Systems and methods for indicating positions of selected symbols in a target sequence

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a player of an online game, a first selected sequence of symbols in a first game portion to be played in a first game move in the online game, the first game portion comprising display of one or more symbols, at respective display positions, for selection by the player;

in an automated operation using one more processors, identifying a first shared symbol present in both the first selected sequence and a target sequence obscured from display in a second game portion; and

responsive to the identifying:

changing the second game portion to concurrently reveal the first shared symbol at a first position in the target sequence while maintaining respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence; and

presenting, in the first game portion, an animation that gradually removes the first shared symbol from the first game portion and shifts a particular symbol from its current display position to the respective display position occupied by the first shared symbol.

2. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving a first selected sequence of symbols to be played in a first game move comprises:

removing each respective symbol in the first selected sequence of symbols from the first game portion;

identifying an update symbol for each respective symbol in the first selected sequence of symbols; and

during the animation, inserting each update symbol n the first game portion.

3. The computer-implemented method as in claim 2 , further comprising:

providing a first reward to the player responsive to determining the first selected sequence of symbols meets a first pre-defined criteria.

4. The computer-implemented method as in claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving from the player a second selected sequence of symbols in the first game portion to be played in a second game move, the second selected sequence of symbols comprising at least one of the update symbols, the first selected sequence different than the second selected sequence;

providing a second reward to the player responsive to determining the second selected sequence of symbols meets a second pre-defined criteria;

identifying a second shared symbol present in both the second selected sequence and the sequence; and

changing the second game portion to reveal the second shared symbol at a second position in the target sequence concurrently with display of the first shared symbol at the first position while maintaining the respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence.

5. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein changing the second game portion to concurrently reveal the first shared symbol at a first position in the target sequence while maintaining respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence comprises:

providing a reward to the player responsive to revealing a respective position of the first shared symbol in the target sequence.

6. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein the animation that gradually removes the first shared symbol from the first game portion comprises:

rendering the first shared symbol as gradually disappearing from the first game portion.

7. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving a first selected sequence of symbols in a first game portion comprises:

receiving a path traced between respective, non-adjacent symbols displayed in the first game portion.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a player of an online game, a first selected sequence of symbols in a first game portion to be played in a first game move in the online game, the first game portion comprising display of one or more symbols, at respective display positions, for selection by the player;

identifying a first shared symbol present in both the first selected sequence and a target sequence obscured from display in a second game portion; and

responsive to the identifying:

changing the second game portion to concurrently reveal the first shared symbol at a first position in the target sequence while maintaining respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence; and

presenting, in the first game portion, an animation that gradually removes the first shared symbol from the first game portion and shifts a particular symbol from its current display position to the respective display position occupied by the first shared symbol.

9. The machine-readable storage medium storage instructions as in claim 8 , wherein receiving a first selected sequence of symbols to be played in a first game move comprises:

removing each respective symbol in the first selected sequence of symbols from the first game portion;

identifying an update symbol for each respective symbol in the first selected sequence of symbols; and

during the animation, inserting each update symbol n the first game portion.

10. The machine-readable storage medium storage instructions as in claim 9 , further comprising:

providing a first reward to the player responsive to determining the first selected sequence of symbols meets a first pre-defined criteria.

11. The machine-readable storage medium storage instructions as in claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving from the player a second selected sequence of symbols in the first game portion to be played in a second game move, the second selected sequence of symbols comprising at least one of the update symbols, the first selected sequence different than the second selected sequence;

providing a second reward to the player responsive to determining the second selected sequence of symbols meets a second pre-defined criteria;

identifying a second shared symbol present in both the second selected sequence and the target sequence; and

changing the second game portion to reveal the second shared symbol at a second position in the target sequence concurrently with display of the first shared symbol at the first position while maintaining the respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence.

12. The machine-readable storage medium storage instructions as in claim 8 , wherein changing the second game portion to concurrently reveal the first shared symbol at a first position in the target sequence while maintaining respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence comprises:

providing a reward to the player responsive to revealing a respective position of the first shared symbol in the target sequence.

13. The machine-readable storage medium storage instructions as in claim 8 , wherein an animation that gradually removes the first shared symbol from the first game portion comprises:

rendering the first shared symbol as gradually disappearing from the first game portion.

14. The machine-readable storage medium storage instructions as in claim 8 , wherein receiving a first selected sequence of symbols in a first game portion comprises:

receiving a path traced between respective, non-adjacent symbols displayed in the first game portion.

15. A computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more memory devices holding an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a player of an online game, a first selected sequence of symbols in a first game portion to be played in a first game move in the online game, the first game portion comprising display of one or more symbols, at respective display positions, for selection by the player;

in an automated operation using one more processors, identifying a first shared symbol present in both the first selected sequence and a target sequence obscured from display in a second game portion; and

responsive to the identifying:

changing the second game portion to concurrently reveal the first shared symbol at a first position in the target sequence while maintaining respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence; and

presenting, in the first game portion, an animation that gradually removes the first shared symbol from the first game portion and shifts a particular symbol from its current display position to the respective display position occupied by the first shared symbol.

16. The computer system as in claim 15 , wherein receiving a first selected sequence of symbols to be played in a first game move comprises:

removing each respective symbol in the first selected sequence of symbols from the first game portion;

identifying an update symbol for each respective symbol in the first selected sequence of symbols; and

during the animation, inserting each update symbol n the first game portion.

17. The computer system as in claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving from the player a second selected sequence of symbols in the first game portion to be played in a second game move, the second selected sequence of symbols comprising at least one of the update symbols, the first selected sequence different than the second selected sequence;

providing a second reward to the player responsive to determining the second selected sequence of symbols meets a second pre-defined criteria;

identifying a second shared symbol present in both the second selected sequence and the et sequence; and

changing the second game portion to reveal the second shared symbol at a second position in the target sequence concurrently with display of the first shared symbol at the first position while maintaining the respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence.

18. The computer system as in claim 17 , further comprising:

providing a first reward to the player responsive to determining the first selected sequence of symbols meets a first pre-defined criteria.

19. The computer system as in claim 15 , wherein changing the second game portion to concurrently reveal the first shared symbol at a first position in the target sequence while maintaining respective obscured display of each remaining symbol of the target sequence comprises:

providing a reward to the player responsive to revealing a respective position of the first shared symbol in the target sequence.

20. The computer system as in claim 15 , wherein an animation that gradually removes the first shared symbol from the first game portion comprises:

rendering the first shared symbol as gradually disappearing from the first game portion.