Three-Dimensional Gaming System Environments
Methods and apparatus affecting the interaction between events, objects, and three-dimensional wagering game environment are described herein.
1 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
receiving a wager to play a wagering game;
generating a plurality of three-dimensional particles; and
rendering the plurality of particles on the display in real time.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles emanate from a single emitter.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein some of the plurality of particles are associated with properties including at least one of a color, a position, a velocity, a texture, a viewpoint, a mesh, a rule of motion, a lifetime, or a transparency.
4 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
receiving a wager to play a wagering game;
displaying a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game; and
displaying a first plurality of three-dimensional particles responsive to one of an event occurring within the three-dimensional environment, a player selection, or a game outcome.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further including:
displaying a second plurality of particles responsive to an event occurring within the wagering game.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of particles emanate from a single emitter.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein some of the plurality of particles are associated with properties including at least one of a color, a position, a velocity, a texture, a viewpoint, a mesh, a rule of motion, a lifetime, or a transparency.
8 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
culling portions of a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game to provide a group of culled portions; and
displaying portions of the three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game that are not included in the group of culled portions.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein culling includes:
selecting portions of the three-dimensional environment that are at least partially obscured by foreground objects for inclusion in the group of culled portions.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein culling includes:
establishing a rendering hierarchy;
determining that a first object in the three-dimensional environment is lower in the rendering hierarchy than a second object in the three-dimensional environment; and
selecting the first object for inclusion in the group of culled portions.
11 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
establishing a path in a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game; and
following the path with an object.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the object comprises a camera to provide a view of the three-dimensional environment.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the object comprises a three-dimensional character included in the three-dimensional environment.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of physical attribute paths followed by attributes of the object are defined in relation to the path.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the object follows the path from a designated starting point to a designated ending point.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the designated starting point and the designated ending point are associated with a selected time period.
17 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
selecting a reflective surface in a three-dimensional environment; and
displaying an image of an object included in the three-dimensional environment by mapping the image onto the reflective surface.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further including:
reflecting a camera viewpoint ray to intersect a texture map; and
displaying a portion of a three-dimensional model based on coordinates of the texture map intersected by the camera viewpoint ray.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein coordinates of the texture map are provided by one or a spherical mapping technique or a cubic mapping technique.
20 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
mapping a first portion and a second portion of a rectangular bitmap associated with the wagering game onto a pair of triangles; and
displaying a rectangular sprite using the pair of triangles.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further including:
mapping properties onto some vertices of the pair of triangles.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the properties include at least one of a color, a position, a velocity, a texture coordinate, a rule of motion, a lifetime, or a transparency.
23 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
displaying a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game; and
displaying a camera viewpoint responsive to one of an event occurring within the wagering game or an event occurring within the three-dimensional environment.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the event modifies at least one of a viewing location, a viewing distance, a viewing angle, a viewing magnification, a focus location, or a depth of field associated with the camera viewpoint.
25 . The method of claim 25 , further including:
following a selected object included in the three-dimensional environment with the camera viewpoint.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the selected object is selected in association with the event.
27 . The method of claim 23 , wherein an origin of the camera viewpoint is fixed.
28 . The method of claim 23 , wherein an origin of the camera viewpoint follows a selected path.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the selected path is selected to substantially avoid view-obstructing objects.
30 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
displaying a first image associated with the gaming outcome within a first window; and
displaying a second image associated with the gaming outcome within a second window.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the first window and the second window are partially-overlapping.
32 . The method of claim 30 , further including:
displaying a three-dimensional environment in the second window on the display.
33 . The method of claim 30 , further including:
configuring one of the first window and the second window to display a set of player preferences.
34 . In a gaming machine that displays a gaming outcome on a display, a method comprising:
receiving a wager to play a wagering game;
displaying a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game; and
evolving a feature of the three-dimensional environment to provide an evolved environment responsive to one of a plurality of sequential events occurring within the wagering game or a plurality of sequential events occurring within the three-dimensional environment.
35 . The method of claim 34 , further including:
sharing the evolved environment created by a first player with a second player.
36 . The method of claim 34 , further including:
displaying an interaction between at least one character created by a first player in the evolved environment and a second character created by a second player.
37 . The method of claim 34 , further including:
maintaining the evolved environment across a series of completed gaming sessions associated with the wagering game and a unique identifier.
38 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device and to initiate generating a plurality of three-dimensional particles; and
a display to render the plurality of three-dimensional particles in real time.
39 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device; and
a display to display a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game, wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a plurality of three-dimensional particles responsive to one of an event occurring within the three-dimensional environment, a player selection, or a game outcome.
40 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device; and
a display to display portions of a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game that are not included in a group of culled portions.
41 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device, and to establish a path in a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game; and
a display to display the three-dimensional environment and an object following the path.
42 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device, and to select a reflective surface in a three-dimensional environment [e.g., associated with a base game event or a bonus event]; and
a display to display an image of an object included in the three-dimensional environment by mapping the image onto the reflective surface.
43 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device, and to map a first portion and a second portion of a rectangular bitmap associated with the wagering game onto a pair of triangles; and
a display to display a rectangular sprite using the pair of triangles.
44 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device; and
a display to display a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game, and a camera viewpoint responsive to one of an event occurring within the wagering game or an event occurring within the three-dimensional environment.
45 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device; and
a display to display a first image associated with the gaming outcome within a first window, and a second image associated with the gaming outcome within a second window.
46 . A wagering game system, comprising:
a player-input device;
a processor to conduct the wagering game responsive to the player-input device; and
a display to display a three-dimensional environment associated with the wagering game, and an evolved feature of the three-dimensional environment responsive to one of a plurality of sequential events occurring within the wagering game or a plurality of sequential events occurring within the three-dimensional environment.
47 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 1 .
48 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 4 .
49 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 8 .
50 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 11 .
51 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 17 .
52 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 20 .
53 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 23 .
54 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 30 .
55 . An article comprising a machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, create a system for executing the method of claim 34 .