Physical merchandise-augmented interactive play system (continuation).
A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or another object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Description
The present invention relates, in general, to augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other gameplay systems and experiences configured for interactive gameplay for one or more players or participants, and, more particularly, to a gameplay system configured to provide augmented or modified gameplay or interactive experiences based upon detection or sensing of an augmenting object (e.g., a particular piece of merchandise that is worn, handheld, or otherwise made a part of gameplay by a player or participant). 2. Relevant Background
There are numerous situations where it is desirable to provide participants with unique interactive experiences. For example, theme and amusement parks and other large venues continue to strive to entertain visitors in a way that allows them to participate in the experience. This may involve providing interactivity such that they can modify or affect the produced experience. In particular applications, a ride or space may include gameplay that is interactive with the system being adapted to sense visitor input and to respond by changing audio outputs, visual displays, and the like.
To date, though, it has been difficult to provide interactive experiences on rides and other settings with a larger number of participants that are individualized so that each participant can immediately recognize that actions they have taken individually have changed gameplay or the experience. Instead
1. A system for providing augmented interactive experiences, comprising: a display system operating to present to a participant located in or proximate to a predefined space interactive effects within an interactive experience; a show controller controlling the display system to selectively display the interactive effects within the interactive experience; and an entitlements service validating an association of a digital augmenting object to the participant, wherein the entitlements service operates to determine a location of the participant in the predefined space during the interactive experience, wherein the show controller operates the display system to generate and display at least part of the interactive effects based on the location of the participant and the association with the digital augmenting object, and wherein the validating comprises reading a token or key presented by the participant and comparing results of the reading with records of valid tokens or keys for a plurality of digital augmenting objects to identify the digital augmenting object. ||
9. A system for providing augmented interactive experiences, comprising: an interactive system providing an interactive effect to a participant of an interactive experience; a digital augmenting object linked to the participant; and an entitlements service for determining a validity of the digital augmenting object, wherein the interactive system generates the interactive effect based on a set of interactive elements defined for the digital augmenting object, and wherein the determining of the validity includes processing a key or token presented by the participant, the key or token being displayed on a computing or communications device or being printed on a physical object. ||
12. A system for providing augmented interactive experiences, comprising: a display system operating to present to a participant located in or proximate to a predefined space interactive effects within an interactive experience; a show controller controlling the display system to selectively present the interactive effects within the interactive experience; an entitlements service validating an association of a digital augmenting object to the participant; and a kiosk operated by an operator to assign the digital augmenting object to the participant including providing a location of the participant to the entitlements service, wherein the show controller operates the display system to generate and display the interactive effects based on the location of the participant and the digital augmenting object. ||
18. A system for providing augmented interactive experiences, comprising: a display system operating to present to a participant located in or proximate to a predefined space interactive effects within an interactive experience; a show controller controlling the display system to selectively display the image within the interactive experience; and an entitlements service validating an association of a digital augmenting object to the participant, wherein the entitlements service operates to determine a location of the participant in the predefined space during the interactive experience, the location of the participant being determined at least in part based on a seat of a ride vehicle assigned to the participant, and wherein the show controller operates the display system to generate and display the image based on the location of the participant and the digital augmenting object.