ONLINE GAME WITH MECHANIC FOR COMBINING VISUAL DISPLAY PARAMETERS OF VIRTUAL OBJECTS

• US 20120238362A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Janis, Sean, Omi, Greg, Wang, Tim, Vadlamudi, Vasudev, Harlick, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,540,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi

Abstract

An online game includes a mechanic for combining visual display parameters of virtual objects including virtual animals. In some embodiments features of a first virtual object and a second virtual object are combined to generate a third virtual object, where these features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include generating multiple candidates for the third virtual object and selecting or identifying the third virtual object from the multiple candidates. Additional game aspects may also include options for enhancing the likelihood of successfully generating a third virtual object. Parameterized color values for a specific virtual object may be substituted into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.

Claims

1. A method of combining visual display parameters for virtual objects in an online game, comprising:

receiving selections for a first virtual object and a second virtual object in the online game, each of the selected virtual objects being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters;

using at least one computer to generate, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a third virtual-object parameter set that visually characterizes a third virtual object having a virtual object type related to at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object; and

providing values from the third virtual-object parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each parameter set corresponding to the virtual object type includes at least one base color parameter to specify a base color, and at least one pattern color parameter to specify a presence or an absence of markings with an associated pattern color.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving instructions to satisfy preliminary conditions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the preliminary conditions including a specification of virtual currency in the online game.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving instructions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the instruction including an enhancement value for generating the third virtual-object parameter set; and

using the enhancement value to increase a likelihood of success for generating the third virtual-object parameter set.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a plurality of potential virtual-object parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential virtual objects of the virtual object type; and

providing values from the potential virtual-object parameter sets to the user machine.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a plurality of potential virtual-object parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential virtual objects of the virtual object type;

providing values from the potential virtual-object parameter sets to the user machine;

receiving from the user machine a virtual-object selection that corresponds to at least one of the potential virtual objects; and

using the virtual-object selection to identify the third virtual object that is visually characterized by the third virtual-object parameter set.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the third virtual-object parameter set includes generating a random number to select values from the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the third virtual-object parameter set includes:

generating a first random number to select color parameters for the third virtual-object parameter set from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set; and

generating a second random number to determine a random variation about the selected color parameters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third virtual object is an offspring animal having a virtual animal type, and the method further comprises:

receiving instructions to satisfy a nourishment requirement for the offspring animal; and

in response to the satisfied nourishment requirement, changing a status of the offspring animal from an offspring status to an adult status so that the offspring animal is displayed as an adult male or an adult female of the virtual animal type.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a source artwork for the third virtual object to the user machine to enable generating a display of the third virtual object by substituting combinations of color-channel values corresponding to the third virtual-object parameter set for color-channel values in the source artwork.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual object corresponds to a male animal of a virtual animal type, the second virtual object corresponds to a female animal of the virtual animal type, and the third virtual object corresponds to an offspring animal of the virtual animal type.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a computer program to combine visual display parameters for virtual objects 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:

receiving selections for a first virtual object and a second virtual object in the online game, each of the selected virtual objects being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters;

generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a third virtual-object parameter set that visually characterizes a third virtual object having a virtual object type related to at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object; and

providing values from the third virtual-object parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein each parameter set corresponding to the virtual object type includes at least one base color parameter to specify a base color, and at least one pattern color parameter to specify a presence or an absence of markings with an associated pattern color.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving instructions to satisfy preliminary conditions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the preliminary conditions including a specification of virtual currency in the online game.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving instructions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the instruction including an enhancement value for generating the third virtual-object parameter set; and

using the enhancement value to increase a likelihood of success for generating the third virtual-object parameter set.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a plurality of potential virtual-object parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential virtual objects of the virtual object type; and

providing values from the potential virtual-object parameter sets to the user machine.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a plurality of potential virtual-object parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential virtual objects of the virtual object type;

providing values from the potential virtual-object parameter sets to the user machine;

receiving from the user machine a virtual-object selection that corresponds to at least one of the potential virtual objects; and

using the virtual-object selection to identify the third virtual object that is visually characterized by the third virtual-object parameter set.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein generating the third virtual-object parameter set includes generating a random number to select values from the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein generating the third virtual-object parameter set includes:

generating a first random number to select color parameters for the third virtual-object parameter set from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set; and

generating a second random number to determine a random variation about the selected color parameters.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the third virtual object is an offspring animal having a virtual animal type and the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving instructions to satisfy a nourishment requirement for the offspring animal; and

in response to the satisfied nourishment requirement, changing a status of the offspring animal from an offspring status to an adult status so that the offspring animal is displayed as an adult male or an adult female of the virtual animal type.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

providing a source artwork for the third virtual object to the user machine to enable generating a display of the third virtual object by substituting combinations of color-channel values corresponding to the third virtual-object parameter set for color-channel values in the source artwork.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first virtual object corresponds to a male animal of a virtual animal type, the second virtual object corresponds to a female animal of the virtual animal type, and the third virtual object corresponds to an offspring animal of the virtual animal type.

23. An apparatus to combine visual display parameters for virtual objects in an online game, the apparatus comprising at least one computer to perform operations for:

a selection-receiving module configured to receive selections for a first virtual object and a second virtual object in the online game, each of the selected virtual objects being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters;

a parameter-generating module configured to generate from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a third virtual-object parameter set that visually characterizes a third virtual object having a virtual object type related to at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object; and

a value-providing module configured to provide values from the third-virtual-object parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game.