Reel strip interaction

Abstract

A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predetermined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. During the playing of a first game, symbols related to the at first game are displayed on the display. When a trigger condition occurs, a feature game is commenced in which an arrangement of at least some of the symbols of the first game are incorporated as part of a larger image which comprises an image of the feature game, the at least some symbols of the first game contributing to an outcome of the feature game.

We claim: 
     
       1. A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display, the game controller being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein the gaming machine, during the playing of a first game, displays a screen display of symbols related to that first game on the display and, when a trigger condition occurs, commences a feature game in which the screen display of the symbols related to the first game is incorporated as part of a larger screen display of the feature game displayed on the display, at least some of the symbols of the first game contributing to an outcome of the feature game, wherein when the trigger condition occurs, the screen display of the first game is incorporated into an image of the feature game and is used in the playing of the feature game, the screen display of the first game moving backwards to be surrounded by, and becoming part of, the larger screen display of the feature game. 
     
     
       2. The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger condition comprises an event in the first game. 
     
     
       3. The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which the trigger condition occurs independently of the first game. 
     
     
       4. The gaming machine of  claim 1  in which the first game is a spinning reel game and the screen display of the first game is a screen display of a plurality of spinning reels. 
     
     
       5. A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display, the game controller being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein the gaming machine, during the playing of a first game, displays a screen display of symbols related to that first game on the display and, when a trigger condition occurs, commences a feature game in which the screen display of the symbols related to the first game is incorporated as part of a larger screen display of the feature game displayed on the display, at least some of the symbols of the first game contributing to an outcome of the feature game, wherein when the trigger condition occurs, the screen display of the first game is incorporated into an image of the feature game and is used in the playing of the feature game and wherein an effect is created by the game controller of zooming out from the screen display of the first game to show that the screen display of the first game is part of the larger screen display of the feature game. 
     
     
       6. A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display, the game controller being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein the gaming machine, during the playing of a first game, displays a screen display of symbols related to that first game on the display and, when a trigger condition occurs, commences a feature game in which the screen display of the symbols related to the first game is incorporated as part of a larger screen display of the feature game displayed on the display, at least some of the symbols of the first game contributing to an outcome of the feature game, wherein when the trigger condition occurs, the screen display of the first game is incorporated into an image of the feature game and is used in the playing of the feature game and wherein an image of the feature game has a width greater than a width of the display and the game controller imparts a panning effect to display different parts of the image of the feature game. 
     
     
       7. A method for use with a gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display, the method comprising:
 controlling images displayed on the display, the displayed images being controlled by the game controller;   displaying on the display, during play of a first game, a screen display of symbols related to the first game;   awarding a prize if a predetermined winning event occurs; and   subsequent to a trigger condition occurring, commencing a feature game in which the screen display of the first game is incorporated as part of a larger screen display of the feature game and is used in the playing of the feature game, wherein at least some of the symbols related to the first game contribute to an outcome of the feature game and wherein the screen display of symbols related to the first game is displayed as moving backwards to be surrounded by, and becoming part of the larger screen display of the feature game.    
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 wherein said feature game includes all of said symbols related to the first game.  
     
     
       9. A method for use with a gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display, the method comprising:
 controlling images displayed on the display, the displayed images being controlled by the game controller;   displaying on the display, during play of a first game, a screen display of symbols related to the first game;   awarding a prize if a predetermined winning event occurs; and   subsequent to a trigger condition occurring, commencing a feature game in which the screen display of the first game is incorporated as part of a larger screen display of the feature game and is used in the playing of the feature game, wherein at least some of the symbols related to the first game contribute to an outcome of the feature game and wherein an effect is created by the game controller of zooming out from the screen display of the first game to show that the screen display of the first game is part of the larger screen display of the feature game.    
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein said feature game includes all of said symbols related to the first game.  
     
     
       11. A method for use with a gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display, the method comprising:
 controlling images displayed on the display, the displayed images being controlled by the game controller;   displaying on the display, during play of a first game, a screen display of symbols related to the first game;   awarding a prize if a predetermined winning event occurs; and   subsequent to a trigger condition occurring, commencing a feature game in which the screen display of the first game is incorporated as part of a larger screen display of the feature game and is used in the playing of the feature game, wherein at least some of the symbols related to the first game contribute to an outcome of the feature game and wherein an image of the feature game has a width greater than a width of the screen display of the first game and the game controller imparts a panning effect to display different parts of the image of the feature game.    
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11 wherein said feature game includes all of said symbols related to the first game.