SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REINSTATING A PLAYER WITHIN A RHYTHM-ACTION GAME

• US 20080311970A1
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kay, Robert, Teasdale, Daniel, Schmidt, Dan, Foster, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,439,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/155 Musical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 : Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 : for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 : Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 : Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/435 : Gensound percussion, i.e. generating or synthesising the sound of a percussion instrument; Control of specific aspects of percussion sounds, e.g. harmonics, under the influence of hitting force, hitting position, settings or striking instruments such as mallet, drumstick, brush, hand spint percussion G10H2230/231
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/441 : Gensound string, i.e. generating the sound of a string instrument, controlling specific features of said sound spint piano G10H2230/065; spint stringed instruments G10H2230/075
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/146 : using a membrane, e.g. a drum; Pick-up means for vibrating surfaces, e.g. housing of an instrument

Abstract

Band members use their own performance during a song to reinstate a band member who has failed during the course of the song. Once a band member has failed, options are given to other members of the band who have achieved a predetermined bonus or performance level to save the fallen band member. Once saved, the failed member returns to normal play of the song. In this manner, failure still has the consequence of removing a player from a song at least temporarily, and perhaps permanently if bandmates are unable or unwilling to save the fallen member. However, by providing the option of reinstatement, band members can prevent their friends from long stretches of inactivity following a failure. This may have the added benefit of encouraging band members to perform strongly in order to be able to save their friends.

Claims

1. A method for reinstating a player within a rhythm action game, the method comprising:

a. changing the status of a first player of a rhythm-action game from an active play status to an inactive play status during a performance of a song;

b. determining that a value, associated with a second player of the rhythm-action game, exceeds a predetermined threshold;

c. detecting an action of the second player; and

d. reinstating the first player, in response to the determined value and the detected action, to an active play status during the performance of the song.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises changing, during a performance of a song, the status of a first player of a rhythm-action game from an active play status to an inactive play status in response to the first player'"'"'s performance falling below a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises:

removing, from a game display, a lane corresponding to the first player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises determining that the second player has successfully played a predetermined number of predetermined note phrases.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises displaying, to the second player, a graphical indication that the second player has the capability to reinstate the first player.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises detecting a tilt of a simulated musical instrument corresponding to the second player.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises detecting a sound from a microphone during a predetermined time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises detecting a strike of a drum pad corresponding to the second player at a predetermined time.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising progressively reducing a group score during the time while the first player'"'"'s play status is inactive.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing an amount of bonus allocated to the second player in response to the reinstatement.

11. Computer readable media comprising executable code for reinstating a player within a rhythm action game, the computer readable media having:

executable code for changing the status of a first player of a rhythm-action game from an active play status to an inactive play status during a performance of a song;

executable code for determining that a value, associated with a second player of the rhythm-action game, exceeds a predetermined threshold;

executable code for detecting an action of the second player; and

executable code for reinstating the first player, in response to the determined value and the detected action, to an active play status during the performance of the song.

12. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for changing, during a performance of a song, the status of a first player of a rhythm-action game from an active play status to an inactive play status in response to the first player'"'"'s performance falling below a predetermined threshold.

13. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for removing, from a game display, a lane corresponding to the first player.

14. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for determining that the second player has successfully played a predetermined number of predetermined note phrases.

15. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for displaying, to the second player, a graphical indication that the second player has the capability to reinstate the first player.

16. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for detecting a tilt of a simulated musical instrument corresponding to the second player.

17. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for detecting a sound from a microphone during a predetermined time.

18. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for detecting a strike of a drum pad corresponding to the second player at a predetermined time.

19. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for progressively reducing a group score during the time while the first player'"'"'s play status is inactive.

20. The computer readable media of claim 11, further comprising executable code for reducing an amount of bonus allocated to the second player in response to the reinstatement.