Internet gaming system
First Claim
1. A method of conducting a network gaming system that utilizes a plurality of remote terminals coupled to a game server, said method comprising:
- assigning an identification code to each of a plurality of players wherein each player is uniquely identified by their corresponding identification code;
receiving identification codes with the game server from players at the remote terminals and verifying that the received identification codes correspond to authorized identification codes;
prompting the authorized players at the remote terminals to create characters associated with the players by selecting a set of character attributes for each character;
forming groups of player created characters into teams;
scheduling games between the teams of player created characters;
conducting the scheduled games; and
storing the results of the games on the game server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An internet gaming system that provides an improved method and apparatus for playing multi-player internet games is provided by the present invention. The gaming system allows a player to create character and select of number of the characters attributes. Multiple characters are then organized into internet teams or leagues. The attributes of the team such as its logo, colors, name, etc. are also selected by the players on the team. A team chat room is created to provide an area for team members to discuss their performance in a prior game or their strategy for an upcoming game. The gaming system then facilitates scheduling of games between teams that are registered with the game server. After a game is played, experience points are allocated to the characters based upon their performance during a game. These experience points can be spent by the players to upgrade their characters performance. To improve the flow of the game play, the amount of static information transmitted between the game server and the remote terminals is minimized.
69 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of conducting a network gaming system that utilizes a plurality of remote terminals coupled to a game server, said method comprising:
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assigning an identification code to each of a plurality of players wherein each player is uniquely identified by their corresponding identification code;
receiving identification codes with the game server from players at the remote terminals and verifying that the received identification codes correspond to authorized identification codes;
prompting the authorized players at the remote terminals to create characters associated with the players by selecting a set of character attributes for each character;
forming groups of player created characters into teams;
scheduling games between the teams of player created characters;
conducting the scheduled games; and
storing the results of the games on the game server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of conducting an internet video game managed by a central game server and played by a plurality of players viewing a game screen image at a plurality of remote terminals, said method comprising:
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assigning a character to each player at a remote terminal;
forming a plurality of characters into at least two teams;
creating a virtual playing field on central server;
determining a set of static data and initial character attribute data that is necessary for the remote terminal to display the game screen image to the players wherein the static data will not change during the course of a game and saving the static data and initial character attribute data on a remote terminal memory at each of the remote terminals;
displaying an initial game screen image having the player'"'"'s characters in their initial state on the remote terminals based upon the static and initial character attribute data;
receiving requests for changes in a character'"'"'s attributes from the remote terminals with the game server;
determining a set of dynamic data based on the received requests wherein the dynamic data specifies changes in the character'"'"'s attributes;
transmitting the dynamic data to the remote terminals;
calculating new game screen image data at the remote terminal based upon the stored static data and the received dynamic data;
and displaying a new screen image on the remote terminal based upon the new game screen image data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for implementing a game over a network, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of remote terminals for interfacing a plurality of players with the network;
a game server for managing the game and communicating with the plurality of remote terminals wherein the game server comprises;
a character attribute memory for storing character attribute data relating to a character associated with a player at a remote terminal wherein at least a portion of the character attribute data has been received from a player at a remote terminal;
a team attribute memory for storing team attribute data relating to a selected team of characters; and
a chat room system for providing a format for players to discuss the characters and game. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification