Gaming machine and method with persistence feature

1. A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising the operations of:

displaying, on an electronic display device, a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions;

conducting a first spin including:

spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and

animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and

conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including:

again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in another one of the tagged symbol positions that is in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a fourth value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions;

animating the array to display (i) a first value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a second value borne by the third value-bearing symbol in the another one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a third value derived from the first and second values in any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster;

awarding an award based on the first, second, and third values;

animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in the cluster; and

animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third value is equal to the sum of the first and second values.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:

detecting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and

receiving, via at least one of one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the operation of:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.

8. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine including an electronic display device configured to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions; and

game-logic circuitry configured to perform the operations of:

conducting a first spin including:

spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and

animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and

conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including:

again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in another one of the tagged symbol positions that is in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a fourth value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions;

animating the array to display (i) a first value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a second value borne by the third value-bearing symbol in the another one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a third value derived from the first and second values in any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster;

awarding an award based on the first, second, and third values;

animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in the cluster; and

animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed.

9. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions.

10. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position.

11. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the third value is equal to the sum of the first and second values.

12. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster.

13. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the gaming machine includes a value input device and one or more electronic input devices, and wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to perform the operations of:

detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

14. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to perform the operation of:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.

15. A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising the operations of:

displaying, on an electronic display device, a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions;

conducting a first spin including:

spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and

animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and

conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including:

again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, and (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions;

animating the array to display a value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions;

awarding an award based on the value borne by the second value-bearing symbol, multiplied by the number of tagged symbol positions in the cluster;

animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in the cluster; and

animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the third value-bearing symbol landed.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the third value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the operations of:

detecting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and

receiving, via at least one of one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising the operation of:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.