Patent ID: 7959505

Claim:
A method of conducting a game feature on a gaming machine comprising the steps of: a) generating a game outcome on the gaming machine comprising: i—a game structure defining a plurality of locations; ii—a plurality of symbols, each symbol being disposed in one of the locations according to the game structure; iii—two or more evaluation structures used to evaluate the game outcome and to establish payout values each individually associated with one of the evaluation structures; iv—each evaluation structure, distinct from the other evaluation structures, being individually associated with a subset of the game structure locations; and v—one or more feature attributes each individually and separately assigned to a respective one of the evaluation structures, the feature attributes persisting over one or more subsequently-generated game outcomes; b) evaluating the game outcome comprising: i—evaluating the game outcome against payout criteria, comprising: a—identifying two or more evaluation structures for use in evaluating the game outcome against payout criteria, defining two or more payout-evaluated structures; b—for each of the two or more payout-evaluated evaluation structures, evaluating the game outcome against payout criteria based on the subset of locations associated with the two or more payout-evaluated evaluation structures; c—for each positive evaluation, establishing the payout value associated with the payout-evaluated evaluation structure; and d—for each evaluation structure associated with one of the feature attributes, modifying the payout value according to the feature attribute assigned thereto; and ii—evaluating the game outcome against feature criteria different at least in part from said payout criteria, comprising: a—identifying one or more evaluation structures among the one or more evaluation structures having a feature attribute assigned thereto to be used to evaluate the game outcome against feature criteria, defining one or more feature-evaluated evaluation structures; b—for each of the one or more feature-evaluated evaluation structures, evaluating the game outcome against feature criteria based on the subset of locations associated with the one or more feature-evaluated evaluation structures; and c—for each positive evaluation against feature criteria, modifying and replacing the feature attribute assigned to the feature-evaluated evaluation structure, the modified and replaced feature attribute persisting over one or more subsequently-generated game outcomes; and c) awarding the payout values established during the step of evaluating the game outcome to the player on the gaming machine.