Squad Vs. Squad Video Game

• US 20100311483A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: York, James R. J., Fields, Timothy V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,491,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

A squad versus squad shooter video game receives input from one or more players via their respective use of controllers in communication with one or more console-based video game systems. The input from each controller is interpreted as a command to a squad in a competition against one or more other squads that are respectively commanded by one or more players via their respective use of controllers. Each squad includes a plurality of characters. Each player is assigned to one of the squads. Actions of each character in the video game are a function of commands given to that character by one of the players. Players can join or exit their assigned squad during game play.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling play of a third-person, squad-based shooter game by multiple players where at least a first player controls a first squad of characters and a second player controls a second squad of characters in competition against the first squad of characters; and

presenting different views of the competition so that the first player views the competition from a first perspective of the first squad of characters and the second player views the competition from a second perspective of the second squad of characters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises depicting the first perspective from a viewpoint associated with a character in the first squad of characters and the second perspective from a viewpoint associated with a character in the second squad of characters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises displaying the views on different displays.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises displaying the views within corresponding screen panels on a common display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding additional squads to accommodate new players who are playing the shooter video game.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling additional players to control characters in at least one of the first or second squads.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising enabling a player to quit the game and transferring control of a squad controlled by the quitting player to artificial intelligence.

8. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 1.

9. A method comprising:

facilitating play of a game title by one or more players commanding, via their respective use of controllers, a squad in a competition against one or more other squads that are respectively commanded by one or more players via their respective use of controllers, wherein;

each said squad includes a plurality of characters;

each said player is assigned to one said squad;

each said squad has at least one said player assigned thereto; and

action of each said character in the play of the game title is a function of a command given to that character by one said player.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein each said player:

directly commands one said character on their assigned squad and sees a display of a first or third person view corresponding to said directly commanded character; and

can give commands to any said character of their assigned squad that is not being directly commanded by another said player.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each said player can provide input via their respective controller so as to directly command another said character that is not being directly commanded by another said player.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each said player can provide input via their respective controller such that their directly commanded character:

engages in combat with the directly commanded character of another said squad; and

can see the directly commanded character of another said squad.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each said player can provide input via their respective controller to enter into a player versus AI mode during which their directly commanded character on their assigned squad engages in combat with one or more characters of another said squad that are not being directly commanded.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein during the player versus AI mode, each said player can see the one or more characters of another said squad that are not being directly commanded.

15. The method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

detecting, while any said player is playing the game title, a join condition indicating that a new player would like to join in playing the game title; and

upon detecting the join condition;

determining whether the new player is to form a new squad or join an existing said squad;

providing a screen display such that each of the new player and the other players view action through different, respective viewing panels; and

facilitating play of the game title by the new player and the other players with the respective squads that they command.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the join condition is generated as a result of the new player connecting a game controller to a gaming system running the game title.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the join condition is generated as a result of a gaming system running the game title being connected by the new player to another gaming system running the game title.

18. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the connection of the gaming system to the another gaming system is selected from the group consisting of:

an electrical cable that is connected to each said gaming system; and

a network with which each said gaming system is in communication.

19. The method as defined in claim 15, prior to the providing a screen display, further comprising presenting a join menu to indicate a new player is joining the game.

20. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein, when it is determined that the new player is to join an existing said squad, the method further comprises associating a first character from one said squad with one said player and associating a second character of the one said squad with the new player such that each said player controls one different said character of the squad.

21. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein, when it is determined that the new player is to form a new squad, the game title is a squad-based shooter game in which each said squad of characters enters combat against the new squad of characters, and the method further comprises assigning of the new squad of characters to the new player.

22. The method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

detecting, while any said player is playing the game title, an exit condition indicating that that one of the players is quitting play of the game title; and

upon detecting the exit condition;

determining the existence of a first condition or a second condition, wherein;

the first condition occurs, where the exiting player is the only said player commanding the squad to which the exiting player is assigned; and

the second condition occurs when the other said players are also assigned to command the squad to which the exiting player is assigned;

if the existence of the first condition is determined, then determining if the assigned squad of the exiting player is to be;

extinguished from the playing the game title;

controlled by a remaining said player that is currently sharing command of a remaining said squad;

or

controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) rather than by any said player;

if the existence of the second condition is determined, then associating a character to which the exiting player was associated to another said player that is assigned to the same said squad as the exiting player; and

eliminating a viewing panel of the exiting player.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the exit condition is generated as a result of the exiting player disconnecting a game controller from a gaming system running the game title.

24. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the exit condition is generated as a result of the disconnection of a gaming system running the game title from another gaming system running the game title.

25. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 9.

26. For use with one or more console-based video game systems, a storage medium storing a squad-on-squad shooter video game having instructions that, when executed on the one or more video game systems, performs acts comprising:

receiving commands for each of a plurality of characters on each said squad from a respective controller used by a player for making input to the video game console system, wherein each player is assigned and can give commands to the plurality of characters on one of the squads to engage in combat against all other said squads;

interpreting each said command as an action to be taken by one said character on the squad to which the respective player is assigned, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of;

a direct command to the one said character, not being directly commanded by another said player that is assigned to the squad, that is given by the respective player by an on-going input using the respective controller to control where that character moves, what that character sees, and how that character acts; and

an indirect command to the one said character, not being directly commanded by another said player that is assigned to the squad, that is given by the respective player by a one-time input using the respective controller that is interpreted by the AI to perform functions consistent with the one-time input including where to move and how to function in combat.

27. The storage medium as defined in claim 26, each said player can provide input via their respective controller to directly command one said character on their assigned squad to engage in combat with and see in a view panel a correspondingly directly commanded character of another said squad.

28. The storage medium as defined in claim 26, wherein any said action taken by any said character in the video game is a function of input from one said player via a respective said controller.

29. A console-based video game system, comprising:

a game console having memory and a processor; and

a shooter video game executed on the game console to facilitate squad versus squad action during which at least one player is assigned to control members of a squad to engage in combat against at least one other squad that is controlled by at least one other player that is assigned to the other squad.

30. The console-based video game system as defined in claim 29, wherein the shooter video game enlarges and reduces a number of the squads in combat to accommodate a number of players who are playing the shooter video game.

31. The console-based video game system as defined in claim 29, wherein:

the squad members are controlled by individual commands respectively given thereto by at least one other player that is assigned to the corresponding squad; and

the shooter video game enlarges and reduces a number of squad members on each said squad to accommodate a number of players assigned to each said squad who are playing the shooter video game.

32. A user interface comprising:

a first panel depicted on a display screen to depict combat action in a third-person, squad-based shooter game from a perspective of a first squad of characters being controlled by a first player; and

a second panel depicted on the display screen to depict the combat action from a perspective of a second squad of characters being controlled by a second player, the second squad being in combat with the first squad.