Granted Patent B2

US 8,715,075 · App. 13/453,377 · Granted May 6, 2014

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. A method of gaming comprising:

selecting, using a processor, in each game round a plurality of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions;

determining that a distorting element is to appear and in response, setting: 1) a position of the distorting element and 2) a modification state of the distorting element, wherein the modification state is selected from a range of possible states comprising: a first state in which none of the plurality of the symbols are modified; a second state in which some, but not all, of the plurality of the symbols are modified; and a third state in which all of the plurality of symbols are modified;

superimposing said distorting element over a plurality of the display positions at the set position and the set state so that the symbols underlying the distorting element can be modified according to the selected state; and

determining, using the processor, an outcome for each game round based on the selected symbols as modified by the distorting element.

2. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 1 wherein the modification is based on a current state of a range of possible states of the distorting element.

3. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 2 wherein one or more game states influence the current state of the distorting element.

4. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 3 further comprising retaining the distorting element in a subsequent game round and wherein the one or more game states which influence the current state of the distorting element includes the game round outcome of a previous game round.

5. A method of gaming as claimed in claims 2 , 3 , or 4 wherein the distorting element is an image of a glass and the range of possible states of the distorting element comprises a range of levels of liquid in the glass optically distorting any symbols superimposed by the liquid.

6. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 5 wherein the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises a range of positions of the glass.

7. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 5 wherein the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises a range of tilting angles of the glass.

8. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 5 wherein the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises an over-full state with distorting droplets escaping from the glass.

9. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 5 wherein range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises an empty state with no liquid and no optically distorted symbols.

10. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 2 wherein determining the outcome comprises determining whether any symbols are distorted so as to cover one or more adjacent display positions as well as an original display position and treating such symbols as occupying both the original and adjacent display positions.

11. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 2 wherein determining the outcome further comprises determining whether the liquid completely fills the glass, and adjusting prizes in response to the filled glass.

12. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 2 wherein determining that a distorting element should appear is controlled by a random event, player choice, or occurrence of a particular winning combination of symbols.

13. A method of gaming as claimed in claim 2 wherein the current state of the distorting element is influenced by a random event or player choice.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a display for symbols to be displayed at a set of display positions to a player;

a symbol selector for selecting in each game round a plurality of symbols for display to the player in a set of display positions;

a distorting element controller for determining that a distorting element is to appear and in response, setting: 1) a position of the distorting element and 2) a modification state of the distorting element, wherein the modification state is selected from a range of possible states comprising: a first state in which none of the plurality of the symbols are modified; a second state in which some, but not all, of the plurality of the symbols are modified; and a third state in which all of the plurality of symbols are modified and superimposing said distorting element over one or more of the display positions at the set position and the set state so that the symbols underlying the distorting element can be modified according to the selected state; and

an outcome generator arranged to determine an outcome for each game round based on the selected symbols as modified by the distorting element.

15. A gaming system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the modification is based on a current state of a range of possible states of the distorting element.

16. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that one or more game states influence the current state of the distorting element.

17. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the distorting element can be retained in a subsequent game round and the one or more game states which influence the current state of the distorting element includes the game round outcome of a previous game round.

18. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the distorting element is an image of a glass and the range of possible states of the distorting element comprises a range of levels of liquid in the glass optically distorting any symbols superimposed by the liquid.

19. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises a range of positions of the glass.

20. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises a range of tilting angles of the glass.

21. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises an over-full state with distorting droplets escaping from the glass.

22. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises an empty state with no liquid and no optically distorted symbols.

23. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the outcome generator is arranged to determine whether any symbols are distorted so as to cover one or more adjacent display positions as well as an original display position and to treat such symbols as occupying both the original and adjacent display positions in determining the outcome.

24. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the outcome generator is arranged to determine whether the liquid completely fills the glass, and to adjust prizes in response to the filled glass.

25. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged to determine that a distorting element should appear on the basis of one or more of a random event, player choice, or occurrence of a particular winning combination of symbols.

26. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the current state of the distorting element is influenced by one or more of a random event or player choice.

27. A game controller comprising:

a symbol selector for selecting in each game round on a gaming system a plurality of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions on a display;

a distorting element controller for determining that a distorting element is to appear and in response, setting: 1) a position of the distorting element and 2) a modification state of the distorting element, wherein the modification state is selected from a range of possible states comprising: a first state in which none of the plurality of the symbols are modified; a second state in which some, but not all, of the plurality of the symbols are modified; and a third state in which all of the plurality of symbols are modified and superimposing said distorting element over one or more of the display positions at the set position and the set state so that the symbols underlying the distorting element can be modified according to the selected state; and

an outcome generator arranged to determine an outcome for each game round based on the selected symbols as modified by the distorting element.

28. A game controller as claimed in claim 27 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the modification is based on a current state of a range of possible states of the distorting element.

29. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that one or more game states influence the current state of the distorting element.

30. A game controller as claimed in claim 29 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the distorting element can be retained in a subsequent game round and the one or more game states which influence the current state of the distorting element includes the game round outcome of a previous game round.

31. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the distorting element is an image of a glass and the range of possible states of the distorting element comprises a range of levels of liquid in the glass optically distorting any symbols superimposed by the liquid.

32. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises a range of positions of the glass.

33. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises a range of tilting angles of the glass.

34. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises an over-full state with distorting droplets escaping from the glass.

35. A game controller as claimed in claim 31 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the range of possible states of the distorting element further comprises an empty state with no liquid and no optically distorted symbols.

36. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 wherein the outcome generator is arranged to determine whether one or more symbols are distorted so as to cover adjacent display positions as well as an original display position and to treat such symbols as occupying both the original and adjacent display positions in determining the outcome.

37. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 wherein the outcome generator is arranged to determine whether the liquid completely fills the glass, and to adjust prizes in response to the filled glass.

38. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged to determine that a distorting element should appear on the basis of one or more of a random event, player choice, or occurrence of a particular winning combination of symbols.

39. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 wherein the distorting element controller is arranged so that the current state of the distorting element is influenced by one or more of a random event or player choice.

40. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 implemented by a processor executing program code stored in a memory.

41. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer program code which when executed by a processor causes the processor to implement a method of gaming, the method comprising:

selecting in each game round a plurality of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions;

determining that a distorting element is to appear and in response, setting: 1) a position of the distorting element and 2) a modification state of the distorting element, wherein the modification state is selected from a range of possible states comprising: a first state in which none of the plurality of the symbols are modified; a second state in which some, but not all, of the plurality of the symbols are modified; and a third state in which all of the plurality of symbols are modified;

superimposing said distorting element over a plurality of the display positions at the set position and the set state so that the symbols underlying the distorting element can be modified according to the selected state; and

determining an outcome for each game round based on the selected symbols as modified by the distorting element.

Assignments (6)