Method and apparatus for relating messages and actions in interactive computer games

• US 5,377,997 A
• Filed: 09/22/1992
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sierra Entertainment, Inc. (Vivendi SE)
• Original Assignee: Sierra On-Line, Incorporated (Vivendi SE)
• Inventors: Smith, Christopher F., Hughes, Brian K., Hood, Jonathan M., Wilden, Mark A., Scott, Larry L., Jensen, Jane S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/950,084
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 273/434, 273/435, 273/436, 273/437, 273/DIG. 28, 434/323
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

The invented method is used in creating an interactive computer game to relate messages in the game to actions in the game. The game is designed for play on a computer system and the play of the game is controlled by software code stored in at least one code file in memory accessible by the computer system. The method includes the steps of producing a message to be communicated to a game player at the occurrence of a predefined action in the game, assigning an identifier to the message, storing the message in a message file that is separate from the code file, storing the identifier in the message file or in a message file title that is separate from the code file, incorporating in the software code the assigned identifier instead of the message itself, and inserting into the software code instructions to retrieve the message from the message file and communicate the message to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game by retrieving and communicating the message to which the identifier incorporated in the code is assigned. The invented apparatus is a software tool used in creating an interactive computer game that employs the invented method. The invented interactive computer game is produced by the invented method.

Claims

1. A method of implementing an interactive computer game designed for play on a computer system having a display screen, an input device, and a cursor displayed on the display screen and controlled at least in part by the input device, the method comprising:

providing memory accessible by the computer system, where the memory includes a code file and a message file that is separate from the code file;

storing, in the code file, software code which defines the play of the game, which causes objects to be displayed graphically on the display screen, which defines operations a game player may perform during the game, and which allows the game player to perform a predefined action in the game by selecting an operation, positioning the cursor adjacent an object on the display screen and then inputing a predetermined signal through the user input device to perform the selected operation on the object;

storing, in the message file, a message to be communicated to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game, where the message communicates information concerning the object associated with the predefined action;

assigning an identifier to the message to distinguish the message from other messages and to relate the message to the predefined action by incorporation of the assigned identifier in the software code; and

retrieving the message from the message file and communicating the message to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game by retrieving and communicating the message to which the identifier incorporated in the code is assigned.

2. The method of claim 1 where the message includes text to be displayed on the display screen, and the location where the assigned identifier is stored is in the message file.

3. The method of claim 1, where the computer system includes a sound generator, and where the message includes an audio portion played on the sound generator, and the location where the assigned identifier is stored is in a title to the message file.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repeating the steps of storing, assigning and retrieving for additional messages to be communicated to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game, where the additional messages communicate information concerning the object associated with the predefined action, and where each identifier includes a sequence designation that identifies the order in which its message is to be communicated.

5. The method of claim 1 where the identifier includes a mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action.

6. The method of claim 5 where the mnemonic is a noun identifying the object.

7. The method of claim 1 where the identifier includes a first mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action and a second mnemonic that identifies the operation associated with the predefined action.

8. The method of claim 7 where the second mnemonic is a verb that identifies the operation.

9. The method of claim 1 where the identifier includes a first mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action and second mnemonic that identifies a state of progression of the game.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repeating the steps of storing, assigning and retrieving for additional messages to be communicated to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game where each identifier includes a mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action and a sequence designation that identifies the order in which its message is to be communicated.

11. The method of claim 1 where the identifier includes a first mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action, a second mnemonic that identifies the operation association with the predefined action and a third mnemonic that identifies a state of progression of the game.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repeating the steps of storing, assigning and retrieving for additional messages to be communicated to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game where each identifier includes a first mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action, a second mnemonic that identifies the operation associated with the predefined action and a sequence designation that identifies the order in which the respective messages are to be communicated.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repeating the steps of storing, assigning and retrieving for additional messages to be communicated to the game player at the occurrence of the predefined action in the game where each identifier includes a first mnemonic that identifies the object associated with the predefined action, a second mnemonic that identifies the operation associated with the predefined action, a third mnemonic that identifies a state of progression of the game and a sequence designation that identifies the order in which the respective messages are to be communicated.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the object associated with the predefined action is a character intended to communicate messages to the game player, the method further comprising:

assigning a label to the message to identify the character intended to communicate the message, and

displaying a visual image on the display screen that identifies the character intended to communicate the message when the message is communicated.

15. An apparatus, used to translate a message to be communicated to a player of an interactive computer game at the occurrence of a predefined action in the game, the apparatus comprising:

a computer system having a display screen, memory containing a code file and a message file, and an input device,

software code, stored in the code file, for controlling the apparatus,

a visual display produced by the software code and displayed on the display screen when the apparatus is used,

a first area within the visual display where the message is displayed,

a translation area within the visual display where a translation of the message may be produced by inputing the translation through the input device, and

instructions within the software code for assigning an identifier to the message and to the translation.

16. An interactive computer game designed for play on a computer system having a display screen, an input device and a cursor displayed on the display screen and controlled at least in part by the input device, the game comprising:

memory containing a code file and a message file separate from the code file,

software code which defines the play of the game, which causes objects to be displayed graphically on the display screen, which defines operations a game player may perform during the game, which allows the game player to perform a predefined action in the game by selecting an operation, positioning the cursor adjacent an object on the display screen and then inputing a predetermined signal through the user input device to perform the selected operation on the object, and which is stored in the code file,

a message, stored in the message file, to be communicated to a game player at the performance of the predefined action, where the message communicates information concerning the object associated with the predefined action, and

an identifier assigned to the message to distinguish the message from other messages and to relate the message to the predefined action, where the identifier is stored in the message file or in the title to the message file and incorporated in the software code instead of the message itself,

where the software code further includes instructions to retrieve the message from the message file and communicate the message to the game player at the performance of the predefined action in the game by retrieving and communicating the message to which the identifier incorporated in the code is assigned.

17. A computer-implemented method of creating an interactive computer game designed for play on a computer system having a display screen, an input device, and a cursor displayed on the display screen and controlled at least in part by the input device, the method comprising:

providing software code which defines the play of the game, which defines an action a game player may perform during the game, and which allows the player to perform the action in the game by audibly voicing sounds identifying the action, where the user input device receives and recognizes the sounds and triggers the action,

incorporating in the software code the assigned identifier instead of the message itself,

providing memory accessible by the computer system, where the memory includes a code file and a message file which is separate from the code file,

storing the software code in the code file,

producing a message to be communicated to the game player at the occurrence of the action in the game,

assigning an identifier to the message to distinguish the message from other messages and to relate the message to the action,

storing the message in the memory in the message file and storing the message'"'"'s assigned identifier in a location in the memory that is related to the message and is separate from the code file, and

inserting into the software code instructions to produce the message from the message file and communicate the message to the game player at the occurrence of the action in the game by retrieving and communicating the message to which the identifier incorporated in the code is assigned.