U.S. patent application number 11/499376 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for systems and methods for point value based match-up in online gaming.
This patent application is currently assigned to Seven Lights, LLC. Invention is credited to Timothy Randolph Harris, Michael McCarthy, David Vincent Shuck.
Application Number | 20080039167 11/499376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39033561 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080039167 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Harris; Timothy Randolph ;
et al. |
February 14, 2008 |
Systems and methods for point value based match-up in online
gaming
Abstract
Certain embodiments provide a method for determining a value for
a set of characters in an online game including selecting a set of
characters, determining a point value for at least one character in
the set of characters, and determining a total point value for the
set of characters. The set of characters is associated with a
player and is adapted to include at least one character. Each
character in the set of characters includes at least one attribute
adjustable by the player. The point value is determined based at
least in part on at least one attribute of the at least one
character. The point value represents an effective strength of the
character. The total point value is determined based at least in
part on the determined point value. The total point value
represents an effective strength of the characters in the set of
characters.
Inventors: |
Harris; Timothy Randolph;
(Chicago, IL) ; McCarthy; Michael; (Chicago,
IL) ; Shuck; David Vincent; (Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCANDREWS HELD & MALLOY, LTD
500 WEST MADISON STREET, SUITE 3400
CHICAGO
IL
60661
US
|
Assignee: |
Seven Lights, LLC
|
Family ID: |
39033561 |
Appl. No.: |
11/499376 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60835291 |
Aug 3, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/8 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method for determining a value for a set of characters in an
online game, the method including: selecting a set of characters,
wherein the set of characters is associated with a player, wherein
the set of characters is adapted to include at least one character,
wherein each character in the set of characters includes at least
one attribute, wherein at least one attribute is adjustable by the
player; determining a point value for at least one character in the
set of characters based at least in part on at least one attribute
of the at least one character, wherein the point value represents
an effective strength of the character; and determining a total
point value for the set of characters based at least in part on the
determined point value, wherein the total point value represents an
effective strength of the characters in the set of characters.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined point value is
based at least in part on a plurality of attributes of the
character.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined total point value
is based at least in part on a combination of characters in the set
of characters.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined point value is
based at least in part on an outcome record of the player.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined point value is
based at least in part on a preference specified by the player.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute
reflects the effect of equipment of the character.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one character in the set
of characters is adapted to be exchanged.
8. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a competition
parameter from the player, wherein the player is allowed to
participate in a competition when the determined total point value
conforms to the competition parameter.
9. A gaming system, the system including: a first character set
associated with a first player, wherein the first character set is
adapted to include at least one character, wherein each character
in the first character set includes at least one attribute, wherein
at least one attribute of each character in the first character set
is adjustable by the first player; a second character set
associated with a second player, wherein the second character set
is adapted to include at least one character, wherein each
character in the second character set includes at least one
attribute, wherein at least one attribute of each character in the
second character set is adjustable by the second player; and a
matching component adapted to determine a first point value for the
first character set and a second point value for the second
character set, wherein the first point value represents an
effective strength of the first character set, and wherein the
second point value represents an effective strength of the second
character set.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first point value is based
at least in part on the at least one attribute of at least one
character in the first character set.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the matching component is
adapted to match the first player and the second player based at
least in part on the first point value and the second point
value.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the matching component is
adapted to select the second character set automatically.
13. The system of claim 9, further including a competition
component adapted to allow a competition including the first
character set and the second character set.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the competition component
allows the competition when the first point value conforms to a
competition parameter and the second point value conforms to the
competition parameter.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the competition parameter is
specified by the first player.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one attribute of
each character in the first character set is adapted to be adjusted
based at least in part on the outcome of the competition.
17. The system of claim 9, further including an exchange component
adapted to allow at least one character in the first character set
to be exchanged with at least one character in the second character
set.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the exchange is based at least
in part on the first point value and the second point value.
19. A computer-readable medium including a set of instructions for
execution on a computer, the set of instructions including: a first
character set routine configured to support a first character set,
wherein the first character set is adapted to include at least one
character, wherein each character in the first character set
includes at least one attribute, wherein at least one attribute of
each character in the first character set is adjustable by a first
player; a second character set routine configured to support a
second character set, wherein the second character set is adapted
to include at least one character, wherein each character in the
second character set includes at least one attribute, wherein at
least one attribute of each character in the second character set
is adjustable by a second player; and a matching routine configured
to determine a first point value for the first character set and a
second point value for the second character set, wherein the first
point value represents an effective strength of the first character
set, and wherein the second point value represents an effective
strength of the second character set.
20. The set of instructions of claim 19, further including a
competition routine configured to allow a competition including the
first character set and the second character set, wherein the
competition routine is configured to allow the competition when the
first point value conforms to a competition parameter and the
second point value conforms to the competition parameter.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The presently described technology generally relates to
computer gaming. More particularly, the presently described
technology relates to systems and methods for point value based
match-up in online gaming.
[0002] Role-playing games (RPGs), such as Dungeons and Dragons.TM.,
allow a player to develop a character through the course of game
play. As a player uses a character during the course of an
adventure or gaming session, the character gains experience points
that may be used to increase characteristics or skills of the
character. For example, a character may be built up from a lowly
peasant to an overpowering hero by slaying numerous monsters
encountered during an adventure.
[0003] Typically, a player of an RPG controls a single character
for a particular adventure. Sometimes a player may utilize the
character across multiple adventures. However, typically once a
character is "killed" in the course of an adventure, a player must
start over by creating a new character.
[0004] In RPGs, it is unlikely a player would trade a character to
another player. The player invests time and effort into building up
and developing a character over a series of gaming sessions. This
investment generally results in a personal attachment to the
character, making a player reluctant to trade the character to
someone else. Additionally, a major component of an RPG, as the
name implies, is the role-playing of the character by the player. A
character is more than just a collection of numbers representing
characteristics and skills. Rather, characters have life breathed
into them by their player. Thus, a player's attachment to a
particular character, along with the role-playing elements of RPGs,
results in a character rarely, if ever, being traded to another
player.
[0005] In an RPG, the strength or power of a character is typically
represented by a level. For example, a newly created, and
relatively weak, character may begin at level 1. As experience
points are accumulated through an adventure, the character may
"level up." That is, once a character has acquired a predetermined
number of experience points, a new level is achieved and the player
may be allowed to develop the character as discussed above. For
example, once a level 1 character has obtained 1000 experience
points, the character may level up to level 2. A higher level
character generally represents a stronger or more powerful
character.
[0006] However, characters from different classes may not be
directly comparable based solely on level. A class may represent
the general profession or skill set of a character, such as a
fighter, cleric, or mage, for example. For example, a level 5
fighter character may have a significant advantage over a level 5
mage. The fighter's ability to inflict damage may exceed that of
the mage at a relatively low level such as level 5. In contrast, at
level 15, the mage may be able to effectively dispatch the fighter
before the fighter ever gets close enough to draw his sword.
[0007] Even within the same class, characters of the same level may
not be directly comparable. For example, as mentioned above,
different players may develop their respective characters in
different ways. Thus, characters may have different distributions
of values for characteristics and skills. Further, different
characters may be differently equipped. At least some of these
factors may dramatically affect the effective strength of a
characters, with one being far more likely to best the other. For
example, two players, each with a fighter character of the same
level, may opt to pursue different strategies in the development of
their characters. One may focus more on brute strength and sword
skill, while the other concentrates on dexterity and skill with a
bow and arrow. At lower levels, the archer may not be able to
inflict sufficient damage to deter the swordsman before the
swordsman gets close enough to strike. The archer may not be
particularly accurate at a lower level, for example. In contrast,
at higher levels, the swordsman may not even be aware of the archer
when he is dropped by an arrow.
[0008] In addition, a party of characters in an RPG cannot be
effectively evaluated solely on the level of the characters in the
party. For example, a party of four level 5 fighters may not stand
a chance against a party of two level 10 fighters, even though the
sum total of the levels between the parties is the same.
[0009] Thus, RPGs allow a player to develop a single character.
However, a player of an RPG typically does not play multiple
characters at the same time. In addition, players do not typically
trade characters. Further, in an RPG, the strength or power of a
character, or set of characters, is not effectively evaluated based
solely on the level of the character(s).
[0010] Magic: The Gathering.TM. ("MTG") combines elements of card
games with RPGs. Typically, a card game includes a set number of
cards, such as a deck, some or all of which are unique. For
example, cards may have values, such as numbers from two to ten,
jacks, kings, queens, aces, and jokers. As another example, cards
may be distinguished by suits, such as hearts, clubs, spades, and
diamonds. A card may be unique through a combination of value and
suit, for example. Card games are limited in that the value of the
cards and the rules of the game are generally fixed. In a game of
MTG, two players compete against each other by taking turns playing
cards, with the goal of inflicting a predetermined amount of damage
on the opponent. For example, the first player to reduce their
opponent's life value from 20 to 0 wins.
