Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Abstract

Certain examples provide systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for gaming. An example method includes displaying columns of symbol display positions, at least some of the columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions; defining winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns; facilitating selection of at least one of said columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select; selecting symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and determining a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.

1 . A method of gaming comprising:
 displaying columns of symbol display positions, at least some of the columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions;   defining winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns;   facilitating selection of at least one of said columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select;   selecting symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and   determining a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying five columns of symbol display positions. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising displaying first and last columns having four symbol display positions, second and second last columns having three symbol display positions and a central column having two symbol display positions. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying symbol display positions as a plurality of reels corresponding to said columns. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying non-uniform size symbol display positions. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising displaying symbol display positions having one size in one of said columns and another size in another one of said columns. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising displaying the symbol display position size in one of said columns based on a number of symbol display positions in the one of said columns. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the winning combinations comprise win lines. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming system comprising:
 a display comprising columns of symbol display positions, at least some of the columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions;   a winning combination module arranged to define winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns;   a winning combination selector arranged to facilitate selection of at least one of said columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select;   a symbol selector arranged to select symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and   an outcome determiner arranged to determine a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.   
     
     
         10 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said display comprises five columns of symbol display positions. 
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said display comprises first and last columns having four symbol display positions, second and second last columns having three symbol display positions and a central column having two symbol display positions. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said display comprises a plurality of reels corresponding to said columns. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said display comprises non-uniform size symbol display positions. 
     
     
         14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said symbol display positions have one size in one of said columns and another size in another one of said columns. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the symbol display position size in one of said columns is based on a number of symbol display positions in the one of said columns. 
     
     
         16 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the winning combinations comprise win lines. 
     
     
         17 . A game controller comprising:
 a winning combination module arranged to define winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each one of a plurality of columns of symbol display positions, at least some of the plurality of columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions;   a winning combination selector arranged to facilitate selection of at least one of said columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select;   a symbol selector arranged to select symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and   an outcome determiner arranged to determine a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.   
     
     
         18 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said display comprises five columns of symbol display positions. 
     
     
         19 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said display comprises first and last columns having four symbol display positions, second and second last columns having three symbol display positions and a central column having two symbol display positions. 
     
     
         20 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said display comprises a plurality of reels corresponding to said columns. 
     
     
         21 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said display comprises non-uniform size symbol display positions. 
     
     
         22 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said symbol display positions have one size in one of said columns and another size in another one of said columns. 
     
     
         23 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the symbol display position size in one of said columns is based on a number of symbol display positions in the one of said columns. 
     
     
         24 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the winning combinations comprise win lines. 
     
     
         25 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one gaming device comprising a cabinet, a display comprising columns of symbol display positions, the display mounted within the cabinet, a game play mechanism mounted to the cabinet incorporating at least one input device, the game play mechanism operable by a player to place wagers in a game, and a game controller disposed within the cabinet comprising a processor and a memory storing game control instructions which enable the game controller to operate, the game controller comprising:   a winning combination module arranged to define winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns, at least some of the columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions;   a winning combination selector arranged to facilitate selection of at least one of said columns by the player for selection of winning combinations to be played in the game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select;   a symbol selector arranged to select symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and   an outcome determiner arranged to determine a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.   
     
     
         26 . A computer readable medium comprising computer program code which when executed implements a method of gaming, the method comprising:
 displaying columns of symbol display positions, at least some of the columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions;   defining winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns;   facilitating selection of at least one of said columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select;   selecting symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and   determining a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.