GB2430895A

GB2430895A - Indoor network gaming system and method therefor

Info

Publication number: GB2430895A
Application number: GB0520245A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Blake Ponuick
Original assignee: CT EX TECHNOLOGIES Inc
Current assignee: CT EX TECHNOLOGIES Inc
Priority date: 2005-10-05
Filing date: 2005-10-05
Publication date: 2007-04-11
Also published as: GB0520245D0

Abstract

A remote gaming system is used to support competitive games that traditionally are played by individuals a common location. The system incorporates data communications links that support the sharing of information between various locations where gaming activities are in progress. The data communications links rely on a network for transferring the data between the various locations. Data relating to a scoring surface, such as a dart board, and data relating to ensuring that competitors compete fairly is shared between the locations. The system may be used to allow remote competitions in darts or billiards.

Description

[NDOOR NETWORK GAMNG SYSTEM AND METHOD TI-IEREFOR The invention relates to

indoor gaming and more particularly to automated monitoring and communication between indoor games.

For thousands of years, people have enjoyed games. Games are divided into a variety of different forms but are each challenges that individuals enjoy. These challenges can be divided into two fundamental groups. In the first group, a challenge involves an individual challenging themselves to achieve a goal. In the second group, the challenge involves an individual pitting their skills against another's in a competition. Of course, some skills such as archery are both an individual skill and a competition skill; individuals challenge themselves to be better archers and then compare their results against the results of others.

In games employing individual skills and in games employing competition skills there is considerable camaraderie and sportsmanship. Around the world this camaraderie and sportsmanship has become associated with communal events. For example, in North America sports teams will often go to the bar after a game to have a drink. In the United Kingdom, people go to the pub and thus there is a level of social drinking that accompanies many individual and competitive games.

With the advent of the video game system, games have changed dramatically.

It is now possible to play a game and have the system remember where you were in the game when you paused or stopped. It is also possible to have the system begin the game at different places and it has even become possible to play the game against other players situated remotely.

For example, in a common video game that is network enabled, it is possible for someone in New York City to play a game against someone in London, England either in concert as a team or in competition. When those players play in concert they act as a team though they are remotely displaced one from another. When they play in competition, they manage to compete on a same playing field though their physical location is very remote, one from the other.

* S S *SS S * S S * S S * 5 * S * S S S S S S S S S. S S S S * *s S * *.: . . : ** Even though many of today's games, such as chess, checkers, bridge and other card games, darts, billiards, golf, air hockey, baseball, football, soccer, hockey and so forth, have been implemented as video games. These video games are rarely directly analogous to their non-video game counterpart.

For example, when playing a video baseball game, one does not require a baseball mitt or a baseball bat and one does not throw a physical ball. In fact, by the end of the game it is rare that an individual playing it would have experienced significant physical exertion. As such, for those people who enjoy the physical exertion of, for example, baseball or soccer, football or hockey, those individuals cannot achieve the same experience with the video game counterpart of those games.

Also, the dexterity required in the actual sport is quite different from that required in the video game version of the sport. Of course it would be quite difficult to imagine a baseball game played between two teams or even more unimaginable, between eighteen players disposed remotely one from another. Further, competitions between remotely disposed sportsmen greatly impede the social aspect of the gaming experience and are therefore, in some ways, undesirable.

It would be advantageous to provide a system and method for enabling competition between sportspeople, or garners, disposed remotely one from another while maintaining the social aspects of those games.

Embodiments of the invention support the remote play of games commonly associated with pubs, such as darts and billiards. In order to support such remote play a computer network supports data communication between the locations of the players.

The invention teaches a method comprising: providing a video imaging system disposed within a building for monitoring of a game played indoors; playing the game; imaging the game during play with the video imaging system to provide video image data; and, *I. *. *. e:. *

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S* S * S S * * * S S S S S ** 5 * S * * S. * storing the video imaging system data within a first server in communication Additionally, the invention describes a method comprising: providing a first game play venue having a plurality of image sensors and a video display monitor; providing a second venue having a plurality of image sensors and a video display monitor; playing a game between a first competitor at the first venue and a second competitor at the second venue, each player taking turns in the game at their own venue; displaying first information at the second venue relating to game play at the first venue while the game is being played at the first venue; and displaying second information at the first venue relating to game play at the second venue while the game is being played at the second venue.

