Character for computer game and method

• US 20070167204A1
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYLE Corporate Development
• Original Assignee: LYLE Corporate Development
• Inventors: Lyle, Brenton, Lyle, John, Ellsworth, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player

Abstract

A video game character or avatar is generated using images of the player so that the on-screen avatar being controlled by the player appears like the player. Answers to a questionnaire or a psychological profile are provided by the player to determine characteristics that the player views as desirable, which are used to generate a final version of the avatar. Iterations of the avatar appearance are generated from the initial appearance to the final, more desirable appearance. Using the avatar, as play of the game proceeds the player'"'"'s avatar begins as a character appearing like themselves and gradually becomes a character that is more as they would like to appear. The avatar increases the emotional impact of games by providing strong visual and psychological connections with the player. The avatar may instead begin from an initial character that does not appear similar to the player. The iterations may make the avatar gradually less appealing or with other changes in appearance, in some embodiments.

Claims

7. A method for providing an avatar for a role playing game, comprising the steps of:

generating an avatar component for a user from personal information of the user, and

providing said avatar component to a provider of a role playing game for utilization in the role playing game by the user.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

receiving the personal information from the user for said step of generating said avatar component.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of generating said avatar component includes the substeps of:

generating an initial avatar;

generating a final avatar; and

generating iterations between said initial avatar and said final avatar.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of providing said avatar component provides said avatar component to a provider of a first role playing game, and further comprising the step of:

providing said avatar component to a provider of a second role playing game for utilization in the second role playing game by the user.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of:

changing said avatar component provided for said first role playing game to match a style of said second role playing game.

12. A method for providing a character or avatar, comprising the steps of:

creating an initial avatar having an initial appearance;

creating a final avatar having a final appearance that differs from said initial appearance;

creating iterations of the avatar; and

providing said initial avatar, said iterations, and said final avatar for displayed images.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said initial avatar is derived from images received from a user.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said final avatar is created utilizing psychological information provided by the user.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said iterations are created utilizing said initial avatar and said psychological information provided by the user.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein said images received from the user include scalar information.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein said initial avatar is derived from psychological information provided by the user.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein said initial avatar is created utilizing an image of the user.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said image of the user includes scalar information.

20. A method for providing a character or avatar for a role playing game, comprising the steps of:

requesting user information;

accepting the user information from a user regarding an avatar to be generated;

generating an initial avatar from said user information;

generating a final avatar from said user information;

generating iterations between said initial avatar and said final avatar; and

providing said initial avatar and said final avatar and said iterations to a role playing game.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said user information includes images of the user.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said step of requesting user information includes providing a questionnaire, and

said step of accepting user information includes receiving answers to said questionnaire.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said user information accepted from the user includes psychological information about the user.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said user information accepted from the user includes images provided by the user.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of a number of iterations possible in the role playing game; and

generating a corresponding number of iterations of the avatar.

26. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said user information accepted from the user includes information about modifying the initial avatar.

27. An avatar or character, comprising:

a data set defining an appearance of an initial avatar, said initial avatar being based on user provided images and on parameters for a displayed character;

a data set defining an appearance of a final avatar, said final avatar being based on said initial avatar and on user psychological information, said final avatar having an appearance that differs from an appearance of said initial avatar;

a data set defining appearances of iterations of the avatar, said iterations of the avatar being defined by parameters for the displayed character and said initial avatar and said final avatar.

28. The avatar of claim 27, wherein said parameters for a displayed character includes a wireframe that defines at least one of a position and movements of the avatar;

said initial avatar data set includes appearance data that is applied over the wireframe; and

said final avatar and said iterations data sets being applied over the wireframe as needed.

29. A method for providing an avatar or game component, comprised of the following steps:

receiving personal information from a user;

generating an avatar from the personal information; and

providing said avatar to the user for a fee.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the fee includes periodic licensing to the user.

31. A method for providing an avatar or game component for use in a game operating on a game system, comprised of the following steps:

obtaining game system avatar parameters;

generating avatar generating processes for avatars used in said game system based on said game system avatar parameters; and

providing said avatar generating process to said game system.

1. A method for providing an avatar for a user, comprising the steps of:

receiving personal information from the user;

generating an avatar from the personal information; and

providing said avatar to the user for use in a displayed image.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said personal information received from the user includes psychological information about the user.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a questionnaire to the user, and

wherein said personal information received from the user includes answers to said questionnaire.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of generating said avatar includes the substeps of:

generating an initial avatar, and

generating a further avatar by applying the personal information of the user to the initial avatar.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said step of generating an initial avatar includes utilizing an image of the user.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said avatar is used in a role playing game.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of:

receiving personal information from a user of the game system;

offering personalized avatars to the user of said game system

generating a personalized avatar from the personal information in compliance with the game system parameters; and

providing said personalized avatar to said game system.

32-1. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the fee includes periodic licensing to the game system.

33. A method for providing information for directed advertising to a user, comprised of the following steps:

gathering personal information from a user for generation of a personalized avatar;

generating the personalized avatar;

providing the personalized avatar to the user for use in a display; and

providing the personal information to an advertiser for directed advertising for directed advertising to the user while said user uses said display.