System for multi-user communications using discrete video game platforms
First Claim
1. A game-playing system comprising:
- a plurality of game-playing devices, each game-playing device being configured to execute, using a processor thereof, game software, the game software including instructions to establish a unique gaming environment for the game-playing device on which it is being executed, the respective gaming environments each including resident characters and being based at least in part on random data; and
at least one physically movable, portable handheld object including non-volatile read/write memory that tangibly stores game character-related data usable in connection with the game software, the at least one object being intermittently coupleable to individual ones of the game-playing devices, wherein the at least one object is not a game-playing device in the plurality of game-playing devices;
wherein a first game-playing device from the plurality of game-playing devices executing game software thereon is configured to present a first gaming environment and, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed thereon;
read character-related data from the at least one object to activate an avatar in the first gaming environment, the avatar having attributes defined at least in part by the read character-related data and being usable in the first gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the first game-playing device,modify the character-related data,write the modified character-related data to the at least one object, andmake the avatar unavailable in the first gaming environment, responsive to decoupling of the at least one object from the first game-playing device, the first game-playing device still permitting player-interaction with the first gaming environment even though the at least one object is no longer coupled thereto;
wherein a second game-playing device from the plurality of game-playing devices, different from the first game-playing device, executing game software thereon, is configured to present a second gaming environment that is different from the first gaming environment and;
responsive to the at least one object being coupled to the second game-playing device after the modified character-related data has been written to the at least one object, read the modified character-related data from the at least one object to activate the avatar in the second gaming environment, the avatar now having modified attributes defined at least in part by the read modified character-related data and now being usable in the second gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the second game-playing device, andfurther modify the modified character-related data, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed on the second game-playing device;
wherein the at least one object is manufactured to include a human-perceivable visual appearance that correlates with how the avatar is to be displayed in the gaming environments presented by the respective game-playing devices;
wherein successive coupling operations involving the at least one object enable a further character, different from the avatar, to be made available in the gaming environments of successively coupled-to game-playing devices without human game-player knowledge of at least the initial transfer to the at least one portable object.
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Abstract
A multi-user video game with communications capabilities allows players to communicate with one another via simulated mail, leaflets and conversations. Different installations of the game on different discrete video game playing platforms may be unique or different depending upon random or other data available at the platform. For example, different installations may have different subsets of characters, different landscapes, or the like. Player characters from one virtual environment or village may visit another virtual environment or village and return home to his or her resident environment or village. Non-player characters may move from one virtual environment or village to another—thereby providing an ever-changing variety of characters. Communications between different game playing platforms can be provided via portable memory devices, portable game playing devices, or conventional communications means such as networks.
45 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A game-playing system comprising:
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a plurality of game-playing devices, each game-playing device being configured to execute, using a processor thereof, game software, the game software including instructions to establish a unique gaming environment for the game-playing device on which it is being executed, the respective gaming environments each including resident characters and being based at least in part on random data; and at least one physically movable, portable handheld object including non-volatile read/write memory that tangibly stores game character-related data usable in connection with the game software, the at least one object being intermittently coupleable to individual ones of the game-playing devices, wherein the at least one object is not a game-playing device in the plurality of game-playing devices; wherein a first game-playing device from the plurality of game-playing devices executing game software thereon is configured to present a first gaming environment and, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed thereon; read character-related data from the at least one object to activate an avatar in the first gaming environment, the avatar having attributes defined at least in part by the read character-related data and being usable in the first gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the first game-playing device, modify the character-related data, write the modified character-related data to the at least one object, and make the avatar unavailable in the first gaming environment, responsive to decoupling of the at least one object from the first game-playing device, the first game-playing device still permitting player-interaction with the first gaming environment even though the at least one object is no longer coupled thereto; wherein a second game-playing device from the plurality of game-playing devices, different from the first game-playing device, executing game software thereon, is configured to present a second gaming environment that is different from the first gaming environment and; responsive to the at least one object being coupled to the second game-playing device after the modified character-related data has been written to the at least one object, read the modified character-related data from the at least one object to activate the avatar in the second gaming environment, the avatar now having modified attributes defined at least in part by the read modified character-related data and now being usable in the second gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the second game-playing device, and further modify the modified character-related data, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed on the second game-playing device; wherein the at least one object is manufactured to include a human-perceivable visual appearance that correlates with how the avatar is to be displayed in the gaming environments presented by the respective game-playing devices; wherein successive coupling operations involving the at least one object enable a further character, different from the avatar, to be made available in the gaming environments of successively coupled-to game-playing devices without human game-player knowledge of at least the initial transfer to the at least one portable object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37)
