Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Abstract

A method of gaming comprising: selecting, in each whole reel symbol game round, symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions, subsets of the display positions corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of reels set side by side, by: selecting a whole reel symbol from a whole reel symbol set for at least one of the reels, such that the whole reel symbol is at all display positions of the at least one reel, and, selecting symbols for each of the other reels from respective ones of a plurality of reel symbol sets, each reel symbol set comprised of a plurality of different symbols; and determining an outcome for each game round based on the selected symbols.

1 . A method of gaming for use with a gaming machine providing a whole reel symbol round, the gaming machine having a controller, the method comprising:
 selecting, via the controller, in each whole reel symbol game round, symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions, wherein subsets of the set of display positions correspond to at least one of a plurality of reels set side by side, and wherein the display positions of at least one of the side by side reels defines a reel area on the display;   randomly selecting for display outside of the reel area, via the controller, a whole reel symbol from a whole reel symbol set having a plurality of different whole reel symbols;   selecting, via the controller, symbols for display to the player in each of the display positions of the other reels outside of the selected reel area from respective ones of a plurality of reel symbol sets, wherein each reel symbol set is comprised of a plurality of different symbols, and wherein each of whole reel symbol of the whole reel symbol set is the same as a reel symbol of the reel symbol set; and   determining, via the controller, an outcome for the whole reel game round based on the symbols selected from each of the reel symbols sets and from the whole reel set.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising selecting, via the controller, the at least one reel to be composed of the whole reel symbol. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the whole reel symbol game round is a current one of a series of successive game rounds for which a whole reel symbol is selected. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 3  wherein when the step of selecting a whole reel symbol in the current game round is for a game round following a preceding game round of the series, the method includes selecting a whole reel symbol independently of the preceding round and the step of selecting the at least one reel includes selecting a reel independently of the preceding round. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein more than one of the reels is composed of the whole reel symbol in the whole reel symbol game round. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the selection of the reel to be composed of the whole reel symbol is random. 
     
     
         7 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the step of displaying the whole reel symbol in a whole reel symbol window. 
     
     
         8 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the step of displaying the whole reel symbol in the whole reel symbol window occurs before the reel composed of the whole reel symbol is displayed. 
     
     
         9 . A method of gaming as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the display of the whole reel symbol at the display positions of the at least one reel to be composed of the whole reel symbol occurs before the display of the symbols selected for the other reels. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising:
 a display for symbols to be displayed in a set of display positions to a player;   a symbol selector for selecting, in each whole reel symbol game round, symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions, wherein subsets of the set of display positions correspond to at least one of a plurality of reels set side by side, and wherein the display positions of at least one of the side by side reels defines a reel area on the display, the symbol selector further comprising:
 a whole reel symbol selector for randomly selecting a whole reel symbol from a whole reel symbol set having a plurality of different whole reel symbols, and display the selected whole reel symbol outside the reel area, and, 
   a reel symbol selector for selecting symbols for display to the player in each of the display positions of the other reels outside of the selected reel area from respective ones of a plurality of reel symbol sets, wherein each reel symbol set is comprised of a plurality of different symbols, and wherein each of whole reel symbol of the whole reel symbol set is the same as a reel symbol of the reel symbol set; and   an outcome evaluator configured to determine an outcome for the whole reel game round based on the symbols selected from each of the reel symbols sets and from the whole reel set.   
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising a reel selector for selecting the at least one reel to be composed of the whole reel symbol. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the whole reel symbol game round is a current one of a series of successive game rounds for which a whole reel symbol is selected. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein when the whole reel game round follows a preceding game round, the whole reel symbol selector is configured to select a whole reel symbol independently of the preceding round and reel selector is configured to select the at least one reel independently of the preceding round. 
     
     
         14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein more than one of the reels is composed of the whole reel symbol in the whole reel symbol game round. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the reel symbol selector is configured to select randomly. 
     
     
         16 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the symbol selector is configured to select randomly. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the display is configured to display the whole reel symbol in a whole reel symbol window. 
     
     
         18 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the display is configured to display the whole reel symbol in the whole reel symbol window before display of the reel composed of the whole reel symbol. 
     
     
         19 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the display is configured to display the display positions of the at least one reel composed of the whole reel symbol before display of the symbols selected for the other reels. 
     
     
         20 . A game controller configured to:
 select, in each whole reel symbol game round, symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions, wherein subsets of the set of display positions correspond to at least one of a plurality of reels set side by side, and wherein the display positions of at least one of the side by side reels defines a reel area on the display;   randomly select a whole reel symbol from a whole reel symbol set having a plurality of different whole reel symbols, display the selected whole reel symbol outside the reel area, and, select symbols for display to the player in each of the display positions of the other reels outside of the selected reel area from respective ones of a plurality of reel symbol sets, wherein each reel symbol set is comprised of a plurality of different symbols, and wherein each of whole reel symbol of the whole reel symbol set is the same as a reel symbol of the reel symbol set; and   determine an outcome for the whole reel game round based on the symbols selected from each of the reel symbols sets and from the whole reel set.