Abstract:
Electronic games of chance are growing increasingly more complex, with each successive generation of games adding a wealth of new features and bonus schemes to enhance the player&#39;s gaming experience. Created in part to help players better enjoy this new, more complex brand of gaming, the present Gaming Sidekick may include an animated onscreen character who is able to help the player navigate his or her way through game play and to provide a number of exciting services that have never before been offered within a game of chance. The Gaming Sidekick may serve as a friend and ally to the player by providing tips on basic game strategy as well as gifts and encouragement. Gaming Sidekicks may be fully customizable, giving the player the capability to shape the image and behavior of his or her Gaming Sidekick or to use no Gaming Sidekick at all. Gaming Sidekicks may function across a whole suite of games, with a player&#39;s Gaming Sidekick preferences stored on his or her player loyalty card or other player identification device, mechanism or method.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §1.19(e), to provisional application Ser. No. 60/750,158, filed Dec. 13, 2005, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     Copyright Notice/Permission  
       [0002]     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and data as described below and in the drawings referred to herein: Copyright 2005, Cyberscan Technology, Inc., All Rights Reserved.  
       Field of the Invention  
       [0003]     This invention relates generally to the field of pay computer-controlled games, either games of skills or games of chance.  
       Description of the Prior Art and Related Information  
       [0004]     Electronic games of chance are becoming increasingly more complex, with each successive generation of games adding a wealth of new features and bonus schemes to enhance the player&#39;s gaming experience. To cope with this growing complexity, most electronic games of chance feature a “help” button which, when pressed by the player, interrupts game play by launching a series of “help pages” containing instructions on game play. One major drawback to this system is that navigating through the multiple help screens is time-consuming and thus lowers each machine&#39;s “coin in.” A further drawback is that players cannot get quality “on the fly” help by touching or pointing to key onscreen features.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Embodiments of the present invention include animated onscreen characters that provide a number of exciting services that have never before been offered within a game of chance. The Gaming Sidekick may serve as a friend and ally to the player by providing timely tips on basic game strategy, instructions on game play, as well as gifts and encouragement, during game play. Gaming Sidekicks according to embodiments of the present invention may be fully customizable, giving the player the capability to shape the image and behavior of his or her Gaming Sidekick or to use no Gaming Sidekick at all. Gaming Sidekicks may function across a whole suite of games, with a player&#39;s Sidekick preferences stored on his or her player loyalty card or other player identification device or mechanism.  
         [0006]     According to one embodiment thereof, the present invention is a method for offering enhanced game play within an electronic game of chance, comprising the steps of monitoring game play on the electronic game of chance for an occurrence of one or more of a plurality of predefined events during game play; responsive to the occurrence of one of the plurality of predefined events during the game play, displaying an onscreen character; causing the displayed onscreen character to deliver, to a player of the electronic game of chance, situation-specific information or game play alternatives related to the predefined event that caused the onscreen character to be displayed, and enabling the player to take one of a predetermined plurality of actions that affect an outcome of the electronic game of chance responsive to the onscreen character providing the situation-specific information or game play alternatives.  
         [0007]     According to further embodiments, the method further may include a step of enabling the player to control one or more aspects of the onscreen character&#39;s appearance or behavior. The causing step may be carried out with the delivered situation-specific information or game play alternatives including customized advice based on pre-stored player information, game play history of the player and/or sequence of recent player actions by the player, for example. The method may further include a step of providing a plurality of potential onscreen characters, and accepting a choice by the player of a preferred onscreen character. The causing step may be carried out with the delivered situation-specific information including player encouragement (of any form—including words, sounds, comps, rewards, etc.). The causing step may be carried out with the delivered game play alternatives including tips on game strategy, for example. The method, according to a further embodiment, may further include steps of storing player information on a player loyalty card, and retrieving the stored information from the player loyalty card, the retrieved information thereafter affecting behavior(s) of the displayed onscreen character and the delivered situation-specific information or game play alternatives. The retrieving step may be carried out with the information stored on the loyalty card including the player&#39;s name, the player&#39;s birth date, the player&#39;s game preferences and/or a history of the player&#39;s wagers, to name but a few possibilities. The plurality of predefined events may include a detection of an activation of a player-driven activation mechanism. The detecting step may be carried out with the player-driven activation mechanism being responsive to the player knocking on a predetermined active area of a gaming screen of the electronic game of chance, the player pushing a help button provided on the electronic game of chance and/or the player touching a displayed element on the gaming, for example.  
         [0008]     Another embodiment of the method includes a step of enabling the player to choose which of the player-driven activation mechanisms to use to summon the onscreen character during game play. The plurality of predefined events may include a determination by the electronic game of chance to display the onscreen character without any involvement from the player. Indeed, the plurality of predefined events may include, for example, the player not taking action for a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, the plurality of predefined events may include the player attempting an invalid action. The displaying step may be carried out using alphablending technology (for example) to render the onscreen character.  
         [0009]     The displaying step may include a step of selecting one of a plurality of potential onscreen characters based upon the information retrieved from the player loyalty card. The displaying step may be carried out with the onscreen character bearing a likeness of a celebrity, a character from a movie, a character from a television show and/or a character from a comic book, to name but a few possibilities. The delivering step may deliver the situation-specific information or game play alternatives to the player via a synthesized voice, a pre-recorded celebrity voice, graphics and/or text, for example.  
         [0010]     Another embodiment of the present invention is a regulated gaming machine programmed to carry out steps of monitoring game play on the electronic game of chance for an occurrence of at least one of a plurality of predefined events during game play; responsive to the occurrence of one of the plurality of predefined events during the game play, displaying an onscreen character; causing the displayed onscreen character to deliver, to a player of the electronic game of chance, situation-specific information or game play alternatives related to the predefined event that caused the onscreen character to be displayed, and enabling the player to take one of a predetermined plurality of actions that affect an outcome of the electronic game of chance responsive to the onscreen character providing the situation-specific information or game play alternatives.  
         [0011]     Still another embodiment of the present invention is a method for conducting a game session on a regulated gaming machine. Such a method may include the steps of providing a game on the gaming machine; displaying graphical content on a touch sensitive display screen of the gaming machine during game play of the provided game; detecting when a player of the gaming machine knocks on (or otherwise touches) the touch sensitive screen during game play and, displaying a selected onscreen character on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the detected knock by the user.  
         [0012]     A step may be carried out of causing the displayed selected onscreen character to provide the player with situation-specific information or game play alternatives. The detecting step may be carried out by detecting when the player knocks on predetermined area of the screen. The method may further include a step of enabling the player to control one or more aspects of the onscreen character&#39;s appearance or behavior. The causing step may be carried out with the situation-specific information or game play alternatives including customized advice based on, for example, pre-stored player information, game play history of the player and/or sequence of recent player actions, for example. The method may also include a step of providing a plurality of potential onscreen characters, and accepting a choice by the player of a preferred onscreen character. The causing step may be carried out with the delivered situation-specific information including player encouragement (of any form—including words, sounds, free game play, comps, rewards, etc.). Alternatively, the causing step may be carried out with the delivered game play alternatives including tips on game strategy, for example.  
         [0013]     The method may also include steps of storing player information on a player loyalty card, and retrieving the stored information from the player loyalty card, the retrieved information thereafter affecting at least one of a behavior of the displayed onscreen character and the delivered situation-specific information or game play alternatives. The retrieving step may be carried out with the information stored on the loyalty card including, for example, the player&#39;s name, the player&#39;s birth date, the player&#39;s game preferences and/or a history of the player&#39;s wagers. The method may include steps of detecting, during game play, when the player pushes a help button provided on the electronic game of chance, or the player touches a displayed element on the gaming screen. The method may further include a step of selectively displaying the selected onscreen character even when the detecting step does not detect the player knocking. The selectively displaying step may be carried out when the player has not taken any action during game for a predetermined period of time. Or, the selectively displaying step may be carried out when the player attempts an invalid action during game play, for example. The second displaying step may be carried out using alphablending technology (for example) to render the onscreen character. The second displaying step may include a step of selecting one of a plurality of potential onscreen characters based upon the information retrieved from the player loyalty card. The second displaying step may be carried out with the onscreen character bearing a likeness of a celebrity, a character from a movie, a character from a television show and/or a character from a comic book, for example. The method may also include a step of the displayed onscreen character delivering situation-specific information or game play alternatives to the player via, for example, a synthesized voice, a pre-recorded celebrity voice, graphics and/or text.  
