Gaming Using Display Elements Activated by Direction Indicators

Abstract

Gaming systems/processes employing display elements activated by direction-indicating symbols from adjacent display elements. A slot game event provides a display grid having deactivated grid positions and at least one activated grid position. A direction-indicating symbol is randomly presented in the activated grid position, indicating the direction of a deactivated grid position, and the deactivated grid position is activated in response. Distinguishing non-selected grid positions from selected grid positions may involve visually de-emphasizing the non-selected grid positions, such as by dimming or obscuring, or highlighting the selected grid positions. An activated grid position may be deactivated if a stop symbol is randomly presented in the grid position. Game play may be repeated until all activated grid positions are deactivated grid positions and/or de-emphasized grid positions. A currently deactivated and/or de-emphasized grid position may be re-activated in response to the direction-indicating symbol being presented in an adjacent grid position.

1 . A gaming method, comprising:
 displaying at least one activated grid position and a plurality of deactivated grid positions;   for each activated grid position, presenting a symbol from a set of symbols that includes at least activator symbols and stopping symbols, wherein each activator symbol indicates a direction relative to a grid position of the activator symbol;   activating deactivated grid positions that are identified by any one or more of the activator symbols and adjacent to the respective one or more of the activator symbols;   deactivating grid positions in which stopping symbols have been presented; and   discontinuing award availability in the grid positions associated with the stopping symbols.