Abstract: A system and method for gamified crowdfunding over the Internet in order to crowdfund worthy or charitable causes while offering incentives and rewards in the form of an entertaining game and the potential added benefit of a share of the proceeds. Proceeds from the gamified crowdfunding could be shared between the worthy cause and the high scoring donor-participants. A host identifies and selects, through a contest or other selection process, a cause or beneficiary to be featured. The host possesses or owns a server with a processor and memory in which to store a game of knowledge or skill and the game interface and that server is accessed by users via a network. Through the game, queries and answers are exchanged. Through a personal computing device, a user creates an account, pays funds to support a cause, and competes and interacts with the game and other users.

Abstract: Systems and methods of electronic gaming are disclosed. In various embodiments, a gaming system may implement a method for electronic gaming, which may comprise receiving a credit wager to initiate play of a game, selecting a plurality symbols from a plurality of reel strips stored in the memory, displaying the selected plurality of symbols in a plurality of adjacent columns of symbol display positions, dividing the symbol display positions in each of the plurality of columns into a first subset of symbol display positions and a second subset of symbol display positions, determining whether an evaluation change condition has been met with respect to a column in the plurality of columns, a first game evaluation based upon the evaluation change condition, and performing a second game evaluation based upon the evaluation change condition.

Abstract: Various game controller hardware and user interface configurations are disclosed. Some configurations may comprise two circular trackpads, driven by the player's thumbs, which may be clickable, allowing the entire surface to act as a button. Haptic feedback may be based on dual linear resonant actuators (e.g., by means of strong, weighted electro-magnets attached to each of the dual trackpads), capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement. The haptics-related components in certain implementations may also play audio waveforms and thereby function as speakers. In the center of the controller according to certain configurations may be another touch-enabled surface, this one backed by a display screen. In some configurations this entire screen itself may also be clickable, like a large single button. A variety of other exemplary implementations and configurations are described.

Abstract: Image generation system which provides, to a plurality of players through individual terminals, image of a game which progresses through cooperation of plurality of individually manipulated characters, image generation system including: game image generating means that generates image of game space in which the plurality of manipulated characters act, as game screen directed at the plurality of players; and determining means that determines if a game event that occurs based on manipulation information input by the plurality of players or the manipulation information fulfills given conditions, game image generating means including insert image generating means that generates, when the given conditions are fulfilled, two or more images related to manipulated characters of cooperating players having cooperated with the fulfillment, insert images to be inserted into game screens of cooperating players, and the insert image generating means generating the insert images respectively directed at cooperating players

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a unique interactive game that connects both physical and virtual play environments and includes multiple dynamic layers in which a participant may complete a variety of challenges and/or tasks. For example, the participant may obtain a physical gaming item such as a toy from a retail phase that is usable in an interactive entertainment phase that provides virtual play via computer animation. The interactive entertainment phase may include multiple interrelated layers such that progress in one or more layers may affect the participant's experience in one or more other layers. The participant may also receive training on how to use and improve the physical gaming item to help achieve one or more special effects or complete one or more adventures and/or quests.

Abstract: A guest management method and system for an online multi-player virtual reality environment or social networking site. A network interface receives guest access requests from guest clients and input data from a plurality of remotely-located clients. The input data is operative to control avatars associated with the clients in a modeled virtual reality environment. A memory holds program instructions for determining whether the guest access is associated with a member client. If the guest access request is associated with the member client, then the guest client is allowed to access the virtual reality environment via a guest avatar. The guest avatar's movements in the virtual reality environment are restricted based on a location of a member avatar controlled by the associated member client. For example, the guest avatar may only be permitted to move within an area that is bounded by a perimeter about the member avatar.

Abstract: Systems and methods for prompting a user to perform an exercise and monitoring the exercise are provided. Multiple independent sensors or sensor systems may be used to calculate energy expenditure. Various criteria may be used to manually or automatically select the independent sensor or sensor system or combination that will be used with the energy expenditure calculations.

Abstract: A game processing program causes a server apparatus to control progress of a video game. The server apparatus is connected through a communication network to a terminal apparatus that executes the video game in which one or more users participate. The program causes the server apparatus to implement a progress control function of controlling progress of the plurality of game contents including a first content and a second content, an object control function of controlling motion of a player object of each user in game spaces of the game contents, an arrangement function of arranging determination areas at a plurality of arrangement positions in a game space of the first content during a first predetermined period, and a permission function of permitting users of player objects moved to the determination areas to play the second content until the number of permissions reaches a first defined number.

Abstract: Systems and methods providing statistical analytics of golf performance for coaching including text, tabular, graphic, and image-based outputs that include trends information for the golfer, all based upon actual golf play on course situations, wherein the golfer inputs shot data during play, without interrupting the flow of the game, and uploads the shot data for analytics and review online, and wherein all information related to a given user are reviewable by an authorized coach user through a web-based coach access account. The system is further operable to provide the coach user rights for providing corrective or instructive feedback to the user, including visual recommendations such as modified target areas.

Abstract: A system configured to be coupled with a participant of an activity. The system comprises: a participant activity monitoring unit configured for monitoring a performance of the activity by the participant; an activity information module configured for storing performance information corresponding to the activity; and a participant performance correlator configured for delivering comparative performance data based on the monitored performance of the activity by the participant and the stored performance information.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, apparatus, and method for social gaming includes at least one gaming machine configured to play a game of chance and produce game information and a social gaming server configured to: communicate with the at least one gaming machine; establish a remote gaming session between the gaming machine and at least one user device; distribute at least a portion of the game information to the at least one user device; and providing a social award to user of the at least one user device.

Abstract: A gaming machine has a main or master gaming controller for presenting primary games based upon wagers of primary credits associated with a primary credit balance. A secondary controller is associated with the gaming machine for presenting secondary games based upon wagers of secondary credits associated with a secondary credit balance. The secondary controller may effectuate transfers of credits between the primary and secondary credit balances.

Abstract: A server apparatus includes a communication interface, a memory, and a processor configured to execute an instruction command stored in the memory to identify other players located within a predetermined range of a distance from a first terminal device, when the communication interface receives position information detected by the first terminal device held by a first player from the first terminal device, to determine whether a non-player character appears in a virtual space of a game application in response to a number of the identified other players, and to transmit non-player information about a non-player character to the first terminal device when the processor determined that the non-player character appears in the virtual space.

Abstract: Systems and methods which provide a player zero, one or more awards based on the accumulation of triggering elements independent of the generation of a plurality of symbols of a plurality of reels.

Abstract: A handheld video game controller is operable in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mode to allow for sending controller input data to a target BLE device in a manner that bypasses any operating system (OS) restrictions that might otherwise be imposed on game controller input. When operating in the BLE mode, the handheld video game controller pairs (establishes a radio link) with a BLE device executing a client application used for video game streaming. During gameplay, the video game executes on a host computer and the player provides user input to the game controller to control an aspect of the video game. In response to such user input, the game controller sends controller input data to the BLE device via a radio of the game controller. The player may switch between operating the game controller in BLE mode and receiver mode using input gestures on the game controller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention set forth systems, apparatuses and methods for bonusing symbols in subsequent games of gaming devices based on a current game outcome. Accordingly, a gaming device can be configured to initiate and display a first gaming event on a game display of the gaming device. If one or more symbols appear as part of a predefined criterion, such as being part of a winning symbol combination, the one or more symbols may be associated with a modifier, such as a multiplier, in one or more subsequent gaming events.

Abstract: New application sessions can be placed on reclaimable resource capacity that can be provided at lower cost than dedicated capacity, but with risk that the capacity might be reclaimed before completion of the session. A number of instance types can be determined that are capable of hosting a new session. Risk scores can be calculated for the instance types, as well as the cost of instances of each type. An instance type can be selected for the session using the risk scores and cost information, where the instance type will have relatively low risk with a relatively low cost for the instance. Once an instance type is selected, a resource pool can be selected from which to provide the resource instance of the selected type. The instance can then be allocated and caused to host the session or perform related functionality.

Abstract: Provided is a method for controlling a computer and the like that cause players to effectively use possessed game contents in a game, and increase the attractiveness of the game. The computer includes a storage unit that stores one or more game contents possessed by a player and a game content group, the one or more game contents each having a parameter value, the game content group being composed by using at least one of the one or more game contents, and makes a game proceed based on an instruction from a player. The method includes the steps of modifying the parameter value of a common game content in the game content group possessed by the player and being the same type as the one or more game contents other than the game content group, and processing an event by using the game content group whose parameter value is modified.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for affect a virtual world based n available electronic devices. A control node identifies electronic devices present within a physical environment. Embodiments detect a device type of a first electronic device and determine an API implemented by the first electronic device, based on the detected device type of the first electronic device. Electronic messages are transmitted to the first electronic device, via the one or more data communications networks. The electronic messages are formatted according to the determined API. One or more actions are determined for a first user for a first computer game, based on data received from the first electronic device via the one or more data communications networks, and a game state for the first computer game is updated, based on performance of the one or more actions.

Abstract: A system and method for high-quality, three-dimensional live streaming of graphical content. Graphical geometry data generated through execution of multimedia software, e.g. a video game, is converted into a geometry streaming format that is independent of the operating system of the host system running the software. The converted data is broadcast over a network to one or more spectator systems, which are configured to execute the converted data to render locally the three-dimensional content. A spectator is therefore enabled to change a viewing angle within the three-dimensional content regardless of the viewing angle associated with the host system.