This invention relates to gaming machines and devices, specifically virtual slot machines.
Virtual slot machines are well known. Unlike electromechanical slot machines, virtual slot machines have no or very few moving parts. One type of virtual slot machine allows a player to pay money into the machine, make a wager, and initiate play. Initiating play causes the spinning of virtual reels of symbols that are displayed to the player using a graphics display device. Each virtual reel may contain hundreds of symbols available to be displayed in a win evaluation game board. The virtual slot machine generates combinations of symbols randomly and certain winning symbol combinations are associated with awards. When such winning combinations are displayed in the win evaluation game board, the player is entitled to an award, and may collect it immediately or apply it to continue play.
A method of operating a gaming device to play an expanding halo reels game may include the steps of: Displaying a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbols; receiving a wager; spinning the reels; stopping the reels; evaluating the stopped reels for a winning combination of symbols; activating a first halo when there is a winning combination of symbols, the first halo comprising a plurality of symbols that surround at least a portion of the reels; moving the first halo with respect to the reels; stopping the first halo; evaluating the stopped first halo and reels for a winning combination of symbols; and terminating game play when there is no winning combination of symbols.
Also disclosed is a method of displaying expanded potential winning symbol combinations on a virtual slot machine game board that may involve the steps of: Spinning a first set of symbol reels on the virtual game board; selecting an initial combination of winning symbols on the virtual game board; increasing the apparent size of the virtual game board to permit the inclusion of additional symbols; and introducing additional symbols to the virtual game board.
A gaming system is also disclosed that may include a display system and an input system for accepting at least one input from a player. A processing system operatively associated with the display system and the input system, operates the display system and input system to: Display a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbols; receive a wager from the input system; spin the reels; stop the reels; evaluate the stopped reels for a winning combination of symbols; activate a first halo when there is a winning combination of symbols, the first halo comprising a plurality of symbols that surround at least a portion of the reels; move the first halo with respect to the reels; stop the first halo; evaluate the stopped first halo and reels for a winning combination of symbols; and terminate game play when there is no winning combination of symbols.
Also disclosed is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause the processor to: Display on a display system operatively associated with the processor a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbols; receive a wager from an input system operatively associated with the processor; spin the reels; stop the reels; evaluate the stopped reels for a winning combination of symbols; activate a first halo when there is a winning combination of symbols, the first halo comprising a plurality of symbols that surround at least a portion of the reels; move the first halo with respect to the reels; stop the first halo; evaluate the stopped first halo and reels for a winning combination of symbols; and terminate game play when there is no winning combination of symbols.
An expanding halo reels game for play on a gaming system having a display may include a plurality of reel symbols that are displayed as a plurality of reels on the display of the gaming system. A plurality of halo symbols arranged to form at least one halo surrounding the plurality of reels is displayed during at least one interval of game play. The expanding reels game spins the reel symbols after receiving a wager from a player, stops the spinning reel symbols after a time interval, and evaluates the stopped reel symbols for a winning combination of reel symbols. The expanding halo reels game activates the at least one halo when there is a winning combination of stopped reel symbols. The expanding halo reels game then moves the activated halo symbols with respect to the reel symbols, stops the moving halo symbols after a time interval, and evaluates the stopped halo symbols and stopped reel symbols for a winning combination of symbols.
Illustrative and presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings in which:
Various embodiments of an expanding halo reels game 10 according to the teachings of the present invention are shown and described herein as they could be implemented or played on an electronic gaming system 12 of the type well-known in the art. Alternatively, various embodiments of the expanding halo reels game 10 could be implemented on other systems and devices and in other gaming environments, as will be described in greater detail herein.
