Game achievements system

• US 20060122716A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Curley, Vincent H., Chen, Ling Tony, Lamb, Steven D., Macauley, James David, Bortnik, Michal, Jen, James Hsi-Kai
• Granted Patent: US 7,887,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00

Abstract

Systems and method for providing a game achievements system where players are rewarded with game achievements based on mastering certain in-game facets of the games they play. Each game achievement may be conveyed in a profile as a badge or trophy, title, description, date, etc. Players may also accumulate points based on game achievements. A display interface may be made available such that a player may see his achievements and total points, as well as those of others.

Claims

1. A method of providing a game achievements system in a gaming environment, comprising:

defining system achievements;

receiving definitions of predetermined in-game achievements;

tracking player activity to capture occurrences of said system achievements and said predetermined in-game achievements; and

aggregating occurrences of said system achievements and said predetermined in-game achievements during game play into a profile associated with a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a predetermined number of points to each system achievement;

aggregating said predetermined number of system achievement points into said profile; and

maintaining an aggregate number of points for said profile.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning a predetermined number of points to each in-game achievement; and

aggregating said predetermined number of in-game achievement points into said profile.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said predetermined number of points is a weighted valued based on a total number of points available.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said total number of points assigned to in-game achievements for a specified game is determined in accordance with a difficulty of said specified game.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said total number of points assigned to said system achievements is fixed for all games.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a display user interface wherein said profile is published for viewing.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying said aggregate number of points in said display user interface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said display user interface includes at least one of a trophy, title, description, date, screen snapshot and media captured when a player earned said in-game achievement.

10. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for providing a game achievements system in a gaming environment, said instructions comprising steps for:

defining system achievements;

receiving definitions of predetermined in-game achievements;

tracking player activity to capture occurrences of said system achievements and said predetermined in-game achievements; and

aggregating occurrences of said system achievements and said predetermined in-game achievements during game play into a profile associated with a user.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for:

assigning a predetermined number of points to each system achievement;

aggregating said predetermined number of system achievement points into said profile; and

maintaining an aggregate number of points for said profile.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

assigning a predetermined number of points to each in-game achievement; and

aggregating said predetermined number of in-game achievement points into said profile.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said predetermined number of points is a weighted valued based on a total number of points available.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein said total number of points assigned to in-game achievements for a specified game is determined in accordance with a difficulty of said specified game.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein said total number of points assigned to said system achievements is fixed for all games.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for providing a display user interface wherein said profile is published for viewing.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for displaying said aggregate number of points in said display user interface.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said display user interface includes at least one of a trophy, title, description, date, screen snapshot and media captured when a player earned said in-game achievement.

19. A system for providing game achievements in a gaming environment, comprising:

an offline player achievement tracking mechanism that tracks offline player activity during periods when a player is not communicatively connected to said online gaming environment;

an online player achievement tracking mechanism that tracks online player activity during online sessions with said online gaming environment; and

an aggregation mechanism that receives data regarding offline player activity and said online player activity and aggregates said offline player activity and said online player activity into a player profile.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said aggregation mechanism makes said profile available for viewing by players registered with said online gaming environment.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said system assigns a point value to said offline player activity and said online player activity.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said aggregation mechanism totals said point value and saves a total number of points in said profile.