ONLINE IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENT AND WAGERING GAMES

• US 20130123005A1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Allen, Jeffrey L., Barclay, Brian J., Hornik, Jeremy M., Pacey, Larry J., Vann, Jamie W.
• Application Number:
  US13/546,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123005A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication

Abstract

A method includes defining a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of games. The defining includes defining a rule set for a location. The rule set includes a rule that defines access to a game. The access to the game is based on game play of a different game. The method includes defining a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the defining includes defining a rule for access to a path to travel between two locations. The method includes presenting a different game that is part of a location in the online immersive environment. The method includes enabling access to the game in the location, in response to determining that game play of the different game satisfies the rule that defines access to the game.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of games, wherein the defining includes defining a rule set for a location of the number of locations, wherein the rule set includes a rule that defines access to a game of the number of games, the access to the game based on game play of a different game of the number of games;

defining a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the defining includes defining a rule for access to a path of the number of paths to travel between two locations of the number of locations;

presenting a different game of the number of games that is part of a location of the number of locations in the online immersive environment; and

enabling access to the game of the number of games in the location, in response to determining that game play of the different game satisfies the rule of the rule set that defines access to the game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule set includes a different rule that defines a leader of a location of the number of locations and is based on game play of at least one of the number of games at the location, wherein the method comprises:

selecting the leader of the location based on the game play of at least one of the number of games at the location

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one game of the number of games in the online immersive environment is associated with at least one wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one game in the online immersive environment is a wagering game that is a scaled down version of a full version of a wagering game played on the at least one wagering game machine, the scaled down version having less game content than the full version.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule set for a location is unique for the location relative to others of the number of locations.

6. A method comprising:

defining a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of wagering games for wagering game play, wherein the defining includes defining a rule set for a location, the rule set including a rule that defines access to a wagering game of the number of wagering games, wherein access to the wagering game is based on wagering game play of a wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment;

defining a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the defining includes defining a rule for access to a path of the number of paths to travel between two locations of the number of locations;

presenting a different wagering game of the number of wagering games that is part of a location of the number of locations in the online immersive environment; and

enabling access to the wagering game of the number of wagering games in the location, in response to determining that wagering game play at the associated wagering game machine at the wagering game establishment satisfies the rule of the rule set that defines access to the wagering game; and

enabling access to the path that is from a first location to a second location of the number of locations, the access to the path based on wagering game play of a wagering game at the first location;

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the access to the path is based on wagering game play at a wagering machine at the wagering game establishment associated with the wagering game at the first location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the rule set includes a different rule that defines a leader of a location of the number of locations and is based on wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location, wherein the method comprises:

selecting the leader of the location based on the wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one wagering game of the number of wagering games in the online immersive environment is associated with the wagering game machine at the wagering game establishment, wherein the at least one wagering game in the online immersive environment is a scaled down version of a full version of a wagering game played on the wagering game machine, the scaled down version having less game content than the full version.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the rule set for a location is unique for the location relative to others of the number of locations.

11. One or more machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

define a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of wagering games for wagering game play, wherein the define includes a define of a rule set for a location of the number of locations, wherein the rule set includes a rule that defines access to a wagering game of the number of wagering games, the access to the wagering game based on wagering game play of a different wagering game of the number of wagering games;

define a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the define includes a define of a rule for access to a path of the number of paths to travel between two locations of the number of locations;

present a different wagering game of the number of wagering games that is part of a location of the number of locations in the online immersive environment; and

enable access to the wagering game of the number of wagering games in the location, in response to determining that wagering game play of the different wagering game satisfies the rule of the rule set that defines access to the wagering game.

12. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the rule set includes a different rule that defines a leader of a location of the number of locations and is based on wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location, wherein the operations comprise:

select the leader of the location based on the wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location

13. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein at least one wagering game of the number of wagering games in the online immersive environment is associated with at least one wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment.

14. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the at least one wagering game in the online immersive environment is a scaled down version of a full version of a wagering game played on the at least one wagering game machine, the scaled down version having less game content than the full version.

15. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the rule set for a location is unique for the location relative to others of the number of locations.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a game module executable on the processor, the game module configured to,

define a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of wagering games for wagering game play, wherein the define includes a define a rule set for a location, the rule set including a rule that defines access to a wagering game of the number of wagering games, wherein access to the wagering game is based on wagering game play of a wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment;

define a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the define includes a define a rule for access to a path of the number of paths to travel between two locations of the number of locations;

present a different wagering game of the number of wagering games that is part of a location of the number of locations in the online immersive environment; and

enable access to the wagering game of the number of wagering games in the location, in response to determining that wagering game play at the associated wagering game machine at the wagering game establishment satisfies the rule of the rule set that defines access to the wagering game; and

enable access to the path that is from a first location to a second location of the number of locations, the access to the path based on wagering game play of a wagering game at the first location;

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the access to the path is based on wagering game play at a wagering machine at the wagering game establishment associated with the wagering game at the first location.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the rule set includes a different rule that defines a leader of a location of the number of locations and is based on wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location, wherein the game module is configured to,

select the leader of the location based on the wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one wagering game of the number of wagering games in the online immersive environment is associated with the wagering game machine at the wagering game establishment, wherein the at least one wagering game in the online immersive environment is a scaled down version of a full version of a wagering game played on the wagering game machine, the scaled down version having less game content than the full version.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the rule set for a location is unique for the location relative to others of the number of locations.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for defining a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of wagering games for wagering game play, wherein the means for defining includes means for defining a rule set for a location of the number of locations, wherein the rule set includes a rule that defines access to a wagering game of the number of wagering games, the access to the wagering game based on wagering game play of a different wagering game of the number of wagering games;

means for defining a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the means for defining includes means for defining a rule for access to a path of the number of paths to travel between two locations of the number of locations;

means for presenting a different wagering game of the number of wagering games that is part of a location of the number of locations in the online immersive environment; and

means for enabling access to the wagering game of the number of wagering games in the location, in response to determining that wagering game play of the different wagering game satisfies the rule of the rule set that defines access to the wagering game.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the rule set includes a different rule that defines a leader of a location of the number of locations and is based on wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location, wherein the apparatus comprises:

means for selecting the leader of the location based on the wagering game play of at least one of the number of wagering games at the location

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least one wagering game of the number of wagering games in the online immersive environment is associated with at least one wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one wagering game in the online immersive environment is a scaled down version of a full version of a wagering game played on the at least one wagering game machine, the scaled down version having less game content than the full version.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the rule set for a location is unique for the location relative to others of the number of locations.