[0011] In MTG, there is a universe of hundreds of cards available,
although during the course of any particular game, a player uses a
deck of limited size, such as 60 cards. A card in MTG may represent
creatures, artifacts, and spells, for example. In addition, MTG
cards may have different colors, representing a specialization in
certain kinds of abilities. MTG cards are fixed. That is, a
particular card describes the abilities and/or effect of a
particular creature or spell, for example. The MTG card does not
change or evolve over the course of multiple games. During the
course of game play, one card may modify the behavior of another
card, but such a modification is specific to that particular game
and does not persist across multiple games.
[0012] After playing a game of MTG, a player may use his cards in a
subsequent game. That is, even if a creature card is defeated in
the course of one game, that creature card may be used in
subsequent games.
[0013] MTG also incorporates the concept of collectibility. That
is, cards in MTG are collectables. Trading cards have long been
collectables. Baseball cards are an example of a type of
collectable trading card. In MTG, a particular card may be part of
a set, for example. Players may then desire to collect all the
cards in a set. Such a set may have greater value monetarily and/or
within the game. In some instances, certain MTG cards may be
scarce. As a result of scarcity, certain cards may have a higher
perceived value due to the difficulty in obtaining such cards.
[0014] Another aspect of collectibility in MTG is that when a
player purchases a pack of cards, the player does not know what
cards are in the pack until the player opens the pack. Thus,
players often end up with duplicates of cards which are more
common. Players may then trade cards with each other to acquire
cards they do not have.
[0015] The strength of a particular MTG card or deck is not easily
evaluated. That is, given a set of MTG cards, there is no effective
way to quantify how strong or powerful that deck may be in playing
a game. One rough mechanism supported by MTG in specifying or
limiting the strength of a deck is the concept of Type I and Type
II cards. The cards in a deck may be limited to one of the
categories, thus somewhat limiting the strength of the deck.
However, such classification is very coarse, and, because there are
hundreds of kinds of cards, not particularly effective. In
addition, although MTG cards do support some rough concept of
value, because the game is heavily based on the combinations of
cards to affect the outcome, simple measures of individual card
value do not effectively reflect the value of a deck.
[0016] Thus, a player of MTG typically has multiple cards of
various types. In addition, players of MTG may trade cards.
However, MTG cards have fixed values and/or characteristics.
Further, there is no effective way to quantify the power or
strength of a set of cards.
[0017] Everquest.TM. ("EQ") is an online RPG. A player creates an
account with a login and password. The account is associated with a
particular character. The player may then participate in quests in
the online environment with his character. As the player is
successful in attaining goals and defeating creatures in the game
environment, experience points are awarded. The player may then
increase the character's abilities by "spending" the experience
points. Although a player may trade or sell access to his account,
and thus his character, such actions are generally discouraged. In
addition, a player may only control a single character through the
player's account.
[0018] EQ does not support a mechanism to transfer a character as
part of the gaming system. Players may auction a login and password
to a character in an online forum such as eBay. The winning bidder
then receives the login and password for the character and may take
control of it. However, this transfer occurs outside the scope of
the EQ system.
[0019] Similar to RPGs discussed above, characters in EQ may not be
directly comparable based on a simple measure such as a level. EQ
suffers from similar limitations to other RPGs in that level is an
ineffective way to compare the strength or might of a character,
for reasons similar to those discussed above. That is, because
players may choose different classes for their characters and/or
may develop the skills and characteristics of their characters in
different ways, level alone cannot accurately reflect the effective
strength of a given character.
[0020] Thus, an EQ player controls a single character that may be
developed. EQ characters are not traded as part of the game. In
addition, an EQ player controls only a single character. Further,
similar to RPGs, EQ does not support an effective mechanism for
quantifying the strength or power of a character.
[0021] While certain aspects of the various gaming systems
discussed above may be used to roughly approximate the strength of
a set of characters or cards, none do so effectively. Therefore, it
is highly desirable to have a gaming system that can determine an
effective strength of a set of characters as those characters
develop over time. Further, it is highly desirable to have a gaming
system that can match players based on the determined effective
strength of the respective sets of characters of the players. Thus,
there is a need for systems and methods for point value based
match-up in online gaming.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a
method for determining a value for a set of characters in an online
game including selecting a set of characters, determining a point
value for at least one character in the set of characters, and
determining a total point value for the set of characters. The set
of characters is associated with a player. The set of characters is
adapted to include at least one character. Each character in the
set of characters includes at least one attribute. At least one
attribute is adjustable by the player. The point value is
determined based at least in part on at least one attribute of the
at least one character. The point value represents an effective
strength of the character. The total point value is determined
based at least in part on the determined point value. The total
point value represents an effective strength of the characters in
the set of characters.
[0023] Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a
gaming system including a first character set associated with a
first player, a second character set associated with a second
player, and a matching component adapted to determine a first point
value for the first character set and a second point value for the
second character set. The first character set is adapted to include
at least one character. Each character in the first character set
includes at least one attribute. At least one attribute of each
character in the first character set is adjustable by the first
player. The second character set is adapted to include at least one
character. Each character in the second character set includes at
least one attribute. At least one attribute of each character in
the second character set is adjustable by the second player. The
first point value represents an effective strength of the first
character set. The second point value represents an effective
strength of the second character set.
[0024] Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a
computer-readable medium including a set of instructions for
execution on a computer, the set of instructions including a first
character set routine configured to support a first character set,
a second character set routine configured to support a second
character set, and a matching routine configured to determine a
first point value for the first character set and a second point
value for the second character set. The first character set is
adapted to include at least one character. Each character in the
first character set includes at least one attribute. At least one
attribute of each character in the first character set is
adjustable by a first player. The second character set is adapted
to include at least one character. Each character in the second
character set includes at least one attribute. At least one
attribute of each character in the second character set is
adjustable by a second player. The first point value represents an
effective strength of the first character set. The second point
value represents an effective strength of the second character
set.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an online, multi-player gaming system
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates a server for a gaming system according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates a functional view of a gaming system
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate examples of various screen
configurations for a client to a gaming system according to
embodiments of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram for a method for matching
a player with another player in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0030] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of certain embodiments of the present invention, will
be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended
drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, certain
embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should be understood,
however, that the present invention is not limited to the
arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] Certain embodiments of the presently described technology
include systems and methods for point value based match-up in
online gaming. Certain embodiments dynamically determine a point
value for a character in a set of characters. In addition, certain
embodiments further match-up two or more players for a competition
based at least in part on the dynamically determined point
values.
[0032] For example, in one embodiment, a gaming system called The
Continuum.TM., collectibility, character development, trading, war
gaming, customization, online distribution, and online game play
are combined to create a gaming experience. The Continuum.TM. is an
online, collectible, war game where the characters in the game
develop like in a role-playing game, are customized to a player's
tastes, and are traded like cards.
[0033] In The Continuum.TM., a player has a collection. The
collection includes the characters associated with the player. Each
character has one or more attributes. The attributes may include
characteristics, statistics, and/or abilities, for example. For
example, a character may have ratings for intelligence, strength,
speed, and/or dexterity. As another example, a character may have
attributes indicating offensive and/or defensive capabilities,
skills, and strengths. These attributes may affect the character's
performance in a competition such as a battle, for example. The
characters in a player's collection may be grouped into one or more
armies. A character may be in multiple armies. The armies may be
configured for different types of competitions, for example.
[0034] A character in The Continuum.TM. has a point value. The
point value may initially be fixed or predetermined when the
character is purchased. The point value may reflect, in part, the
rarity or scarcity of the character. For example, the more rare
and/or powerful the character, the more points the character may be
worth. In addition, the point value may reflect and/or be based at
least in part on one or more attributes of the character, such as
type, level, characteristics, abilities, ability levels, and/or
equipment. As a character develops and its attribute values change,
the point value of the character may change as well. Thus, the
point value of a character in The Continuum.TM. may represent the
effective strength of the character. The point values associated
with characters may be used to level the playing field for battles.
For example, each player may agree to play a certain point value
game (e.g., a 100, 500, or 1000 point game). The gaming system then
allows a player to field an army from the player's collection of
any size up to the point value of the game.
[0035] After a battle, each player may be awarded a certain amount
of experience points. The experience points may be used to increase
the value of the character's attributes. That is, experience points
may be "spent" to increase one or more attributes of a character at
the player's discretion. Alternatively, the player may choose to
have the experience points spent automatically, letting the gaming
system determine how the points should be allocated. As a player is
developed, the point value of the character may change.