Prefened embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a flow diagram supporting a network video game; Figure 2 is an illustrated top view of a pub with a dartboard; Figure 3 is an illustrated top view of a pub with a dartboard and a laser; and, Figure 4 is a simplified flow diagram of a method of supporting remote billiard competition according to the present invention. S.. S

* S * S S S * * * I : : : : : : : : . * ** * . S 55 * Referring to Figure 1, shown is a simplified flow diagram of a method of supporting network dart play is shown. A plurality of video imaging devices in the form of digital video cameras is disposed about a gaming site in the form of a darts game area, disposed for example, in a first pub at 101. The video cameras are disposed for capturing a majority of information relating to a game of darts. At 102, the video imaging devices capture video data and provide same to a first server in communication with a broadband network in the form of the Internet. The video data captured by the imaging devices and provided to the first server are stored therein for processing and for communication to other servers via the broadband network. At 105, a player approaches the line to play darts. This activity is captured by one of the video imaging devices at 106, and at 107 the image is transferred to the first server and from the first server to another server across the network. At 110, and in parallel to what is happening at Ill, the captured video data is displayed on monitors at a second pub disposed remotely from the first pub where the dart player is playing darts. Thus, people at the remote pub have the ability to watch the game being played.

When the dart player throws the dart at 111, a second video imaging device captures the performance of the dart throw by capturing an image of the dartboard with the dart incident thereon. This image is also transferred to the first server and then via the broadband network to a server of the remote pub where it is displayed. Thus, people in the remote pub watch the dart play of the first dart player. Dart play continues 112 until the game is ended at 113.

Preferably, simultaneously to the process of Figure 1, a similar process is occurring at the remote pub. This allows people at the first pub to witness a player at the remote pub playing darts at the same time as people in the remote pub are witnessing a player in the first pub playing darts.

Optionally, the imaging devices are controllable from a remote location in order to vary their angle of acquisition and so forth. Alternatively, only one of the imaging devices is controllable. When one or more imaging devices are controllable remotely, someone in the remote pub controls one or more imaging devices within the first pub to provide for enhanced viewer experience. Alternatively, controllable viewing is coin operated resulting in increased revenue.

*. *. *. : . : : : : : .: : *.. * . : ..

Due to the nature of the game of darts, the resulting game, though slightly different from a regular game of darts, is still inclusive of all the aspects of a dart game that are presently enjoyable, including the social aspect of being in a pub with your friends and the competitive aspect of being able to play darts against a wider, more varied group of individuals. Thus, even if an individual is capable of playing darts at a competitive level and their friends and drinking mates are not, they can now engage in a competitive game of darts while hanging out with their existing friends in, for example, their local pub. Further, due to the placement of numerous video capture devices, the excitement and suspense of the dart game is retained throughout the game. Of course, when the optional controllable imaging device is present, individuals at the remote pub control the angle of view at the first pub in order to look around. This results in more of the feeling of the competition and the sense of common spectatorship.

Optionally, the video image data is archived for later display, reference, and sale. For example, a player may choose to purchase a DVD of a particularly great dart game. Alternatively, a disagreement between players is resolvable using video replay.

Further optionally, the video image data is used to automatically extract information about the game such as score information. Those of skill in the art of image analysis will understand that analysis of dart location within a dartboard is a straightforward task given sufficient image angles and light. As such, the server is useful in automatically posting score information, automatically refereeing the line that the dart thrower should not cross, and automatically cuing up new dart players by detecting end of game criteria.

Referring to Figure 2, a simplified diagram of a top view of the pub is shown.

A dart board 21 disposed on the wall of the pub. The start line 22 from behind which to throw a dart at the dartboard is disposed a predetermined distance away from the wall and is clearly demarked. An individual, shown in circle at 23, is disposed behind the dart line. Cameras 24, 25, and 26 are disposed for capturing different aspects of the game including an approximately front view of the player and approximately front view of the dartboard, and a top view of the dart area. Capturing and recording video *. ** .. : : : : : : .,: : : S S S S 55 * * 555 S * 5 *. *5* images of a top view of the dart area allows for reviewing of further data to ensure honest play and fairness even when this view is not displayed at the remote pub.

