Gaming machine and control method for operating gaming machines to display computer-animated reel games
A gaming machine is described herein. The gaming machine includes a game control unit programmed to display computer-generated graphics including a plurality of virtual reels. The game control unit displays a game screen including a grid having a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, and displays the plurality of virtual reels in the grid. Each of the plurality of virtual reels includes a plurality of credit prize symbols. The game control unit spins and stops each of the plurality of virtual reels to display an outcome of the game. The game control unit detects an appearance of a special symbol in the outcome of the game, responsively determines a credit prize amount based on the credit prize symbols appearing in the outcome of the game, and provides the determined credit prize amount to a player.
1 . A gaming machine for displaying a computer-animated reel game, comprising:
a cabinet;
a display device mounted to the cabinet and including a graphical user interface (GUI) display screen displaying computer-generated images thereon; and
a control unit operably coupled to the display device, the control unit including:
a random number generator;
a memory device storing:
bonus feature prize symbol weight tables including computer-executable instructions defining a primary unisymbol reel weight table including a plurality of first credit prize symbols having corresponding selection weights and a special unisymbol reel weight table including a plurality of second credit prize symbols having corresponding selection weights;
credit prize symbol image data files including computer-executable instructions for generating computer images of game symbols populating symbol positions; and
a unisymbol reel strip data file including computer-executable instructions defining a primary unisymbol reel strip and a special unisymbol reel strip, the primary unisymbol reel strip and the special unisymbol reel strip each include a plurality of sequential symbol position logic cells that includes indicators for rendering unisymbol reels with a plurality of symbols, each sequential symbol position logic cell is associated with a symbol position configured to be populated by credit prize symbols that are selected from the credit prize symbol image data files using the bonus feature prize symbol weight tables, the plurality of sequential symbol position logic cells include a plurality of active prize symbol positions configured to be populated with active prize symbols and a plurality of inactive prize symbol positions configured to be populated with inactive prize symbols; and
one or more processors programmed to execute an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images of the computer-animated reel game on the display device GUI including the steps of:
rendering a game screen on the display device GUI including a grid having a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns having a 3×5 cell arrangement;
animating a plurality of virtual reels to appear in the grid with each virtual reel being displayed in a corresponding column, each of the plurality of virtual reels including a plurality of credit prize symbols;
spinning and stopping each of the plurality of virtual reels to display an outcome of the computer-animated reel game; and
replacing the plurality of virtual reels with a plurality of unisymbol reels by:
accessing the unisymbol reel strip data file stored in the memory device and generating the primary unisymbol reel strip including a plurality of first symbol positions and the special unisymbol reel strip including a plurality of second symbol positions and a special symbol position, the special unisymbol reel strip including fewer symbol positions than the primary unisymbol reel strip;
generating a plurality of primary unisymbol reels using the primary unisymbol reel strip by:
accessing the primary unisymbol reel weight table stored in the memory device and randomly selecting first credit prize symbols from the primary unisymbol reel weight table using the random number generator; and
populating the plurality of first symbol positions with the randomly selected credit prize symbols;
generating a special unisymbol reel using the special unisymbol reel strip by:
accessing the special unisymbol reel weight table stored in the memory device and randomly selecting second credit prize symbols from the special unisymbol reel weight tables using the random number generator;
populating the plurality of second symbol positions with the randomly selected second credit prize symbols; and
populating the special symbol position with a special symbol;
randomly selecting a cell of the grid using the random number generator; and
removing the plurality of virtual reels from the game screen and animating fifteen individual unisymbol reels to appear on the game screen each individual unisymbol reel being displayed in a corresponding cell of the grid by:
rendering the special unisymbol reel including the special symbol to appear within the randomly selected cell; and
rendering the plurality of primary unisymbol reels to appear within each remaining cell with at least one primary unisymbol reel displaying an inactive prize symbol;
animating the plurality of unisymbol reels to simulate spinning with the at least one primary unisymbol reel displaying the inactive prize symbol being held in place;
stopping the plurality of unisymbol reels with the special symbol appearing with the plurality of unisymbol reels in a stopped position;
transforming the inactive prize symbol into an active prize symbol; and
animating each of the plurality of unisymbol reels to simulate spinning and stopping to display an outcome of a subsequent reel spin.
