Gaming machine with improved display

Abstract

A method for use with a gaming machine. The gaming machine presents symbols on a display in an array of symbol positions and evaluates the selected symbols for winning combinations in pay lines in the array. The symbols are selected for the display positions independently and at least one line in the array is selected by a player using a player interface by selecting individual symbol display positions. One pay line may only trigger feature games and/or the feature game that is awarded may be determined dependent on the symbols presented in another pay line. The game played by the gaming machine may also present first and second game symbols in the same display position and the presented first and second symbols are evaluated for the occurrence of a winning combination.

1 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display in an array and evaluate the selected symbols for winning combinations, the method comprising: 
 defining at least one line in an array of symbol display positions;    independently selecting a symbol for display in each symbol display position in the array;    evaluating the selected symbols in the at least one line in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination; and    if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination occurred, awarding an award;    wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises receiving from a player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions and defining the line so as to traverse the selected individual display positions.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises receiving from the player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions that do not span the array in any direction.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises receiving from the player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions that are not linearly disposed.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the array is a matrix having at least three rows and at least three columns and defining at least one line in the array comprises receiving from the player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions in two columns separated by at least one intermediary column in which no symbol display positions have been selected.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the array is a matrix having at least three rows and at least three columns, and defining at least one line in the array comprises receiving from the player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions that occupy two adjacent symbol positions in a row and two adjacent symbol positions in a column.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises receiving from the player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions that do not span the array in either a horizontal or a vertical direction.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises allocating each selected symbol position an order in the line according to defined rules that determine the position in the line of a selected symbol dependent on the location of the symbol in the array relative to the other selected symbols and wherein evaluating the selected symbols in the at least one line in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination comprises evaluating whether a particular symbols occurred in a defined order in the line.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises allocating each selected symbol position an order in the line according to the order of selection of individual symbol display positions received from the player interface and wherein evaluating the selected symbols in the at least one line in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination comprises evaluating whether a particular symbols occurred in a defined order in the line.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining at least one line in the array comprises defining a line that traverses every display symbol position in the array.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining at least one line in an array of symbol display positions comprises defining a first line that traverses a first number of symbol display positions and defining a second line that traverses a second number of symbol display positions and wherein the method comprises at least one of evaluating the first line and second line for the occurrence of a winning combination according to different criteria, and awarding a different award for the same winning combination occurring in the first line as the second line.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising defining at least one said line as a trigger line, wherein every possible award that may be awarded if a winning combination occurs in the trigger line is an award of a feature game.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the array is a matrix having at least three rows and at least three columns, and every said line that traverses one and only one symbol display position in each row of the matrix is defined as a trigger line.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein every said line that traverses one and only one symbol display position in each column of the matrix is defined as a payline wherein every possible award that may be awarded if a winning combination occurs in the trigger line is an award other than a feature game.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising defining the at least one said line as a trigger line dependent on a selection received from a player interface.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein lines that traverse more symbol positions over time pay larger prizes less frequently relative to lines that traverse less symbol positions.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a number of said lines defined and evaluated for the occurrence of a winning combination is dependent on an input received from the player interface.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a wager required to play the game is dependent on a length of the line or a number of lines selected.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a wager required to play the game is dependent on a number of lines selected.  
     
     
         19 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display in an array and evaluate the selected symbols for winning combinations, the method comprising: 
 selecting and presenting first and second game symbols in an array of a plurality of display positions wherein each second game symbol is displayed in the same display position as a first game symbol and wherein the process of selecting involves an independent selection process for each symbol position;    evaluating the selected first symbols in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination of first symbols and if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination of first symbols occurred, awarding a first award;    evaluating the selected second symbols in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination of second symbols and if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination of second symbols occurred, awarding a second award.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein evaluating the selected first symbols in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination of first symbols comprises evaluating the symbols selected for each of at least one payline defined through the array.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein evaluating the selected second symbols in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination of first symbols comprises evaluating whether the symbols selected define a defined two-dimensional pattern in the array.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein awarding a second award comprises awarding a feature game.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the method comprises awarding a feature games on the occurrence of every possible winning combination of second symbols.  
     
     
         24 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display in an array and evaluate the selected symbols for winning combinations, the method comprising: 
 defining at least two lines in an array of symbol display positions;    independently selecting a symbol for display in each symbol display position in the array;    evaluating the selected symbols in the at least two lines in the array for the occurrence of a winning combination; and    if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination occurred, awarding an award;    wherein for at least one of the lines, every award that is awardable on the occurrence of a winning combination comprises a feature game.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the array is a matrix comprising columns and rows of symbol display positions and wherein defining at least two lines in an array of symbol display positions comprises defining at least one line extending across the matrix and at least one line extending down the matrix, wherein the at least one line for which every award that is awardable on the occurrence of a winning combination comprises a feature game is a line extending down the matrix.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one line for which every award that is awardable is a feature game comprises a line traversing every symbol position in a first column of the matrix and no symbol in any other column of the matrix.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein for lines extending across the matrix, every award that is awardable on the occurrence of a winning combination is an award other than a feature game.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising receiving from a player interface a wager selection and defining said at least two lines in the array only for particular wagers.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein defining the at least two lines in the array of symbol display positions comprises receiving from a player interface signals for the purchase of each of the at least two lines.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein receiving from the player interface signals for the purchase of each of the at least two lines comprises detecting operation of a line selector for each said line.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein defining the at least two lines in the array of symbol display positions comprises receiving from a player interface a selection of individual symbol display positions and defining the lines so as to traverse the selected individual display positions.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising presenting a plurality of second game symbols in the array and evaluating the selected second symbols for the occurrence of a winning combination of second symbols and, if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination of second symbols occurred, awarding an award.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein for at least one of the lines for which every award that is awardable on the occurrence of a winning combination is a feature game, there are a plurality of possible winning combinations, each associated with a distinct feature game, and wherein the process of awarding an award comprises awarding the feature game associated with the winning combination that occurred.  
     
     
         34 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display in an array and evaluate the selected symbols for winning combinations, the method comprising: 
 defining at least two lines in an array of symbol display positions;    selecting symbols for display in the array;    evaluating the selected symbols in one of the lines for the occurrence of a winning combination;    if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination occurred, awarding one of a plurality of feature games;    wherein the feature game that is awarded is determined dependent on an evaluation of the selected symbols in another one of the lines for at least one of a defined symbol and a defined combination of symbols.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein selecting symbols for display in the array comprises independently selecting a symbol for display in each display position in the array.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the array comprises a matrix and wherein evaluating the selected symbols in one of the lines for the occurrence of a winning combination and evaluating the selected symbols in another one of the lines both comprise evaluating a line extending through rows of the matrix.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein each line extending through the rows of the matrix extends through the display positions in one column only of the matrix.  
     
     
         38 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display in an array and evaluate the selected symbols for winning combinations, the method comprising: 
 defining at least a first line and a second line in an array of symbol display positions;    selecting symbols for display in the array;    evaluating the selected symbols in the first line for the occurrence of a winning combination;    if the evaluation indicates that a winning combination occurred, awarding one of a plurality of feature games;    receiving from a player interface a signal indicating that the second line is to be active in the game;    wherein if the second line is active, the feature game that is awarded is determined dependent on an evaluation of the selected symbols in the second line for at least one of a defined symbol and a defined combination of symbols and is otherwise determined independently of the selected symbols in the second line.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the array comprises a matrix and wherein selecting symbols for display in the array comprises independently selecting a symbol for display in each display position in the array and wherein the first and second lines are both lines that extend through the display positions in one column only of the matrix.