         [0014]     According to yet another embodiment thereof, the present invention is a regulated gaming machine programmed to carry out steps of providing a game on the gaming machine; displaying graphical content on a touch sensitive display screen of the gaming machine during game play of the provided game; detecting when a player of the gaming machine knocks on the touch sensitive screen during game play and, displaying a selected onscreen character on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the detected user knock.  
         [0015]     Still another embodiment of the present inventions is a regulated gaming machine that includes a display; a card reader configured to read a loyalty card of a player; first programming to configure the gaming machine to enable game play; second programming to configure the gaming machine to read player information stored on the loyalty card when the player insert the loyalty card into the card reader, and responsive to the read player information, selecting one of a plurality of onscreen characters depending upon the read player information; displaying the selected onscreen character on the display, and causing the displayed onscreen character to deliver at least one of a personalized greeting, situation-specific information and game play alternatives to the player.  
         [0016]     According to further embodiments, the second programming further may configure the gaming machine to enable the player to control one or more aspects of the onscreen character&#39;s appearance or behavior. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to deliver the personalized greeting, situation-specific information or game play alternatives including customized advice based on pre-stored player information, game play history of the player and/or sequence of recent player actions, for example. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to provide a plurality of potential onscreen characters, and to accept a choice by the player of a preferred onscreen character. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to deliver encouragement to the player. Also, the second programming further may configure the gaming machine to deliver tips on game strategy to the player. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to read the player&#39;s name, the player&#39;s birth date, the player&#39;s game preferences and/or a history of the player&#39;s wagers (for example) from the loyalty card inserted into the card reader (and/or from another source) and to cause the displayed onscreen character to use the read player&#39;s name, the player&#39;s birth date and/or the player&#39;s game preferences in the personalized greeting, situation-specific information and game play alternatives delivered to the player. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to detect of an activation of a player-driven activation mechanism. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to display the selected onscreen character responsive to the player knocking on a predetermined active area of the display; the player pushing a help button provided on the gaming machine, and the player touching a displayed element on the display.  
         [0017]     The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to enable the player to choose which of the player-driven activation mechanisms to use to summon the onscreen character during game play. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to display the selected onscreen character during game play without any involvement from the player. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to display the selected onscreen character during game play when the player has not taken any action for a predetermined period of time. Alternatively still, the second programming further may configure the gaming machine to display the selected onscreen character during game play when the player attempts an invalid action, for example. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to display the selected onscreen character using alphablending technology, for example. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to display the selected onscreen character such that the selected onscreen character bears a likeness of a celebrity, a character from a movie, a character from a television show and/or a character from a comic book, to identify but a few possibilities. The second programming further may configure the gaming machine to deliver the personalized greeting, situation-specific information or game play alternatives to the player via a synthesized voice, a pre-recorded celebrity voice, graphics and/or text, for example. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a possible candidate character for a Gaming Sidekick, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts an example of how the Gaming Sidekick may provide advice on basic strategy within and during a game.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates several methods in which the Gaming Sidekick may provide interactive help, according to embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of a “Knock-Knock” Gaming Sidekick activation method, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a second embodiment of a “Knock-Knock” Gaming Sidekick activation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, as well as a method in which Gaming Sidekicks may provide help regarding specific features within and during a game.  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates one method in which the Gaming Sidekick may serve as both a friend and ally to the player, according to further embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows other exemplary Gaming Sidekicks, according to still further embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  illustrates how the Gaming Sidekick may make use of alphablending technology to maximize screen readability, according to embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  illustrates one possible Player/Sidekick interaction flow, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  illustrates a second possible Player/Sidekick interaction flow, according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 11  illustrates a third possible Player/Sidekick interaction flow, according to a still further embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 12  shows exemplary gaming machines that feature a Gaming Sidekick, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0030]     Reference will now be made in detail to the construction and operation of preferred implementations of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description of the preferred implementations of the present invention is only exemplary of the invention. The present invention is not limited to these implementations, but may be realized by other implementations.  
