METHOD OF OPERATING AN ONLINE GAME USING A GLOBE-SHAPED CONTROLLER

• US 20130035166A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Hess, Chuck L., Marks, Daniel M., Brown, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/563,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035166A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for controlling the viewpoint upon a digital game space using a globe-shaped object displayed on a computer monitor or video screen. In a preferred embodiment, a player rotates a globe in the desired direction to simultaneously rotate the viewpoint upon a game space in the same direction.

Claims

1. A computer-based network comprised of at least one server and client device with each device containing at least one processor capable of operating and displaying a game in which a player controls the perspective upon a game play environment using a shape such that rotation of said shape rotates the perspective upon the game play environment in a corresponding manner.

2. A method of claim 1 in which the shape is a globe.