GAMING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PORTIONING A PLAY AREA

摘要

A method and apparatus for use in gaming activities, such as in a slot machine. A first grid comprising a plurality of elements overlayed a second grid comprising a plurality of elements is presented. At least some of the elements of the first grid and the second grid are marked. Marked elements of first grid are then used to form a subportion, the subportion boundary enclosing an area and having a correspondingly marked element of the first grid at each corner. Payouts are issued for marked elements and element combinations of the second grid within the subportion. The payouts may be administered according to a pay table.

主权项

1. A wagering gaming device comprising:
a display device configured to display:
a first grid of a plurality of symbol display positions; anda second grid of a plurality of boundary elements, the plurality of boundary elements positioned at least between some of the plurality of symbol display positions of the first grid; a wager input device configured to receive currency or currency based tickets, the currency or currency based tickets establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity; a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance; a memory device configured to store data related to a plurality of game reels, the data including arrangements of symbols associated with each of the game reels; and game circuitry configured to:
receive a wager signal to initiate a game of chance in response to placement of a wager, the wager decreasing the credit balance;mark one or more of the plurality of symbol display positions of a first grid by spinning a first plurality of the game reels and stopping the first plurality of game reels to display symbols in the symbol display positions;mark one or more of the plurality of boundary elements of the second grid, the boundary elements being marked independently of the symbols displayed in the first grid;frame at least a portion of the first grid by using at least some of the marked boundary elements of the second grid to define a subportion frame, the subportion frame enclosing at least one symbol display position of the first grid;re-mark the at least one symbol display position of the first grid enclosed in the subportion frame;evaluate symbol combinations formed from the symbols displayed in the symbol positions of the first grid for awards after re-marking the at least one symbol display position of the first grid enclosed in the subportion frame, the awards increasing the credit balance; anddetect the input to cause the initiation of the payout, via the cashout device.