A method for providing one or more digital experiences or services to one or more game players in relation to a physical card game, comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more electronically trackable game cards for use by the one or more players, where each of the one or more trackable game cards comprises two or more distinguishable electronic tags each comprising distinct tag identification information;
- providing an interactive game play system comprising at least one tracked playing area for determining game play data relating to any played trackable game card of the one or more trackable game cards that are currently present within the tracked playing area, where the tracked playing area comprises two or more electronically determinable distinct physical locations, where the interactive game play system comprises electronic means for determining a distinct given physical location in association with the distinct tag identification information of a distinct one of the two or more distinguishable electronic tags of a given played trackable game card that has been situated within the trackable playing area such that the distinct one distinguishable electronic tag is substantially located over or within a detectable area associated with the distinct given physical location, where the determined game play data comprises distinct physical location information associated with the distinct tag identification information of each of the two or more distinguishable tags of each given played trackable game card, and where the game play data is at least interpretable as both of a current location and a current orientation of the each given played trackable game card based at least in part upon the two or more distinct physical locations in association with the two or more distinguishable electronic tags;
- providing a game app for executing on a first computing device or otherwise providing a first computing device comprising or otherwise executing the game app, where the computing device comprises or otherwise is in communications with at least one camera for use in capturing one or more images of a given trackable game card and at least one electronic tag reader for use in determining the distinct tag information associated with at least one of the two distinguishable electronic tags comprising the given trackable game card;
- providing a game card database accessible by the game app, where for each of a multiplicity of possible game cards the game card database comprises (a) game card identification information comprising any of information representative of at least one visual distinction on the each game card, and (b) game card descriptions comprising any one of or any combination of card-play values or otherwise value indicators corresponding to one or more visual distinctions on the game card, where visual distinctions comprise any one of or any combination of pictures, symbols, or text;
- providing an available card inventory dataset or otherwise database for maintaining a relationship between a given player and the one or more given trackable game cards either available for use or being used by the given player during game play, where for each of the one or more given cards the available card inventory represents (1) given player identity information, and (2) the distinct tag identification information associated with any one or more of the two or more electronic tags comprising each of the one or more given trackable game cards;
- providing game rules comprising any one of or any combination of game rules data or a game rules algorithm for use by the game app in determining game play results and outcomes;
- providing a game state dataset or otherwise database for use or update by the game app comprising (i) game play data representing or otherwise indicating any one or more trackable game cards currently in the in-hand possession of each of the one or more players, (ii) game play data representing or otherwise indicating any one or more trackable game cards currently played into the presence of the at least one tracked playing area by any of the one or more players, and (iii) game play data representing game results and outcome data determined at least in part using the game rules, at least in part using any of game card descriptions (b), and at least in part using any of the game play data (i) and (ii);
- using the first computing device and game app prior to game play or otherwise prior to trackable game card use to establish, maintain, or otherwise update the available card inventory by determining player identity information (1) for a given player associated with distinct tag identification information (2) for each of the one or more trackable game cards to be used during game play by the given player;
- using the first computing device and game app prior to game play or otherwise prior to trackable game card use to form any of combined data or otherwise to establish associations between data comprising the game card database and the available card inventory, where the combined data or established associations join or relate the distinct tag identification information (2) for a trackable game card with the game card identification information (a) of a specific game card found in the game card database comprising any of the at least one visual distinction sufficiently matching any of information determined using image processing of one or more images captured by the computing device and game app of the trackable game card, where any of game card descriptions (b) relating to the specific game card are further combined or otherwise associated with the distinct tag identification information (2) based upon the determination of the relation between (2) and (a);
- using any one of or any combination of the first computing device and game app or the interactive game play system during game play to determine any of distinct tag identification information (2) associated with game play for providing to the game app;
- using the first computing device and game app for updating the game state database using at least in part the game play data associated with the distinct tag identification information (2);
- using at least in part the first computing device and game app for providing any of the digital experiences or services at any time prior, during, or after game play using at least in part any one of or any combination of the current location of a given trackable game card currently present within the tracked playing area and the current orientation of a given trackable game card currently present within the tracked playing area, and at least in part any one of or any combination of the game state database, the game rules, the available card inventory, and the game card database.