261 results about "Multiplayer game" patented technology

A multiplayer gaming device allows two players to collaboratively play, for example, a Monopoly®-style game against the “house.” Each player may have his own game controls, coin dispenser / acceptor, and display screen. A larger display screen may display the game board and player game characters, shared by the two players and operated by the machine. The players may wager a flat fee per game, and are given an amount of game money to use for the duration of the game. Throughout the game, players take turns spinning dice represented on the display of the gaming device, and move around a Monopoly®-style board. As the players move around the board, game money is deducted as they land on properties owned by house players. A player's turn may result in his game piece landing on a game board spot owned by a house player, and cost the player $100 in game money. The game lasts until both players go bankrupt. The total number of game board spaces each player has moved without going bankrupt determines each player's payout.

The methods and systems disclosed herein include a gaming platform that may support massively-multiplayer online computer games, with elements of social networking, in which players may use mobile devices in order to verify their location and claim a measure of control over the location. Players may function like game pieces in association with other members on a team and participate in competitions to capture and defend real-world territory as part of the gaming experience. The gaming platform and associated entities may share revenue and other incentives with entities associated with the locations controlled by the players on the game platform.

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for multi-player gaming. Some embodiments relate to systems having an improved communications infrastructure and improved handheld game controllers, while other embodiments relate to improvements in handling large numbers of players in the multi-player game when played in a game arena with a single large display screen showing the multi-player game images. In one particular embodiment, a system is provided that has a game server controlling a display system to display the multi-player game on the large screen and a plurality of game controllers. Each game controller has a secondary display means for providing a secondary game display and input means for receiving player input. The system further comprises communication mans for enabling communication between the game server and each of the plurality of game controllers. The plurality of game controllers are located in proximity to the large display screen such that it is visible to game players manipulating the game controllers while playing the multi-player game.

A system and method are directed towards enabling a user to access a client service such as a client game program that interacts with an online service such as a multiplayer game. A client probe detects execution of the client service on a first client device, and sends an instant message with address information to a second client device. A messaging service on the second client device, displays a presence of the first client and provides a selectable button to initiate the client service. If not already installed, the messaging service requests the client service from a remote online service such as a portal that may be independent from the online game service. The remote online service may provide options to freely try, rent, or buy the client service. The second client device downloads the client service and uses the address to connect to the same online multiplayer game.

A method of initiating a multiplayer game and an electronic gaming device is provided. The device comprises a communication unit providing communication with at least one other gaming device and a memory to store contact information of at least one user of the at least one other gaming device. The information comprises data about the multiplayer capable games supported by the at least one other device. The device further comprises a controlling unit, wherein the controlling unit is configured to send a gaming request to the at least one other gaming device, the request comprising an invitation to play a game supported by both devices; to receive a response to the gaming request from the other device; and to start the game in a multiplayer mode in the device responsive to the positive response.

A massive multiplayer role-playing game platform utilizing mobile devices such as cellular phones is disclosed. The invention links massive amounts of players, each holding at least one mobile device, via a cellular or wireless network. The system provides the user with the game data in a client-server method or in a streaming / buffering mode of operation. Most of the game data is stored on the game servers, and only the minimal amount of data is temporarily stored on the device's memory. The user may play in a single mode or group mode and several groups can join together to make a larger group. A game may be downloaded onto the mobile devices which may be linked to a base station. The base station in turn is connected to the network, which links it to the game server.

Two different and separate audio data streams are processed through a personal computer (PC) system or other computing device so that the separate and distinct audio data streams are heard through separate sound transducers. In a preferred embodiment, chat messages received over a network during execution of a multiplayer game are processed separately from sounds produced by the multiplayer game, enabling a user to hear the game sounds from speakers, separate and distinct from verbal chat messages, which are heard through earphone(s). The earphone(s) are included in a headset, as well as a microphone that enables the user to produce verbal data that are conveyed to a hardware control unit that is connected to the PC system through a universal serial bus (USB) port. The chat audio data are converted into an analog audio signal that is heard by the user in the headphone(s) and is spatially separate and distinct from the game audio data heard through the speakers. Included on the control unit are switches that enable the user to selectively direct verbal data either to the chat session or to a voice recognition engine that converts the verbal data into commands used for controlling the game.

