System and method for enabling characters to be manifested within a plurality of different virtual spaces

• US 8,066,571 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Metaplace, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Koster, Raph, Donham, John, Riley, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROTHERS, MICHAEL DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/135,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 463/43, 463/42, 463/30, 463/39, 715/757, 715/706, 709/202, 345/473
• 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar

Abstract

A system and method for providing virtual spaces, where a character associated with a user can be manifested within instances of a plurality of the different virtual spaces. Since a single character can be manifested within instances of different virtual spaces, the character can be transferred by the corresponding user between instances of different virtual spaces and controlled by the user to interact with the different virtual spaces. When the user transfers the character between instances of different virtual spaces (and/or different types of virtual spaces), various aspects of the character may persist between the different virtual spaces (and/or the different types of virtual spaces). This may provide an enhanced continuity to the character between the different virtual spaces.

Claims

1. A system configured to provide a virtual space that is accessible to one or more users, the system comprising:

a first server configured to execute an instance of a first virtual space and further configured to determine views of the first virtual space from the executed instance, wherein the first virtual space is a simulated physical space that has a topography, expresses real-time interaction by the one or more users, and includes one or more objects positioned within the topography that are capable of experiencing locomotion within the topography;

a second server configured to execute an instance of a second virtual space and further configured to determine views of the second virtual space from the executed instance, wherein the second virtual space is a simulated physical space that has a topography, expresses real-time interaction by the one or more users, and includes one or more objects positioned within the topography that are capable of experiencing locomotion within the topography, and wherein the first virtual space is of a type comprising one or more of a two-dimensional space, a three-dimensional space, a social space, a first-person space, a third-person space, an action gaming space, a role-playing space, a real-time space, or a turn-based space, and wherein the second virtual space is of a different type than the first virtual space;

a first client configured to receive a view of the first virtual space from the first server, and wherein the first client is further configured to provide the received view to a user;

a second client configured to receive a view of the second virtual space from the second server, wherein the second client is further configured to provide the view of the second virtual space to the user; and

a storage module remote from the first client and the second client that is configured to store information related to a first character associated with the user, wherein the storage module is further configured to store information related to a second character associated with the user, wherein the first server enables the first character to be manifested within the first virtual space based on the information related to the first character stored in the storage module, wherein the second server enables the second character to be manifested within the second virtual space based on the information related to the second character stored in the storage module,

wherein the first client enables the user to input commands to the first server that control the first character within the instance of the first virtual space, wherein the second client further enables the user to input commands to the second server that control the second character within the instance of the second virtual space, and wherein at least a portion of the information stored in the storage module is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first client and the second client are executed on a single computing platform.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the first character that is stored by the storage module comprises one or more preferences of the user that are persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the first character that is stored by the storage module comprises one or more preferences of the user that are different between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the first character that is stored by the storage module comprises one or more of manifestation information that is specific to the character, character parameter information, or character inventory information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the information related to the first character that is stored by the storage module comprises manifestation information that is specific to the first character, wherein the manifestation information that is specific to the first character comprises one or more of information related to the visual representation of the first character, information related to the strength, size, weight, and/or movement of the first character, or one or more sonic characteristics of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the manifestation information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the information related to the first character that is stored by the storage module comprises character parameter information, wherein the character parameter information comprises one or more of a skill level of the first character, a status of the first character, a permission of the first character, or a social connection of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the character parameter information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the information related to the first character that is stored by the storage module comprises character inventory information, wherein the character inventory information comprises one or both of information related to an amount of virtual currency possessed by the first character, and/or information related to objects in the possession of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the character inventory information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

9. An information storage system configured to store information related to characters within virtual spaces, the information storage system comprising:

character storage that stores a plurality of character records including a first character record and a second character record,

wherein the character storage is configured to receive a request for information included within one of the stored character records from a first server remote from the character storage that is executing an instance of a first virtual space, wherein the first virtual space is a simulated physical space that has a topography, expresses real-time interaction by the one or more users, and includes one or more objects positioned within the topography that are capable of experiencing locomotion within the topography, wherein the information requested from the character storage includes information that enables the first server to manifest a first character that corresponds to the requested character record in the instance of the first virtual space being executed by the first server,

