Event-driven alteration of avatars

• US 7,775,885 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leviathan Entertainment, LLC
• Original Assignee: Leviathan Entertainment, LLC
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S., Mueller, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/694,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/42, 705/1
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]

Abstract

Virtual environments in which player avatars can be altered based on events that occur in a video game, metaverse or virtual environment. One event is the failure to fulfill an obligation in a virtual contract. Avatars who fail to fulfill such obligations may have their appearance, voice, or smell altered, or may be followed by one or more non player character avatars.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

running, by a Video Game Central Server, a massive multi player online game that is operable to simultaneously support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,

in which each of the players controls at least one player character,

generating, by the Video Game Central Server, a respective avatar for each of the player characters;

receiving a request to create a binding agreement between a first player of the plurality of players and a second player of the plurality of players;

outputting a plurality of eligible alterations;

receiving, from the second player, a selection of at least one of the eligible alterations;

creating, by the Video Game Central Server, a binding agreement between the first player of the plurality of players and the second player of the plurality of players,

wherein the first player agrees to undertake an obligation and receive a penalty in return for failure to meet the obligation; and

altering, by the Video Game Central Server, an avatar of the first player based on the player'"'"'s fulfillment or failure to fulfill the obligation and based on the selected at least one alteration.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the alteration is specified in the contract.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the alteration is a penalty for the player'"'"'s failure to fulfill the obligation.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the alteration is a reward for the player'"'"'s fulfillment of the obligation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the Video Game Central Server, a request from the second player to alter the first player'"'"'s avatar due to the avatar'"'"'s fulfillment or failure to fulfill an obligation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the alteration is to the physical appearance of the avatar.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the alteration is to an audible quality of the avatar.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the avatar has an audible voice and the alteration is to the avatar'"'"'s voice.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar has a smell and the alteration is to the avatar'"'"'s smell.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the alteration is the presence of another character that follows the avatar.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of alteration is selected by the player.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the right to select the alteration can be transferred to another party.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the Video Game Central Server, an indication that the obligation has not been fulfilled;

assigning, by the Video Game Central Server, the avatar of the first player to a virtual bounty hunter;

applying, by the Video Game Central Server, alterations to the avatars of the first player; and

flagging, by the Video Game Central Server, the avatar of the first player as eligible to be hunted.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining, by the Video Game Central Server, that the bounty hunter has found a flagged avatar; and

rewarding, by the Video Game Central Server, the bounty hunter.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising unflagging, by the Video Game Central Server, the found avatar.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising restoring, by the Video Game Central Server, the found avatar to its pre-altered condition.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor;

in which the computer readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to perform a method comprising;

running, by a Video Game Central Server, a massive multi player online game that is operable to simultaneously support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,

in which each of the players controls at least one player character, generating, by the Video Game Central Server, a respective avatar for each of the player characters;

receiving a request to create a binding agreement between a first player of the plurality of players and a second player of the plurality of players;

outputting a plurality of eligible alterations;

receiving, from the second player, a selection of at least one of the eligible alterations;

creating, by the Video Game Central Server, a binding agreement between the first player of the plurality of players and the second player of the plurality of players,

wherein the first player agrees to undertake an obligation and receive a penalty in return for failure to meet the obligation; and

altering, by the Video Game Central Server, an avatar of the first player based on the player'"'"'s fulfillment or failure to fulfill the obligation and based on the selected at least one alteration.