SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING A USER INTERFACE THAT RECEIVES WAGER REQUESTS FROM USERS OF A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

A virtual game environment may be provided to users. In views of the virtual game environment, the users may be presented with a user interface configured to receive selection and/or entry of parameters of wagers being placed by the users as part of a game. The interface may present a wager selection field to a given user, within which the given user may position a wager setting element to indicate a wager amount for a wager. The positioning of the wager setting element may be accomplished via a touchscreen associated with a client computing platform being used by the given user to interact with the virtual game environment.

Description

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a user interface for a game being played in a virtual environment that enables users to quickly, efficiently, and intuitively define a wager placed as part of the game through a touchscreen.

BACKGROUND

Virtual environments used to enable users to participate in games are known. In some of these games, the users may place wagers. Some of these virtual environments may be presented to users via mobile client devices through which the primary interface may be a touchscreen. The users may be required to define parameters of the wagers, such as wager amounts, through interfaces presented on a touchscreen that may not be intuitive.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system and method for providing a virtual game environment to users. In views of the virtual game environment, the users may be presented with a user interface configured to receive selection and/or entry of parameters of wagers being placed by the users as part of a game. The interface may present a wager selection field to a given user, within which the given user may position a wager setting element to indicate a wager amount for a wager. The positioning of the wager setting element may be accomplished via a touchscreen associated with a client computing platform being used by the given user to interact with the virtual game environment, and/or via other user interface devices. This interface for setting a wager amount may be intuitive and efficient, and may enhance the speed with which a user may specify a wager amount. This may enhance game play for users participating in a wagering game via mobile devices, and/or on other client computing platforms.

In some implementations, the system may include a server and client computing platforms that operate in a server/client configuration. Views of the virtual game environment may be presented to the users on the client computing platforms, and the users may be able to interact with the virtual game environment and/or participate in the game through inputs to the client computing platforms. The server may be configured to execute one or more of an environment module, a game module, a wager parameters module, a wager reception module, and/or other modules.

The environment module may be configured to determine view information for transmissions to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a game environment to the users on the client computing platforms. The game environment may be common among the users. The individual users may be represented in the game environment by avatars located at fixed positions in the views of the game environment. The users may comprise a first user represented by a first avatar, a second user represented by a second avatar, and/or other users.

The game module may be configured to manage a game being played by the users within the game environment. Managing the game may include one or more of determining score, assessing success and/or failure (e.g., of individual actions, sets, of actions, matches, game events within an individual match, and/or other episodes), determining random or pseudo-random game parameters (e.g., card value during ordering and/or distribution, dice values, battle multipliers, and/or other parameters), and/or other game management functions. The game may involve wagers placed by the users. The game module may be configured to determine when the individual users may, or must, place wagers within the game. For example, wagers may be placed by the first user at a turn of the first user, at the beginning of the game, and/or at other times or points in the progress of the game.

The wager parameters module may be configured to determine parameters of potential wagers to be made by the users. The parameters of a potential wager to be made by the first user may be determined responsive to determination by the game module that the first user may, or must, place a wager in the game. The parameters of a potential wager may include one or more of a minimum wager amount, a maximum wager amount, a wager increment amount, and/or other parameters. The wager parameters module may be configured such that the minimum wager amount is determined based on one or more of a game session wager minimum, a wager amount of another user, and/or other criteria. The wager parameters module may be configured such that the maximum wager amount may be determined based on one or both of a total amount available to the user for a game session and/or a turn wager limit.

The environment module and/or a view module executed on the client computing platform corresponding to the first user may further be configured such that views of the game environment presented to the first user include a wager request interface through which the first user can define wagers. One or more features of the wager request interface may be presented to the first user responsive to determination by the game module that the first user may, or must, place a wager in the game. Some or all of the features of the wager request interface presented to the first user may not be included in views of the virtual game environment presented to other users.