[0036] Players of The Continuum.TM. may buy, sell, trade, and
auction characters. For example, a player may purchase one or more
new characters from the gaming system. The purchased characters may
be determined randomly. Players may also swap characters with each
other. Characters may be wagered as stakes and the winner of a
battle may acquire the wagered character from the loser.
[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates an online, multi-player gaming system 100
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The gaming
system 100 includes one or more players 110, one or more clients
120, a network 130, and a server 140. In certain embodiments, the
server 140 includes a game engine 150 and a database 160.
[0038] A player 110 communicates with a client 120. In certain
embodiments, a particular player 110 in a plurality of players
communicates with a particular client 120 in a plurality of
clients. In certain embodiments, more than one player 110 is in
communication with a particular client 120. In certain embodiments,
the player(s) 110 communicate with the client(s) 120 over a
network. For example, a player 110 may communicate using a Web
browser over the Internet with a client 120.
[0039] The client(s) 120 are in communication with the server 140.
A client 120 may communicate with the server 140 over a network,
such as network 130. The game engine 150 is in communication with
the database 160.
[0040] In operation, a player 110 communicates with a particular
client 120 to participate in the gaming system 100. As mentioned
above, one or more players 110 may use one or more clients 120 to
participate in the gaming system 100. The one or more players 110
may participate simultaneously, for example. The client 120 is
adapted to provide the player 110 with an interface to the gaming
system 100. That is, the player 110 may use the client 120 to
interact with the gaming system 100. The player 110 may communicate
commands and/or actions to be performed in the gaming system 100
using the client 120, for example. The client 120 may include a
graphical user interface, for example.
[0041] In certain embodiments, the client 120 may be an application
running on the computing system of the player 110. For example, the
client 120 may include an executable program downloaded by the
player 110. In certain embodiments, the client 120 may include a
Web browser. The Web browser may run an Adobe/Macromedia Flash.TM.
program to provide, at least in part, an interface for the player
120. In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the client 120
is downloaded. For example, the client 120 may be an application
program downloaded from the server 140 across the network 130. As
another example, a player 110 may download the client 120 from a
distribution Web site.
[0042] The client 120 is adapted to communicate with the server
140. The client 120 may communicate with the server 140 over
network 130. That is, the network 130 is adapted to facilitate
communication between the client 120 and the server 140. The
network 130 may be and/or include a local area network (LAN), for
example. As another example, the network 130 may be and/or include
the Internet.
[0043] The client 120 may communicate information, such as
commands, data, and/or requests, to the server 140. The information
to be communicated may be based at least in part on input from the
player 110, for example. For example, the player 110 may use an
interface of the client 120 to indicate that the player 110 wishes
to purchase a new character. As another example, the player 110 may
indicate with the client 120 to the server 140 to enter into a
competition with another player.
[0044] In addition, the client 120 may receive data, such as
commands, responses, and/or notifications, from the server 140. For
example, the client 120 may receive account information from the
server 140 to display to the user 110. As another example, the
client 120 may receive updates regarding the position of characters
belonging to the player 110 when the player 110 is involved in a
competition with another player.
[0045] The server 140 is adapted to communicate with the client
120. As mentioned above, the server 140 may communicate with the
client 120 over network 130. The server 140 receives information,
such as commands, data, and/or requests, from the client 120. The
server 140 transmits information, such as commands, responses,
and/or notifications, to the client 120.
[0046] The server 140 is adapted to process the information
communicated with the client 120. Processing the information may
include allowing a player 110 to manage characters, exchange
characters, initiate a competition, participate in a competition,
and update account information, for example. Processing may include
updating the state of a competition, acknowledging a request from
the client 120, and delivering messages from other players 110, for
example.
[0047] The server 140 is adapted to manage characters. A collection
may be associated with a player 110. The collection may include one
or more characters. A character may be in only one collection. That
is, a given character may only be associated with a particular
player 110 at any given time. Thus, the collections of players are
disjoint. Characters may be exchanged from one collection to
another, as discussed below. In addition, some characters may not
be associated with a collection. For example, computer controlled
characters may not be part of the collection of any player 110. As
another example, characters for sale from the gaming system 100 may
not be associated with a collection.
[0048] The characters in the collection of a player 110 may be
grouped into one or more subsets. That is, the player 110 may be
associated with one or more sets of characters. Each set of
characters may contain one or more characters from the player's 110
collection. A character from the collection of the player 110 may
be in more than one set of characters. For example, a player 110
may create multiple sets of characters, such as armies, for use in
different situations while playing the game.
[0049] Each character has and/or is associated with one or more
attributes. The attributes may include characteristics, statistics,
and/or abilities, for example. For example, a character may have
ratings for intelligence, strength, speed, and/or dexterity. As
another example, a character may have attributes indicating
offensive and/or defensive capabilities and strengths. As another
example, a character may have attributes indicating a particular
skill, such as lock-picking. These attributes may affect the
character's performance in a competition such as a battle, for
example. In certain embodiments, one or more of the attributes are
adapted to be adjustable. That is, the attribute value associated
with the attribute may be adjusted. The attribute value may be
adjusted by a player 110, for example. As another example, the
attribute value may be adjusted by the gaming system 100.
[0050] Similarly, a character may have and/or be associated with
one or more ancillary characteristics. The ancillary
characteristics may include a title and/or appearance, for example.
For example, a character may have a title ancillary characteristic
that reflects weapon specialization and/or class, such as
"swordsman" or "archer." As another example, a character may have
an appearance ancillary characteristic including an image or
three-dimensional model of the character. The appearance ancillary
characteristic may be visible to one or more of the players 110
during game play, for example. An ancillary characteristic is
ornamental and serves to enhance the gaming environment for the
player. However, an ancillary characteristic does not affect the
character's performance in the gaming system 100. In certain
embodiments, one or more of the ancillary characteristics are
adapted to be adjustable. That is, the ancillary characteristic
value associated with the ancillary characteristic may be adjusted.
The ancillary characteristic may be adjusted by a player 110, for
example. As another example, the ancillary characteristic value may
be adjusted by the gaming system 100.
[0051] In certain embodiments, a character may be associated with a
point value. The point value may reflect, in part, the rarity or
scarcity of the character. For example, the more rare and/or
powerful the character, the more points the character may be worth.
In addition, the point value may reflect and/or be based at least
in part on one or more attributes of the character, such as type,
level, characteristics, abilities, ability levels, and/or
equipment. Thus, the point value of a character may represent the
effective strength of the character.
[0052] The server 140 is adapted to allow character exchange. For
example, the server 140 may allow a player 110 to purchase,
acquire, bid, request, and/or trade for one or more characters. As
another example, the server 140 may allow a player 110 to sell,
relinquish, auction, offer, and/or exchange one or more
characters.
[0053] In certain embodiments, the character(s) involved in the
exchange are, at least in part, randomly determined. That is, the
server 140 may determine and/or select a character involved in an
exchange at least in part out of the control of a player 110. For
example, a player 110 may request that the server 140 provide a
random character to be purchased by the player 110. As another
example, a player 110 may purchase a set of five characters without
knowing which five characters the player 110 will receive. As
another example, two players may agree to exchange random
characters of equal point value. As another example, the server 140
may randomly award one or more characters with a particular
attribute, such as belong to a specific class or having a given
ability, to a player 110.
[0054] In certain embodiments, the exchange is based at least in
part on an auction. For example, a player 110 may acquire a
character by providing the winning bid for the character. As
another example, a character may be offered to a bidder in an
auction.
[0055] In certain embodiments, one or more characters may be
exchanged by transfer and/or trade. For example, one player 110 may
agree to trade an associated character for a character associated
with another player 110. As another example, a player 110 may
direct the server 140 to transfer a character to another player
110.
[0056] In certain embodiments, a character is exchanged for money.
Money may include, for example, in-game currency and/or real-world
cash. For example, a player 110 may purchase a character from
another player 110 by paying real-world cash using a credit card.
As another example, a player 110 may acquire a character from the
server 140 using an in-game currency such as gold pieces.
[0057] In certain embodiments, a fee is assessed on the exchange of
a character. For example, a fee may be assessed to the player 110
acquiring a character. As another example, a fee may be assessed to
the player 110 relinquishing a character. The fee may be money, as
described above. For example, a player 110 may purchase a character
from another player using cash and may be assessed a transaction
fee. As another example, a player 110 may transfer a character to
the winner of an auction for the character and be assessed a
fixed-price fee of in-game currency. The fee may be assessed in a
different form of money from the money used in an exchange. For
example, two players may trade characters along with other items
and/or in-game currency. A fee may be assessed to one or both
players in the form of real-world cash, even though no real-world
cash was involved in the exchange.
[0058] In certain embodiments, a player 110 acquires one or more
characters based at least in part on a subscription. That is, a
player 110 may indicate to the server 140 that the player 110
desires to acquire one or more characters based on a subscription.
