Reel strip interaction

0001Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,192,345. The present application is a divisional reissue application of reissue application Ser. No. 12/407,125, filed on Mar. 19, 2009. A continuation of reissue application Ser. No. 12/407,125, namely, application Ser. No. 12/407,332 was filed on Mar. 19, 2009.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

0002This application claims the benefit of the Australian application PRL 947 filed Dec. 7, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0003This invention relates to a gaming machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a gaming machine and to an improvement to a game played on such a gaming machine.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

0004Players who regularly play gaming machines quickly tire of particular games and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers of these machines to develop innovative game features which add interest to the games. In so doing, it is hoped to keep players amused and therefore willing to continue playing the games as well as to attract new players.

0005Also, with the growth that has occurred in the gaming machine market, there is intense competition between manufacturers to supply various existing and new venues. When selecting a supplier of gaming machines, the operator of a venue will often pay close attention to the popularity of various games with their patrons. Therefore, gaming machine manufacturers are keen to devise games and/or game features which are popular with the players as a mechanism for improving sales, retaining customers and attracting new customers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0006According to the invention, there is provided a gaming machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, the gaming machine being characterized in that, during the playing of a first game, symbols related to that first game are displayed on the display means and, when a trigger condition occurs, a feature game is commenced in which an arrangement of at least some of the symbols of the first game are incorporated as part of a larger image which constitutes an image of the feature game, the at least some symbols of the first game contributing to an outcome of the feature game.

0007The first game may be any suitable base game played on an electronic gaming machine. For ease of explanation, the invention will be described with reference to the base game being a spinning reel game. The display screen for the base game may thus display a video simulation of a number of reels. For example, five such reels, each showing three symbols, may be displayed.

0008When the trigger condition occurs, a screen display of the first game may be incorporated into the image of the feature game and may be used in the playing of the feature game. The screen display which is incorporated into the image of the feature game may be the arrangement of the reels as they were when the trigger condition occurred. For example, the screen display of the first game comprising the image of reels may move backwards to be surrounded by, and become part of, another image.

0009Instead, an effect may be created by the control means of zooming out from the screen display of the reels to show that the screen display of the reels of the first game is part of the larger image such as a pinball game.

0010Further, the image of the feature game may have a width greater than a width of the display means and the control means may impart a panning effect to display different parts of the image of the feature game.

0011The trigger condition may be constituted by an event in the first game, for example, as a result of a particular combination of symbols being displayed. Instead, the trigger condition may occur independently of the first game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0012The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

0013<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows a three dimensional view of a gaming machine, in accordance with the invention;

0014<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the gaming machine;

0015<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3 and 4</figref> show screen displays of a first embodiment of a game played on the gaming machine of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>;

0016<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 5 and 6</figref> show screen displays of a second embodiment of a game played on the gaming machine of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>;

0017<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 7 to 10</figref> show screen displays of a third embodiment of a game played on the gaming machine of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>; and

0018<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 11 to 13</figref> show screen displays of a fourth embodiment of a game played on the gaming machine of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>.

0019FIGS. 14 and 15 are a flow charts describing methods for use of a gaming machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0020In <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, reference numeral <b>10</b> generally designates a gaming machine, including a game, in accordance with the invention. The machine <b>10</b> includes a console <b>12</b> having a video display unit <b>14</b> on which a game <b>16</b> is played, in use. The preferred form of a base game of the game <b>16</b> is a spinning reel game which simulates the rotation of a number of spinning reels <b>18</b>. It will, however, be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to other types of base games such as card games or ball games such as Keno, or the like.

0021A midtrim <b>20</b> of the machine <b>10</b> houses a bank <b>22</b> of buttons for enabling a player to play the game <b>16</b>. The midtrim <b>20</b> also houses a credit input mechanism <b>24</b> including a coin input chute <b>24</b>.<b>1</b> and a bill collector <b>24</b>.<b>2</b>.

0022The machine <b>10</b> includes a top box <b>26</b> on which artwork <b>28</b> is carried. The artwork <b>28</b> includes paytables, details of bonus awards, etc.

0023A coin tray <b>30</b> is mounted beneath the console <b>12</b> for cash payouts from the machine <b>10</b>.

0024Referring now to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> of the drawings, a control means or control circuit <b>40</b> is illustrated. A program which implements the game and user interface is run on a processor <b>42</b> of the control circuit <b>40</b>. The processor <b>42</b> forms part of a controller <b>44</b> which drives the screen of the video display unit <b>14</b> and which receives input signals from sensors <b>46</b>. The sensors <b>46</b> include sensors associated with the bank <b>22</b> of buttons and touch sensors mounted in the screen <b>16</b>. The controller <b>36</b> also receives input pulses from the mechanism <b>24</b> to determine whether or not a player has provided sufficient credit to commence playing. The mechanism <b>24</b> may, instead of the coin input chute <b>24</b>.<b>1</b> or the bill collector <b>24</b>.<b>2</b>, or in addition thereto, be a credit card reader (not shown) or any other type of validation device.

0025Finally, the controller <b>36</b> drives a payout mechanism <b>40</b> which, for example, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the coin tray <b>30</b> to make a pay out to a player when the player wishes to redeem his or her credit.

0026For ease of explanation, the invention will be described with reference to a base game being a spinning reel game having a video simulation of spinning reels <b>18</b>.

0027In use, when a trigger condition occurs, either in the base game or independently of the base game, a feature game is commenced.

0028Referring now to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3 and 4</figref> of the drawings, a first embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail. Initially, a spinning reel game is played as a first or base game and an example of a screen display of a result of the base game is illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> of the drawings. In this embodiment of the invention, the trigger condition arises due to the occurrence of three target symbols <b>52</b> on the reels <b>18</b>, the trigger condition triggering a feature game.

0029When the trigger condition occurs which gives rise to the feature game, the entire screen display <b>50</b> appears to move so that the screen display <b>50</b> forms a part of a larger montage or image <b>54</b> of a new screen display <b>56</b> of the feature game as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> of the drawings. Accordingly, when the trigger condition, being the three target symbols <b>52</b> occurs, the representation of the five reels forming the screen display <b>50</b> moves backwards so that it forms part of a wall <b>58</b> of a castle in the larger image <b>54</b> displayed in the screen display <b>56</b> in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> of the drawings.

0030In the feature game, a plurality of archers <b>60</b> is displayed in the image <b>54</b>. The archers fire arrows <b>62</b> at the wall <b>58</b>. Prizes are awarded for the arrows <b>62</b> which strike any of the target symbols <b>52</b>. Instead, or in addition, when an arrow <b>62</b> strikes any symbol of the display <b>50</b>, the arrow <b>62</b> substitutes for that symbol. The arrows <b>62</b> may be flaming arrows and, provided the arrows <b>62</b> continue burning, they continue to substitute in addition to further arrows fired at the wall <b>58</b>.

0031In <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 5 and 6</figref>, another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, an example of a screen display <b>70</b> of a base game is illustrated. Once again, the base game is a spinning reel game. In this embodiment, a trigger condition occurs when three bonus symbols <b>72</b> are spun up.

0032In an effect similar to a camera zooming out, a zooming-type effect of the screen display <b>70</b> takes place to reveal that the screen display <b>70</b> is in fact a part of a larger game indicated by screen display <b>72</b> in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> of the drawings. The larger game <b>72</b> is a pinball-style feature game such as the Applicant's version of a pachinko game, sold under the Applicant's trade mark of “Arishinko”. Bonuses are awarded as balls <b>74</b> drop from racks <b>76</b> and land in buckets <b>78</b> at the bottom of the screen display.

0033The reels <b>18</b> of the spinning reel game spin while the balls <b>74</b> drop to give additional prizes over and above prizes for the balls <b>74</b> landing in the bucket <b>78</b>. These additional prizes may include standard wins from a series of free games on the spinning reels <b>18</b>.

0034Referring now to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 7 to 10</figref> of the drawings, a third embodiment of the invention is shown. A game screen <b>80</b>, which is longer than a width of the video display unit <b>14</b> of the gaming machine <b>10</b>, is shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> of the drawings. Naturally, due to the fact that the game screen <b>80</b> is longer than the width of the video display unit <b>14</b>, only a part or segment thereof is visible at any one time.

0035Consequently, upon initiation of the feature game a first segment <b>80</b>.<b>1</b> of the game screen, as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> of the drawings, is visible on the video display unit <b>14</b>.

0036Amongst the items displayed in the game screen <b>80</b> are treasure chests <b>82</b>. When the segment <b>80</b>.<b>1</b> is displayed, the player is required to choose from one of the treasure chests <b>82</b>. It is to be noted that the original screen from the base game, designated in this embodiment by reference numeral <b>84</b>, is incorporated or embedded in the game screen <b>80</b> and the perspective of the picture is such that the treasure chests <b>82</b> appear to be arranged in front of the screen <b>84</b>.

0037Once the player has chosen one of the treasure chests <b>82</b>, the chosen treasure chest <b>82</b> opens. A number of free games will be revealed from the treasure chest <b>82</b> chosen by the player.

0038The free games are played on the embedded screen <b>84</b>. During the free games the screen scrolls or pans horizontally from the segment <b>80</b>.<b>1</b> to one of segments <b>80</b>.<b>2</b> (<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>) or <b>80</b>.<b>3</b> (<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref>).

0039When the segment <b>80</b>.<b>2</b> becomes visible, boats <b>86</b> in the image may “shoot” cannon balls on to the reels <b>18</b> of the embedded screen <b>84</b>. Where a cannon ball strikes any symbol on one of the reels <b>18</b>, it substitutes for any of those symbols on the reel <b>18</b>. Accordingly, bonus prizes are given which are higher than they would normally be for that free game.

0040The screen <b>80</b> then scrolls or pans to reveal the segment <b>80</b>.<b>3</b>. In this segment, birds such as parrots (not shown) “fly” from trees <b>88</b> carrying special symbols which they may place on predetermined symbol display positions on the reels <b>18</b> of the embedded screen <b>84</b>. The special symbols determine additional wins for the free game.

0041It will be appreciated that the original screen display <b>80</b> may be even larger than that illustrated and other bonuses may occur during the feature game. For example, the boats <b>86</b> may sail from one island to another to reveal more features or another set of reel strips.

0042Referring now to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 11 to 13</figref>, another embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

0043In this embodiment, a basic screen is designated generally by the reference numeral <b>90</b>. The basic screen <b>90</b> has the conventional five reels <b>18</b>. When a suitable trigger condition occurs (not shown) the reels <b>18</b> “shrink” as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> of the drawings, to reveal a sixth reel <b>92</b>. Instead, as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref> of the drawings, the screen “zooms out” to reveal a sixth reel <b>94</b>.

0044Accordingly, it is an advantage of the invention that a game is provided which, the Applicant believes, will enhance player interest and encourage playing of the game by providing entertaining features.

0045It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.