Online game with animal-breeding mechanic
First Claim
1. A method of breeding virtual animals in an online game that is accessed through a website of game networking system that supports the online game, the method comprising:
- receiving instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions being received through a game interface of a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game, the game interface being enabled by communications with the website of the game networking system that supports the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, and each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters;
generating, with at least one computer, from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set, an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type, the generating of the offspring-animal parameter set including;
identifying a first parent-animal parameter from a selected one of the male-animal parameter set or the female-animal parameter set; and
determining a corresponding first offpring-animal parameter for the offspring-animal parameter set by modifying the first parent-animal parameter based on a threshold test that includes a comparison of the first parent-animal parameter with a record of parameter values, the record of parameter values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer; and
providing values from the offspring-animal parameter set to the user machine corresponding to the player in the online game for a corresponding display at the game interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An animal-breeding mechanic enables the generation of an offspring virtual animal in an online game system by combining features of a male virtual animal and a female virtual animal. Relevant features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include options for enhancing the likelihood of generating a successful offspring, decreasing the time for generating the offspring, and nurturing the offspring to maturity. Parameter representations for color features enable substituting color values for a specific virtual animal into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of breeding virtual animals in an online game that is accessed through a website of game networking system that supports the online game, the method comprising:
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receiving instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions being received through a game interface of a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game, the game interface being enabled by communications with the website of the game networking system that supports the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, and each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; generating, with at least one computer, from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set, an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type, the generating of the offspring-animal parameter set including; identifying a first parent-animal parameter from a selected one of the male-animal parameter set or the female-animal parameter set; and determining a corresponding first offpring-animal parameter for the offspring-animal parameter set by modifying the first parent-animal parameter based on a threshold test that includes a comparison of the first parent-animal parameter with a record of parameter values, the record of parameter values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer; and providing values from the offspring-animal parameter set to the user machine corresponding to the player in the online game for a corresponding display at the game interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a computer program for breeding virtual animals in an online game that is accessed through a website of me networking system that supports the online game, the computer program including computer-program instructions that, when executed by at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:
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receiving instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions being received through a game interface of a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game, the game interface being enabled by communications with the website of the game networking system that supports the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, and each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; generating from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type, the generating of the offspring-animal parameter set including; identifying a first parent-animal parameter from a selected one of the male-animal parameter set or the female-animal parameter set; and determining a corresponding first offspring-animal parameter for the offspring-animal parameter set by modifying the first parent-animal parameter based on a threshold test that includes a comparison of the first parent-animal parameter with a record of parameter values, the record of parameter values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer and providing values from the offspring-animal parameter set to the user machine corresponding to the player in the online game for a corresponding display at the game interface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus configured to breed virtual animals in an online game that is accessed through a website of game networking system that supports the online game, the apparatus comprising at least one computer configured to perform operations for computer-implemented modules including:
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a computer-implemented animal-breeding-instructions module configured to receive instructions for initiating an animal breeding in the online game, the instructions being received through a name interface of a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game, the Same interface being enabled by communications with the website of the Same networking system that supports the online game, the instructions including a selection of a male animal and a female animal of a virtual animal type, and each of the selected animals being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; a computer-implemented parameter-generating module configured to generate from the male-animal parameter set and the female-animal parameter set an offspring-animal parameter set that visually characterizes an offspring animal of the virtual animal type, the generating of the offspring-animal parameter set including; identifying a first parent-animal parameter from a selected one of the male-animal parameter set or the female-animal parameter set; and determining a corresponding first offpring-animal parameter for the offspring-animal parameter set by modifying the first parent-animal parameter based on a threshold test that includes a comparison of the first parent-animal parameter with a record of parameter values, the record of parameter values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer; and a computer-implemented value-providing module configured to provide values from the offspring-animal parameter set to the user machine corresponding to the player in the online game for a corresponding display at the game interface. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification