System for Creating and Operating Three-Dimensional Vehicles from Pre-Constructed Parts

• US 20120129597A1
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roblox Corp.
• Original Assignee: Roblox Corp.
• Inventors: Baszucki, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,277,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

A game system involves software executing from a machine-readable physical medium on a computerized appliance, an interactive interface provided by the software and accessible to a client, enabling the client to participate in a video game incorporating an avatar associated with the client, a jumbled association of parts of a specific vehicle represented in a scene in the video game, and one or more trigger devices available to the client, individual trigger devices associated with different specific vehicles. Applying a trigger device from the one or more devices to the association of parts, if the device is associated with that specific vehicle, causes the parts to rearrange in the interactive interface into a recognizable vehicle operable by the avatar manipulated by the client.

Claims

1. A game system, comprising:

software executing from a machine-readable physical medium on a computerized appliance;

an interactive interface provided by the software and accessible to a client, enabling the client to participate in a video game incorporating an avatar associated with the client;

a jumbled association of parts of a specific vehicle represented in a scene in the video game; and

one or more trigger devices available to the client, individual trigger devices associated with different specific vehicles;

wherein applying a trigger device from the one or more devices to the association of parts, if the device is associated with that specific vehicle, causes the parts to rearrange in the interactive interface into a recognizable vehicle operable by the avatar manipulated by the client.

2. The game system of claim 1 wherein the software executes on a server connected to the Internet network, and the client accesses the interactive interface from a second computerized alliance also connected to the Internet network.

3. The game system of claim 1 wherein the trigger device is a specific command provided by the client through an input mechanism.

4. The game system of claim 1 wherein the trigger device is a token displayed in the scene and movable by the client by manipulating the avatar.

5. The game system of claim 1 wherein the scene includes landscape elements, and a type of specific vehicle for an association of parts may be suggested by a type of landscape element proximate the association of parts.

6. The game system of claim 5 wherein the landscape element is a body of water, and the specific vehicle is a boat.

7. The game system of claim 5 wherein the specific type of vehicle is one of a boat, a hovercraft, an airplane, an automobile, a truck, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a scooter, a unicycle, a train, or an animal that may be mounted and ridden.

8. The game system of claim 4 wherein the token is an identifiable part associated with the specific type of vehicle of the association of parts.

9. The game system of claim 8 wherein the identifiable part is a seat for the vehicle.

10. The game system of claim 1 wherein the rearrangement of parts into a recognizable vehicle is accompanied by a display of instructions for operating the vehicle.

11. A method for providing a vehicle for an avatar in a game system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) presenting to a client in a scene of a video game in an interactive interface provided by software executing from a machine-readable physical medium on a computerized appliance, a jumbled association of parts of a specific vehicle, the interactive interface enabling the client to manipulate an avatar associated with the client;

(b) initiating by the client a trigger device, from a plurality of trigger devices each associated with a different specific vehicle; and

(c) causing, by the initiation of the trigger device, the association of parts to resolve in the scene into a recognizable vehicle operable by the client through the avatar.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the software executes on a server connected to the Internet network, and the client accesses the interactive interface from a second computerized alliance also connected to the Internet network.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the trigger device is a specific command provided by the client through an input mechanism.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the trigger device is a token displayed in the scene and movable by the client by manipulating the avatar.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the scene includes landscape elements, and a type of specific vehicle for an association of parts may be suggested by a type of landscape element proximate the association of parts.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the landscape element is a body of water, and the specific vehicle is a boat.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the specific type of vehicle is one of a boat, a hovercraft, an airplane, an automobile, a truck, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a scooter, a unicycle, a train, or an animal that may be mounted and ridden.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the token is an identifiable part associated with the specific type of vehicle of the association of parts.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the identifiable part is a seat for the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the rearrangement of parts into a recognizable vehicle is accompanied by a display of instructions for operating the vehicle.