System and method for providing a game with warping symbols

1. A method for presenting a display of a game of chance on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

in response to receipt of an item associated with a monetary value by an accepting device of the gaming machine, establish a credit balance, based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the item;

enabling, by a processor, the game, in response to the credit balance being established, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable, based at least in part on wagering activity;

in response to a receipt of an input via an input interface of the gaming machine, displaying, on a display device of the gaming machine, an outcome comprising a plurality of symbols displayed at a plurality of first positions, the plurality of first positions arranged in a plurality of first columns of a first play area, each first position of the plurality of first positions associated with a respective symbol of the plurality of symbols;

identifying, by the processor, at least one first pattern that includes at least one first symbol in at least one first position of the plurality of first positions;

determining, by the processor, that the at least one first pattern satisfies a predetermined first threshold based on the at least one first position and the first symbol, wherein the predetermined first threshold comprises a winning combination of symbols;

in response to the at least one first pattern satisfying the predetermined first threshold, identifying, by the processor, at least one second position that includes the first symbol in a second play area, the second play area separate from the first play area and including a plurality of second positions arranged in a plurality of second columns, the second play area being displayed on the display device, each second position of the plurality of second positions associated with a respective symbol of the plurality of symbols;

in response to identifying the at least one second position, replacing, by the processor, the first symbol included in the second position in the separate second play area with a second symbol, wherein the first symbol included in the first position in the first play area is not replaced with any other symbol, and wherein the second symbol is different from the first symbol;

evaluating, by the processor, a first outcome of the first play area and a second outcome of the second play area after the replacing;

determining, by the processor, an award amount based on the first outcome and the second outcome;

increasing the credit balance based at least in part on the award amount; and

in response to receipt of a second input via the input interface of the gaming machine, causing, via a cashout device, an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one first pattern includes a plurality of serially connected first positions of the plurality of first positions.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second symbol that replaces the first symbol included in the second position in the separate second play area is a wild symbol.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the winning combination of symbols of the predetermined first threshold further comprises at least three common symbols from the plurality of symbols.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

identifying at least one second pattern within the second play area, the at least one second pattern including the second symbol in the second position; and

determining, by the processor, whether the at least one second pattern, including the second symbol, satisfies a predetermined second threshold.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a play input; and

determining, by the processor, a number of first patterns based on the play input.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a play input; and

determining, by the processor, a number of second patterns based on the play input, the number of second patterns, including the second symbol included in the second position, capable of comparison to a predetermined second threshold.

8. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for presenting a game on a gaming machine, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to at least:

in response to receipt of an item associated with a monetary value by an accepting device of the gaming machine, establish a credit balance, based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the item;

enabling, by the at least one processor, the game, in response to the credit balance being established, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable, based at least in part on wagering activity;

in response to a receipt of an input via an input interface of the gaming machine, displaying, on a display device of the gaming machine, an outcome comprising a plurality of symbols displayed at a plurality of first positions, the plurality of first positions arranged in a plurality of first columns of a first play area, each first position of the plurality of first positions associated with a respective symbol of the plurality of symbols;

identify at least one first pattern that includes at least one first symbol in at least one first position of the plurality of first positions,

determine that the at least one first pattern satisfies a predetermined first threshold based on the at least one first position and the first symbol, wherein the predetermined first threshold comprises a winning combination of symbols;

in response to the at least one first pattern satisfying the predetermined first threshold, identify at least one second position that includes the first symbol in a second play area including a plurality of second positions arranged in a plurality of second columns, the second play area being displayed on the display device, the second play area separate from the first play area, each second position of the plurality of second positions associated with a respective symbol of the plurality of symbols;

in response to identifying the at least one second position, replace the first symbol included in the second position in the second play area with a second symbol, wherein the first symbol included in the first position in the first play area is not replaced with any other symbol, and wherein the second symbol is different from the first symbol;

evaluate a first outcome of the first play area and a second outcome of the second play area after the replacing;

determine an award amount based on the first outcome and the second outcome;

increase the credit balance based at least in part on the award amount; and

in response to receipt of a second input via the input interface of the gaming machine, causing, via a cashout device, an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least one first pattern includes a plurality of serially connected first positions of the plurality of first positions.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the second symbol that replaces the first symbol included in the second position in the separate second play area is a wild symbol.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the winning combination of symbols of the predetermined first threshold further comprises at least three common symbols from the plurality of symbols.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

identify at least one second pattern within the second play area, the at least one second pattern including the second symbol in the second position; and

determine whether the at least one second pattern, including the second symbol, satisfies a predetermined second threshold.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a play input; and

determine a number of first patterns based on the play input.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a play input; and

determine a number of second patterns based on the play input, the number of second patterns, including the second symbol included in the second position, capable of comparison to a predetermined second threshold.

15. A gaming machine configured to present a game, the gaming machine comprising:

a display device;

an input interface;

an accepting device;

a cashout device; and

a game controller comprising a game controller processor and a game controller memory storing instructions, which when executed by the game controller processor, cause the game controller processor, to at least:

in response to receipt of an item associated with a monetary value by the accepting device, establish a credit balance, based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the item, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable, based at least in part on activity on the gaming machine;

in response to a receipt of an input via the input interface, displaying, on the display device, an outcome comprising a plurality of symbols displayed at a plurality of first positions, the plurality of first positions arranged in a plurality of first columns of a first play area, each first position of the plurality of first positions associated with a respective symbol of the plurality of symbols;

increase the credit balance, based at least in part on an award amount;

enable the game in response to the credit balance being established;

identify at least one first pattern that includes at least one first symbol in at least one first position of the plurality of first positions;

determine that the at least one first pattern satisfies a predetermined first threshold based on the at least one first position and the first symbol, wherein the predetermined first threshold comprises a winning combination of symbols;

in response to determining that the at least one first pattern satisfies the predetermined first threshold, identify at least one second position that includes the first symbol in a second play area, the second play area including a plurality of second positions arranged in a plurality of second columns, the second play area being displayed on the display device, the second play area separate from the first play area, each second position of the plurality of second positions associated with a respective symbol of the plurality of symbols;

in response to the identifying at least one second position, replace the first symbol included in the second position in the separate second play area with a second symbol, wherein the first symbol included in the first position in the first play area is not replaced with any other symbol, and wherein the second symbol is different from the first symbol,

evaluate a first outcome of the first play area and a second outcome of the second play area after the replacing;

determine an award award amount based on the first outcome and the second outcome;

increase the credit balance based at least in part on the award amount; and

in response to receipt of a second input via the input interface of the gaming machine, cause, via the cashout device, an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

16. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the at least one first pattern includes a plurality of serially connected first positions of the plurality of first positions.

17. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the second symbol that replaces the first symbol included in the second position in the separate second play area is a wild symbol.

18. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the winning combination of symbols of the predetermined first threshold further comprises at least three common symbols from the plurality of symbols.

19. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a play input; and

determine a number of first patterns based on the play input.

20. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a play input; and

determine a number of second patterns based on the play input, the number of second patterns, including the second symbol included in the second position, capable of comparison to a predetermined second threshold.