Wagering game with wrap-around paylines

• US 7,618,315 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Jaffe, Joel R., Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Eric M
• Application Number:
  US11/351,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 463 10- 13, 463 16- 22
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of conducting a wagering game includes receiving a wager from a player for playing the wagering game. An array of symbol-bearing locations and at least one payline is displayed along a plurality of the symbol-bearing locations. The plurality of the symbol-bearing locations includes first and second non-adjacent outer locations. The method further includes evaluating symbols at the symbol-bearing locations along the payline for winning outcomes such that symbols at the first and second non-adjacent outer locations are evaluated in sequence.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:

receiving via a wager input device a wager from a player for playing said wagering game;

displaying on a display an array of symbol-bearing locations and at least one payline along a plurality of said symbol-bearing locations, said plurality of said symbol-bearing locations including first and second non-adjacent outer locations said first and second non-adjacent outer locations being positioned on said display at respective ends of said array of symbol-bearing locations; and

using one or more processors to evaluate; and

symbols at said symbol-bearing locations along said payline for winning outcomes such that symbols at said first and second non-adjacent outer locations are evaluated in sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said payline starts at an inner location of said plurality of symbol-bearing locations.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of a payline-start and a payline-end for said payline.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a set of paylines, each payline of said set of paylines starting at an inner location of said symbol-bearing locations.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sequentially indicating said plurality of said symbol-bearing locations included in said payline.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said indicating includes lighting-up said symbol-bearing locations included along said payline.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sequentially indicating a plurality of winning symbols arranged along said payline when a randomly selected outcome is a winning outcome.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a meter characteristic for at least one incrementing meter when a meter change has occurred, wherein said meter characteristic is selected from a group consisting of a meter digit'"'"'s size, a meter digit'"'"'s color, a meter digit'"'"'s font, and a meter window size.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising scaling up a meter digit'"'"'s size when said incrementing meter increases and scaling down said meter digit'"'"'s size when said incrementing meter decreases.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said incrementing meter is selected from a group consisting of a credits meter and a paid meter.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging said array of symbol-bearing locations in a plurality of reels, each of said plurality of reels having at least one symbol-bearing location of said array of symbol-bearing locations.

12. A computer readable storage medium or media is encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 1.

13. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:

receiving a wager via a wager input device; and

displaying on a display an array of symbol-bearing locations and at least one payline sequentially connecting first and second non-adjacent outer locations of said array with no intervening symbol-bearing location said first and second non-adjacent outer locations being positioned on said display at respective ends of said array of symbol-bearing locations.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

arranging said away of symbol-bearing locations in a plurality of rotating reels, said away of symbol-bearing locations including a symbol combination; and

preceding a special symbol of said symbol combination with a special sound before said symbol is displayed on a reel of said plurality of rotating reels while said reel is rotating.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

arranging said away of symbol-bearing locations in a plurality of rotating reels, said away of symbol-bearing locations including a symbol combination; and

trailing a special symbol of said symbol combination with a special indicator after said special symbol is displayed on a reel of said plurality of rotating reels while said reel is rotating.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying an animated sequence associated with an incrementing meter when a predetermined change in a value of said incrementing meter occurs.

17. A gaming system for conducting a wagering game, comprising:

an input device for receiving a wager;

a display for displaying an away of symbol-bearing locations and at least one payline along a plurality of said symbol-bearing locations, said plurality of said symbol-bearing locations including first and second non-adjacent outer locations that are positioned on said display at respective ends of said array of symbol-bearing locations; and

a controller operative to evaluate symbols at said symbol-bearing locations along said payline for winning outcomes such that symbols at said first and second non-adjacent outer locations are evaluated in sequence.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said controller is located within said gaming terminal.

19. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said payline starts at an inner location of said plurality of said symbol-bearing locations.

20. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said display includes a payline start indicator for displaying a starting location of said active payline.

21. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said display includes a sequentially displayed indicator for showing said payline.

22. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said display includes a sequentially displayed indicator for showing said winning outcomes.

23. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said display includes at least one incrementing meter having at least one meter characteristic selected from a group consisting of a meter digit'"'"'s size, a meter digit'"'"'s color, a meter digit'"'"'s font, and a meter window size, said meter characteristic changing based on a value associated with said incrementing meter.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein said at least one incrementing meter is selected from a group consisting of a credits meter and a paid meter.

25. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said display includes at least one incrementing meter having at least one meter characteristic, said meter characteristic changing based on time elapsed since an occurrence of a previous winning jackpot.

26. A gaming system for conducting a wagering game, comprising:

an input device for receiving a wager; and

a display for displaying an away of symbol-bearing locations and at least one payline sequentially connecting first and second non-adjacent outer locations of said array with no intervening symbol-bearing location said first and second non-adjacent outer locations being positioned on said display at respective ends of said array of symbol-bearing locations.

27. The gaming system of claim 26, further comprising a controller coupled to said display and programmed to arrange said array of symbol-bearing locations in a plurality of rotating reels.