A service-oriented bus for distributed gaming systems allowing gaming machines, servers, workstations, mobile PCs, handheld devices and automatic telling machines to talk together over a network. The game service bus provides a publish-and-subscribe message bus over a private network within a gaming property and / or over the public Internet across several properties. The service bus framework allows participating communicating end points to publish services or subscribe to services in a simple and standardized high level fashion, thereby enabling the devices to understand one-another, thus“talk” together. The “talking together” paradigm is rather appropriate, as it emphasizes the value that the service bus brings to a complex distributed casino gaming system that may include thousands of devices manufactured by dozens of vendors. Gaming machines may talk together in a peer-fashion over the service bus, which is well suited for multiplayer gaming. The service-oriented bus allows third party ultra-specialized vendors to offer dazzling plug-in services directly on the casino floor, such as automated geo-localized logistic support and other geo-localized services.

A parimutuel betting game featuring in-game wagers and payoffs, and real time parimutuel style odds, based on events unfolding during a live event, a principal objective being to acquire the largest number of betting tokens by the end of the event. An administrator oversees a plurality of betting lines associated with betting events. Players are allowed to bet tokens on an open betting line until it is closed by the administrator. The line will close at or before the time the situation in the live event changes appreciably, so the posted odds on the betting lines are in synch with the live event. When a line is closed, a new line may open. When a termination event occurs for a given betting event, the betting event is terminated and all lines that opened since the previous termination are paid off simultaneously in parimutuel style. The betting lines preferably have a hierarchical structure. The game may be played over the Internet.

Voice communication between players using one or more multiplayer game console is selectively controlled. A player may selectively block voice communications with another player during a current and any future games. In addition, an authorized party (e.g., a parent) can selectively preclude voice communication by a minor child by setting an option that is uploaded to an online game service service; the minor child is then precluded from voice communication on any voice console via the online game service. Also, a player may be temporarily or permanently banned from voice communication during games played through an online game service in response to complaints made by other players concerning the player's behavior in voice communication while playing games, e.g., excessive use of profanity. When a player signs on to the online game service, data are downloaded to the game console that indicate any applicable restraints on voice communication.

A method and apparatus are used to simultaneously display a virtual dealer and a dynamic visual background image in connection with a multi-player video platform simulating and effecting play of a casino table card game. The dealer imagery is in the foreground and the background is behind the dealer. The background is either a live video feed from the casino, live feed from another location or event or pre-recorded image sequences. The various videos are keyed or masked and layered together using known video production technology.

A method of administration of a live electronic card game in which two or more players wager in a networked environment. The invention relates to the players being assigned virtual cards from a game server, which cards are displayed and used to construct a hand by the players. More specifically the method of the invention comprises the step of assigning to each player, a virtual deck from which their cards are dealt.

A system, method and computer readable medium are provided for facilitating a multiplayer game over a wireless network. According to the method, a request to transfer information between two of the wireless devices is received during the multiplayer game (e.g., 804), with the information being at least one of text, audio, and image information. It is determined whether the requested transfer is permitted according to a set of predefined rules for the multiplayer game (808), and the information is transferred between the two wireless devices only if it is determined that the predefined rules permit the requested transfer (810). Also provided are a wireless device (e.g., 106) for use with a multiplayer game and a server (e.g., 102) for facilitating a multiplayer game over a wireless network.

A multi-player game includes both individual and bonus game aspects. Players play individual games for a score. In one embodiment, game scores comprise an aggregate of scores from individual rounds of play in which indicia are displayed, held and replaced in an attempt to obtain the maximum number of matching indicia. If a player achieves a sufficiently high score, the player is permitted to play the game in a bonus round for a bonus score. A pool of players is determined from the bonus scores of players who play during a predetermined interval of time. A jackpot is awarded to one or more of the players of the pool based upon their bonus scores, such as the players with the highest bonus scores. In one embodiment, players use portable devices such as cellular phones to play the game and the jackpot is funded from charges associated with air time.

A system, method and computer readable medium are provided for facilitating a multiplayer game over a wireless network. According to the method, a request to transfer information between two of the wireless devices is received during the multiplayer game (e.g., 804), with the information being at least one of text, audio, and image information. It is determined whether the requested transfer is permitted according to a set of predefined rules for the multiplayer game (808), and the information is transferred between the two wireless devices only if it is determined that the predefined rules permit the requested transfer (810). Also provided are a wireless device (e.g., 106) for use with a multiplayer game and a server (e.g., 102) for facilitating a multiplayer game over a wireless network.

