Slot machine with persistent change in symbol function
View Patent ↗A slot machine conducts a wagering game in which a plurality of arrays of symbols are successively displayed. Each array may, for example, result from a free spin of a plurality of symbol-bearing reels during a bonus feature. In each free spin, the reels are rotated and stopped to place the symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area. In response to a random event, at least one symbol may change its function and maintain that function for a plurality of the successive free spins. For example, the symbol may become a wild symbol or a scatter pay symbol. Payouts for the free spins are awarded according to a pay table.
1. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:
receiving a wager from a player to initiate a play of the wagering game;
using a wager detector of a gaming machine to signal a processor that the wager has been received from the player;
using the processor to execute a game program that causes a display of the gaming machine to display successive arrays of symbols during the play of the wagering game, each array of the successive arrays being comprised of a plurality of rows and columns and being generated by a plurality of symbol-bearing reels that are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area;
respinning all the reels of the plurality of symbol-beating reels to generate a respective array of a subsequent plurality of the successive arrays;
in response to multiple predetermined symbols of one type being randomly displayed, altering a function of at least one symbol of the symbols on the reels and maintaining the function for the at least one symbol for one or more of the subsequent plurality of the successive arrays resulting from the respinning, the function for the at least one symbol being retained for one or more of the subsequent plurality of the successive arrays resulting from successive respinning of the reels; and
awarding payouts for the successive arrays according to a pay table.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the symbols of each away are randomly selected.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function is selected from a group consisting of a wild function, scatter pay function, a morphing function, and a reproducing function.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the altering step includes maintaining the function for that symbol for a random number of the successive arrays.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the altering step includes maintaining the function for that symbol for a predetermined number of the successive arrays.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols include an appearance of a plurality of the at least one symbol in one of the successive arrays.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols include an appearance of another symbol or symbol combination, other than the at least one symbol, in one of the successive arrays.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols are independent of the symbols in the successive arrays.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying step is triggered by a special outcome in a basic game.
10. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:
receiving a wager from a player to initiate a play of the wagering game;
using a wager detector of a gaming machine to signal a processor that the wager has been
received from the player;
using the processor to execute a game program that causes a display of the gaming machine to display successive free spins of a plurality of symbol-bearing reels during the play of the wagering game, wherein in each free spin the plurality of reels are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area;
respinning all the reels of the plurality of symbol-beating reels to place the symbols on the reels in visual association with the display area for each of the subsequent plurality of the successive free spins;
in response to multiple predetermined symbols of one type being randomly displayed, altering a function of at least one symbol of the symbols on the reels and maintaining the function for the at least one symbol for one or more of the subsequent plurality of the successive free spins resulting from the respinning, the function for the at least one symbol being retained for one or more of the subsequent plurality of the successive free spins resulting from successive respinning of the reels; and
awarding payouts for the successive free spins according to a pay table.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the displaying step is triggered by a special outcome in a basic game.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the function is selected from a group consisting of a wild function, scatter pay function, a morphing function, and a reproducing function.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the altering step includes maintaining the function for that symbol for a random number of the successive free spins.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the altering step includes maintaining the function for that symbol for a predetermined number of the successive free spins.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols include an appearance of a plurality of the at least one symbol in one of the successive free spins.
16. A gaming system comprising:
a value input device for receiving a wager from a player to initiate a play of the wagering game;
a display for displaying successive arrays of symbols during the play of the wagering game, each array of the successive arrays being comprised of a plurality of rows and columns and being generated by a plurality of symbol-bearing reels that are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with an area of the display;
a processor, responsive to multiple predetermined symbols of one type being randomly displayed, operative to
alter a function of at least one symbol of the symbols on the reels;
respin all the reels of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels to generate a respective array of a subsequent plurality of the successive arrays;
maintain the function for the at least one symbol for one or more of the subsequent plurality of the successive arrays resulting from the respinning, the function for the at least one symbol being retained for one or more of the subsequent plurality of the successive arrays resulting from successive respinning of the reels; and
an award apparatus for awarding payouts for the successive arrays according to a pay table.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the symbols of each array of the successive arrays are randomly selected.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the function is selected from a group consisting of a wild function, scatter pay function, a morphing function, and a reproducing function.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is operative to maintain the function for the symbol for a random number of the successive arrays.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is operative to maintain the function for the symbol for a predetermined number of the successive arrays.
21. The system of claim 16 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols include an appearance of a plurality of the at least one symbol in one of the successive arrays.
22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols include an appearance of another symbol or symbol combination, other than the at least one symbol, in one of the successive arrays.
23. The system of claim 16 , wherein the randomly displayed multiple predetermined symbols are independent of the symbols in the successive arrays.
24. The system of claim 16 , wherein the display is operative to display the successive arrays of symbols in response to a special outcome in a basic game.