Interactive entertainment system
Embodiments of the present invention provide an entertainment system for entertaining one or more guests as part of an interactive game carried out within an entertainment venue. Each guest is provided with a portable token that is used to identify and track the guest throughout the entertainment venue. The token includes a radiofrequency (RF) transponder that transmits a unique identifier to RF transceivers disposed throughout the entertainment venue. A host computer system communicates with each of the RF transceivers and selectively actuates various associated entertainment effects in accordance with the interactive game. The host computer also maintains and updates an overall game progress log for each guest based on the completion status of various game objectives.
1. An interactive entertainment system for tracking and entertaining multiple participants as part of an interactive game carried out within an entertainment facility, said interactive entertainment system comprising:
a portable token configured to be held and manipulated by a hand of a participant to selectively actuate one or more entertainment effects provided within an entertainment facility, said portable token comprising a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit to one or more wireless-compatible devices a unique token identifier;
a first wireless-compatible interactive play element configured to produce a first participant-actuated entertainment effect associated with a first game objective;
a second wireless-compatible interactive play element configured to produce a second participant-actuated entertainment effect associated with a second game objective;
a game control system communicatively coupled to said first and second wireless-compatible interactive play elements and configured to track the progress of said participant in said interactive game based on information communicated by said first and second wireless-compatible interactive play elements, and wherein said information comprises said unique token identifier; and
at least one communication interface communicatively coupled to said game control system and configured to communicate to said participant a completion status of said first and second game objectives.
2. The interactive entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said portable token comprises a toy wand.
3. The interactive entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said first participant-actuated entertainment effect comprises movement of one or more physical objects.
4. The interactive entertainment system of claim 3 , wherein said second participant-actuated entertainment effect comprises a display of one or more computer-animations.
5. The interactive entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said game control system is configured to adjust said game based on the tracked progress of said participant.
6. The interactive entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein said game control system is configured to allow or deny said participant to actuate said second participant-actuated entertainment effect based on whether said participant has completed said first game objective.
7. The interactive entertainment system of claim 1 , further comprising a digital camera communicatively coupled to said game control system and configured to capture one or more digital images of said participant.
8. An entertainment system for entertaining one or more participants as part of an interactive game carried out within a physical play environment, said entertainment system comprising:
a portable wand configured to be manipulated by a single hand of a participant to selectively actuate one or more entertainment effects provided within a physical play environment, said portable wand comprising a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit to one or more wireless-compatible devices a first selection of information comprising a unique identifier uniquely identifying said portable wand;
a first wireless-compatible interactive play element configured to produce a first wand-actuated entertainment effect associated with a first game objective;
a second wireless-compatible interactive play element configured to produce a second wand-actuated entertainment effect associated with a second game objective; and
a host computer system communicatively coupled to said first and second wireless-compatible interactive play elements and configured to: i) receive from said first wireless-compatible interactive play element a second selection of information indicating the completion by said participant of said first game objective, ii) update a game progress log for said participant based on said second selection of information, and iii) communicate to said second wireless-compatible interactive play element a third selection of information that determines whether said participant is allowed or denied to complete said second game objective, and wherein said third selection of information is based on said game progress log for said participant.
9. The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein said second selection of information comprises said unique identifier.
10. The entertainment system of claim 8 , further comprising at least one communication interface communicatively coupled to said host computer system and configured to communicate to said participant the completion status of said first and second game objectives according to said game progress log.
11. The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein said first wand-actuated entertainment effect comprises movement of one or more physical objects.
12. The entertainment system of claim 11 , wherein said second wand-actuated entertainment effect comprises a display of one or more computer-animations.
13. The entertainment system of claim 8 , further comprising a digital camera communicatively coupled to said host computer system and configured to capture one or more digital images of said participant.
14. An entertainment system for entertaining one or more participants as part of an interactive game carried out within an entertainment venue, said entertainment system comprising:
a portable token configured to be moved or positioned by a hand of a participant to selectively actuate one or more entertainment effects provided within an entertainment venue, said portable token comprising a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit to one or more wireless-compatible devices a first selection of information comprising a unique token identifier;
a first wireless-compatible interactive play element configured to produce a first participant-actuated entertainment effect associated with a first game objective;
a second wireless-compatible interactive play element configured to produce a second participant-actuated entertainment effect associated with a second game objective;
a host computer system communicatively coupled to said first and second wireless-compatible interactive play elements and configured to: i) receive from said first wireless-compatible interactive play element a second selection of information indicating the completion by said game participant of said first game objective, ii) update a game progress log for said participant based on said second selection of information, and iii) communicate to said second wireless-compatible interactive play element a third selection of information based on said game progress log for said participant; and
at least one communication interface communicatively coupled to said host computer system and configured to communicate to said participant a fourth selection of information comprising the completion status of said first and second game objectives according to said game progress log for said participant.
15. The interactive entertainment system of claim 14 , wherein said portable token comprises a hand-held wand configured to be manipulated by said participant using a single hand to selectively actuate each of said first and second participant-actuated entertainment effects.
16. The entertainment system of claim 14 , wherein said second selection of information comprises said unique token identifier.
17. The entertainment system of claim 14 , wherein said third selection of information determines whether said participant is allowed or denied to selectively actuate said second participant-actuated entertainment effect.
18. The entertainment system of claim 14 , wherein said first participant-actuated entertainment effect comprises movement of one or more physical objects.
19. The entertainment system of claim 18 , wherein said second participant-actuated entertainment effect comprises a display of one or more computer-animations.
20. The entertainment system of claim 14 , further comprising a digital camera communicatively coupled to said host computer system and configured to capture one or more digital images of said participant.