Gaming system with positive-acting collectable symbols and partial negative-acting symbols

Abstract

An electronic wagering event includes a series of consecutive gaming outcomes. In the sequence of outcomes, additional positive-acting symbols are collected, or positive-outcome “partial eliminators” are collected. A wagering player may implement the activity of the additional positive-acting symbols on any gaming event outcome, up until the partial eliminators are collected in sufficient numbers as to completely eliminate all (or some of) the positive-acting symbols. The electronic wagering event may be executed on an electronic gaming machine, table-top gaming machine, personal hand-held communication device, networked to gaming system, or on-line in communication with a web-based site.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one input device;   at least one display device;   at least one processor;   a value-in-value-out component in communication with the processor selected from the group consisting of a currency validator with a currency scanner and currency-advancing motor, a ticket-in-ticket-out reader and printer combination, a magnetic or bar code reader accessible through an input opening, and an electronic wallet near-field communication reader; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to:   (a) accept a wager on a base game from value stored in the processor that includes value entered through the value-in-value out system;   (b) execute play of the base game of video poker using a standard fifty-two card playing deck with an additional partial negative indicator card:
 (i) randomly determine the base game with a video poker outcome, 
 (ii) display the randomly determined base game video poker outcome, 
 (iii) determine any base game video poker award associated with the randomly determined base game outcome, 
 (iv) display any determined base game poker award associated with the randomly determined base game video poker outcome, and 
 (v) determining if the randomly determined base game video poker outcome exceeds a predetermined poker rank which exceeds a minimum rank for determining a base game award; and 
 (vi) collecting positive indicators for each successive occurrence of the randomly determined base game video poker outcome exceeds a predetermined poker rank which exceeds a minimum rank for determining a base game video poker award; 
   wherein at least some collected positive indicators can be used by player input to increase an amount that is displayed as any determined base game award associated with the randomly determined base game outcome; and   when any randomly determined base game of the video poker outcome includes the additional partial negative indicator card, that additional partial negative indicator card is separately collected until a predetermined number of the additional partial negative indicator cards is achieved;   wherein when the predetermined number of the additional partial negative indicator cards is achieved, either 1) some or all collected positive indicators are eliminated, or 2) some or all collected positive indicators must be used in a next base game of video poker; and   wherein the processor resolves the wager against a paytable and debits or credits value based on resolution of the wager against the paytable.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions stored in memory are to be executed by the processor such that when an additional partial negative indicator card appears in a virtual hand of the base game of video poker, that additional partial negative indicator is removed from the virtual hand and no replacement random virtual playing card is replaced into the virtual hand. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions stored in memory are to be executed by the processor such that when an additional partial negative indicator card appears in a virtual hand of the base game of video poker, that additional partial negative indicator is removed from the virtual hand and a replacement random virtual playing card is replaced into the virtual hand. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein a value-in-value-out component selected from the group consisting of a currency validator with a currency scanner and currency-advancing motor, a ticket-in-ticket-out reader and printer combination, a magnetic or bar code reader accessible through an input opening, and an electronic wallet near-field communication reader. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein positive indicators are selected from the group consisting of award multipliers and award absolute value increases. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined number of the additional partial negative indicator cards comprises two. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined number of the additional partial negative indicator cards comprises three. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions stored in memory are to be executed by the processor such that when a positive indicator is achieved, the positive indicator is placed on a face of a virtual die which can be used to subsequently implement use of positive indicators collected on the virtual die. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein positive indicators of increasing value can be achieved with increased video poker ranks achieved in the determined base game outcome. 
     
