Method, apparatus, and program product for providing alternative win opportunities with wild symbols in a wagering game
View Patent ↗A reel-type wagering game includes at least one wild symbol in the game symbol set. The wild symbol or symbols may appear at multiple game symbol locations across an array of game symbol locations through which results are shown for a play in the game, and may assist in forming winning combinations of game symbols along pay lines. Wild symbols that appear in the array of game symbols for a play of the game, but do not contribute to any winning combination along a pay line, represent noncontributing wild symbols which may provide an alternate winning result for the given play of the wagering game.
1. A method for operating a gaming machine, the method including:
(a) receiving a value deposit from a player through a currency/voucher acceptor on the gaming machine, and receiving from the player a play input through a player input system of the gaming machine, the play input initiating a play in a wagering game;
(b) in the play in the wagering game, controlling a display system of the gaming machine to populate at least some game symbol locations of an array of game symbol locations to thereby produce a populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game, each of the at least some game symbol locations being populated with a respective game symbol selected from a set of game symbols;
(c) through the gaming machine, awarding a respective pay line prize for each winning combination of game symbols appearing along an active pay line defined through the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game, each winning combination of game symbols being defined in a pay table for the wagering game in which each of a number of respective winning combinations of game symbols is associated with a respective prize for the wagering game;
(d) determining a noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game, wherein a noncontributing wild symbol comprises a wild symbol appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game which is not included in any winning combination of game symbols appearing along an active pay line for the play in the wagering game and wherein the noncontributing wild symbol value comprises the number of noncontributing wild symbols in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game;
(e) comparing the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game to one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the wagering game; and
(f) through the gaming machine, awarding a respective noncontributing wild symbol prize when the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game meets one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the wagering game, and controlling the display system to display the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize.
2. The method of claim 1 further including maintaining a first progressive prize tier for the wagering game and wherein the first progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a first one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
3. The method of claim 2 further including maintaining a second progressive prize tier for the wagering game and wherein the second progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a second one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
4. The method of claim 1 further including maintaining a number of progressive prize tiers for the wagering game and wherein each respective progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a respective one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
5. A reel-type gaming machine including:
(a) a display system;
(b) a player input system including a currency/voucher acceptor;
(c) at least one processor; and
(d) at least one memory device storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to:
(i) receive a value deposit from a player through the currency/voucher acceptor, and receive a play input through the player input system, the play input initiating a play in a wagering game;
(ii) in the play in the wagering game, control the display system to populate at least some game symbol locations of an array of game symbol locations to thereby produce a populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game, each of the at least some game symbol locations being populated with a respective game symbol selected from a set of game symbols;
(iii) award a respective pay line prize for each winning combination of game symbols appearing along an active pay line defined through the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game, each winning combination of game symbols being defined in a pay table for the wagering game in which each of a number of respective winning combinations of game symbols is associated with a respective prize for the wagering game;
(iv) determine a noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game, wherein a noncontributing wild symbol comprises a wild symbol appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game which is not included in any winning combination of game symbols appearing along an active pay line for the play in the wagering game and wherein the noncontributing wild symbol value comprises the number of noncontributing wild symbols in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game;
(v) compare the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game to one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the wagering game; and
(vi) award a respective noncontributing wild symbol prize when the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game meets one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the wagering game, and control the display system to display the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize.
6. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 5 wherein a first progressive prize tier is maintained for the wagering game and wherein the first progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a first one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
7. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 6 wherein a second progressive prize tier is maintained for the wagering game and wherein the second progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a second one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
8. The reel-type gaming machine of claim 5 wherein the instructions are also executable by the at least one processor to maintain a number of progressive prize tiers for the wagering game and wherein each respective progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a respective one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
9. A program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable data storage devices storing program code, the program code including:
(a) player input program code executable by at least one processor to receive a game play input entered through a player input system of a gaming machine to initiate a play in a wagering game for a player;
(b) game program code executable by the at least one processor to, in the play in the wagering game, cause a display system of the gaming machine to populate at least some game symbol locations of an array of game symbol locations to thereby produce a populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game, each of the at least some game symbol locations being populated with a respective game symbol selected from a set of game symbols; and
(c) award program code executable by the at least one processor to:
(i) cause the gaming machine to award a respective pay line prize for each winning combination of game symbols appearing along an active pay line defined through the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game, each winning combination of game symbols being defined in a pay table for the wagering game in which each of a number of respective winning combinations of game symbols is associated with a respective prize for the wagering game;
(ii) determine a noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game, wherein a noncontributing wild symbol comprises a wild symbol appearing in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game which is not included in any winning combination of game symbols appearing along an active pay line for the play in the wagering game and wherein the noncontributing wild symbol value comprises the number of noncontributing wild symbols in the populated array of game symbol locations for the play in the wagering game;
(iii) compare the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game to one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the wagering game; and
(ii) cause the gaming machine to award a respective noncontributing wild symbol prize when the noncontributing wild symbol value for the play in the wagering game meets one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions for the wagering game, and control the display system to display the respective noncontributing wild symbol prize.
10. The program product of claim 9 further including progressive game program code executable by the at least one processor to maintain a first progressive prize tier for the wagering game and wherein the first progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a first one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.
11. The program product of claim 9 wherein a number of progressive prize tiers are maintained for the wagering game and wherein each respective progressive prize tier is defined as a prize for a respective one of the one or more noncontributing wild symbol prize definitions.