Patent ID: 8047910

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 the gaming machine, the game machine having at least a first reel, a second reel, and a third reel, wherein each of the reels are mechanical and include an outer edge having indicia displayed thereon; generating a game outcome, wherein the game outcome dictates a particular final position for the first reel, second reel and third reel; receiving player input selecting an overall time duration of the game; selecting an appropriate spin profile for each of the first, second, and third reels so that each reel achieves its final position within the player-selected time duration of the game, wherein the appropriate spin profile corresponding to each reel includes a time period for accelerating the corresponding reel to a final velocity, a time period for maintaining the final velocity of the corresponding reel, and a time period for decelerating the corresponding reel to its final position; initiating spinning of the first reel, second reel, and third reel substantially at a same time, wherein the first reel, second reel, and the third reel are spun according to the corresponding appropriate spin profile; and stopping the first reel, second reel, and third reel at the final position of the first reel, second reel, and the third reel, respectively.