A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains or may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
Gaming device manufacturers strive to make wagering gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment, entertainment and excitement as possible for players. Providing interesting and exciting primary or base games and secondary or bonus games in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits is one way to enhance player enjoyment and excitement. Another way to enhance a player's enjoyment, entertainment and excitement with a gaming device is by including lights, sounds and other visual or audio or audio-visual effects in the gaming machines.
Certain known gaming devices use mechanical devices such as reels, wheels and light displays to enhance the attraction of the machines to players and also to enhance the player's game playing experience. These mechanical devices enable a player to see physical movements of a game, a portion of a game, or a functional game event or element which increases the player's enjoyment of the game.
To increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide new and different mechanical devices in conjunction with wagering gaming devices.
One embodiment of the present invention relates generally to a wagering gaming machine including a primary or secondary game having a symbol display and a plurality of selectable symbol modifying indicator generators generally referred to as a symbol modifying indicator. Each of the plurality of selectable symbol modifying indicators are operable to perform two functions, including indicating one of the symbols displayed by the symbol display and indicating a modifier associated with that symbol. The symbol display and symbol modifying indicators co-act to display an outcome provided to a player in the game based on the indicated symbols and the generated modifiers.
In one embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to select or determine which of the symbol modifying indicators are activated. In one such embodiment, the game includes a plurality of player selectable selections. The game enables the player to pick at least one selection from the plurality of selections to activate at least one of the symbol modifying indicators. It should be appreciated that other suitable methods could be employed to determine how many symbol modifying indicators are activated for the game.
In one embodiment, the symbol display includes a mechanical movable or rotatable display which generates a plurality of symbols such as award values. The generated award values and associated modifiers determine the award provided to the player. In one such embodiment, a player picks a selection from a selection display and the gaming device activates a symbol modifying indicator associated with that picked selection. The gaming device moves, rotates or otherwise activates the rotatable display to generate a plurality of award values in the game. After the rotatable display stops rotating or spinning, an award value is indicated by each activated symbol modifying indicator. The modifier generated by each activated symbol modifying indicator modifies the award value indicated by that activated symbol modifying indicator. For example, in one embodiment, each of the symbol modifying indicators generate a multiplier which multiplies the award value indicated on the section of the rotatable display adjacent to or indicated by that activated symbol modifying indicator. The modified award values are provided to the player.
In one embodiment, the symbol modifying indicators are each mechanical dice operable to generate a modifier such as a multiplier in the game. The gaming device also includes a selection display which includes at least one and preferably a plurality of selections. Each of the selections are associated with one of the symbol modifying indicators such as the mechanical dies. The gaming device enables the player to pick at least one selection to activate one or more of the mechanical dies. After the player's selections are complete, the gaming device rotates a rotatable display such as a reel strip, a mechanical reel or a simulated reel on a video display and also causes each selected mechanical die to generate a modifier such as a multiplier. When the rotatable display stops spinning, the gaming device determines a total award to provide to the player based on at least one of the award values indicated by the rotatable display and the modifiers generated by the mechanical die.
In one embodiment, each of the symbol modifying indicators indicate one of the sections on the rotatable display; however, only the activated modifier generators are employed in the game to modify the award values displayed by the rotatable display and indicated by the activated symbol modifying indicators. The modifier generated by the activated symbol modifying indicator modifies the award value indicated by that activated symbol modifying indicator. The modified award is added to the player's total award in the game. In one embodiment, the symbol modifying indicators are each positioned adjacent to one of the positions of the rotatable display. In another embodiment, each of the symbol modifying indicators are positioned adjacent to or between two positions of the rotatable display. In this embodiment, the modifier generated by the symbol modifying indicators modifies the award values in each of the sections positioned adjacent to the activated symbol modifying indicators. The modified awards are provided to the player.
As indicated above, in one embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to pick a selection to activate one of the symbol modifying indicators in the game. In an alternative embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to pick a plurality of selections to activate one or more of the symbol modifying indicators in the game. The number of selections may be greater than, equal to or less than the number of symbol modifying indicators. In this embodiment, the selection display includes a plurality of selections and at least one of the selections includes a terminator. The other selections (i.e., the remaining selections) include indicators such as messages which instruct or enable the player to pick one or more additional selections. It should be appreciated that the selection display may include selections that include one or more terminators.
