US-12626564-B2 - Controlling volatility and return to player in expanded hold-and-spin features

US12626564B2US 12626564 B2US12626564 B2US 12626564B2US-12626564-B2

Abstract

A hold-and-spin feature is expanded and a potential game outcome is increased by triggering resetting of the remaining number of spins to different reset spin values based on the collection of a number of first respin triggering symbols. In order to control and manage the degree of randomness in having different numbers of reset spin values, and thus controlling game volatility and/or thus maintaining a target RTP, multiple reel strip types with different properties are used to select symbols for various positions in the symbol matrix. The multiple reel strip types may have different probabilities of selecting credit symbols, non-credit symbols, first respin triggering symbols, second triggering symbols, and so on.

Inventors

Gary Penacho
Allon Englman

Assignees

ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220928

Claims (18)

1 . A system, comprising: a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to: initiate a hold-and-spin feature involving a series of spins and a symbol matrix; and during the series of spins: select symbols for the symbol matrix from multiple reel strip types, the multiple reel strip types including: a first reel strip type including a first respin triggering symbol that is a credit symbol, wherein the first reel strip type including a first probability of selecting the credit symbol, and wherein the symbol matrix includes first reel strip type positions; a second reel strip type including a second respin triggering symbol; and a third reel strip type that includes a second probability of selecting the credit symbol; hold first symbols of the symbols that are the first respin triggering symbol between spins of the series of spins; remove second symbols of the symbols that are the second respin triggering symbol after a spin of the series of spins; randomly select second reel strip type positions in the symbol matrix for which the symbols are selected from the second reel strip type after the spin of the series of spins; reset a number of spins remaining to a first reset spin value when the first symbols meet a first threshold; and reset the number of spins remaining to a second reset spin value when the first symbols meet a second threshold, wherein the symbol matrix includes unlocked rows and locked rows, wherein the processor unlocks at least one of the locked rows during the series of spins when a total number of credit symbols reaches an unlock threshold, and wherein the first probability, the second probability, and the first reel strip type positions in the symbol matrix are configured to control a rate at which the locked rows are unlocked during the series of spins.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the symbols of the symbol matrix are selected from the first reel strip type and the first reel strip type positions remain unchanged between the spins of the series of spins.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first reel strip type, the second reel strip type, and the third reel strip type all include non-credit symbols and the second respin triggering symbol is one of the non-credit symbols.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the symbols of the symbol matrix are selected from the first reel strip type and the first reel strip type positions are all on the unlocked rows.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the multiple reel strip types is generated from another of the multiple reel strip types upon initiating the hold-and-spin feature.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor selects a number of the second reel strip type positions after the spin of the series of spins.
7 . A system, comprising: a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to: initiate a hold-and-spin feature involving a series of spins and a symbol matrix; and during the series of spins: select symbols for the symbol matrix from at least a first reel strip type and a second reel strip type, wherein the first reel strip type includes a first respin triggering symbol and a first probability of selecting a first respin triggering symbol, and wherein the second reel strip type includes a second respin triggering symbol and a second probability of selecting a second respin triggering symbol; hold first symbols of the symbols that are the first respin triggering symbol between spins of the series of spins; remove second symbols of the symbols that are the second respin triggering symbol after a spin of the series of spins; reset a number of spins remaining to a first reset spin value when the first symbols meet a first threshold; and reset the number of spins remaining to a second reset spin value when the first symbols meet a second threshold; control randomness during the series of spins by configuring a fixed number of first reel strip type positions in the symbol matrix from which the symbols may be selected from the first reel strip type unless the first reel strip type positions are occupied by one of the first symbols that are held, wherein the symbol matrix includes unlocked rows and locked rows, and wherein the processor unlocks at least one of the locked rows during the series of spins when a total number of credit symbols reaches an unlock threshold, and wherein the first probability, the second probability, and the first reel strip type positions in the symbol matrix are configured to control a rate at which the locked rows are unlocked during the series of spins.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the symbol matrix includes second reel strip type positions where the symbols are selected from the second reel strip type and the second reel strip type positions change between the spins of the series of spins.
9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first reel strip type and the second reel strip type are retrieved from storage upon initiation of the hold-and-spin feature.
10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of: the first respin spin value is higher than the second respin spin value; or the first threshold is less than the second threshold.
11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to: sum numeric credit values associated with the first symbols.
12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor selects at least one of the symbols for the symbol matrix from a third reel strip type that includes at least one jackpot symbol.
13 . A system, comprising: a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to: initiate a hold-and-spin feature involving a series of spins and a symbol matrix that includes unlocked rows and locked rows; and during the series of spins: select symbols for the symbol matrix from at least a first reel strip type and a second reel strip type, the first reel strip type including a first probability of selecting a credit symbol and the second reel strip type including a second probability of selecting the credit symbol; hold credit symbols of the symbols between spins of the series of spins; and unlock at least one of the locked rows when a total number of the credit symbols reaches an unlock threshold; and control randomness during the series of spins by interspersing first reel strip type positions from which the symbols are selected from the first reel strip type across the locked rows; and sum credit symbols associated with the unlocked rows, wherein the first probability, the second probability, and the first reel strip type positions in the symbol matrix are configured to control a rate at which the locked rows are unlocked during the series of spins.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first reel strip type and the second reel strip type is generated from another of the first reel strip type and the second reel strip type upon initiating the hold-and-spin feature.
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the symbol matrix includes additional first reel strip type positions where the symbols are selected from the first reel strip type and the first reel strip type positions are interspersed across the unlocked rows.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the unlocked rows are hidden from a player.
17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the locked rows that is unlocked when the total number of the credit symbols reaches the unlock threshold is adjacent to the unlocked rows.
18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor presents an animation on a display of the system based on the summed credit symbols.

