Virtual cameras and 3-D gaming environments in a gaming machine

• US 6,887,157 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: LeMay, Steven G., Benbrahim, Jamal, Beaulieu, Nicole M., Rowe, Richard E., Schlottmann, Greg A., Breckner, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/927,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20030032479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463 31- 33, 345/757, 345/764, 345/781, 345/782, 345/848, 345/419
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A disclosed gaming machine provides method and apparatus for presenting a plurality of game outcome presentations derived from one or more virtual 3-D gaming environments stored on the gaming machine. While a game of chance is being played on the gaming machine, two-dimensional images derived from a three-dimensional object in the 3-D gaming environment may be rendered to a display screen on the gaming machine in real-time as part of the game outcome presentation. To add excitement to the game, a 3-D position of the 3-D object and other features of the 3-D gaming environment may be controlled by a game player. Nearly an unlimited variety of virtual objects, such as slot reels, gaming machines and casinos, may be modeled in the 3-D gaming environment.

Claims

1. In a gaming machine including a master gaming controller, a display device and a memory device, a method of playing a game of chance, the method comprising:

providing in the memory device on the gaming machine a three-dimensional geometrical description of a three-dimensional object in a three-dimensional gaming environment wherein the three-dimensional geometrical description is for defining vertices and surfaces of the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional gaming environment;

receiving a wager of an indicia of credit on an outcome of the game of chance wherein the game of chance is played on the gaming machine is controlled by the master gaming controller and wherein the gaming machine includes an input mechanism for allowing the indicia of credit to be added to the gaming machine and an output mechanism for allowing a player to receive the indicia of credit;

determining under control of the master gaming controller a game outcome for the game of chance;

positioning under control of the master gaming controller a virtual camera in the three-dimensional gaming environment wherein at least portion of the three-dimensional gaming environment captured by the virtual camera is for rendering i) a slot game of chance that includes symbols displayed on a payline of ii) a card game of chance that includes a display of a plurality of cards used in the card game of chance;

rendering under control of the master gaming controller one or more two-dimensional images derived from the three-dimensional object using the position of the virtual camera in the three-dimensional gaming environment stored in the memory device on the gaming machine, said rendering comprising,

assembling a plurality of vertices defining surfaces of the three-dimensional object from the three-dimensional geometrical description of the three-dimensional object;

applying one or more of colors, textures shades and combinations thereof to the three-dimensional object; and

projecting a portion of the plurality of vertices, defined in the three-dimensional gaming environment to a two-dimensional surface to generate the one more two-dimensional images wherein the gaming machine is operable to render the one or more two-dimensional images in real-time while the games of chance is being played on the gaming machine; and

displaying under control of the master gaming controller the one or more rendered two-dimensional images to the display device on the gaming machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a game outcome presentation for the game of chance in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the game outcome presentation on the one or more two-dimensional images.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a plurality of game outcome presentations in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing two or more of the game outcome presentations on at least one of the two-dimensional images.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a gaming machine maintenance operation in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the gaming machine maintenance operation on the one or more two-dimensional images.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine maintenance operation is replacing printing media in a printer located on the gaming machine.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a gaming machine operational feature in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the gaming machine operation feature on the one or more two-dimensional images.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaming machine operational feature is selected from the group consisting of inserting a player tracking card in a card reader on the gaming machine, entering an identification code on the gaming machine, pressing an input button on the gaming machine, inserting a printed ticket in a bill validator on the gaming machine and using an electronic key with a gaming device connected to the gaming machine.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering an attract mode feature in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the attract mode feature on the one or more two-dimensional images wherein the attract mode feature is at least one of advertising, upcoming events, entertainment services and food services.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a promotional feature in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the promotional feature on the one or more two-dimensional images.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering casino information in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the casino information on the one or more two-dimensional images.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a bonus game presentation in the 3-D gaming environment and capturing the bonus game presentation on the one or more two-dimensional images.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional position of the 3-D object is time varying.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a rate of movement of the three-dimensional position of the 3-D object is time varying.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the three-dimensional position of the 3-D object changes at least one of continuously, non-continuously and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input signal to change the three-dimensional position of the 3-D object.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional position of the 3-D object is changed to enlarge a feature in the 3-D gaming environment displayed on the display device.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying simultaneously a portion of a rendered two-dimensional image on a first display device on the gaming machine and the portion of the rendered two-dimensional image on a second display device on the gaming machine.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying simultaneously a first portion of a rendered two-dimensional image on a first display device on the gaming machine and a second portion of the rendered two-dimensional image on a second display device on the gaming machine.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying simultaneously a rendered two-dimensional image on a display device on a first gaming machine and the rendered two-dimensional image on a display device on a second gaming machine.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a first two-dimensional image derived from a first three dimensional object in the 3-D gaming environment;

