Patent Application
20050164774
This invention relates to gaming machines and, in particular, to a special feature in a game played on a video gaming machine.
Video gaming machines that randomly select symbols for display on the video screen and grant awards to a player based upon the displayed symbol combinations are very popular. The symbols may form a 3×1 array, having three symbols in a single row, or the display may be a two dimensional array of symbols having, for example, three rows of symbols in five columns. The granting of an award is based on the symbol combinations across pay lines extending across the array of symbols.
Although the above-described gaming machines are popular, it is desirable to create a game that achieves more player excitement to generate more revenue by the gaming machine.
In one embodiment, a special feature is offered by a spinning reels type video slot machine, where virtual reels displayed on a video screen appear to rotate and are stopped to reveal an array of symbols. Awards are granted to the player based on certain combinations of symbols across a pay line.
One or more of the possible symbols are special symbols. Examples of special symbols are wild cards and multipliers. If the reels stop and display a special symbol, the special symbol is used in conjunction with the conventional symbols to grant an award to the player. If the special symbol cannot be utilized in the current game to grant an award to the player, the special symbol is carried over into the next game. When the player spins the reels for the next game, the special symbol(s) randomly moves to any position in the array as the reels appear to spin. When the reels stop, the special symbol(s) carried over from the previous game is applied to the current game to grant an award to the player. In another embodiment, the special symbols move in other than a random manner.
If the special symbol is a wild card, that special symbol acts as any symbol. If the special symbol is a multiplier, that special symbol multiplies the award along the pay line containing the special symbol. The multiplier can be superimposed over any other symbol, or can by placed in the corner of a symbol position, or can be placed at an end of a pay line.
Many different special symbols can be used in the same game. In one embodiment, up to eight special symbols can be carried over to a next game and randomly moved between games.
In another embodiment, special symbols are not extinguished after they are used, but may continue for any selected number of games.
Although the invention can typically be implemented by installing a software program in most types of modem video gaming machines, one particular gaming machine platform will be described in detail.
A coin slot 22 accepts coins or tokens in one or more denominations to generate credits within machine 10 for playing games. A slot 24 for an optical reader and printer receives machine readable printed tickets and outputs printed tickets for use in cashless gaming. A bill acceptor 26 accepts various denominations of banknotes.
A coin tray 32 receives coins or tokens from a hopper upon a win or upon the player cashing out.
A card reader slot 34 accepts any of various types of cards, such as smart cards, magnetic strip cards, or other types of cards conveying machine readable information. The card reader reads the inserted card for player and credit information for cashless gaming. The card reader may also include an optical reader and printer for reading and printing coded barcodes and other information on a paper ticket.
A keypad 36 accepts player input, such as a personal identification number (PIN) or any other player information. A display 38 above keypad 36 displays a menu for instructions and other information and provides visual feedback of the keys pressed.
Player control buttons 40 include any buttons needed for the play of the particular game or games offered by machine 10 including, for example, a bet button, a repeat bet button, a play two-ways button, a spin reels button, a maximum bet button, a cash-out button, a display pay lines button, a display payout tables button, select icon buttons, and any other suitable button. Additional buttons may be used with the invention. Buttons 40 may be replaced by a touch screen with virtual buttons, a joystick, a touchpad, or other types of controllers.
The gaming machine typically shows, either on its display glass or on a video screen, a pay table identifying the various awards that will be paid upon obtaining certain symbol combinations along activated pay lines or in certain patterns. The player may be required to bet additional credits to activate additional pay lines.
In additional to conventional symbols, the present invention also uses one or more types of special symbols. A special symbol has a special function such as being a wild card (acts as any symbol needed for a winning symbol combination on the same pay line), a multiplier (multiplies an award for combinations on the same pay line as the multiplier), a bonus award (adds a credit amount or a free game if on the same pay line as a winning symbol combination), a high value symbol, or a bonus game symbol (initiates a special bonus game if on the same pay line as a winning symbol combination). Any other special symbols may also be used.
In another embodiment, a special symbol is not automatically extinguished if it is used in an award-winning combination but is carried over to a certain number of subsequent games.
When the player spins the reels for the second game, the special symbol “?1” in
The gaming machine will typically use a pseudo-random number generator to automatically select a position of the special symbol(s).
Assuming the special symbols in
It is not necessary that a new special symbol appear after each spin. For example, a special symbol first appearing in a game may move around during the next three games without a new special symbol appearing. In the fifth game, a new special symbol may appear, and both special symbols then move around for subsequent games until they are extinguished.
The special symbols (e.g., wild cards) may be on the virtual reel strips, or may appear anywhere in the symbol array only during special games (e.g., bonus games), or may appear randomly during any game.
During any base game or bonus game, the special symbol may move in a random, restricted, or predetermined manner. For example, the special symbol may move only along one reel strip or straight across the reels. Any rule is envisioned. The use of the term random herein means that the movement appears random to the player even though the selection of the position of the special symbol may not be purely random.
In another embodiment, each of the two screens in
A displayed special symbol can be retained for multiple games based on various criteria, such as until a player wins using the special symbol, for a randomly selected number of games, for a predetermined number of games, for as long as the player continues to win, for a certain time, or based on other criteria. The feature of carrying over special symbols to subsequent games may even be only available upon certain triggering events, such as if the player obtained a special outcome in the main game.
In one embodiment, the special symbol disappears after a single game.
An additional special symbol (e.g., a wild symbol) may appear based on any criteria, such as randomly, or after a predetermined number of games, or after the player has achieved a certain outcome in the main game.
When a wild special symbol moves between games (e.g., when the reels are spinning) and lands on another wild special symbol, the wild may pay double for a win. The double wild may then move together during the next game.
There may even be limits to whether a displayed special symbol makes a position wild. For example, the special symbol can be wild only if a maximum bet is made.
In one embodiment, up to eight special symbols (either all the same or different types) can be carried over to a next game and randomly repositioned for the next game.
Numerous other embodiments are envisioned using these concepts.
One skilled in the art can easily program a pay table ROM to grant the appropriate award to the player when a special symbol is involved in the award.
Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, given the present disclosure, modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit of the inventive concepts described herein. Therefore, it is not intended that scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described.
