Gaming machine and game control method

• US 8,602,870 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamal, Shahid
• Application Number:
  US13/354,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20120115576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/30, 463/38, 463/39, 463/16, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

To provide a gaming machine which can carry out a lizhi effect rich in impact without giving a feeling of boredom.

A gaming machine being provided with a display device, which can display an image and can be switched to a transmissive condition or a non-transmissive condition, in front of a plurality of symbols which can be variably displayed, in the event that a combination of the plurality of symbols reaches a lizhi, as well as portions in front of the plurality of symbols taking on the non-transmissive condition, a symbol image corresponding to a last stop displayed symbol is variably displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a first display device configured to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels each having symbols associated with outcomes of a wagering game;

a second display device adjacent the first display device, the second display device being operable in a transmissive condition whereat at least a portion of each of the symbol-bearing reels is visible through the second display device, the second display device being further operable in a non-transmissive condition whereat at least a portion of the second display device visually obstructs only a subset of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the subset including at least one but less than all of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels; and

one or more controllers configured to control the first and second display devices to;

display the plurality of symbol-bearing reels of the first display device spinning and stopping to reveal a plurality of symbols associated with an outcome of the wagering game;

switch the second display device from the transmissive condition to the non-transmissive condition such that the portion of the second display device visually obstructs only the subset of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels of the first display device;

display on the portion of the second display device at least one symbol-bearing reel image having symbol images associated with outcomes of the wagering game; and

display the at least one symbol-bearing reel image spinning and stopping to reveal a plurality of symbol images such that the symbols of the visually obstructed subset of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels are replaced with the symbol images.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the switching the second display device from the transmissive condition to the non-transmissive condition is after the plurality of symbol-bearing reels are stopped to reveal the plurality of symbols associated with the outcome of the wagering game.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol-bearing reel image is displayed directly over one of the symbol-bearing reels visually obstructed by the second display device.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol-bearing reel image is visually distinct from the plurality of symbol-bearing reels.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the switching the second display device from the transmissive condition to the non-transmissive condition and the displaying the at least one symbol-bearing reel image is responsive to the plurality of symbols associated with the outcome of the wagering game including a predetermined symbol combination.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the predetermined symbol combination is a bonus-game-triggering symbol combination.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein at least some of the symbol images of the at least one symbol-bearing reel image are distinct from the symbols of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the replacing the symbols of the visually obstructed subset of the plurality of the symbol-bearing reels with the symbol images of the at least one symbol-bearing reel image creates a modified outcome of the wagering game.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to determine a first award value associated with the outcome of the wagering game and a second award value associated with the modified outcome of the wagering game.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol-bearing reel image is a recreation of one of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels of the first display device.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of symbol-bearing reels of the first display device are mechanical reels.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one, but less than all of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels is visible through the second display device when the second display device is operating in the non-transmissive condition.

13. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system with one or more controllers, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a wager to play the wagering game;

directing, via at least one of the one or more controllers, a first display device to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels spinning and stopping to reveal a plurality of symbols associated with an outcome of the wagering game;

directing, via at least one of the one or more controllers, a second display device positioned in front of the first display device to display an image associated with the wagering game, the second display device being configured to switch between a transmissive condition and a non-transmissive condition;

in response to the plurality of symbols including a predetermined symbol combination, directing, via at least one of the one or more controllers, the second display device to switch to the non-transmissive condition such that the second display device visually obstructs one or more, but less than all, of the symbol-bearing reels of the first display device;

directing, via the one or more controllers, the second display device to display one or more symbol-bearing reel images having symbol images associated with outcomes of the wagering game; and

directing, via at least one of the one or more controllers, the second display device to display the one or more symbol-bearing reel images spinning and stopping to reveal a plurality of symbol images such that the symbols of the visually obstructed one or more symbol-bearing reels are replaced with the symbol images.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the directing the second display device to switch to the non-transmissive condition is after the plurality of symbol-bearing reels are stopped to reveal the plurality of symbols associated with the outcome of the wagering game.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the symbol-bearing reel images is displayed directly over a respective one of the one or more symbol-bearing reels visually obstructed by the second display device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more symbol-bearing reel images are visually distinct from the plurality of symbol-bearing reels.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein at least some of the symbol images of the symbol-bearing reel images are distinct from the symbols of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the replacing the symbols of the visually obstructed one or more symbol-bearing reels with the symbol images of the symbol-bearing reel images creates a modified outcome of the wagering game, the method further comprising determining a first award value associated with the outcome of the wagering game and determining a second award value associated with the modified outcome of the wagering game.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable media having an instruction set borne thereby, the instruction set being configured to cause, upon execution by one or more controllers, the acts of:

directing a first display device to display a plurality of symbol-beating reels spinning and stopping to reveal a plurality of symbols associated with an outcome of a wagering game;

directing a second display device positioned in front of the first display device to display an image associated with the wagering game, the second display device being configured to switch between a transmissive condition and a non-transmissive condition;

in response to the plurality of symbols including a predetermined symbol combination, directing the second display device to switch to the non-transmissive condition such that the second display device visually obstructs one or more, but less than all, of the symbol-beating reels of the first display device;

directing the portion of the second display device to display one or more symbol-bearing reel images having symbol images associated with outcomes of the wagering game; and

directing the second display device to display the one or more symbol-bearing reel images spinning and stopping to reveal a plurality of symbol images such that the symbols of the visually obstructed one or more symbol-bearing reels are replaced with the symbol images.