Interactive spectator features for gaming environments

• US 8,628,424 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Red 5 Studios, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Red 5 Studios, Inc.
• Inventors: Kern, Mark, Youngblood, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKAARUP, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US13/536,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/33, 463/42, 345/419, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players

Abstract

Systems and methods for exchanging virtual rewards for computing resources are provided herein. Exemplary methods may include receiving access to a portion of computing resources of an end user computing system and providing a virtual reward within a gaming environment to an end user in exchange for utilizing an amount of the portion of the computing resources of the end user computing system.

Claims

1. A method for providing spectator feedback within a gaming environment, the method comprising:

adding one or more spectators to the gaming environment such that the one or more spectators are visible in the gaming environment to active participants and other spectators;

receiving, via a networked gaming system, spectator feedback from the one or more added spectators relative to at least one active participant within the gaming environment; and

providing, within the gaming environment, indication of the spectator feedback to the at least one active participant upon a level of spectator feedback exceeding a threshold amount.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the level of spectator feedback comprises a decibel level.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the level of spectator feedback comprises an aggregate number of spectators providing feedback.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the spectator feedback comprises any of keystrokes, mouse movements, mouse clicks, audio input, accelerometer sensed input, gesture input, motion sensing input, facial recognition, or any combinations thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein indication of the spectator feedback comprises any of an icon, a sound effect, a visual effect, or any combinations thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the spectator feedback comprises audio input, the indication of the spectator feedback comprises the audio input, which is played within the gaming environment.

7. A method for facilitating spectator interaction within a gaming environment, the method comprising:

placing an active participant into a spectator mode when the activate participant is killed in the gaming environment;

providing the placed spectator access to view the gaming environment using a spectator module, the spectator comprising an entity that is not actively engaged with game play while roaming within the gaming environment;

receiving, via the gaming environment, spectator feedback from the one or more placed spectators relative to at least one active participant within the gaming environment; and

providing, within the gaming environment, indication of the spectator feedback to the at least one active participant upon a level of spectator feedback exceeding a threshold amount.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the spectator affects a gaming experience of an active participant by any of:

allowing the active participant to be killed, arranging combat between two active participants, generating impediments for the active participant, presenting the active participant with a challenge, or any combinations thereof.

9. A system that facilitates a gaming environment, the system comprising:

at least one server that is selectively coupleable to an end user computing system, the at least one server comprising a processor configured to execute instructions that comprise;

a videogame program that provides the gaming environment and tracks a position of one or more spectators within the gaming environment, the videogame program comprising;

a spectator module that provides a spectator access to a first-person perspective view of the gaming environment while roaming through the gaming environment;

an interactivity module that provides the spectator with one or more options for interacting with the gaming environment and receives a selection of the one or more options from the spectator;

an implementation module that effects a change within the gaming environment based upon the selection; and

a feedback module that;

receives spectator feedback from the spectator relative to at least one active participant within the gaming environment; and

provides an indication of the spectator feedback to the at least one active participant within the gaming environment upon a level of the spectator feedback exceeding a threshold amount.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the implementation module effects a change within the gaming environment by altering a gaming experience of an active participant.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the videogame program tracks a location of a spectator while the spectator follows an active participant through the gaming environment, and the implementation module effects a change within the gaming environment by providing spectator feedback to the followed active participant.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the implementation module effects a change within the gaming environment by provision of a virtual gift from a spectator to an active participant, the virtual gift being presented to the active participant within the gaming environment.

13. The system according to claim 9,

wherein the spectator feedback is received from the spectator using an audio input device and comprises an audio feedback relative to the at least one active participant within the gaming environment.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the feedback module further receives a response from the at least one active participant and provides indication of the response to the spectator.