The player 110 may indicate the subscription by registering, for
example. The subscription provides one or more characters to the
player 110 at some time interval. For example, a player 110 may
sign up for a monthly subscription where the player 110 acquires a
pack of 5 characters every month. As another example, a player 110
may sign up for a subscription where the player 110 acquires a
character every time a predetermined surplus of in-game currency is
achieved.
[0059] The account of the player 110 may be automatically debited
and/or charged based on the subscription, for example.
Alternatively, a player 110 may be prompted whether an acquisition
based on the subscription should be performed. The prompt may
indicate default behavior. For example, the acquisition may occur
within five days of a notification unless the player 110 indicates
to the contrary to the server 140.
[0060] As is discussed in more detail below, in certain
embodiments, an exchange can occur based at least in part on
competition. For example, an exchange may occur based at least in
part on the result of a competition. As another example, an
exchange may occur based at least in part on an occurrence during a
competition, such as the capture of an item, geographic location,
or character.
[0061] The server 140 is adapted to allow a competition. That is,
the server 140 supports at least one competition involving at least
one player 110. For example, a first player 110 may compete with a
second player 110. The players compete using one or more characters
associated with each player. The players may compete with each
other and/or against other players, for example. That is, one or
more players 110 may compete using their associated characters
against characters associated with one or more other players 110.
For example, three players 110 may be involved in a three-way,
every-player-for-themselves battle. As another example, two players
110 may compete co-operatively against two other players 110.
[0062] In certain embodiments, a player 110 may manually select
other participants in a competition. For example, a player 110 may
select a buddy to compete with. In certain embodiments, a player
110 may request a competition where the other participants are
similarly matched. That is, a player 110 may request to be matched
with one or more other players 110 who are also looked to be
matched for a competition. The matching of players for a
competition may be based on one or more competition parameters
specified by the player 110 requesting the match. For example, the
player may request a competition with a particular minimum,
maximum, or range of point values. That is, as discussed above,
characters may have associated point values and the match may limit
the sum of the point values of the characters participating in the
competition. For example, a player 110 may request to be matched
for a competition with another player, where each player is allowed
to participate with characters having point values up to 1000. The
player 110 may use a set of characters, such as an army, that the
player 110 has previously constructed for use in a 1000 point
maximum value competition. Other parameters may be specified for
the match, such as types of stakes to be wagered (discussed below),
length of game, and/or map size.
[0063] The competition may include a battle between the characters,
for example. As another example, the competition may include a
game. The game may be similar to capture-the-flag,
king-of-the-hill, annihilation, or an objective-based assault, for
example.
[0064] In certain embodiments, the competition includes one or more
characters controlled by a computer, such as an artificial
intelligence. The computer may be the server 140, for example. For
example, a player 110 may battle against characters controlled by
the server 140. As another example, one or more players 110 may
compete in cooperation with and/or against characters controlled by
the server 140.
[0065] In certain embodiments, the competition is turn-based. For
example, three players 110 competing against each other may take
turns issuing commands to their respective characters involved in
the competition. In certain embodiments, the competition is
substantially real-time. For example, two players 110 competing
against each other may issue orders to their associated characters
simultaneously.
[0066] In certain embodiments, one or more players 110 may wager
stakes on the outcome of a competition. For example, two players
110 competing in a battle against each other may wager an
agreed-upon amount of money on the outcome of the battle. The money
may be in-game currency and/or real-world cash, for example. The
amount wagered may be a fixed amount or a computed amount. For
example, a player 110 may wager 10% of the player's in-game
currency at the end of the competition. As another example, a
player 110 may wager money based on the number of characters left
standing at the end of the competition. Thus, if a player 110 wins
by a larger margin, more money is won, for example.
[0067] In certain embodiments, the stakes include one or more
characters in the collection of the player 110. For example, two
players 110 may each select one of their opponent's characters to
be awarded upon winning the contest. As another example, each
player 110 participating in a competition may designate one or more
characters to wager on the outcome of the competition. As another
example, the characters wagered may be specified by a percentage of
the total point value of the collection of the player 110.
[0068] When stakes include one or more characters, the exchange
capabilities of the server 140 described above may be invoked. For
example, the winner of a battle may acquire a character that has
been wagered as stakes in the battle by another player. In certain
embodiments, the exchange capabilities of the server 140 are at
least partially integrated with the competition capabilities of the
server 140.
[0069] Based on the outcome of a competition, experience points may
be awarded. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, experience
points may be purchased with money. In certain embodiments,
experience points may be acquired from another player 110. As
mentioned above, a character may be developed over the course of
game play. The experience points may be used to adjust the
attributes of one or more characters. For example, a player 110 may
use experience points to improve the characteristics and/or
abilities of one or more characters in the collection of the player
110. In certain embodiments, the player 110 may manually allocate
the experience points to adjust a character's attributes. In
certain embodiments, the player 110 may have the experience points
automatically allocated by the gaming system 100.
[0070] In certain embodiments, the server 140 is adapted to
match-up two or more players 110. The players 110 may be matched-up
to participate in a competition, for example. The players 110 may
be matched-up based on one or more competition parameters. In
certain embodiments, the server 140 is adapted to match-up the
players 110 to participate in an exchange.
[0071] In certain embodiments, the server 140 is adapted to
determine a point value for one or more characters. The point value
may reflect, in part, the rarity or scarcity of the character. For
example, the more rare and/or powerful the character, the more
points the character may be worth. In addition, the point value may
reflect and/or be based at least in part on one or more attributes
of the character, such as type, level, characteristics, abilities,
ability levels, and/or equipment. Thus, the point value of a
character may represent the effective strength of the character.
The point value may base based at least in part on one or more
attributes of the character.
[0072] In certain embodiments, before a competition, a player 110
may receive a scouting report on the characters of another player
110 participating in the competition. The scouting report may
include details of the number of the characters in the other
player's collection, the attributes of those characters, the types
of those characters, the point values of those characters, the
levels of those characters, and/or outcomes of prior competitions
the other player has been involved in, for example.
[0073] In certain embodiments, the server 140 is adapted to support
merchandising. That is, the gaming system 100 may provide
merchandise using, at least in part, the server 140. The
merchandise may be based at least in part on a character. For
example, the gaming system 100 may allow a player 110 to purchase
merchandise, such as a toy, action figure, poster, trading card,
comic book, clothing, animation, and/or apparel, based on one or
more of the player's characters. For example, the gaming system 100
may allow a player 110 to purchase an action figure similar in
appearance to a character in the collection of the player 110. As
another example, the gaming system 100 may allow a player 110 to
purchase a comic book illustrating a competition the player 110, or
a particular character of the player 110, was involved in.
[0074] In certain embodiments, the processing by the server 140
described above is performed at least in part by the game engine
150 and/or the database 160. For example, the game engine 150 may
be adapted to provide character exchange and/or competition
capabilities. As another example, character data and/or account
information for a player 110 may be stored in the database 160.
[0075] The game engine 150 may include one or more components for
tasks such as communicating with the client 120, exchanging one or
more characters, handling competitions between one or more players
110, matching one or more players 110, and determining a point
value for a character or set of characters. The game engine 150 may
be implemented on a single computing system or across multiple
computing systems. The game engine 150 may include fault tolerant
features to allow continued operation in the event that one or more
components fail.
[0076] The database 160 may be utilized by the game engine 150. The
database 160 may store information regarding the state of the
gaming system 100, for example. For example, account information
for the players 110 may be stored in the database 160 and
referenced by the game engine 150 for authorization and billing
purposes. As another example, the database 160 may store
information relating to the characters and collection of a player
110.
[0077] As discussed above, the components, elements, and/or
functionality of the gaming system 100 may be implemented alone or
in combination in various forms in hardware, firmware, and/or as a
set of instructions in software, for example. Certain embodiments
may be provided as a set of instructions residing on a
computer-readable medium, such as a memory, hard disk, DVD, or CD,
for execution on a general purpose computer or other processing
device.
[0078] FIG. 2 illustrates a server 200 for a gaming system
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The server 200
may be similar to the server 140, discussed above, for example. The
server 200 includes a gaming engine 250 and a database 260. The
gaming engine 250 may be similar to the gaming engine 150,
discussed above, for example. The database 260 may be similar to
the database 160, discussed above, for example.
[0079] The gaming engine 250 includes a communication component
252, an exchange component 254, a competition component 256, and a
matching component 258. The database 260 includes one or more
character sets 265.
[0080] The gaming engine 250 is in communication with the database
260. The communication component 252 is in communication with the
exchange component 254 and the competition component 256. The
competition component 256 is in communication with the matching
component 258. In certain embodiments, the matching component 258
is in communication with the communication component 252. In
certain embodiments, the matching component 258 is in communication
with the exchange component 254.
