GAMING SYSTEM ENABLING A SYMBOL DRIVEN WIN EVALUATION METHOD

• US 20100120496A1
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Rodgers, Paulina, Parker, Christmas C., Hoffman, Benjamin C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming system and method include determining whether to initiate a win evaluation sequence for determining awards for a play of a wagering game based on the symbols generated in that play of the wagering game. In various such embodiments, the gaming system determines whether to initiate a win evaluation sequence for determining awards for a play of a wagering game based on whether a designated number of evaluation triggering symbols are randomly generated in the play of the wagering game.

Claims

1. A gaming system including:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; 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 input device and the at least one display device for a play of a game, upon an input of a wager, to;

(a) randomly determine a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, the set of symbols including a plurality of different symbols and including at least one evaluation triggering symbol;

(b) display the randomly determined symbols;

(c) determine if a designated number of the evaluation triggering symbol are displayed, said designated number being at least one;

(d) if the designated number of evaluation triggering symbols are not displayed, end the play of the game and provide no awards to the player,

(e) if the designated number of evaluation triggering symbols are displayed;

(i) for each evaluation triggering symbol;

(a) determine if the evaluation triggering symbol has a predefined positional relationship to at least one of a designated symbol,

(b) if the evaluation triggering symbol has the predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol, convert the at least one designated symbol into a different symbol,

(c) determine if any newly converted symbols have a predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol,

(d) if any newly converted symbols have the predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol, convert the at least one designated symbol into the different symbol, and

(e) repeat (c) and (d) until no newly converted symbols have the predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol;

(ii) determine if at least one of a plurality of predetermined winning symbol combinations of a paytable are displayed, and

(iii) determine any awards associated with any displayed predetermined winning symbol combinations using the paytable; and

(f) display and provide any determined awards to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the predefined positional relationship includes the designated symbol being displayed at least one symbol position selected from the group consisting of:

directly above, directly below, directly to the left and directly to the right of the symbol position of the evaluation triggering symbol or newly converted symbol.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation triggering symbol is a multiplier symbol.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation triggering symbol is part of at least one winning symbol combination.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated number of evaluation triggering symbols includes different evaluation triggering symbols.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to display whether the processor will determine if at least one of the plurality of predetermined winning symbol combinations of the paytable are displayed.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to convert the at least one designated symbol into a symbol which is part of a predetermined winning symbol combination in the paytable.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the different symbol functions as a multiplier symbol.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the different symbol also functions as a wild symbol.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated symbol is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a major symbol and (b) a royal card symbol.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated symbol includes multiple different symbols.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to if the designated number of the evaluation triggering symbols are generated, cause a player to be eligible for a progressive award.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to determine if any predetermined winning symbol combinations are displayed by determining if any predetermined winning symbol combinations are generated on at least one wagered on payline.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to determine if any predetermined winning symbol combinations are displayed by determining if a designated number of associated symbols are generated at active symbol positions at a designated number of adjacent reels.

15. A method of operating a gaming system, the method including for a play of a game, upon an input of a wager:

(a) randomly determining a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, the set of symbols including a plurality of different symbols and including at least one evaluation triggering symbol;

(b) displaying the randomly determined symbols;

(c) determining if a designated number of the evaluation triggering symbol are displayed, said designated number being at least one;

(d) if the designated number of evaluation triggering symbols are not displayed, ending the play of the game and providing no awards to the player;

(e) if the designated number of evaluation triggering symbols are displayed;

(i) for each evaluation triggering symbol;

(a) determining if the evaluation triggering symbol has a predefined positional relationship to at least one of a designated symbol,

(b) if the evaluation triggering symbol has a predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol, converting the at least one designated symbol into a different symbol,

(c) determining if any newly converted symbols have the predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol,

(d) if any newly converted symbols have the predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol, converting the at least one designated symbol into the different symbol, and

(e) repeating (c) and (d) until no newly converted symbols have the predefined positional relationship to at least one of the designated symbol;

(ii) determining if at least one of a plurality of predetermined winning symbol combinations of a paytable are displayed, and

(iii) determining any awards associated with any displayed predetermined winning symbol combinations using the paytable; and

(f) displaying and providing any determined awards to the player.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predefined positional relationship includes the designated symbol being displayed at least one symbol position selected from the group consisting of:

directly above, directly below, directly to the left and directly to the right of the symbol position of the evaluation triggering symbol or newly converted symbol.

17. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the evaluation triggering symbol to be a multiplier symbol.

18. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the evaluation triggering symbol to be part of at least one winning symbol combination.

19. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the designated number of evaluation triggering symbols to include different evaluation triggering symbols.

20. The method of claim 15, which includes displaying whether the processor will determine if at least one of the plurality of predetermined winning symbol combinations of the paytable are displayed.

21. The method of claim 15, which includes converting the at least one designated symbol into a symbol which is part of a predetermined winning symbol combination in the paytable.

22. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the different symbol to function as a multiplier symbol.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes causing the different symbol to function as a wild symbol.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the designated symbol is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a major symbol and (b) a royal card symbol.

25. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the designated symbol to include multiple different symbols.

26. The method of claim 15, which includes if the designated number of the evaluation triggering symbols are generated, causing a player to be eligible for a progressive award.

27. The method of claim 15, which includes determining if any predetermined winning symbol combinations are displayed by determining if any predetermined winning symbol combinations are generated on at least one wagered on payline.

28. The method of claim 15, which includes determining if any predetermined winning symbol combinations are displayed by determining if a designated number of associated symbols are generated at active symbol positions at a designated number of adjacent reels.

29. The method of claim 15, which is provided through a data network.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein the data network is an internet.