Placeholder items that can be exchanged for an item of value based on user performance

• US 9,968,854 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Pieron, Luc, Rull, Henry, Simmons, Kevin, McLellan, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US15/782,079
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46

Abstract

Systems and methods for online gaming including virtual placeholder items that can be exchanged for virtual items of value based on a quantitative performance of the users relative other users in events that take place in the online game.

Claims

1. A system for online gaming including virtual placeholder items in an online game, wherein users can exchange the virtual placeholder items for virtual items of value based on user achievements during gameplay in the online game, wherein the users are associated with client computing platforms, wherein the users include a first user associated with a first client computing platform, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors configured by computer-readable instructions to;

execute an instance of the online game, and use the instance of the online game to facilitate interaction of the users with the online game through the client computing platforms that are associated with the users;

manage inventories associated with the users in the online game, wherein the inventories include a first inventory available to the first user;

effectuate presentation of offers to sell virtual items to the users for consideration through a shop interface, wherein the offers include offers to sell placeholder items which can be exchanged for virtual items of value that are usable in the online game, wherein the offers include a first offer to sell a first placeholder item to the first user and a second offer to sell a second placeholder item to the first user;

responsive to the first user accepting the first offer, providing the first placeholder item to the first user such that the first placeholder item is included in the first inventory of the first user, wherein the first placeholder item can be exchanged based on user achievements in the online game, wherein the first placeholder item can be exchanged for a first set of one or more virtual items of value that are usable in the online game;

responsive to the first user accepting the second offer, providing the second placeholder item to the first user such that the second placeholder item is included in the first inventory of the first user, wherein the second placeholder item can be exchanged based on user achievements in the online game, wherein the second placeholder item can be exchanged for a second set of one or more virtual items of value that are usable in the online game;

determine a first quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance involved the first user;

determine a second quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game, wherein the second quantitative measure of performance involved the first user; and

exchange the first placeholder item for the first set of one or more virtual items and exchange the second placeholder item for the second set of one or more virtual items, such that;

responsive to the first quantitative measure of performance being greater than the second quantitative measure of performance, the first set of one or more virtual items has greater value than the second set of one or more virtual items, and

responsive to the second quantitative measure of performance being greater than the first quantitative measure of performance, the second set of one or more virtual items has greater value than the first set of one or more virtual item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit game state information obtained from the instance of the game space over a network to the client computing platforms to facilitate presentation of views of the game space to the users on the client computing platforms.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the users interact with the online game through user input received from the users through the client computing platforms during gameplay.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to effectuate the first user accepting the first and second offer through the shop interface.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to facilitate sales through the shop interface by storing account information associated with the users on electronic storage media.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured such that the offers to sell placeholder items are presented to users prior to the start of an event taking place in the online game, and wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on gameplay during the event.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured such that the offers to sell placeholder items are presented to users during an event taking place in the online game, and wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on gameplay during the event.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on concurrent gameplay by the first user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the concurrent gameplay includes one or more of a tournament and a match.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on one or more ranks achieved by the first user.

11. A method of online gaming including virtual placeholder items in an online game, wherein users can exchange the virtual placeholder items for virtual items of value based on user achievements during gameplay in the online game, wherein the users are associated with client computing platforms, wherein the users include a first user associated with a first client computing platform, the method being implemented in a computer system including one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of the online game, and use the instance of the online game to facilitate interaction of the users with the online game through the client computing platforms that are associated with the users;

managing inventories associated with the users in the online game, wherein the inventories include a first inventory available to the first user;

effectuating presentation of offers to sell virtual items to the users for consideration through a shop interface, wherein the offers include offers to sell placeholder items which can be exchanged for virtual items of value that are usable in the online game, wherein the offers include a first offer to sell a first placeholder item to the first user and a second offer to sell a second placeholder item to the first user;

responsive to the first user accepting the first offer, providing the first placeholder item to the first user such that the first placeholder item is included in the first inventory of the first user, wherein the first placeholder item can be exchanged based on user achievements in the online game, wherein the first placeholder item can be exchanged for a first set of one or more virtual items of value that are usable in the online game;

responsive to the first user accepting the second offer, providing the second placeholder item to the first user such that the second placeholder item is included in the first inventory of the first user, wherein the second placeholder item can be exchanged based on user achievements in the online game, wherein the second placeholder item can be exchanged for a second set of one or more virtual items of value that are usable in the online game;

determining a first quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance involved the first user;

determine a second quantitative measure of performance achieved during gameplay in the online game, wherein the second quantitative measure of performance involved the first user; and

exchanging the first placeholder item for the first set of one or more virtual items and exchanging the second placeholder item for the second set of one or more virtual items, such that;

responsive to the first quantitative measure of performance being greater than the second quantitative measure of performance, the first set of one or more virtual items has greater value than the second set of one or more virtual items, and further such that;

responsive to the second quantitative measure of performance being greater than the first quantitative measure of performance, the second set of one or more virtual items has greater value than the first set of one or more virtual items.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting game state information obtained from the instance of the game space over a network to the client computing platforms to facilitate presentation of views of the game space to the users on the client computing platforms.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the users interact with the online game through user input received from the users through the client computing platforms during gameplay.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

effectuating the first user accepting the first and second offer through the shop interface.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

facilitating sales through the shop interface by storing account information associated with the users on electronic storage media.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the offers to sell placeholder items are presented to users prior to the start of an event taking place in the online game, and wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on gameplay during the event.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the offers to sell placeholder items are presented to users during an event taking place in the online game, and wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on gameplay during the event.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first quantitative measure of performance and the second quantitative measure of performance are determined based on concurrent gameplay by the first user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the concurrent gameplay includes one or more of a tournament and a match.