COMPREHENSIVE SINGLE PAGE VIEW OF USER'S GAMING ACHIEVEMENTS

• US 20090082101A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ostergren, Brian, Stouffer, Trisha Eileen
• Granted Patent: US 8,262,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels

Abstract

A method is disclosed for providing comprehensive information of all game achievements on a single GUI of a gaming and media system. The achievements GUI lists all game achievements, whether locked or unlocked, and may visually differentiate between locked and unlocked achievements. Upon a user selecting a listed achievement, information relating to that achievement may be displayed on the same GUI, in an achievement descriptor area beside the area listing the achievements.

Claims

1. In a gaming and media system having a user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of providing information relating to achievements within a game application program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a graphical user interface on the display, a first portion of the graphical user interface displaying each achievement possible in the game application program;

(b) receiving an indication, via the user interface selection device, of a particular achievement displayed on the graphical user interface in said step (a); and

(c) displaying, on a second portion of the graphical user interface, a description of the particular achievement indicated in said step (b).

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an indication of which achievements displayed in said step (a) have been accomplished.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said indication comprises displaying achievements which have not been accomplished with a degree of transparency, and displaying achievements which have been accomplished opaquely.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, said step (c) further comprising displaying a first description if the indicated achievement has been accomplished and displaying a second description, different than the first description, if the indicated achievement has not been accomplished.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying, on a second portion of the graphical user interface, at least one of the score, status and name of the particular achievement indicated in said step (b).

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (b) of receiving an indication of a particular achievement comprises the step of placing focus on a particular achievement with the user interface selection device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display of each achievement possible in the game application program is dynamically expandable.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading the game application program into the gaming and media system over a network connection.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of loading the game application program into the gaming and media system from a portable memory media.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a gaming mode where a user may play the game presented by the game application program, wherein the user may switch between the gaming mode and the performance of said step (a) of displaying each achievement possible in the game application program by a single interaction with the user interface selection device.

11. A method of providing information relating to achievements within a game application program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) launching the game application program on a gaming and media system;

(b) caching data relating to which achievements from the game application program have been accomplished, said step (b) of data caching performed prior to any display of achievements after launching the game in said step (a);

(c) displaying on a single graphical screen of a display each achievement possible in the game application program;

(d) receiving an indication of a particular achievement displayed on the graphical user interface in said step (a); and

(e) displaying, on the single graphical screen of the display, at least one of;

i. a description of the particular achievement indicated in said step (d);

ii. the score associated with the particular achievement indicated in said step (d); and

iii. the status of the particular achievement indicated in said step (d).

12. A method of claim 11, further comprising repeating steps (d) and (e) for other achievements displayed in said step (c).

13. A method of claim 11, wherein said step (c) of displaying each achievement possible in the game application program comprises the step of displaying an icon representing each achievement possible in the game application program.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of providing an indication of which achievements displayed in said step (c) have been accomplished.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said indication comprises displaying achievements which have not been accomplished with a degree of transparency, and displaying achievements which have been accomplished opaquely.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, said step (e) further comprising displaying a first description if the indicated achievement has been accomplished and displaying a second description, different than the first description, if the indicated achievement has not been accomplished.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for programming a processor on a gaming and media system to perform a method of providing information relating to achievements within a game application program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) launching the game application program on a gaming and media system;

(b) caching data relating to which achievements from the game application program have been accomplished, said step (b) of data caching performed prior to any display of achievements after launching the game in said step (a);

(c) displaying on a single graphical screen of a display each achievement possible in the game application program, said step (c) comprising the step of visually differentiating between a first group of achievements which have not been accomplished and a second group of achievements which have been accomplished;

(d) receiving an indication of a particular achievement displayed on the graphical user interface in said step (a); and

(e) displaying, on the single graphical screen of the display, a description of the particular achievement indicated in said step (d), said step (e) comprising the step of displaying a first description for a particular achievement before it has been accomplished and displaying a second description for a particular achievement, different than the first description, after it has been accomplished.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of visually differentiating between the first and second groups comprises displaying achievements in the first group with a degree of transparency, and displaying achievements in the second group opaquely.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying, on the single graphical screen of the display, at least one of the score, status and name of the particular achievement indicated in said step (d).

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising a gaming mode where a user may play the game presented by the game application program, wherein the user may switch between the gaming mode and the performance of said step (c) of displaying each achievement possible in the game application program by a single interaction with a user interface selection device.