2 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering each inactive prize symbol with an image of an amount of credits.
3 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering the least one primary unisymbol reel including a locked credit prize symbol.
4 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering the special unisymbol reel including bonus credit prize symbols and the special symbol.
5 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of:
animating an extended spin of the special unisymbol reel during the bonus feature event.
6 . A method of operating a gaming machine for displaying a computer-animated reel game, the gaming machine including a cabinet, a display device mounted to the cabinet and including a graphical user interface (GUI) display screen displaying computer-generated images thereon, and a control unit including a random number generator, a memory device storing bonus feature prize symbol weight tables including computer-executable instructions defining a primary unisymbol reel weight table including a plurality of first credit prize symbols having corresponding selection weights and a special unisymbol reel weight table including a plurality of second credit prize symbols having corresponding selection weights, credit prize symbol image data files including computer-executable instructions for generating computer images of game symbols populating symbol positions, and a unisymbol reel strip data file including computer-executable instructions defining a primary unisymbol reel strip and a special unisymbol reel strip, the primary unisymbol reel strip and the special unisymbol reel strip each include a plurality of sequential symbol position logic cells that includes indicators for rendering unisymbol reels with a plurality of symbols, each sequential symbol position logic cell is associated with a symbol position configured to be populated by credit prize symbols that are selected from the credit prize symbol image data files using the bonus feature prize symbol weight tables, the plurality of sequential symbol position logic cells include a plurality of active prize symbol positions configured to be populated with active prize symbols and a plurality of inactive prize symbol positions configured to be populated with inactive prize symbols, and one or more processors operably coupled to the display device, the method including the one or more processors performing an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images of the computer-animated reel game on the display device GUI including the steps of:
rendering a game screen on the display device GUI including a grid having a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns having a 3×5 cell arrangement;
animating a plurality of virtual reels to appear in the grid with each virtual reel being displayed in a corresponding column, each of the plurality of virtual reels including a plurality of credit prize symbols;
spinning and stopping each of the plurality of virtual reels to display an outcome of the computer-animated reel game; and
replacing the plurality of virtual reels with a plurality of unisymbol reels by:
accessing the unisymbol reel strip data file stored in the memory device and generating the primary unisymbol reel strip including a plurality of first symbol positions and the special unisymbol reel strip including a plurality of second symbol positions and a special symbol position, the special unisymbol reel strip including fewer symbol positions than the primary unisymbol reel strip;
generating a plurality of primary unisymbol reels using the primary unisymbol reel strip by:
accessing the primary unisymbol reel weight table stored in the memory device and randomly selecting first credit prize symbols from the primary unisymbol reel weight table using the random number generator; and
populating the plurality of first symbol positions with the randomly selected credit prize symbols;
generating a special unisymbol reel using the special unisymbol reel strip by:
accessing the special unisymbol reel weight table stored in the memory device and randomly selecting second credit prize symbols from the special unisymbol reel weight tables using the random number generator;
populating the plurality of second symbol positions with the randomly selected second credit prize symbols; and
populating the special symbol position with a special symbol;
randomly selecting a cell of the grid using the random number generator; and
removing the plurality of virtual reels from the game screen and animating fifteen individual unisymbol reels to appear on the game screen each individual unisymbol reel being displayed in a corresponding cell of the grid by:
rendering the special unisymbol reel including the special symbol to appear within the randomly selected cell; and
rendering the plurality of primary unisymbol reels to appear within each remaining cell with at least one primary unisymbol reel displaying an inactive prize symbol;
animating the plurality of unisymbol reels to simulate spinning with the at least one primary unisymbol reel displaying the inactive prize symbol being held in place;
stopping the plurality of unisymbol reels with the special symbol appearing with the plurality of unisymbol reels in a stopped position;
transforming the inactive prize symbol into an active prize symbol; and
animating each of the plurality of unisymbol reels to simulate spinning and stopping to display an outcome of a subsequent reel spin.
7 . The method of claim 6 , including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering each inactive prize symbol with an image of an amount of credits.
