Gaming system and method providing indication of notable symbols

Abstract

The gaming device and method disclosed herein produces an indication of an appearance of a notable or designated symbol in a symbol display region while at least one reel is spinning. The indication continues while the notable symbol appears in the symbol display region and while the at least one reel is spinning. Different indications are produced for the different notable symbols when appearing in the symbol display region while the at least one reel is spinning.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a display device;   an input device;   a processor; and   a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:   enable receipt, by the input device, of a wager input;   responsive to receipt, by the input device, of the wager input, initiate a play of a game, wherein the game is associated with a plurality of reels, wherein each of the plurality of reels comprises multiple symbol positions, and wherein each symbol position comprises one of a plurality of different symbols;   cause the display device to display the plurality of reels spinning and stopping to display multiple of the symbols of the plurality of reels;   responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, when the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels include a plurality of designated symbols, cause the display device to, for each of the plurality of designated symbols, remove that designated symbol to reveal another one of the plurality of symbols behind that designated symbol;   determine any awards based on the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels including any revealed symbols; and   cause the display device to display any awards.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is associated with the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels including the plurality of designated symbols. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein for one of the plurality of reels, that reel comprises multiple adjacent symbol positions that each comprise the designated symbol. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein for each of multiple of the plurality of reels, that reel comprises multiple adjacent symbol positions that each comprise the designated symbol. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , further comprising a speaker, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the reels that comprises the designated symbol, cause the speaker to output an audible indication when the designated symbol on the reel appears in a symbol display region while the reel is spinning. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the reels that comprises the designated symbol, cause the display device to display an indication when the designated symbol on the reel appears in a symbol display region while the reel is spinning. 
     
     
         7 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:   responsive to a wager input, initiate a play of a game, wherein the game is associated with a plurality of reels, wherein each of the plurality of reels comprises multiple symbol positions, and wherein each symbol position comprises one of a plurality of different symbols;   cause a display device to display the plurality of reels spinning and stopping to display multiple of the symbols of the plurality of reels;   responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, when the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels include a plurality of designated symbols, cause the display device to, for each of the plurality of designated symbols, remove that designated symbol to reveal another one of the plurality of symbols behind that designated symbol;   determine any awards based on the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels including any revealed symbols; and   cause the display device to display any awards.   
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the triggering event is associated with the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels including the plurality of designated symbols. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein for one of the plurality of reels, that reel comprises multiple adjacent symbol positions that each comprise the designated symbol. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein for each of multiple of the plurality of reels, that reel comprises multiple adjacent symbol positions that each comprise the designated symbol. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the reels that comprises the designated symbol, cause a speaker to output an audible indication when the designated symbol on the reel appears in a symbol display region while the reel is spinning. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the reels that comprises the designated symbol, cause the display device to display an indication when the designated symbol on the reel appears in a symbol display region while the reel is spinning. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:
 responsive to a wager input, initiating, by a processor, a play of a game, wherein the game is associated with a plurality of reels, wherein each of the plurality of reels comprises multiple symbol positions, and wherein each symbol position comprises one of a plurality of different symbols;   causing, by the processor, a display device to display the plurality of reels spinning and stopping to display multiple of the symbols of the plurality of reels;   responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, when the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels include a plurality of designated symbols, causing, by the processor, the display device to, for each of the plurality of designated symbols, remove that designated symbol to reveal another one of the plurality of symbols behind that designated symbol;   determining, by the processor, any awards based on the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels including any revealed symbols; and   causing, by the processor, the display device to display any awards.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the triggering event is associated with the displayed symbols of the plurality of reels including the plurality of designated symbols. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein for one of the plurality of reels, that reel comprises multiple adjacent symbol positions that each comprise the designated symbol. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein for each of multiple of the plurality of reels, that reel comprises multiple adjacent symbol positions that each comprise the designated symbol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising causing, by the processor and for one of the reels that comprises the designated symbol, a speaker to output an audible indication when the designated symbol on the reel appears in a symbol display region while the reel is spinning. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising causing, by the processor and for one of the reels that comprises the designated symbol, the display device to display an indication when the designated symbol on the reel appears in a symbol display region while the reel is spinning. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein causing, by the processor, the display device to display the reels spinning and stopping to display multiple of the symbols of the plurality of reels comprises causing, by the processor, data associated with the reels to be transmitted. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein causing, by the processor, the data associated with the reels to be transmitted comprises causing, by the processor, the data associated with the reels to be transmitted over a data network.