Reel symbol resizing for reel based gaming machines

A gaming reel adapted for use in a wager-based gaming machine, comprising:

• a display region distributed about an outer circumference of said reel;
• a full set of reel stops arranged about said display region;
• a plurality of visible reel symbols corresponding to a first subset of reel stops selected from said full set of reel stops, wherein each of said plurality of visible reel symbols corresponds to a single reel stop from said first subset of reel stops, and wherein said visible reel symbols are viewable through a viewing window associated with said display region;
• and
• a plurality of ghosts comprising blank regions corresponding to a second subset of reel stops selected from said full set of reel stops, wherein each of said plurality of ghosts corresponds to a single reel stop from said second subset of reel stops;
• wherein, during use of the gaming reel in said wager-based gaming machine, a reel configurator enables one or more of said visible reel symbols within said first subset of reel stops to be stretched to change the size of the one or more visible reel symbols such that the one or more visible reel symbols are expanded into one or more blank regions within one or more of said plurality of ghosts situated adjacent thereto, thereby creating expanded reel symbols and reducing the amount of blank space occupied by the blank regions within said second subset of reel stops that may be seen by a player through said viewing window when movement of said one or more visible reel symbols has stopped.

A method of presenting reel symbols on a reel-type wager-based gaming machine having reel stops with blank regions, comprising:

• selecting a gaming reel adapted for use in a wager-based game involving the rotation of a plurality of rotating gaming reels viewable through a viewing window, said gaming reel including (i) a full set of equally sized reel stops distributed about an outer circumference thereof, (ii) a plurality of visible reel symbols corresponding to a first subset of reel stops selected from said full set of reel stops, wherein each of said plurality of visible reel symbols corresponds to a single reel stop from said first subset of reel stops, and (iii) a plurality of ghosts comprising blank regions corresponding to a second subset of reel stops selected from said full set of reel stops, wherein each of said plurality of ghosts corresponds to a single reel stop from said second subset of reel stops;
• determining which reel stops from said full set of reel stops depict visible reel symbols and which reel stops from said full set of reel stops depict ghosts;
• and
• resizing two or more of said visible reel symbols that are adjacent to reel stops that depict ghosts, wherein said sizing results in the stretching of the two or more of said visible reel symbols to change their size and extend said two or more visible reel symbols into one or more blank regions within one or more of said ghosts adjacent thereto, thereby creating expanded visible reel symbols and reducing the amount of blank space occupied by the blank regions within said ghosts that may be seen by a player through said viewing window when movement of said two or more visible reel symbols has stopped.

A wager-based gaming machine, comprising:

• an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein;
• a display device adapted to present a display of plurality gaming reels through a viewing window;
• and
• a plurality of gaming reels adapted to be rotated about an axis, wherein at least one of said plurality of gaming reels includes:
• a display surface distributed about an outer circumference thereof,
• a full set of reel stops arranged about said display surface, a plurality of visible reel symbols corresponding to a first subset of reel stops selected from said full set of reel stops, wherein each of said plurality of visible reel symbols corresponds to a single reel stop from said first subset of reel stops, and
• a plurality of ghosts comprising blank regions corresponding to a second subset of reel stops selected from said full set of reel stops, wherein each of said plurality of ghosts corresponds to a single reel stop from said second subset of reel stops;
• wherein, during use of the gaming reel in said wager-based gaming machine, a reel configurator enables one or more of said visible reel symbols within said first subset of reel stops to be stretched to change the size of the one or more visible reel symbols such that the one or more visible reel symbols are expanded into one or more blank regions within one or more of said plurality of ghosts situated adjacent thereto, thereby creating expanded reel symbols and reducing the amount of blank space occupied by the blank regions within said second subset of reel stops that may be seen by a player through said viewing window when movement of said one or more visible reel symbols has stopped.

A wager-based gaming system, comprising:

• a plurality of processor-based gaming machines adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a payout based on a result of the game, each of said plurality of processor-based gaming machines including:
• an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein,
• a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components and adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said wager based game, and
• a display device in communication with said master gaming controller and adapted to present a plurality of simulated rotating reels, said display device including a viewing window and said plurality of simulated rotating reels including a set of reel stops, wherein said set of reel stops includes a first subset of reel stops comprising visible reel symbols and a second subset of reel stops comprising blanks;
• a remote host in communication with each of said plurality of processor-based gaming machines, said remote host being adapted to download the one or more visible reel symbols, virtual reel strips, or both to said plurality of processor-based gaming machines;
• and
• at least one simulated reel configurator in communication with at least one of said remote host and said plurality of processor-based gaming machines, wherein said simulated reel configurator is adapted to facilitate the display of simulated rotating reels through a viewing window of at least one of said display devices, and wherein said simulated reel configurator is adapted to configure at least one of said plurality of simulated rotating reels such that one or more visible reel symbols within said first subset of reel stops are stretched to change the size of the one or more visible reel symbols such that the one or more visible reel symbols are expanded into one or more blank regions of said second subset of reel stops adjacent thereto, thereby creating expanded reel symbols and reducing the amount of blank space occupied by the blank regions within said second subset of reel stops that may be seen by a player through said viewing window when movement of said at least are of said plurality of simulated rotating reels has stopped.