Gaming system and a method of gaming

Abstract

A gaming apparatus comprises a movable symbol selector and a reference object. The symbol selector has a plurality of presentation portions. Each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols. The reference object comprises a plurality of parts over which the selector can be moved. Each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols. When the symbol selector moves relative to the reference object at least one relationship is formed between at least one of the selector portions and at least one of the reference object parts. The at least one relationship is for use in determining a game outcome.

1 . A gaming apparatus comprising:
 a movable symbol selector having a plurality of presentation portions, wherein each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols;   a reference object comprising a plurality of parts over which the selector can be moved, wherein each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols,   wherein when the symbol selector moves relative to the reference object at least one relationship is formed between at least one of the selector portions and at least one of the reference object parts; wherein the at least one relationship is for use in a determining a game outcome.   
     
     
         2 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the portions are arranged over a surface of the selector. 
     
     
         3 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference object comprises one or more game surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the or each game surface comprises at least one of the parts. 
     
     
         5 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one relationship is formed by the at least one portion contacting at least one part. 
     
     
         6 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the selector is rollable and the movement of the selector is by rolling. 
     
     
         7 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the parts of the reference object are spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         8 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the parts of the reference object are connected to each other. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference object is stationary. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference object is movable. 
     
     
         11 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each symbol associated with each portion is displayed in the portion. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each symbol associated with each part is displayed in the part. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein of symbol selector is a ball. 
     
     
         14 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the symbol selector is one of a plurality of symbol selectors which are moved relative to the reference object. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the symbol selectors have the same symbols associated with their respective portions. 
     
     
         16 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein there is a different set of symbols for each symbol selector. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the symbol selectors have the same arrangement of symbols on their respective surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein there is a different arrangement of symbols on each symbol selector. 
     
     
         19 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of symbols is the same as the second set of symbols. 
     
     
         20 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein some of the first set of symbols are also in the second set of symbols. 
     
     
         21 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of symbols is different to the second set of symbols. 
     
     
         22 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the parts of the reference object are arranged in a lane of sequential parts. 
     
     
         23 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the parts of the reference object are arranged into a plurality of lanes and a symbol selector is provided for each lane. 
     
     
         24 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the symbols in each lane are the same. 
     
     
         25 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the sequence of symbols differs between lanes. 
     
     
         26 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the symbols differ between lanes. 
     
     
         27 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the game surface is inclined and the symbol selector is released to roll down the game surface when the game is played. 
     
     
         28 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols are faces of playing cards. 
     
     
         29 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the symbols are shapes, colours, letters, numbers or combinations of these. 
     
     
         30 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming apparatus is arranged to electronically simulate the symbol selector and the reference object. 
     
     
         31 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a monitor for determining which of the selector portions form a relationship with which of the reference object parts such that the symbols corresponding to the determined portions and parts can be determined. 
     
     
         32 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the gaming apparatus comprises a comparator for comparing the determined symbols with game criteria to determine the game outcome. 
     
     
         33 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the comparator is arranged to determine that the game outcome is a win in the event that one of more of the determined symbols of the selector is the same as one or more of the determined symbols of the reference object. 
     
     
         34 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the comparator is arranged to determine the outcome of the game according to the number of determined selector symbols that are the same as the determined reference object symbols. 
     
     
         35 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the comparator is arranged to determine that the outcome of the game is a win in the event that a combination of the determined symbols indicate a win. 
     
     
         36 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the comparator is arranged to determine that the outcome of the game is a loss in the event that none of determined symbols are the same. 
     
     
         37 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the comparator is arranged to determine that the outcome of the game is a loss in the event that a combination of the determined symbols do not indicate a win. 
     
     
         38 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming apparatus comprises a prize allocator for allocating a prize to a player of the game based on the game outcome. 
     
     
         39 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the prize allocator allocates a prize having a quantum based on the number of determined symbols that are the same. 
     
     
         40 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein gaming apparatus is arranged such that a player is able to choose to enter into one or more rounds of the game such that entry into each subsequent round after the first round risks losing a prize or a portion of a prize, or the player is able to choose to end the game and receive a prize won thus far. 
     
     
         41 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the or each prize may be in the form of a monetary amount, points, tokens, progressive prizes, eligibility for feature games, tournament entitlements, or entitlements to inclusion of special symbols in subsequent rounds of the game, such as wildcard symbols. 
     
     
         42 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 31 , further comprising an indicator for indicating the determined symbols. 
     
