The present invention provides a board game system in which an electrostatic-capacitance-based touchscreen that is capable of detecting a plurality of touched positions by detecting changes in electrostatic capacitance is used as a board. The board game system includes an electronic device equipped with the touchscreen; and game pieces that are used while being placed on the touchscreen and that are constituted at least partially of a conductive section. The conductive section is laid out so as to be intervened by a non-conductive section or gaps on the contact face. In the case where the game piece is placed on the touchscreen, the conductive section causes the predetermined or greater amount of change in the electrostatic capacitance at the contact positions of the conductive section on the contact face in the case where the conductive section is touched by the user. The electronic device recognizes the game piece.

A control system to locate a motorized entity on a display having an electronic device with a display is provided. The electronic device may include a microphone and an electronic device integrated circuit with a set of entity locating software instructions with a capability to generate and display a sequence of pixels in a location pattern, and to further receive an audio output detection signal from the microphone. The entity may include a speaker and one or more sensors in communication with an entity integrated circuit including a set of entity control software instructions. The one or more sensors may be capable of detecting pixels and to send a pixel detection signal to the entity integrated circuit upon detection thereof.

A programmable die may feature a robust frame structure housing a plurality of display screens which may be programmed to display any number of possible data. Any number of sides are possible, so long as they can be read. The die may be programmed remotely, such as through an app, or manually. The displays may be LCD screens or electronic paper, or any later discovered and suitable device. A battery may be directly or inductively charged.

Disclosed is a complex augmented reality system implementing a mobile device to display complex augmented reality on a display device. A user captures one or more live images from the display device via a camera on the mobile device, which sends the images to a server. The server determines if there are one or more image tags on the display device that are viewable in the live camera images and, if so, uses the one or more image tags to access information used by the augmented reality system to overlay virtual graphics in a position within 3D space on a display of the mobile device to augment the image of the display device with 3D effects to create complex augmented reality.

A tile game system is provided that includes a plurality of two-dimensional and three-dimensional components. The two-dimensional components can include a plurality of modular tiles provided in various sizes and configurations that can be joined together to form a grid-based gameplay area. The three-dimensional components can include external boundaries for the gameplay area, internal boundaries, terrain elements such as columns and staircases, and game figures. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the external and internal boundaries can be provided with recessed sections that allow a game figure to be contained within a single grid square and prevent the grid of the gameplay area from becoming warped. According to some aspects of the present disclosure the internal and external boundaries can be illuminated and provided with removable and interchangeable light-permeable skins that allow a user to switch between various illuminated designs.

An automated playing card retrieval system is used with a physical gaming table that hosts live wager-based games. The system includes a movable receiving component that receives dealt physical playing cards and an automated card removal component that removes the cards to a discard region after the game. The movable receiving component can be a mechanized tray, can display card(s) to player(s) seated away from the table during game play, and can receive cards at a first position, move to a second position where cards are removed, and move to a third position where cards are displayed at a position elevated from and at a substantially non-parallel angle to the table surface. Additional system components can include an automated card return component that returns cards to another location for a future game, a robotic dealer, an automated card shuffler, a card shoe, and/or the table itself.

An arcade game with that allows a player to control the game using a video feedback plus a tactile response is provided. A player must use the video feed for controlling the game, and the video feed can be transmitted from a remote location. The video signal can be transmitted via the internet, a wireless connection, or a wired connection.

Pinball machines are described. A method includes detecting an event during a game played at least in part over a surface of a playfield in a pinball machine. The playfield has first and second playfield portions. In response to the event, a playfield reducer located between the first and second portions is electronically activated in a manner sufficient to prevent a pinball from traveling between the first and second playfield portions. A pinball machine includes a playfield reducer that is operable to be in and transition between first and second positions during normal gameplay. When the playfield reducer is in the first position, the pinball is capable of rolling into and out of a portion of the playfield surface, and when the playfield reducer is in the second position, the playfield reducer prevents the pinball from accessing or from leaving the portion of the playfield surface.

Pinball machines are described. A method includes detecting an event during a game played at least in part over a surface of a playfield in a pinball machine. The playfield has first and second playfield portions. In response to the event, a playfield reducer located between the first and second portions is electronically activated in a manner sufficient to prevent a pinball from traveling between the first and second playfield portions. A pinball machine includes a playfield reducer that is operable to be in and transition between first and second positions during normal gameplay. When the playfield reducer is in the first position, the pinball is capable of rolling into and out of a portion of the playfield surface, and when the playfield reducer is in the second position, the playfield reducer prevents the pinball from accessing or from leaving the portion of the playfield surface.

An arcade game with that allows a player to control the game using a video feedback plus a tactile response is provided. A player must use the video feed for controlling the game, and the video feed can be transmitted from a remote location. The video signal can be transmitted via the internet, a wireless connection, or a wired connection.