The wager request interface may include a wager setting field and a wager setting element. The wager setting field may include a first end corresponding to the minimum wager amount, a second end corresponding to the maximum wager amount. The wager setting element may be positionable by the first user at a user-selected position between the first end and the second end to set an amount of a wager. The wager setting field may include an element path between the first end and the second end, with the wager setting element being positionable along the element path to indicate the wager amount. The wager setting element may be positioned by the first user by engaging a location on a touchscreen of the client computing platform corresponding to the wager setting element, and dragging the wager setting element to a user selected location on the element path. The wager setting element in the view of the game environment provided to the first user may appear to slide along the element path responsive to the first user changing the position of the wager setting element on the element path. The element path may be straight and/or may have bends, curves, or other features. Description of positioning the wager setting element along the element path via touchscreen is not intended to be limiting. In some implementations, the user may position the wager setting element along the element path using a mouse, a joystick, a trackball, a gesture recognition system (e.g., with a camera), and/or through other user interface devices.

The wager request interface may include a wager request field. The wager request field may be selectable by the first user to trigger presentation of the wager setting field. Responsive to the first user selecting the wager request field and then not positioning the wager setting element in the wager setting field, a wager of the minimum wager amount by the first user may be defined.

These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the system and/or method disclosed herein, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configured to provide a virtual game environment to users.

FIG. 2 illustrates a view of a virtual game environment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of a virtual game environment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method of providing a virtual game environment to users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 configured to provide a virtual game environment to users. The system 10 may be configured such that the users participate in a game within the virtual game environment. In particular, the game may be a wagering game. The user interface provided to the users may facilitate a convenient and intuitive interface feature for setting a wager amount. This user interface for setting a wager amount may enhance the speed with which a user may specify a wager amount. This may enhance game play for users participating in a wagering game via mobile devices, and/or on other client computing platforms. Providing the virtual game environment may include hosting the virtual game environment over a network.

In some implementations, system 10 may include a server 12. The server 12 may be configured to communicate with one or more client computing platforms 14 according to a client/server architecture. The users may access system 10 and/or the virtual game environment via client computing platforms 14.

The server 12 may be configured to execute one or more computer program modules. The computer program modules may include one or more of an environment module 16, a game module 18, a wager parameters module 20, a wager reception module 22, and/or other modules.

The environment module 16 may be configured to provide one or more virtual game environments to users via client computing platforms 14. As used herein, a “virtual environment” may include a virtual space, one or more interactive, electronic social media, and/or other virtual environments. A virtual game environment may refer to a virtual environment in which a game is being played that involves a plurality of users. Providing a virtual environment to users may include executing one or more instances of a virtual environment, determining view information representing the virtual environment (e.g., from the instance(s)) for the users (e.g., individually and/or collectively), transmitting the view information to the client computing platforms 14 associated with the users to facilitate views of the virtual environment being presented to the users, and/or other activities.

A virtual space may comprise a simulated space that is accessible by users via clients (e.g., client computing platforms 14) that present the views of the virtual space to a user. The simulated space may have a simulated physical layout, express ongoing real-time interaction by one or more users, and/or be constrained by simulated physics that governs interactions between virtual objects in the simulated space. In some instances, the simulated physical layout may be a 2-dimensional layout. In other instances, the simulated physical layout may be a 3-dimensional layout.

The environment module 16 may be configured to express the virtual space in a relatively limited manner. For example, views of the virtual space presented to the users may be selected from a limited set of graphics depicting an event in a given place within the virtual space. The views may include additional content (e.g., text, audio, pre-stored video content, movable icons, avatars, and/or other content) that describes particulars of the current state of the space, beyond the relatively generic graphics. For example, a view of the virtual space may depict a card table and/or a non-player character that are static (or change relatively little) visually in views of virtual space. Icons representing game components (e.g., game pieces, playing cards, dice, and/or other game components) may change and/or move within the views of the virtual space to depict a game being played within the virtual space. Such limited representation of the virtual space may reduce the cost of hosting the virtual game environment in terms of processing, storage, communication bandwidth, and/or other computing resource (e.g., on server 12 and/or client computing platforms 14). Other expressions of individual places within the virtual space are contemplated.

