Virtual world electronic game
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A game system comprising:
- a portable game playing unit for playing an electronic game, the portable game playing unit having a display, a computing mechanism for generating a first virtual character on the display, and a communications port for operatively connecting the portable game playing unit to a first computer, the first computer having an associated computer screen;
software programming the portable game playing unit computing mechanism and the first computer such that;
the first virtual character translates from the portable game playing unit display to the computer screen and back to the portable game playing unit display in response to commands input to the game system by a first player;
when the first virtual character is on the portable game playing unit display, the first virtual character engages in a fight with a first opponent, the first opponent not being controlled by another player, the first virtual character obtaining increased fighting skills as a result of said fight with the first opponent;
the first virtual character, after having engaged in said fight, then translates to said computer screen;
when the first virtual character translates to said computer screen, the portable game playing unit is automatically updated so that the first virtual character is no longer available for play on the portable game playing unit;
when the first virtual character is on the computer screen, the first virtual character acts within a multi-player virtual world according to commands input by the first player, the multi-player virtual world including at least a second virtual character controlled by a second player, the first virtual character'"'"'s increased fighting skills having persisted from the portable game playing unit to the multi-player virtual world;
in the multi-player virtual world, the first virtual character engages in a fight with the second virtual character, the first virtual character'"'"'s fighting actions being controlled by the first player and the second virtual character'"'"'s fighting actions being controlled by the second player; and
when the first virtual character fights with the second virtual character in the multi-player virtual world, the first virtual character has the increased fighting skills that the first virtual character obtained while on the portable game playing unit display, those increased fighting skills having persisted across environments from the portable game playing unit to a multi-player fighting environment in the multi-player virtual world, such that the first virtual character'"'"'s fighting skills when in the multi-player fighting environment is enhanced by the first virtual character'"'"'s experiences fighting on the portable game playing unit display without a virtual character controlled by a second player.
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Abstract
An electronic game for playing on a portable handheld game unit and on-line includes a dynamic animated virtual character that can be customized and updated both visually and functionally through game play and that can translate from a two dimensional visual presentation on a game unit to a higher order visual presentation in an interactive multi-player virtual world on-line and back while retaining any customization or upgrades is provided. Different versions of the electronic game produce different virtual characters that can interact on-line or through wireless linkage between game units.
71 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A game system comprising:
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a portable game playing unit for playing an electronic game, the portable game playing unit having a display, a computing mechanism for generating a first virtual character on the display, and a communications port for operatively connecting the portable game playing unit to a first computer, the first computer having an associated computer screen; software programming the portable game playing unit computing mechanism and the first computer such that; the first virtual character translates from the portable game playing unit display to the computer screen and back to the portable game playing unit display in response to commands input to the game system by a first player; when the first virtual character is on the portable game playing unit display, the first virtual character engages in a fight with a first opponent, the first opponent not being controlled by another player, the first virtual character obtaining increased fighting skills as a result of said fight with the first opponent; the first virtual character, after having engaged in said fight, then translates to said computer screen; when the first virtual character translates to said computer screen, the portable game playing unit is automatically updated so that the first virtual character is no longer available for play on the portable game playing unit; when the first virtual character is on the computer screen, the first virtual character acts within a multi-player virtual world according to commands input by the first player, the multi-player virtual world including at least a second virtual character controlled by a second player, the first virtual character'"'"'s increased fighting skills having persisted from the portable game playing unit to the multi-player virtual world; in the multi-player virtual world, the first virtual character engages in a fight with the second virtual character, the first virtual character'"'"'s fighting actions being controlled by the first player and the second virtual character'"'"'s fighting actions being controlled by the second player; and when the first virtual character fights with the second virtual character in the multi-player virtual world, the first virtual character has the increased fighting skills that the first virtual character obtained while on the portable game playing unit display, those increased fighting skills having persisted across environments from the portable game playing unit to a multi-player fighting environment in the multi-player virtual world, such that the first virtual character'"'"'s fighting skills when in the multi-player fighting environment is enhanced by the first virtual character'"'"'s experiences fighting on the portable game playing unit display without a virtual character controlled by a second player. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A game system comprising:
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a portable game playing unit for playing an electronic game, the portable game playing unit having a display, a computing mechanism for generating a virtual character on the display, and a communications port for operatively connecting the portable game playing unit to a computer coupled to a computer network, the computer having an associated computer screen; software programming the portable game playing unit computing mechanism, the computer, and the server, respectively such that; the virtual character translates from the portable game playing unit display to the computer screen and back to the portable game playing unit display in response to commands input to the game system by a first player; when the virtual character translates to said computer screen, the portable game playing unit is automatically updated so that the virtual character enters a vacation mode within the portable game playing unit, the first virtual character being no longer available for the user to play with on the portable game playing unit; when the virtual character is on the computer screen, the virtual character acts within a virtual world according to commands input by the first player; the virtual character engages in an activity on at least one of the portable game playing unit display and the computer screen thereby obtaining increased activity skills; and said increased activity skills persists when the character translates from at least one of the portable game playing unit display and the computer screen to the other of the portable game playing unit and the computer screen. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A game system comprising:
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a first portable game playing unit for playing an electronic game, the first portable game playing unit having a display, at least one player input control, a computing mechanism for generating a first virtual character on the display, and a communications port for operatively connecting the first portable game playing unit to a first computer coupled to a computer network, the computer having an associated first computer screen; software programming the first portable game playing unit computing mechanism and the first computer, respectively such that; the first virtual character translates from the first portable game playing unit display to a multi-player virtual world appearing on the first computer screen and back to the first portable game playing unit display in response to commands input to the game system by a first player; when the first virtual character translates to said first computer screen, the first portable game playing unit display is automatically updated so that the first virtual character is no longer available for play on the first portable game playing unit; when the first virtual character is in the multi-player virtual world, the first virtual character acts therein according to commands input by the first player; the first virtual character engages in a fight with an opponent, in response to which a fighting skill of the first virtual character is increased; said increased fighting skill persists when the first virtual character translates from a first one of the first portable game playing unit display and the first multi-player virtual world to a second one of the first portable game playing unit and the multi-player virtual world; a second portable game playing unit operated by a second player, the second portable game playing unit operatively connected to a second computer having an associated second computer screen, the first and second computers being operatively connected across a global network; and
wherein;a second virtual character translates from the second portable game playing unit display to a multi-player virtual world appearing on the second computer screen and back to the second portable game playing unit display in response to commands input to the game system by the second player; when the second virtual character translates to said second computer screen, the second portable game playing unit display is automatically updated so that the second virtual character is no longer available for play thereon; the first and second virtual characters interact in the multi-player virtual world, the multi-player virtual world being displayed on the first computer screen from the perspective of the first virtual character and displayed on the second computer screen from the perspective of the second virtual character; the second virtual character engages in a fight with an opponent, in response to which a fighting skill of the second virtual character is increased; said increased fighting ability of the second virtual character persists when the second virtual character translates from a first one of the second portable game playing unit display and the multi-player virtual world to a second one of the second portable game playing unit and the multi-player virtual world. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification