Patent ID: 8529334

Claim:
A method for independently controlling the movement of each of a plurality of mechanical reels in a gaming machine, the method comprising: activating a game on a gaming machine, the game machine having the plurality of mechanical reels including at least a first reel, a second reel, and a third reel, wherein each of the plurality of mechanical reels includes an outer edge having indicia displayed thereon; generating a game outcome, by a game controller, wherein the game outcome dictates a respective final position for the first reel, the second reel, and the third reel; designating a spin duration for each of the plurality of mechanical reels; determining a spin profile for each of the plurality of mechanical reels based upon the game outcome and designed spin durations of each of the plurality of reels, wherein the spin profiles cause each of the plurality of mechanical reels to stop such that a first time interval interposed between a first stopping reel of the plurality of mechanical reels and a second stopping reel of the plurality of mechanical reels is shorter than a second time interval interposed between the second stopping reel and a third stopping reel of the plurality of mechanical reels when the game outcome is a winning outcome; initiating spinning of the first reel, the second reel, and the third reel substantially at a same time, wherein the first reel, the second reel, and the third reel are spun according to the corresponding spin profile; and stopping each of the first reel, the second reel, and the third reel at the respective final position according to the determined spin profiles.