Combined virtual and video game

• US 20050130725A1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lozinski, Zygmunt A., Sharp, Christopher E., Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Jaiswal, Peeyush
• Application Number:
  US10/736,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130725A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

A method of providing a video game that tracks events in an actual sporting event can include generating a virtual environment, generating one or more first virtual characters in the virtual environment, receiving event data specifying events of a sporting event, coordinating actions of the first virtual character according to the event data, and generating one or more user-controlled second virtual characters. A system for providing a video game experience that tracks events in an actual sporting event is also provided. The system includes one or more gaming systems for receiving event data containing events of a sporting event, and one or more gaming engines for generating a virtual environment having one or more first virtual characters where the actions of the first virtual character are based on the event data.

Claims

1. A method of providing a video game that tracks events in an actual sporting event, comprising the steps of:

generating a virtual environment;

generating at least one first virtual character in said virtual environment;

receiving event data specifying events of a sporting event;

coordinating actions of the first virtual character according to the event data; and

generating at least one user-controlled second virtual character.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second virtual character interacts with the first virtual character.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the actions of the first virtual character occur in near real time with the sporting event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data specifies the sporting event environment, said method further comprising the step of modeling the virtual environment on event data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating game content having portions derived from event data and portions derived from user input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual character includes a plurality of first virtual characters.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of correlating the actions of individual first virtual characters with the actions of an individual sporting event participant according to the event data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving user input, wherein the user input controls actions of at least one second virtual character.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second virtual character includes a plurality of virtual characters.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of presenting the interaction of the first virtual character and second virtual character.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data is produced manually.

12. A system for providing a video game experience that tracks events in an actual sporting event, comprising:

at least one gaming system for receiving event data containing events of a sporting event;

at least one gaming engine for generating a virtual environment having at least one first virtual character;

wherein the actions of said first virtual character are based on said event data.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said event data contains the environment of the sporting event, said gaming engine generates said virtual environment based on the sporting event environment.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said gaming engine generates at least one user-controlled second virtual character.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said second virtual character interacts with said first virtual character.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the actions of said first virtual character occur in near real time with the sporting event.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said gaming engine updates game content having portions derived from event data and portions derived from user input.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said gaming engine correlates the actions of individual first virtual characters with the actions of an individual sporting event participant according to said event data.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 17, wherein the second virtual character interacts with the first virtual character.

21. The machine readable storage of claim 17, wherein the actions of the first virtual character occur in near real time with the sporting event.

22. The machine readable storage of claim 17, wherein the event data specifies the sporting event environment, said method further comprising the step of modeling the virtual environment on event data.

23. The machine readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the step of updating game content having portions derived from event data and portions derived from user input.

24. The machine readable storage of claim 17, wherein the first virtual character includes a plurality of first virtual characters.

25. The machine readable storage of claim 24, further comprising the step of correlating the actions of individual first virtual characters with the actions of an individual sporting event participant according to the event data.

26. The machine readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the step of receiving user input, wherein the user input controls actions of at least one second virtual character.

27. The machine readable storage of claim 17, wherein the second virtual character includes a plurality of virtual characters.

28. The machine readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the step of presenting the interaction of the first virtual character and second virtual character.

29. The machine readable storage of claim 17, wherein the event data is produced manually.

19. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

generating a virtual environment;

generating at least one first virtual character in said virtual environment;

receiving event data specifying events of a sporting event;

coordinating actions of the first virtual character according to the event data; and

generating at least one user-controlled second virtual character.

30. A system for providing a video game that tracks events in an actual sporting event comprising:

means for generating a virtual environment;

means for generating at least one first virtual character in said virtual environment;

means for receiving event data specifying events of a sporting event;

means for coordinating actions of the first virtual character according to the event data; and

means for generating at least one user-controlled second virtual character.