[0081] In operation, a player communicates with the server 200
using a client. The player may be similar to the player 110,
described above, for example. The client may be similar to the
client 120, described above, for example. For example, the player
may communicate with the server 200 to sign on to the gaming
system. As another example, the player may communicate with the
gaming engine 250 as part of playing the game, including activities
such as trading characters, developing characters, and engaging in
competitions with other players.
[0082] The gaming engine 250 is adapted to allow one or more
players, such as players 110, to participate in the game. The
gaming engine 250 is adapted to communicate with the players. The
communication may be handled at least in part by communication
component 252, for example. The communication may be between the
server 200 and one or more clients. The clients may be similar to
the clients 120, described above, for example. Information such as
commands, data, requests, responses, acknowledgements, and
notifications may be communicated between the gaming engine 250 and
the players.
[0083] The gaming engine 250 is adapted to process information
communicated with the players. The processing may be performed at
least in part by the exchange component 254, the competition
component 256, and/or the matching component 258, for example. For
example, a player 110 may request a character be exchanged for
in-game currency associated with the player's account. The request
may be processed by the exchange component 254. As another example,
the competition component 256 may send an update to the player
indicating the current state of a battle between the player and
another player. As another example, the player 110 may request to
be matched with another player in a competition using the matching
component 258.
[0084] The communications with the player and/or the client may be
handled by the communication component 252. The communication
component 252 is adapted to communicate with one or more clients,
such as clients 120. The communications component 252 may
communicate with the player 110 through the client 120, for
example. The communication with the player may be over a network
such as the Internet or a LAN, for example. Information, such as
commands, data, and/or requests, may be received from the player
110 and/or the client 120, for example. Information, such as
commands, responses, and/or notifications, may be communicated to
the player 110 and/or the client 120, for example.
[0085] The exchange component 254 is adapted to allow a character
to be exchanged. For example, the exchange component 254 may allow
a player 110 to purchase, acquire, bid, request, and/or trade for
one or more characters. As another example, the exchange component
254 may allow a player 110 to sell, relinquish, auction, offer,
and/or exchange one or more characters. The character may be a new
character for the player 110, for example. The character may be
exchanged for money, such as in-game currency and/or real-world
cash, for example. In certain embodiments, the exchange component
254 may utilize the matching component 258, discussed below, to
match-up two or more players seeking a trade. For example, two
players, who do not know each other, may wish to arrange a trade of
characters having similar point values. The matching component 258
may then be utilized by the exchange component 254 to match these
two players for the exchange.
[0086] In certain embodiments, the character(s) involved in the
exchange are, at least in part, randomly determined. That is, the
exchange component 254 may determine and/or select a character
involved in an exchange at least in part randomly. For example, a
player 110 may request that the server 200 provide a random
character to be purchased by the player 110. The server 200, in
turn, utilizes the exchange component 254 to determine the random
character and initiate the exchange to the player 110. As another
example, two players may agree to exchange random characters of
equal point value. After each player's assent is signaled to the
server 200, the exchange component 254 may perform the
exchange.
[0087] In certain embodiments, the exchange component 254 is
adapted to allow an exchange based at least in part on an auction.
For example, a player 110 may acquire a character by providing the
winning bid for the character. The exchange component 254 may then
exchange the character from the offering player's collection to the
winning player's collection.
[0088] In certain embodiments, the exchange component 254 is
adapted to allow a character to be exchanged for money. As
discussed above, money may include, for example, in-game currency
and/or real-world cash. For example, a player 110 may purchase a
character from another player 110 by paying real-world cash using a
credit card. As another example, a player 110 may acquire a
character from the server 200 using an in-game currency such as
gold pieces. The exchange component 254 is adapted to perform the
exchange and assign the character to the proper player's character
set and debit the money from the appropriate account.
[0089] In certain embodiments, the exchange component 254 assesses
a fee on the exchange of a character. For example, a fee may be
assessed to the player 110 acquiring a character. As another
example, a fee may be assessed to the player 110 relinquishing a
character. The fee may be money, as described above. For example, a
player 110 may purchase a character from another player using cash
and may be assessed a transaction fee. As another example, a player
110 may transfer a character to the winner of an auction for the
character and be assessed a fixed-price fee of in-game currency.
The fee may be assessed in a different form of money from the money
used in an exchange. For example, two players may trade characters
along with other items and/or in-game currency. A fee may be
assessed to one or both players in the form of real-world cash,
even though no real-world cash was involved in the exchange.
[0090] The competition component 256 is adapted to allow one or
more players to compete in a competition. That is, the competition
component 256 supports at least one competition involving at least
one player 110. For example, a first player 110 may compete with a
second player 110. The players compete using one or more characters
associated with each player. The players may compete with each
other and/or against other players, for example. That is, one or
more players 110 may compete using their associated characters
against characters associated with one or more other players 110.
For example, three players 110 may be involved in a three-way,
every-player-for-themselves battle. As another example, two players
110 may compete co-operatively against two other players 110.
[0091] In certain embodiments, a player 110 may manually select
other participants in a competition. For example, a player 110 may
select a buddy to compete with. In certain embodiments, a player
110 may request a competition where the other participants are
similarly matched. That is, a player 110 may request to be matched
with one or more other players 110 who are also looked to be
matched for a competition. The matching of players for a
competition may be based on one or more competition parameters
specified to the competition component 256 by the player 110
requesting the match. For example, the player may request a
competition with a particular minimum, maximum, or range of point
values. That is, as discussed above, characters may have associated
point values and the match may limit the sum of the point values of
the characters participating in the competition. For example, a
player 110 may request to be matched for a competition with another
player, where each player is allowed to participate with characters
having point values up to 1000. The player 110 may use a set of
characters, such as an army, that the player 110 has previously
constructed for use in a 1000 point maximum value competition.
Other parameters may be specified for the match, such as types of
stakes to be wagered, length of game, and/or map size.
[0092] The competition may include a battle between the characters,
for example. As another example, the competition may include a
game. The game may be similar to capture-the-flag,
king-of-the-hill, annihilation, or an objective-based assault, for
example.
[0093] In certain embodiments, the competition includes one or more
characters controlled by the competition component 256. For
example, a player 110 may battle against characters controlled by
the competition component 256. As another example, one or more
players 110 may compete in cooperation with and/or against
characters controlled by the competition component 256.
[0094] In certain embodiments, the competition is turn-based. For
example, three players 110 competing against each other may take
turns issuing commands to their respective characters involved in
the competition. In certain embodiments, the competition is
substantially real-time. For example, two players 110 competing
against each other may issue orders to their associated characters
simultaneously.
[0095] In certain embodiments, the competition component 256
supports wagering stakes on the competition. For example, two
players 110 competing in a battle against each other may wager an
agreed-upon amount of money on the outcome of the battle. The money
may be in-game currency and/or real-world cash, for example. The
amount wagered may be a fixed amount or a computed amount. For
example, a player 110 may wager 10% of the player's in-game
currency at the end of the competition. As another example, a
player 110 may wager money based on the number of characters left
standing at the end of the competition. Thus, if a player 110 wins
by a larger margin, more money is won, for example.
[0096] In certain embodiments, the stakes include one or more
characters in the character set of the player 110. For example, two
players 110 may each select one of their opponent's characters to
be awarded upon winning the contest. As another example, each
player 110 participating in a competition may designate one or more
characters to wager on the outcome of the competition.
[0097] When stakes include one or more characters, the exchange
capabilities of the exchange component 254, described above, may be
utilized. For example, the winner of a battle may acquire a
character that has been wagered as stakes in the battle by another
player. In certain embodiments, the exchange component 254 is at
least partially integrated with the competition component 256.
[0098] In certain embodiments, when a character is defeated in a
competition, the character is still available for use in subsequent
competitions. That is, the character persists across competitions.
In certain embodiments, when a character is defeated in a
competition, the character is "dead" and may not be subsequently
utilized. In certain embodiments, when a character is defeated in a
competition, the character is captured by the victorious player and
is placed into the character set of the victorious player and
removed from the collection of the losing player. The result of a
defeat of a character during a competition may be determined based
on the stakes wagered for the competition. The transfer of a
character may be facilitated by the exchange component 254, for
example.
[0099] The matching component 258 is adapted to match-up two or
more players 110. The matching component 258 may match-up the
players to participate in a competition, for example. The
competition may be supported by the competition component 256, for
example. The matching component 258 may utilize one or more
competition parameters to match-up the players 110. The competition
parameters may be similar to the competition parameters discussed
above, for example. For example, a player 110 may request a
competition with a particular minimum, maximum, or range of point
values. The competition component 256 may receive the request for a
competition and/or the competition parameter(s). The competition
component 256 may provide the competition parameter(s) to the
matching component 258 and then utilize the matching component 258
to match-up the player with a second player, for example. In
certain embodiments, the matching component 258 may match-up the
players to participate in an exchange.
