REPRESENTING PHYSICAL STATE IN GAMING SYSTEMS

Abstract

In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes determining physical inputs applicable to a wagering game event, wherein the wagering game event involves game elements of a wagering game. The method can also include determining, based on the physical inputs, a first force to be applied to a first object representing a first of the game elements, and applying the first force to the first object; determining that a collision has occurred between the first object and a second object representing a second of the game elements. The method can also include determining a second force to be applied to the first object because of the collision, presenting the first and second objects based on the first and second forces, determining an outcome of the wagering game event based on the first and second forces, and presenting the outcome of the wagering game event.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/247,723 filed Oct. 1, 2009

LIMITED COPYRIGHT WAIVER

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Copyright 2010, WMS Gaming, Inc.

FIELD

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter relate generally to wagering game systems, and more particularly to wagering game systems that can process physical state information to determine and present wagering game results.

BACKGROUND

Wagering game machines (WGMs), such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines depends on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing WGMs and the expectation of winning at each WGM is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting WGMs. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting WGMs, features, and enhancements available because such WGMs attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for WGM manufacturers to continuously develop new games and gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play.

Some WGMs present certain physical events (e.g., dice rolls, game element collisions, etc.) as scripted animations. Although each physical event, such as a dice roll, may have a different numeric outcome, the presentation of tumbling dice is often limited to one scripted (i.e., predetermined) animation sequence. That is, irrespective of conditions (e.g., player inputs) affecting dice rolls, WGMs often present the same scripted (i.e., predetermined) animation sequence for every dice roll. Thus, all dice rolls may appear the same, regardless of the forces applied to the dice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the Figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an example conceptual diagram of presenting a collision based on physical behavior.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a wagering game machine architecture, according to example embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an example conceptual diagram of a wagering game unit, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a wagering game network 400, according to example embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an example conceptual diagram of a representation of object data and a behavior matrix.

FIGS. 6-7 are flowcharts depicting example operations for presenting a collision based on physical behavior of colliding objects.

FIG. 8 is an example conceptual diagram of transferring physical states between objects.

FIG. 9 is an example conceptual diagram of a representation of a physical state matrix.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart depicting example operations for transferring physical states between objects.

FIG. 11 is an example conceptual diagram of determining a wagering game outcome based on physical behavior.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart depicting example operations for determining an outcome of a dice roll based on physical behavior.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a wagering game machine, according to example embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

This description of the embodiments is divided into five sections. The first section provides an introduction to embodiments of the invention, while the second section describes example wagering game machine architectures. The third section describes example operations performed by some embodiments and the fourth section describes example wagering game machines in more detail. The fifth section presents some general comments.

Introduction

This section provides an introduction to some embodiments of the invention.

In some video craps games, presentations of dice rolls may be based on a finite number of scripted animations. The visualization of the tumbling dice can be the same for every dice roll even though the numeric outcome of the dice roll varies. Watching the same set of scripted animations for every dice roll can become monotonous for players. Rather than scripted animations, game events can be presented based on physical behavior. A wagering game machine can present a dice roll as a series of collisions. For each collision, a wagering game unit can determine physical compositions (“materials”) of the colliding objects. Examples of materials include wood, paper, metal, plastic, etc. The wagering game unit can then determine physical behavior from the materials and a behavior matrix. The physical behavior comprises physics properties (e.g., friction, restitution, etc.) that govern interactions between colliding objects. The wagering game unit can apply the physical behavior to the colliding objects and present the colliding objects (e.g., the dice) based on the physical behavior. In addition, the wagering game unit can present presentation elements (e.g., sound effects, graphics, particle effects, etc.) during the collision. Furthermore, the wagering game unit can determine a game's outcome based on physical behavior. For example, a wagering game unit can determine an outcome of a dice roll based on forces applied to the dice.

FIG. 1 is an example conceptual diagram of presenting a collision based on physical behavior. FIG. 1 shows dataflow and operations occurring in stages A-D. A storage device 109 comprises object data 111 and a behavior matrix 113.

At stage A, a wagering game unit 101 detects collision of object 105 and object 103. Objects can comprise a geometric shape (e.g. a cube, a rectangle, a sphere, etc.), a texture, and a material. Geometric shapes can define the size and shape of the objects. Textures can be an image mapped to a geometric shape's surface to define the appearance of an object. Objects can be composed of materials. Example materials include plastic, wood, metal, felt, rubber, cloth, paper, flesh, etc. Materials can define physical properties (e.g., density, weight, elasticity, friction, magnet response, electrical response, etc.) of objects. In this example, object 105 is a die and object 103 is a craps table. Detecting a collision can comprise determining that the object 105 and the object 103 are trying to occupy the same area.

At stage B, the wagering game unit 101 determines materials of the objects. In this example, the wagering game unit 101 determines the materials based on the object data 111. In this example, object 105 comprises a cube geometric shape, a “dice face” texture, and a plastic material. Object 103 comprises a rounded rectangle geometric shape, a felt texture for the table surface, a wood texture for the railings, a felt physical material, and a wood physical material.

At stage C, the wagering game unit 101 determines, based on the materials, physical behavior of object 103 and object 105 during the collision. The physical behavior comprises physics properties that govern interactions between materials. Examples of physics properties include friction, restitution, damage inflicted on the objects, etc. In this example, the wagering game unit 101 determines the physical behavior based on the behavior matrix 113. The behavior matrix 113 can define physical behaviors for pairs of materials. For example, material types index rows and columns in the behavior matrix, so determining the physical behavior comprises locating an intersection of a row and a column based on the materials. In this example, the wagering game unit 101 finds an intersection of plastic and felt in the behavior matrix. Once the physical behavior is determined, the wagering game unit 101 applies the physical behavior to the objects. In this example, the friction between plastic and felt is applied to the objects. For example, the wagering game unit 101 determines how the friction affects a die as it collides with the table. In addition to physical behavior, the behavior matrix 113 can define presentation elements. Example presentation elements include sound effects, graphics, decals, particle effects, etc. Particle effects indicate particles that are emitted by the objects during the collision. For example, a wood splinter particle effect may be defined for a collision between two wooden objects. When the collision occurs, wood splinters can be broken off the objects.