         [0031]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary candidate character for a Gaming Sidekick according to an embodiment of the present invention. A Gaming Sidekick may include an animated onscreen character that provides a number of exciting services that have never before been offered in a game of chance. Gaming Sidekicks may take any number of forms, including pre-licensed characters from popular films, games, and television shows, for example. The image or likeness of celebrities may also be licensed and adapted for use as a Gaming Sidekick, according to other embodiments of the present invention. Gaming Sidekicks need not, however, be based upon human form. Virtually any form (human, non-human, animate or non-animate) may be animated and used as a Gaming Sidekick.  
         [0032]      FIG. 2  depicts the Gaming Sidekick providing the player with correct basic game strategy for “Jacks or Better” Poker, during game play—that is, as the game unfolds. In this case, the Gaming Sidekick  200  advises the player to hold his or her diamonds and attempt to get a Royal Flush, as suggested at  202 . The Gaming Sidekick may communicate with the user via synthesized voices, pre-recorded celebrity voices, graphics and/or text, to name but a few possibilities. Advantageously, Gaming Sidekicks according to embodiments of the present invention may find utility in any electronic game of chance in which player decision making affects the game outcome.  
         [0033]      FIG. 3  illustrates further ways in which the present Gaming Sidekick may provide interactive help during game play. For example, the present Gaming Sidekick may describe key onscreen features when a player touches them, may provide “Tips of the Day,” and/or may provide hints or advice when a player is slow to input a command. The Gaming Sidekick may answer questions regarding options and procedures within and during game play, as shown. According to embodiments of the present invention, the Gaming Sidekick may appear onscreen to provide the player with customized advice based on the player&#39;s history, sequence of recent actions or a combination thereof. According to other embodiments of the present invention, the Gaming Sidekick may be activated or invoked when the player touches key onscreen features and/or a button on the gaming machine cabinet, for example.  
         [0034]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method for activating or invoking the Gaming Sidekick, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically,  FIG. 3  illustrates a “Knock-Knock” Gaming Sidekick activation method in which the Gaming Sidekick is activated by the player knocking, with his or her hand, on “Non-Hot” areas of touch sensitive gaming screen. “Non-Hot” areas may be defined as those areas on the gaming screen in which there are no touch screen features or commands that a player may activate. Some of the Non-Hot areas of the gaming screen are shown at reference numeral  404  in  FIG. 4 . Similarly, “Hot” areas may be defined as those areas on the gaming screen in which that include touch screen features or commands that a player may activate. The Hot areas of the Gaming Screen are shown at reference numeral  402 , and may be located at respective positions that correspond to the positions of the cards and onscreen buttons, for example. In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the Hot areas  402  of the gaming screen correspond to the position of the player decision points; that is, the cards and the “Bet” and “Deal” buttons. Because all games may have Non-Hot areas within their gaming screen, this method may be universally applied across a suite of games. According to one embodiment of the present Knock-Knock method, a player may activate or invoke a Gaming Sidekick by knocking on Non-Hot areas of a touch-sensitive gaming screen. Other devices may be used in place of the player&#39;s hand actually knocking on a Non-Hot area of the gaming screen. For example, a joystick and trigger button may be used to double click (for example) on a Non-Hot area of the gaming screen. Any other user interface may be used toward that end. However, it is anticipated that the most intuitive of these methods is the player manually knocking on a Non-Hot area of the gaming screen. Casino floor personnel may be trained to help players use this feature and players may become familiar with the Knock-Knock methods such that, as games become increasingly rich and complex, the “Knock-Knock” method may become the industry standard for providing help within an electronic game of chance.  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the “Knock-Knock” Gaming Sidekick activation method in which the player may activate the Gaming Sidekick by knocking, for example, two to three times (as shown at  504 ) on a game&#39;s HELP button (either the touch screen HELP button  502  or a physical HELP button on the game&#39;s cabinet).  FIG. 5  also illustrates that, after activating the Gaming Sidekick (by any of the methods described previously), a player may touch a “Hot” feature within the gaming screen to receive specific information about that feature from the Gaming Sidekick.  
