Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems for mapping real world actions to a virtual world associated with a parallel reality game are provided. The virtual world has experiences that relate to real world actions. The method includes accessing a data source associated with one or more real world actions; and modifying game data associated with the parallel reality game to generate experiences in the virtual world based at least in part on the data associated with the one or more real world actions. Generating experiences in the virtual world based on data associated with real world actions improves the link between the parallel virtual world and the real world, enhancing illusion that the virtual world is another dimension of the real world that the player can interact with through the parallel reality game.

Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game displays images having dynamically changing shapes. In one embodiment, a display device displays a screen for a wagering game. The screen presents a first image that follows a first spline. The first spline is defined by one or more curves passing through a first set of control points. A processor determines a second set of control points to define a second spline for the first image. The screen displays the first image transitioning from following the first spline to following the second spline. The screen may present a graphical interaction involving the first image, and the processor is configured to determine the second set of control points in response to the graphical interaction. The graphical interaction may occur between the first image and a second image. Alternatively, an input from a player causes the graphical interaction with the first image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of an image-recognition based game. In one aspect, a method involves (1) receiving by a computing device an input to initiate a game application, (2) causing the game application to initiate a game, and (3) during gameplay of the game: (a) causing a graphical display of the computing device to display a silhouette object that includes at least a shape of the silhouette object, (b) receiving by the computing device image data of an environment that includes a real-world object, (c) analyzing the image data to determine one or more similarity measures that indicate similarity between the real-world object and the silhouette object, where one of the similarity measures indicates similarity between a shape of the real-world object and the shape of the silhouette object, and (d) causing the graphical display to display a match indication based on the one or more similarity measures.

Abstract: A gaming system where in one embodiment, as players play the primary games of the gaming devices, players are enabled to join one of a plurality of teams associated with a secondary team game. Each of the teams includes a plurality of players. The gaming system periodically monitors at least one factor or parameter of each player's gaming activity to determine a score for that player. In one embodiment, the scores for each of the players on each team are accumulated to determine that team's cumulative score. If a team's cumulative score reaches a winning value, the gaming system provides a prize to one or more of the players on that team. The gaming system enables players to switch from one team to another in attempt to be on a particular team when that team's cumulative score reaches a winning value.

Abstract: A method and a system for a game are disclosed. The method includes steps displaying a determination region in at least one section distinguished by neighboring points, on a virtual passage formed by a plurality of points sequentially connected with each other. The method also includes displaying an object moving along the virtual passage on a screen, and determining an accuracy or success/failure of a user input based on a position of the object at a time when the user input is detected and a position of the determination region.

Abstract: A game system that is capable of performing a game by employing an information card in place of a conventional paper-based system is provided.

Abstract: In a gaming machine, a display displays a jackpot challenge for providing a progressive payout. A controller executes each round of a game, determines an event to be performed in each round, determines whether a determined event belongs to predetermined events capable of providing any one icon of a plurality of icons, performs the determined event and determine a result of a performed event, obtains an icon of the performed event when the performed event belongs to the predetermined events and the result of the performed event is to award the icon of the performed event to a player, triggers the jackpot challenge when the plurality of icons are obtained, and executes the jackpot challenge to determine whether to award the progressive payout to the player.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing unlockable features and/or unlockable content. In such embodiments, the gaming system includes a plurality of initially unlocked features or content and a plurality of initially locked features or content, wherein as the player advances or progresses during the play of one or more games, zero, one or more previously locked features or content become unlocked.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving a signal representative of a displacement of at least a portion of a computer mouse from a surface of a mouse pad, and causing a change in a state of a video game presented by a gaming system according to the signal. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An online gaming system including virtual items that transcend multiple character deaths. The online game may take place within a virtual space. Users may interact with the online game by controlling virtual characters within the virtual space. A health parameter may be determined for the characters such that responsive to the health parameter reaching a threshold level, the character may be considered dead in the online game. After character death, users must take on new characters to interact with the online game. User-level inventories may be managed that include one or more virtual items which are made available to the user even after the death of a character which was used when the item was acquired.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first peripheral device having a controller to store operational settings tailored for a gaming application, interact with the gaming application using the operational settings and user inputs, and share the operational settings with a second peripheral device for use with the gaming application. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that includes a first input/output (I/O) device configured to generate a code based at least in part on a unique machine identifier of the first I/O device, and a second I/O device communicatively coupled to the first I/O device via a network. The second I/O device is configured to read the code from a tangible medium, parse the code to determine the machine identifier, transmit a validation request directly to the first I/O device via the network, and receive a response message directly from the first I/O device, wherein the response message indicates a number of credits available to a user at the second I/O device.