The physical behavior of objects in a collision can be affected by the objects' physical states. Examples of physical states of the objects include on fire, wet, oily, hot, cold, magnetic, electric, diseased, etc. As an example, if the craps table object 103 were oily, less friction would be applied to the craps table object 103 and the die object 105 in the collision. In addition, a physical state of one object can be transferred to another object during a collision. For example, if the die object 105 were on fire, the craps table object 103 may also catch fire during the collision.

At stage D, the wagering game unit 101 presents the collision based on the physical behavior (i.e., without a scripted graphics sequence). In this example, the die object 105 lands on the craps table object 103 and a star graphic 107 is presented to indicate a collision. In some embodiments, although the graphical presentation is based on the physical behavior, a random number generator may determine the numeric outcome of the die object 105. The wagering game unit 101 can present the die object 105 in the appropriate orientation based on the numeric outcome. In other embodiments, application of the parameters and concepts above can determine the numeric outcome of the die object or other game elements. In any case, in some embodiments, the wagering game unit does not use predetermined graphics and audio sequences. Instead, the wagering game unit determines the graphics and audio “on-the-fly” in response to the physical behavior.

Although FIG. 1 describes some embodiments, the following sections describe many other features and embodiments.

Operating Environment

This section describes an example operating environment and presents structural aspects of some embodiments. This section includes discussion about wagering game machines and wagering game networks.

Wagering Game Machine Architectures

The following discussion will first introduce general components of some wagering game machines, and then it will describe how those components may be used to apply, determine, and present physical state information associated with wagering games.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a wagering game machine architecture, according to example embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the wagering game machine architecture 200 includes a wagering game machine 206, which includes a central processing unit (CPU) 226 connected to main memory 228. The CPU 226 can include any suitable processor, such as an Intel® Pentium processor, Intel® Core 2 Duo processor, AMD Opteron™ processor, or UltraSPARC processor. The main memory 228 includes a wagering game unit 232. In some embodiments, the wagering game unit 232 operates as software code controlling the CPU 226. In other embodiments, the wagering game unit 232 can be a separate electronic component, such as an application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, etc. In one embodiment, the wagering game unit 232 can present wagering games, such as video poker, video black jack, video slots, video lottery, etc., in whole or part. In some embodiments, the wagering game unit 232 can determine, apply, and present physical state information, as described herein.

The CPU 226 is also connected to an input/output (I/O) bus 222, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. The I/O bus 222 is connected to a payout mechanism 208, primary display 210, secondary display 212, value input device 214, player input device 216, information reader 218, and storage unit 230. The player input device 216 can include the value input device 214 to the extent the player input device 216 is used to place wagers. The I/O bus 222 is also connected to an external system interface 224, which is connected to external systems 204 (e.g., wagering game networks).

In one embodiment, the wagering game machine 206 can include additional peripheral devices and/or more than one of each component shown in FIG. 2. For example, in one embodiment, the wagering game machine 206 can include multiple external system interfaces 224 and/or multiple CPUs 226. In one embodiment, any of the components can be integrated or subdivided.

Any component of the architecture 200 can include hardware, firmware, and/or machine-readable media including instructions for performing the operations described herein. Machine-readable storage media includes any mechanism that provides (i.e., stores and/or transmits) information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a wagering game machine, computer, etc.). For example, machine-readable storage media includes read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory machines, etc.

FIG. 3 is an example conceptual diagram of a wagering game unit, according to some embodiments. A wagering game unit 301 comprises a physics unit 302, an audio unit 303, a graphics unit 304, and a presentation unit 305. In some embodiments, the wagering game unit 301 can be implemented as a specialized hardware component (e.g., ASIC, FPGA, etc.), a combination of hardware and software, a machine-readable medium including instructions for performing the operations described herein, etc.

The physics unit 302 can determine physical behavior of objects in accordance with the objects' physics properties (e.g., weight, density, friction, elasticity, etc.) and environmental factors (e.g., gravity, external forces exerted upon the objects, etc.). For example, the physics unit 302 can apply the force of gravity to a falling object. The physics unit 302 can also determine wind resistance based on the falling object's surface area and apply the force of the wind resistance. When the physics unit 302 detects a collision between objects, the physics unit 302 can determine materials that compose the objects, and the physical behavior of the objects from a behavior matrix based on the materials. The physics unit 302 can then apply the physical behavior to the objects. Examples of applying physical behavior to the objects includes applying friction to/between objects, determining damage inflicted on the objects, transferring physical states of one object to another, applying forces to the objects based on the objects' momentums and/or elasticities, etc. The physics unit 302 may create new objects in response to a collision. For example, a collision between two wooden objects may create wood splinter objects. As another example, a glass object may collide with a metal object causing the glass object to break. Glass fragment objects would be created and the original glass object would no longer exist. In some embodiments, the additional objects can be game elements in a wagering game.

The graphics unit 304 can render graphical representations of objects based on the objects' physical behaviors. For example, the graphics unit 304 render's the trajectory of a falling object based on gravitational and wind resistance forces applied to the object by the physics unit 302. In addition, the graphics unit 304 can render graphical presentation elements for collisions. The graphical presentation elements can be determined from the behavior matrix. For example, the graphics unit may render cartoon stars around an avatar's head when it is hit by another object.

The audio unit 303 can determine sound effects for collisions. The sound effects can be determined from the behavior matrix. For example, the audio unit 303 determines a shattering sound should be played when a glass object collides with a metal object.

The presentation unit 305 utilizes video displays and speakers of a WGM to presents graphics and sound effects to a player.

The gaming unit 306 performs various gaming functions such as processing player input (e.g., such as wagers) and facilitating presentation of results of the other functional units.

While FIGS. 2 and 3 describe wagering game machine components, this section continues with a discussion wagering game networks.

Wagering Game Networks

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a wagering game network 400, according to example embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the wagering game network 400 includes a plurality of casinos 412 connected to a communications network 414.

Each casino 412 includes a local area network 416, which includes an access point 404, a wagering game server 406, and wagering game machines 402. The access point 404 provides wireless communication links 410 and wired communication links 408. The wired and wireless communication links can employ any suitable connection technology, such as Bluetooth, 802.11, Ethernet, public switched telephone networks, SONET, etc. In some embodiments, the wagering game server 406 can serve wagering games and distribute content to devices located in other casinos 412 or at other locations on the communications network 414.

The wagering game machines 402 described herein can take any suitable form, such as floor standing models, handheld mobile units, bartop models, workstation-type console models, etc. Further, the wagering game machines 402 can be primarily dedicated for use in conducting wagering games, or can include non-dedicated devices, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, personal computers, etc. In one embodiment, the wagering game network 400 can include other network devices, such as accounting servers, wide area progressive servers, player tracking servers, and/or other devices suitable for use in connection with embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, wagering game machines 402 and wagering game servers 406 work together such that a wagering game machine 402 can be operated as a thin, thick, or intermediate client. For example, one or more elements of game play may be controlled by the wagering game machine 402 (client) or the wagering game server 406 (server). Game play elements can include one or more wagering game units, executable game code, lookup tables, configuration files, game outcome, audio or visual representations of the game, game assets or the like. In a thin-client example, the wagering game server 406 can perform functions such as determining game outcome or managing assets, while the wagering game machine 402 can present a graphical representation of such outcome or asset modification to the user (e.g., player). In a thick-client example, the wagering game machines 402 can determine game outcomes and communicate the outcomes to the wagering game server 406 for recording or managing a player's account.

In some embodiments, either the wagering game machines 402 (client) or the wagering game server 406 can provide functionality that is not directly related to game play. For example, account transactions and account rules may be managed centrally (e.g., by the wagering game server 406) or locally (e.g., by the wagering game machine 402). Other functionality not directly related to game play may include power management, presentation of advertising, software or firmware updates, system quality or security checks, etc.

Any of the wagering game network components (e.g., the wagering game machines 402) can include hardware and machine-readable media including instructions for performing the operations described herein.

Example Operations

This section describes operations associated with some embodiments of the invention. In the discussion below, the flow diagrams will be described with reference to the block diagrams presented above. However, in some embodiments, the operations can be performed by logic not described in the block diagrams.

In certain embodiments, the operations can be performed by executing instructions residing on machine-readable media (e.g., software), while in other embodiments, the operations can be performed by hardware and/or other logic (e.g., firmware). In some embodiments, the operations can be performed in series, while in other embodiments, one or more of the operations can be performed in parallel. Moreover, some embodiments can perform less than all the operations shown in any flow diagram.

The section will discuss FIGS. 5, and 6-12. The discussion of FIG. 5 will describe operations for presenting collisions based on physical behavior. The discussion of FIGS. 6-8 will describe operations for transferring physical states between objects, whereas FIGS. 9-10 will describe operations for determining outcome of a wagering game based on physical behavior.

FIG. 5 is an example conceptual diagram representing object data and a behavior matrix. A storage device 501 comprises object data 503 and a behavior matrix 505. The object data 503 comprises a plurality of object instances for each object defined in a wagering game. An object instance can comprise an object definition and a material. In this example, the die object 105 can be represented by an object instance 524. The object instance 524 comprises an object definition 525 and a material 537. The object definition 525 defines appearance attributes of the object 105. The appearance attributes can specify a type material that composes the object 105 and physical states of the object 105. In this example, the object definition 525 defines the object's 105 shape attribute 527, dimensions attribute 529, material attribute 531, texture attribute 533, and state attribute 535. The shape attribute 527 specifies that the geometric shape of the object 105 is “cube.” The dimensions attribute 529 specifies the size of the object as “1×1×1.” The material attribute 531 specifies that the object 105 is made of plastic. The texture attribute 533 specifies the image that is mapped to the object's 105 surface as “dice_face.” The state attribute 535 indicates that the object 105 is in a physical state, “state1.”

The material 537 can define physical properties of the object 105. The material 537 defines general material properties 539 and state specific properties 543. The general material properties 539 represent unchangeable physics properties of the material (e.g., density, magnetic response, electrical response, etc.). In this example, the general material properties 539 comprise a density property 541.

The state specific properties 543 govern the effect of physical states (e.g., on fire, wet, oily, etc.) on objects. State specific properties comprise a transfer rate 545, an absorption rate 547, a growth rate 549, and a damage rate 551. The transfer rate 545 is the rate at which the physical state can be transferred to another object. The absorption rate 547 is the rate at which the state's intensity will be reduced by contact with another object. For example, an object that is in on fire collides with a wet object. The intensity of the fire is reduced by an absorption rate of the wet object and the wetness of the wet object is reduced by an absorption rate of the object that is on fire. The growth rate 549 is the rate at which the intensity of a state will change over time. For example, the intensity of fire on a wooden object rapidly increases over time, until the wooden object has sustained a certain amount of damage causing the intensity to decrease. The damage rate 551 is the rate at which damage is inflicted upon an object due to the physical state. In this example, the transfer rate 545, the absorption rate 547, the growth rate 549 and the damage rate 551 are expressed as variables trans_rate1, abs_rate1, grw_rate1, and dmg_rage1, respectively. The state specific properties 543 may be expressed as constants. For example, the wetness of a wet object decays at a constant rate over time. As another example, the state specific properties 534 may be expressed by mathematical functions. In addition, the state specific properties 543 may depend on each other. Although a single physical state is depicted for the material 537, a material may comprise multiple physical states.

In some embodiments, the object instance 524 can be represented by an instantiation of two object oriented program (OOP) classes. The object definition 524 can be instantiation of a “dice” class. The “dice” class includes an instantiation of a “plastic” class that represents the material 537.

The behavior matrix 505 defines the physical behavior and presentation elements for pairs of materials involved in a collision. Physical material types index the behavior matrix's rows and the columns. In this example, the physical material types comprise wood, metal, and plastic. The columns comprise wood 513, metal 515, and plastic 517. The rows comprise wood 519, metal 521, and plastic 523. The physical behavior comprises two physics properties, a coefficient of friction, and a coefficient of restitution. The presentation elements comprise a sound effect, a particle effect, and a graphic. Each element of the behavior matrix 505 defines the physical behavior and presentation elements of a pair of materials in a collision between two objects. When a collision occurs, the wagering game unit 101 locates an element in the behavior matrix at the intersection of a row and a column based on the objects' materials. For example, a wagering game unit detects a collision between two plastic dice. The wagering game unit locates a row 523 and a column 517 both corresponding to plastic. The wagering game unit determines the physical behavior of the plastic dice and presentation elements for the collision based on the intersection of the row 523 and column 517. The physical behavior of the objects comprises a coefficient of friction of 0.25, and a coefficient of restitution of 0.68. The sound effect is “sound_effect_6” and the graphic is “ripple.” A particle effect is not defined for a plastic-plastic collision.

FIGS. 6-7 are flowcharts depicting example operations for presenting a collision based on physical behavior of colliding objects. In FIG. 6, flow begins at block 601, where a wagering game unit detects collision of two objects. For example, the wagering game unit determines that the two objects are trying to occupy the same space at the same time. Flow continues at block 602.

At block 602, the wagering game unit determines points of collision. The points of the collision can comprise points on the objects and a point in space at which the collision occurs. Flow continues at block 603.

At block 603, the wagering game unit determines materials that make up the objects. For example, the wagering game unit determines the materials based on object data. Flow continues at block 604.

At block 604, the wagering game unit determines physical behavior of the two objects based on the materials and a behavior matrix. For example, the wagering game unit locates an element in the behavior matrix that corresponds to the materials. Flow continues at block 605.

At block 605, the wagering game unit determines if the physical behavior was affected. For example, the wagering game unit determines that friction changed as a result of physics properties defined by the physical behavior. If the physical behavior was affected, flow continues at block 606. If the physical behavior was not affected, flow continues at block 607.

At block 606, the wagering game unit applies the physical behavior to the objects. For example, the wagering game unit applies friction between the objects. That is, the wagering game unit determines (e.g., calculates based on mathematical models) how the physical behavior affects (e.g., movement, position, state, etc.) the objects. As another example, the wagering game unit applies forces to the objects based on the objects' momentums. Flow continues at block 607.

At block 607, the wagering game unit does auxiliary processing. For example, the wagering game unit determines presentation elements (e.g., sound effects, graphics, etc.) and applies the presentation elements to the objects. As another example, the wagering game unit determines damage inflicted to the objects because of the collision. The wagering game unit applies the damage to the objects and may create new objects if an object breaks during the collision. The wagering game unit may also create new objects based on particle effects defined for the collision. The wagering game unit can apply the physical behavior to new objects created during the collision. Flow continues at block 609.

At block 609, the wagering game unit determines physical states of the objects. For example, a first object is on fire and the second object is oily. The wagering game unit can determine physical states based on the object data. A single object can have multiple physical states at the same time. For example, an object may be both oily and on fire. Flow continues at block 701 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting example operations for presenting a collision based on physical behavior of colliding objects. Flow continues from block 609 of FIG. 6 at block 701 of FIG. 7, where the wagering game unit determines if the physical states affect the physical behavior of the objects. For example, if one of the objects is oily, the coefficient of friction is lowered. The physical behavior is affected because less friction should be applied between the objects. As another example, a wooden object may be wet, causing the wooden object to be softer and therefore the wooden object may have less restitution during the collision. If the physical behavior is affected, flow continues at block 702. If the physical behavior is not affected, flow continues at block 704.

At block 702, the wagering game unit determines the effect of the physical states on the behavior. The wagering game machine may determine the effect of the physical states based on a physical state matrix. The physical state matrix can define the effects of the physical states on the physical behavior of objects. The physical behavior of the objects may be modified based on the effect. For example, the wagering game unit determines that friction between two wet objects is lower. The physical state matrix may also define additional presentation elements for the collision. For example, the physical state matrix may define a spark particle effect when collision involves an object that is on fire. The presentation elements can replace the presentation elements defined in the behavior matrix or may be presented in addition to the presentation elements defined in the behavior matrix. Flow continues at block 703.

At block 703, the wagering game unit applies the physical behavior to the objects. For example, the wagering game unit applies a lower friction between the objects because one of the objects is oily. As another example, the wagering game unit causes two metal objects to stick together because one of the objects is magnetized. Flow continues at block 704.

At block 704, the wagering game unit does auxiliary processing. For example, the wagering game unit may create spark objects because one of the objects was on fire during the collision. The spark objects may be long lived or short lived based on the material type and damage rates for the fire. The auxiliary processing may be done recursively. For example, additional spark objects may be created from the spark objects until a base case is reached. The wagering game unit can apply the additional presentation elements to the objects. For example, the wagering game unit may apply a sizzle sound effect for two objects because one of the objects is on fire and the other is wet. Flow continues at block 705.

At block 705, the wagering game unit presents the collision, at the collision points, based on the physical behavior. For example, the wagering game unit graphically presents a collision between two cars (which represent elements of a wagering game), sound effects of the collision, and graphics and sound for the resulting damage to the cars. The wagering game unit can also presents new objects that are created when pieces of the cars were broken off during the collision. In some instances, new objects represent new game elements. Flow continues at block 706.

At block 706, the wagering game unit determines if the physical state of one object should be transferred to another object. The wagering game unit determines if the physical state should be transferred based on a transfer rate defined in the physical state matrix. For example, the wagering game unit can determine that water should be transferred from an avatar's shoes to the ground as the avatar walks. If the physical state of one object should be transferred to the second object, flow continues at block 707. If the physical state should not be transferred, flow ends.

At block 707, the wagering game unit transfers the physical state based on the transfer rate and flow ends. Continuing the previous example, the wetness intensity of the shoes can be affected by the transfer, so that as the avatar continues walking less and less water is transferred to the ground until the shoes are dry.

In addition to transferring physical states between objects, the wagering game unit may determine that intensity a physical state is reduced during a collision based on absorption rates. For example, an object that is on fire collides with a wet object. The intensity of the fire and wetness is reduced for the objects and may result in putting out the fire, drying of the wet object, or both.

Although examples refer to transferring physical state between objects during a collision, embodiments are not so limited. Physical state may be transferred between objects that are in proximity to each other. FIG. 8 is an example conceptual diagram of transferring physical states between objects. FIG. 8 shows dataflow and operations occurring in stages A-D. Playing card objects 803, 805, 807, 809, and 811 constitute a poker hand in a video poker game. The playing card 803 has a physical state of “on fire.” A fire graphic 813 is a graphical representation of the card's 803 physical state. The size of the fire graphic 813 can represent the intensity of the physical state.

At stage A, the wagering game unit 801 detects a change in the physical of the playing card 803. In this example, the wagering game unit 801 detects that the intensity of the physical state increased. As another example, the wagering game unit 801 detects that an object has become wet due to rain.

At stage B, the wagering game unit 801 determines that the playing card 805 is in proximity of the first object. The proximity can be based on a distance threshold such that a first object is in proximity of a second object if distance between the first and second objects is less than or equal to the distance threshold.

At stage C, the wagering game unit 801 determines that the physical state should be transferred from the playing card 803 to the playing card 805. The wagering game unit 801 can determine that the physical state should be transferred based on transfer and absorption rates of the physical states as defined in a physical state matrix. The transfer and absorption rates may also be defined in object data as state specific properties of a material. In FIG. 8, the transfer rate is the rate at which the intensity of the physical state of the playing card 803 will be transferred to the playing card 805. The wagering game unit 801 can also determine if the intensity of the playing card's 803 physical state should be reduced by the playing card 805. In FIG. 8, the absorption rate is the rate at which the intensity of the physical state of playing card 803 will be reduced by the playing card 805. In this example, the transfer rate of the “on fire” physical state for the playing card 805 is high because the playing card 805 is made of paper. So, the wagering game unit 801 determines that the physical state should be transferred. The absorption rate of the playing card 805 is low for the “on fire” physical state, so the wagering game unit 801 determines that the intensity of the fire on playing card 803 should not be reduced.

At stage D, the wagering game unit 801 transfers the “on fire” physical state to the playing card 805. The wagering game unit 801 can transfer physical states based upon both of the transfer rates of the playing cards 803 and 805. The wagering game unit 801 can transfer the physical state to the playing card 805 up to the intensity of the playing card's 805 physical state. In this example, the wagering game unit transfers the physical state to the playing card 805 with a smaller intensity. A second fire graphic 815 represents the smaller intensity. Transfer rates for the “on fire” physical state depend on the flammability of an object's physical material. For example, a transfer rate from wood to paper would be higher than a transfer rate from wood to wood, because paper is more flammable than wood. The higher transfer rate may cause the fire to be transferred to paper with a greater initial intensity.

In FIG. 8, the wagering game unit selects and presents graphical and audible indicia of the physical states and transferences based on its determinations (e.g., based on mathematical models). Thus, in some embodiments, the wagering game unit presents different graphics and audio, depending on the parameters associated with physical states, transferences, etc.

FIG. 9 is an example conceptual diagram of a representation of a physical state matrix. A physical state matrix 901 can define effects of physical states to physical behaviors of colliding objects. The physical state matrix 901 comprises rows and columns indexed by physical states. In this example, the physical states comprise dry, on fire, and wet. The rows comprise dry 907, on fire 908, and wet 909. The columns comprise dry 904, on fire 905, and wet 906. In this case, the physical states can affect the friction and restitution physics properties. In other examples, other physics properties may be affected by the physical states.

The physical state matrix 901 can define additional presentation elements for objects in a collision. The additional presentation elements may be presented instead of presentation elements defined in a behavior matrix, or in addition to the presentation elements defined in the behavior matrix. In this example, the additional presentation elements comprise a sound effect, a particle effect, and a graphic.

The physical state matrix 901 can also define transfer and absorption rates for transferring physical states between objects in proximity to each other. A physical state transfer can occur during a collision. A first object's physical state can be transferred to a second object based on the transfer rate. The second object may absorb (i.e., reduce) an intensity of the first object's physical state based on the absorption rate.