         [0036]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the present Gaming Sidekicks and the manner in which a Gaming Sidekick may increase player loyalty by rooting for players, remembering the player&#39;s preferences and biographical information, and providing the player gifts upon reaching certain gaming or life milestones (birthdays, return visit to the gaming establishment, etc.). Such preferences, biographical information may be retrieved from a database upon the player inserting a player loyalty card  602  into a card reader  604 . In this manner, Gaming Sidekicks are able to intelligently use information from player loyalty cards  602  to enhance the player&#39;s gaming experience.  
         [0037]      FIG. 7  illustrates that Gaming Sidekicks according to embodiments of the present invention are fully customizable, as players may be given the ability to select their preferred Gaming Sidekick from a number of possibilities. These possibilities may include pre-licensed popular characters or other popular culture icons (properly licensed, as necessary) from movies, television shows, comic books, etc. Player&#39;s choices may be stored on their loyalty cards  602  such that, any time they log into a game, their selected Gaming Sidekick will be there to greet them.  
         [0038]      FIG. 8  shows how embodiments of the present Gaming Sidekick may be displayed on the gaming screen. In some cases, the Gaming Sidekick may occupy unused portions of the gaming screen, such as shown in the top view of  FIG. 8 . In other cases, the Gaming Sidekick may use Alphablending technology (for example) to maintain maximum screen readability, as shown in the bottom view of  FIG. 8 . Players may be afforded the opportunity to determine how their Gaming Sidekick will be displayed if they care to do so. Alternately, the gaming machine itself (and/or other computers coupled thereto) may be configured to distinguish between an obviously novice player and more experienced players, and tailor the behavior of the Gaming Sidekick accordingly to give novice players basic instruction in the game and experienced players comparatively less advice or to focus on the finer points of the game and/or strategy.  
         [0039]      FIG. 9  depicts a first Player/Gaming Sidekick interaction flow, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In step S 91 , it may be determined whether the player has a player loyalty card. As shown at step S 93 , if the player does indeed have such a player loyalty card, the gaming machine or terminal may use the player&#39;s preferred selected Gaming Sidekick. In addition, the player&#39;s preferred Gaming Sidekick activation method and view style preferences (e.g., Gaming Sidekick displayed only in unused portions of the game screen or displayed using alphablending technology) may be changed at this time, unless the player elects to make changes to these parameters later during the game play. If, however, the player does not have a player loyalty card (or chooses not to insert the same into the card reader  604  (see  FIG. 6 ), step S 92  may be carried out. As shown, step S 92  may include a step of a default Gaming Sidekick briefly greeting the player on the game screen. In step S 94 , it may be determined whether the player wishes to use a Gaming Sidekick (e.g., one of his or her choosing) or the default Gaming Sidekick. If the player prefers not to have a Gaming Sidekick, that feature may be turned off, at least for the duration of the current game, as suggested at S 95 . If, however, the player does wish to use a Gaming Sidekick, step S 96  may be carried out, in which it may be ascertained whether the player wishes to keep the default Gaming Sidekick, activation method and/or view style. If the player elects not to keep the default Gaming Sidekick or wishes to change any aspect of the Gaming Sidekick (e.g., the type of Gaming Sidekick, the activation method, view style or any characteristic thereof), the player may be afforded the opportunity to do so in step S 97 . Embodiments of the present invention include Gaming Sidekick activation methods that include Show/Hide (wherein the Gaming Sidekick may be selectively shown or hidden), Always Active (wherein the Gaming Sidekick is always displayed on the game screen) or Knock-Knock (wherein the Gaming Sidekick only appears when the player summons it by knocking on the gaming screen), to identify by a few representative examples. Moreover, Gaming Sidekicks may appear to the player as a solid figure on the gaming screen, as an alphablended animated character or as a hologram, for example. When the player has finished making changes to his or her Gaming Sidekick or has elected to keep the default Gaming Sidekick as well as the activation method and view style thereof, the present method may proceed to step S 98 , in which the game play proceeds with the Gaming Sidekick of the player&#39;s choosing assisting the player during game play.  