An embodiment of the invention is applicable for use in prize-based competitions is shown. Here, a prize event is determined based on a competition, for example, the best dart player from within a thousand different pubs. It will be recognized by those of skill and art who play darts, that typically a competition of this nature occurs within a single venue with advertising to bring individuals to that venue for the competition. These competitions suffer many logistical problems such as a limited signup or a very large venue. In accordance with the present embodiment, a competition encompasses a much broader customer base and thereby either provides for increased prize money or increased profit from such competition. Further, the competition supporting remote play at different pubs allows for intimate venues even when very large competitions occur and also allows for food and beverage revenues to occur at those establishments.

Once the prize event is determined, a tournament is organized for reaching that prize amount. For example, 4096 dart players from pubs across the country sign up for a nominal fee to enter into the competition. The dart players are then arranged into elimination rounds, where in the first round, 2048 dart games are played. The 2048 winners proceed to the next round where 1024 dart games are played and so on and so forth, until one last dart game is played to determine a winner. Optionally, more than one dart game is played per round; further, optionally a more complex competition structure is arranged. Also, it is possible to arrange the competition chart such that competition within a single pub is completed to result in one player per pub starting the competition. Unfortunately, in a typical scenario this is undesirable, since having more than one player per pub results in the player and their mates spending time at the pub for each game and, as such, it is desirable to have games between different pubs.

Thus when a five pound entrance fee is provided, over 20 000 pounds of proceeds are raised and, with a first prize of 5 000 pounds and a second prize of 2 000 pounds and a third prize of 1 000 pounds are to be paid out, the resulting * S S *S* S * S S * 5 * 5 * * S * * S * 5 S. 5 5 * * S * * * * S * S * ** S S S.. S * * *.* **5 approximately 12 500 pounds more than offsets the cost of the communications for running the competition remotely. Further, consumption of food and beverages during the competition due to the increased attendance that a tournament causes, results in increased revenue for the pubs in that fashion. Of course, though the embodiment is described with reference of 4096 participants, a significantly larger number of participants is also supported. For example, in the United Kingdom if merely 1 participant per pub were to enter the competition, a significantly larger number of entrants than 4096 would result. Due to the presence of the video imaging devices within each pub for monitoring dart games, it is possible to verify accuracy and fairness of each game. Further, because the score is posted and the dart play itself is watched by all participants in the pub - live for a player therein and on a monitor for the other, remote, player - the resulting suspense and excitement of game play is maintained and as such the competition and social aspects of a tournament are maintained. In contrast to this, a single pub is not overwhelmed by more patrons than it can support, and is not forced to undertake special activities in order to support a tournament. In this way, once the communication and video imaging device infrastructure is in place, tournament cost is greatly reduced, allowing for tournaments to be held more often. The tournaments also involve considerably less organization as venue and service related issues are obviated.

The tournament is played in rounds. Assuming five thousand pubs have access with a video imaging system and display monitor in accordance with the above embodiments, then up to 2,500 dart games can be played simultaneously. Each of these games would have a different audience at each of two different pubs. Of course games happening within a single pub absent the use of a video monitoring equipment are also supported and are optionally played simultaneously with a referee present. If we pick a very conservative number of games to be played in a single evening of dart play, let us assume 8, this will allow us to reduce our player field by a factor of 64 on each night of play. Thus from 5000 players the field is reduced on the order of 8 games in the first night. Thus a final elimination round involving approximately 100 players results at a subsequent time. Typically, in order to hold a dart tournament of this magnitude would require a significant length of time due to a limited access to * * * 4*S * * . * S S * * * * * S S S * S ** * * * * . : : * S S S *p Se, S * * S. referees, dartboards, and scheduling concerns. Fortunately, due to the nature of the present embodiment, a large tournament event is organizable for darts without these concerns due to the ability to provide simultaneous play of many dart games across the network so long as there is sufficient digital imaging technology and remote conmiunication technology to support the data communication requirements.

Further, by storing data related to each game within a perpetual storage medium, optionally each game is refereed after the fact when necessary or when complaints occur between competitors.

Another method of competition is where the competition is not between different dart players but the competition is aimed at achieving a predetermined goal.

