Gaming system and method providing a multi-play game having randomly-increasable and randomly-distributable persistent modifiers
In various embodiments, the persistent modifiers are persistent multipliers. Generally, in certain such embodiments, the multi-play game has a plurality of separate outcome-generating elements and is associated with a plurality of separate multiplier banks. Each multiplier bank is associated with a persistent multiplier maintained from game play to game play until distributed. When a random multiplier increase event occurs, the gaming system increases the persistent multiplier of at least one of the multiplier banks. When a random multiplier distribution event occurs for one of the multiplier banks, the gaming system distributes the persistent multiplier of that multiplier bank among the plurality of outcome-generating elements. The gaming system does so by determining a plurality of individual multipliers based on that persistent multiplier and assigning each individual multiplier to one of the outcome-generating elements. The gaming system uses the individual multipliers to modify any awards associated with their respective assigned outcome-generating elements.
1. A gaming system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether a modifier distribution event occurred for a first play of a game including a first outcome-generating element and a second outcome-generating element;
responsive to determining that the modifier distribution event did not occur for the first play of the game, maintain a plurality of persistent modifiers for a second play of the game;
responsive to determining that the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game:
select one of the plurality of persistent modifiers;
determine a first individual modifier based on a first portion of the selected persistent modifier; and
determine a second individual modifier based on a second portion of the selected persistent modifier;
randomly determine a first outcome for the first outcome-generating element and cause a display device to display the first outcome;
randomly determine a second outcome for the second outcome-generating element and cause the display device to display the second outcome;
determine any first awards based on the first outcome and, if the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game, the first individual modifier; and
determine any second awards based on the second outcome and, if the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game, the second individual modifier.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether a modifier increase event occurred for the first play of the game; and
responsive to determining that the modifier increase event occurred for the first play of the game, increase a value of one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
3. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to determining that the modifier increase event occurred for the first play of the game, randomly select the one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine that the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game responsive to determining to provide one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
5. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for the first play of the game:
(1) select a first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers;
(2) randomly determine whether to provide the first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers; and
(3) responsive to randomly determining to provide the first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers, designate the first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers as the selected persistent modifier.
6. The gaming system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to randomly determining not to provide the first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers, select a second one of the plurality of persistent modifiers and repeat (2) and (3) for the second one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
7. The gaming system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to randomly determining to provide the first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers, not repeat (2) and (3) for any of the other persistent modifiers for the first play of the game.
8. The gaming system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of persistent modifiers has one of a plurality of different values, and wherein the first one of the plurality of persistent modifiers has the highest value.
9. A gaming system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether a modifier distribution event occurred for a first play of a game;
responsive to determining that the modifier distribution event did not occur for the first play of the game, maintain a plurality of persistent modifiers for a second play of the game;
responsive to determining that the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game:
select one of the plurality of persistent modifiers; and
divide the selected persistent modifier into multiple individual modifiers based on respective portions of the selected persistent modifier; and
for each of a plurality of outcome generators:
randomly determine an outcome and cause a display device to display the outcome; and
determine any awards based on the outcome and, if the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game, one of the individual modifiers.
10. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether a modifier increase event occurred for the first play of the game; and
responsive to determining that the modifier increase event occurred for the first play of the game, increase a value of one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
11. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to determining that the modifier increase event occurred for the first play of the game, randomly select the one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
12. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to increase the value by a randomly selected amount.
13. A gaming system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether a multiplier distribution event occurred for a first play of a card game;
responsive to determining that the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game:
select one of the plurality of persistent modifiers;
determine a first individual modifier based on a first portion of the selected persistent modifier; and
determine a second individual modifier based on a second portion of the selected persistent modifier;
randomly determine and cause a display device to display an initial primary hand of cards;
finalize the primary hand of cards and create a second hand of cards responsive to receipt, by an input device, of a player input;
cause the display device to display the finalized first hand of cards and the second hand of cards;
determine any first awards based on the finalized first hand of cards and, if the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game, the first individual modifier; and
determine any second awards based on the second hand of cards and, if the modifier distribution event occurred for the first play of the game, the second individual modifier.
14. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to determining that the multiplier distribution event did not occur for the first play of the card game, maintain the plurality of persistent multipliers for a second play of the card game.
15. The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether a multiplier increase event occurred for the first play of the card game; and
responsive to determining that the multiplier increase event occurred for the first play of the card game, increase a value of one of the plurality of persistent multipliers.
16. The gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to determining that the multiplier increase event occurred in association with the first play of the game, randomly select the one of the plurality of persistent modifiers.
17. The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to increase the value of the randomly selected one of the plurality of persistent modifiers by a randomly selected amount.