The invention broadly comprises a method for conducting a multiplayer game, including: transmitting a plurality of voting options; accepting votes from respective players via respective telecommunication devices, the votes selecting voting options from the plurality of voting options; ranking the voting options according to the votes; identifying a player who voted for a predetermined designation of the voting options; assigning a prize to the player; and notifying the player. The telecommunication devices can be cellular telephones, computers connected to the Internet, or land line telephones. In some aspects, the method: transmits another plurality of voting options; accepts other votes selecting a voting option from the other plurality of voting options; ranks the other voting options according to the other votes; identifies another player voting for another predetermined designation; assigns another prize to the other player; and notifies the other player. The steps are performed by a specially programmed general-purpose computer.

The present invention provides a multi-player gaming machine that enables players waiting for players now playing a game to end it, to enjoy another game during waiting. The multi-player gaming machine includes a main game section providing a main game which can be played by a plurality of main players at the same time for coins or the like and in which awards based on the bet coins or the like are paid out to the main players in accordance with an outcome of the game, and a sub-game section providing a sub-game in which sub-players bet playing values on the game outcome for the main players and in which awards based on the coins obtained or the like are paid out to the sub-players in accordance with an outcome of the game. The main game section sends main game status information indicating a status of the main game to the sub-game section. The sub-game section determines a bet acceptance period of the sub-game on the basis of the main game status information.

A gaming server, game playing apparatus and a method for facilitating play of a multiplayer game by multiple players each playing an instance of single-player wager game at a workstation having a display. Multiple single-player wager game instances are aggregated into a multiplayer game environment. In the single-player wager game, one of the possible rewards for a turn of play is an award of a multiplier credit useable in a bonus game. The bonus game is played by those players having accumulated at least one multiplier credit at the time the bonus game is triggered. A result in the bonus game is generated randomly by a bonus machine from a finite set of possible results. The winnings in the bonus game is the product of the player's multiplier credit multiplied by the result. Winnings are obtained from the game proprietor, are independent of results for other players, and are not shared with such other players. The bonus machine can take several forms, including a wheel, a reel, or a machine randomly selecting a numbered ball.

A system for facilitating fairness in a multiplayer game includes a network entity (e.g., game server) capable of operating a game application that can operate a multiplayer game. A plurality of clients is associated with a network latency, and can communicate with the network entity across at least one network. The system further includes a time-delay module disposed between the clients and the game application. The time-delay module can receive a data packet associated with a particular client during play of the multiplayer game, and delaying the data packet for at least a portion of delay time associated with the particular client before passing the delayed packet to the game application or the particular client for processing. In this regard, the delay time is based upon the network latency of the first client and an effective network latency set based upon the network latencies of the plurality of clients.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a network-based quiz game and related methods that is playable in parallel relative to and synchronized with an event of interest such as a sports event. This embodiment can be a massively multiplayer game in one embodiment. The players of the game include various participant using electronic devices. The game and relates methods can be implemented using a client server architecture and various hardware and software components.

It will be well known that a so-called object-oriented approach to computer programming has become widespread over the past few years and applications such as large multiplayer games are no exception. A number of approaches to allowing objects to communicate with one another have been developed. One set of these approaches relate to allowing so-called distributed objects, which is to say objects distributed over a client / server system, to communicate with one another. With reference to applications such as large multiplayer games, dynamic real time distributed communications between mobile objects must be considered. Present day techniques, involving the use of simple TCP / IP or UDP / IP, CORBA or DCOM are unable to provide such real time dynamic performance. According to one aspect of the invention a method of providing communication between two or more application software elements is provided comprising associating each application software element with a communication software element through which to send and / or receive messages, holding the communication state of the associated application software element in each communication software element, allowing each application software element to communicate with other application software elements by sending and receiving messages through the respectively associated communication software elements and allowing each application software element and associated communication software element to move. Holding the communication state in the communication software element associated with each application software element allows the application software element and communication software element assembly to communicate and move in particularly dynamic fashion. Messaging consequently enabled, carried out on a per software element basis, allows for continuity of communication between objects even if they move in a dynamic fashion.