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20. A game-playing system comprising:
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a plurality of game-playing devices, each game-playing device being configured to execute, using a processor thereof, game software, the game software including instructions to establish a unique gaming environment for the game-playing device on which it is being executed; and at least one physically movable, portable handheld object including non-volatile read/write memory that tangibly stores game character-related data usable in connection with the game software, the at least one object being coupleable to and decoupleable from individual ones of the game-playing devices, wherein the at least one object is not a game-playing device in the plurality of game-playing devices; wherein each game-playing device from the plurality of game-playing devices executing game software thereon is configured to present its respective gaming environment and, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed thereon; read character-related data from the at least one object to activate an avatar in the respective gaming environment, the avatar having attributes defined at least in part by the read character-related data and being usable in the respective gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the respective game-playing device, modify the character-related data, write the modified character-related data to the at least one object, and make the avatar unavailable in the respective gaming environment, responsive to decoupling of the at least one object from the respective game-playing device, the respective game-playing device still permitting player-interaction with the respective gaming environment even though the at least one object is decoupled therefrom; wherein the at least one object has a visual appearance that correlates with how the avatar is to be displayed across gaming environments presented by the game-playing device from the plurality of game-playing devices that are executing the game software thereon; wherein the game character-related data is updatable on the at least one object in response to each successive coupling to a game-playing device; and wherein successive coupling operations involving the at least one object enable a game object, different from and unrelated to the avatar, to be made available in the gaming environments of successively coupled-to game-playing devices without human game-player knowledge of at least the initial transfer to the at least one portable object. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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21. A game-playing device, comprising:
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a processor configured to execute game software including instructions to establish a unique gaming environment for the game-playing device; and circuitry configured to enable the game-playing device to couple to and decouple from at least one physically movable, portable handheld object including non-volatile read/write memory that tangibly stores game character-related data usable in connection with the game software, wherein the at least one object also is coupleable to and decoupleable from individual ones of a plurality of other game-playing devices that are different from the game-playing device, and wherein the at least one object is not a game-playing device in the plurality of game-playing devices and is not the game-playing device; wherein the game-playing device is configured to present the gaming environment established thereon and, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed thereon; read character-related data from the at least one object to activate an avatar in the gaming environment established on the game-playing device, the avatar having attributes defined at least in part by the read character-related data and being usable in the gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the game-playing device, modify the character-related data, write the modified character-related data to the at least one object, and make the avatar unavailable in the gaming environment established on the game-playing device, responsive to decoupling of the at least one object from the game-playing device, the game-playing device continuing to permit player-interaction with the gaming environment even though the at least one object is no longer coupled thereto; wherein the at least one object includes a visual appearance that correlates with how the avatar is to be displayed in the gaming environments; wherein the game character-related data is updatable on the at least one object in response to successive couplings to the game-playing device and the other game-playing devices; wherein successive coupling operations involving the at least one object enable a further character, different from the avatar, to be made available in gaming environments provided by successively coupled-to game-playing devices; and wherein the further character is made available in the gaming environments of the successively coupled-to game-playing devices by copying, rather than moving, the further character to the gaming environments of the successively coupled-to game-playing devices, the further character being independently operable in the gaming environments. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for a game software that, when executed by a processor of a game-playing device, control the game-playing device to:
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establish a unique gaming environment for the game-playing device; enable the game-playing device to couple to and decouple from at least one physically movable, portable handheld object including non-volatile read/write memory that tangibly stores game character-related data usable in connection with the game software, wherein the at least one object also is coupleable to and decoupleable from individual ones of a plurality of other game-playing devices that are different from the game-playing device, and wherein the at least one object is not a game-playing device in the plurality of game-playing devices and is not the game-playing device; and present the established gaming environment and, consistent with player-interaction with the game software being executed; read character-related data from the at least one object to activate an avatar in the established gaming environment, the avatar having attributes defined at least in part by the read character-related data and being usable in the established gaming environment conditioned on the at least one object being coupled to the game-playing device, the avatar resembling a human-perceivable graphical aspect of the at least one object; modify the character-related data, write the modified character-related data to the at least one object, and make the avatar unavailable in the established gaming environment, responsive to decoupling of the at least one object from the game-playing device, but continuing to facilitate player-interaction with the established gaming environment; wherein the game character-related data is updatable on the at least one object in response to successive couplings to the game-playing device and the other game-playing devices; wherein successive coupling operations involving the at least one object enable a further character, different from the avatar, to be made available in gaming environments provided by successively coupled-to game-playing devices; and wherein the further character is made available in the gaming environments of the successively coupled-to game-playing devices by copying, rather than moving, the further character to the gaming environments of the successively coupled-to game-playing devices. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification