ONLINE GAME WITH ANIMAL-BREEDING MECHANIC FOR COMBINING VISUAL DISPLAY PARAMETERS
First Claim
1. A method of breeding virtual animals in an online game, comprising:
- receiving instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters;
using at least one computer to generate, from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set, a plurality of potential-offspring-animal parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential offspring animals of the virtual animal type;
selecting from the potential-offspring-animal parameter sets an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type; and
providing values from the offspring-animal parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An animal-breeding mechanic enables the generation of an offspring virtual animal in an online game system by combining features of a male virtual animal and a female virtual animal. Multiple candidates for the offspring virtual animal may be generated, and a selection or identification can then be made from the multiple candidates. Relevant features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include options for enhancing the likelihood of generating a successful offspring, decreasing the time for generating the offspring, and nurturing the offspring to maturity. Parameterized color values for a specific virtual animal may be substituted into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.
85 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of breeding virtual animals in an online game, comprising:
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receiving instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; using at least one computer to generate, from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set, a plurality of potential-offspring-animal parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential offspring animals of the virtual animal type; selecting from the potential-offspring-animal parameter sets an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type; and providing values from the offspring-animal parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a computer program for breeding virtual animals in an online game, the computer program including computer-program instructions that, when executed by at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:
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receiving instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; generating from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set a plurality of potential-offspring-animal parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential offspring animals of the virtual animal type; selecting from the potential-offspring-animal parameter sets an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type; and providing values from the offspring-animal parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus to breed virtual animals in an online game, the apparatus comprising at least one computer to perform operations for:
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an animal-breeding-instructions module configured to receive instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; a parameter-generating module configured to generate from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set a plurality of potential-offspring-animal parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential offspring animals of the virtual animal type; an offspring-selection module to select from the potential-offspring-animal parameter sets an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type; and a value-providing module configured to provide values from the offspring-animal parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game.
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Specification