Referring primarily to
However, and unlike conventional slot machines, the expanding halo reels game 10 may also comprise one or more halos 22 that may be displayed along with reels 14 at appropriate times during game play. Each of the one or more halos 22 may comprise a plurality of symbols 24 arranged so that they surround or encircle the reels 14, as best seen in
With reference now primarily to
On the other hand, if a winning combination of symbols 20 is found during evaluation step 36, the method 26 may proceed to step 40 and activate a halo 22. Depending on the particular embodiment, and as will be described in greater detail herein, halo 22 may initially be displayed with reels 14, but as a ‘grayed out’ or phantom image to alert the player about the possibility of halo activation during game play. Alternatively, halo 22 need not be displayed as a phantom image, but could instead be first displayed (e.g., as a ‘regular’ image) only upon activation of halo 22, e.g., at step 40. In one embodiment, at or near the same time as halo 22 is activated at step 40, gaming system 12 also may re-size or ‘expand’ game board 18 using dynamic graphics scaling 13 so that the entireties of the reels 14 and halo 22 may be wholly contained within a perimeter 42 defined by game board 18. In one embodiment, such re-sizing may involve reducing the sizes of the symbols 20 and 24 comprising reels 14 and halo 22, respectively, resulting in the apparent expansion of the game board 18 to include not only the reels 14, but the halo 22 as well. See
Activation 40 of halo 22 may also involve the relative movement of halo symbols 24 with respect to reels 14. That is, the halo 22 may be moved or ‘spun’ as well. In some embodiments, the movement of halo 22 with respect to reels 14 may comprise a movement of the halo symbols 24 around the reels 14, as indicated by arrow 44 in
After a suitable interval in which the symbols 24 of halo 22 are allowed to move or spin, method 26 may stop the movement of halo 22 around reels 14 at step 46. Thereafter, method 26 may proceed to evaluate, at step 48, the stopped reels 14 and halo 22 for winning symbol combinations. If no winning combination of symbols 20, 24 is found, the method 26 may pay out any winnings, at step 50, end the game (e.g., at step 38), and/or await receipt of a suitable wager at step 30.
If, on the other hand, a winning combination of symbols is found during evaluation step 48, method 26 may return to step 40 and activate a (second) halo 22′. See
The activation 40 of second halo 22′ may also involve the relative movement of second halo symbols 24′ with respect to first halo 22 and reels 14. In some embodiments, the movement of the second halo symbols 24′ with respect to first halo 22 and reels 14 may comprise an encircling movement, as indicated by arrow 44′, although other movement schemes are possible. Also, depending on the embodiment, first halo 22 and/or reels 14 may or may not be re-spun during activation of second halo 22′.
After a suitable or desired interval of moving the symbols 24′ of second halo 22′, method 26 may stop the movement of second halo 22′ at step 46. Method 26 may thereafter evaluate (e.g., at step 48), the stopped reels 14 and halos 22, 22′ for winning symbol combinations. If no winning combination is found, the method 26 may pay out any winnings (e.g., at step 50), end the game (e.g., at step 38) and/or await receipt of a suitable wager at step 30. Alternatively, the method 26 may return again to steps 40, 46, and 48 to activate, stop, and evaluate additional halos 22 until no winning combinations of symbols are found.
A significant advantage of the expanding halo reels game 10 according to the teaching of the present invention is the addition of a unique variable to the virtual slot machine gaming experience. The additional win combinations made possible by this method permit multiple wins and payouts during a single play experience, and the dynamic graphics scaling communicates the method to players in a visually engaging style. Still further, the halo symbol concept embodied in the present invention is intuitive to players, who will immediately recognize its purpose and the additional winning combinations it can generate when they see it in action. As a consequence, the expanding halo reels game may attract new players to the gaming system and retain them longer throughout successive games.
Having briefly described the expanding halo reels game, as well as some of its more significant features and advantages, various exemplary embodiments and alternative configurations of the expanding halo reels game will now be described in detail. However, before proceeding with the detailed description it should be noted that while the expanding halo reels game is shown and described herein as it could be embodied or played on an electronic gaming system 12 of the type well-known in the art in a casino environment, the present invention is not limited to play on such devices and in such environments. For example, alternative embodiments could be implemented as specific gaming applications provided on a wide variety of computer systems, such as personal computer systems, ‘smart’ phones, and tablet computers, that are operatively connected to a suitable gaming network. Consequently, the present invention should not be regarded as limited to the particular devices, networks, and gaming environments shown and described herein.
Referring back now to
The electronic gaming system 12 may also comprise a communications module 66. The communications module 66 may be operatively associated with the processing system 54 of the electronic gaming system 12 so as to allow the gaming system 12 to communicate with a network 86. The communications module 66 may comprise any of a wide variety of communications devices, such a devices configured to communicate via Ethernet, 12C, RD-232, USB, RS-485, IEEE 1394, or Netplex communications technology, as would become apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art after become familiar with the teachings provided herein. Communications module 66 may also utilize other communication interfaces now employed by, or that may be developed for use by, the gaming industry. The communications module 66 may operate on or interface with wired or wireless channels, and may be used to communicate with personal devices operating through known wireless technologies.
With reference now primarily to
In an embodiment, CPU 68 may implement the method 26 via instructions imbedded in software and stored in the memory 70. The input system 52 may permit the player to interact with the method 26 and input desired parameters to the game, with the processing system 54 processing the player's inputs and executing them according to the software stored in the memory 70.
The software may include a random number generator (RNG) 74 for randomly selecting reel symbols 20 and halo symbols 24 for the electronic gaming system 12 to display on display system 16. These reel symbols 20 and halo symbols 24 may comprise numbers, letters, geometric figures, animated figures, words, bonus multipliers, or pictures. The reel symbols 20 and halo symbols 24 may also comprise wild symbols, multipliers, bonus symbols, credit awards, or other special feature symbols of the type well-known in the art. In an embodiment, random number selection may comprise using the RNG 74 as a basis for selecting reel symbols 20 or halo symbols 24 from a set of game symbols for the electronic gaming system 12 to display on display system 16. In an embodiment, the set of reel symbols 20 that may appear in the reel windows 14 may comprise a set of approximately 300 symbols for each reel. In another embodiment, the system and method of selecting symbols from among the set of game symbols may simulate systems that provide for random number generation. By way of non-limiting example, a well-known lottery-based system may be used.
Referring now to
As illustrated in
The electronic gaming system 12 may be operated in accordance with method 26 to implement or play the expanding halo reels game 10. With reference primarily to
The game player may input a wager e.g., at step 30, and the method 26 moves to step 32 and spins the three reels 14. In this embodiment, the reels 14 spin in a vertical downward direction 98. In other embodiments, the reels 14 may spin in a horizontal direction 100. After a suitable interval, the method 26 stops the reels 14 at step 34 and evaluates them at step 36 for a winning combination of symbols 20. The method 26 can perform this evaluation in a variety of ways typically known in the art, including a horizontal payline of matching symbols 20, a vertical payline of matching symbols 20, adjacent clusters of matching symbols 20, diagonal or bending paylines of matching symbols 20, or a ‘ways pays’ combination of matching symbols 20. In this embodiment, the method 26 detects a winning combination of symbols 20, and proceeds to step 40 and activates a halo 22.
After a period of time, the method 26 stops the movement of the halo 22 at step 46, and proceeds to evaluate at step 48 possible winning combinations of symbols 20 and 24. At this time, as shown in
Here, the method 26 detects a winning combination of symbols 20 and 24 in evaluation step 48, and proceeds to step 40 and activates a second halo 22′. The gaming system 12 again implements dynamic graphics scaling 13 to reduce the size of the symbols 20 and 24 contained within game board 18′ and to create game board 18″, which permits the inclusion of the second halo 22′ as depicted in
After a period of time, the method 26 stops the movement of the second halo 22′ at step 46, and proceeds to evaluate at step 48 possible winning combinations of symbols 20, 24, and 24′. At this time, a third halo 22″ with its associated symbols 24″ is inactive but partially visible, grayed out in a phantom image, outside the boundary of the game board 18″. If the method 26 detects a third winning combination of symbols 20 after stopping the third halo 22″ in step 46, the method 26 may continue to cycle through steps 40, 46, and 48 to activate, stop, and evaluate additional halos 22 until no further winning combinations of symbols are found.
In this second embodiment and as is shown in
As is depicted in the transition from
In different non-limiting embodiments, the gaming system 12 may implement the method 26 on a variety of configurations of initial reels 14. In the fourth embodiment depicted in
In a fifth embodiment, illustrated by
In a sixth embodiment, illustrated by
The gaming device 12 may employ the steps of method 26 described above to add halos to initial symbol reels of any configuration or shape. The examples above are intended to be illustrative but non-limiting and non-exhaustive.
Having herein set forth the various embodiments of the present invention, it is anticipated that suitable modifications can be made thereto which will nonetheless remain within the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/074,785, filed Nov. 4, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference for all it discloses.
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