For example, the competition is to achieve three bullseyes in succession. Presently, to support such a goal based competition, a manager comes to the dart area, charges a fee for entry and watches the dart player as he or she tries to achieve the predetermined goal. When he or she achieves the predetermined goal, the manager pays out a prize fee, which is typically determined based on the difficulty of achieving the goal and the entrance fee. Unfortunately, unscrupulous managers render such a system susceptible to fraud, and further, such a competition requires significant resources since it requires personal monitoring at every attempt to achieve the goal.

Because of the above two difficulties, most competitions of this nature are run from a single establishment such that the statistics governing the activity break down - due to low sample size - depending on the population available to perform the activity and the application of random chance. Of course, if the population base is extremely large and extremely varied, the statistics should hold true for such a large and varied population. Therefore, there is significant advantages in a goal based competition where the goal is statistically determined to have a difficulty of being achieved that there be statistically valid sample of individuals trying to achieve that goal. Using a method in accordance with the present embodiment, a need to personally referee each attempt to achieve a goal is obviated by the video imaging system in combination with storage of the data captured to provide for later review and retrieval of information related to achieving the goal. Further, the competition is now capable of being managed remotely by a third party since they too have access to the video * a * ,, - a a a a - * a p - - a a * * : : I - a * , - a.. * q * * p image data in order to ensure that prizes are awarded only when completion of the goal has been achieved and these third party monitoring groups manage the competition across a plurality of establishments in order to benefit from the statistically valid sample size necessary for such a competition to occur and remain

reliably profitable.

Thus, in operation an employee accepts an entry fee and presses a button to start a monitoring and storing of data related to the competition. A competitor steps up to the line from which to throw the dart and performs and activity related to achieving the goal, whether that is throwing one dart or a plurality of darts. The result of the activity is captured in video image data and stored, packaged securely and transmitted to a server of the remote management company where it can be reviewed for success when the bartender indicates that success has been achieved. Thus of potentially thousands of individuals attempting to achieve the goal, review and authorization or auditing is only performed in those occasions where a goal has been achieved, and, therefore, prize money is to be paid. This significantly reduces the requirements for managing the competition and thereby renders the competition more profitable. Further, due to the reduced management requirements, staff within each pub are no longer taxed with operation of the competition. Further, due to the remote monitoring verification it becomes much more difficult to effect a fraud in order to pay out prize money by cheating within the game.

Of course, due to the number of venues that are monitored simultaneously by the monitoring organization, it is easy to achieve the number of competitors required for rendering the competition statistically valid and profitable. Also, so long as the video monitoring is effected and the program management reviews the video monitoring results for those people who are successful at achieving the goal, general support for the competition and the belief that it is fair is achievable. Further, larger prizes are achievable without a substantial risk due to the statistical nature of the activity. Though this is the case, it is anticipated that at the beginning smaller prizes will be offered until the statistics are proven out through actual competition results.

s.*_ * .;1 * I I * * S. I. I I I I * U : - * .:: :: Referring to Figure 3, another simplified diagram of a top view of the pub is shown. A dartboard 31 disposed on the wall of the pub. The start line 32 from behind which to throw a dart at the dartboard is disposed a predetermined distance away from the wall and is clearly demarked. An individual, shown in circle at 33, is disposed behind the dart line. Cameras 34, 35, and 36 are disposed for capturing different aspects of the game including an approximately front view of the player and approximately front view of the dartboard, and a top view of the dart area. Capturing and recording video images of a top view of the dart area allows for reviewing of further data to ensure honest play and fairness even when this view is not displayed at the remote pub.

Also, a laser 38 is shown for indicating on the dartboard a location of darts incident on the dart board of the remote pub. Thus, a more visual cue is provided to enhance viewing of the event. This is particularly beneficial when a goal of a competition is to be closer to a known target. Optionally, a plurality of lasers or a laser with a beam splitter is used to provide multiple dart locations on the dartboard.

A person of skill in the art will appreciate that an embodiment of the invention intended to support a game of darts is optionally modified to support, for example other sports associated with competitive marksmanship such as archery, pistol shooting or rifle shooting. While these sports are considered competitive, the competition is not direct. Specifically, there is no simultaneous interaction of two competitors at the same instant. A person of skill in the art will appreciate that the invention is easily adapted to support games that allow competitive play where only one player is interacting with the game at a time. Additionally, in some sports, such as billiards, it is considered cheating to physically manipulate the position of a ball unless the rules specifically state that a player is permitted to do so. Thus, for a sport such as billiards, it is suggested that instead of playing a conventional competitive game of billiards, two players attempt to make progressively more difficult shots.

