Persistent symbol position arrays with array growth in both base game and feature game
Electronic gaming machines and systems are disclosed that provide for a symbol-based main game that features an array of symbol positions that may, if an array growth condition is met, increase in size. Determining whether the array growth condition is met may involve determining how many array growth symbols are shown in association with a game play. A further determination may be made as to whether a feature game trigger condition is met and, if so, a feature game may be presented that utilizes the same array of symbol positions that were present in the main game when the feature game was triggered. Additional array growth may occur in the feature game if the array growth condition is met again.
1 . A system comprising:
one or more displays; and
a game controller that includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices, wherein:
the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices, and the one or more displays are operably connected, and
the one or more memory devices store computer-executable instructions which, when executed, control the one or more processors to cause a reel symbol display area comprising a plurality of symbol positions to be displayed on one or more displays, wherein the symbol positions in the plurality of symbol positions are initially arranged in an array, and to, responsive to each receipt of a first input signal indicative of a game play of a main game:
select, in association with that game play of the main game, a symbol for each symbol position in the plurality of symbol positions from one of one or more sets of symbols associated with the main game,
display, in each symbol position, the symbol selected for that symbol position in association with that game play of the main game,
determine whether any of the symbols selected for display in association with that game play is an upgrade symbol or are upgrade symbols that, in being displayed, meet a growth condition, p 3 cause, responsive to determining that the growth condition is met, a quantity of one or more additional symbol positions to be additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area and an additional symbol or additional symbols from the one set of symbols of the one or more sets of symbols to be displayed in the one or more additionally displayed symbol positions,
determine whether any of the symbols selected for display in association with that game play is a feature game trigger symbol or are feature game trigger symbols that, in being displayed, meet a feature game trigger condition,
cause, responsive to determining that the feature game trigger condition is met, a feature game to be presented using the symbol positions in the reel symbol display area, inclusive of any of the additionally displayed symbol positions,
determine, responsive to receipt of one or more second input signals and in association with the presentation of the feature game, an outcome of the feature game, wherein each second input signal is indicative of a feature game play of the feature game,
cause multiple user-selectable options to be presented on the one or more displays responsive to the feature game concluding,
receive information indicating a selection of one of the user-selectable options,
select, responsive to receiving the information indicating the selection of one of the user-selectable options, an expansion state effect from a set of multiple expansion state effects, the multiple expansion state effects including a first expansion state effect in which an expansion state of the reel symbol display area is decreased by one or more upgrade levels to reduce the number of additional symbol positions displayed therein and a second expansion state effect in which the expansion state of the reel symbol display area is reset to the array, and
cause the reel symbol display area displayed on the one or more displays to be modified so as to implement the selected expansion state effect.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, for at least one instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area responsive to that instance in which the growth condition is determined to be met forms one or more additional columns of symbol positions that expand the array by the number of additional columns of symbol positions.
3 . The system of claim 2 , for at least one additional instance in which the growth condition is determined to be met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area responsive to the additional instance in which the growth condition is met forms one or more additional rows of symbol positions that expand the array by the number of additional rows of symbol positions.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, for at least one instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area responsive to that instance in which the growth condition is determined to be met are added to a column of the array.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, for at least one instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area are duplicates of the symbol positions that were displayed in the reel symbol display area when the growth condition was met, wherein the additional symbol positions are arranged so as to replicate the arrangement of the symbol positions that were displayed in the reel symbol display area when the growth condition was met.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices further store additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed, further control the one or more processors to cause the symbol positions shown in the reel symbol display area to reset to the array responsive to the feature game concluding.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices further store additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed, further control the one or more processors to cause the reel symbol display area to reset to a state having fewer additional symbol positions responsive to the feature game concluding.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices further store additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed, further control the one or more processors to:
determine whether any of the symbols displayed in the additionally displayed symbol positions is an upgrade symbol or are upgrade symbols that, in being displayed in the additionally displayed symbol positions, meet a further growth condition,
cause, responsive to determining that the further growth condition is met, a further quantity of one or more additional symbol positions to be additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area and a further additional symbol or additional symbols from the one set of symbols of the one or more sets of symbols to be displayed in the further quantity of one or more additionally displayed symbol positions.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple expansion state effects further include a third expansion state effect in which the expansion state of the reel symbol display area is raised by one or more upgrade levels to increase the number of additional symbol positions displayed therein.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the multiple expansion state effects further include a fourth expansion state effect in which the expansion state of the reel symbol display area is reset to a maximum upgrade level to increase the number of additional symbol positions displayed therein to a maximum permitted by the main game.