Within the instance(s) of the virtual space (or other virtual environment) executed by environment module 16, users may control avatars to interact with the virtual space and/or each other. As used herein, the term “user character” may refer to an object (or group of objects) present in the virtual space that represents an individual user. The avatar may be controlled by the user with which it is associated. The avatar representing a given user may be created and/or customized by the given user. The user may have an “inventory” of virtual goods and/or currency that the user can use (e.g., by manipulation of an avatar or other user controlled element, and/or other items), display, gift, and/or otherwise interact with in the virtual space.

The users may participate in the virtual space by controlling one or more of the available user controlled elements in the virtual space (e.g., game elements, avatars, and/or other elements). Control may be exercised through control inputs and/or commands input by the users through client computing platforms 14.

Interactive, electronic social media may include one or more of a social network, a virtual space, a micro-blogging service, a blog service (or host), a browser-based game, a multi-player mobile game, a file (e.g., image file, video file, and/or other files) sharing service, a messaging service, a message board, a forum, and/or other electronically distributed media that are scalable and enable interaction between the users. As was the case with virtual spaces, in some implementations, users may be represented within interactive, electronic social media by avatars. An avatar representing a given user may be presented in views of the interactive, electronic social media as being associated with content that may be provided by the given user, directed the given user, related to the given user, and/or associated with the given user in other ways. Some non-limiting specific examples of interactive, electronic social media may include the micro-blogging service provided by Twitter™, the social network provided by Facebook™, the social network provided by MySpace™, the social network provided by Foursquare®, the virtual world provided by SecondLife®, the massively multi-player online game provided by World of Warcraft®, the file sharing service provided by Flickr®, Blogger, YouTube, PlayStation® Home, Xbox® Live, and/or other interactive electronic social media.

The game module 18 may be configured to manage the game being played by the users within the virtual game environment. Managing the game may include one or more of determining score, assessing success and/or failure (e.g., of individual actions, sets, of actions, matches, game events within an individual match, and/or other episodes), determining random or pseudo-random game parameters (e.g., card value during ordering and/or distribution, dice values, battle multipliers, and/or other parameters), and/or other game management functions. Managing the game may include accepting input in the form of user selections and/or actions (e.g., input at client computing platforms 14), output from one or more random (or pseudo-random) number generators, rules and/or settings governing one or more game mechanics of the game, and/or other inputs. Managing the game may include determining outputs in the form scores (e.g., of individual actions, sets, of actions, matches, game events within an individual match, and/or other episodes), winners and/or losers, required actions to be performed by the users, and/or other outputs.

By way of non-limiting example, in some implementations, game module 18 may be configured to manage a game of poker being played within the virtual game environment. Such management may require one or more of determining blind size and/or assignment, determining card value and/or distribution, managing the pot (e.g., obtaining wager amounts, distributing winnings, and/or other management), determining hand winners, maintaining user chip stacks, maintaining user bank rolls, and/or other management tasks. As another non-limiting example, game module 18 may be configured to manage a game of backgammon. Such management may require one or more of managing checker position, determining dice value, determining doubling cube value, determining score, determining a winner, and/or other management tasks. Implementations in which game module 18 manages other turn-based games are contemplated. Such games may be based on real world board and/or card games, and/or games that have not previously been implemented as real world games.

It will be appreciated that the description herein of environment module 16 providing a virtual game environment to a set of users in which a game is being played by the set of users is not intended to be limiting. For example, environment module 16 may be configured to provide a plurality of different virtual game environments to a plurality of different sets of users. The individual sets of users may be participating in different instances of the game within the individual virtual game environments. The concepts described herein with respect to the individual virtual game environment and game should be extendible to implementations in which a plurality of different virtual game environments are being used to conduct a plurality of different instances of the game (e.g., between different sets of users).

In some implementations the game managed by game module 18 may be a wagering game in which users place wagers. The wagers may be made with a virtual currency. The virtual currency may be denominated in points, dollars, gold, and/or other denominations. The virtual currency may be a currency provided within the virtual game environment, and may not be associated with any real world regulatory body or agency. For example, the virtual currency may be a fictional currency provided to users by the operator of system 10. The virtual currency may not have any real world value and/or association. The virtual currency may be purchased with real world funds, and/or may be redeemable for real world funds.

