Squad vs. squad video game

• US 8,491,394 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fields, Timothy V., York, James R. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US12/857,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463 7- 9
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

A squad versus squad shooter video game receives input from one or more players via their respective use of controllers in communication with one or more console-based video game systems. The input from each controller is interpreted as a command to a squad in a competition against one or more other squads that are respectively commanded by one or more players via their respective use of controllers. Each squad includes a plurality of characters. Each player is assigned to one of the squads. Actions of each character in the video game are a function of commands given to that character by one of the players. Players can join or exit their assigned squad during game play.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

facilitating play of a game title by one or more players commanding, via their respective use of controllers, a squad in a competition against one or more other squads that are respectively commanded by one or more players via their respective use of controllers, wherein;

each said squad includes a plurality of characters;

each said player is assigned to one said squad;

each said squad has at least one said player assigned thereto; and

action of each said character in the play of the game title is a function of a command given to that character by one said player;

detecting, while any said player is playing the game title, a join condition indicating that a new player would like to join in playing the game title; and

in response to the join condition, assigning a new squad to the new player when it is determined that the new player is to form the new squad.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each said player:

directly commands one said character on their assigned squad and sees a display of a first or third person view corresponding to said directly commanded character; and

can give commands to any said character of their assigned squad that is not being directly commanded by another said player.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein each said player can provide input via their respective controller so as to directly command another said character that is not being directly commanded by another said player.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein each said player can provide input via their respective controller such that their directly commanded character:

engages in combat with the directly commanded character of another said squad; and

can see the directly commanded character of another said squad.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein each said player can provide input via their respective controller to enter into a player versus Al mode during which their directly commanded character on their assigned squad engages in combat with one or more characters of another said squad that are not being directly commanded.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein during the player versus Al mode, each said player can see the one or more characters of another said squad that are not being directly commanded.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein

upon detecting the join condition:

determining whether the new player is to form the new squad or join an existing said squad;

providing a screen display such that each of the new player and the other players view action through different, respective viewing panels; and

facilitating play of the game title by the new player and the other players with the respective squads that they command.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the join condition is generated as a result of the new player connecting a game controller to a gaming system running the game title.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the join condition is generated as a result of a gaming system running the game title being connected by the new player to another gaming system running the game title.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the connection of the gaming system to the another gaming system is selected from the group comprising:

an electrical cable that is connected to each said gaming system; and

a network with which each said gaming system is in communication.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, prior to the providing a screen display, further comprising presenting a join menu to indicate a new player is joining the game.

12. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein, when it is determined that the new player is to join an existing said squad, the method further comprises associating a first character from one said squad with one said player and associating a second character of the one said squad with the new player such that each said player controls one different said character of the squad.

13. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the game title is a squad-based shooter game in which each said squad of characters enters combat against the new squad of characters.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, while any said player is playing the game title, an exit condition indicating that that one of the players is quitting play of the game title; and

upon detecting the exit condition;

determining the existence of a first condition or a second condition, wherein;

the first condition occurs, where the exiting player is the only said player commanding the squad to which the exiting player is assigned; and

the second condition occurs when the other said players are also assigned to command the squad to which the exiting player is assigned;

if the existence of the first condition is determined, then determining if the assigned squad of the exiting player is to be;

extinguished from the playing the game title;

controlled by a remaining said player that is currently sharing command of a remaining said squad;

or

controlled by artificial intelligence (Al) rather than by any said player;

if the existence of the second condition is determined, then associating a character to which the exiting player was associated to another said player that is assigned to the same said squad as the exiting player; and

eliminating a viewing panel of the exiting player.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the exit condition is generated as a result of the exiting player disconnecting a game controller from a gaming system running the game title.

16. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the exit condition is generated as a result of a disconnection of a gaming system running the game title from another gaming system running the game title.

17. One or more storage devices comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 1.

18. A storage device storing a squad-on-squad shooter video game having instructions that, when executed on one or more video game systems, performs acts comprising:

facilitating play of a game title by a player commanding, via a controller, a squad in a competition against one or more other squads that are respectively commanded by one or more other players via their respective use of controllers, wherein action of a character in the play of the game title is a function of a command given to that character by the player; and

during the play of the game title, presenting a squad selection menu to provide a new player an option to create a new squad.

19. The storage device of claim 18, wherein the acts further comprise:

detecting, while the player is playing the game title, a join condition indicating that the new player would like to join in playing the game title; and

upon detecting the join condition;

determining whether the new player is to form the new squad or join an existing said squad;

providing a screen display such that the new player and the other players view actions through different, respective viewing panels; and

facilitating the play of the game title by the new player and the other players with the respective squads that they command.

20. The storage device of claim 19, wherein the join condition is generated when the new player connects a game controller to a gaming system running the game title.

21. The storage device of claim 19, wherein the join condition is generated when a gaming system running the game title being connected by the new player to another gaming system running the game title.

22. The storage device of claim 19, wherein the acts further comprise assigning to the new squad one or more characters, when it is determined that the new player is to form the new squad.

23. The storage device of claim 18, wherein the acts further comprise:

detecting, while the player is playing the game title, an exit condition indicating that that the players is quitting play of the game title; and

upon detecting the exit condition, eliminating a viewing panel of the exiting player.

24. The storage device of claim 23, wherein the exit condition is generated when the exiting player disconnects a game controller from a gaming system running the game title.

25. The storage device of claim 23, wherein the exit condition is generated when a gaming system running the game title is disconnected from another gaming system running the game title.

26. A console-based video game system, comprising:

a game console having a processor and memory;

the memory comprising a first instance of a video game executed on the game console to facilitate play of the video game by a player commanding a squad in a competition against one or more other squads that are respectively commanded by one or more other players, wherein a join condition is detected indicating a new player would like to join in playing the video game when the game console running the first instance of the video game is connected by the new player to another gaming system running a second instance of the video game.

27. The console-based video game system of claim 26, further comprising a controller to command the squad by the player.

28. The console-based video game system of claim 26, wherein the system receives commands from the player with respect to a character on the squad, wherein a display of a first or third person view corresponding to said commanded character is presented to the player, and wherein the system receives, from the player, commands to one or more other characters of the squad that is not being commanded by another player.

29. The console-based video game system of claim 27, wherein the system receives, from the player, input via the controller so as to command another character that is not being commanded by another player.

30. The console-based video game system of claim 27, wherein the system receives, from the player, input via the controller such that the commanded character engages in combat with the one or more other squads and sees one or more characters of the one or more other squads.

31. The console-based video game system of claim 27, wherein the system receives, from the player, input via the controller to enter into a player versus artificial intelligence (Al) mode during which the commanded character on the squad engages in combat with one or more characters of the one or more other squads that are not being commanded.

32. The console-based video game system of claim 31, wherein during the player versus Al mode, the system displays the one or more characters of the one or more other squads that are not being commanded.