US 8,894,481 B2Granted

Gaming system and method providing multiway evaluation for a game associated with multi-component symbols configured to affect a base count

AssigneeIgt

InventorsBrian F. Saunders, Ernest M. Lafky

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Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing multiway evaluation for a game including multi-component symbols that are utilized to determine one or more modifiers. In one embodiment, the gaming system is configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of reels including a plurality of individual symbols and a plurality of multi-component symbols including a plurality of the individual symbols. The gaming system displays a plurality of the symbols on the reels and determines a quantity of adjacent reels that each displays at least one instance of a first individual symbol. The gaming system determines a modifier for each of the adjacent reels based on a quantity of instances of the first individual symbol displayed by that reel, and determines any awards for the first individual symbol based on the determined quantity of adjacent reels and any determined modifiers.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;
at least one display device;
at least one input device;
and
at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to:
(a) display a play of a game associated with:
(i) a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols, the symbols including a plurality of individual symbols and one or more multi-component symbols, each of the multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of one or more of the individual symbols;
and
(ii) a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the reels being associated with a plurality of the symbol display areas;
and
(b) for said play of the game:
(i) for each of the reels, display a plurality of the symbols on said reel at the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
(ii) for each individual symbol displayed at one or more of the symbol display areas associated with a first one of the reels, if the reel adjacent to the first reel displays at least one instance of said individual symbol at one of the symbol display areas associated with said reel:
(A) determine a quantity of adjacent reels that each displays at least one instance of said individual symbol at one of the symbol display areas associated with said reels, the adjacent reels including the first reel;
(B) determine a base count based on:
(1) a total quantity of instances of said individual symbol included in any multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of said individual symbol displayed at the symbol display areas associated with said adjacent reels;
and
(2) a quantity of said adjacent reels that do not display any multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of said individual symbol at the symbol display areas associated with said reels;
and
(C) if the determined base count is at least a designated base count:
(1) for each of said adjacent reels, determine a modifier for said reel based on a quantity of the symbol display areas associated with said reel at which at least one instance of said individual symbol is displayed;
and
(2) determine any awards for said individual symbol based on said determined base count and any determined modifiers;
and
(iii) provide any determined awards.

22 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a play of a game associated with:
(i) a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols, the symbols including a plurality of individual symbols and one or more multi-component symbols, each of the multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of one or more of the individual symbols;
and
(ii) a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the reels being associated with a plurality of the symbol display areas;
and
(b) for said play of the game:
(i) for each of the reels, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of the symbols on said reel at the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
(ii) for each individual symbol displayed at one or more of the symbol display areas associated with a first one of the reels, if the reel adjacent to the first reel displays at least one instance of said individual symbol at one of the symbol display areas associated with said reel, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to:
(A) determine a quantity of adjacent reels that each displays at least one instance of said individual symbol at one of the symbol display areas associated with said reels, the adjacent reels including the first reel;
(B) determine a base count based on:
(1) a total quantity of instances of said individual symbol included in any multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of said individual symbol displayed at the symbol display areas associated with said adjacent reels;
and
(2) a quantity of said adjacent reels that do not display any multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of said individual symbol at the symbol display areas associated with said reels;
and
(C) if the determined base count is at least a designated base count:
(1) for each of said adjacent reels, determine a modifier for said reel based on a quantity of the symbol display areas associated with said reel at which at least one instance of said individual symbol is displayed;
and
(2) determine any awards for said individual symbol based on said determined base count and any determined modifiers;
and
(iii) providing any determined awards.

17 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) cause at least one display device to display a play of a game associated with:
(i) a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols, the symbols including a plurality of individual symbols and one or more multi-component symbols, each of the multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of one or more of the individual symbols;
and
(ii) a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the reels being associated with a plurality of the symbol display areas;
and
(b) for said play of the game:
(i) for each of the reels, cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of the symbols on said reel at the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
(ii) for each individual symbol displayed at one or more of the symbol display areas associated with a first one of the reels, if the reel adjacent to the first reel displays at least one instance of said individual symbol at one of the symbol display areas associated with said reel:
(A) determine a quantity of adjacent reels that each displays at least one instance of said individual symbol at one of the symbol display areas associated with said reels, the adjacent reels including the first reel;
(B) determine a base count based on:
(1) a total quantity of instances of said individual symbol included in any multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of said individual symbol displayed at the symbol display areas associated with said adjacent reels;
and
(2) a quantity of said adjacent reels that do not display any multi-component symbols including a plurality of instances of said individual symbol at the symbol display areas associated with said reels;
and
(C) if the determined base count is at least a designated base count:
(1) for each of said adjacent reels, determine a modifier for said reel based on a quantity of the symbol display areas associated with said reel at which at least one instance of said individual symbol is displayed;
and
(2) determine any awards for said individual symbol based on said determined base count and any determined modifiers;
and
(iii) provide any determined awards.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.