         [0040]      FIG. 10  shows a second exemplary Player/Gaming Sidekick interaction flow, according to another embodiment of the present invention. This flow addresses the scenario in which the default for players without loyalty cards are to be able to access a Gaming Sidekick by some predetermined in-game command such as pressing a button or knocking on an unused portion of the gaming screen. As shown, step S 101  calls for determining whether the player has a player loyalty card. As shown at step S 103 , if the player does indeed have such a player loyalty card, the gaming machine or terminal may use the player&#39;s preferred selected Gaming Sidekick, unless the player chooses to make some change thereto. In addition, the player&#39;s preferred Gaming Sidekick activation method and view style preferences (e.g., Gaming Sidekick displayed only in unused portions of the game screen or displayed using alphablending technology) may be changed at this time. The player may also make changes to these parameters later on, during game play. If, however, the player does not have a player loyalty card (or choose not to insert the same into the card reader  604  (see  FIG. 6 ), step S 1102  may be carried out. As shown, step S 1102  may include a step of the player summoning a default Gaming Sidekick at will through some predetermined activation method (such as, for example, a button on the gaming machine cabinet or a button on the gaming screen or through the Knock-Knock Gaming Sidekick activation method described herein). Step S 104  determines whether the player wishes to keep the default Gaming Sidekick, activation method and/or view style. If the player elects not to keep the default Gaming Sidekick or wishes to change any aspect of the Gaming Sidekick (e.g., the type of Gaming Sidekick, the activation method, view style or any player-selectable characteristic thereof), the player may be afforded the opportunity to do so in step S 105 . When the player has finished making changes to his or her Gaming Sidekick or has elected to keep the default Gaming Sidekick as well as the activation method and view style thereof, the present method may proceed to step S 106 , during which the game play proceeds with the Gaming Sidekick of the player&#39;s choosing assisting the player during game play  
         [0041]      FIG. 11  shows a third exemplary Player/Gaming Sidekick interaction flow, according to a still further embodiment of the present invention. This flow addresses the scenario in which the default for players without loyalty cards is to be greeted by their Gaming Sidekick when they are “stuck” within a game and appear to take a long time to make a decision. In step S 111 , it may be determined whether the player has a player loyalty card. As shown at step S 113 , if the player does indeed have such a player loyalty card, the gaming machine or terminal may use the player&#39;s preferred selected Gaming Sidekick, as determined from reading the player&#39;s loyalty card. In addition, the player&#39;s preferred Gaming Sidekick activation method and view style preferences (e.g., Gaming Sidekick displayed only in unused portions of the game screen or displayed using alphablending technology) may be changed at this time, unless the player elects to make changes to these parameters later during the game play. If, however, the player does not have a player loyalty card (or choose not to insert the same into the card reader  604 , step S 112  may be carried out. As shown, step S 112  may include a step of a default Gaming Sidekick appearing only when triggered by the game&#39;s intelligence and/or by some player interaction event (such as may occur when, for example, the player is or appears to be stuck at some decision point or is taking an inordinately long time in which to make a decision). In step S 114 , it may be determined whether the player in fact wishes to use a Gaming Sidekick (e.g., one of his or her choosing or the default Gaming Sidekick). If the player prefers not to have a Gaming Sidekick, that feature may be turned off, at least for the duration of the current game, as suggested at S 115 . If, however, the player does wish to use a Gaming Sidekick, step S 116  may be carried out, in which it may be ascertained whether the player wishes to keep the default Gaming Sidekick, activation method and/or view style. If the player elects not to keep the default Gaming Sidekick or wishes to change any aspect of the Gaming Sidekick (e.g., the type of Gaming Sidekick, the activation method, view style or any characteristic thereof), the player may be afforded the opportunity to do so in step S 117 . When the player has finished making changes to his or her Gaming Sidekick or has elected to keep the default Gaming Sidekick as well as the activation method and view style thereof, the present method may proceed to step S 118 , in which the game play proceeds with the Gaming Sidekick of the player&#39;s choosing assisting the player during game play.  
         [0042]     Although  FIGS. 9, 10  and  11  first ascertain whether the player has a player loyalty card, embodiments of the present invention need not be so limited. Indeed, although player loyalty cards are the currently preferred means of player identification, other methods of identifying players may be used and/or developed in the future. For example, the player may submit to some form of biometric identification in addition to or in place of submitting a player identification card. Moreover, player loyalty cards need not be inserted into a card reader, as suggested at  604  in  FIG. 6 . Various player issued devices may include wireless technology. For example, a player loyalty card or device may include Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) technology. All such technologies may be adapted for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0043]      FIG. 12  shows an exemplary first gaming machine that includes Gaming Sidekick and the functionality described herein. As shown, the first gaming machine  1202  may include a loyalty card reader  604 , that is configured to receive and read a player loyalty card, as shown at  602 . The first gaming machine  1202  may include one or more displays, and at least one of the displays may be configured to selectively display a Gaming Sidekick  1204  during game play, as detailed above. The Gaming Sidekick  1204  may appear without any action on the player&#39;s part or may be summoned according to any of the above-described activations methods, including knocking on the (touch sensitive) screen or by depressing one of the buttons  1206  on the first gaming machine  1202 . The first gaming machine may be configured to print out a receipt  1210 , that may include both human and machine readable characters.  
         [0044]      FIG. 12  also shows a portion of a second gaming machine  1208 . As suggested by  FIG. 12 , the player may quit game play on the first gaming machine  1202  and later initiate game play on another, second gaming machine  1208 . When the player inserts his or her player loyalty card  602  into the card reader  6042  of the second gaming machine  1208  and begins to play a new and different game on the second gaming machine  1208 , his or her preferred Gaming Sidekick  1204  may again appear on the second gaming machine. Alternatively, the player may choose a different Gaming Sidekick for each game or type of game, and such preferences may be noted on the player&#39;s loyalty card  602 . Therefore, the player&#39;s preferred Gaming Sidekick(s) may appear to accompany the player as he or she makes the rounds on a variety of different gaming machines within the gaming establishment. According to a further embodiment, the player&#39;s preferred Gaming Sidekick may be printed on any receipt  1210   2  printed by the second gaming machine  1208 , optionally along with an encouraging message (e.g., “Better Luck next time, Emily” or “You won $150, Emily!”). This may reinforce the relationship between the player and the Gaming Sidekick, particularly by having the Gaming Sidekick printed on the ticket announce the player&#39;s winnings.  
         [0045]     Advantageously, the present Gaming Sidekicks include animated characters that serve as a trusted ally to players, and that have the ability to wish them well, help answer their questions, remember their biographical information and preferences, and provide them with tips, gifts, and inspiration.  
         [0046]     While the foregoing detailed description has described preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the above description is illustrative only and not limiting of the disclosed invention. Those of skill in this art will recognize other alternative embodiments and all such embodiments are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention should be limited only by the claims as set forth below.