Gaming machine and gaming process including further game symbols
View Patent ↗A method for use with a gaming machine including presenting an outcome by displaying a plurality of game symbols in a plurality of symbol positions. Displaying a further symbol as travelling along a path and stopping in a stopping position that overlies at least one of the game symbols. An award is paid or changed if there is a particular relationship between the further symbol and the at least one of the game symbols that the further symbol overlies.
1. A method for use with a gaming machine having a game controller and a display, the method comprising
determining via said game controller an outcome of a game played on the gaming machine, including randomly selecting via said game controller a plurality of symbols;
presenting the outcome of the game including:
(1) displaying via said display the plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol positions arranged in a display area;
(2) displaying via said display at least one further symbol, said displaying presenting said further symbol to travel along a path displayed to overlie said display area and to stop in a stopping position that overlies at least one of the plurality of symbol positions;
awarding an award based on symbols of said plurality of symbols and said at least one further symbol; and
presenting via said display the plurality of symbol positions in a vertical plane so that the symbols are presented facing forward and presenting via the display said path of said further symbol to travel in a horizontal plane so that said further symbol is presented as traversing in front of the plurality of symbol positions.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said awarding includes affecting the award when there is a match in a particular relationship between the at least one further symbol and the symbol which the further symbol overlies when in the stop position.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said displaying presenting said further symbol to stop in one of a plurality of stopping positions and at least one of said stopping positions for a said further symbol is located so as to not overlie any of the plurality of symbol positions.
4. The method of claim 1 , and further including receiving an ante-bet from a player of the gaming machine before the player is eligible for an award based on said one further symbol.
5. A method for use with a gaming machine having a game controller and a display, the method comprising
determining via said game controller an outcome of a game played on the gaming machine, including randomly selecting via said game controller a plurality of symbols;
presenting the outcome of the game including:
(1) displaying via said display the plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol positions arranged in a display area;
(2) displaying via said display at least one further symbol, said displaying presenting said further symbol to travel along a path displayed to overlie said display area and to stop in a stopping position that overlies at least one of the plurality of symbol positions;
awarding an award based on symbols of said plurality of symbols and said at least one further symbol; and
presenting via said display the plurality of symbol positions in a vertical plane so that the symbols are presented facing forward and presenting via the display said path of said further symbol to travel in another plane located between the horizontal and vertical so that the path is presented as traversing in front of the plurality of symbol positions.
6. A method for use with a gaming machine having a game controller and a display, the method comprising
determining via said game controller an outcome of a game played on the gaming machine, including randomly selecting via said game controller a plurality of symbols;
presenting the outcome of the game including:
(1) displaying via said display the plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol positions arranged in a display area;
(2) displaying via said display at least one further symbol, said displaying presenting said further symbol to travel along a path displayed to overlie said display area and to stop in a stopping position that overlies at least one of the plurality of symbol positions;
awarding an award based on symbols of said plurality of symbols and said at least one further symbol; and
presenting via said display the plurality of symbol positions in a vertical plane so that the symbols are presented facing forward and presenting via the display said path of said further symbol to travel in a vertical plane so that said further symbol is presented as traversing entirely in front of the plurality of symbol positions.
7. A method for use with a gaming machine having a game controller and a display, the method comprising determining an outcome of a wagering game played on the gaming machine and presenting the outcome by:
determining via said game controller an outcome of a game played on the gaming machine, including randomly selecting via said game controller a plurality of symbols;
presenting the outcome of the game including:
(1) displaying via said display a plurality of spinning reels that are represented as spinning in a vertical plane and stopping to reveal ones of the plurality of symbols that are carried by the reels;
(2) displaying via said display a plurality of further symbols, each of which travels along respective paths displayed to overlie said reels and to stop in a stopping position that overlies at least one of the symbols revealed by the spinning reels;
awarding an award based on symbols of said plurality of symbols carried by the reels and said at least one further symbol; and
wherein each of the respective paths of the plurality of said further symbols intersect each other and wherein a game event occurs when a plurality of said further symbols are displayed with one overlying the other.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the said paths occupy at least one plane that is different from the vertical plane in which the spinning reels are represented as spinning is a horizontal plane.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the said paths occupy at least one plane that is different from the vertical plane in which the spinning reels are represented as spinning, and said one plane is a plane located between the horizontal and vertical.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the said paths occupy at least one plane that is different from the vertical plane in which the spinning reels are represented as spinning, and said one plane is a vertical plane that is transverse to the vertical plane in which the spinning reels are represented as spinning.