SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASYNCHRONOUS BAND INTERACTION IN A RHYTHM ACTION GAME

• US 20100029386A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• 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: Brakeley, Daniel Asher, Pitsch, Geoff, Teasdale, Daniel Charles, Schmidt, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,678,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 2300/8047 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: 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

Provided are methods and systems and computer readable media for providing interaction between remote players and one or more local players of a rhythm-action game executed on a game platform. One or more local players is identified to participate in a networked session of a rhythm action game corresponding to a predetermined band template, each local player associated with a type of simulated musical instrument. A first type of simulated musical instrument, represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players, may then be identified, along with a remote player associated with the first type of simulated musical instrument. Then, game platforms of the local and remote players communicate to establish a networked session of the rhythm action game with the one or more local players and the identified remote player before initiating a game session where the players play the game.

Claims

1. A method for providing interaction between remote players and one or more local players of a rhythm-action game executed on a game platform, the method comprising:

a. identifying, by the game platform, one or more local players to participate in a networked session of a rhythm action game corresponding to a predetermined band template, each local player associated with a type of simulated musical instrument;

b. identifying, by the game platform, a first type of simulated musical instrument represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players;

c. identifying, by the game platform, a remote player associated with the first type of simulated musical instrument; and

d. communicating, by the game platform, with a game platform of the remote player, to establish a networked session of the rhythm action game with the one or more local players and the identified remote player before initiating a game session for the one or more local players and the identified remote player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the networked session of the rhythm action game further comprises a standby interface for the one or more local players and a standby interface for a remote player wherein the standby interfaces for the one or more local players and the remote player allow the one or more local players and remote player to perform actions that are part of the networked session, where the actions of the one or more local players are asynchronous with respect to the actions of the remote player.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the actions comprise avatar customization.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the actions comprise viewing a leaderboard.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the actions comprise viewing or altering a band profile.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the actions comprise indicating the player is ready to play.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the actions comprise the player participating in choosing an avatar.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising when all players have indicated that they are ready to play, synchronizing the networked session of all players, and initiating a gameplay session.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein if the identified remote player was previously added to a networked sessions with the local player and added to a band, the identified remote player is able to join the networked session without an invitation from the one or more local players.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more local players is identified after the remote player is identified.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, to the one or more local players, an option to search for a remote player.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, to the one or more local players, an option to allow one or more remote players to join.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, to the one or more local players, an option to invite a specific remote player.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises identifying a plurality of types of simulated musical instrument represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players;

and wherein step (c) comprises identifying a plurality of remote players, each remote player associated with a different one of the identified plurality of types of simulated musical instruments.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of remote players are local to each other.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises identifying a plurality of simulated musical instruments represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players;

and wherein step (c) comprises identifying a plurality of remote players, each remote player associated with one of the identified plurality of simulated musical instruments.

17. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, for providing interaction between remote players and one or more local players of a rhythm-action game, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

a. identify one or more local players to participate in a networked session of a rhythm action game corresponding to a predetermined band template, each local player associated with a type of simulated musical instrument;

b. identify a first type of simulated musical instrument represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players;

c. identify a remote player associated with the first type of simulated musical instrument; and

d. communicate with a game platform of the remote player, to establish a networked session of the rhythm action game with the one or more local players and the identified remote player before initiating a game session for the one or more local players and the identified remote player.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the networked session of the rhythm action game further comprises a standby interface for the one or more local players and a standby interface for a remote player wherein the standby interfaces for the one or more local players and the remote player allows the one or more local players and remote players to perform actions that are part of the networked session asynchronously from the other player.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the actions comprise avatar customization.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the actions comprise viewing a high score table.

21. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the actions comprise viewing or altering a band profile.

22. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the actions comprise indicating the player is ready to play.

23. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the actions comprise the player participating in choosing an avatar.

24. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising instructions operable to cause the data processing apparatus, when all players have indicated that they are ready to play, to synchronize the networked session of all players, and initiate a gameplay session.

25. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein if the identified remote player was previously added to a networked sessions with the local player and added to a band, the instructions are further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to allow the identified remote player to join the networked session without an invitation from the one or more local players.