VIDEO GAME RIDE

• US 20160089610A1
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Boyle, Patrick Devin, Osterman, Ross Alan
• Granted Patent: US 10,238,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 25/00 Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor

Abstract

A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a plurality of vehicles having vehicle interface circuitry and configured to accommodate one or more riders. In certain embodiments, a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to receive respective inputs from the one or more riders via the vehicle interface circuitry, and wherein the respective inputs are related to one or more game features of a game environment; and a game controller configured to receive information from the vehicle interface circuitry related to the respective inputs; and provide instructions to modify the game environment based on at least one of the respective inputs.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of vehicles configured to accommodate one or more riders, each vehicle associated with a game character and having vehicle interface circuitry, wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to receive respective inputs from the one or more riders via the vehicle interface circuitry, and wherein the respective inputs are related to one or more game features of a game environment; and

a game controller configured to;

receive information from the vehicle interface circuitry related to the respective inputs; and

provide instructions to modify the game environment or a path of one or more of the plurality of game vehicles based on at least one of the respective inputs, wherein the respective inputs are related to game features associated with the game character, wherein modifying the game environment comprises modifying a virtual or physical object within the game.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the plurality of vehicles is associated with a first game character and wherein a second subset of the plurality of vehicles is associated with a second game character.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each game character is associated with a predetermined game skill level, and wherein the game controller is configured to associate an individual input of an individual vehicle with the predetermined game skill level of the associated game character to determine a score of the individual vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the game controller is configured to receive inputs to dynamically determine the game skill level of one or more game players.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the game controller is configured to:

modify the game environment based on the score.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each individual vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to travel on an independent vehicle path in at least a portion of the game environment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the game environment comprises a plurality of locations, and the game controller is configured to determine a score based on one or more respective inputs and permit entry of individual vehicles into one or more locations of the plurality of locations based on the score.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the score is a team score and wherein a team score above a threshold permits entry of all of the vehicles of the plurality of the vehicles into the one or more locations.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the score comprises a first team score for a first subset of the plurality of vehicles and a second team score for a second subset of the plurality of vehicles.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first subset and the second subset are competing against one another.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein when the first team score is higher than the second team score, the first subset of vehicles is permitted access to the one or more locations.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the score is an individual vehicle score and wherein only vehicles of the plurality of the vehicles having an individual vehicle score above a threshold are permitted entry into the one or more locations or wherein the game environment changes based on the vehicle score

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the game controller is configured to:

determine a score for each character based on the one or more inputs; and

provide instructions to vehicle controllers for the plurality of vehicles to move the vehicles within the game environment based on the score.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle controllers of the plurality of vehicles are configured to receive the instructions and automatically move the plurality of vehicles to one or more new locations in the game environment based on the instructions.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles has a designated entry point to the game environment associated with the respective game character.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the game environment comprises a character training feature assigned to an individual game character and wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles assigned to the individual character is configured to receive instructions to access the character training feature.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the character training feature comprises a character training room that only vehicles assigned to the individual character are configured to enter.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the game environment comprises a plurality of exit points.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each individual exit point is associated with a different game path within the game.

20. A method comprising:

receiving one or more inputs from a plurality of vehicles in a game environment;

assigning scores or game narratives to each individual vehicle based on the one or more inputs;

assigning a vehicle path within the game environment to each individual vehicle of the plurality of vehicles based on the score or assigned game narrative of the respective individual vehicle; and

transmitting information related to the respective vehicle path to the corresponding individual vehicles.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising updating the scores based on new inputs from the plurality of vehicles and assigning an updated vehicle path based on the updating.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein assigning a vehicle path to an individual vehicle comprises assigning a first vehicle path if the individual vehicle score is above a threshold and assigning a second vehicle path if the individual vehicle score is below a threshold.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein assigning a vehicle path to an individual vehicle comprises assigning a first vehicle path if any individual vehicle score of the plurality of vehicles is above a threshold and assigning a second vehicle path if all individual vehicles score are below a threshold.

24. The method of claim 20, comprising modifying a game environment based on the scores or the game narratives.

25. The method of claim 20, comprising activating a first setting of the game environment when the scores are above a threshold and a second setting of the game environment when the scores are below a threshold.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first setting comprises a first portion of a game story and the second setting comprises a second portion of a game story.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first setting comprises a first set of game environment features and the second setting comprises a second set of game environment features.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first setting and the second setting are associated with the same location in the game environment.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle path defines a path within the game environment associated with a subset of rooms in the game environment.

30. A controller for a game system comprising:

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, are configured to;

access a first setting of a game environment;

provide instructions to activate the first setting of the game environment;

receive one or more inputs from individual vehicles in the game environment;

access a second setting of the game environment based on the one or more inputs; and

provide instructions to activate the second setting of the game environment, wherein the first setting is associated with a first location in the game environment and the second setting is associated with a second location in the game environment; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions.

31. The controller of claim 30, wherein the first setting and the second setting comprise display information, audio information, and special effect information.

32. The controller of claim 30, wherein the first setting is associated with a first game goal and wherein the second setting is associated with a second game goal.

33. The controller of claim 32, wherein the first game goal is a higher skill goal than second game goal.

34. The controller of claim 30, wherein the first setting is associated with a first game character and the second setting is associated with a second game character.

35. The controller of claim 30, wherein the first location and the second location are rooms.

36. The controller of claim 30, wherein the one or more inputs comprise interaction inputs with the game environment.

37. The controller of claim 36, wherein the interaction inputs comprise an input from a marker associated with an individual vehicle.

38. The controller of claim 36, wherein the interaction inputs comprise a selection of a displayed image in the game environment via a selection tool associated with an individual vehicle.

39. The controller of claim 36, wherein the interaction inputs comprise location information of an individual vehicle.

40. The controller of claim 30, wherein the first setting and the second setting comprise vehicle effect information, and wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, are configured to transmit the vehicle effect information to one or more individual vehicles.