Placeholder items that can be exchanged for an item of value based on user performance

• US 10,245,514 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2018
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Pieron, Luc, Rull, Henry, Simmons, Kevin, McLellan, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US16/058,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20180345150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46

Abstract

Systems and methods for online gaming including virtual placeholder items that can be exchanged for virtual items of value based on a quantitative performance of the users relative other users in events that take place in the online game.

Claims

1. A system for online gaming including virtual placeholder items in an online game, wherein users can exchange the virtual placeholder items for virtual items of value based on user achievements during gameplay in the online game, wherein the users are associated with client computing platforms, wherein the users include a first user associated with a first client computing platform and a second user associated with a second client computing platform, the system comprising:

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

execute an instance of the online game, and use the instance of the online game to facilitate interaction of the users with the online game through the client computing platforms that are associated with the users;

manage inventories associated with the users in the online game, wherein the inventories include an inventory available to the second user, wherein the inventory includes a placeholder item which can be exchanged, based on user achievements in the online game, for a set of one or more virtual items of value that are usable in the online game, wherein a value of the set of one or more virtual items upon exchange is determined based on user achievements by the first user in the online game;

determine a first quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance involved the first user; and

exchange the placeholder item for the set of one or more virtual items, such that the value of the set of one or more virtual items is increased responsive to the first quantitative measure of performance being greater than a threshold level of performance, and further such that the value of the set of one or more virtual items is decreased responsive to the first quantitative measure of performance being less than the threshold level of performance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level of performance is determined based on a quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game by one or more users other than the first user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level of performance is determined based on a quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game by the second user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit game state information obtained from the instance of the game space over a network to the client computing platforms to facilitate presentation of views of the game space to the users on the client computing platforms.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the users interact with the online game through user input received from the users through the client computing platforms during gameplay.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the placeholder item is associated with the first quantitative measure of performance.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to facilitate sales of placeholder items through a shop interface by storing account information associated with the users on electronic storage media.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to host an event taking place in the online game, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance is determined based on gameplay during the event.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the value of the set of one or more virtual items is increased by replacing a common virtual item with a rare virtual item.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the value of the set of one or more virtual items is increased by increasing utility of a particular virtual item from the set of one or more virtual items, and wherein the value of the set of one or more virtual items is decreased by decreasing the utility of the particular virtual item.

11. A method of online gaming including virtual placeholder items in an online game, wherein users can exchange the virtual placeholder items for virtual items of value based on user achievements during gameplay in the online game, wherein the users are associated with client computing platforms, wherein the users include a first user associated with a first client computing platform and a second user associated with a second client computing platform, the method being implemented in a computer system including one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of the online game, and use the instance of the online game to facilitate interaction of the users with the online game through the client computing platforms that are associated with the users;

managing inventories associated with the users in the online game, wherein the inventories include an inventory available to the second user, wherein the inventory includes a placeholder item which can be exchanged, based on user achievements in the online game, for a set of one or more virtual items of value that are usable in the online game, wherein a value of the set of one or more virtual items upon exchange is determined based on user achievements by the first user in the online game;

determining a first quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance involved the first user; and

exchanging the placeholder item for the set of one or more virtual items, such that the value of the set of one or more virtual items is increased responsive to the first quantitative measure of performance being greater than a threshold level of performance, and further such that the value of the set of one or more virtual items is decreased responsive to the first quantitative measure of performance being less than the threshold level of performance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the threshold level of performance is determined based on a quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game by one or more users other than the first user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the threshold level of performance is determined based on a quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game by the second user.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting game state information obtained from the instance of the game space over a network to the client computing platforms to facilitate presentation of views of the game space to the users on the client computing platforms.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the users interact with the online game through user input received from the users through the client computing platforms during gameplay.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the placeholder item is associated with the first quantitative measure of performance.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

facilitating sales of placeholder items through a shop interface by storing account information associated with the users on electronic storage media.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

hosting an event taking place in the online game, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance are determined based on gameplay during the event.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the value of the set of one or more virtual items is increased by replacing a common virtual item with a rare virtual item.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the value of the set of one or more virtual items is increased by increasing utility of a particular virtual item from the set of one or more virtual items, and wherein the value of the set of one or more virtual items is decreased by decreasing the utility of the particular virtual item.