Thus, the players challenge each other to make the shots. Optionally, a suggestion for the shot is provided to the remote locations from a database of suitable shots stored on the network. A score is determined based upon the shots taken by the players.

Ideally, the difficulty of the shots does not rely on extremely accurate placement of * S * *SS S * * * S * S * S S S S * S S S S S S S S S S. S S S S * 55 5 5 S S S S * 55 5 * S S.. S S S 55 S the billiard balls and therefore, a small inconsistency in the placement of the balls would not be considered objectionable for this purpose. Optionally, using the example of darts, a single player initiates a gaming session. A computing system in communication with the player provides a challenge, such as an instruction to make a specific shot. The player is awarded, for example, a score when the shot is made, the value of the score indicative of the difficulty of the shot. Alternatively, the game continues and the computing device provides progressively more challenging shots until the player misses a shot. A similar method is applicable to goal-based competitions with table hockey, air hockey, and foosball. For example, in a game of foosball, a player is challenged to balance the ball on a surface of a man, flip the ball over the opponent's men and score. A predetermined goal is attempted while the table game is monitored. Similar to the single player dart challenge and the single player billiards challenge, the video imaging system data is provided for remote auditing of the result to ensure that no fraud occurs. Further, the actual attempt need not be directly supervised by an individual at the establishment thereby greatly reducing overhead for managing such a competition. Additionally, people who wish to view a tournament need not be present at a location where the competitors are. Instead, viewers receive video signals of the competitors. Optionally, such remote viewers pay to view the competition.

Referring to Figure 4, shown is a simplified flow diagram of a method of supporting remote billiard competition according to the present invention. Here, a mechanism is used to move the balls between shots. A first player lines up a shot and makes an attempt at 401. At 403, the effectiveness of their shot is evaluated. If they were successful, that player continues on their turn at 402. The resulting placement of all the balls is viewed on a video monitor by the people at a remote location where the second competitor is located. The first player continues to play until a shot is missed.

When a shot is missed, at 404 software extracts the locations of each remaining ball and a mechanism at the remote location rearranges the balls on that table to match the balls on the first table identically, allowing the second player to pick up where the first player left off. The system then switches the currently active player at 405 and the next player commences their turn. In such a fashion, a competition between the * S S *SS * S * S * S S S I S S S * I S I I I S S S S * S S S S SI S S I I I I S 55 S S * S.. S S S 55 I two players results and the two players are provided the opportunity to play against each other without having to be at the same location. Once again, at pubs and bars throughout the world, billiard competition is a common social event, and providing that same billiard competition across thousands of establishments enables players to play with other players of a more similar skill level. This allows players to attend their local pub without the drawbacks of potentially not having other competitors at their skill level to play with. Also, such an embodiment supports charity fundraising events such as an event where you get to play against a champion billiards player for a fee.

Due to the freedom to be anywhere and play the billiards game, the costs of arranging such a fundraising event are greatly reduced. As an alternative to the mechanism used for placing the balls, a feedback system is provided that helps a person accurately position the balls in the correct location. While this embodiment of the invention may not ideal in the sense that touching a billiard ball is often associated with cheating in a game of billiards, it does allow people to play billiards remotely when they would otherwise be unable to play.

Of course, the above embodiments relating to billiards are equally applicable to snooker, bumper pool, and other games of this nature.

Optionally, advertising is displayed on the video monitor during game play in order to impress upon spectators of the game an advertising message. When advertising is displayed, it is possible to target the advertisements to the establishment wherein they are displayed. Further, you have an active spectator audience and, as such, advertising revenues are another form of revenue that is achievable with the above noted embodiments. Of course, advertising is displayed peripherally to the game display or, alternatively interstitially with the video display of the game play.

Alternatively, the game is another targeting game such as bowling and horseshoes. Further alternatively, the game is another competitive interactive game like curling and shuffleboard. Of course, curling and shuffleboard, when played by one player, become targeting games.

* * S *SS * S

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S S S I S S * S S S S. S * S S S 55 5 5 S S S S S 55 S S S S.. S S S SS S Optionally, the game play is broadcast to other remote locations for viewing thereof For example, a charity dart match is webcast to all pubswithin a corporate group of pubs allowing patrons to view the charity event at their local pub. Of course, this is supported whether the match is played in a single establishment or by players remotely located one from another.