rendering a second two-dimensional image derived from a second three dimensional object in the 3-D gaming environment;

displaying simultaneously said first rendered two-dimensional image and said second rendered two-dimensional image on one or more display devices on the gaming machine.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a first two-dimensional image derived from a three dimensional object in a first gaming environment;

rendering a second two-dimensional image derived from a three-dimensional object in a second gaming environment;

displaying simultaneously said first rendered two-dimensional image and said second rendered two-dimensional image on one or more display devices on the gaming machine.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a first two-dimensional image derived from a first three dimensional object in the 3-D gaming environment;

rendering a second two-dimensional image derived from a second three dimensional object in the 3-D gaming environment;

displaying simultaneously said first rendered two-dimensional image on one or more display devices located on a first gaming machine and said second rendered two-dimensional image on one or more display devices on a second gaming machine.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first rendered two-dimensional image displayed on the first gaming machine and the second rendered two-dimensional image displayed on the second gaming machine are used by two game players, one on the first gaming machine and one on the second gaming machine, to play a game against each other.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first rendered two-dimensional image displayed on the first gaming machine and the second rendered two-dimensional image displayed on the second gaming machine are used by two game players, one on the first gaming machine and one on the second gaming machines, to share a bonus game.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming environment comprises one or more 3-D object models defined by a plurality of surface elements.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the 3-D object models is a 3-D model of a slot reel.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the 3-D object models is a 3-D model of a gaming machine.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the one or more 3-D object models is a 3-D model of a casino.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the position of at least one of the 3-D object models is time varying.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the 3-D object models is at least one of an animated 3-D model of a person or a 3-D model of a fictional character.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the game of chance is selected from the group consisting of a slot game, a keno game, a poker game, a pachinko game, a video black jack game, a bingo game, a baccarat game, a roulette game, a dice game and a card game.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input signal to initiate one or more games of chance.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a wager for a first game and receiving a wager for a second game; and

rendering a game outcome presentation for said first game and said second game in the 3-D gaming environment.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more input signals containing information used to play the game of chance.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more input signals containing information used to select a 3-D gaming environment for the game of chance.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

displaying a menu of games of chance available on the gaming machine;

receiving one or more inputs signals containing information used to select one or more of games of chance listed on said menu.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein a rendered two-dimensional image displayed to the display device provides at least one of a perspective view, a multiple perspective view, an orthographic view or combinations thereof.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an animated surface texture in the 3-D gaming environment.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the animated surface texture is a movie.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the game of chance is multiple hands of a card game presented simultaneously.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the multiple hands of the card game are between 1 hand of poker to 1000 hands of poker.

42. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a first two-dimensional image derived from a three-object in a three-dimensional gaming environment stored in the memory device on the gaming machine;

rendering a second two-dimensional image derived from a three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional gaming environment stored in the memory device on the gaming machine;

combining the first two-dimensional image and the second two-dimensional image into a third image;

displaying the third two-dimensional image to the display device on the gaming machine.

43. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing one or more of the rendered two-dimensional images to the memory device located on the gaming machine.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the stored two-dimensional images are used to provide a game history.

45. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a first two-dimensional image derived from a first three-dimensional object in a three-dimensional gaming environment stored in the memory device on the gaming machine;

rendering a second two-dimensional image derived from a second three-dimensional object in a three-dimensional gaming environment stored in the memory device on the gaming machine;

generating a sequence of two-dimensional images wherein the first rendered two-dimensional image appears to morph into the second rendered two-dimensional image during said sequence.