Abstract: A method and system for facilitating chance-based payment for items in a game. In implementations, the disclosure relates to such systems which can be used in the payment for items in an affiliation based game. A user may be part of an affiliation and wish to contribute to their affiliation and show their loyalty in a non-direct manner. The contribution may be achieved by the user entering into a chance-based selection process such as a draw, where the user selected in the draw is the person that pays for a group virtual item used in the game. The item used in the game may benefit all members of the affiliation, simultaneously or in alternating fashion.

Abstract: A system for personalizable hybrid games including a gambling game and an entertainment game are provided.

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 game streaming data providing method and server for assigning some control rights for a game to a user terminal that participates in the game, and a method and apparatus for receiving game streaming data. The game streaming data providing method, may obtaining game list information from the server; displaying the game list information; transmitting to the server information regarding a game selected by a first user, and game setting information permitting a second user to participate in the game; and receiving control right information and game streaming data regarding the game from the server, wherein the control right information comprises at least one of first control right information defining a range of control rights for the game assigned to the first user, and second control right information defining a range of control rights for the game assigned to the second user.

Abstract: A system, processor or computer readable device that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving a user attribute of a first user based on a record of stimulation of an electronic gaming accessory of the first user. The record of stimulation is determined responsive to game-related activity in an electronic game application. A first user record is updated responsive to the receiving of the user attribute of the first user, resulting in an updated first user record. The updated first user record is forwarded to a matching service, wherein the matching service matches the first user and a second user based on the updated first user record. Such matching can be used to associate players of electronic games, for example, as members of a team. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A wagering game in a gaming machine includes symbols that are associated with multiple payoff levels. The symbols may have their payoff levels incremented and decremented based on certain predefined criteria. The criteria may be based on a winning outcome, random selection, the position of the symbols, the configuration of the symbols, and the like. As some symbols have their payoff levels incremented, other symbols have their payoff levels decremented. Each symbol may be graphically rendered in a manner to distinctively indicate the particular payoff level currently assigned to that symbol. In this way, the wagering game maintains a dynamic mix of symbols having different payoff levels and graphical renderings.

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: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include detecting a trigger associated with a first wagering game machine. The trigger can be related to wagering game content or a wagering game event. A soundtrack is associated with the wagering game content or wagering game event. The operations can further include beginning play of the soundtrack in unison on the first wagering game machine at an audible volume level and on the second wagering game machine at an inaudible volume level in response to detecting the trigger.

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: 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 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: Methods and systems for electronic interaction comprising a display for presenting a grid of identifying objects, an input for receiving a player selection of an identifying object, a random generator for randomly selecting a winning identifying object, and a point tally system for awarding points to the player according to the rules comprising a first point value if the player selected identifying object exactly matches the winning identifying object, a second point value if the player selected identifying object is in a geometric relationship with the winning identifying object, and a third, negative, point value if the player is not awarded the first point value or the second point value.

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: The present invention generally relates to gaming systems for playing ball games where a ball is launched into a gaming area. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multiplayer gaming system comprising a ball game device having a launching mechanism for launching a ball into a gaming area to start a game, the gaming system further comprising a start control means for controlling start of the launching mechanism and a plurality of gaming terminals for a plurality of players, said gaming terminals including an input device for inputting a prediction and/or a bet for the outcome of a game.

Abstract: A video game system includes an input device, where the input device has at least one physiological sensing device for determining at least one physiological state of a user. The input device further has at least one motion sensing device for determining the motion and/or position of the input device and/or the user. The video game system further comprises a processor for using the physiological state and the motion and/or position of the input device and/or user to control game play.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing an enhanced research game mechanic that simulates research in a virtual simulation such as a game. The system may engage the user in the virtual discovery process and therefore provide the user with a more realistic sense of discovery. The game may include a research space having a plurality of spatially arranged positions. The discovery locations may be hidden from the user's view until discovered. To make a virtual discovery, a user may interact with the positions of a corresponding discovery location. For example, the user may select or otherwise indicate a position in the research space. The system may determine whether selected or indicated position corresponds to a position assigned to the discovery location. The user may interact with the position in other ways such as by positioning a research unit at a position of the research space.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for determining the award of a set of prizes where each prize in the set has a respective prize value. The apparatus includes memory for storing prize data indicative of the prize values in the set. An input device is responsive to input signals from a respective plurality of gaming terminals for providing an increment signal. An increment device accesses the prize data to select at least two prize values from the set to define respective current prize values, and is responsive to the increment signal for incrementing in parallel a plurality of accumulated values toward the respective current prize values. A comparator is responsive to the current prize values and the accumulated values for determining if one of the current prize values is to be awarded and, if so, generating an award signal and removing from the set the prize value corresponding to the one of the current prize values.

Abstract: A gaming system includes an input device, a display device, a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the gaming system to receive a wager and to display an array having a plurality of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions being populated by symbols located on a plurality of symbol-bearing reels. The reels spin and stop to place symbols on the symbol-bearing reels in visual association with symbol positions of the array. At least one extended symbol indexed on a first reel visually overlaps one or more symbols on an adjacent second reel (a) as the first reel spins the extended symbol through the array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of the adjacent second reel. An award is awarded for any winning combinations defined by the symbols in the display area.