Systems and methods for location based games and employment of the same on location enabled devices
A location-based game system is provided. Such a system may take the form of any device (e.g., a wireless telephone) that includes a locating device (e.g., a GPS system). One such location-based game may operate such that the actual, physical location of a user on a physical playfield corresponds to the location of a virtual character on a virtual playfield. Such location based games are referred to herein as actuality games. In one multiplayer actuality embodiment, two game devices may communicate location, and other, information to a remote database such that the two user's may interact on different physical playfields, but play on the same virtual playfield. A number of wireless communications protocols, self-configuration, and auto-download software applications are also provided to optimize integration with, for example, a wireless telephone.
1. A system comprising:
a device for providing a location-based game, wherein said device is operable to determine whether said location-based game utilizes a manual origin setting for the start of the location-based game;
a graphical user interface of said device operable to prompt for manual input to be entered into said graphical user interface to position said device to a location associated with said manual origin setting, wherein said location is obtained on said device for use as said manual origin setting in said location-based game and said location is updated non-manually; and
a display for displaying virtual indicia associated with said location-based game, wherein said updated location impacts said location-based game in reference to said origin setting and changes said visual indicia displayed based on said updated location in reference to said origin setting, and said manual origin setting is operable to be manually updated.
2. A system comprising:
a first-location based gaming device, wherein a game ID is utilized to initialize a multiple-player location-based game on said location-based gaming device, wherein said first-location based device is operable to determine whether said multiple-player location-based game utilizes a manual origin setting for the location-based game, wherein the manual origin setting is operable to be updated during said location-based game; and
a second location-based gaming device, wherein said game ID is associated with said multiple-player location-based game and at least said second location-based gaming device, and said multiple-player location-based game is provided on at least said first and second location-based gaming devices.
3. A device comprising:
a display for providing a location-based game, wherein a grid is provided on said display, areas of said grid are covered, a virtual character is provided on said grid, the location of said virtual character on said grid is associated with the location of said device on a physical playfield with respect to a manual origin setting utilized for the location-based game, wherein the manual origin setting is operable to be updated during said location-based game; and
a locating device that provides, at least in part, said location and said covered areas of said grid are uncovered as said device is moved to locations of said physical playfield that are associated with covered areas of said grid.
4. A system comprising:
a device having a display, wherein a graphical user interface is provided on said display to receive a first manual input for setting a origin location setting for a location reference for gameplay and a second manual input for setting a directional reference for a direction of gameplay for a virtual character of a location-based game provided on said device based on the direction of said device and said location-based game is provided on said device with respect to said directional reference and said directional reference is operable to be updated during said gameplay.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said directional reference is reset during play of said location-based game and said location-based game is provided after reset with respect to said reset directional reference.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communications device, wherein information associated with said location-based game is operable to be communicated through said wireless communications device.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communications device, wherein said location-based game is a multiple player location-based game and information associated with second player control signals and second player location are operable to be received by said wireless communication device.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising manual input controls, wherein said location- based game includes a virtual character and said manual input controls are operable to provide control signals associated with said virtual character.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communications device, wherein information associated with said updated location is communicated through said wireless communications device.
10. The system of claim 2 , wherein said first location-based device includes a wireless communications device and a locating device and location information associated with said locating device is operable of being communicated through said wireless communications device.
11. The system of claim 2 , wherein said first location-based device includes a wireless communications device and a locating device, and location information associated with said second location-based device is operable to be received by said wireless communications device.
12. The system of claim 2 , wherein first location-based device includes manual input controls operable to provide control signals associated with a virtual character of said multiple player location-based game.
13. The device of claim 3 , wherein said grid is operable to be removed from said display and a time-based mini-game is operable to be displayed on said display.
14. The device of claim 3 , further comprising manual input controls, wherein alphanumeric information is operable to be entered into manual inputs controls.
15. The system of claim 4 , wherein said display is a head-mounted display.
16. The system of claim 4 , wherein said display is a head-mounted display and said device includes a power source.
17. The system of claim 4 , wherein said device includes a wireless communications device and location information associated with said location-based game is communicated through said wireless communications device.
18. The system of claim 4 , wherein said location-based game is a multiple player location based game.
19. The system of claim 4 , wherein said display is a head-mounted display, said device includes a wireless communications device and location information associated with said location-based game is communicated through said wireless communications device, and said location-based game is a multiple player location-based game.
20. The system of claim 4 , wherein said location-based game is selected from a list of location-based games.