In the above embodiment, the player picks a selection and activates the symbol modifying indicator associated with that selection. If the selection includes a pick again message or similar message, the gaming device enables the player to pick another selection. The player then picks another selection from the selection display. The player continues to pick selections until the player picks the selection associated with termination indicator, terminator or terminator symbol. The terminator causes the gaming device to stop the player from picking any more selections from the selection display in the game. In one embodiment, the selection including the terminator activates one of the symbol modifying indicators in the game. In another embodiment, the selection including the terminator does not activate a symbol modifying indicator.
In a further embodiment, the selections include a number of the symbol modifying indicators to be activated in a play of the game. For example, if one of the selections includes the number three, then three of the symbol modifying indicators are activated. In one embodiment, the gaming device automatically selects the symbol modifying indicators to activate based on the number revealed by the picked selection. In another embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to pick the symbol modifying indicators to activate based on the number associated with the picked selection.
In another embodiment, each of the symbol modifying indicators include a plurality of section indicators which indicate sections of the rotatable display. In one aspect of this embodiment, at least one of the section indicators associated with two different symbol modifying indicators indicates the same section of the rotatable display. It should be appreciated that two or more of the section indicators associated with the symbol modifying indicators may indicate the same section of the rotatable display in a play of the game. It should also be appreciated that one, a plurality or all of the section indicators for each of the symbol modifying indicators may be activated or indicate the same section or different sections in a play of the game. By at least having two section indicators which indicate the same section of the rotatable display, the gaming device enables a player to obtain more symbols or awards in a play of the game and enables the player to possibly obtain a relatively large award in the play of the game.
Although the above embodiments include one rotatable display such as a reel strip or mechanical reel and a plurality of symbol modifying indicators or mechanical dies, it should be appreciated that the gaming device may include one or more mechanical reels or other suitable display devices where one or more symbol modifying indicators are associated with each of those mechanical reels or display devices.
It should thus be appreciated that each activated symbol modifying indicator serves a dual purpose by indicating one of the symbols and the modifier.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a gaming device that enables the player to pick at least one selection to determine multiple different components of an award.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes.
Referring now to the drawings, two alternative embodiments of the gaming device of the present invention are illustrated in
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, part or all of the program code and/or operating data described above can be stored in a detachable or removable memory device, including, but not limited to, a suitable cartridge, disk or CD ROM. A player can use such a removable memory device in a desktop, a laptop personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or other computerized platform. The processor and memory device may be collectively referred to herein as a computer or controller.
In one embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gaming device randomly generates awards and/or other game outcomes based on probability data. That is, each award or other game outcome is associated with a probability and the gaming device generates the award or other game outcome to be provided to the player based on the associated probabilities. In this embodiment, since the gaming device generates outcomes randomly or based upon a probability calculation, there is no certainty that the gaming device will ever provide the player with any specific award or other game outcome.
In another embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gaming device employs a predetermined or finite set or pool of awards or other game outcomes. In this embodiment, as each award or other game outcome is provided to the player, the gaming device removes the provided award or other game outcome from the predetermined set or pool. Once removed from the set or pool, the specific provided award or other game outcome cannot be provided to the player again. This type of gaming device provides players with all of the available awards or other game outcomes over the course of the play cycle and guarantees the amount of actual wins and losses.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
The display devices may include, without limitation, a monitor, a television display, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD) a display based on light emitting diodes (LED) or any other suitable electronic device or display mechanism. In one embodiment, as described in more detail below, the display device includes a touch-screen with an associated touch-screen controller. The display devices may be of any suitable configuration, such as a square, rectangle, elongated rectangle.
The display devices of the gaming device are configured to display at least one and preferably a plurality of game images or other suitable images, symbols and indicia such as any visual representation or exhibition of the movement of objects such as mechanical, virtual or video reels and wheels, dynamic lighting, video images, images of people, characters, places, things and faces of cards, tournament advertisements and the like.
In one embodiment, the symbols, images and indicia displayed on or of the display device are in mechanical form. That is, the display device may include any electromechanical device, such as one or more mechanical objects, such as one or more rotatable wheels, reels or dice, configured to display at least one and preferably a plurality of game images or other suitable images, symbols or indicia.
As illustrated in
As seen in
In one embodiment, as shown in
In one embodiment, one input device is a cash out button 38. The player may push the cash out button and cash out to receive a cash payment or other suitable form of payment corresponding to the number of remaining credits. In one embodiment, when the player cashes out, the player receives the coins or tokens in a coin payout tray 40. In one embodiment, when the player cashes out, the player may receive other payout mechanisms such as tickets or credit slips redeemable by a cashier or funding to the player's electronically recordable identification card.
