Trajectory-based 3-D games of chance for video gaming machines

A method of generating a trajectory-based game of chance on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to initiate a trajectory-based game of chance;
• generating a trajectory of a three-dimensional (3-D) game object in a 3-D gaming environment;
• determining a game outcome for the trajectory-based game of chance wherein the game outcome is not determined until the 3-D game object reaches a final state of its trajectory in the 3-D gaming environment;
• and
• displaying, as part of a game outcome presentation for the trajectory-based game of chance, a sequence of two-dimensional images rendered from the 3-D gaming environment to a display screen on the gaming machine wherein the sequence of two-dimensional images comprise one or more two-dimensional images of the 3-D game object along its trajectory in the 3-D gaming environment.

A method of generating a pay-table for a trajectory-based game of chance, the method comprising:

• inserting a plurality of 3-D game objects into a 3-D gaming environment wherein each of the plurality of 3-D game objects is assigned an initial state;
• generating a trajectory for each of the 3-D game objects in the 3-D gaming environment, the trajectory of each 3-D game object comprising:
• the initial state in the 3-D gaming environment, a final state in the 3-D gaming environment, and one or more states in the 3-D gaming environment between the initial state and the final state;
• assigning a game outcome for the trajectory-based game of chance from a set of game outcomes to an aspect of the trajectory for each 3-D game object;
• and
• generating a pay table that relates each game outcome in the set of game outcomes to a probability of that game outcome occurring in the trajectory-based game of chance.

A method of generating a game outcome presentation in a trajectory-based game of chance, the method comprising:

• along a trajectory of a 3-D game object in a 3-D gaming environment wherein the trajectory comprises a sequence of states of the 3-D game object in the 3-D gaming environment and wherein each states comprises at least a position and a velocity of the 3-D game object;
• generating a first state in the sequence of states of the 3-D game object along its trajectory;
• and
• generating a second state in the sequence of states of the 3-D game object along its trajectory that is related to the first state by a plurality of trajectory rules;
• wherein one or more two-dimensional images are rendered of the 3-D game object along its trajectory in the 3-D gaming environment as part of the game outcome presentation for the trajectory-based game of chance.

A product comprising at least one of i) data, ii) instructions and iii) combinations thereof for representing a 3-D gaming environment for a trajectory-based game of chance, the 3-D gaming environment being provided on a computer readable medium and comprising data and/or instructions for generating:

• a plurality of 3-D objects;
• a plurality of trajectory rules that are used to determine the trajectory of a moving 3-D object in the 3-D gaming environment;
• a plurality of collision rules that are used to determine effects of a collision between 3-D objects in the 3-D gaming environment;
• and
• a plurality of exit rules that are used to remove the moving 3-D object from the 3-D gaming environment
• wherein the 3-D gaming environment is for rendering a sequence of two-dimensional images that are used as part of a game outcome presentation for the trajectory-based game of chance.

A user interface for a gaming machine, said user interface comprising:

• an input device;
• and
• a sensor connected to the input device used to detect an operational parameter of the input device and generate an output signal corresponding to the operational parameter wherein the output signal is used to at least one of i) to initiate a trajectory-based game of chance, ii) to generate an initial state of a 3-D game object for its trajectory in a 3-D gaming environment, and iii) combinations thereof
• wherein the 3-D gaming environment is for rendering a sequence of two-dimensional images that are used as part of a game outcome presentation for the trajectory-based game of chance