8 . The method of claim 6 , including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering the least one primary unisymbol reel including a locked credit prize symbol.
9 . The method of claim 6 , including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering the special unisymbol reel including bonus credit prize symbols and the special symbol.
10 . The method of claim 6 , including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of:
animating an extended spin of the special unisymbol reel during the bonus feature event.
11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon to operate a gaming machine for displaying a computer-animated reel game, the gaming machine including a cabinet, a display device mounted to the cabinet and including a graphical user interface (GUI) display screen displaying computer-generated images thereon, and a control unit including a random number generator, a memory device storing bonus feature prize symbol weight tables including computer-executable instructions defining a primary unisymbol reel weight table including a plurality of first credit prize symbols having corresponding selection weights and a special unisymbol reel weight table including a plurality of second credit prize symbols having corresponding selection weights, credit prize symbol image data files including computer-executable instructions for generating computer images of game symbols populating symbol positions, and a unisymbol reel strip data file including computer-executable instructions defining a primary unisymbol reel strip and a special unisymbol reel strip, the primary unisymbol reel strip and the special unisymbol reel strip each include a plurality of sequential symbol position logic cells that includes indicators for rendering unisymbol reels with a plurality of symbols, each sequential symbol position logic cell is associated with a symbol position configured to be populated by credit prize symbols that are selected from the credit prize symbol image data files using the bonus feature prize symbol weight tables, the plurality of sequential symbol position logic cells include a plurality of active prize symbol positions configured to be populated with active prize symbols and a plurality of inactive prize symbol positions configured to be populated with inactive prize symbols, and one or more processors operably coupled to the display device, when executed by the one or more processors the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images of the computer-animated reel game on the display device GUI including the steps of:
rendering a game screen on the display device GUI including a grid having a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns having a 3×5 cell arrangement;
animating a plurality of virtual reels to appear in the grid with each virtual reel being displayed in a corresponding column, each of the plurality of virtual reels including a plurality of credit prize symbols;
spinning and stopping each of the plurality of virtual reels to display an outcome of the computer-animated reel game; and
replacing the plurality of virtual reels with a plurality of unisymbol reels by:
accessing the unisymbol reel strip data file stored in the memory device and generating the primary unisymbol reel strip including a plurality of first symbol positions and the special unisymbol reel strip including a plurality of second symbol positions and a special symbol position, the special unisymbol reel strip including fewer symbol positions than the primary unisymbol reel strip;
generating a plurality of primary unisymbol reels using the primary unisymbol reel strip by:
accessing the primary unisymbol reel weight table stored in the memory device and randomly selecting first credit prize symbols from the primary unisymbol reel weight table using the random number generator; and
populating the plurality of first symbol positions with the randomly selected credit prize symbols;
generating a special unisymbol reel using the special unisymbol reel strip by:
accessing the special unisymbol reel weight table stored in the memory device and randomly selecting second credit prize symbols from the special unisymbol reel weight tables using the random number generator;
populating the plurality of second symbol positions with the randomly selected second credit prize symbols; and
populating the special symbol position with a special symbol;
randomly selecting a cell of the grid using the random number generator; and
removing the plurality of virtual reels from the game screen and animating fifteen individual unisymbol reels to appear on the game screen each individual unisymbol reel being displayed in a corresponding cell of the grid by:
rendering the special unisymbol reel including the special symbol to appear within the randomly selected cell; and
rendering the plurality of primary unisymbol reels to appear within each remaining cell with at least one primary unisymbol reel displaying an inactive prize symbol;
animating the plurality of unisymbol reels to simulate spinning with the at least one primary unisymbol reel displaying the inactive prize symbol being held in place;
stopping the plurality of unisymbol reels with the special symbol appearing with the plurality of unisymbol reels in a stopped position;
transforming the inactive prize symbol into an active prize symbol; and
animating each of the plurality of unisymbol reels to simulate spinning and stopping to display an outcome of a subsequent reel spin.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering each inactive prize symbol with an image of an amount of credits.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering the least one primary unisymbol reel including a locked credit prize symbol.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of:
rendering the special unisymbol reel including bonus credit prize symbols and the special symbol.