In one embodiment, as mentioned above and seen in
The gaming device may further include a plurality of communication ports for enabling communication of the processor with external peripherals, such as external video sources, expansion buses, game or other displays, an SCSI port or a key pad.
In one embodiment, as seen in
In one embodiment, the gaming machine may include a player or other sensor, such as a camera in communication with the processor (and possibly controlled by the processor) that is selectively positioned to acquire an image of a player actively using the gaming device and/or the surrounding area of the gaming device. In one embodiment, the camera may be configured to selectively acquire still or moving (e.g., video) images and may be configured to acquire the images in either an analog, digital or other suitable format. The display devices may be configured to display the image acquired by the camera as well as display the visible manifestation of the game in split screen or picture-in-picture fashion. For example, the camera may acquire an image of the player and that image can be incorporated into the primary and/or secondary game as a game image, symbol or indicia.
In one embodiment, in addition to winning credits in a base or primary game, the gaming device may also give players the opportunity to win credits in a bonus or secondary game or bonus or secondary round. The bonus or secondary game enables the player to obtain a prize or payout in addition to the prize or payout, if any, obtained from the base or primary game. In general, a bonus or secondary game produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than the base or primary game because it provides a greater expectation of winning than the base or primary game and is accompanied with more attractive or unusual features than the base or primary game.
In one embodiment, the bonus or secondary game may be any type of suitable game, either similar to or completely different from the base or primary game. In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a program which will automatically begin a bonus round when the player has achieved a triggering event or qualifying condition in the base or primary game. In one embodiment, the triggering event or qualifying condition may be a selected outcome in the primary game or a particular arrangement of one or more indicia on a display device in the primary game, such as the number seven appearing on three adjacent reels along a payline in the primary slot game embodiment seen in
In one embodiment, once a player has qualified for a bonus game, the player may subsequently enhance his/her bonus game participation through continued play on the base or primary game. Thus, for each bonus qualifying event, such as a bonus symbol, that the player obtains, a given number of bonus game wagering points or credits may be accumulated in a “bonus meter” programmed to accrue the bonus wagering credits or entries toward eventual participation in a bonus game. The occurrence of multiple such bonus qualifying events in the primary game may result in an arithmetic or geometric increase in the number of bonus wagering credits awarded. In one embodiment, extra bonus wagering credits may be redeemed during the bonus game to extend play of the bonus game.
In one embodiment, no separate entry fee or buy in for a bonus game need be employed. That is, a player may not purchase an entry into a bonus game; he must win or earn entry through play of the primary game and, thus, play of the primary game is encouraged. In another embodiment, qualification of the bonus or secondary game could be accomplished through a simple “buy in” by the player if, for example, the player has been unsuccessful at qualifying through other specified activities.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the game outcome provided to the player is determined by a central server or controller and provided to the player at the gaming device of the present invention. In this embodiment, each of a plurality of such gaming devices are in communication with the central server or controller. Upon a player initiating game play at one of the gaming devices, the initiated gaming device communicates a game outcome request to the central server or controller.
In one embodiment, the central server or controller receives the game outcome request and randomly generates a game outcome for the primary game based on probability data. In another embodiment, the central server or controller randomly generates a game outcome for the secondary game based on probability data. In another embodiment, the central server or controller randomly generates a game outcome for both the primary game and the secondary game based on probability data. In this embodiment, the central server or controller is capable of storing and utilizing program code or other data similar to the processor and memory device of the gaming device.
In an alternative embodiment, the central server or controller maintains one or more predetermined pools or sets of predetermined game outcomes. In this embodiment, the central server or controller receives the game outcome request and independently selects a predetermined game outcome from a set or pool of game outcomes. The central server or controller flags or marks the selected game outcome as used. Once a game outcome is flagged as used, it is prevented from further selection from the set or pool and cannot be selected by the central controller or server upon another wager. The provided game outcome can include a primary game outcome, a secondary game outcome, primary and secondary game outcomes, or a series of game outcomes such a free games.