Abstract: In a gaming machine, a display displays images of a free game. The controller executes a game, provides a plurality of free games when a result of the game satisfies a predetermined condition, determines at least one free game to a special mode from among the plurality of free game, and determine remaining free games to a base mode, rearranges a plurality of symbols to always appear at least one special symbol on the display in the free game of the special mode, rearranges the plurality of symbols to randomly determine whether to appear the special symbol on the display in the free game of the base mode, and provides a payout determined by a winning combination of symbols appeared on the display in each free game.

Abstract: A system and method for local multiplayer gaming are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of mobile client devices including a mobile client device designated as a server device. Each mobile client device comprises a display, at least one local network interface for communication with said server device and a processor. The processor is programmed for playing a multiplayer game with other mobile client devices and rendering on said display a game situation depending on commands sent by a plurality of mobile client devices to said server device over said at least local network interface. At least one of said mobile client devices is configured for overhearing commands sent by at least one other mobile client device to said server device or another mobile client device and for rendering on its display a game situation depending on said overheard command.

Abstract: A method of allowing a player to play a gaming machine is described herein. The method includes displaying a game including at least one reel and a plurality of reel strips for display with the at least one reel. Each reel strip includes a plurality of normal symbol positions and a plurality of special symbol positions. The plurality of reel strips includes a first reel strip having a first number of special symbol positions and a second reel strip having a second number of special symbol positions that is different than the first number of special symbol positions. The method also includes randomly generating an outcome of the game and displaying the game outcome on the display device. One of the first reel strip and the second reel strip is randomly selected for display with the at least one reel.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include causing at least one event to occur during play of a wagering game. In some embodiments, the operations can further include determining a difference between occurrence of the at least one event and a theoretical expectation of occurrence associated with the at least one event. In some embodiments, the operations can further include computing a luck factor based on the difference. The luck factor represents luck for occurrence of the at least one event.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method for conducting a multi-player wagering game. The method can include determining, by at least on processor, a head position of a player of the multi-player wagering game. The method can also include determining, based on the head position, a viewable portion of a virtual object used in the multi-player wagering game, and causing presentation of the viewable portion of the virtual object.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a power supply of a gaming terminal comprises receiving, at an input of the power supply of the gaming terminal, an input power from an electrical power source, converting the input power to one or more output powers, providing, at one or more outputs of the power supply, the one or more output powers to one or more components of the gaming terminal, measuring, via one or more sensors, at least one electrical characteristic of the input power and the one or more output powers, and storing, in a memory, the measured at least one electrical characteristic for each of the input power and the one or more output powers.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates broadly to a gaming device operable under control of a processor together with a method of operating a gaming device. The disclosure relates particularly, although not exclusively, to a gaming device and method where a wild symbol is in the course of a plurality of games extends along at least one of a plurality of symbol reels.

Abstract: A gaming system includes instructions that cause the gaming system to receive an input indicative of a wager, display a plurality of reels defining a symbol array, and display a symbol-alteration region including at least two symbol positions and extending through a subset of the symbol array at a predefined position. The plurality of reels includes a plurality of symbols moving through the symbol array. The plurality of symbols includes a special symbol that has a first function for evaluating a game outcome. The symbol-alteration region is positioned such that at least some of the symbols move between a first position outside the symbol-alteration region and a second position within the symbol-alteration region. The instructions further cause the gaming system to, in response to the special symbol stopping within the symbol-alteration region, alter a functionality of the special symbol to include a second function for evaluating the game outcome.