wherein the character storage is further configured to receive a second request for information included within one of the stored character records from a second server remote from the character storage that is executing an instance of a second virtual space, wherein the second virtual space is a simulated physical space that has a topography, expresses real-time interaction by the one or more users, and includes one or more objects positioned within the topography that are capable of experiencing locomotion within the topography, wherein the information requested from the character storage through the second request includes information that enables the second server to manifest a second character that corresponds to the requested character record in the instance of the second virtual space being executed by the second server, wherein the first virtual space is of a type comprising one or more of a two-dimensional space, a three-dimensional space, a social space, a first-person space, a third-person space, an action gaming space, a role-playing space, a real-time space, or a turn-based space, and wherein the second virtual space is of a different type than the first virtual space, and wherein at least a portion of the information requested from the character storage is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space;

the first character record including information related to a first character that enables the first character to be manifested within the first virtual space;

the second character record including information related to a second character that enables the second character to be manifested within the second virtual space;

the character storage being remote from a client that enables a user to access and control an instance of the first virtual space being executed by the first server or an instance of the second virtual space being executed by the second server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the information related to the first character included in the first character record comprises one or more user preferences that are persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the information related to the first character included in the first character record comprises one or more user preferences that are different between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the information related to the first character that is included in the first character record comprises one or more of manifestation information that is specific to the first character, character parameter information, or character inventory information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the information related to the first character that is included in the first character record comprises manifestation information that is specific to the first character, wherein the manifestation information that is specific to the first character comprises one or more of information related to the visual representation of the first character, information related to the strength, size, weight, and/or movement of the first character, or one or more sonic characteristics of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the manifestation information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the information related to the first character that is included in the first character record comprises character parameter information, wherein the character parameter information comprises one or more of a skill level of the first character, a status of the first character, a permission of the first character, or a social connection of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the character parameter information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the information related to the first character that is included in the first character record comprises character inventory information, wherein the character inventory information comprises one or both of information related to an amount of virtual currency possessed by the first character, and/or information related to objects in the possession of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the character inventory information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

16. A server configured to execute instances of a plurality of different virtual spaces, the server comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

an instantiation module that receives information related to a first virtual space, which is one of the plurality of different virtual spaces, from remote information storage and implements the received information to execute an instance of the first virtual space, wherein a virtual space is a simulated physical space that has a topography, expresses real-time interaction by the one or more users, and includes one or more objects positioned within the topography that are capable of experiencing locomotion within the topography, wherein the instantiation module further receives secondary information related to a second virtual space and implements the received secondary information to execute an instance of the second virtual space, wherein the first virtual space is of a type comprising one or more of a two-dimensional space, a three-dimensional space, a social space, a first-person space, a third-person space, an action gaming space, a role-playing space, a real-time space, or a turn-based space, and wherein the second virtual space is of a different type than the first virtual space;

a view module that implements the instance of the first virtual space to determine a view of the first virtual space, and generates view information that describes the view of the first virtual space for transmission to a client that generates a display of the view of the first virtual space for a user by assembling the view information, wherein the view module further implements the instance of the second virtual space to determine a view of the second virtual space, and generates view information that describes the view of the second virtual space for transmission to the client that generates a display of the view of the second virtual space for the user; and

a character module that receives information related to a first character associated with the user from information storage that is located remotely from the client, wherein the information received by the character module enables the instantiation module to manifest the first character within the first virtual space executed by the instantiation module such that the first character is controllable by the user via the client, wherein the character module further receives secondary information related to a second character associated with the user from information storage, wherein the secondary information enables the instantiation module to manifest the second character within the second virtual space, and wherein at least a portion of the information related to the first character is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

17. The server of claim 16, wherein the information related to the first character that is received by the character module comprises one or more preferences of the user that are persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

18. The server of claim 16, wherein the information related to the first character that is received by the character module comprises one or more preferences of the user that are different between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

19. The server of claim 16, wherein the information related to the first character that is received by the character module comprises one or more of manifestation information that is specific to the first character, character parameter information, or character inventory information.

20. The server of claim 19, wherein the information related to the first character that is received by the character module comprises manifestation information that is specific to the first character, wherein the manifestation information that is specific to the first character comprises one or more of information related to the visual representation of the first character, information related to the strength, size, weight, and/or movement of the first character, or one or more sonic characteristics of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the manifestation information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

21. The server of claim 19, wherein the information related to the first character that is received by the character module comprises character parameter information, wherein the character parameter information comprises one or more of a skill level of the first character, a status of the first character, a permission of the first character, or a social connection of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the character parameter information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.

22. The server of claim 19, wherein the information related to the first character that is received by the character module comprises character inventory information, wherein the character inventory information comprises one or both of information related to an amount of virtual currency possessed by the first character, and/or information related to objects in the possession of the first character, and wherein at least a portion of the character inventory information is persistent between the first virtual space and the second virtual space.