Gaming System and a Method of Gaming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018068520-A1
Application number	US-201715812782-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Nov 28, 2007
Publication date	Mar 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of gaming comprising: generating a game outcome by selecting a plurality of symbols, and displaying the selected symbols on a display at respective ones of a plurality of display positions arranged in a three-dimensional array; and determining whether the game outcome includes one or more winning outcomes. The method may include expanding the size of the three-dimensional array in response to occurrence of at least one trigger condition. The method may also include migrating symbols from one position to another within the three-dimensional array prior to determining whether the game outcome includes any winning outcomes.

First claim

1 . A method of playing a game on a gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising a credit input mechanism configured for player interaction to receive a credit input representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, a wagering input mechanism configured to allow a player to place one or more wagers using the credit balance, and a display having a plurality of display positions arranged in a three-dimensional array having a plurality of subarrays displayed as stacked planar two-dimensional matrices of display positions, the method comprising:
initiating, via the controller, a casino wagering game in response to receiving a wager input from the wager input mechanism, the wager input indicative of a wager amount that is deducted from the credit balance determining, via the controller, whether a predefined triggering criterion is satisfied; in response to said at least one predefined triggering criterion being satisfied, expanding the size of the three-dimensional array that is displayed on the display to provide an expanded three-dimensional array; selecting, via the controller, a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for positioning in display positions of the expanded three-dimensional array; displaying the selected symbols at respective display positions of the expanded three-dimensional array; and forming a game outcome based on the symbols displayed on the expanded three-dimensional array; and determining, via the controller, whether the game outcome includes a winning outcome; and in response to determining that the game outcome includes a winning outcome, increasing the credit balance via the gaming controller.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of expanding the display comprises adding at least one additional subarray to the three-dimensional array to provide the expanded three-dimensional array.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined trigger condition comprises the occurrence of at least one of a wager amount, a game turnover, and a particular symbol.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subarrays includes a primary subarray and a secondary subarray and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
following the displaying step, determining if any functional symbols are displayed at any display positions of the secondary subarray; controlling the display to display said functional symbols as migrating from secondary subarray to the primary subarray; and determining a game outcome based on the symbols displayed in the primary array, including any functional symbols that were migrated from the secondary subarray.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the functional symbols comprise Wild symbols.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the functional symbols comprise multipliers.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wager input mechanism is configured to allow a player to select at least one of a plurality of paylines, each pay line comprising a different set of the plurality of display positions, and wherein determining whether there is a winning outcome comprises determining whether to make an award based on each player selected pay line and the displayed symbols.

8 . A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of paylines include paylines in respective ones of a plurality of different parallel planes.

9 . A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least two of the plurality of paylines are in respective ones of a pair of transverse planes.

10 . An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based on wagering activity; a wagering input mechanism configured to allow a player to place one or more wagers using the credit balance; a video display having a plurality of display positions arranged in a three-dimensional array having a plurality of subarrays displayed as stacked planar two-dimensional matrices of display positions; a game controller configured to:
initiate a casino wagering game in response to receiving a wager input from the wager input mechanism, the wager input indicative of a wager amount that is deducted from the credit balance;
determine whether a predefined triggering criterion is satisfied;
in response to said at least one predefined triggering criterion being satisfied, cause at least one additional subarray to be added to the three-dimensional array to provide an expanded three-dimensional array;
select plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for positioning in display positions of the expanded three-dimensional array;
control the display to display the selected symbols at respective display positions of the expanded three-dimensional array;
form a game outcome based on the symbols displayed on the expanded three-dimensional array; and
determine whether the game outcome includes a winning outcome; and
increase the credit balance in response to determining that the game outcome includes a winning outcome.

11 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the at least one predefined trigger condition comprises the occurrence of at least one of a wager amount, a game turnover, and a particular symbol.

12 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of subarrays includes a primary subarray and a secondary subarray and wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine if any functional symbols are displayed at any display positions of the secondary subarray; control the display to display the functional symbols as migrating from the secondary subarray to the primary subarray; and determine a game outcome based on the symbols displayed in the primary array, including any functional symbols that were migrated from the secondary display.

13 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 12 , wherein the functional symbols comprise Wild symbols.

14 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 12 , wherein the functional symbols comprise multipliers.

15 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the wager input mechanism is configured to allow a player to select at least one of a plurality of paylines, each payline comprising a different set of the plurality of display positions, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether there is a winning outcome based on each player selected pay-line and the displayed symbols.

16 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of paylines include paylines in respective ones of a plurality of different parallel planes.

17 . The electronic gaming machine of claim 16 , wherein at least two of the plurality of paylines are in respective ones of a pair of transverse planes.

18 . A gaming system for play of a game, comprising:
a credit input mechanism configured for player interaction to receive a physical item for credit input associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity; a payout mechanism configured to cause a payout associated with the credit balance; a memory storing symbol data representing a plurality of symbols including a plurality of functional symbols; a display having a plurality of display positions arranged in a three-dimensional array having a plurality of subarrays displayed as a plurality of stacked planar

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Au

Inventors

• Mckay Linn Anthony
• Stone Jay

Classifications

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3202

  Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title

• G07F17/34

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title

• G07F17/3213 Primary

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title