Gaming machine having combinable paylines

Abstract

A slot style gaming machine includes a variety of features which make the game played thereon more attractive to potential game players. The machine includes a video display screen for viewing a computer generated game. A value-adding symbol may randomly appear on the screen to activate a pay-related event, such as creation of a pay line, combining of two or more pay lines to increase the award value, a wager increase option, a win pattern change, progressive play and so forth. Symbols and display blocks among other elements also move in distinctive ways on the screen. Rings which include the display blocks may be displayed on the screen and may rotate and flip. The symbols and display blocks may move along an arcuate path along the rings and undergo a shuffling process. Symbol blocks may separate from one another and pay lines may move on the screen.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a video display screen;   a game playable via display on the screen;   a wager mechanism for making a wager on the game;   a game play starter control for selectively initiating play of the game;   a first pay line displayable on the screen;   at least one value-adding symbol randomly displayable on the screen; and   a pay-related event activatable in response to appearance of the value-adding symbol on the screen.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pay-related event comprises creation of the first pay line. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first pay line has a first award value; further comprising a second pay line displayable on the screen and having a second award value; and wherein the pay-related event comprises a combination of the first and second pay lines having a third award value greater than the sum of the first and second award values. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pay-related event comprises a wager increase option. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pay-related event comprises a win pattern change. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of symbols displayable on the screen, usable in making up pay lines and movable in response to display of the value-adding symbol on the screen. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of symbols displayable on the screen, usable in making up pay lines, movable in a first direction from a first position to a second position and movable in a second direction transverse to the first direction from the second position to a third position. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the symbols are movable along an arcuate path. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of symbols displayable on the screen and usable in making up pay lines; and wherein a first one of the symbols covers or is covered by a second one of the symbols during movement of at least one of the first and second symbols relative to one another. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first pay line is movable from a first position on the screen to a second position on the screen. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising first and second reels displayable on the screen; a plurality of symbols on the first reel; a plurality of symbols on the second reel; and wherein the first pay line comprises a first one of the symbols on the first reel and second one of the symbols on the second reel; the reels spin during game play and stop spinning to form the first pay line; and the first and second symbols are movable relative to one another to change the distance therebetween when the reels are not spinning. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a first ring displayable on the screen; and a plurality of first symbols on the ring usable in making up pay lines. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first ring is rotatable. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first ring is flippable. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first symbols are movable circumferentially along the first ring. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the first symbols is movable past another of the first symbols during circumferential movement along the first ring to change the order of the first symbols. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising a second ring displayable on the screen; and a plurality of second symbols on the ring usable in making up pay lines. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the first and second rings are rotatable in different directions. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the second ring circumscribes the first ring. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the first pay line comprises one of the first symbols and one of the second symbols. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  further comprising a third ring displayable on the screen and circumscribing the second ring; and a plurality of third symbols on the third ring usable in making up pay lines; and wherein the first pay line comprises one of the third symbols. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of symbols displayable on the screen and usable in making up pay lines; wherein a first one of the symbols and a second one of the symbols is displayed on the screen in a non-contiguous relationship; and the first pay line comprises the first and second symbols, but does not comprise any of the symbols which are in a contiguous relationship with the first symbol. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first pay line comprises a plurality of dissimilar symbols. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of reels displayable on the screen; a plurality of display blocks in each reel; and wherein the first pay line comprises a plurality of symbols displayed in a plurality of the display blocks within a single one of the reels. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of symbol locations on the screen; a plurality of symbols displayable on the screen and usable in making up pay lines; and a pool of computer program symbol codes which are randomly selectable and have a number greater than that of the symbol display locations; and wherein the symbols are displayed at the symbol display locations in response to the random selection of the symbol codes. 
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an accent movable on the screen from an unattached position to an attached position in which the accent is attached to the first pay line as an indicator that the pay line is a winning pay line.