Video extension library system and method
Various embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a game platform and video extension system for a gaming machine, in which game videos interact with the game platform and video extension system. The system includes a game operating system that provides services to render graphics for the gaming machine. Further, the operating system includes an OS video engine and a window server. The system also includes a game, wherein the game comprises a game library and game application. The game library includes one or more library video engines, in which each video engine may be used in conjunction with the window server of the operating system. The game application includes one or more game modules, in which each game module is associated with, and supported by, a corresponding library video engine in the game library or OS video engine in the game operating system. The game application uses an application program interface of the operating system to display video content. Additionally, the system enables game modules within the gaming application that have new features which are not supported by the video engine of the game operating system to be instead supported by corresponding library video engines within the game library. In this manner, the system does not require game operating system enhancements to play game modules that have new features which are unsupported by the game operating system.
1. A game platform and video extension system for a gaming machine, wherein game videos interact with the game platform and video extension system, the system comprising:
a game operating system, wherein the operating system provides services to render graphics for the gaming machine, and wherein the operating system includes a OS video engine and a window server; and
a game, wherein the game includes a game library and game application;
wherein the game library includes one or more library video engines, and wherein each video engine may be used in conjunction with the window server of the operating system;
wherein the game application includes one or more game modules, wherein each game module is associated with and supported by a corresponding library video engine in the game library or OS video engine in the game operating system, and wherein the game application uses an application program interface of the operating system to display video content; and
wherein the system enables game modules within the gaming application that have new features which are not supported by the video engine of the game operating system to be instead supported by corresponding library video engines within the game library, thereby not requiring game operating system enhancements to play game modules that have new features that are unsupported by the game operating system;
wherein a first game module having the new features accesses the window server and not the OS video engine, and a second game module without the new features accesses the OS video engine directly.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system enables a shared library to be loaded from either game flash, operating system flash, or a common package, and wherein the window server checks to see which library is newer, and loads the newest one.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises gaming hardware, wherein the gaming hardware includes a video chipset for supporting game video on the gaming machine.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a kernel, wherein the kernel includes a driver that manages low level details of the gaming machine.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video libraries use a shared library configuration that is common to both the game and the operating system.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a memory and CPU utilization are improved by using polygon-based rendering.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein graphics are displayed by using the game application and operating system which choose a video library from among available choices, instead of having only a single video library available for use by the game application and operating system.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein windows are created by video engines using a window manager library.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video extension system includes a library that may be requested for loading by the game application, and wherein the loading of library occurs after a video initiation command is called, but before any sprites or images are created, wherein a sprite is a graphic image that may move within a larger graphic image.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating system loads the most recent library found from among a set of library paths.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein video content is displayed by having a video server make calls to the video extension system before executing particular render iterations, wherein the video server initializes a particular iteration, and calls the video extension system to draw its content, and wherein the video server then displays its own content, and completes the render iteration.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating system provides each game application with a game window handle.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Z-order depth is measured from front to back, with a Z-order panel for a game application window panel being furthest to the rear.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein a video plane for the game application activity is located in the rear, thereby enabling higher priority events that include malfunctions and tilts, being able to over-write the game screen to display the higher priority events.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein a windows server resides with a video engine in the operating system, and wherein the windows server enables the operating system to access multiple video planes.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the game application employs a game window handle to communicate with the video engine in the operating system.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein modules include at least game modules, library modules, and video modules, and wherein the modules are manageable, in that the modules are not fixed and not permanently located on a hard disk drive.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a post render component that enables a game application to render content after sprites that are created through a video library.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system enables querying of a video server version.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system enables a game may add and/or remove video engines while the operating system remains stable.
21. A game platform and video extension system for a gaming machine, wherein game videos interact with the game platform and video extension system, the system comprising:
a game operating system, wherein the operating system provides services to render graphics for the gaming machine, and wherein the operating system includes a OS video engine and a window server; and
a memory storage device for storing a game, wherein the game includes a game library and game application, wherein the game library includes one or more library video engines, and wherein each video engine may be used in conjunction with the window server of the operating system;
wherein the game application includes one or more game modules, wherein each game module is associated with and supported by a corresponding library video engine in the game library or OS video engine in the game operating system, and wherein the game application uses an application program interface of the operating system to display video content; and
wherein the system enables game modules within the gaming application that have new features which are not supported by the video engine of the game operating system to be instead supported by corresponding library video engines within the game library;
wherein a first game module having the new features accesses the window server and not the OS video engine, and a second game module without the new features accesses the OS video engine directly.