11 . One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
cause a reel symbol display area comprising a plurality of symbol positions to be displayed on one or more displays, wherein the symbol positions in the plurality of symbol positions are initially arranged in an array, and, responsive to each receipt of a first input signal indicative of a game play of a main game:
select, in association with that game play of the main game, a symbol for each symbol position in the plurality of symbol positions from one of one or more sets of symbols associated with the main game,
display, in each symbol position, the symbol selected for that symbol position in association with that game play of the main game,
determine whether any of the symbols selected for display in association with that game play is an upgrade symbol or are upgrade symbols that, in being displayed, meet a growth condition,
cause, responsive to determining that the growth condition is met, a quantity of one or more additional symbol positions to be additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area and an additional symbol or additional symbols from the one set of symbols of the one or more sets of symbols to be displayed in the one or more additionally displayed symbol positions,
determine whether any of the symbols selected for display in association with that game play is a feature game trigger symbol or are feature game trigger symbols that, in being displayed, meet a feature game trigger condition,
cause, responsive to determining that the feature game trigger condition is met, a feature game to be presented using the symbol positions in the reel symbol display area, inclusive of any of the additionally displayed symbol positions,
determine, responsive to receipt of one or more second input signals and in association with the presentation of the feature game, an outcome of the feature game, wherein each second input signal is indicative of a feature game play of the feature game,
cause multiple user-selectable options to be presented on the one or more displays responsive to the feature game concluding,
receive information indicating a selection of one of the user-selectable options,
select, responsive to receiving the information indicating the selection of one of the user-selectable options, an expansion state effect from a set of multiple expansion state effects, the multiple expansion state effects including a first expansion state effect in which an expansion state of the reel symbol display area is decreased by one or more upgrade levels to reduce the number of additional symbol positions displayed therein and a second expansion state effect in which the expansion state of the reel symbol display area is reset to the array, and
cause the reel symbol display area displayed on the one or more displays to be modified so as to implement the selected expansion state effect.
12 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein, for at least one instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area responsive to that instance in which the growth condition is determined to be met forms one or more additional columns of symbol positions that expand the array by the number of additional columns of symbol positions.
13 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein, for at least one additional instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area responsive to the additional instance in which the growth condition is met forms one or more additional rows of symbol positions that expand the array by the number of additional rows of symbol positions.
14 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein, for at least one instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area responsive to that instance in which the growth condition is determined to be met are added to a column of the array.
15 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein, for at least one instance in which the growth condition is met, the quantity of one or more additional symbol positions that are additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area are duplicates of the symbol positions that were displayed in the reel symbol display area when the growth condition was met, wherein the additional symbol positions are arranged so as to replicate the arrangement of the symbol positions that were displayed in the reel symbol display area when the growth condition was met.
16 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to cause the symbol positions shown in the reel symbol display area to reset to the array responsive to the feature game concluding.
17 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to cause the reel symbol display area to reset to a state having fewer additional symbol positions responsive to the feature game concluding.
18 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , further storing additional computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
determine whether any of the symbols displayed in the additionally displayed symbol positions is an upgrade symbol or are upgrade symbols that, in being displayed in the additionally displayed symbol positions, meet a further growth condition,
cause, responsive to determining that the further growth condition is met, a further quantity of one or more additional symbol positions to be additionally displayed in the reel symbol display area and a further additional symbol or additional symbols from the one set of symbols of the one or more sets of symbols to be displayed in the further quantity of one or more additionally displayed symbol positions.
19 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the multiple expansion state effects further include a third expansion state effect in which the expansion state of the reel symbol display area is raised by one or more upgrade levels to increase the number of additional symbol positions displayed therein.
20 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein the multiple expansion state effects further include a fourth expansion state effect in which the expansion state of the reel symbol display area is reset to a maximum upgrade level to increase the number of additional symbol positions displayed therein to a maximum permitted by the main game.