Systems and methods for making progress of a user character obtained in an online game via a non-virtual reality interface available in a virtual reality interface

• US 10,035,068 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Huttula, Tomi
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US15/048,920
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A system and method for making progress of a user character obtained in an online game via a non-virtual reality interface available in a virtual reality interface. The online game may be played via multiple platforms including virtual reality platforms and non-virtual reality platforms. The actions available to be performed by users via the non-virtual reality platforms may be limited compared to the actions available to be performed via the virtual reality platforms. Gameplay progress made by a user through actions requested via a non-virtual reality platform may be monitored. An amount of a virtual resource may be awarded based on the progress, and/or exchanged for an enhancement of an ability for a virtual character controlled by the user in the online game. The ability may be enhanced such that the enhancement is reflected in the online game via the virtual reality platform.

Claims

1. A system that makes progress of a user character obtained in an online game via a non-virtual reality interface available in a virtual reality interface, the system comprising:

one or more physical computer processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

execute a game instance of the online game played via multiple platforms, and use the game instance to generate game state information that is transmitted to client computing platforms over a network, the game state information facilitating presentation of views of the online game to users via the client computing platforms, wherein execution of the game instance further enables interaction by the users with the online game and/or each other by performing operations in the game instance in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms, wherein the client computing platforms include virtual reality platforms and non-virtual reality platforms, the virtual reality platforms including a first platform that provides a virtual reality interface to a first user, and the non-virtual reality platforms including a second platform that provides a non-virtual reality interface to the user;

wherein performing actions available to be performed by the first user in the online game via the second platform provides more gameplay progress and/or similar gameplay progress faster to the first user than performing same or similar actions via the first platform;

monitor gameplay progress made by the first user through actions requested via the second platform;

award an amount of a virtual resource to the first user for the gameplay progress made by the first user through actions requested via the second platform, the virtual resource being redeemable for enhanced abilities for one or more virtual characters controlled by the first user in the online game;

receive a request from the second platform to exchange at least a portion of the amount of the virtual resource for an enhancement of a first ability for a first virtual character controlled by the first user in the online game;

enhance the first ability for the first virtual character in response to receipt of the request; and

wherein enhancement of the first ability for the first virtual character in response to receipt of the request is reflected in the online game via the first platform, such that the first user is able to perform actions within the virtual reality interface in accordance with the enhancement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first ability includes one or more of an ability to access a game level, an ability to access game content, an ability to access and/or use virtual items, stamina, healing rate, respawn rate, skill, power, an ability to perform one or more actions, and/or resistance of or for the first virtual character.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual resource includes one or more of virtual currency, virtual items, points, energy, non-player characters, building materials, and/or natural virtual resources.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the gameplay progress made by the user through actions requested via the second platform includes one or more of defeating a boss, achieving a level, winning a battle, resisting an attack, building and/or rebuilding a virtual entity, healing a user character and/or a non-user character, unlocking game content, developing a skill, and/or completing one or more experience segments of the online game.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second platform includes a mobile device including one or more of a smart phone, tablet, and/or laptop computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first platform includes a virtual reality head-mounted display device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

transmit the game state information over the network causing the first platform to present the views of the online game to the first user via a head-mounted display device associated with the first platform.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality interface has a higher interactive potential than the non-virtual reality interface, the interactive potential indicating a level of interactions, inputs, and/or views available to the users in the virtual reality interface provided via the first platform and the non-virtual reality interface provided via the second platform.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the actions requested via the second platform cannot be requested by the first user via the first platform.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second platform has limited functionality compared to the first platform and wherein the actions available to be performed by the first user in the online game via the second platform are limited compared to the actions available to be performed via the first platform.

11. A game server implemented method that makes progress of a user character obtained in an online game via a non-virtual reality interface available in a virtual reality interface, the method being implemented by a computer system including one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing a game instance of the online game played via multiple platforms, and use the game instance to generate game state information that is transmitted to client computing platforms over a network, the game state information facilitating presentation of views of the online game to users via the client computing platforms, wherein execution of the game instance further enables interaction by the users with the online game and/or each other by performing operations in the game instance in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms, wherein the client computing platforms include virtual reality platforms and non-virtual reality platforms, the virtual reality platforms including a first platform that provides a virtual reality interface to a first user, and the non-virtual reality platforms including a second platform that provides a non-virtual reality interface to the user;

wherein performing actions available to be performed by the first user in the online game via the second platform provides more gameplay progress and/or similar gameplay progress faster to the first user than performing same or similar actions via the first platform;

monitoring gameplay progress made by the first user through actions requested via the second platform;

awarding an amount of a virtual resource to the first user for the gameplay progress made by the first user through actions requested via the second platform, the virtual resource being redeemable for enhanced abilities for one or more virtual characters controlled by the first user in the online game;

receiving a request from the second platform to exchange at least a portion of the amount of the virtual resource for an enhancement of a first ability for a first virtual character controlled by the first user in the online game;

enhancing the first ability for the first virtual character in response to receipt of the request; and

wherein enhancement of the first ability for the first virtual character in response to receipt of the request is reflected in the online game via the first platform, such that the first user is able to perform actions within the virtual reality interface in accordance with the enhancement.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first ability includes one or more of an ability to access a game level, an ability to access game content, an ability to access and/or use virtual items, stamina, healing rate, respawn rate, skill, power, an ability to perform one or more actions, and/or resistance of or for the first virtual character.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual resource includes one or more of virtual currency, virtual items, points, energy, non-player characters, building materials, and/or natural virtual resources.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the gameplay progress made by the user through actions requested via the second platform includes one or more of defeating a boss, achieving a level, winning a battle, resisting an attack, building and/or rebuilding a virtual entity, healing a user character and/or a non-user character, unlocking game content, developing a skill, and/or completing one or more experience segments of the online game.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second platform includes a mobile device including one or more of a smart phone, tablet, and/or laptop computer.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first platform includes a virtual reality head-mounted display device.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the game state information over the network causing the first platform to present the views of the online game to the first user via a head-mounted display device associated with the first platform.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual reality interface has a higher interactive potential than the non-virtual reality interface, the interactive potential indicating a level of interactions, inputs, and/or views available to the users in the virtual reality interface provided via the first platform and the non-virtual reality interface provided via the second platform.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the actions requested via the second platform cannot be requested by the first user via the first platform.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the second platform has limited functionality compared to the first platform and wherein the actions available to be performed by the first user in the online game via the second platform are limited compared to the actions available to be performed via the first platform.