During a game, a user may be prompted to place a wager at the beginning of the game (e.g., a blind or an ante in poker, prior to the deal in blackjack, before a wheel is spun in roulette, and/or other games), at the beginning of a turn of the user (e.g., in poker, and/or other games), and/or at other times during the game. Game module 18 may be configured to determine when the individual must place a wager, and/or when it is possible for the individual users to place a wager.

Wager parameters module 20 may be configured to determining one or more parameters of potential wagers to be made by the users. The parameters of a potential wager may include one or more of a minimum wager amount, a maximum wager amount, a wager increment amount between the minimum wager amount and the maximum wager amount, and/or other parameters. Wager parameters module 20 may be configured to determine the parameters of a potential wager by a given user at a time indicated by game module 18 as being appropriate for the given user to place a wager. A wager minimum amount may be determined based on a game session wager minimum, a wager amount of another user (e.g., a user that has already placed a wager in a given game session), and/or other criteria. A wager maximum amount may be determined based on a total amount of virtual currency available to the given user during the game session (e.g., an available chip stack), a turn wager limit, and/or other criteria. The wager increment amount may be fixed for a given game session managed by game module 18, and/or may be determined based on one or more of various criteria.

Wager reception module 22 may be configured to receive wager requests from the users. The wager requests may define wages made by the users as part of the game. The wager requests may conform to the parameters of potential wagers determined by wager parameters module 20. Wager reception module 22 may be configured to receive wager requests that have been input by the users to a user interface provided to the users within the views of the virtual game environment displayed on the client computing platforms. The wager definitions in the wager requests may be provided to game module 18 to facilitate management of the game by game module 18. The user interface provided to the users to enable input of wager requests may be an fast, efficient, and/or intuitive interface. Environment module 16 may be configured such that the user interface is presented to the users along with the views defined by the view information generated by environment module 16.

By way of illustration, FIG. 2 illustrates a view 30 of a virtual game environment. The view 30 may include a game field 32, a first avatar 34, a second avatar 36, a third avatar 38, a fourth avatar 40, a wager request field 42, and/or other fields or features. The game field 32 may be configured to present information to the user viewing view 30 of the game being played in the virtual game environment. For example, if the game is a board game or a card game, the game board and/or the cards may be represented in game field 32. In some implementations, game field 32 may be represented as a table on which the board and/or cards sit.

The avatars 34, 36, 38, and/or 40 may represent a first user, a second user, a third user, and/or a fourth user, respectively within view 30. View 30 may be presented, for example, to the first user. Responsive to it being an appropriate time for the first user to place a wager (e.g., at the first user's turn, at the beginning of a game session, and/or at other times), wager request field 42 may be presented in view 30. Wager request field 42 may be selectable by the first user in order to input a wager request. In some implementations, view 30 may be presented to the first user on a touchscreen, and the first user may select wager request field 42 by touching the region of the touchscreen on which wager request field 42 is displayed.

FIG. 3 illustrates view 30 subsequent to selection of wager request field 42 by the first user. As can be seen in FIG. 3, responsive to selection of wager request field 42 by the first user, a wager setting field 44 may be included in view 30. Wager setting field 44 may be configured to receive selection and/or entry of a wager amount for the wager request. Wager setting field 44 may run from a first end 46 to a second end 48. First end 46 may correspond to a minimum wager amount (e.g., as determined by wager parameters module 20 shown in FIG. 1 and described herein). Second end 48 may correspond to a maximum wager amount (e.g., as determined by wager parameters module 20 shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

View 30 may enable the first user to set a wager amount by positioning a wager setting element 50 between first end 46 and second end 48. The position at which the first user places wager setting element 50 may set the wager amount. For example, the closer wager setting element 50 is positioned to first end 46, the lower the wager amount, and the wager setting element 50 is positioned to second end 48, the higher the wager amount. View 30 may include an element path 52 that runs from first end 46 to second end 48. In view 30, responsive to the first user changing the position of wager setting element 50 along element path 52, wager setting element 50 may appear to slide along element path 52. In implementations in which view 30 is presented to the first user on a touchscreen, the first user may set the position of wager setting element 50 by touching a location on the touchscreen at which wager setting element 50 is displayed, and dragging wager setting element 50 to a desired location along element path 52. In some implementations, responsive to the first user selecting wager request field 42, and then failing to select a position within wager setting field 44 for wager setting element 50, a wager request may be generated with the minimum wager amount as the wager amount.

