Patent ID: 8827796

Claim:
A gaming machine, comprising: a display device configured to display two or more reels including a first reel of a reel-type game and configured to display a first set of accumulation indicators associated with the first reel; a memory storing software for controlling the display device displaying the reels; and a processor for executing the software; wherein the software comprises instructions for displaying a progress symbol on the first reel as a result of spinning the reels, wherein displaying the progress symbol on the first reel is associated with activating an accumulation indicator of the first set of accumulation indicators on the display device so as to indicate, over multiple spins of the reel-type game, a progress towards meeting a trigger condition for an award of an expanded or stacked symbol on the first reel, and wherein the display device displays, for a turn of the game during which all accumulation indicators of the first set of accumulation indicators associated with the first reel are active, the expanded or stacked symbol only on the first reel.