[0100] The matching component 258 is adapted to determine a point
value for one or more characters. When a match-up for a competition
is desired, the matching component 258 may determine a total point
value for a set of characters associated with a player seeking to
participate in the competition. The set of characters may be the
collection of the player. Alternatively, the set of characters may
include a subset of the collection of the player, such as an army.
Similar to how the point value of a single character may represent
an effective strength of that character, the total point value for
a set of characters may represent an effective strength of that set
of characters.
[0101] The total point value for the set of characters is
determined based on the point value of at least one character in
the set of characters. For example, the total point value for the
set of characters may be determined by summing the point value of
each character in the set of characters. As another example, the
total point value may be determined based on the combination of two
or more characters in the set of characters. As another example,
the point value of certain characters, such as lower point value
characters, may be excluded from the determination of the total
point value for the set of characters.
[0102] The matching component 258 is adapted to determine the point
value of a character in the set of characters. As described above,
the point value for the character may represent an effective
strength of the character. The point value of a character in the
set of characters may be determined dynamically. For example, the
point value of the character may be determined as part of the
matching process. As another example, the point value for the
character may be determined prior to the matching process. The
point value for the character may be determined after an attribute
value of the character has been adjusted, for example.
[0103] In certain embodiments, the point value of a character in a
set of characters is based at least in part on one or more
attributes of the character. For example, the point value of a
character may be determined by summing the attribute value of each
attribute of the character. As another example, the attribute value
of certain attributes may be given disproportionate weight based
on, for example, the class or type of the character. For example, a
character with a class of fighter may have extra weight given
(e.g., a factor of 1.5 or 2) to attributes that are of particular
importance to the fighter class, such as strength and melee weapon
skills.
[0104] In certain embodiments, attributes used in determining the
point value of a character may include equipment. That is,
equipment of the character may be considered as an attribute for
the purposes of determining the point value of a character.
Alternatively, the effect of the equipment on one or more attribute
values of a character may be included when determining the point
value of a character. For example, a character may be equipped with
a sword that increases the value of the character's sword skill
attribute.
[0105] In certain embodiments, the point value of a character in
the set of characters may be based at least in part on one or more
other characters in the set of characters. For example, certain
combinations of characters of different types and/or abilities may
result in increased or decreased point values for those characters
because of the advantage or disadvantage of their combination. For
example, a fighter character and a mage character in the same
character set may each amplify the point value of the other
character due to the broader coverage of attributes they present.
That is, the combination of the characters may make for a more
effective fighting force. As another example, a set of characters
consisting of characters of the same type and/or attributes, may
hinder the point value determination of one or more characters in
the set because each additional character of the same type may
bring less overall benefit. In certain embodiments, the point value
of a character in the set of characters may be based at least in
part on one or more other characters in the set of characters of
another player participating in the competition. For example, the
point value of a first character in one set of characters may be
reduced when another set of characters includes a second character
with attributes that effectively counter the first character.
[0106] In certain embodiments, the point value of a character
and/or the total point value of a set of characters may be based at
least in part on a preference. The preference may be specified by
the player associated with the character(s), for example. For
example, a relatively new player 110 who has acquired a
particularly powerful character may set a preference indicating the
novice level of the player 110. Thus, the point value determination
for the powerful character may be adjusted downward to reflect that
the player may not be skilled enough to utilize the powerful
character to its full potential. Alternatively, the matching
component 258 may automatically determine the skill of the player
110 based on, for example, the outcome record of the player 110.
The outcome record may include the number of battles the player 110
has participated in and/or won, for example.
[0107] The database 260 is adapted to manage characters. Each
character may be associated with one or more character sets 265.
Each character set 265 is associated with a player. More than one
character set 265 may be associated with a particular player. A
particular character may only be associated with one particular
player 110 at any given time, although, as mentioned, the
particular character may be included in more than one character set
265. Characters may be exchanged from one character set 265 to
another character set 265, as discussed above. A character set 265
may be an army, for example.
[0108] The database 260 may manage attributes associated with each
character. The attributes may include characteristics, statistics,
and/or abilities, for example. For example, a character may have
ratings for intelligence, strength, speed, and/or dexterity. As
another example, a character may have attributes indicating
offensive and/or defensive capabilities and strengths. These
attributes may affect the character's performance in a competition
such as a battle, for example.
[0109] The database 260 may manage ancillary characteristics
associated with each character. The ancillary characteristics may
include a title and/or appearance, for example. For example, a
character may have a title ancillary characteristic that reflects
weapon specialization and/or class, such as "swordsman" or
"archer." As another example, a character may have an appearance
ancillary characteristic including an image or three-dimensional
model of the character. The appearance ancillary characteristic may
be visible to one or more of the players 110 during game play, for
example. An ancillary characteristic is ornamental and serves to
enhance the gaming environment for the player. However, an
ancillary characteristic does not affect the character's
performance in a gaming system.
[0110] The database 260 may be utilized by the game engine 250. The
database 260 may store information regarding the state of the
gaming system, for example. For example, account information for
the players 110 may be stored in the database 260 and referenced by
the game engine 250 for authorization and billing purposes. As
another example, the database 260 may store information relating to
the characters and collection of a player 110, such as the
characters' attributes, attribute values, ancillary
characteristics, and ancillary characteristic values.
[0111] The information stored and managed by the database 260 may
be based on one or more schemas. For example, an account schema may
be used to represent information pertaining to the account of the
players 110. As another example, a schema may manage game play
information for a player 110. Information such as characters in the
character set 265 of the player 110 may be tracked with the schema,
along with statistics and configuration options. As another
example, data relating to competitions may be stored in the
database 260 based on a schema.
[0112] As discussed above, the components, elements, and/or
functionality of the server 200 may be implemented alone or in
combination in various forms in hardware, firmware, and/or as a set
of instructions in software, for example. Certain embodiments may
be provided as a set of instructions residing on a
computer-readable medium, such as a memory, hard disk, DVD, or CD,
for execution on a general purpose computer or other processing
device.
[0113] FIG. 3 illustrates a functional view of a gaming system 300
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The gaming
system 300 may be similar to the gaming system 100, described
above, for example. The gaming system 300 includes a communication
processor 310, an account processor 320, a competition processor
330, an exchange processor 340, a development processor 350, a
matching processor 360, and a point value processor 370. The
communication processor 310 is in communication with the account
processor 320, the competition processor 330, the exchange
processor 340, the development processor 350, and the matching
processor 360. The point value processor 370 is in communication
with the account processor 320, the competition processor 330, the
exchange processor 340, the development processor 350, and the
matching processor 360.
[0114] In operation, the communication processor 310 handles
communication with a player. The communication processor 310 may
communicate information to the player about events in the gaming
system, for example. For example, the communication processor 310
may transmit messages from other components of the gaming system
300, such as the account processor 320, to the player.
[0115] The communication processor 310 may be implemented using a
client and a communication component. The client may be similar to
the client 120, described above, for example. The communication
component may be similar to the communication component 252,
described above, for example.
[0116] The communication processor 310 may present a graphical user
interface to a player, such as player 110. Alternatively, the
communication processor 310 may provide data to a separate
processor that provides the interface directly to the player. For
example, the communication processor 310 may provide data to a
Adobe/Macromedia Flash.TM. application running in a Web browser on
the player's computer.
[0117] The communication processor 310 may receive information from
the player. For example, the player may request to be logged-on or
authenticated to the gaming system 300. The player may communicate
a username and password to the gaming system 300. The communication
processor may receive the username and password from the player and
pass the username and password to the account processor 320. The
account processor 320 may determine the password is valid for the
username to authenticate the user. The account processor 320 may
register the player as being logged-in as a result of the
successful authentication. The account processor 320 may then
provide an indicator to the communication component 310 that the
player has been properly authenticated. The communication component
310 may then send a message to the player indicating the successful
authentication.
[0118] The account processor 320 handles processing related to the
account of a player. For example, the account processor 320
maintains the collection of the player. The collection includes the
characters associated with the player. The account processor 320
may store information such as the password, billing information,
and account preferences, for example. As discussed above, the
account processor 320 may authenticate a player, for example. As
another example, the account processor 320 may allow a character to
be added or removed from the collection and/or a character set
associated with a player. The addition or removal of a character
from a player's collection by the account processor 320 may occur
in cooperation with the exchange processor 340, discussed
below.
[0119] The competition processor 330 handles setting up, running,
and completing a competition. The competition may involve one or
more players. Setting up the competition may include, for example,
matching two or more players to compete. Setting up the competition
may include wagering stakes on the outcome of the competition.
