Massively multiplayer educational online role playing game

• US 7,402,105 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trion World ABC LLC
• Original Assignee: Robert J. Hutter, Thomas Devaney
• Inventors: Hutter, Robert J, Devaney, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Scott E
• Application Number:
  US11/774,398
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/6, 463/9, 463/23, 463 40- 42, 434/107, 434/118, 434/128, 434/167, 434/169, 434/188, 434/219, 434/236, 434/252, 434/307.R, 434322-325, 434/350, 709/204, 725/133, 725/141
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• 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 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A massively multiplayer educational online game presents a computer generated gameplay world where acquiring and demonstrating mastery of educational skills is a requirement for survival and advancement of a learner'"'"'s game character. The game provides a method for effectively teaching a set of target educational skills by motivating the learner to improved understanding of the skills by having to demonstrate the skills as part of the game. The skills become immediately meaningful and relevant to the learner within the game itself, as feedback on skill understanding is provided directly, indirectly, or both directly and indirectly through game performance, motivating the learner to improve understanding of the skills.

Claims

1. A method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game comprising:

a. creating a realm which provides a virtual world display on a learner control module;

b. providing a multiplicity of characters within the realm arranged such that each learner controls one or more characters;

c. arranging the characters to be persistent such that they exist under the learner control during multiple sessions of game play;

d. allowing a multiplicity of character attributes arranged such that each learner is able to customize the controlled character attributes;

e. using an activity module to provide a multiplicity of activities within the realm;

f. defining a multiplicity of target education skills chosen based on the learner'"'"'s educational attainment;

g. arranging the realm activities in a first group including a target education skill practice and a second group without the target education skill practice;

h. supplying a character level system arranged to accumulate the experience and accomplishments of the character by allocating an experience point value when the character successfully completes a game activity;

i. creating a character profile that is translated to a learner profile representing progress in mastery of the target educational skills;

j. including in the character profile a profile of character game experiences including experience points;

k. providing first and second group activities within the realm with feedback to the learner on errors in the target education skill practice; and

l. varying the experience points added to the character profile dependent on the feedback on errors in the skill practice wherein the learner is motivated to succeed in target education skill practice to produce a favorable learner profile.

2. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 further comprising creating one or more communities with a multiple character community inventory such that first and second group activities are played by the characters in the community wherein the learner is motivated to succeed in target education skill practice to advance the community in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.

3. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 further comprising creating one or more domains arranged such that first and second group activities with thematically similar elements are played in each domain wherein the learner is motivated to succeed in target education skill practice to continue game play in another domain.

4. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 further comprising:

a. providing a multiplicity of professions arranged such that the learner chooses one or more professions for each character;

b. arranging selected activities such that one or more characters participate in activities in a manner associated with the character'"'"'s profession; and

c. arranging one or more party, group, and community multi-character activities to require one or more professions for successful completion of the activity, wherein the learner is provided motivation to succeed in target education skill practice to advance the character in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.

5. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 further comprising:

a. using a character inventory that is arranged to record character possessions;

b. programming selected activities in the first group to provide a character inventory with a possession; and

c. allowing exchange of possessions between characters in a character object exchange wherein the learner is provided motivation to succeed in target education skill practice to advance the character in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.

6. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 further comprising arranging the activity module to require a predetermined character inventory produced by first group activities and required to successfully complete a second group activity wherein the learner is motivated to succeed in target education skill practice in order to successfully complete second group activities to advance the character in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.

7. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 where the feedback provided in item k. is direct feedback to the learner on errors made in target education skill practice.

8. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 where the feedback provided in item k. is indirect feedback to the learner on errors made in target education skill practice.

9. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 8 where the indirect feedback comprises:

a. using a character inventory that is arranged to record character possessions;

b. programming selected activities in the first group to provide a character inventory with a possession with a variable appearance; and

c. providing activities in the second group arranged to show one or more possessions with a variable appearance wherein the learner is motivated to succeed in target education skill practice in order to advance the character in the game and to produce a favorable learner profile.

10. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 8 where the indirect feedback comprises:

a. using a character inventory that is arranged to record character possessions;

b. programming selected activities in the first group to provide a character inventory with one or more possessions with a variable performance attribute, the attribute improving with fewer errors in the skill practice; and

c. providing activities in the second group arranged to require one or more possessions with a selected minimum performance attribute to succeed in the activity wherein the learner is provided motivation to succeed in target education skill practice to advance the character in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.

11. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 8 where the indirect feedback comprises:

a. using a character inventory that is arranged to record character possessions;

b. programming selected activities in the first group to provide a character inventory with one or more character enhancements with a variable performance attribute, the attribute performance improving with fewer errors in the skill practice; and

c. providing activities in the second group arranged to require one or more character enhancements with a selected minimum performance attribute to succeed in the activity wherein the learner is provided motivation to succeed in target education skill practice to advance the character in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.

12. The method of motivating learner success in target education skill practice when playing a multiplayer game as in claim 1 where the feedback provided in item k. is both direct and indirect feedback to the learner on errors made in target education skill practice.

13. A method of teaching target education skills to learners using a multiplayer game comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a multiplicity of target education skills;

b. starting the game by each learner selecting one or more characters;

c. providing a multiplicity of character game activities giving game performance level scores;

d. requiring a first type of game activity include a target education skill demonstration without direct feedback to the learners on errors in demonstration of the target education skill;

e. providing a second type of game activity without a target education skill demonstration; and

f. arranging the first and second type of game activity with indirect feedback to the learners on errors in demonstration of the target education skill wherein demonstration of target education skills is required to improve game performance level.

14. The method of teaching target education skills to learners using a multiplayer game with multiple game activities as in claim 13 further comprising giving a third type of game activity a target education skill demonstration with direct feedback to the learners on errors in demonstration of the target education skill.

15. The method of teaching target education skills to learners using a multiplayer game with multiple game activities as in claim 13 further comprising:

a. providing each character a character inventory and one or more variable character attributes;

b. requiring one or more items to be present in character attributes and character inventory to improve game level in selected second type game activities;

c. requiring learners participate in one or more first type game activity to obtain character attribute and character inventory items required for improved performance in second type game activities;

d. practicing the learners in the target education skills in the one or more first type group of game activity;

e. determining if errors are made in the practice;

f. providing one or more character attribute and character inventory items with limited performance attributes if errors are made in the practice;

g. allowing participation in second type game activities using items with limited performance attributes wherein the performance is not improved;

h. requiring participation in one or more first type game activity to obtain character attribute and character inventory items with improved performance;

i. practicing the learners in the target education skills;

j. determining if errors are made in the practice;

k. providing character attribute and character inventory items with improved performance when less errors are made in the practice; and

l. repeating steps h., i., j., and k. until game performance improves.

16. An apparatus with multiple learner control module connections to a game realm for teaching learners a multiplicity of target education skills comprising:

a. means for engaging each learner in target education skill practice;

b. means for each learner demonstrating the target education skills;

c. means for advancing game performance with successful demonstration of target education skills; and

d. means for providing varying combinations of feedback to the learner on errors in demonstration of the target education skills wherein the feedback combinations are in a sequence including direct feedback and indirect feedback.

17. The apparatus for teaching learners a multiplicity of target education skills as in claim 16 further comprising means for a learner to increase available game activities.

18. The apparatus for teaching learners a multiplicity of target education skills as in claim 16 further comprising means for a learner to improve a possession'"'"'s appearance in game activities.

19. The apparatus for teaching learners a multiplicity of target education skills as in claim 16 further comprising means for a learner to improve a character'"'"'s performance and a possession'"'"'s performance in game activities.

20. The apparatus for teaching learners a multiplicity of target education skills as in claim 16 further comprising means for providing a character one or more monetary units for use in a virtual economy.