Element path 52 may be straight and/or may have bends, curves, or other features. Description of positioning wager setting element 50 along element path 52 via touchscreen is not intended to be limiting. In some implementations, the user may position wager setting element 50 along element path 52 using a mouse, a joystick, a trackball, a gesture recognition system (e.g., with a camera), and/or through other user interface devices.

In views of the virtual game environment presented to the second, third, and/or fourth users (and/or other users viewing the virtual game environment), wager setting field 44 provided to the first user in view 30 may not be present. Instead, the individual users participating in the game within game field 32 may be presented with their own wager setting user interfaces including, for example, a separate wager request field and/or wager setting field. This may hide the process by which the first user inputs a wager request to view 30 from the other users. Responsive to input of a wager request from the first user, view 30 may be updated (along with the views presented to the other users) in which the wager defined by the wager request is represented as having been placed by the first user.

Turning back to FIG. 1, in some implementations, 12 server and client computing platforms 14 may be operatively linked via one or more electronic communication links. For example, such electronic communication links may be established, at least in part, via a network such as the Internet and/or other networks. It will be appreciated that this is not intended to be limiting, and that the scope of this disclosure includes implementations in which server 12 and/or client computing platforms 14 may be connected and/or interface via some other configuration and/or mechanism.

A given client computing platform 14 may include one or more processors, and electronic display, a control interface, and/or other components. The one or more processors may be configured to execute computer program modules. The computer program modules may be configured to enable or user associated with the given client computing platform 14 to interface with system 10, and/or provide other functionality attributed herein to client computing platforms 14. For example, the computer program modules may include a view module configured to receive view information from server 12 (e.g., generated by environment module 16), and to present a view of the virtual game environment (e.g., as described above) based on the received view information. This may facilitate participation by the user of the given client computing platform 14 in the game taking place in the virtual game environment. In some implementations, the view module may be configured to present the wager setting interface described above with assets that are not hosted by server 12. As was mentioned above, client computing platforms 14 may include touchscreens through which the users view the virtual game environment and/or interact therewith. By way of non-limiting example, the given client computing platform 14 may include one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computing platform, a NetBook, a Smartphone, a gaming console, and/or other computing platforms.

The server 12 may include electronic storage 60, one or more processors 62, and/or other components. The server 12 may include communication lines, or ports to enable the exchange of information with a network and/or other computing platforms. Illustration of server 12 in FIG. 1 is not intended to be limiting. The server 12 may include a plurality of hardware, software, and/or firmware components operating together to provide the functionality attributed herein to server 12. For example, server 12 may be implemented “in the cloud” by a plurality of computing platforms operating together as server 12.

Electronic storage 60 may comprise electronic storage media that electronically stores information. The electronic storage media of electronic storage 60 may include one or both of system storage that is provided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with server 12 and/or removable storage that is removably connectable to server 12 via, for example, a port (e.g., a USB port, a firewire port, etc.) or a drive (e.g., a disk drive, etc.). Electronic storage 60 may include one or more of optically readable storage media (e.g., optical disks, etc.), magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic hard drive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-based storage media (e.g., EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drive, etc.), and/or other electronically readable storage media. The electronic storage 60 may include one or more virtual storage resources (e.g., cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or other virtual storage resources). Electronic storage 60 may store software algorithms, information determined by processor 62, information received from server 12, information received from client computing platforms 14, and/or other information that enables server 12 to function as described herein.

Processor(s) 62 is configured to provide information processing capabilities in server 12. As such, processor 62 may include one or more of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to process information, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronically processing information. Although processor 62 is shown in FIG. 1 as a single entity, this is for illustrative purposes only. In some implementations, processor 62 may include a plurality of processing units. These processing units may be physically located within the same device, or processor 62 may represent processing functionality of a plurality of devices operating in coordination. The processor 62 may be configured to execute modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22. Processor 62 may be configured to, execute modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 by software; hardware; firmware; some combination of software, hardware, and/or firmware; and/or other mechanisms for configuring processing capabilities on processor 62.

It should be appreciated that although modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being co-located within a single processing unit, in implementations in which processor 62 includes multiple processing units, one or more of modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 may be located remotely from the other modules. As a non-limiting example, some or all of the functionality attributed to modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 may be provided “in the cloud” by a plurality of processors connected through a network. The description of the functionality provided by the different modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 herein is for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to be limiting, as any of modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 may provide more or less functionality than is described. For example, one or more of modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22 may be eliminated, and some or all of its functionality may be provided by other ones of modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22. As another example, processor 62 may be configured to execute one or more additional modules that may perform some or all of the functionality attributed below to one of modules 16, 18, 20, and/or 22.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method 70 of providing a virtual game environment to client computing devices for interaction by users. The operations of method 70 presented below are intended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, method 70 may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described, and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method 70 are illustrated in FIG. 4 and described below is not intended to be limiting.

In some embodiments, method 70 may be implemented in one or more processing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to process information, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices executing some or all of the operations of method 70 in response to instructions stored electronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices configured through hardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed for execution of one or more of the operations of method 70.

At an operation 72, the virtual game environment may be hosted. Hosting the virtual game environment may include determining, and/or sending to client computing platforms, view information defining views of the virtual game environment for display on the client computing platform. Users may be represented by avatars within the views. The avatars may include a first avatar associated with a first user. In some implementations, operation 72 may be performed by an environment module similar to or the same as environment module 16 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 74, a game being played by users within the virtual game environment may be managed. In some implementations, operation 74 may be performed by a game module similar to or the same as game module 18 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 76, it may be determined that a first player must (or may) place a wager as part of the game. In some implementations, operation 76 may be performed by a game module similar to or the same as game module 18 (shown in FIG. 1 and described above).

At an operation 78, parameters of a potential wager to be placed by the first user may be determined. The parameters may include one or more of a minimum wager amount, a maximum wager amount, a wager increment amount, and/or other parameters. In some implementations, operation 78 may be performed by a wager parameters module similar to or the same as wager parameters module 20 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 80, responsive to determination that the first player must (or may) place a wager, a wager request interface may be presented to the first player in the view of the virtual game environment. The wager request interface may include a wager request field, a wager setting field, and/or other features. The wager request field may be selectable by the user (e.g., via a touchscreen). Responsive to the wager request field being selected, the wager setting field may be presented to the first user. The wager setting interface may include a wager setting element that is positionable by the first user within the wager setting field to set a wager amount. In some implementations, the wager request field, the wager setting field, and/or the wager setting element may be similar to or the same as wager request field 42, wager setting field 44, and/or wager setting element 50 (shown in FIGS. 2-3 and described herein). In some implementations, the presentation of the wager request interface may be performed by a view module executed on the client computing platform. The presentation of the wager request interface by the view module may be initiated by an environment module similar to or the same as environment module 16 (shown in FIG. 1 and described above).

At an operation 82, a wager request may be received. The wager request may define the wager placed by the first user via the wager request interface. In some implementations, operation 82 may be performed by a wager reception module similar to or the same as wager reception module 22 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 84, the wager defined by the wager request may be executed in the game. In some implementations, operation 84 may be performed by a game module similar to or the same as game module 18 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

Although the system(s) and/or method(s) of this disclosure have been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any implementation can be combined with one or more features of any other implementation.

