Placement of virtual elements in a virtual world associated with a location-based parallel reality game
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of locating virtual elements in a parallel reality game, the method comprising:
- hosting, by a computer system, a parallel reality game, the parallel reality game having a virtual world, the virtual world having a geography that parallels at least a portion of geography of a real world such that a player can navigate the virtual world by moving to different geographic locations in the real world;
receiving, by the computer system, data indicating geographic locations of mobile devices in the real world, the mobile devices associated with a plurality of players of the parallel reality game;
identifying, by the computer system, a first area in the real world as a high traffic area based on the data indicating the geographic locations;
responsive to identifying the first area as a high traffic area, determining, by the computer system, to place a virtual element at a location in the virtual world corresponding to the first area;
transmitting, by the computer system to a receiving mobile device located at a second area in the real world and associated with a receiving player of the parallel reality game, information to display the virtual element at the location in the virtual world, the receiving player not included in the plurality of players and the second area not included in the first area;
receiving, by the computer system, data indicating that the receiving mobile device has traveled from the second area to the first area and that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element; and
storing, by the computer system, data indicating that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-implemented methods and systems for locating virtual elements that can be used or collected by players of a parallel reality game having a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of the real world are provided. In particular, the location of virtual elements in the virtual world is determined based on data associated with one or more real world conditions. Virtual elements can be located in the virtual world at locations corresponding to locations in the real world that encourage safe and effective game play. Locating virtual elements in the virtual world based on data associated with real world conditions improves the link between the parallel virtual world and the real world, enhancing the illusion that the virtual world is another dimension of the real world that the player can interact with through the parallel reality game.
108 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of locating virtual elements in a parallel reality game, the method comprising:
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hosting, by a computer system, a parallel reality game, the parallel reality game having a virtual world, the virtual world having a geography that parallels at least a portion of geography of a real world such that a player can navigate the virtual world by moving to different geographic locations in the real world; receiving, by the computer system, data indicating geographic locations of mobile devices in the real world, the mobile devices associated with a plurality of players of the parallel reality game; identifying, by the computer system, a first area in the real world as a high traffic area based on the data indicating the geographic locations; responsive to identifying the first area as a high traffic area, determining, by the computer system, to place a virtual element at a location in the virtual world corresponding to the first area; transmitting, by the computer system to a receiving mobile device located at a second area in the real world and associated with a receiving player of the parallel reality game, information to display the virtual element at the location in the virtual world, the receiving player not included in the plurality of players and the second area not included in the first area; receiving, by the computer system, data indicating that the receiving mobile device has traveled from the second area to the first area and that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element; and storing, by the computer system, data indicating that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-based system comprising:
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one or more computer processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising;
hosting a parallel reality game, the parallel reality game having a virtual world having a geography that parallels at least a portion of the geography of a real world such that a player can navigate the virtual world by moving to different geographic locations in the real world;receiving data indicating geographic locations of mobile devices in the real world, the mobile devices associated with a plurality of players of the parallel reality game; identifying a first area in the real world as a high traffic area based on the data Indicating the geographic locations; responsive to identifying the first area as a high traffic area, determining to place a virtual element at a location in the virtual world corresponding to the first area; transmitting, to a receiving mobile device located at a second area in the real world and associated with a receiving player of the parallel reality game, information to display the virtual element at the location in the virtual world, the receiving player not included in the plurality of players and the second area not included in the first area; receiving data indicating that the receiving mobile device has traveled from the second area to the first area and that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element; and storing data indicating that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
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hosting a parallel reality game, the parallel reality game having a virtual world having a geography that parallels at least a portion of the geography of a real world such that a player can navigate the virtual world by moving to different geographic locations in the real world; receiving data indicating geographic locations of mobile devices in the real world, the mobile devices associated with a plurality of players of the parallel reality game;
identifying a first area in the real world as a high traffic area based on the data indicating the geographic locations;responsive to identifying the first area as a high traffic area, determining to place a virtual element at a location in the virtual world corresponding to the first area; transmitting, to a receiving mobile device located at a second area in the real world and associated with a receiving player of the parallel reality game, information to display the virtual element at the location in the virtual world, the receiving player not included in the plurality of players and the second area not included in the first area; receiving data indicating that the receiving mobile device has traveled from the second area to the first area and that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element; and storing data indicating that the receiving player has interacted with the virtual element. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification