Game, such as electronic collectable and card or tradable object game employing customizable features

• US 8,523,648 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wizards of The Coast LLC (Hasbro Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wizards of the Coast Incorporated (Hasbro Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilson, Frank, Russell, Cormac, Sottosanti, Paul, Buehler, Randy, Arjona, Ramon, Gutschera, Karl R., Bozzi, Brandon A., Forsythe, Aaron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US12/176,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20090023487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 273236-367, 463/1, 463 11- 13
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/10 Card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• 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 2009/0615 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/602 with adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

A game employing user-modifiable game components, such as cards in a collectable card game, employs various features to provide user-modifiability, including sleeves, transparent cards, stickers, and other elements. Electronic versions of the game and various other features are included, including tracking of history associated with such components.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, if executed by a computing system having a processor, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a group of multiple digital objects for use as game components, wherein each of the digital objects in the group is randomly distributed among players of a game, and wherein the digital objects in the group have at least two different levels of distribution rarity, wherein the levels of distribution rarity include common and uncommon;

returning two or more of the digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects; and

receiving at least one new digital object in response to the returned two or more digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects,

wherein at least one of the multiple digital objects has an associated stored history and wherein the at least one multiple digital object is modified when the associated stored history reaches a threshold.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the modification includes a change in an appearance of the at least one multiple digital object.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple digital objects may be modified by a user by being logically combined with at least some of the other digital objects to provide customized combined digital objects.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple digital objects includes a unique digital identifier.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the received at least one new digital object is a randomly-generated digital object.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the digital objects in the group have at least three different levels of distribution rarity, wherein the levels of distribution rarity include common, uncommon, and rare.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein when two common digital objects are returned, an uncommon digital object is received and when two uncommon digital objects are returned, an uncommon or rare digital object is received.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, if executed by a computing system having a processor, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a group of multiple digital objects for use as game components, wherein each of the digital objects in the group is randomly distributed among players of a game, and wherein the digital objects in the group have at least two different levels of distribution rarity, wherein the levels of rarity include common and uncommon;

returning two or more of the digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects; and

receiving at least one new digital object in response to the returned two or more digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects,

wherein at least one of the multiple digital objects has a casting cost and wherein when a stored history associated with the at least one of the multiple digital objects reaches a threshold, the casting cost increases.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the received at least one new digital object is a randomly-generated digital object.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the digital objects in the group have at least three different levels of distribution rarity, wherein the levels of distribution rarity include common, uncommon, and rare.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein when two common digital objects are returned, an uncommon digital object is received and when two uncommon digital objects are returned, an uncommon or rare digital object is received.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, if executed by a computing system having a processor, cause the computing system to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for obtaining a group of multiple digital objects, wherein the digital objects in the group have at least two different levels of distribution rarity;

instructions for returning two or more of the digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects;

instructions for receiving at least one new digital object in response to the returned two or more digital objects; and

instructions for causing a first creature digital object to mutate by;

selecting a non-creature digital object, and

combining the first creature digital object and the selected non-creature digital object to create a second creature digital object.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, if executed by a computing system having a processor, cause the computing system to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for obtaining a group of multiple digital objects, wherein the digital objects in the group have at least two different levels of distribution rarity;

instructions for returning two or more of the digital objects in the group of multiple digital objects;

instructions for receiving at least one new digital object in response to the returned two or more digital objects; and

instructions for causing a first creature digital object to evolve by;

selecting a second creature digital object, and

combining the first and second creature digital objects to create a third creature digital object.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, the instructions further comprising:

instructions for providing an electronic game board, wherein the multiple digital objects are configured to interact with each other via the electronic game board.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the electronic game board stores an indication of the interactions between the multiple digital objects.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, the instructions further comprising:

instructions for obtaining a formula digital object specifying a formula that enables users to create digital objects based on a specified supply of game components.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein each of the multiple digital objects includes a unique digital identifier.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the received at least one new digital object is a randomly-generated digital object.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the digital objects in the group have at least three different levels of distribution rarity, wherein the levels of distribution rarity include common, uncommon, and rare.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein when two common digital objects are returned, an uncommon digital object is received and when two uncommon digital objects are returned, an uncommon or rare digital object is received.