The central server or controller communicates the generated or selected game outcome to the initiated gaming device. The gaming device receives the generated or selected game outcome and provides the game outcome to the player. In an alternative embodiment, how the generated or selected game outcome is to be presented or displayed to the player, such as a reel symbol combination of a slot machine or a hand of cards dealt in a card game, is also determined by the central server or controller and communicated to the initiated gaming device to be presented or displayed to the player. Central production or control can assist a gaming establishment or other entity in maintaining appropriate records, controlling gaming, reducing and preventing cheating or electronic or other errors, reducing or eliminating win-loss volatility and the like.
In another embodiment, one or more of the gaming devices of the present invention are in communication with a central server or controller for monitoring purposes only. That is, each individual gaming device randomly generates the game outcomes to be provided to the player and the central server or controller monitors the activities and events occurring on the plurality of gaming devices. In one embodiment, the gaming network includes a real-time or on-line accounting and gaming information system operably coupled to the central server or controller. The accounting and gaming information system of this embodiment includes a player database for storing player profiles, a player tracking module for tracking players and a credit system for providing automated casino transactions.
A plurality of the gaming devices of the present invention are capable of being connected together through a data network. In one embodiment, the data network is a local area network (LAN), in which one or more of the gaming devices are substantially proximate to each other and an on-site central server or controller as in, for example, a gaming establishment or a portion of a gaming establishment. In another embodiment, the data network is a wide area network (WAN) in which one or more of the gaming devices are in communication with at least one off-site central server or controller. In this embodiment, the plurality of gaming devices may be located in a different part of the gaming establishment or within a different gaming establishment than the off-site central server or controller. Thus, the WAN may include an off-site central server or controller and an off-site gaming device located within gaming establishments in the same geographic area, such as a city or state. The WAN gaming system of the present invention may be substantially identical to the LAN gaming system described above, although the number of gaming devices in each system may vary relative to each other.
In another embodiment, the data network is an internet or intranet. In this embodiment, the operation of the gaming device can be viewed at the gaming device with at least one internet browser. In this embodiment, operation of the gaming device and accumulation of credits may be accomplished with only a connection to the central server or controller (the internet/intranet server) through a conventional phone or other data transmission line, digital signal line (DSL), T-1 line, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, or other suitable connection. In this embodiment, players may access an Internet game page from any location where an internet connection and computer, or other internet facilitator are available. The expansion in the number of computers and number and speed of internet connections in recent years increases opportunities for players to play from an ever-increasing number of remote sites. It should be appreciated that enhanced bandwidth of digital wireless communications may render such technology suitable for some or all communications according to the present invention, particularly if such communications are encrypted. Higher data transmission speeds may be useful for enhancing the sophistication and response of the display and interaction with the player.
In another embodiment, a plurality of gaming devices at one or more gaming sites may be networked to a central server in a progressive configuration, as known in the art, wherein a portion of each wager to initiate a base or primary game may be allocated to bonus or secondary event awards. In one embodiment, a host site computer is coupled to a plurality of the central servers at a variety of mutually remote gaming sites for providing a multi-site linked progressive automated gaming system. In one embodiment, a host site computer may serve gaming devices distributed throughout a number of properties at different geographical locations including, for example, different locations within a city or different cities within a state.
In one embodiment, the host site computer is maintained for the overall operation and control of the system. In this embodiment, a host site computer oversees the entire progressive gaming system and is the master for computing all progressive jackpots. All participating gaming sites report to, and receive information from, the host site computer. Each central server computer is responsible for all data communication between the gaming device hardware and software and the host site computer.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a gaming device having a game including a symbols display such as a rotatable symbol display and a plurality of symbol modifying indicator generators generally referred to as symbol modifying indicators which determine a total award provided to a player in the game.
Referring now to
The gaming device includes at least one and preferably a plurality of symbol modifying indicators such as mechanical dice 106a, 106b, 106c and 106d. In one embodiment, each of the mechanical dies is operable to indicate at least one of the sections 102 of the rotatable symbol display 100. In this embodiment, each mechanical die is positioned adjacent to an area of the rotatable symbol display. It should be appreciated that the symbol modifying indicators or dice may be positioned in any suitable location with respect to the symbol display.
In one embodiment, the rotatable symbol display 100 includes a plurality of sections 102 where each of the sections includes at least one value such as an award value 104. It should be appreciated that the rotatable symbol display 100 may include any suitable number of sections 102 where each of the sections include at least one award value or other suitably functional symbol. In one embodiment, the award values or awards 104 associated with each of the sections are different. In another embodiment, at least two of the award values or awards associated with each of the sections are the same. In a further embodiment, at least one of the awards associated with the sections 102 includes a relatively large award and the awards associated with the remaining sections include relatively small awards. It should be appreciated that any suitable outcome or outcome component may be associated with the sections of the symbol display and that the symbol display may take any suitable form.