When a collision occurs, a wagering game unit can determine the physical state of objects in the collision. The wagering game unit can utilize the physical state matrix 901 to determine effects to the physical behavior of the objects, additional presentation elements, and whether physical states should be transferred between objects. For example, a collision occurs between a dry object and a wet object. The wagering game unit locates an element of the physical state matrix at intersection of a row 907 and column 906 in the physical state matrix. The row 907 corresponds to a “dry” physical state and the column 906 corresponds to a “wet” physical state. The object's physical behavior is affected because new coefficients of friction and restitution are defined. The coefficients of friction and restitution are represented by variables “h2o_friction” and “h2o_rest,” respectively. The additional presentation elements comprise a “splash” sound effect, a “spray” particle effect, and a “ripple” graphic. The transfer and absorption rates are represented by variables “h2o_trans” and “h2o_abs,” respectively.

A physical state transfer may occur when two objects are in proximity to one another. For example, a distance between a dry object and an object that is on fire is within a threshold. The wagering game unit locates an element of the physical state matrix at intersection of a row 907 and column 905 in the physical state matrix to determine if the “on fire” physical state should be transferred to the dry object. The row 907 corresponds to a “dry” physical state and the column 905 corresponds to an “on fire” physical state. The wagering game unit determines transfer and absorption rates. The transfer and absorption rates are represented by variables “fire_trans” and “fire_abs,” respectively.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart depicting example operations for transferring physical states between objects. Flow begins at block 1001, where a wagering game unit detects a physical state change of an object. For example, the wagering game unit detects that the object has caught fire. As another example, the wagering game unit detects that an intensity of the object's physical state increased. Flow continues at block 1002.

At block 1002, the wagering game unit determines objects that are in proximity to the object. Determining the objects that are in proximity to the object comprises determining that distances to the objects fall within a distance threshold. The distance threshold depends on the physical states of the objects. For example, fire is transferred at a greater distances between objects than water. Flow continues at block 1003.

At block 1003, a loop begins for each pair of objects in proximity. Flow continues at block 1004.

At block 1004, the wagering game unit determines physical states of the objects. The wagering game unit can determine physical states based on object data. For example, the wagering game unit determines that the physical states are “oily” and “on fire.” Flow continues at block 1005.

At block 1005, a loop begins for each physical state of the pair of objects. Flow continues at block 1006.

At block 1006, the wagering game unit determines transfer and absorption rates of the objects. The wagering game unit can determine the transfer and absorption rates based on a physical state matrix. For example, the wagering game unit determines that the transfer rate between objects is high because the physical states are “oily” and “on fire.” The wagering game unit also determines that the absorption rate is low. Flow continues at block 1007.

At block 1007, the wagering game unit transfers the physical state of one object to the other object based on the transfer and absorption rates. The transfer rate governs the rate at which the physical state's intensity is transferred to the other object. For example, the intensity of fire transferred to the oily object is greater that an intensity transferred to a dry object. The wagering game can also decrease the one object's intensity based on the absorption rate. For example, a wet physical state is transferred from a wet object to a dry object. The wet' objects intensity of wetness is decreased because of the transfer. Flow continues at block 1008.

At block 1008, the loop for each physical state ends. Flow continues at block 1009.

At block 1009, the loop for each pair of objects in proximity ends and flow ends.

In addition to presenting collisions based on physical behavior of objects, outcomes of wagering games can also be determined based on the physical behavior. For example, a dice roll typically comprises a series of collisions. A wagering game unit can determine an outcome of a dice roll based on forces applied to the dice and the series of collisions. FIG. 11 is an example conceptual diagram of determining a wagering game outcome based on physical behavior. FIG. 11 shows dataflow and operations occurring in stages A-E. In this example, a wagering game unit 1101 determines an outcome of a dice roll.

At stage A, the wagering game unit 1101 determines physical inputs of the dice roll. Examples of physical inputs include force of a throw, direction of the throw, initial orientation of dice object 1106 and 1107, initial position of the dice 1106 and 1107 etc. The initial inputs can be determined based on player input. For example, the wagering game unit 1101 presents a force input 1104 and a direction input 1105 to the player. A marker in the force input 1104 can be moved up and down so that a player can indicate a desired force. The player can also indicate the direct based on an arrow in the direction input 1105.

At stage B, the wagering game unit 1101 applies forces to the dice 1106 and 1107 based on the physical inputs. For example, the wagering game unit applies the force indicated by the force input 1104 in the direction indicated by the direction input 1105. The wagering game unit also applies the force of gravity.

At stage C, the wagering game unit 1101 presents the dice 1106 and 1107 after the forces are applied. Presenting the dice 1106 and 1107 can comprise rendering trajectories of the dice 1106 and 1107.

At stage D, the wagering game unit 1101 determines an outcome based on a trajectory and collisions of the dice 1106 and 1107. In this example, the wagering game unit 1101 determines orientations of the dice 1106 and 1107 when the dice 1106 and 1107 land on a craps table 1108. The orientations are determined based on an initial orientation, the trajectory, and the collisions experienced by the dice 1106 and 1107.

At stage E, the wagering game unit 1101 presents the outcome. In this example, the wagering game unit presents the dice in the appropriate orientations on the craps table 1108. The outcome of the roll is a two on dice 1106 and a three on dice 1107.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart depicting example operations for determining an outcome of a dice roll based on physical behavior. Flow begins at block 1201, where a wagering game machine determines physical inputs of a dice roll. The wagering game machine can determine a force of the roll, a direction of the roll, an initial orientation of a die, an initial position of a die, etc. Flow continues at block 1202.

At block 1202, a loop begins. Flow continues at block 1203.

At block 1203, the wagering game unit applies forces to the die. Applying forces to the die comprises determining forces based on the physical inputs. For example, the wagering game unit applies a force to the die based on a direction specified by the physical inputs. The wagering game unit can apply gravitational force to the die. The wagering game unit can also apply forces to the die in response to a collision. For example, friction are applied to the die during the collision. After the collision, a force based on the momentums of the die and a colliding object are applied to the die. Flow continues at block 1204.

