System and method for altering perception of virtual content in a virtual space

• US 9,186,576 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Pacyga, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Phi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhavannik, Mohammad H
• Application Number:
  US13/715,818
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for altering perception of virtual or game content in a virtual space based on one or more attribute levels. The perception of some virtual or game content may not be altered. Thus, the depiction of some content is altered while other content is not. A system may alter the depiction of game content based on attributes of an entity and/or based on which entity is to perceive the game content. The different depictions of game content may be provided to the same entity at different times and/or different perceptions of game content may be provided to different entities. Thus, a rich interface may be provided that differentially depicts game content based on attribute levels and/or the entity that is to perceive the game content.

Claims

1. A system configured to alter perception of game content in a virtual space, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a game module configured to execute an instance of a game space and implement the instance of the game space, wherein the game space includes game content for presentation to users of the game space and facilitates participation by users in the game space, such that a first user and a second user participate in the game space, wherein a first virtual object is present in the instance of the game space; and

,

a perception alteration module configured to;

obtain a first attribute level of an attribute for the first user, wherein the first attribute level is related to a first virtual entity, and the first virtual entity is different than the first virtual object and is controlled by the first user;

determine a first depiction of the first virtual object for presentation to the first user in the instance of the game space, wherein the first depiction of the first virtual object is based on the first attribute level;

provide the first depiction of the first virtual object to the first user in the instance of the game space;

obtain a second attribute level of the attribute for the second user, wherein the second attribute level is different than the first attribute level, wherein the second attribute level is related to a second virtual entity different from the first virtual entity, and the second virtual entity is different than the first virtual object and is controlled by the second user;

determine a second depiction of the first virtual object for presentation to the second user in the instance of the game space, wherein the second depiction of the first virtual object is based on the second attribute level, the first depiction of the first virtual object is different from the second depiction of the first virtual object; and

provide the second depiction of the first virtual object to the second user in the instance of the game space while providing the first depiction of the first virtual object to the first user in the instance of the game space, such that the first user and the second user perceive the same first virtual object differently in the same instance of the game space at the same time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first depiction of the first virtual object and the second depiction of the first virtual object comprise an appearance of the first virtual object as it is expressed in the virtual space.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first attribute level is related to a virtual entity expressed in the game space, wherein the virtual entity is different than the virtual object and is controlled within the instance of the game space by the first user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first attribute level comprises a particular age related to the virtual entity.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the first attribute level is related to a health or skill level of the virtual entity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first attribute level is related to a time of a timeline associated with the virtual space.

7. A computer-implemented method of altering perception of game content in a virtual space, the method being implemented in a computer that includes one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

executing an instance of a game space;

implementing the instance of the game space, wherein the game space includes game content for presentation to users of the game space;

facilitating participation by users in the game space, such that a first user and a second user participate in the game space, wherein a first virtual object is present in the instance of the game space;

obtaining, by a perception alteration module, a first attribute level of an attribute for the first user, wherein the first attribute level is related to a first virtual entity, and the first virtual entity is different than the first virtual object and is controlled by the first user;

determining, by perception alteration module, a first depiction of the first virtual object for presentation to the first user in the instance of the game space, wherein the first depiction of the first virtual object is based on the first attribute level;

providing, by the perception alteration module, the first depiction of the first virtual object to the first user in the instance of the game space;

obtaining, by the perception alteration module, a second attribute level of the attribute for the second user, wherein the second attribute level is different than the first attribute level, wherein the second attribute level is related to a second virtual entity different from the first virtual entity, and the second virtual entity is different than the first virtual object and is controlled by the second user;

determining, by the perception alteration module, a second depiction of the first virtual object for presentation to the second user in the instance of the game space, wherein the second depiction of the first virtual object is based on the second attribute level, the first depiction of the first virtual object is different from second depiction of the first virtual object; and

providing, by the perception alteration module, the second depiction of the first virtual object to the second user in the instance of the game space while providing the first depiction of the first virtual object to the first user in the instance of the game space, such that the first user and the second user perceive the same first virtual object differently in the same instance of the game space at the same time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first depiction of the first virtual object and the second depiction of the first virtual object comprise an appearance of the first virtual object as it is expressed in the virtual space.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first attribute level is related to a virtual entity expressed in the game space, wherein the virtual entity is different than the virtual object and is controlled within the instance of the game space by the first user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first attribute level comprises a particular age related to the virtual entity.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first attribute level is related to a health or skill level of the virtual entity.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first attribute level is related to a time of a timeline associated with the virtual space.

13. A non-transitory tangible electronic storage media comprising instructions for altering perception of game content in a virtual space, the instructions when executed by one or more processors configure the one or more processors to:

execute an instance of a game space;

implement the instance of the game space, wherein the game space includes game content for presentation to users of the game space;

facilitating participation by users in the game space, such that a first user and a second user participate in the game space, wherein a first virtual object is present in the instance of the game space;

obtain a first attribute level of an attribute for the first user, wherein the first attribute level is related to a first virtual entity, and the first virtual entity is different than the first virtual object and is controlled by the first user;

determine a first depiction of first virtual object for presentation to the first user in the instance of the game space, wherein the first depiction of the first virtual object is based on the first attribute level;

provide the first depiction of the first virtual object to the first user in the instance of the game space;

obtain a second attribute level of the attribute for the second user, wherein the second attribute level is different than the first attribute level, wherein the second attribute level is related to a second virtual entity different from the first virtual entity, and the second virtual entity is different than the first virtual object and is controlled by the second user;

determine a second depiction of the first virtual object for presentation to the second user in the instance of the game space, wherein the second depiction of the first virtual object is based on the second attribute level, the first depiction of the first virtual object is different from the second depiction of the first virtual object; and

provide the second depiction of the first virtual object to the second user in the instance of the game space while providing the first depiction of the first virtual object to the first user in the instance of the game space, such that the first user and the second user perceive the same first virtual object differently in the same instance of the game space at the same time.

14. The non-transitory tangible electronic storage media of claim 13, wherein the first depiction of the first virtual object and the second depiction of the first virtual object comprise an appearance of the first virtual object as it is expressed in the virtual space.

15. The non-transitory tangible electronic storage media of claim 13, wherein the first attribute level is related to a virtual entity expressed in the game space, wherein the virtual entity is different than the virtual object and is controlled within the instance of the game space by the first user.