Setting up the competition may include selecting the characters to
be included in the competition. For example, two players may agree
to participate in a competition using a maximum point value of
characters on each side. For example, a player may agree to field
an army in the competition where the total point value of the
characters in the army does not exceed 1000. The competition
processor 330 may utilize the point value processor 370, discussed
below, to determine the point value of a character based on the
attribute values of the character, for example. For example, a
character with higher attribute values may have a higher point
value.
[0120] The competition processor 330 may also handle running the
competition. Running the competition may include deploying the
characters of the players on a map, for example. The characters may
move around a landscape over the course of the competition.
Characters from opposing players may engage in combat during the
competition. In certain embodiments, when a character is defeated
in a competition, the character is still available for use in
subsequent competitions. In certain embodiments, when a character
is defeated in a competition, the character is "dead" and may not
be subsequently utilized. In certain embodiments, when a character
is defeated in a competition, the character is captured by the
victorious player and is placed into the collection of the
victorious player and removed from the collection of the losing
player. The result of a defeat of a character during a competition
may be determined based on the stakes wagered for the competition.
The transfer of a character may be facilitated by the exchange
processor 340, for example.
[0121] The competition processor 330 may also handle the completion
of a competition. When a competition has been won, the winning
player receives the stakes wagered by opposing players. As
discussed above, stakes may include characters and/or money, for
example.
[0122] The competition processor 330 may be implemented at least in
part with a competition component. The competition component may be
similar to the competition component 256, discussed above, for
example.
[0123] The exchange processor 340 handles exchanges involving a
character. An exchange of a character may include the character
being purchased, acquired, bid for, requested, traded, sold,
relinquished, auctioned, and/or offered. A character may be
exchanged for another character and/or money, for example. For
example, a character may be purchased by a player from the exchange
processor 340. Money is transferred from the account of the player
and the purchased character is added to the collection of the
player. As another example, a player may offer a character for sale
at an auction. Other players may bid on the character, and the
winning bidder may receive the character in exchange for whatever
was bid. The exchange processor 340 may assess a transaction fee on
an exchange. For example, a player 110 may purchase a character
from another player and be assessed a transaction fee by the
exchange processor 340. The exchange processor 340 may work in
cooperation with the competition processor 330. For example, the
exchange processor 340 may transfer a wagered character to the
winner of a competition supported by the competition processor
330.
[0124] The exchange processor 340 may be implemented at least in
part with an exchange component. The exchange component may be
similar to the exchange component 254, discussed above, for
example.
[0125] The development processor 350 handles the development of a
character. For example, a player may receive development or
experience points after winning a competition supported by the
competition processor 330. The development points may be used by
the player to develop a character in the collection of the player.
A player may "spend" development points to adjust the value of one
or more attributes of the character, for example.
[0126] The matching processor 360 handles matching up two or more
players 110. The players 110 may be matched to participate in a
competition, for example. The competition may be handled by the
competition processor 330, for example. The matching processor 360
may be implemented at least in part using a matching component
similar to matching component 258, described above, for example. In
certain embodiments, the matching processor 360 may match-up the
players to participate in an exchange.
[0127] The matching processor 360 may utilize one or more
competition parameters to match-up the players 110. The competition
parameters may be similar to the competition parameters discussed
above, for example. For example, a player 110 may request a
competition with a particular minimum, maximum, or range of point
values. The competition processor 330 may receive the request for a
competition and/or the competition parameter(s) through the
communication component 310. The competition processor 330 may
provide the competition parameter(s) to the matching processor 360.
The matching processor 360 may then match-up the player with a
second player for the competition processor 330, for example.
[0128] The point value processor 370 is handles determining a point
value for one or more characters. The point value processor 370 may
be implemented at least in part by a matching component similar to
matching component 258, described above, for example.
[0129] The point value processor 370 may handle determine a total
point value for a set of characters. The set of characters may be
associated with a player seeking to participate in a competition,
for example. The set of characters may be the collection of the
player. Alternatively, the set of characters may include a subset
of the collection of the player, such as an army. Similar to how
the point value of a single character may represent an effective
strength of that character, the total point value for a set of
characters may represent an effective strength of that set of
characters.
[0130] The total point value for the set of characters is
determined based on the point value of at least one character in
the set of characters. For example, the total point value for the
set of characters may be determined by summing the point value of
each character in the set of characters. As another example, the
point value of certain characters, such as lower point value
characters, may be excluded from the determination of the total
point value for the set of characters.
[0131] As mentioned, the point value processor 370 handles
determining the point value of a character in the set of
characters. As described above, the point value for the character
may represent an effective strength of the character. The point
value of a character in the set of characters may be determined
dynamically. That is, the point value for a character in the set of
characters may be determined on demand from another processor in
the gaming system 300, such as the competition processor 330 or the
matching processor 360. As another example, the point value for the
character may be determined after a request from the development
processor 350 after an attribute value of the character has been
adjusted, for example.
[0132] In certain embodiments, the point value of a character in a
set of characters is based at least in part on one or more
attributes of the character. For example, the point value of a
character may be determined by summing the attribute value of each
attribute of the character. As another example, the attribute value
of certain attributes may be given disproportionate weight based
on, for example, the class or type of the character. For example, a
character with a class of fighter may have extra weight given
(e.g., a factor of 1.5 or 2) to attributes that are of particular
importance to the fighter class, such as strength and melee weapon
skills.
[0133] In certain embodiments, attributes used in determining the
point value of a character may include equipment. That is,
equipment of the character may be considered as an attribute for
the purposes of determining the point value of a character.
Alternatively, the effect of the equipment on one or more attribute
values of a character may be included when determining the point
value of a character. For example, a character may be equipped with
a sword that increases the value of the character's sword skill
attribute.
[0134] In certain embodiments, the point value of a character in
the set of characters may be based at least in part on one or more
other characters in the set of characters. For example, certain
combinations of characters of different types and/or abilities may
result in increased or decreased point values for those characters
because of the advantage or disadvantage of their combination. For
example, a fighter character and a mage character in the same
character set may each amplify the point value of the other
character due to the broader coverage of attributes they present.
That is, the combination of the characters may make for a more
effective fighting force. As another example, a set of characters
consisting of characters of the same type and/or attributes, may
hinder the point value determination of one or more characters in
the set because each additional character of the same type may
bring less overall benefit. In certain embodiments, the point value
of a character in the set of characters may be based at least in
part on one or more other characters in the set of characters of
another player participating in the competition. For example, the
point value of a first character in one set of characters may be
reduced when another set of characters includes a second character
with attributes that effectively counter the first character.
[0135] Other elements of the gaming system 300 may utilize the
point value processor 370. For example, the account processor 320
may utilize the point value processor 370 to determine a point
value for a character that a player 110 is attempting to purchase.
As another example, and as mentioned above, the competition
processor 330 may utilize the point value processor 370 in setting
up a competition, possibly in conjunction with the matching
processor 360. As another example, the exchange processor 340 may
utilize the point value processor 370 when two players are
attempting to negotiate a transaction for sets of characters. As
another example, and as mentioned above, the development processor
350 may utilize the point value processor 370 to determine a new
point value for a character that has had one or more attribute
values adjusted during development of the character.
[0136] As discussed above, the processors, components, elements,
and/or functionality of the gaming system 300 may be implemented
alone or in combination in various forms in hardware, firmware,
and/or as a set of instructions in software, for example. Certain
embodiments may be provided as a set of instructions residing on a
computer-readable medium, such as a memory, hard disk, DVD, or CD,
for execution on a general purpose computer or other processing
device.
[0137] FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate examples of various screen
configurations for a client to a gaming system according to
embodiments of the present invention. The client may be similar to
the client 120, described above, for example. The gaming system may
be similar to the gaming system 100 and/or the gaming system 200
described above, for example.
[0138] More particularly, FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary screen
configuration for a matching interface for a competition in the
gaming system. For example, the matching interface may be used by a
player to specify one or more competition parameters and then
request the gaming system to match-up the player with another
player seeking a game. Alternatively, the player may select an
existing game from a list to manually match with another
player.
[0139] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary screen configuration for an
army selection interface for participating in a competition in the
gaming system. For example, the selection interface may provide a
list of the characters in the collection of a player. The player
may then select one or more characters to be placed into the army
being built for the competition. As characters are added to the
army, the gaming system may dynamically calculate a point value for
the characters to determine a total point value for the army. The
gaming system may compare the total point value for the army
against one or more competition parameters, such as minimum and/or
maximum point values to be involved in the competition. If the
player's army does not conform to the competition parameter(s), the
gaming system may notify the player of the discrepancy. Once the
player has met the competition parameter(s), the player may enter
the competition.