     
         10 . A method of executing a video poker wagering event in which positive outcome enhancers can be collected and subsequently diminished, the method being performed on a gaming system comprising:
 at least one input device;   at least one display device;   at least one processor;   a value-in-value-out component in communication with the processor and memory associated with the processor selected from the group consisting of a currency validator with a currency scanner and currency-advancing motor, a ticket-in-ticket-out reader and printer combination, a magnetic or bar code reader accessible through an input opening, and an electronic wallet near-field communication reader; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to:   wherein after acceptance of a wager input from the value stored in the memory associated with the processor by a player on at least the video poker wagering event, the processor (a) executes play of a base game of video poker using a standard fifty-two card playing deck with an additional partial negative indicator card:
 (i) the processor randomly determines a base game of video poker outcome, 
 (ii) the processor effects display of the randomly determined base game outcome on the at least one display device, 
 (iii) the processor determines any base game award associated with the randomly determined base game outcome and credits such base game award to credit stored in the gaming system for the player, 
 (v) the processor determining if the randomly determined base game outcome exceeds a predetermined poker rank which exceeds a minimum rank for determining a base game award; and 
 (vi) the processor collecting positive indicators and displaying on the at least one display device for each successive occurrence of the randomly determined base game outcome exceeds a predetermined poker rank which exceeds a minimum rank for determining a base game award; 
   wherein at least some collected positive indicators can be used by player input to increase an amount that is displayed as any determined base game award associated with the randomly determined base game outcome; and   when any randomly determined base game of a video poker outcome includes the additional partial negative indicator card, that additional partial negative indicator card is separately collected until a predetermined number of the additional partial negative indicator cards is achieved; and   wherein when the predetermined number of the additional partial negative indicator cards is achieved, either 1) some or all collected positive indicators are eliminated, or 2) some or all collected positive indicators must be used in a next base game of video poker.   
     
     
         11 . An electronic gaming machine comprising:
 (a) a random number generator for generating random numbers that determine an outcome of a game and that correspond to a predefined set of game outcomes including winning, outcomes, bonus event symbol-awarding outcomes and losing outcomes;   (b) a display for displaying game play including at least a subset of the predefined set of game outcomes;   (c) a physical payment acceptor operable to receive a first physical item representing a first monetary amount;   (d) a dispensing mechanism for dispensing a second physical item representing a second monetary amount;   (e) player input controls; and   (f) a controller operable to communicate with the random number generator, the display, the physical payment acceptor and the dispensing mechanism in order to facilitate the game by:
 (i) updating, based on receiving an indication that the first physical item representing the first monetary amount has been input to the physical payment acceptor, a credit balance of funds available for wagering; 
 (ii) receiving, after the updating, an input initiating the game and deducting an appropriate wager amount from the credit balance based on the input; 
 (iii) receiving, in response to the initiating, at least one random number from the random number generator and controlling the game play on the electronic gaming machine to provide a plurality of symbols positioned on the display, each particular symbol being displayed in a manner visible to a player of the game and positioned on the display to form a first random event outcome; 
   the controller identifying if according to a paytable, a first random event outcome achieves the bonus event symbol-awarding outcomes, which are selected from the group consisting of positive-acting award benefiting symbols, and partial award-negating symbols;   the controller allowing accumulation of the positive-acting award benefiting symbols into a total number of accumulated positive-acting award benefiting symbols, and partial award-negating symbols according to limitations in accumulating the positive-acting award benefiting symbols, and the partial award-negating symbols of:
 (iv) application of at least some of accumulated positive-acting award benefiting symbols to affect an award on a random event outcome, and the controller increasing stored credit in the credit balance and removing the at least some accumulated positive acting award benefiting symbols from the total number of accumulated positive-acting award benefiting symbols; and 
 (v) accumulation of a predetermined number of at least two partial negative-acting symbols which the controller causing a negation of at least some of the accumulated positive-acting award benefiting symbols. 
   
     
     
         12 . The electronic gaming machine of  11  wherein at least some available positive-acting award benefiting symbols that may be accumulated comprises award multipliers. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 12  wherein at least some available multipliers are not whole integers, 
     
     
         14 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 11  wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a value-in-value-out component in communication with the processor selected from the group consisting of a currency validator with a currency scanner and currency-advancing motor, a ticket-in-ticket-out reader and printer combination, a magnetic or bar code reader accessible through an input opening, and an electronic wallet near-field communication reader. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 12  wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a value-in-value-out component in communication with the processor selected from the group consisting of a currency validator with a currency scanner and currency-advancing motor, a ticket-in-ticket-out reader and printer combination, a magnetic or bar code reader accessible through an input opening, and an electronic wallet near-field communication reader. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic gaming machine of  claim 13  wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a value-in-value-out component in communication with the processor selected from the group consisting of a currency validator with a currency scanner and currency-advancing motor, a ticket-in-ticket-out reader and printer combination, a magnetic or bar code reader accessible through an input opening, and an electronic wallet near-field communication reader,