     
         43 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the indicator indicates the determined selector symbols separately from the determined reference object symbols. 
     
     
         44 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming apparatus is implemented as a stand alone gaming machine or across a network. 
     
     
         45 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming apparatus forms part of a gaming system. 
     
     
         46 . A method of playing a game using a gaming apparatus comprising a movable symbol selector having a plurality of presentation portions, wherein each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols; and a reference object comprising a plurality of parts over which the selector can be moved, wherein each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols, wherein when the symbol selector moves relative to the reference object at least one relationship is formed between at least one of the selector portions and at least one of the reference object parts, and wherein the at least one relationship is for use in a determining a game outcome, the method comprising:
 moving the symbol selector relative to the reference object;   determining which of the portions form a relationship with which of the parts and the corresponding symbols according to the at least one portion-part relationship;   determining the game outcome according the determined symbols.   
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein the outcome of the game is a win in the event that the one or more of the related symbols are the same. 
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein a quantum of the outcome the game is based on the number of related symbols that are the same. 
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein a quantum of the outcome the game is based on which selector symbols are related to which reference object symbols. 
     
     
         50 . A game controller for controlling a gaming system, the gaming system comprising:
 a movable symbol selector having a plurality of presentation portions, wherein each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols; and   a reference object comprising a plurality of parts over which the movable object can be moved, wherein each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols,   
       wherein the game controller is arranged to cause:
 the movable object to move relative to the reference object so that at least one relationship is formed between at least one of the selector portions and at least one of the reference object parts; 
 wherein the at least one relationship is for use in determining a game outcome. 
 
     
     
         51 . A game controller according to  claim 50 , wherein the game controller is arranged to determine the respective symbols associated with each portion and part of each formed relationship for use in determining the outcome of the game. 
     
     
         52 . A game controller according to  claim 50 , wherein the game controller is arranged to cause displaying of the movable symbol selector and the reference object on a display. 
     
     
         53 . A game controller according to  claim 52 , comprising a processor configured to control movement of the symbol selector relative to the reference object. 
     
     
         54 . A game controller according to  claim 51 , wherein the processor is configured to control the display to separately display the determined symbols. 
     
     
         55 . A game controller according to  claim 53 , wherein the processor is configured to operate a symbol selection component which determines the movement or movements of the movable object so that when the symbol selector is moved the at least one relationships are formed according to the determined movement or movements. 
     
     
         56 . A method of playing a game using a game controller for controlling a gaming system, the gaming system comprising: a movable symbol selector having a plurality of presentation portions, wherein each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols; and a reference object comprising a plurality of parts over which the movable object can be moved, wherein each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols, and wherein the game controller is arranged to cause: the movable object to move relative to the reference object so that at least one relationship is formed between at least one of the selector portions and at least one of the reference object parts, wherein the at least one relationship is for use in determining a game outcome, the method comprising:
 displaying moving of the symbol selector over the reference object;   determining the game outcome according the determined symbols.   
     
     
         57 . A method of playing a game comprising:
 moving a symbol selector over a reference object, wherein the symbol selector has a plurality of presentation portions, wherein each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols, wherein the reference object has a plurality of parts over which the selector can move, wherein each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols, wherein when the symbol selector moves relative to the reference object at least one of the portions will form at least one relationship with at least one of the parts;   determining a game outcome according to the formed relationships.   
     
     
         58 . A method according to  claim 57 , further comprising determining which of the portions form a relationship with which of the parts and which respective symbols are associated with each part of the formed relationships, and determining the game outcome based on the determined symbols. 
     
     
         59 . Logic embodied in a machine readable form for controlling a processor to perform a method of playing a game comprising instructions for controlling the processor to:
 display a moveable symbol selector having a plurality of presentation portions, wherein each portion is associated with one or more symbols of a first set of symbols;   display a reference object comprising a plurality of parts over which the selector can move, wherein each part is associated with one or more symbols of a second set of symbols;   display the symbol selector moving relative to the reference object with at least one of the portions forming at least one relationship with at least one of the parts;   wherein the at least one relationship is for use in determining a game outcome.   
     
     
         60 . The logic according to  claim 59 , wherein the instructions are further configured to determine which of the portions form a relationship with which of the parts and which respective symbols are associated with each part of the formed relationships for use in determining the game outcome. 
     
     
         61 . The logic of  claim 59 , wherein the logic is embodied in a computer program comprising instructions which when executed control the operation of the processor.