[0140] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram for a method 500 for
matching a player with another player in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. The method 500 includes the
following steps, which will be described below in more detail. At
step 510, an authentication request is received from a player. At
step 520, the player is authenticated. At step 530, a developable
character is selected from a set of characters associated with the
player. At step 540, a point value is determined for the selected
character based at least in part on an attribute. At step 550, a
point value is determined for the set of characters. At step 560,
the player is matched with a second player based at least in part
on the point value of the set of characters. The method 500 is
described with reference to elements of systems described above,
but it should be understood that other implementations are
possible. In addition, the method 500 refers to a set of
characters, but it should be understood that the term "set of
characters" may include the collection of a player, a subset of the
collection of the player, or a group of characters from the
collections of one or more players.
[0141] At step 510, an authentication request is received from a
player. The authentication request may be received over a network,
for example. The authentication request may be a username and
password, for example. The player may be similar to the player 110,
described above, for example. The authentication request may be
received at a server, similar to server 140 or server 200,
described above, for example. The authentication request may be
received by a communication processor similar to communication
processor 310, described above, for example.
[0142] At step 520, the player is authenticated. The player may be
similar to the player 110, described above, for example. The player
may be authenticated by an account processor similar to account
processor 320, described above, for example. The authentication may
be based on the authentication request received at step 510,
described above, for example. The player may be authenticated based
on a username and password, for example. For example, a username
and password may be received in an authentication request and
provided to an account processor. The account processor may compare
the password against a stored password associated with the
username. If the passwords match, the player may be
authenticated.
[0143] At step 530, developable character is selected from a set of
characters associated with the player. The developable character
may be selected based on a command from a player. The player may be
the player authenticated at step 520, described above, for example.
The set of characters may be the collection of the player, for
example. As another example, the selected character may be chosen
from an army of the player. As another example, the set of
characters may be associated with another player. For example, the
selected character may be chosen from the collection of another
player. Alternatively, the set of characters may be characters
available for auction. As another example, the set of characters
may be characters available for purchase from the gaming system.
The set of characters may be similar to the character set 265,
described above, for example.
[0144] The selected character is adapted to be developed. That is,
the character may include one or more attributes. The attributes
are adapted to be adjusted by the player. The attributes may
include characteristics, statistics, and/or abilities, for example.
For example, a character may have ratings for intelligence,
strength, speed, and/or dexterity. As another example, a character
may have attributes indicating offensive and/or defensive
capabilities and strengths. These attributes may affect the
character's performance in a competition such as a battle, for
example.
[0145] In certain embodiments, the character is selected using a
client similar to client 120, described above. Selecting the
character may involve communicating a requested selection from a
player, such as player 110, to a gaming engine. The gaming engine
may be similar to gaming engine 150 and/or gaming engine 250,
described above, for example.
[0146] In certain embodiments, the selected character may be
developed using a development processor similar to development
processor 350, described above. In certain embodiments, the
selected character is adapted to participate in a competition. The
competition may be provided by a competition component similar to
competition component 256, described above, for example. The
competition may be provided by a competition processor similar to
competition processor 330, described above, for example.
[0147] At step 540, a point value is determined for the selected
character based at least in part on an attribute. As described
above, the point value for the character may represent an effective
strength of the character. The point value may be determined for
the character selected at step 530, described above, for example.
The point value may be determined by a matching component similar
to matching component 258, described above, for example. The point
value may be determined by a point value processor similar to the
point value processor 370, described above, for example.
[0148] The point value of the character may be determined
dynamically. For example, the point value of the character may be
determined as part of the matching process. As another example, the
point value for the character may be determined prior to the
matching process. The point value for the character may be
determined after an attribute value of the character has been
adjusted, for example.
[0149] In certain embodiments, the point value of the character is
based at least in part on one or more attributes of the character.
For example, the point value of the character may be determined by
summing the attribute value of each attribute of the character. As
another example, the attribute value of certain attributes may be
given disproportionate weight based on, for example, the class or
type of the character. For example, a character with a class of
fighter may have extra weight given (e.g., a factor of 1.5 or 2) to
attributes that are of particular importance to the fighter class,
such as strength and melee weapon skills.
[0150] In certain embodiments, attributes used in determining the
point value of the character may include equipment. That is,
equipment of the character may be considered as an attribute for
the purposes of determining the point value of the character.
Alternatively, the effect of the equipment on one or more attribute
values of the character may be included when determining the point
value of the character. For example, the character may be equipped
with a sword that increases the value of the character's sword
skill attribute.
[0151] In certain embodiments, the point value of the character may
be based at least in part on one or more other characters in the
set of characters from which the character was selected. For
example, certain combinations of characters of different types
and/or abilities may result in increased or decreased point values
for those characters because of the advantage or disadvantage of
their combination. For example, a fighter character and a mage
character in the same character set may each amplify the point
value of the other character due to the broader coverage of
attributes they present. That is, the combination of the characters
may make for a more effective fighting force. As another example, a
set of characters consisting of characters of the same type and/or
attributes, may hinder the point value determination of one or more
characters in the set because each additional character of the same
type may bring less overall benefit. In certain embodiments, the
point value of a character in the set of characters may be based at
least in part on one or more other characters in the set of
characters of another player participating in the competition. For
example, the point value of a first character in one set of
characters may be reduced when another set of characters includes a
second character with attributes that effectively counter the first
character.
[0152] At step 550, a point value is determined for the set of
characters. The set of characters may be the set of characters from
which the character was selected at step 530, described above, for
example. The set of characters may be the collection of the player,
for example. Alternatively, the set of characters may include a
subset of the collection of the player, such as an army. Similar to
how the point value of a single character may represent an
effective strength of that character, the point value for a set of
characters may represent an effective strength of that set of
characters.
[0153] The point value for the set of characters may be determined
by a matching component similar to the matching component 258,
described above, for example. The point value for the set of
characters may be determined by a point value processor similar to
the point value processor 370, described above, for example.
[0154] The point value for the set of characters may be based at
least in part on a point value determined for a character in the
set of characters, such as the point value determined at step 540,
described above, for example. The point value determined for the
set of characters may be a total point value similar to the total
point value described above, for example. For example, the point
value for the set of characters may be determined by summing the
point value of each character in the set of characters. As another
example, the point value of certain characters, such as lower point
value characters, may be excluded from the determination of the
total point value for the set of characters.
[0155] At step 560, the player is matched with a second player
based at least in part on the point value of the set of characters.
The point value of the set of characters may be the point value of
the set of characters determined at step 550, described above, for
example. The player may be matched-up with the second player by a
matching component similar to matching component 258, described
above, for example. The player may be matched-up with the second
player by a matching processor similar to the matching processor
360, described above, for example.
[0156] The second player may be selected manually. For example, the
first player may indicate a second player from a list of available
players to match with. Alternatively, the second player may be
selected automatically. For example, the second player may be
selected from a list of available players seeking to be matched.
The second player may be selected automatically by the matching
component 258 and/or the matching processor 360, for example.
[0157] The players may be matched to participate in a competition,
for example. The competition may be supported by the competition
component 256 and/or the competition processor 330, described
above, for example. One or more competition parameters may be
utilized to match-up the players. The competition parameters may be
similar to the competition parameters discussed above, for example.
For example, a player 110 may request a competition with a
particular minimum, maximum, or range of point values. The
competition parameter may then be utilized to match the player with
the second player, for example. In certain embodiments, the players
may be matched to participate in an exchange.
[0158] Certain embodiments of the present invention may omit one or
more of these steps and/or perform the steps in a different order
than the order listed. For example, some steps may not be performed
in certain embodiments of the present invention. As a further
example, certain steps may be performed in a different temporal
order, including simultaneously, than listed above.
[0159] One or more of the steps of the method 500 may be
implemented alone or in combination in hardware, firmware, and/or
as a set of instructions in software, for example. Certain
embodiments may be provided as a set of instructions residing on a
computer-readable medium, such as a memory, hard disk, DVD, or CD,
for execution on a general purpose computer or other processing
device.
[0160] Thus, certain embodiments of the present invention provide a
gaming system that can determine an effective strength of a set of
characters as those characters develop over time. Certain
embodiments provide a gaming system that can match players based on
the determined effective strength of the respective sets of
characters of the players. Certain embodiments provide systems and
methods for point value based match-up in online gaming. Certain
embodiments of the present invention provide a technical effect of
a gaming system that determines an effective strength of a set of
characters as those characters develop over time. Certain
embodiments provide a technical effect of a gaming system that
matches players based on the determined effective strength of the
respective sets of characters of the players. Certain embodiments
of the present invention provide a technical effect of point value
based match-up in online gaming.
[0161] While the invention has been described with reference to
certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In
addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular
situation or material to the teachings of the invention without
departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the
invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed,
but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within
the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *