Abstract: How do 2 people near each other and who have cellphones play a multiplayer Internet game? The first person visits it on her phone. She gets a barcode of an URL with an id of her Internet address. The second person images it with his phone and connects to the server. The server sends pages to both phones, to let them play the game. A barcode can add more people to the game. A player hands her character to a nearby person with a mobile device. Or to add watchers to follow the Point Of View of a player. A barcode can transfer assets between players, in a game that encourages physical proximity and enhanced social interaction. Another method of linking the players is where the phone emits a sound that maps to an URL. The other phone records and decodes the URL. It queries the server with the URL, to log the second person into the game.

Abstract: Systems and methods to identify candidates for targeted advertising in an online social gaming environment are disclosed. Example methods include generating a network graph representative of relationships between users associated with an online social gaming environment, the relationships based on connections between the users. Example methods also include collecting first social gaming data corresponding to participation by a first user and a second user in the online social gaming environment during a first period of time. The example methods further include calculating a first degree of influence of the first user of the online social gaming environment on the second user of the online social gaming environment, the first degree of influence based on the first social gaming data.

Abstract: The gaming system disclosed herein enables a player to simultaneously or concurrently play a plurality of games at a gaming device regardless or independent of if the gaming device accounting system in communication with the gaming device is configured to support such simultaneous or concurrent game play. The gaming system disclosed herein additionally or alternatively enables a player to simultaneously play a plurality of games wherein certain of the games are eligible to operate with a remote host and certain of the games are ineligible to operate with the remote host.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game providing an award if a shape of a symbol displayed at a symbol display area corresponds to a shape of that symbol display area. Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game having a player-adjustable volatility. In certain embodiments, the game is the above-described game, while in other embodiments, the game is a different game. Generally, in certain such embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to tailor the overall volatility of a play of the game to the player's preference by selecting a desired combination of symbol display areas to employ for a play of the game.

Abstract: Users may build structures having an area of effect surrounding the structure in a game as a result of in-game actions. In-game actions may include building an instance of a structure controlled by a user. The structure may have an associated area of effect configured to impact at least one of resource accumulation, structure properties, and event frequency within the area of effect. The area of effect may be presented on a map with information relating to its impact. The area of effect may impact the cost of building other buildings therein, the rate at which resources are accumulated therein, the defensive ratings of other buildings therein, the effectiveness of other buildings therein in carrying out an intended functionality, and the frequency at which various positive or negative events occur therein. Some buildings can only be built within the area of effect of a specific other building.

Abstract: A video game includes conditional access to areas of the game. An area may be unlocked when particular game characters are at an entrance to the area. An area may be unlocked for a particular character, for all characters, or for categories of characters. Categories of characters may include characters of a particular type, characters of a particular skill level, characters controlled by a particular game player, and characters previously played in the video game.

Abstract: In a game device, a game control unit arranges an object in a three-dimensional space provided in a game field. A temperature-distribution simulator simulates a physical phenomenon on a two-dimensional plane, onto which a three-dimensional space is projected, in reference to a distribution-data storage unit. The game control unit applies the simulated physical phenomenon on an object in the three-dimensional space. A mycelial-growth simulator similarly simulates a physical phenomenon on a two-dimensional plane.

Abstract: A method by which a streaming interactive video user session is handed off from one streaming interactive video server to another without noticeable disruption to the video stream or the user interactivity.

Abstract: The game apparatus displays on a television a scene in which a pirate shoots an arrow at a first timing. Next, the game apparatus determines, at a second timing which is a timing after a predetermined time period has elapsed from the first timing, whether the attitude of a terminal device is an attitude in accordance with an instruction issued by the pirate when the pirate shot the arrow at the first timing. When the attitude of the terminal device is the attitude in accordance with the instruction issued by the pirate, the game apparatus displays a scene in which the arrow has reached the screen of the terminal device.

Abstract: A lottery game system includes a number of lottery tickets, a playing area disposed on each lottery ticket, the playing area having a number of paths each traversing in the playing area. A starting point and an end point are disposed on the playing area. A winning predetermined path begins at the starting point and ends at the end point and is initially concealed from a player prior to commencing play of the lottery game. A special point is disposed among the various paths is positioned before the end point. The lottery game system may further include a lottery wand manipulated by a user wherein the lottery wand remains in contact with said lottery ticket along said winning path. Further, the lottery game system may include at least one lottery terminal which is operative to print at least one playing area and to dispense at least one lottery ticket.

