Methods and system for location-based gaming utilizing a physical game tool

A method of location-based gaming, the method comprising:

• providing, to mobile computing devices of at least two players, a program executable on the mobile computing devices to play a game between the at least two players;
• receiving location information from at least one of the mobile computing devices, the location information indicating a physical location of at least one player of the at least two players in the physical world;
• receiving location information from a game tool operated by one of the at least two players, the location information indicating a physical location of the game tool in the physical world, wherein the game tool is (i) physically manipulable by the one of the at least two players, (ii) capable of determining its physical location in the physical world, and (iii) communicatively coupled to the respective player's mobile computing device;
• and
• providing, to the mobile computing devices, data pertaining to a virtual gaming object associated with a target object location in the physical world, the data for displaying, on a display device viewable by at least one player of the at least two players, the virtual gaming object at a virtual location within the game corresponding to the target object location in the physical world, the data being dynamically updated to reflect changes to the virtual gaming object during play of the game based on changes of the physical location of the respective player's game tool.

A system for location-based gaming, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a network interface in communication with the processor and coupled to a communication network;
• a memory comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
• transmitting via the communication network a program executable on a mobile computing device of a player to enable the player to play a game;
• receiving location information indicating a physical location of a game tool operated by the player, wherein the game tool is (i) physically manipulable by the player, (ii) capable of determining its physical location in a physical world, and (iii) communicatively coupled to the mobile computing device and the processor via the communication network;
• and
• transmitting to the mobile computing device of the player, via the communication network, data pertaining to a virtual gaming object associated with a target object location that is based, at least in part, on the physical location of the game tool, the target object location being a physical location in the physical world, the data for displaying, on a display device viewable by the player, the virtual gaming object at a virtual location within the game corresponding to the target object location, and wherein the data is dynamically updated to reflect changes to the virtual gaming object during play of the game based on changes of the physical location of the game tool.