Video Game Environment

• US 20080004116A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew Stephen Van Luchene, Raymond Jay Mueller
• Original Assignee: Andrew Stephen Van Luchene, Raymond Jay Mueller
• Inventors: Mueller, Raymond Jay, Van Luchene, Andrew Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/428,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004116A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

The present disclosure provides various novel concepts to a video game environment. Video game environments that include a method for controlling the quantity of raw materials in and between games, where player characters invent items by creating blueprints that are registered to a virtual patent office and used by other player characters, that include methods for digital rights management, that include a method for providing inter and intra game exchanges between games, and that provide for the Initial Public Offering of game environments on an Inter Game Environment exchange are described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first video game environment;

receiving a blueprint for a game object from a first player character interacting in the first game environment;

obtaining a determination of registrability for the blueprint; and

if the blueprint is registrable, registering the game object in a virtual patent office.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing access to a database of blueprints for registered game objects to player characters interacting in the first game environment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the game object is constructed from one or more materials and the step of obtaining a determination of registrability comprises determining if the materials used to construct the object are acceptable.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining if the materials used to construct the object are acceptable comprises:

determining if the game environment comprises multiple game phases;

determining which game phase the first player character was interacting in when the blueprint was submitted for registration; and

determining if the materials used to construct the object exist in the game phase in which the first player character was interacting.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a request to purchase a blueprint for a registered game object from a second player character;

receiving payment for the blueprint from the second player character; and

authorizing the second player character to build the object in the blueprint.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each player character interacting in the game environment possesses one or more skills, the method further comprising:

determining the skills required to build the object in the blueprint;

determining whether the second player character possesses the required skills.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising only authorizing the player to build the object if the second player character possesses the required skills.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising, if the second player character does not possess the required skills, identifying to the second player character one or more other player characters who do possess the required skills.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining a license fee to be paid to the first character by the second player character.

10. A method comprising:

providing a video game environment;

providing a virtual exchange configured to allow for the sale and purchase of orders for game attributes;

receiving requests for sales and purchases of game attributes via the exchange from player characters interacting with the video game environment; and

altering the player accounts of the player characters according to the sales and purchases on the exchange.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a plurality of exchange seats for purchase by the player characters.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

Receiving requests from other player characters to remove a player character from an exchange seat; and

removing the player character from an exchange seat.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining if a player character fails to fulfill a sale or purchase order;

penalizing the player character if the player character has failed to fulfill a sale or purchase order.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the penalty is preclusion from further transactions.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining the authenticity of a game attribute that has been offered for sale on the exchange; and

if the game attribute is determined to be inauthentic, penalizing the player character who offered the game attribute for sale.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining a conversion rate for game attributes offered for sale on the exchange.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the exchange is configured to receive and manage requests for sales and purchases of game attributes between two or more game environments.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein managing requests comprises determining conversion rates between the two or more game environments.

19. A method comprising:

providing a game environment;

monitoring the activity of player characters in the game environment;

offering an initial public offering (IPO) of the game environment when the activity of the player characters reaches a threshold.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

determining the value of all the assets collected by all of the player characters in the game environment;

determining a total value for the game environment based on the value of all the assets collected by all of the players in the game environment; and

determining a price point for shares in the game environment based on the total value of the game environment.