US-12620291-B2 - Changeable set selector for multiple sets and underlying symbol displays

Abstract

Gaming systems and methods that provide a changeable set selector for multiple aligned sets and underlying symbol displays for plays of a game.

Inventors

• Curt Baker
• Nick Hillstrom
• Lauren Hillstrom

Assignees

• IGT

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231128

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: cause a display, by a display device, of a plurality of symbol displays; cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of aligned sets, each aligned set comprising a primary award indicator and a quantity of blocking elements, the quantity being at least one; cause a display, by the display device, of a set selector, the set selector comprising, for each of the aligned sets, an aligned set indicator for that aligned set; and cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of set selector triggering events associated with a plurality of activations of the symbol displays, and which comprises after each of the plurality of set selector triggering events: a display, by the display device, of an activation of the set selector and indication by the set selector of one of the aligned sets by one of the aligned set indicators; and a display, by the display device, of one of: an indication of no removal of any blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, and an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, a release of the indicated aligned set, and a change to the changeable set selector comprising removing any of the aligned set indicators for the indicated aligned set from the set selector.
2. 2 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of the plurality of aligned sets in one of: an upright top to bottom order, an upright bottom to top order, a highest primary award amount to a lowest primary award amount order, a lowest primary award amount to a highest primary award amount order.
3. 3 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of the plurality of aligned sets initially at different levels.
4. 4 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of the plurality of aligned sets initially at a same level.
5. 5 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding one of the aligned set indicators, for one the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
6. 6 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding a plurality of aligned set indicators, for one the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
7. 7 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding a plurality of different aligned set indicators, for a plurality of different ones of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
8. 8 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding an aligned set indicator, for a plurality of different ones of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
9. 9 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding an aligned set indicator, for all of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
10. 10 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the blocking elements are perceived persistence blocking elements.
11. 11 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the blocking elements are actual persistence blocking elements.
12. 12 . A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of aligned sets, each aligned set comprising a primary award indicator, a first quantity of secondary award indicators, and a second quantity of blocking elements, the first quantity being at least one, the second quantity being at least one; cause a display, by the display device, of a set selector, the set selector comprising, for each of the aligned sets, an aligned set indicator for that aligned set; and cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of set selector triggering events associated with a plurality of activations of the symbol displays, and which comprises after each of the plurality of set selector triggering events: a display, by the display device, of an activation of the set selector and indication by the set selector of one of the aligned sets by one of the aligned set indicators; and a display, by the display device, of one of: an indication of no removal of any blocking elements for the indicated aligned set and of an indication of a provision of one or more of the secondary award indicators, an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, and an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, a release of the indicated aligned set, and a change to the changeable set selector comprising removing any of the aligned set indicators for the aligned set from the set selector.
13. 13 . The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding one of the aligned set indicators, for one the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
14. 14 . The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding a plurality of different aligned set indicators, for a plurality of different ones of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
15. 15 . The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding an aligned set indicator, for a plurality of different ones of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
16. 16 . A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: cause a display, by a display device, of a plurality of aligned sets, each aligned set comprising a primary award indicator, a first quantity of blocking elements, the first quantity being at least one; cause a display, by the display device, of a second quantity secondary award indicators, the second quantity being at least one; cause a display, by the display device, of a set selector, the set selector comprising, for each of the aligned sets, an aligned set indicator for that aligned set; and cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of set selector triggering events associated with a plurality of activations of the symbol displays, and which comprises after each of the plurality of set selector triggering events: a display, by the display device, of an activation of the set selector and indication by the set selector of one of the aligned sets by one of the aligned set indicators; and a display, by the display device, of one of: an indication of no removal of any blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set and of an indication of a provision of one or more of the secondary award indicators, and an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, a release of the indicated aligned set, and a change to the changeable set selector comprising removing any of the aligned set indicators for the aligned set from the set selector.
17. 17 . The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding one of the aligned set indicators, for one the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
18. 18 . The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding a plurality of different aligned set indicators, for a plurality of different ones of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
19. 19 . The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding an aligned set indicator, for a plurality of different ones of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.
20. 20 . The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a display, by the display device, of a display, of the change to the changeable set selector comprises adding an aligned set indicator, for all of the aligned sets not released, to the set selector.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to the following commonly owned co-pending patent application: U.S. application Ser. No. 18/521,288, entitled “ALIGNED SETS ASSOCIATED WITH A SET SELECTOR AND UNDERLYING SYMBOL DISPLAYS,”. BACKGROUND In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a changeable set selector for multiple sets and underlying symbol displays in a gaming environment. Gaming machines may provide one or more awards in a play of a primary game. Gaming machines may require a wager to activate a play of a primary game. The award may be based a winning symbol or winning symbol combination and on the amount of the wager. BRIEF SUMMARY In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a gaming system including a processor and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: cause a display, by a display device, of a plurality of symbol displays; cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of aligned sets, each aligned set comprising a primary award indicator and a quantity of blocking elements, the quantity being at least one; and cause a display, by the display device, of a set selector, the set selector comprising, for each of the aligned sets, an aligned set indicator for that aligned set. The plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor further cause the processor to: cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of set selector triggering events associated with a plurality of activations of the symbol displays, and which comprises after each of the plurality of set selector triggering events: a display, by the display device, of an activation of the set selector and indication by the set selector of one of the aligned sets by one of the aligned set indicators; and a display, by the display device, of one of: (a) an indication of no removal of any blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, (b) an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, and (c) an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, a release of the indicated aligned set, and a change to the changeable set selector comprising removing any of the aligned set indicators for the indicated aligned set from the set selector. In various other embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a gaming system including a processor and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of aligned sets, each aligned set comprising a primary award indicator, a first quantity of secondary award indicators, and a second quantity of blocking elements, the first quantity being at least one, the second quantity being at least one; and cause a display, by the display device, of a set selector, the set selector comprising, for each of the aligned sets, an aligned set indicator for that aligned set. The plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor further cause the processor to: cause a display, by the display device, of a plurality of set selector triggering events associated with a plurality of activations of the symbol displays, and which comprises after each of the plurality of set selector triggering events: a display, by the display device, of an activation of the set selector and indication by the set selector of one of the aligned sets by one of the aligned set indicators; and a display, by the display device, of one of: (a) an indication of no removal of any blocking elements for the indicated aligned set and of an indication of a provision of one or more of the secondary award indicators, (b) an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, and (c) an indication of a removal of a quantity of blocking elements for the indicated aligned set, a release of the indicated aligned set, and a change to the changeable set selector comprising removing any of the aligned set indicators for the aligned set from the set selector. In various other embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a gaming system including a processor and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: cause a display, by a display device, of a plurality of aligned sets, each aligned set comprising a primary award indicator, a first quantity of blocking elements, the first quantity being at least one; cause a display, by the display device, of a second quantity secondary award indicators, the second quantity being at least one; and cause a display, by the display device, of a set selector, the set selector comprising, for each of the aligned sets, an aligned set indicator for that aligned set. The plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor further cause the processor to: cause a d