INITIATING AND CONDUCTING A COMPETITIVE SOCIAL GAME USING A SERVER CONNECTED TO A PLURALITY OF USER TERMINALS VIA A COMPUTER NETWORK

• US 20130090171A1
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian A. Holton, Gregory W. Holton
• Original Assignee: Brian A. Holton, Gregory W. Holton
• Inventors: Holton, Brian A., HOLTON, Gregory W.
• Application Number:
  US13/591,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090171A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• 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 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

A system and method for initiating and conducting a competitive social game using a server connected to a plurality of user terminals via a computer network. The method includes receiving, from a user terminal of a game initiator, via the computer network, a selection of a game definition, the game definition comprising a determined scoring method for the game. The method further includes receiving, from the user terminal of the game initiator, a selection of at least one participant to be invited and receiving, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a game participation response. The method further includes receiving, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a scoring claim based on an activity documented by the participant.

Claims

1. A method for initiating and conducting a competitive social game using a server connected to a plurality of user terminals via a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user terminal of a game initiator, via the computer network, a selection of a game definition, the game definition comprising a determined scoring method for the game;

receiving, from the user terminal of the game initiator, a selection of at least one participant to be invited;

receiving, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a game participation response; and

receiving, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a scoring claim based on an activity documented by the participant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game definition is selected from a set of established game definitions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game definition is established by receiving a setting of at least one game parameter from the game initiator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the scoring method is determined by a parameter which can be set to any one of at least three possible states, including a first state corresponding to an elimination based on received scoring claims, a second state corresponding to a total score based on received scoring claims, and a third state corresponding to a score after a determined duration based on received scoring claims.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the scoring method comprises a plurality of defined activities, each activity having a corresponding score.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of defined activities, and corresponding score of each defined activity, are based on inputs received from the game initiator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the scoring claim must be approved by a designated user before a score is granted to the participant who is the subject of the scoring claim.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the scoring claim must be approved by other participants before a score is granted to the participant who is the subject of the scoring claim.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the approval of the scoring claim by the other participants is done according to a parameter which can be set to any one of at least three possible states, including a first state corresponding to a majority vote, a second state corresponding to a unanimous vote, and a third state corresponding to a defined percentage vote.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein all scoring claims are accepted without requiring approval.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the game definition further comprises at least one notification parameter which controls notification of the at least one participant in response to a game event.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the game event controlled by the notification parameter is an invitation to a participant to join the game.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the game event controlled by the notification parameter is a request for a vote on a scoring claim.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the game event controlled by the notification parameter is an indication that a scoring claim has been approved.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the game event controlled by the notification parameter is an indication that a score has been granted to a participant in a game which does not require scoring claim approval.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a participant a team creation request to allow a team of participants to jointly participate in the game.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the team creation request includes a team name and list of a plurality of participants to be included on the team, the plurality of participants being a subset of all game participants.

18. A system for initiating and conducting a competitive social game, the system comprising:

a server comprising a processor and memory, the server being connected to a plurality of user terminals via a computer network,

wherein the server is configured to;

receive, from a user terminal of a game initiator, via the computer network, a selection of a game definition, the game definition comprising a determined scoring method for the game,

receive, from the user terminal of the game initiator, a selection of at least one participant to be invited,

receive, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a game participation response, and

receive, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a scoring claim based on an activity documented by the participant.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the scoring method is determined by a parameter which can be set to any one of at least three possible states, including a first state corresponding to an elimination based on received scoring claims, a second state corresponding to a total score based on received scoring claims, and a third state corresponding to a score after a determined duration based on received scoring claims.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the scoring method comprises a plurality of defined activities, each activity having a corresponding score.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of defined activities, and corresponding score of each defined activity, are based on inputs received from the game initiator.

22. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program which when executed on a processor performs a method for initiating and conducting a competitive social game using a server connected to a plurality of user terminals via a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user terminal of a game initiator, via the computer network, a selection of a game definition, the game definition comprising a determined scoring method for the game;

receiving, from the user terminal of the game initiator, a selection of at least one participant to be invited;

receiving, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a game participation response; and

receiving, from a user terminal of the at least one invited participant, a scoring claim based on an activity documented by the participant.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the scoring method is determined by a parameter which can be set to any one of at least three possible states, including a first state corresponding to an elimination based on received scoring claims, a second state corresponding to a total score based on received scoring claims, and a third state corresponding to a score after a determined duration based on received scoring claims.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the scoring method comprises a plurality of defined activities, each activity having a corresponding score.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of defined activities, and corresponding score of each defined activity, are based on inputs received from the game initiator.