HOCKEY THEMED HYBRID GAME

1 . A distributed gaming system, comprising:

an electromechanical gaming machine constructed to receive real credits from a player connected to a real world server by a communication link, wherein the real world server is constructed to:

receive from a game world server via the communication link, a trigger of a wager;

execute the wager to determine a randomly generated payout of real credits using a random number generator; and

distribute to the game world server via the communication link, the payout of real credits;

an entertainment software server connected to the game world server by a network, wherein the entertainment software server is constructed to:

execute a hockey-themed entertainment game having a game world clock in a game world environment and an entertainment game element that is controlled by an action of a player in the game world environment;

distribute to the game world server via the network, an output of the game world clock and the player action;

receive from the game world server via the network, control information including an period of time in the game world environment;

make available to the player the period of time in the game world environment during the player's play of the hockey-themed entertainment game; and

provide outcomes based upon the player's skillful play of the hockey-themed entertainment game and use of the period of time in the game world environment; and

generate a perceivable output of the action taken by the player in the game world environment on a user interface device;

the user interface device connected to the hockey-themed entertainment software server, wherein the user interface device is configured to:

depict a representation of the themed hockey-themed entertainment game; and

receive instructions for actions taken by the player; and

the game world server connected by the communication link to the real world server and connected to entertainment software server by the network, wherein the game world server is constructed to:

interface the entertainment software server to the real world server over the network by:

receiving from the entertainment software server via the network, the output of the game world clock and the player action in the game world environment;

monitoring the output of the game world clock during the player's play of the hockey-themed entertainment game;

detecting passage of a unit of game world time in the game world environment based on the monitored output of the game world clock;

distributing to the real world server via the communication link, the trigger of the wager based on both the detection of the passage of the unit of game world time in the game world environment and on the action of the player in the game world environment;

receiving from the real world server via the communication link, the randomly generated payout; and

controlling the entertainment software server by:

determining, based on the randomly generated payout, the control information including the period of time in the game world environment available to the player while playing the hockey-themed entertainment game;

distributing to the entertainment software server via the network, the control information; and

accreting, based on the randomly generated payout, an amount of game world time in the game world environment for use by the player while playing the hockey-themed entertainment game.

2 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game world server distribution of the trigger of the wager further includes the amount of real credit committed to the wager.

3 . The distributed gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the amount of real credit committed to the wager is determined on the basis of the unit of game world time.

4 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game world server and the real world server are implemented on a same processing apparatus.

5 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the communication link connecting the game world server and the real world server utilizes the network.

6 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the action of the player in the game world environment to trigger the wager includes the player directing a virtual object into an opponent's goal during a gameplay session of the hockey-themed entertainment game.

7 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface device is further configured to display a player profile for the player of the hockey-themed entertainment game.

8 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the action of the player in the game world environment to trigger the wager includes a distance traveled by a virtual character in the hockey-themed entertainment game.

9 . A distributed gaming system, comprising:

an electromechanical gaming machine constructed to receive real credits from a player and connected to a real world server by a communication link, wherein the real world server is constructed to execute a wager;

a game world server connected by the communication link to the real world server and connected to an entertainment software server by the network, wherein the game world server is constructed to:

interface the entertainment software server to the real world server over the network by:

receiving from the entertainment software server via the network, an output of a game world clock and a player action in a game world environment;

monitoring the output of the game world clock during the player's play of a hockey-themed entertainment game;

detecting passage of a unit of game world time in the game world environment based on the monitored output of the game world clock;

distributing to the real world server via the communication link, a trigger of the wager based on both the detection of the passage of the unit of game world time in the game world environment and on the action of the player in the game world environment;

receiving from the real world server via the communication link, a randomly generated payout; and

controlling the entertainment software server by:

determining, based on the randomly generated payout, control information including a period of time in the game world environment available to the player while playing the hockey-themed entertainment game;

distributing to the entertainment software server via the network, the control information; and

accreting, based on the randomly generated payout, an amount of game world time in the game world environment for use by the player while playing the hockey-themed entertainment game.

10 . The distributed gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the game world server distribution of the trigger of the wager further includes the amount of real credit committed to the wager.

11 . The distributed gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the amount of real credit committed to the wager is determined on the basis of the unit of game world time.

12 . The distributed gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the game world server and the real world server are implemented on a same processing apparatus.

13 . The distributed gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the communication link connecting the game world server and the real world server utilizes the network.

14 . The distributed gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the action of the player in the game world environment to trigger the wager includes the player directing a virtual object into an opponent's goal during an entertainment game gameplay session.

15 . The distributed gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the user interface device is further configured to display a player profile for the player of the entertainment game.

16 . The distributed gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the action of the player in the game world environment to trigger the wager includes a distance traveled by a virtual character in the hockey-themed entertainment game.