At block 1204, the wagering game unit presents the object. For example, the wagering game unit presents the object based on a trajectory determined from the physical inputs and gravity. Flow continues at block 1205.

At block 1205, the wagering game unit determines if a collision has been detected. If a collision is detected, flow continues at block 401 of FIG. 4. After the operations of FIGS. 4-5 have been completed, flow continues at block 1206.

At block 1206, flow returns to block 1202 if the die is not stationary. Flow continues at block 1207 if the die is stationary.

At block 1207, the wagering game unit determines an outcome of the dice roll based on the trajectory and collisions of the object and flow ends. For example, the wagering game unit determines orientations of the die after each collision. The wagering game unit presents the die in an appropriate orientation after the final collision.

Example Wagering Game Machines

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a wagering game machine, according to example embodiments of the invention. Referring to FIG. 13, a wagering game machine 1300 is used in gaming establishments, such as casinos. According to embodiments, the wagering game machine 1300 can be any type of wagering game machine and can have varying structures and methods of operation. For example, the wagering game machine 1300 can be an electromechanical wagering game machine configured to play mechanical slots, or it can be an electronic wagering game machine configured to play video casino games, such as blackjack, slots, keno, poker, blackjack, roulette, etc.

The wagering game machine 1300 comprises a housing 1312 and includes input devices, including value input devices 1318 and a player input device 1324. For output, the wagering game machine 1300 includes a primary display 1314 for displaying information about a basic wagering game. The primary display 1314 can also display information about a bonus wagering game and a progressive wagering game. The wagering game machine 1300 also includes a secondary display 1316 for displaying wagering game events, wagering game outcomes, and/or signage information. While some components of the wagering game machine 1300 are described herein, numerous other elements can exist and can be used in any number or combination to create varying forms of the wagering game machine 1300.

The value input devices 1318 can take any suitable form and can be located on the front of the housing 1312. The value input devices 1318 can receive currency and/or credits inserted by a player. The value input devices 1318 can include coin acceptors for receiving coin currency and bill acceptors for receiving paper currency. Furthermore, the value input devices 1318 can include ticket readers or barcode scanners for reading information stored on vouchers, cards, or other tangible portable storage devices. The vouchers or cards can authorize access to central accounts, which can transfer money to the wagering game machine 1300.

The player input device 1324 comprises a plurality of push buttons on a button panel 1326 for operating the wagering game machine 1300. In addition, or alternatively, the player input device 1324 can comprise a touch screen 1328 mounted over the primary display 1314 and/or secondary display 1316.

The various components of the wagering game machine 1300 can be connected directly to, or contained within, the housing 1312. Alternatively, some of the wagering game machine's components can be located outside of the housing 1312, while being communicatively coupled with the wagering game machine 1300 using any suitable wired or wireless communication technology.

The operation of the basic wagering game can be displayed to the player on the primary display 1314. The primary display 1314 can also display a bonus game associated with the basic wagering game. The primary display 1314 can include a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high resolution liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, light emitting diodes (LEDs), or any other type of display suitable for use in the wagering game machine 1300. Alternatively, the primary display 1314 can include a number of mechanical reels to display the outcome. In FIG. 13, the wagering game machine 1300 is an “upright” version in which the primary display 1314 is oriented vertically relative to the player. Alternatively, the wagering game machine can be a “slant-top” version in which the primary display 1314 is slanted at about a thirty-degree angle toward the player of the wagering game machine 1300. In yet another embodiment, the wagering game machine 1300 can exhibit any suitable form factor, such as a free standing model, bartop model, mobile handheld model, or workstation console model.

A player begins playing a basic wagering game by making a wager via the value input device 1318. The player can initiate play by using the player input device's buttons or touch screen 1328. The basic game can include arranging a plurality of symbols along a payline 1332, which indicates one or more outcomes of the basic game. Such outcomes can be randomly selected in response to player input. At least one of the outcomes, which can include any variation or combination of symbols, can trigger a bonus game.

In some embodiments, the wagering game machine 1300 can also include an information reader 1352, which can include a card reader, ticket reader, bar code scanner, RFID transceiver, or computer readable storage medium interface. In some embodiments, the information reader 1352 can be used to award complimentary services, restore game assets, track player habits, etc.

General

This detailed description refers to specific examples in the drawings and illustrations. These examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventive subject matter. These examples also serve to illustrate how the inventive subject matter can be applied to various purposes or embodiments. Other embodiments are included within the inventive subject matter, as logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes can be made to the example embodiments described herein. Features of various embodiments described herein, however essential to the example embodiments in which they are incorporated, do not limit the inventive subject matter as a whole, and any reference to the invention, its elements, operation, and application are not limiting as a whole, but serve only to define these example embodiments. This detailed description does not, therefore, limit embodiments of the invention, which are defined only by the appended claims. Each of the embodiments described herein are contemplated as falling within the inventive subject matter, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting, in a wagering game machine, a wagering game without scripted media, the method comprising:

detecting initiation of the wagering game;

detecting collision of a first object and a second object, wherein the first and second objects represent game elements in the wagering game;

determining a first physical state associated with the first object and a second physical state associated with the second object, wherein the physical states indicate physical conditions of the objects;

determining a first material that constitutes the first object and a second material that constitutes the second object;

determining a physical behavior of the first and second objects based on the first and second materials, wherein the physical behavior identifies physics properties that govern interactions between the first and second objects;

