Wagering game with symbols collection
View Patent ↗Wagering game terminal and method of operating same are disclosed in which players collect symbols and/or symbol combinations that are indicative of a randomly selected outcome. The symbols and/or symbol combinations may be collected anytime they appear on the wagering game terminal, or they may be collected only if they appear in a certain manner or at a certain time. Players who manage to complete a predefined collection of symbols and/or symbol combinations are awarded a special event game, such as a bonus game, a jackpot, and the like. The players may carry over the symbols and/or symbol combinations they have collected across multiple gaming sessions and multiple gaming terminals. In this way, the players may retain the benefit of their previous gaming experiences.
1. A wagering game terminal, comprising:
a wager input device for receiving wager inputs at said wagering game terminal, said wagers applied to a wagering game in which outcomes are randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes; and
a display for displaying symbols indicative of each randomly selected outcome, said symbols including different special event symbols that are added to a special event collection associated with a player in response to said special event symbols being displayed on said display in a predetermined manner, said special event collection triggering a special event on said wagering game terminal when complete, wherein said special event collection is complete when a predetermined combination of said different special event symbols have been added to said special event collection;
wherein said wagering game terminal is configured to store said special event symbols that have been added to said special event collection upon conclusion of a current gaming session associated with the player and to restore said previously stored special event symbols to said special event collection in a subsequent gaming session associated with the player.
2. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event collection is complete when all of said special event symbols have been added to said special event collection.
3. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event collection is complete when a predetermined number of said special event symbols have been added to said special event collection.
4. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event symbols are part of card symbol combinations displayed as one or more of: a royal flush, a straight flush, a four of a kind, a full house, a flush, a straight, a three of a kind, two pairs, or a jacks or better.
5. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event includes a monetary award being given to a player at said wagering game terminal.
6. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event includes a bonus game being given to a player at said wagering game terminal.
7. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event includes an enhancement to a feature of said wagering game terminal.
8. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said special event includes an increase in a payout of said wagering game terminal.
9. The wagering game terminal of claim 1 , wherein said wagering game terminal is configured to store said special event symbols to an account accessible to the player.
10. The wagering game terminal of claim 1 , wherein said previously stored special event symbols comprise said special event symbols stored upon said conclusion of said current gaming session.
11. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the award is a special event.
12. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the special event combinations comprise at least three special event symbols.
13. The wagering game terminal according to claim 12 , wherein the special event combinations comprise at least three occurrences of the same special event symbol.
14. A method of operating a wagering game system, comprising:
accepting wagers at a wagering game terminal, said wagers applied to a wagering game in which outcomes are randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes;
displaying symbols indicative of each randomly selected outcome on a display, said symbols including different special event symbols;
adding said different special event symbols to a special event collection if said different special event symbols are displayed on said display in a predetermined manner;
storing said special event symbols that have been added to said special event collection upon conclusion of a current gaming session;
removing said special event symbols from said display upon the conclusion of the current gaming session;
restoring said previously stored special event symbols to said special event collection in a subsequent gaming session and displaying the restored special event symbols in the subsequent gaming session; and
triggering a special event on said wagering game terminal when said special event collection is complete in said subsequent gaming session, wherein said special event collection is complete when a predetermined combination of said different special event symbols have been added to said special event collection.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said predetermined manner includes said special event symbols being displayed in any combination that is indicative of a winning outcome.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wagering game includes a plurality of reels and said predetermined manner includes individual special event symbols being displayed anywhere on said reels.
17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wagering game includes a plurality of reels and said predetermined manner includes individual special event symbols being displayed in a specific location on said reels.
18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wagering game includes a plurality of reels and said predetermined manner includes any special event symbol being displayed in a row of three on said reels.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wagering game includes a plurality of reels and said predetermined manner includes said special event symbols being displayed in a payline of said wagering game.
20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said special event symbols are card symbols and said predetermined manner includes said card symbols being displayed as one or more of: a royal flush, a straight flush, a four of a kind, a full house, a flush, a straight, a three of a kind, two pairs, and a jacks or better.
21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the storing comprises storing said special event symbols to an account accessible to the player.
22. The method of claim 14 , wherein said previously stored special event symbols comprise said special event symbols stored upon said conclusion of said current gaming session.
23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the previously stored special event symbols were previously stored at a second wagering game terminal.
24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the award is a special event.
25. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
displaying symbols indicative of a randomly selected outcome to another player, said symbols including special event symbols; and
adding said special event symbols to the special event collection if said special event symbols are displayed in a predetermined manner, wherein the special event collection is associated with both players; and
wherein the special event is triggered for the another player.
26. A method of operating wagering game terminals, comprising:
displaying symbols indicative of a randomly selected outcome, said symbols including different special event symbols;
adding said different special event symbols to a special event collection associated with a player if said special event symbols are displayed in a predetermined manner;
completing said special event collection associated with the player over multiple gaming sessions without restarting said special event collection, wherein the gaming sessions are associated with the player; and
triggering a special event on a wagering gaming terminal of said wagering game terminals when said special event collection is complete, wherein said special event collection is complete when a predetermined combination of said different special event symbols have been added to said special event collection.
27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising storing said special event symbols that have been added to said special event collection to an account accessible to the player.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein completing said special event collection over multiple gaming sessions without restarting said special event collection comprises completing said special event collection over multiple wagering game terminals.
29. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:
displaying symbols indicative of a randomly selected outcome, said symbols including different special event symbols;
adding said different special event symbols to a special event collection associated with a player if said special event symbols are displayed in a predetermined manner;
completing said special event collection associated with the player over multiple gaming sessions without restarting said special event collection, wherein the gaming sessions are associated with the player; and
triggering a special event on a wagering game terminal when said special event collection is complete, wherein said special event collection is complete when a predetermined combination of said different special event symbols have been added to said special event collection.