Gaming system and method with multi-play nudge feature

1 . A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming cabinet and game-logic circuitry secured within a locked box inside the gaming cabinet, the game-logic circuitry including memory storing programming for a random number generator (RNG) and a wagering game that determines game outcomes, the method comprising the operations of:

prior to executing the wagering me, executing an authentication program on the gaming machine to authenticate at least the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming that determines game outcomes, wherein executing the authentication program comprises generating a live authentication code derived from contents of the memory and comparing the live authentication code to a trusted code stored in the memory, and permitting execution of the RNG programming and the wagering-programming only upon a match;

accepting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value to establish a monetary balance;

recording, in the memory, stored data indicative of the monetary balance;

displaying, by a present assembly, a plurality of reel sets of symbol-bearing reels, wherein the plurality of reel sets include at least five reel sets, and wherein each reel set includes three reels;

using, by the game-logic circuitry, the RNG programming to generate a randomly-determined outcome that identifies, for each of the plurality of reel sets, symbols for occupying three symbol positions of a respective array, the three symbol positions of the respective array being associated with a single payline;

spinning and stopping the plurality of reel sets, based on the randomly-determined outcome, to populate the respective arrays with the symbols from the respective reel sets, the populated arrays representing respective symbol outcomes;

updating, by the game logic circuitry and in the memory and based on the randomly-determined outcome, the stored data to indicate the symbols for the respective arrays and the respective symbol outcomes;

in response to a triggering event, conducting, by the game-logic circuitry, a nudging feature, the nudging feature including nudging one or more reels of any of the reel sets that populated its respective array with a losing symbol outcome to convert the losing symbol outcome to a winning symbol outcome, wherein conducting the nudging feature includes determining, according to a predetermined set of requirements indicating how to nudge each reel based on the symbols in the losing symbol outcome, a nudge direction for each of one or more reels to be nudged, successively animating at least one reel set that is converted from the losing symbol outcome to the winning symbol outcome, and nudging each of the one or more reels by at least one symbol position in the nudge direction to convert the losing symbol outcome to the winning symbol outcome; and

presenting, by the presentation assembly, an award for each winning symbol outcomes.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying operation includes displaying a persistent element, and further including in response to at least one of the arrays being populated with an accumulation symbol, animating an addition of the accumulation symbol to the persistent element, and wherein the game-logic circuitry, using a random number generator, randomly triggers the nudge feature in response to the addition.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the animating operation includes providing a visual indication of accumulating value at the persistent element to which the accumulation symbol is added.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reels in each reel set are electromechanical reels.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conducting operation includes successively animating the reel sets that are converted from the losing symbol outcome to the winning symbol outcome.

6 . A gaming machine comprising:

a gaming cabinet;

a value input device configured to accept a physical item associated with a monetary value to establish a monetary balance;

a presentation assembly configured to display a plurality of reel sets of symbol-bearing reels; and

game-logic circuitry secured within a locked box inside the gaming cabinet, the game-logic circuitry including memory storing programming for a random number generator (RNG) and a wagering game that determines game outcomes, and configured to perform the operations of:

prior to executing the wagering game, executing an authentication program to authenticate at least the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming that determines game outcomes, wherein executing the authentication program comprises generating a live authentication code derived from contents of the memory and comparing the live authentication code to a trusted code stored in the memory, and permitting execution of the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming only upon a match;

recording, in the memory, stored data indicative of the monetary balance;

using the RNG, generating a randomly-determined outcome that identifies, for each of the plurality of reel sets, symbols for occupying three symbol positions of a respective array, the three symbol positions of the respective array being associated with a single payline, wherein the plurality of reel sets include at least five reel sets, and wherein each reel set includes three reels;

spinning and stopping the plurality of reel sets, based on the randomly-determined outcome, to populate the respective arrays with the symbols from the respective reel sets, the populated arrays representing respective symbol outcomes;

updating, by the game-logic circuitry and in the memory and based on the randomly-determined outcome, the stored data to indicate the symbols for the respective arrays and the respective symbol outcomes;

in response to a triggering event, conducting a nudging feature including nudging one or more reels of any of the reel sets that populated its respective array with a losing symbol outcome to convert the losing symbol outcome to a winning symbol outcome, wherein conducting the nudging feature includes determining, according to a predetermined set of requirements indicating how to nudge each reel based on the symbols in the losing symbol outcome, a nudge direction for each of one or more reels to be nudged, successively animating at least one reel set that is converted from the losing symbol outcome to the winning symbol outcome, and nudging each of the one or more reels by at least one symbol position in the nudge direction to convert the losing symbol outcome to a winning symbol outcome; and

directing the presentation assembly to present an award for each winning symbol outcome.

7 . The gaming machine of claim 6 , wherein the presentation assembly is configured to display a persistent element, and further including in response to at least one of the arrays being populated with an accumulation symbol, the game-logic circuitry is configured to direct the presentation assembly to animate an addition of the accumulation symbol to the persistent element and randomly trigger the nudge feature in response to the addition.

8 . The gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the game-logic circuitry is configured to direct the presentation assembly to provide a visual indication of accumulating value at the persistent element to which the accumulation symbol is added.

9 . The gaming machine of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of reels in each reel set are electromechanical reels.

10 . The gaming machine of claim 6 , wherein the conducting operation includes successively animating the reel sets that are converted from the losing symbol outcome to the winning symbol outcome.