Optionally, the video imaging system is used for security video functions when it is other than in use for capturing video information relating to game play. Due to the higher resolution nature of the video imaging system over common security systems, and due to its network capability, the resulting system enhances the customer experience by providing customer related features, is non-intrusive as it is there for a customer related purpose, and has its cost offset by revenues from its primary purpose. Further, addition of video imaging devices in the form of video cameras purely for security functionality is straightforward and cost effective as the processing and communication system is already in place. Thus, the combination of the system into a security and remote game play system has inherent advantages.

Numerous other embodiments may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims

Claims: 1. A method comprising: providing a video imaging system disposed

within a building for monitoring of a game played indoors; playing the game; imaging the game during play with the video imaging system to provide video image data; and, storing the video imaging system data within a first server in communication with a broadband network.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the game is darts.
3. A method according to any of claims I and 2, wherein two players at remote locations one from another play the game in competition.
4. A method according to any of claims I through 3, comprising: communicating the video imaging system data to a remote server via the broadband network; and, displaying video images relating to the video imaging system data on a monitor disposed at a remote location to the building.
5. A method according to any of claims 1 through 4, wherein imaging comprises securing of captured data to provide the video imaging system data.
6. A method according to any of claims 1 through 5, wherein imaging comprises compressing of captured data to provide the video imaging system data.
7. A method according to any of claims 1 through 6, comprising: analyzing the video imaging system data to determine game play data; transmitting the game play data via the network; and * * S 555 5 5 * S S * * * S S S S * S S S S * S S S S S. S * * S S ** * * S S S S I IS * S S S.. S S S 55 5 providing a visual indicator within a field of play of the game, the visual indicator relating to the game play data.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the visual indicator comprises a spot formed by a laser, the spot within a target area of the field of play.
9. A method according to any of claims I through 8, comprising: upon achieving a predetermined goal, storing of the video imaging system data within a perpetual store; communicating the video imaging system data to an auditing server for verification of the achievement of the predetemiined goal; verifying the achievement of the predetermined goal; and, paying prize money to a player of the game when the predetermined goal is verified.
10. A method according to any of claims 1, 2 through 6, and 9, wherein the game

is a table top game.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the game is a game played on one of a billiard table and a snooker table.
12. A method according to claim 10, wherein upon an occurrence of a change of player event, the video imaging system data is analysed to detect a presence and location of each ball within play on the table at the location from whom the change of player event is occurring.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein upon an occurrence of a change of player event, the balls on a table at a location remote to a location from whom the change of player event is occurring are arranged in accordance with an arrangement of the balls at the location from whom the change of player event is occurring.

* S S *S* * S * S S S S S S * S S * S S * S S S S * S S. S * S * S 55 S * S 5 * * S 0* S S S S.. S * S S* S
14. A method according to any of claims 1 through 13, comprising providing a lighting source for facilitating extraction of game play data, the lighting source for providing lighting information relating to the video imaging system data.
15. A method according to any of claims 1 through 13, comprising providing a lighting source and a sensor for sensing additional game play data, the sensor for sensing information from light provided by the lighting source.
16. A method according to any of claims I through 15, wherein the video imaging system is operational as a video security system.
17. A method according to any of claims 4 through 16, comprising: displaying advertising information on the video display monitors in conjunction with the video game play information.
18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the video imaging system is a closed circuit television system.
19. A method comprising: providing a first game play venue having a plurality of image sensors and a video display monitor; providing a second venue having a plurality of image sensors and a video display monitor; playing a game between a first competitor at the first venue and a second competitor at the second venue, each player taking turns in the game at their own venue; displaying first information at the second venue relating to game play at the first venue while the game is being played at the first venue; and displaying second information at the first venue relating to game play at the second venue while the game is being played at the second venue.

* S S 555 S S * S * S S S * S S S * $ S I S S * I S S S. * S $ S S *S S S $ S S I * $0 S * S I.. S S S 55 *
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein game play and competition are unaffected by the players being situated at remote venues.
21. A method according to claim 19, comprising extracting data relating to game play at the first venue and at the second venue, the data for use in displaying the first information and the second information.

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