Description

BACKGROUND Electronic gaming machines (“EGMs”) or gaming devices provide a variety of wagering games such as slot games, video poker games, video blackjack games, roulette games, video bingo games, keno games, and other types of games that are frequently offered at casinos and other locations. Play on EGMs typically involves a player establishing a credit balance by inputting money, or another form of monetary credit, and placing a monetary wager (from the credit balance) on one or more outcomes of an instance (or single play) of a primary or base game. In some cases, a player may qualify for a special mode of the base game, a secondary game, or a bonus round of the base game by attaining a certain winning combination or triggering event in, or related to, the base game, or after the player is randomly awarded the special mode, secondary game, or bonus round. In the special mode, secondary game, or bonus round, the player is given an opportunity to win extra game credits, game tokens, or other forms of payout. In the case of “game credits” that are awarded during play, the game credits are typically added to a credit meter total on the EGM and can be provided to the player upon completion of a gaming session or when the player wants to “cash out.” “Slot” type games are often displayed to the player in the form of various symbols arrayed in a row-by-column grid or matrix. Specific matching combinations of symbols along predetermined paths (or paylines) through the matrix indicate the outcome of the game. The display typically highlights winning combinations/outcomes for identification by the player. Matching combinations and their corresponding awards are usually shown in a “pay-table” which is available to the player for reference. Often, the player may vary his/her wager to include differing numbers of paylines and/or the amount bet on each line. By varying the wager, the player may sometimes alter the frequency or number of winning combinations, frequency or number of secondary games, and/or the amount awarded. Typical games use a random number generator (RNG) to randomly determine the outcome of each game. The game is designed to return a certain percentage of the amount wagered back to the player over the course of many plays or instances of the game, which is generally referred to as return to player (RTP). The RTP and randomness of the RNG ensure the fairness of the games and are highly regulated. Upon initiation of play, the RNG randomly determines a game outcome and symbols are then selected which correspond to that outcome. Notably, some games may include an element of skill on the part of the player and are therefore not entirely random. SUMMARY A game outcome may be determined for a hold-and-spin feature based on a number of credit symbols collected in a symbol matrix over a series of spins. The present disclosure expands the hold-and-spin feature and increases the potential for the game outcome by triggering resetting of the remaining number of spins to different reset spin values based on the collection of a number of first respin triggering symbols. Having different numbers of reset spin values (and/or different numbers of added spins) may increase the randomness in the hold-and-spin feature. The increased randomness in the hold-and-spin feature may affect game volatility, RTP, and so on. These problems may be exacerbated when additional features increase the potential for the game outcome, such as increasing the symbol matrix size, unlocking additional symbol matrix rows, and so on. The degree of randomness in having different numbers of reset spin values (and/or different numbers of added spins), and thus game volatility and/or RTP, are controlled by controlling which of multiple reel strip types (which have different probabilities of selecting credit symbols, non-credit symbols, first respin triggering symbols, second triggering symbols, and so on) are used to select symbols for how many positions in the symbol matrix, which positions in the symbol matrix which of the multiple reel strip types are used to select symbols for, and so on. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing several EGMs networked with various gaming related servers. FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing various functional elements of an exemplary EGM. FIG. 2B depicts a casino gaming environment according to one example. FIG. 2C is a diagram that shows examples of components of a system for providing online gaming according to some aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates, in block diagram form, an implementation of a game processing architecture algorithm that implements a game processing pipeline for the play of a game in accordance with various implementations described herein. FIG. 4 depicts a first method for controlling volatility and return to player in an expanded hold-and-spin feature. The method may be performed by one or more of the devices depicted in FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 5