applying the physical behavior to the first and second objects; and

presenting the first and second objects based on the physical behavior, wherein the presenting reveals progress of the wagering game.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second materials is represented as one of plastic, wood, metal, felt, rubber, cloth, paper, and flesh.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first and second physical states represent one or more of wet, on fire, oily, hot, cold, magnetic, electric, and diseased.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining the physical behavior of the first and second objects based on the first and second materials comprises locating an element in a behavior matrix at an intersection of a row and column, wherein the row corresponds to the first material and the column corresponds to the second material.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said applying the physical behavior to the first and second objects comprises:

determining that at least one of the first physical state and the second physical state affect the physical behavior;

determining an effect to the physical behavior;

applying the effect to the physical behavior.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said presenting the first and second objects based on the physical behavior comprises:

determining a presentation element for the collision, wherein the presentation element comprises at least one of a sound effect, a graphic, and a particle effect, wherein the particle effect indicates particles that are emitted by the first and second objects during the collision; and

presenting the presentation element during the collision.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the second object disintegrated during the collision;

creating a plurality of new objects that comprise fragments of the second object; and

presenting the new objects as new game elements in the wagering game.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that a third object is in proximity to the first object;

determining that the first physical state should be transferred to the third object;

determining a transfer rate; and

transferring the first physical state to the second object based on the transfer rate.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

determining that an intensity of the first physical state of the first object should be decreased in response to transferring the first physical state to the third object; and

decreasing the intensity of the first physical state of the first object.

10. A computer-implemented method for presenting a wagering game in a wagering game machine, the method comprising:

determining physical inputs applicable to a wagering game event, wherein the wagering game event involves game elements of a wagering game;

determining, based on the physical inputs, a first force to be applied to a first object representing a first of the game elements;

applying the first force to the first object;

determining that a collision has occurred between the first object and a second object representing a second of the game elements;

determining a second force to be applied to the first object because of the collision;

presenting the first and second objects based on the first and second forces;

determining an outcome of the wagering game event based on the first and second forces; and

presenting the outcome of the wagering game event.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the physical inputs comprise an initial orientation of the first object, a force, a direction of the force, and an initial position of the first object.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein said presenting the outcome of the wagering game event presenting the first object in an appropriate orientation.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein said determining that a collision has occurred between the first object and the second object includes,

determining a first material makes up the first object and a second material that makes up the second object, wherein the first and second materials represent physical compositions of the first and second objects;

determining a physical behavior of the first and second objects based on the first and second materials, wherein the physical behavior represents physical properties governing interaction between the first and second objects;

applying the physical behavior to the first and second objects; and

presenting the first and second objects based on the physical behavior.

14. A machine-readable storage medium including instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

detecting a wager associated with a wagering game;

presenting first and second objects as game elements of the wagering game, wherein the first and second objects are moving;

detecting a collision of the first and second objects;

determining a first material that constitutes the first object and a second material that constitutes the second object;

determining, based on the first and second materials, a physical behavior for each of the first and second objects, wherein the physical behavior identifies physics properties that govern interactions between the first and second materials;

presenting, based on the collision and physical behavior, the first and second objects, wherein the presenting reveals progress of the wagering game, wherein the presenting occurs without presentation of predetermined graphical sequences.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein each of the first and second materials is one of plastic, wood, metal, felt, rubber, cloth, paper, and flesh.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first and second objects are each associated with one or more physical states including wet, on fire, oily, hot, cold, magnetic, electric, and diseased.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first object represents a die and the second objects represents a wagering game table.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising:

determining player inputs that represent physical forces applied to the first and second objects;

applying the physical forces to first and second objects;

determining new positions for the first and second objects based on the physical forces, physical behavior of the first and second objects, and the first and second materials, wherein the new positions determine a result for the wagering game; and

presenting the first and second objects in the new positions.

19. A wagering game machine comprising:

a wagering game unit configured to present wagering games without scripted animation, the wagering game unit including, a gaming unit configured to detect player input initiating a wagering game and to cause presentation of first and second objects representing game elements of the wagering game, wherein the first and second objects are moving on a display; a physics unit configured to determine first and second materials defining physical composition of the first and second objects, respectively; determine a physical state of the first object; determine physics properties that govern interactions of the first and second materials; detect a collision of the first and second objects; determine a new path of motion for the first and second objects based on the collision, the first and second materials, and the physics properties; transfer the physical state to the second object; a graphics unit configured to render the first and second objects based on the new path of motion, wherein the rendering indicates a result for the wagering game.

20. The wagering game of claim 19 further comprising:

an audio unit configured to determine audio content indicating the new path of motion of the first and second objects.

21. The wagering game of claim 19 wherein the physical state is one of wet, on fire, oily, hot, cold, magnetic, electric, and diseased.

22. A wagering game machine configured to present a wagering game without scripted media, the wagering game machine comprising:

means for detecting initiation of the wagering game;

means for detecting collision of a first object and a second object, wherein the first and second objects represent game elements in the wagering game;

means for determining a first physical state associated with the first object and a second physical state associated with the second object, wherein the physical states indicate physical conditions of the objects;

means for determining a first material that constitutes the first object and a second material that constitutes the second object;

means for determining a physical behavior of the first and second objects based on the first and second materials, wherein the physical behavior identifies physics properties that govern interactions between the first and second objects;

means for applying the physical behavior to the first and second objects; and

means for presenting the first and second objects based on the physical behavior, wherein the presenting reveals progress of the wagering game.

23. The wagering game machine of claim 22, wherein the progress includes one or more of an intermediate game result and a final game result.

24. The wagering game machine of claim 22, wherein each of the first and second materials is one of plastic, wood, metal, felt, rubber, cloth, paper, and flesh.

25. The wagering game machine of claim 22, wherein the first and second physical states represent one or more of wet, on fire, oily, hot, cold, magnetic, electric, and diseased.