Gaming device having multi-payline nudge reels

Abstract

A processor controlled slot machine having a plurality of reels, each of which display a plurality of symbols on a display device. The slot machine provides a plurality of paylines although the slot machine may be adapted to be a single payline machine. The machines may have blanks or ghost symbols. When the player spins the reels, a plurality of symbols stop on the paystops of the display device. The game pays the player for any wins due to the initial spin. If a nudge activator occurs, and the player has accumulated a nudge or the nudge activator itself causes the nudge sequence, the game performs at least one nudge sequence, which at least moves one reel one paystop position. When the nudge sequence stops, slot machine pays the player again for any winning combinations that exist.

The invention is claimed as follows:  
     
         1 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols;    a display device that enables a player to see a number of symbols on each reel, creating a plurality of visible symbols;    a payline that designates certain of the visible symbols for a payout determination;    a first payout provided to the player if the reels spin and produce a first set of symbols on the payline that generates a winning combination;    a randomly determined nudge activator;    a nudge sequence initiated by the nudge activator and displayed by the display device, wherein one of the visible symbols on one of the reels in the first set is shifted so that a second set of symbols appears on the payline; and    a second payout provided to the player if the second set of symbols generates a winning combination.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the nudge activator is generated upon a spin of the reels.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 2 , wherein the nudge activator includes at least one of the visible symbols.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , which includes a plurality of nudge sequences and wherein the nudge activator initiates a plurality of sequential nudge sequences.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , which includes a second nudge sequence displayed by the display device in which a symbol of the second set is shifted off of the payline.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 5 , wherein the display device defines a plurality of paystops that are each stopping positions for the symbols, and wherein shifting visible symbols of the first and second nudge sequences occurs in the same paystop.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 5 , wherein the display device defines a plurality of paystops that are each stopping positions for the symbols, and wherein shifting visible symbols of the first and second nudge sequences occurs in different paystops.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the nudge sequence shifts a plurality of symbols of the first set.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the display device defines a plurality of paystops that are each stopping positions for the symbols, and wherein the nudge sequence includes one of: nudging one of the reels up one paystop; nudging one of the reels down one paystop; nudging a plurality of the reels up one paystop; nudging a plurality of the reels down one paystop; nudging a plurality of the reels up a plurality of paystops; nudging a plurality of the reels down a plurality of paystops; nudging one of the reels up at least one paystop and nudging another one of the reels down at least one paystop; and nudging a plurality of the reels up at least one paystop while nudging a plurality of the reels down at least one paystop.  
     
     
         10 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols;    a display device that enables a player to see a number of symbols on each reel, creating a plurality of visible symbols;    a plurality of paylines that each designate certain of the visible symbols, from the plurality of visible symbols, for a payout determination;    a first payout provided to the player if the reels spin and produce first sets of symbols along the paylines that generate a winning combination;    a nudge sequence displayed by the display device in which one of the reels is moved to form second sets of symbols that appear on the paylines; and    a second payout provided to the player if the second sets generate a winning combination.    
     
     
         11 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second payouts include an accumulation of at least one winning symbol or symbol combination along at least one of the paylines.  
     
     
         12 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , which includes a nudge activator generated upon a spin of the reels, wherein the nudge activator initiates the nudge sequence.  
     
     
         13 . The gaming device of  claim 12 , wherein the nudge activator includes at least one of the visible symbols.  
     
     
         14 . The gaming device of  claim 12 , wherein the nudge activator includes a portion of one of the visible symbols.  
     
     
         15 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , which includes a nudge activator generated upon a spin of the reels, wherein the nudge activator initiates a plurality of sequential nudge sequences.  
     
     
         16 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , which includes a second nudge sequence displayed by the display device wherein one of the symbols of each of the second sets of symbols is moved off of the respective payline.  
     
     
         17 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the display device defines a plurality of paystops that are each stopping positions for the symbols, wherein moving symbols during the first and second nudge sequences takes place in the same paystops.  
     
     
         18 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the display device defines a plurality of paystops that are each stopping positions for the symbols, wherein moving symbols during the first and second nudge sequences takes place in different paystops.  
     
     
         19 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the nudge sequence moves a plurality of symbols of at least one of the first sets.  
     
     
         20 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols;    a display device that enables a player to see a number of the symbols on each reel, creating a plurality of visible symbols;    a plurality of paylines that each designate certain of the visible symbols, from the plurality of symbols, for a payout determination;    a nudge activator generated upon a spin of the reels that initiates at least one nudge sequence, each sequence shifting a visible symbol off of each payline; and    a payout determination after each nudge sequence.    
     
     
         21 . The gaming device of  claim 20 , wherein the nudge sequence includes moving one of the reels to shift the visible symbol off the payline.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming device of  claim 20 , wherein the nudge activator includes at least one of the visible symbols and wherein at least one of the nudge sequences produces another nudge activator.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming device of  claim 20 , wherein the nudge activation includes a portion of one of the visible symbols.  
     
     
         24 . The gaming device of  claim 20 , wherein the sequence includes shifting one of the visible symbols to become not visible and, on the same reel, shifting a previously unseen symbol to become one of the visible symbols.  
     
     
         25 . A method of operating a gaming device having a plurality of paylines, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) generating a first set of symbols on the paylines;    (b) providing a first award to a player if the first award is generated by the first set of symbols;    (c) providing a nudge sequence display in which one of the reels moves, generating a second set of symbols on the paylines; and    (d) providing a second award to the player if the second award is generated by the second set of symbols.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes the step of accumulating a nudge prior to providing the nudge sequence.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein accumulating the nudge occurs upon the occurrence of an event other than the generation of said symbols.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of: a bonus game and an amount of the player's wager.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes generating a nudge activator that initiates the nudge sequence.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first set of symbols provides a nudge activator that initiates the nudge sequence.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes generating a nudge incrementor that provides a nudge prior to generating the first set of symbols and generating a nudge activator in the first set of symbols that activates the nudge.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing the first award to the player again if one or more of the symbols that generate the first award appear again in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing the first award to the player again if one or more of the symbols that generate the first award change position due to the nudge sequence and appear on another active payline.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing a second nudge sequence after generating the first set of symbols.  
     
     
         35 . The method  claim 25 , which includes generating a nudge incrementor that provides a plurality of nudges prior to generating the first set of symbols.  
     
     
         36 . The method  claim 25 , which includes generating a plurality of nudge incrementors that provide a plurality of nudges prior to generating the first set of symbols.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing a second nudge sequence after generating the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , which includes providing the nudge sequence when a nudge activator appears in the first set and providing the second nudge sequence when the same nudge activator appears in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the same nudge activator generates the second sequence when the nudge activator changes position due to the first nudge sequence.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the same nudge activator generates the second sequence if the nudge activator appears on an active payline in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , which includes providing the nudge sequence when a first nudge activator appears in the first set and providing the second nudge sequence when a second nudge activator appears in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing a first nudge to the player when a nudge incrementor appears in the first set of symbols and providing a second nudge to the player when the same nudge incrementor appears in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the same nudge incrementor provides the second nudge to the player when the nudge incrementor changes position due to the nudge sequence.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the same nudge incrementor provides the second nudge to the player if the nudge incrementor appears on an active payline in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing a first nudge to the player when a first nudge incrementor appears in the first set and providing a second nudge to the player when a second nudge incrementor appears in the second set of symbols.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes generating a nudge activator prior to generating the first set of symbols and providing the nudge sequence upon generating a nudge incrementor in the first set.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes providing steps (a) to (e) through a data network.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the data network is an internet.