Gaming machine with animated reel symbols for payoff

• US 6,270,411 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Raneses, Ismaelito B., Jaffe, Joel R., Gura, Damon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Dolores R.
• Application Number:
  US09/393,492
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/22, 463/3, 463/13, 273/146, 273/143, 273/138, 273/145
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming machine comprising a presentation element controlled by a processor in response to a wager amount. The presentation element is capable of presenting a basic game screen and a start animation outcome that activates an animation feature. The animation feature represents an animation game being played and results in an animation outcome. The animation outcome provides an animation payoff. The animation feature covers a portion of the basic game screen less than all of the basic game screen.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a basic game controlled by a processor in response to a wager amount, said basic game having a first display screen and at least one start bonus cutcome occurring within said first display screen; and

a bonus game activated by said start bonus outcome which causes said processor to provide an animation covering a portion less than all of said first display screen, said animation occurring automatically in response to said start bonus outcome without a triggering input from a player, said animation providing an animation payoff.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein said first display screen includes a spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said start bonus outcome includes predetermined combinations of start animation symbols at predetermined locations on said reels.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein said animation being generally confined to least one of said start animation symbol locations on said reels.

5. The gaming machine of claim 3 wherein said animation being generally confined to an area larger than one of said start animation symbol reel locations.

6. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said animation feature being confined to a box centered on said basic game screen.

7. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said animation payoff is a multiplier applied to said wager amount.

8. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said animation payoff is a credit.

9. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said basic game has a basic game winning outcome providing a basic game payoff, said animation payoff being a multiplier applied to said basic game payoff.

10. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said animation is a magnifying glass revealing a number.

11. The game machine of claim 2 wherein said animation payoff triggers a second screen bonus game that provides a second screen payoff.

12. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein said animation payoff is said basic game without depositing said wager amount.

16. The method of claim 5 wherein said animation occurs on least one of said start animation symbol locations on said reels.

13. A method of operating a gaming machine under control of a processor comprising:

providing a basic game having at least one start bonus outcome;

placing a wager amount on said basic game;

playing said basic game; and

automatically providing an animation in response to said start bonus outcome without a triggering input from a player, said animation being generally confined to a location of said start bonus outcome, said animation providing an animation payoff.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said basic game includes a spinning reel display showing a plurality of symbols on each of a plurality of rotatable reels.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said start animation outcome includes predetermined combinations of start animation symbols at predetermined locations on said reels.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said animation payoff is a multiplier applied to said wager amount.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said animation payoff is a credit.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said animation is a magnifying glass revealing a number.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said basic game has a plurality of basic game winning outcomes providing a basic game payoff, said animation payoff being a multiplier applied to said basic game payoff.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said start animation symbol acts as a wild for said basic game winning outcomes.

22. A gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager, comprising a video display depicting a plurality of symbols randomly placed in a symbol array, the symbol array including a plurality of locations containing the respective symbols, the plurality of symbols including one or more quantity-based symbols, the quantity-based symbols being inherently perceived by their appearance to be capable of defining a plurality of values, each of the quantity-based symbols being animated in its respective location to display one of the values, the processor awarding a payoff based on the values displayed by the respective quantity-based symbols.

23. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein each of the quantity-based symbols is animated in response to a start-animation outcome represented by the randomly placed symbols.

24. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the payoff is determined by multiplying the wager by a sum of the values.

25. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the payoff is determined by multiplying the wager by a product of the values.

26. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the quantity-based symbols are dice symbols.

27. The gaming machine of claim 26, wherein each of the dice symbols is animated to roll and display one face of the associated dice symbol, the value of the animated dice symbol being determined by a number of dots on the displayed face.

28. A gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager, comprising a plurality of symbol-bearing reels simulated on a video display, the reels being rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on each reel in visual association with a symbol array, the symbol array including a plurality of locations containing the respective symbols, the plurality of symbols including one or more quantity-based symbols, the quantity-based symbols being inherently perceived by their appearance to be capable of defining a plurality of values, each of the quantity-based symbols being animated in its respective location to display one of the values, the processor awarding a payoff based on the values displayed by the respective quantity-based symbols.

29. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein the quantity-based symbols are dice symbols.

30. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein each of the dice symbols is animated to roll and display one face of the associated dice symbol, the value of the animated dice symbol being determined by a number of dots on the display face.

31. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

randomly placing a plurality of symbols in a symbol array depicted on a video display, the symbol array including a plurality of locations containing the respective symbols, the plurality of symbols including one or more quantity-based symbols, the quantity-based symbols being inherently perceived by their appearance to be capable of defining a plurality of values;

animating each of quantity-based symbols in its respective location to display one of the values; and

awarding a payoff based on the values displayed by the respective quantity-based symbols.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of randomly placing a plurality of symbols includes rotating and stopping a plurality of symbol-bearing reels simulated on the video display.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of animating each of the quantity-based symbols occurs in response to a start-animation outcome represented by the randomly placed symbols.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the quantity-based symbols are dice symbols.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of animating each of the quantity-based symbols includes rolling and displaying one face of the associated dice symbol, the value of the animated dice symbol being determined by a number of dots on the display face.