METHODS FOR EXECUTING AN INSTANCE OF A VIRTUAL MULTIPLAYER GAME AT MULTIPLE LOCAL DEVICES

• US 20170232348A1
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Blok Party, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prizm Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Brandon L., Garrido, Michael A., Chen, Jimmy A.
• Application Number:
  US15/425,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20170232348A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• 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 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges

Abstract

One variation of a method for executing an instance of a virtual multiplayer game includes: at a game console, receiving a selection for a game; identifying a group of players though peripheral devices wirelessly connected to the game console; identifying a particular player, in the group of players, exhibiting less experience with the game than other players in the group of players; rendering a virtual public game environment on the main display; at a first time, at a particular peripheral device associated with the particular player, issuing a prompt for a first game action based on a state of the virtual public game environment; at the game console, updating the virtual public game environment on the main display based on the first game action submitted by the particular player; and recording a milestone for the particular player according to the first game action.

Claims

1. A method for executing an instance of a virtual multiplayer game comprising:

at a game console comprising a main display, receiving a selection of a game from a set games;

detecting a set of peripheral devices proximal the game console;

associating each peripheral device in the set of peripheral devices with a player at the game console;

during an instance of the game;

rendering a virtual public game environment on the main display;

distributing a first set of private data to a first peripheral device for presentation on a display of the first peripheral device, the first set of private data specific to a first player, the first peripheral device associated with the first player;

distributing a second set of private data to a second peripheral device for presentation on a display of the second peripheral device, the second set of private data specific to a second player and unique to the first set of private data, the second peripheral device associated with the second player;

during a turn assigned to the first user, receiving a play submitted by the first user at the first peripheral device; and

updating the virtual public game environment rendered on the main display based on the play.

2. A method for executing an instance of a virtual multiplayer game comprising:

at a game console, detecting a set of peripheral devices proximal the game console;

accessing a player account based on player identification data received from each peripheral device in the set of peripheral devices;

for peripheral devices in the set of peripheral devices, aggregating sets of games linked to corresponding player accounts into a composite set of available games;

at the main display, prompting selection of a game from the composite set of available games;

in response to receiving a selection for a particular game in the composite set of available games, initiating an instance of the particular game at the game console and at peripheral devices in the set of peripheral devices;

presenting private player data for the particular game to select players through corresponding peripheral devices in the set of peripheral devices; and

presenting public game data within a virtual public game environment rendered on the main display.

3. A method for executing an instance of a virtual multiplayer game comprising:

at a game console, receiving a selection for a game;

identifying a group of players though a set of peripheral devices in communication with the game console;

identifying a particular player, in the group of players, exhibiting less experience playing the game than other players in the group of players;

rendering a virtual public game environment on the main display;

at a first time, at a particular peripheral device associated with the particular player, issuing a prompt for a first game action based on a state of the virtual public game environment;

at the game console, updating the virtual public game environment on the main display based on the first game action submitted by the particular player;

in response to submission of the first game action by the particular player, recording a milestone for the first game action; and

at a second time succeeding the first time, withholding a prompt for the first game action from the particular player based on the milestone.