An embodiment of the invention discloses a method for real-time sharing of synthetic video data and an anchor client side, and solves the technical problem that multiplayer games frequently appear in a game live broadcast at present, but since interactive modes of an anchor are few, live broadcast content is not rich enough. The method for real-time sharing of synthetic video data provided by the embodiment of the invention includes the following steps: a first anchor client side obtains in real time interactive video streaming forwarded through a first server and collected by at least one second anchor client side which is performing video data sharing with the first anchor client side, wherein the interactive video streaming is collected by an image acquisition device of the second anchor client side; the first anchor client side synthesizing the acquired interactive video streaming and a current local live broadcast interface into a new live broadcast interface; and the first anchor client side sends the synthesized new live broadcast interface through a second server to a live broadcast watching user side to be played. The embodiment of the invention also provides an on-line live broadcast system.

A multiplayer game is supported by a backend game server and a plurality of clients configured to communicate over a computing network such as the internet. Images for display on the clients are at least partially rendered by the backend game server and then delivered in an at least partially rendered form to the clients. At the clients the delivered images may be further rendered and are displayed to a player of the game. The displayed images optionally include images of real-world objects.

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for serving a computer game, comprising (a) receiving, at a server, a request from a client for prior game play data relating to another user's prior live game play; (b) retrieving the prior game play data and transmitting the prior game play data to the client; (c) causing the client to store the prior game play data such that the client can retrieve the prior game play data at a later time; and (d) presenting a multi-player game environment where a live gaming participant using the client can play against and have two-way interactions with an apparently live opponent, the apparently live opponent's interaction being based on the prior game play data.

A matchmaking system and method is provided that facilitates optimization of player matches for multiplayer video games. The system may provide a generalized framework for matchmaking using historical player data and analytics. The framework may facilitate automatic determinations of an optimal mix of players and styles to produce the most satisfying user experiences. The system may dynamically update analytical processes based on statistical or otherwise observed data related to gameplay at any given time. In this manner, the system may continually tune the matchmaking process based on observations of player behavior, gameplay quality, and / or other information.

A gaming machine apparatus includes gaming machines and a central controller. Each gaming machine includes a memory storing a game program, a display and an input device. The display device displays a result of a first game performed in accordance with a first game program applied to a single game. The input device allows a player to set a number of times to perform selection per round of game to a second game program, which is applied to a multi-player-type game and different from the first game program. The central controller is configured with logic to: randomly determine with predetermined timing a transition to a second game; (b) transmit a signal indicating a start of the second game to the plurality of gaming machines; (c) receive data related to the number of times to perform selection per round of game, and execute the second game program.

Systems and methods are disclosed that allow multiple users to simultaneously watch different content on the same video display. In one application, multiple players may play a multiplayer game on a single PC or game console, while simultaneously enjoy a full-screen display on a single video monitor. The video content corresponding to each player is separated into frames, which are interleaved and displayed sequentially on the video display at a controlled frequency. Each player has a personal viewing device that is synchronized with the interleaved frames, such that each user only sees the images intended for that player. Each player therefore sees a full screen display without seeing the screen content of other players.

A method of advertising using a multiplayer game for a mobile device, comprising: transmitting / receiving data for executing the multiplayer game in the mobile device through a network channel; checking whether a user of the multiplayer game has paid to play the multiplayer game! and determining whether or not to display an advertisement on a screen of the mobile device for the multiplayer game based on the check result and whether or not a free trial period has expired.

An online multiplayer game may have 2.5D user-drawn objects as a central commodity. Users may build compound objects and present them for review by other users, and can receive rewards based on the reviews. A limited amount of energy may be required for object crafting activities, and the energy may be replenished gradually over time. Other resources may be required as well. Players may gain experience points for crafting different classes of objects, and certain classes of objects may require a predetermined experience level to attempt.

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a gaming method, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving, from a live participant, a request for game play, the request including desired opponent information; (b) in response to the request, evaluating prior game play data associated with the live participant to assess the live participant's recent success in gaming, forming a satisfaction score; (c) in further response to the request, causing another user's prior game play data to be selected and retrieved based on the following (i) a substantial match with the desired opponent information; and (ii) a substantial match with the satisfaction score; and presenting a multi-player game environment where the live gaming participant can play against and have two-way interactions with an apparently live opponent, the apparently live opponent's interaction being based on the other user's prior game play data.