Referring to
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, the symbol modifying indicators such as the mechanical dice are activated by the gaming device or the player to cause the mechanical dice to generate modifiers in a game. In one embodiment, a selection display 110 is displayed to the player and includes a plurality of selections such as selections 112a, 112b, 112c and 112d. Each of the selections 112 is associated with one of the mechanical dies 106. For example, selection 112a is associated with mechanical die 106a, selection 112b is associated with mechanical die 106b, selection 112c is associated with mechanical die 106c and selection 112d is associated with mechanical die 106d. Each selection 112 is initially masked to conceal the message provided to the player. For example, selections 112a, 112b, 112c and 112d include letters A, B, C and D, respectively, which are each associated with one of the mechanical dies 106.
In one embodiment, a total award display 114 indicates any values such as an award or awards obtained by the player in the game. The award indicated by the total award display 114 is provided to the player at the end of a game.
In one embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to pick one of the selections 112a, 112b, 112c or 112d from the selection display 110 at the start of a game. The gaming device reveals or indicates the indicator or message associated with the picked selection. For example, in
In one embodiment, the outcome or award provided to the player is based on two components. The two components are the modifier generated by the activated symbol modifying indicator and the value determined by the rotatable display 100 and indicated by that activated symbol modifying indicator. For example in
The gaming device therefore provides a plurality of components or award indicators to a player for each selection made by the player in the game, where the components or indicators are combined to determine the player's award. The present invention increases players' excitement and enjoyment of the game by providing multiple components for each selection picked by the player where the components combine to determine the players' award and thereby gives players an opportunity to receive a potentially large award in the game.
Referring again to
As shown in
In one embodiment, as described above, a player picks one or more of the selections and then activates one or more of the symbol modifying indicators. The gaming device then causes the rotatable symbol display to rotate and any activated symbol modifying indicators to generate modifiers. It should be appreciated that the gaming device may cause the rotatable display to rotate and the symbol modifying indicators to generate modifiers before the player picks any of the selections, at the same time as the player picks the selections or after the player picks the selections. It should also be appreciated that the gaming device may cause the rotatable display to rotate before the player picks any of the selections and then cause the symbol modifying indicators to generate modifiers. Alternatively, the gaming device may cause the symbol modifying indicators to generate modifiers before the player picks any of the selections and then cause the rotatable display to rotate after the player picks the selections. It should be appreciated that the gaming device may cause the rotatable display to rotate or the symbol modifying indicators to generate modifiers before, during or after the player picks any of the selections.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to pick one of the selections 112a, 112b, 112c or 112d from the selection display 110 at the start of the game. The gaming device activates the section indicator or arrow 108 associated with the mechanical die 106 corresponding to the selection picked by the player (activation of the section indicators is shown by shading the activated section indicators). For example, if the player picks selections 112c, the gaming device activates indicator 108c of the symbol modifying indicator 106c. If the player picks selection 112d, the gaming device activates indicator 108d of the mechanical die 106d. The gaming device enables the player to pick selections 112 until the player picks the selection which reveals the message “look up” (i.e., the terminator). For example, selection 112d includes the message “look up.” This selection causes the gaming device to terminate the players ability to pick more selections in the game and causes the rotatable display 100 to rotate and generate symbols and each of the symbol modifying indicators 106 to generate a modifier in the game. The gaming device activates or rotates-the rotatable display 100 and causes each of the mechanical dies 106 to generate a modifier such as a multiplier as illustrated in
As described above, each selection picked by the player generates two components which combine or otherwise form the outcome or award provided to the player for that picked selection. One of the components is an award value associated with at least one of the sections 102 on the rotatable display 100 and the other component is a corresponding modifier such as a multiplier generated by any activated symbol modifying indicator such as mechanical die 106. Specifically, the gaming device provides an outcome or award determined by summing the products of each of the award values indicated by an activated mechanical die and the modifiers generated by those activated mechanical dies. For example, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to pick selections 112 from the selection display 110 to activate one or more of the symbol modifying indicators or mechanical dies 106. The section indicators 108 indicate the sections 102 of the rotatable display 100 that are to be independently activated according to the selection or selections 112 picked by player from the selection display 110. Therefore, a player may activate one, two, three or four of the section indicators 108 and mechanical dies 106 in a game depending on the selections 112 picked by the player. If the player picks a selection that reveals the “pick again” message, the gaming device enables the player to pick another of the selections 112 from the selection display 110. Additionally, the gaming device activates the corresponding section indicator 108 and mechanical die 106 associated with the picked selection 112. The player then picks another of the selections 112 to activate another of the section indicators and modifier generators 106 in the game. The player picks selections 112 until the player picks a selection including the message “look up” which is a terminator in the game.