Claims

1. A system configured to provide a virtual game environment to users, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules comprising: an environment module configured to determine view information for transmissions to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a game environment to the users on the client computing platforms, wherein the game environment is common among the users, wherein the individual users are represented in the game environment by avatars located at fixed positions in the views of the game environment, and wherein the users comprise a first user represented by a first avatar; a game module configured to manage a game being played by the users within the game environment, wherein the game involves wagering by the users; and a wager parameters module configured to determine parameters of potential wagers to be made by the users, wherein the parameters of a given potential wager to be made by a first user comprises a minimum wager amount and a maximum wager amount, wherein the environment module is configured such that views of the game environment presented to the users include a wager setting field configured to receive wager amounts of the wagers made by the users during the game, wherein the wager setting field in the view of the game environment presented to the first user comprises a first end corresponding to the minimum wager amount, a second end corresponding to the maximum wager amount, and a wager setting element that is positionable by the first user at a user-selected position between the first end and the second end to set an amount of a wager.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the game module is configured such that the game is turned-based, and such that the users are prompted to set a wager amount at individual user turns.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment module is configured such that views of the game environment presented to the users include a wager request field that is selectable by a user to trigger presentation of the wager setting field.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the game module is configured such that responsive to the first user selecting the wager request field and then not positioning the wager setting element in the wager setting field, the game module accepts a wager of the minimum wager amount from the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wager parameters module is configured such that the minimum wager amount is determined based on one or both of a game session wager minimum and/or a wager amount of another user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wager parameters module is configured such that the maximum wager amount is determined based on one or both of a total amount available to the user for a game session and/or a turn wager limit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment module is configured such that the wager setting field comprises an element path between the first end and the second end, and such that the wager setting element is positionable along the element path to indicate a wager amount.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the environment module is configured such that the wager setting element in the view of the game environment provided to the first user appears to slide along the element path responsive to the first user changing the position of the wager setting element on the element path.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment module is configured such that the wager setting field presented to the first user during the first user's turn to enable the first user to set a wager amount is not visible in views of the game environment provided to other users.

10. A client computing platform configured to present a view of a virtual game environment to a first user, the client computing platform comprising:

an electronic display;

a control interface;

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules comprising: a view module configured to receive view information from a server, and generate a view of a game environment for presentation to a first user via the electronic display, wherein the game environment is common among the first user and a set of other users to facilitate playing of a group game by the user and the set of other users within the game environment, wherein the individual users are represented in view of the game environment by avatars, wherein the view module is further configured such that the view of the game environment presented to the first user includes a wager setting field configured to receive wager amounts for wagers made by the first user during the game, wherein the wager setting field in the view of the game environment presented to the first user comprises a first end corresponding to a minimum wager amount, a second end corresponding to a maximum wager amount, and a wager setting element that is positionable by the first user at a user-selected position between the first end and the second end to set an amount of a wager.

11. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the game is turned-based, and the view module is configured such that the first user is prompted to set a wager amount at the first users turns.

12. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the view module is configured such that view of the game environment presented to the first include a wager request field that is selectable by the first user to trigger presentation of the wager setting field.

13. The client computing platform of claim 12, wherein the computer program modules are configured such that responsive to the first user selecting the wager request field and then not positioning the wager setting element in the wager setting field, a wager of the minimum wager amount is made on behalf of the first user.

14. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the minimum wager amount is either a game session wager minimum or a wager amount of another user.

15. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the maximum wager amount is either a total amount available to the user for a game session or a turn wager limit.

16. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the view module is configured such that the wager setting field comprises an element path between the first end and the second end, and such that the wager setting element is positionable along the element path to indicate a wager amount.

17. The client computing platform of claim 16, wherein the view module is configured such that the wager setting element in the view of the game environment provided to the first user appears to slide along the element path responsive to the first user changing the position of the wager setting element on the element path.

18. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the computer program modules are configured such that the wager setting field presented to the first user during the first user's turn to enable the first user to set a wager amount is not visible in views of the game environment provided to the other users.

19. The client computing platform of claim 10, wherein the electronic display is a touchscreen, and wherein the computer program modules are configured such that the wager setting element is positionable by the user by touching and dragging the wager setting element displayed on the electronic display.