Sensory indications for future game events for multiple players of a wagering game

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes a plurality of virtual players. Display data corresponding to the SVE is transmitted to each player device. The data includes user display data that causes a display in the player device to render a portion of the SVE based on a virtual orientation of the player device and a virtual location of the virtual player in the SVE. Sensory feedback data is then transmitted to the plurality of VR devices that causes each VR device to provide a sensory indication associated with the SVE to the respective player. The sensory indication is indicative of a benefit that will be provided to a subset of the plurality of players at a predetermined future time. At the predetermined future time, the benefit is then provided to the subset of the plurality of players.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes a plurality of virtual players, each of the plurality of virtual players being associated with a respective player of a plurality of players of a wagering game;   for each of the plurality of virtual players, transmitting display data corresponding to the SVE to a player device that is associated with the respective player, the data including user display data that causes a display in the player device to render a portion of the SVE based on a virtual orientation of the player device and a virtual location of the virtual player in the SVE;   transmitting sensory feedback data to the plurality of VR devices that causes each VR device to provide a sensory indication associated with the SVE to the respective player, wherein the sensory indication is indicative of a benefit that will be provided to a subset of the plurality of players at a predetermined future time; and   at the predetermined future time, providing the benefit to the subset of the plurality of players.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player device comprises a display device, and
 wherein the sensory indication is a visual indication provided to the display device.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the visual indication comprises a graphical element moving from a first location in the SVE to a second location in the SVE, and
 wherein the second location is closer to the location of the virtual player than the first location.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the visual indication is an approaching cloud, a group of fairies, a jazz band, a swarm of bees, or a herd of wild animals. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player device comprises an audio device, and
 wherein the sensory indication is an audio indication provided to the audio device.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the audio element comprises a sound having a first volume at a first time and a second volume louder than the first volume at a second time, wherein the second time is after the first time and before the predetermined future time. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the audio element is a three-dimensional audio element that simulates a source location in the SVE for the audio element. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the audio element comprises one of a sound effect or a musical cue. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player device comprises a haptic feedback device, and
 wherein the sensory indication is a haptic indication provided to the haptic feedback device.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the haptic indication comprises one of a tactile element, a pressure element, a vibration element, or a temperature change element. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player device comprises a virtual reality (VR) display configured to provide the sensory indication so that the player perceives the sensory indication as being associated with a virtual location in the SVE in a VR scene in a field of view of the player. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the player device comprises an augmented reality (AR) display configured to provide the sensory indication so that the player perceives the sensory indication as being associated with a location in a real-world scene in a field of view of the player. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising randomly selecting the subset of players to which the benefit will be provided. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the subset of players to which the benefit will be provided based on the play activity of the wagering game by the subset of players. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a second benefit to a second subset of players associated with the first subset of players at the predetermined future time. 
     
     
         16 . A gaming system comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to perform a method comprising:
 providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes a plurality of virtual players, each of the plurality of virtual players being associated with a respective player of a plurality of players of a wagering game; 
 for each of the plurality of virtual players, transmitting display data corresponding to the SVE to a player device that is associated with the respective player, the data including user display data that causes a display in the player device to render a portion of the SVE based on a virtual orientation of the player device and a virtual location of the virtual player in the SVE; 
 transmitting sensory feedback data to the plurality of VR devices that causes each VR device to provide a sensory indication associated with the SVE to the respective player, wherein the sensory indication is indicative of a benefit that will be provided to a subset of the plurality of players at a predetermined future time; and 
 at the predetermined future time, providing the benefit to the subset of the plurality of players. 
   
     
     
         17 . The gaming system of  claim 16 , wherein the player device comprises a display device, and
 wherein the sensory indication is a visual indication provided to the display device.   
     
     
         18 . The gaming system of  claim 16 , wherein the player device comprises an audio device, and
 wherein the sensory indication is an audio indication provided to the audio device.   
     
     
         19 . The gaming system of  claim 16 , wherein the player device comprises a haptic feedback device, and
 wherein the sensory indication is a haptic indication provided to the haptic feedback device.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
 providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes a plurality of virtual players, each of the plurality of virtual players being associated with a respective player of a plurality of players of a wagering game;   for each of the plurality of virtual players, transmitting display data corresponding to the SVE to a player device that is associated with the respective player, the data including user display data that causes a display in the player device to render a portion of the SVE based on a virtual orientation of the player device and a virtual location of the virtual player in the SVE;   transmitting sensory feedback data to the plurality of VR devices that causes each VR device to provide a sensory indication associated with the SVE to the respective player, wherein the sensory indication is indicative of a benefit that will be provided to a subset of the plurality of players at a predetermined future time; and   at the predetermined future time, providing the benefit to the subset of the plurality of players.