In the example shown in
In an alternative embodiment, the processor provides a designated number of picks of the selections 112 to a player. The player uses the picks to pick the selections 112 until the player picks a selection associated with a terminator or until there are no picks remaining in the game. It should be appreciated that the designated number of picks may be randomly determined, predetermined, based on a wager made by a player or determined according to any suitable determination method.
In another alternative embodiment, the message (e.g., “look up”) or other suitable indicator, which identifies when the player has picked a selection including a terminator, does not appear on the selection itself when the player picks that selection. Instead, the message appears in a different location which is viewable by the player. In one aspect of this embodiment, the message is displayed at a different location on the display device which is separate from the selections or the selection display. In another aspect, the message is displayed separately or independently from the display or display device including the selections such as on a different display device. It should be appreciated that the message may be displayed on the same display device or on a different display device from the selections. It should also be appreciated that the message or indicator may be displayed at any suitable location on the same display device as the selections or at any suitable location on a different display device from the display device including the selections.
Once the player picks the selection including the terminator or terminator symbol, the gaming device activates the rotatable display 100 and each of the symbol modifying indicators 106. Once the rotatable display 100 stops rotating and each of the symbol modifying indicators 106 generates a modifier such as a multiplier, the gaming device determines the award to provide to the player in the game. In one embodiment, the award equals the sum of the products of each of the multipliers generated by the activated mechanical dies 106 and the values 104 of the sections 102 that correspond to the activated mechanical dies 106. Thus, the gaming device only generates the award based on the section indicators 108 and the mechanical die that have been activated (i.e., picked by the player) in the game. For example, as illustrated in
Referring to
Referring specifically to
In
In
In
In
Referring now to
In one alternative embodiment, the number of symbol modifying indicators such as the number of mechanical dice, is greater than the number of selections associated with the symbol modifying indicators. For example, the gaming device provides or displays six symbol modifying indicators which indicate locations on the rotatable display and four selections associated with the six symbol modifying indicators in a game. The gaming device then enables a player to pick selections to activate four of the six symbol modifying indicators. In another alternative embodiment, each selection is associated with one or a plurality of symbol modifying indicators. In this embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to pick the selections and activate a portion of or all of the symbol modifying indicators in the game depending on the number of symbol modifying indicators that are associated with the selections. It should be appreciated that any suitable number of symbol modifying indicators may be associated with the selections in a game or games.
In another alternative embodiment, the gaming device provides a number of selections which is greater than the number of symbol modifying indicators in a game. In this embodiment, one or more of the selections are associated with one or more of the symbol modifying indicators. The gaming device enables the player to pick selections until all of the symbol modifying indicators are activated or until the player picks a selection associated with a terminator or terminator symbol. It should be appreciated that the selections may be associated with one or a plurality of terminators or terminator symbols, one or plurality of symbol modifying indicators, one or a plurality of outcomes such as awards or any suitable number of terminators, symbol modifying indicators, awards or other outcomes.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the selection display 110 includes selections which are each associated with one of the section indicators 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d, 108e, 108f and 108g. Therefore, one or more of the section indicators 108 are independently activated when the player picks the selections from the selection display in a play of the game. In another embodiment, a plurality of the section indicators 108 are activated for each selection picked by the player. It should be appreciated that one, a plurality or all of the section indicators may be activated when a player picks one or more of the selections 112 from the selection display 110. In a further embodiment, each selection indicates a group of section indicators such as section indicators 108a and 108f. The gaming device then randomly picks one or more of the section indicators in the group to activate in a play of the game. It should be appreciated that the selections may indicate one or more groups of section indicators. It should also be appreciated that the one, a plurality or all of the section indicators in a group may be activated upon one or more selections picked by the player.
Referring now to
In one example illustrated in
While the present invention is described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. Modifications and variations in the present invention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of the invention as defined in the claims, and this application is limited only by the scope of the claims.