System and method for providing awards based on accumulating triggering elements independent of reel symbols

1. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

cause a display device to display a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display positions associated with a plurality of reels,

independent of the display of the plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels, cause the display device to display a plurality of triggering elements,

responsive to a first quantity of greater than zero triggering elements being accumulated at each of a plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels, trigger an event,

responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and a second quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at a first one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with a first one of the plurality of reels:

trigger the event, and

activate a first feature associated with the first one of the plurality of reels, wherein the second quantity of triggering elements is greater than the first quantity of triggering elements,

responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and a third quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at the first one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the first one of the plurality of reels:

trigger the event, and

activate a second, different feature associated with the first one of the plurality of reels, wherein the third quantity of triggering elements is greater than the second quantity of triggering elements, and for the triggered event:

determine an award associated with the triggered event, wherein the determination is based on any activated features associated with any of the plurality of reels, and

cause the display device to display the determined award associated with the triggered event.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and the second quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at a second, different one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with a second, different one of the plurality of reels, the instructions cause the processor to activate the first feature associated with the second one of the plurality of reels.

3. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and the third quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at the second, different one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the second, different one of the plurality of reels, the instructions cause the processor to activate the second feature associated with the second one of the plurality of reels.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first feature comprises a first quantity of wild symbols activated for the triggered event and the second feature comprises a second, greater quantity of wild symbols activated for the triggered event.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the triggered event has a first average expected award when no features are activated, a second, greater average expected award when the first feature is activated, and a third average expected award when the second feature is activated, the third average expected award being greater than the second average expected award.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to a triggering element being accumulated at one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and no triggering elements being accumulated at another one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels, the instructions cause the processor to not trigger the event.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein one of the triggering elements is associated with a secondary event modifying attribute.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising an acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, modify a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

9. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device in communication with the processor via a wireless network.

10. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

responsive to a first quantity of greater than zero triggering elements being accumulated at each of a plurality of triggering element display positions associated with a plurality of reels:

trigger an event without activating any features in association with any of the plurality of reels,

responsive to a second, greater quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with one of the plurality of reels, activate a feature associated with that reel, and

for the triggered event:

determine an award associated with the triggered event, wherein the determination is based on any activated features associated with any of the plurality of reels, and

cause a display device to display the determined award associated with the triggered event, and

responsive to zero triggering elements being accumulated at a triggering element display position of the plurality of triggering element display positions, not trigger the event.

11. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the display device displaying an event triggering symbol at a symbol display position associated with one of the plurality of reels, the instructions cause the processor to cause the first quantity of triggering elements to be accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels.

12. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device in communication with the processor via a wireless network.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

displaying, by a display device, a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display positions associated with a plurality of reels,

independent of the display of the plurality of symbols at the plurality of symbol display positions associated with the plurality of reels, displaying, by the display device, a plurality of triggering elements,

responsive to a first quantity of greater than zero triggering elements being accumulated at each of a plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels, triggering, by a processor, an event,

responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and a second quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at a first one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with a first one of the plurality of reels:

triggering, by the processor, the event, and

activating, by the processor, a first feature associated with the first one of the plurality of reels, wherein the second quantity of triggering elements is greater than the first quantity of triggering elements,

responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and a third quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at the first one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the first one of the plurality of reels:

triggering, by the processor, the event, and

activating, by the processor, a second, different feature associated with the first one of the plurality of reels, wherein the third quantity of triggering elements is greater than the second quantity of triggering elements, and for the triggered event:

determining, by the processor, an award associated with the triggered event, wherein the determination is based on any activated features associated with any of the plurality of reels, and

displaying, by the display device, the determined award associated with the triggered event.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and the second quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at a second, different one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with a second, different one of the plurality of reels, activating, by the processor, the first feature associated with the second one of the plurality of reels.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, responsive to at least the first quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at each of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and the third quantity of triggering elements being accumulated at the second, different one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the second, different one of the plurality of reels, activating, by the processor, the second feature associated with the second one of the plurality of reels.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first feature comprises a first quantity of wild symbols activated for the triggered event and the second feature comprises a second, greater quantity of wild symbols activated for the triggered event.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the triggered event has a first average expected award when no features are activated, a second, greater average expected award when the first feature is activated, and a third average expected award when the second feature is activated, the third average expected award being greater than the second average expected award.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, responsive to a triggering element being accumulated at one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels and no triggering elements being accumulated at another one of the plurality of triggering element display positions associated with the plurality of reels, not triggering the event.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein one of the triggering elements is associated with a secondary event modifying attribute.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device in communication with the processor via a wireless network.