Villagers in a virtual world with upgrading via codes

• US 8,323,068 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ganz
• Original Assignee: Ganz
• Inventors: Ganetakos, Joseph Benjamin, McLeod, Gord Scott, Caron, Frank James, Borst, Karl Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US13/091,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20110263324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175
• US Class Current: 446/175
• 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 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character

Abstract

A user interface for a virtual world includes a circular area forming a display for an item in the virtual world, and controls surrounding only a portion of the display for controlling that item.

Claims

1. A method of interacting with characters in a virtual world, comprising:

receiving a code by a server computer system over a network connection from a user;

responsive to receiving said code, registering a first virtual character of a first type by the server computer system, and providing a virtual representation of the first character directed to the user over the network connection;

allowing interaction with the virtual representation of the first character by the user, said interacting including at least changing at least one item that is worn by the first character and carrying out at least one virtual task;

initially assigning a level to the first character as being a first level, where said level represents a level of skill of the first character in carrying out said at least one virtual task;

receiving a second code by the server computer system over the network connection from the user;

analyzing the second code by the server computer system to determine if the second code represents a second character of said first type; and

if the second code represents that said second character is of said first type, then the server computer system increases said level of the first character to a second level based on said entering said second code, where said second level has additional capabilities in carrying out said at least one virtual task as compared with said first level, and if the second code represents that said second character is not of said first type, then the server computer system registers said second virtual character of a second type to the user and provides a virtual representation of the second character to the user over the network connection.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first and second levels of said first character have different appearances in the virtual world.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first and second levels of said first character have different specific skills in the virtual world.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first skill includes a vocation of the characters.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein said first type of character is a cook, and said second type of character is a vocation other than a cook.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein when the second code represents that said second character is of said first type, then the server computer system increases said level of the first character to said second level based on said entering said second code without providing a virtual representation of said second character associated with said second code, and when the second code represents that said second character is not of said first type, then the server computer system registers said second virtual character of the second type to the user and provides a virtual representation of the second character to the user over the network connection.

7. A method as in claim 1, setting a mood value for the character in the virtual world.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the first character reacts to actions in the virtual world according to the mood value, where one mood of the first character represented by one mood value causes the first character to react differently than another mood value representing another mood of the first character;

and where an action or inaction taken by the user in the virtual world changes the mood value of the first character based on said action or inaction.

9. A method of interacting with characters in a virtual world, comprising:

receiving a code by a server computer system over a network connection from a user;

responsive to receiving said code, registering a first virtual character of a first type by the server computer system, and providing a virtual representation of the first character directed to the user over the network connection;

allowing interaction with the virtual representation of the first character by the user by carrying out at least one virtual task using said first character;

initially carrying out said at least one virtual task using said first character at a first skill level;

receiving a second code by the server computer system over the network connection from the user;

analyzing the second code by the server computer system to determine if the second code represents a second character of said first type; and

if the second code represents that said second character is of said first type, then the server computer system increases said first skill level of the first character to a second level based on said entering said second code without registering said second character from said second code.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein when the second code represents that said second character is not of said first type, then the server computer system registers said second character of the second type to the user and provides a virtual representation of the second character to the user over the network connection.

11. A method of interacting with characters in a virtual world, comprising:

interacting with a first virtual character of a first type, and providing a virtual representation of the first character to a user by a server computer system over a network connection;

setting a mood value for the character in the virtual world by the server computer system;

the character reacting, to actions in the virtual world according to the mood value, where one mood of the character represented by one mood value causes the character to react differently than another mood value representing another mood of the character;

allowing interaction with the virtual representation of the first character by the user; and

detecting an action or inaction in the virtual world by the server computer system and changing the mood value of the character based on said action or inaction, wherein said action or inaction comprises both of the user having logged into the website and also not having interacted with the character.

14. A method as in claim 11, further comprising receiving a code by the server computer system over a network connection from a user;

and responsive to receiving said code, the server computer system registering said first virtual character.

12. A method of interacting with characters in a virtual world, comprising:

interacting with a first virtual character of a first type, and providing a virtual representation of the first character to a user by a server computer system over a network connection;

setting a mood value for the character in the virtual world by the server computer system;

the character reacting to actions in the virtual world according to the mood value, where one mood of the character represented by one mood value causes the character to react differently than another mood value representing another mood of the character;

allowing interaction with the virtual representation of the first character by the user; and

detecting an action or inaction in the virtual world by the server computer system and changing the mood value of the character based on said action or inaction, wherein said action or inaction is an action in which the user loses a game in the virtual world.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein said user owns a plurality of different characters and said mood value is applied to each of said plurality of characters.