Gaming machine with symbol enhancements based on winning outcomes
View Patent ↗A wagering game in a gaming machine includes symbols that are associated with multiple payoff levels. The symbols may have their payoff levels incremented and decremented based on certain predefined criteria. The criteria may be based on a winning outcome, random selection, the position of the symbols, the configuration of the symbols, and the like. As some symbols have their payoff levels incremented, other symbols have their payoff levels decremented. Each symbol may be graphically rendered in a manner to distinctively indicate the particular payoff level currently assigned to that symbol. In this way, the wagering game maintains a dynamic mix of symbols having different payoff levels and graphical renderings.
1. A gaming system that automatically changes a payoff level of a symbol, the system comprising:
at least one input device;
at least one display device displaying symbols representing an outcome of a wagering game, said symbols including a plurality of instances of a first symbol having a currently assigned one of multiple possible payoff levels;
one or more processors; and
a memory device that stores instructions which, when executed by at least one of said one or more processors, cause the said one or more processors to operate with said at least one input device and said at least one display device to:
accept a wager from a player to initiate said wagering game;
display symbols representing said outcome of said wagering game, said outcome being randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes, said plurality of outcomes including a special-event outcome that includes at least two instances of said first symbol; and
in response to said randomly selected outcome being said special-event outcome, automatically assign a predetermined next payoff level of said multiple possible payoff levels to said first symbol for a subsequent round of said wagering game.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said currently assigned payoff level for said first symbol is incremented for said subsequent round of said wagering game.
3. The gaming system of claim 2 , further comprising a second symbol having another currently assigned level of multiple possible payoff levels, and wherein said another currently assigned payoff level for said second symbol is decremented for said subsequent round of said wagering game.
4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said special-event outcome includes said at least two instances of said first symbol appearing anywhere on said at least one display device.
5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said special-event outcome includes said at least two instances of said first symbol appearing in a predetermined location on said at least one display device.
6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said special-event outcome is a winning outcome.
7. The gaming system of claim 6 , wherein said winning outcome appears along a winning payline, said winning payline including a wild symbol, said wild symbol causing any payoff amount resulting from said wild symbol in said subsequent round of said wagering game to be multiplied by a predetermined multiplier.
8. The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein said display device is configured to enhance an appearance of all instances of said first symbol and to deemphasize an appearance of all instances of said second symbol for said subsequent round of said wagering game.
9. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said multiple possible payoff levels include a predefined maximum payoff level and a predefined minimum payoff level, and wherein said first symbol cannot be incremented above said predefined maximum payoff level or decremented below said predefined minimum payoff level.
10. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein said special-event outcome triggers a special-event game in which all symbols are temporarily incremented to a higher payoff level.
11. A computer-readable, non-transitory medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to operate with at least one input device and at least one display device to:
accept a wager from a player at a gaming machine, said wager initiating a round of a wagering game in which an outcome is randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes including a special-event outcome, said special-event outcome comprising at least two instances of a first symbol having a currently assigned one of a standard payoff level, an intermediate payoff level, and a high payoff level;
displaying said special-event outcome; and
in response to said special-event outcome being displayed in said wagering game, automatically assigning a different one of said standard payoff level, said intermediate payoff level, and said high payoff level, to said first symbol for a subsequent round of said wagering game.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said special-event outcome is a winning outcome.