Scheduled programmatic game content
First Claim
1. A method for providing a multiplayer game to a plurality of users, at least a portion of the game executing on a client device coupled to a network, comprising:
- (a) scheduling at least one multiplayer game event by a processor, the game event having a fixed start time and a fixed end time, said step (a) including the step of displaying a graphical user interface over a display for a user, the graphical user interface including a plurality of channels, and a plurality of time slots for multiplayer games scheduled on the plurality of channels, a friend channel of the plurality of channels displaying multiplayer game events scheduled by one or more friends of the user, the friend channel displaying a first time slot of the plurality of time slots, a first group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the first time slot and one or more games the first group of friends are playing in the first time slot, and the friend channel displaying a second time slot of the plurality of time slots, a second group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the second time slot and one or more games the second group of friends are playing in the second time slot,(b) receiving requests from users to participate in the multiplayer game event;
(c) determining whether each of the users is eligible to participate in the multiplayer game by the processor based on when the users have selected to participate in the multiplayer game before the fixed start time;
(d) providing instructions by the processor to one or more consoles to allow at least a subset of the plurality of users to participate in the game;
(e) starting the game by the processor at the fixed start time; and
(f) ending the game by the processor at the fixed end time.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Scheduled programmatic multiplayer game content in a console service is provided. A plurality of multiplayer game events is scheduled. Each event has a fixed start time and fixed end time. Requests from users to participate in event are received and a determination is made as to whether users electing to participate in the game are eligible to participate. If the user is eligible to participate in the game, instructions are provided to a console to allow the user to participate in the game. If the user is not eligible to participate in the game, instructions may be provided to a console to allow a user to view activity in the game.
18 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for providing a multiplayer game to a plurality of users, at least a portion of the game executing on a client device coupled to a network, comprising:
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(a) scheduling at least one multiplayer game event by a processor, the game event having a fixed start time and a fixed end time, said step (a) including the step of displaying a graphical user interface over a display for a user, the graphical user interface including a plurality of channels, and a plurality of time slots for multiplayer games scheduled on the plurality of channels, a friend channel of the plurality of channels displaying multiplayer game events scheduled by one or more friends of the user, the friend channel displaying a first time slot of the plurality of time slots, a first group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the first time slot and one or more games the first group of friends are playing in the first time slot, and the friend channel displaying a second time slot of the plurality of time slots, a second group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the second time slot and one or more games the second group of friends are playing in the second time slot, (b) receiving requests from users to participate in the multiplayer game event; (c) determining whether each of the users is eligible to participate in the multiplayer game by the processor based on when the users have selected to participate in the multiplayer game before the fixed start time; (d) providing instructions by the processor to one or more consoles to allow at least a subset of the plurality of users to participate in the game; (e) starting the game by the processor at the fixed start time; and (f) ending the game by the processor at the fixed end time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing multiplayer gaming experience in a multiplayer gaming environment, comprising:
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scheduling a plurality of multiplayer game events by a processor, each event having a fixed start time and fixed end time, said scheduling step including the steps of displaying a graphical user interface over a display for a user, the graphical user interface including a plurality of channels, and a plurality of time slots for multiplayer games scheduled on the plurality of channels, a first channel of the plurality of channels displaying games scheduled by one or more friends of the user, the first channel displaying a first time slot of the plurality of time slots, a first group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the first time slot and one or more games the first group of friends are playing in the first time slot, and the first channel displaying a second time slot of the plurality of time slots, a second group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the second time slot and one or more games the second group of friends are playing in the second time slot, and a second channel of the plurality of channels displaying games scheduled already by the user, the second channel displaying a third time slot of the plurality of time slots and a first game the user is scheduled to play in the third time slot, and the second channel displaying a fourth time slot of the plurality of time slots and a second game the user is scheduled to play in the fourth time slot; for each of the plurality of game events, receiving requests from users to participate in the multiplayer game event up to the fixed end time; determining whether each of the users is eligible to participate in the multiplayer game by the processor, said determining whether each of the user is eligible to participate in the multiplayer game event includes determining that each of the user has selected to participate in the multiplayer game event within a sufficient time before the fixed start time associated with the multiplayer game event; if the user is eligible to participate in the game, providing instructions to a console to allow the user to participate in the game and if the user is not eligible to participate in the game, providing instructions to a console allowing the user to view activity in the game; starting the game at the fixed start time; and ending the game at a fixed end time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing live commentary in a gaming experience, comprising:
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providing a plurality of multiplayer games including game play rules and instructions for a console to enable each of the plurality of multiplayer games on a console; scheduling at least some of the plurality of multiplayer games by a processor into one or more sequences of timed events, each timed event having a fixed duration; providing scheduling information to the console to display the plurality of multiplayer game events, said providing scheduling information includes the step of displaying a graphical user interface over a display for a user, the graphical user interface including a plurality of channels, and a plurality of time slots for the plurality of channels, a first channel of the plurality of channels displaying games scheduled by one or more friends of the user, the first channel displaying a first time slot of the plurality of time slots, a first group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the first time slot and one or more games the first group of friends are playing in the first time slot, the first channel displaying a second time slot of the plurality of time slots, a second group of one or more friends of the user playing a game in the second time slot and one or more games the second group of friends are playing in the second time slot; receiving requests from users to participate in ones of the timed events; determining by the processor whether each of the users is eligible to participate in each of the timed events for which a request to participate is made, said determining whether each of the user is eligible to participate in each of the timed events for which a request to participate is made includes determining that each of the user has selected to participate in a time event within a sufficient time before a fixed start time associated with the time event; providing a user an option to view a multiplayer game being played at a scheduled time if it is determined that the user is not eligible to join the multiplayer game; providing instructions to a console to allow a user at the console to participate in the timed event for which a request to participate is made; starting each game; and ending each game after the fixed duration. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification