GAME, SUCH AS ELECTRONIC COLLECTABLE AND CARD OR TRADABLE OBJECT GAME EMPLOYING CUSTOMIZABLE FEATURES

• US 20090023487A1
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wizards of The Coast LLC (Hasbro Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wizards of The Coast LLC (Hasbro Inc.)
• Inventors: Arjona, Ramon, Gutschera, Karl R., Buehler, Randy, Gilson, Frank, Sottosanti, Paul, Russell, Cormac, Bozzi, Brandon A., Forsythe, Aaron J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/10 Card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0615 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/602 with adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

A game employing user-modifiable game components, such as cards in a collectable card game, employs various features to provide user-modifiability, including sleeves, transparent cards, stickers, and other elements. Electronic versions of the game and various other features are included, including tracking of history associated with such components.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. An article of manufacture, comprising:

rule means for defining a goal of an electronic game and a series of actions of play of the electronic game for achieving the goal between two or more players; and

modifiable digital game piece means for use under the rule means, wherein at least some of the modifiable digital game piece means include;

multiple standard game piece means, wherein each standard game piece means includes text, symbols or colors that represent a standard power or effect that the standard game piece means has with respect to game play, and,

at least one indicia altering means for player-selected modification of at least one of the multiple standard game piece means, wherein the indicia altering means is configured to alter the text, symbols or colors of the at least one standard game piece means to thereby alter the standard power or effect to provide an altered power or effect that the at least one standard game piece means now has with respect to game play.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising a timer for providing a duration for the standard or altered power or effect.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the article of manufacture is a computer-readable medium.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein at least one of the modifiable game piece means has a first casting cost and a second casting cost, the first casting cost corresponding to the cost to cast the standard game piece means associated with the at least one of the modifiable game piece means and the second casting cost corresponding to the cost to cast the at least one of the modifiable game piece means after it is altered.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein each modifiable digital game piece means includes stored electronic data representing a history, the history including at least one of the following:

the number of games in which the digital object was played, the interactions between the digital object and other digital objects or game elements, the owners of the digital object, the three most recent owners of the digital object, opponents or enemies that the digital object has defeated, the number of times the digital object has been defeated, the number of battles the digital object has participated in, or the number of tournaments in which the digital object has participated and the digital object'"'"'s owner won.

18-20. -20. (canceled)

22. An electronic game, comprising:

predetermined rules of play, the Predetermined rules of play defining a winning condition; and

multiple independently playable digital objects configured to be used as game components, wherein the multiple independently playable digital objects interact with each other or with other digital objects under the predetermined rules of play and wherein each independently playable object does not represent a virtual character or an item in the possession of a virtual character;

wherein each of the multiple independently playable digital objects has a standard effect with respect to game play, and wherein each of the multiple independently playable digital objects includes;

a unique digital identifier, and

stored electronic data that represents a history of particular games in which that digital object was played, or a history of interactions of that digital object with particular other digital objects or with particular other game elements,

wherein when the stored history reaches a threshold, the digital object is modified, and wherein the modification includes a change to the standard effect or a change in appearance of that digital object.

23. The electronic game of claim 22 wherein the digital objects are miniatures with associated semiconductor memory, RFID tags, or electronic cards, and wherein the stored history includes a number of times that the digital object has defeated a particular type of game element or other digital object.

25. The electronic game of claim 22 wherein at least some of the digital objects may be modified by a user by being logically combined with at least some of the other digital objects to provide customized combined digital objects that have effects that are improved over the standard effects.

37. The electronic game of claim 22 wherein each of the multiple independently playable objects has a casting cost and wherein when the stored history reaches a threshold, the casting cost increases.

38. The electronic game of claim 22 wherein when a game does not last more than a threshold amount of time, the game and the interactions that took place during the game are not stored in the electronic data of any of the multiple independently playable digital objects.

39. The electronic game of claim 22 wherein each of the multiple independently playable objects includes stored electronic data representing a history, the history including at least one of the following:

number of games in which the digital object was played, the interactions between the digital object and other digital objects or game elements, the owners of the digital object, the three most recent owners of the digital object, enemies that the digital object has killed, the number of times the digital object has been killed, the number of battles the digital object has participated in, or the number of tournaments in which the digital object has participated and the digital object'"'"'s owner won.

24. (canceled)

26. A method for use with an electronic game, the method comprising:

obtaining a group of multiple digital objects for use as game components, wherein each of the digital objects in the group are randomly distributed, and wherein each of the digital objects in the group have at least two different levels of distribution rarity, wherein the levels of rarity include common and uncommon;

returning two or more of the digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects; and

,

receiving at least one new digital object in response to the returned two or more digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein each of the multiple digital objects includes a unique digital identifier.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein returning a certain number of common digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects results in receiving one new, randomly-generated, uncommon digital object.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising a third level of rarity, wherein the levels of rarity include common, uncommon, and rare.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein when two common digital objects are returned, an uncommon digital object is received and when two uncommon digital objects are returned, an uncommon or rare digital object is received.

31. A method for use with an electronic game, the method comprising:

obtaining an indication of predetermined rules of play;

obtaining multiple independently playable digital objects configured to be used as game components under the predetermined rules of play, wherein each independently playable digital object includes;

a unique identifier,

an associated level,

a casting cost,

a standard effect with respect to game play,

stored annotated notes, the annotated notes representing notes added to the digital object by a player, and

stored electronic data representing a history, the history including at least two of the following;

the number of games in which the digital object was played, the interactions between the digital object and other digital objects or game elements, the owners of the digital object, the three most recent owners of the digital object, enemies or opponents that the digital object has defeated, the number of times the digital object has been defeated, the number of battles the digital object has participated in, or the number of tournaments in which the digital object has participated and the digital object'"'"'s owner won;

providing a user interface through which the stored electronic history can be accessed;

causing a first one of the multiple independently playable digital objects to interact with at least one of the other multiple independently playable objects under the predetermined rules of play;

updating the stored electronic history of the first one of the multiple independently playable objects;

when it is determined that the stored electronic history has reached a threshold, modifying the digital object, the modification including a change to at least one of the digital object'"'"'s standard effect, the appearance of the digital object, the associated level of the digital object, or casting cost of the digital object; and

sending an indication of the interaction to a central database, the indication of the interaction including the unique identifiers associated with each of the multiple independently playable digital objects involved in the interaction.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

providing an electronic game board, wherein the multiple independently playable digital objects interact with each other via the electronic game board and the electronic game board stores an indication of the interactions between the multiple independently playable digital objects.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

causing an independently playable creature digital object to mutate by;

selecting an independently playable non-creature digital object, and

combining the independently playable creature digital object and the selected independently playable non-creature digital object to create a unique independently playable creature object.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

causing an independently playable creature digital object to evolve by;

selecting a second independently playable creature digital object, and

combining the first and second independently playable creature digital objects to create a unique independently playable creature object.