Abstract: A game controller, a game machine, and a game system including the game system. The game controller is a device for manipulating a game program, and at least a portion of a body portion of the game controller is deformable to have forms that are adapted to contents of a game. Accordingly, a physical sensation when a user plays a game may be improved.

Abstract: Embodiments for matching participants in a virtual multiplayer entertainment experience are provided. For example, one embodiment provides a method including receiving from each user of a plurality of users a request to join the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience, receiving from each user of the plurality of users information regarding characteristics of a physical space in which each user is located, and matching two or more users of the plurality of users for participation in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience based on the characteristics of the physical space of each of the two or more users.

Abstract: An intelligent game system and apparatus comprises one or more sensors, a controller, a projector, one or more game pieces and one or more foldable three-dimensional terrain pieces. The game board and terrain pieces comprise one or more sensors each having an identifier for sensing when a game piece or terrain piece is located on the game board and/or terrain piece. The sensors obtain object information from the game pieces and/or terrain pieces and transfer the object information to a controller. The sensors of the terrain pieces transfer the object information to the sensor of the terrain piece below them until the bottom terrain piece transfer the object information to a game board sensor. The controller is thereby able to track properties of the game and/or terrain pieces, such as position, and adjust the gameplay accordingly.

Abstract: A system for a racket comprises an inertial sensor for coupling to the racket, a processor connected to the inertial sensor, and a memory device connected to the processor. The inertial sensor includes an accelerometer array with three degrees of freedom in acceleration and a gyro array with three degrees of freedom in rotation. The processor is configured to generate stroke profiles describing acceleration and rotation of the racket based on signals from the accelerometer and the gyro arrays, and the memory device is configured to store the stroke profiles.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request by a hosting service center from a remote user to loin a multiplayer interactive twitch game or application already in progress, the multiplayer interactive twitch game or application running on a first server of the hosting service center and being played remotely by other players via first compressed streaming interactive video. Following a determination that the user may join the multiplayer interactive twitch game or application based on a set of criteria, an inbound routing network transfers control signals received from the remote user to the first server. Compression of the first compressed streaming interactive video is then synchronized as between the remote user and the other players such that the remote user has the perception that the multiplayer interactive twitch game or application is responding instantly to the request.

Abstract: A golf ball including a piezoelectric material allows the characteristics of the golf ball to be changed by application of an electric current. An electric current may be applied to the piezoelectric material prior to impact of the golf ball by the golf club using a golf tee with a power source. An electric current may be applied to the piezoelectric material after impact of the golf ball by the golf club and during flight of the golf ball. By selectively applying or removing electric current prior to, during, or after impact with the golf club, the characteristics of the golf ball may be changed and the flight path characteristics of the golf ball may be altered.

Abstract: A gaming system, device, and method providing player selectable card dealing attributes. The system enables a player to play a dealer-based game and includes a plurality of different card dealing attributes. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of predetermined dealers each associated with one or more of the card dealing attributes. The system enables the player to select one of the dealers for use in a play of the dealer-based game. During the play of the dealer-based game, the selected dealer deals the dealer-based game according to that dealer's card dealing attributes. In another embodiment, the system enables the player to create a custom dealer for use in a play of the dealer-based game by selecting one or more of the card dealing attributes. During that of the dealer-based game, the created custom dealer deals the dealer-based game according to that created custom dealer's card dealing attributes.

Abstract: A method for matching suitable remote players to one or more local players of a rhythm-action game includes identifying one or more local players to participate in a networked session of a rhythm action game corresponding to a predetermined band template, each local player associated with a type of simulated musical. A first type of simulated musical instrument represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players may then be identified, along with a remote player associated with the first type of simulated musical instrument. A game session may then be provided including the one or more local players and the identified remote player.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems and computer readable media for providing interaction between remote players and one or more local players of a rhythm-action game executed on a game platform. One or more local players is identified to participate in a networked session of a rhythm action game corresponding to a predetermined band template, each local player associated with a type of simulated musical instrument. A first type of simulated musical instrument, represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players, may then be identified, along with a remote player associated with the first type of simulated musical instrument. Then, game platforms of the local and remote players communicate to establish a networked session of the rhythm action game with the one or more local players and the identified remote player before initiating a game session where the players play the game.

Abstract: The player makes a wager to receive a plurality of primary game arrays. Winning primary game outcomes occur when specific primary game array positions, designated by paylines, are randomly assigned winning combinations of indicia. The winning game outcomes of a plurality of primary game arrays are converted to symbols corresponding to the winning primary game outcomes to form a secondary game array. Winning secondary game outcomes occur when winning combinations of symbols occur on the secondary game array paylines.