combinations of symbols have been determined, while the matrix of symbols selected in the initial game remains displayed on the screen, conducting the secondary game comprising:
- allowing the player to directly select one or more symbols in the displayed matrix of symbols from the initial game as the matrix of symbols continues to be displayed, allowing the player to directly select one or more symbols comprising allowing the player to identify one or more specific symbols in the matrix, where all the symbols in the matrix remain in their positions in the matrix throughout the secondary game;
- after the step of allowing the player to select one or more symbols, randomly selecting, by the gaming device, from only the symbols in the matrix, at least one of the symbols in the displayed matrix of symbols from the initial game as the matrix of symbols from the initial game continues to be displayed, the matrix of symbols having not changed from the matrix of symbols in the initial game;
- and
- granting an award to the player if the gaming device selected the one or more symbols previously selected by the player in the secondary game.
A gaming device comprising:
- a display for displaying a game including an initial game, the initial game displaying a randomly selected matrix of symbols on a screen, certain combinations of symbols across at least one pay line determining an award to a player;
- and
- at least one processor adapted and programmed for carrying out the following method:
- conducting an initial game, the initial game randomly selecting an matrix of symbols and displaying the matrix of symbols on the display;
- granting an award to the player for any winning combinations of symbols displayed in the initial game, without any player involvement in selecting any symbols displayed in the initial game;
- conducting a secondary game after the initial game has been completed and after the winning combinations of symbols have been determined, while the matrix of symbols selected in the initial game remains displayed on the screen, conducting the secondary game comprising:
- allowing the player to directly select one or more symbols in the displayed matrix of symbols from the initial game as the matrix of symbols continues to be displayed, allowing the player to directly select one or more symbols comprising allowing the player to identify one or more specific symbols in the matrix, where all the symbols in the matrix remain in their positions in the matrix throughout the secondary game;
- after the step of allowing the player to select one or more symbols, randomly selecting, by the gaming device, from only the symbols in the matrix, at least one of the symbols in the displayed matrix of symbols from the initial game as the matrix of symbols from the initial game continues to be displayed, the matrix of symbols having not changed from the matrix of symbols in the initial game;
- and
- granting an award to the player if the gaming device selected the one or more symbols previously selected by the player in the secondary game.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.