Granted Patent B2

US 8,282,463 · App. 12/738,682 · Granted Oct 9, 2012

Abstract

Claims (60)

1. A method of operating a wagering game on a gaming system with an input device, a display device, and a processor, the method comprising:

receiving, via the input device, at least a first wager from at least a first player;

in response to receiving the first wager, determining, via the processor, and displaying, via the display device, a first partial outcome of a first play of the wagering game, the first partial outcome including a first plurality of symbols arranged on a plurality of symbol-bearing reels;

storing the first partial outcome;

receiving, via the input device, at least a second wager from the first player;

in response to receiving the second wager, determining, via the processor, and displaying, via the display device, a second partial outcome of a second play of the wagering game, the second partial outcome including a second plurality of symbols arranged on the plurality of symbol-bearing reels;

storing the second partial outcome;

upon expiration of a predetermined time period at the gaming system, determining and displaying a secondary outcome of the wagering game; and

combining each of the stored first and second partial outcomes with the secondary outcome to determine, via the processor, and display, via the display device, a plurality of distinct final outcomes.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying in a table the first and second partial outcomes prior to displaying the secondary outcome.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising awarding according to a pay table a respective award for each final outcome of the plurality of final outcomes that includes a respective winning outcome.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second partial outcomes are displayed on a primary display of a gaming machine, the secondary outcome is displayed on a community display of the gaming system, and the final outcomes are displayed on the primary display.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wagers are received and the first and second partial outcomes are displayed within the predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second partial outcomes of the first and second plays of the wagering game are evaluated using a first number of paylines, and wherein the final outcomes from combining each of the partial outcomes with the secondary outcome are evaluated using a second number of paylines.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises accumulating one or more modifiers in the first play of the wagering game, and awarding further modifiers based on the one or more accumulated modifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first play of the wagering game has the first plurality of symbols arranged in at least a first array, the second play of the wagering game has the second plurality of symbols arranged in at least the first array, and the secondary outcome of the wagering game has a third plurality of symbols arranged in at least a second array, and wherein the first and second partial outcomes of the wagering game are evaluated using one or more paylines passing through the first array, and the secondary outcome of the wagering game is evaluated based upon scatter pays.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving third and fourth wagers from a second player;

in response to receiving the third and fourth wagers from the second player, sequentially determining and displaying, via a second display device distinct from the display device, third and fourth partial outcomes of third and fourth plays of the wagering game;

storing the third and fourth partial outcomes; and

combining each of the third and fourth partial outcomes with the secondary outcome to determine and display a second plurality of distinct final outcomes for the second player.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after the first partial outcome is displayed and stored, the plurality of symbol-bearing reels are displayed spinning and stopping to reveal the second partial outcome of the second play of the wagering game.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether each of the partial outcomes of the wagering game comprises to at least one winning partial outcome;

combining only respective ones of the partial outcomes that comprise at least one winning partial outcome with the secondary outcome to determine and display the plurality of distinct final outcomes; and

determining whether each of the final outcomes comprises at least one winning final outcome.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining and displaying of the first and second partial outcomes comprises determining and displaying only the first partial outcome and subsequently determining and displaying only the second partial outcome.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a total number of partial outcomes that are determined and displayed is selected by a player.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a wager input device;

at least one display configured to display a primary wagering game; and

at least one controller operative to:

detect receipt of at least a first wager from a first player via the wager input device;

in response to detecting the first wager, determine and display a first partial outcome of a first play of the wagering game, the first partial outcome including a first plurality of symbols arranged on a plurality of symbol-bearing reels;

store the first partial outcome;

detect receipt of at least a second wager from the first player via the wager input device;

in response to detecting the second wager, determine and display a second partial outcome of a second play of the wagering game, the second partial outcome including a second plurality of symbols arranged on the plurality of symbol-bearing reels;

store the second partial outcome;

upon expiration of a predetermined time period, determine and display a secondary outcome of the wagering game; and

combine each of the stored first and second partial outcomes with the secondary outcome to determine and display a plurality of distinct final outcomes.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the secondary outcome of the wagering game includes a plurality of symbols arranged on a second plurality of symbol-bearing reels distinct from the plurality of symbol-bearing reels.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is further operative to determine one of a losing outcome and a winning outcome for each of the final outcomes according to a predetermined rule set.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one controller is further operative to award according to the predetermined rule set a respective award if a respective final outcome of the plurality of final outcomes is a winning outcome, the respective award being displayed in an award display.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of symbol-bearing reels and the first and second partial outcomes are displayed on at least one individual display of a gaming machine, the secondary outcome is displayed on a community display of the gaming system remote and separate from the at least one individual display, and the final outcomes are displayed on the at least one individual display.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined time period is displayed via the at least one display.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first and second partial outcomes of the first and second plays of the wagering game are evaluated using a first number of paylines, and wherein the final outcomes from combining each of the partial outcomes with the secondary outcome are evaluated using a second number of paylines.

21. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first play of the wagering game has the first plurality of symbols arranged in at least a first array, the second play of the wagering game has the second plurality of symbols arranged in at least the first array, and the secondary outcome of the wagering game has a third plurality of symbols arranged in at least a second array, and wherein the first and second partial outcomes of the wagering game are evaluated using one or more paylines passing through the first array, and the secondary outcome of the wagering game is evaluated based upon scatter pays.

22. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system with one or more input devices and one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving, via the one or more input devices, a plurality of wagers;

in response to receiving a first one of the plurality of wagers, determining, via the one or more processors, and storing a first individual outcome of a first play of the wagering game, the first individual outcome being configured to combine with a community outcome;

in response to receiving a second one of the plurality of wagers, determining, via the one or more processors, and storing a second individual outcome of a second play of the wagering game, the second individual outcome being distinct from the first individual outcome and being configured to combine with the community outcome;

displaying the individual outcomes via a primary display;

determining, via the one or more processors, and displaying, via a community display, the community outcome;

combining the community outcome with each of the distinct individual outcomes to provide multiple distinct combined outcomes; and

evaluating each of the multiple distinct combined outcomes for winning symbol combinations utilizing a pay table of the wagering game.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein a player determines how many individual outcomes are determined and stored for the community outcome.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the community outcome is displayed after the individual outcomes.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the individual outcomes are displayed after the community outcome.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein a selectable number of individual outcomes are determined and displayed prior to the determination and display of the community outcome.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein a number of individual outcomes is selected, and wherein the communal outcome is determined and displayed after all of the number of individual outcomes are determined and displayed.

Assignments (12)