Systems and methods for altering game information indicated to a player

• US 6,749,505 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Kunzle, Adrian E., Garcia, V. Maximillian
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAPRON, AARON J
• Application Number:
  US09/714,558
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2-5, 463/7, 463/23, 463/30-35, 463/40-42, 434/247-252, 473/131, 473/409, 473/151-156
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate game play. According to one embodiment, game information associated with a game to be played by a player is determined. For example, a putting green contour may be determined for a computer-based golf game. It is the arranged for altered game information to be indicated to the player and for the player to play the game in accordance with the game information, wherein the altered game information alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player. For example, the contour of the putting green may be altered before being transmitted to a remote player device.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating game play, comprising:

determining first game information associated with a game to be played by a player;

arranging for altered game information to be indicated to the player; and

arranging, without enabling the player to determine the first game information, for the player to play the game in accordance with the first game information, the first game information being different from the altered game information,

wherein the altered game information alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the player plays the game at a remote player device in communication with a game controller, and said arranging comprises:

transmitting the altered game information from the game controller to the remote player device such that the first game information cannot be determined from the transmitted information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first game information comprises visual information and said arranging comprises:

altering at least a portion of the visual information via at least one of;

(i) a location adjustment, (ii) a size adjustment, (iii) a rotation adjustment, (iv) a view adjustment, (vi) a resolution, (vii) an averaging, (viii) a smoothing, (ix) a blurring, (x) a translation, (xi) a noise adjustment, (xii) a color adjustment, (xiii) a brightness adjustment, (xiv) a texture adjustment, and (xv) a visual range.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the visual information is associated with at least one of:

(i) a static image, (ii) a changing image, (iii) a two-dimensional image, and (iv) a three-dimensional image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first game information comprises audio information and said arranging comprises:

altering at least a portion of the audio information via at least one of;

(i) a volume adjustment, (ii) a pitch adjustment, (iii) a tone adjustment, (iv) a speed adjustment, (v) an accent adjustment, (vi) a smoothing, (vii) a noise adjustment, and (viii) an audio range.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the audio information is associated with at least one of:

(i) a song, (ii) speech, and (iii) a sound effect.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first game information comprises timing information and said arranging comprises:

altering at least a portion of the timing information via at least one of;

(i) a periodic adjustment, (ii) a random adjustment, (iii) a noise adjustment, and (iv) a timing range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first game information comprises numerical information and said arranging comprises:

altering at least a portion of the numerical information via at least one of;

(i) a numerical adjustment, (ii) a truncation, (iii) a rounding, (iv) an averaging, (v) a noise adjustment, (vi) a database, and (vii) a numerical range.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first game information comprises text information and said arranging comprises:

altering at least a portion of the text information via at least one of;

(i) a thesaurus, (ii) a dictionary, (iii) a database, (iv) a text adjustment, and (v) a font adjustment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the text information is associated with at least one of:

(i) a game question, and (ii) a set of potential game answers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said arranging comprises:

arranging for at least a portion of the first game information to not be indicated to the player.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first game information is associated with a particular game to be played by the player.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a relationship between the first game information and the altered game information is associated with a particular game to be played by the player.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said arranging for the player to play the game comprises:

receiving from a remote player device a set of player input parameters via a communication network; and

determining a game result based on the received player input parameters and the first game information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said arranging for the player to play the game further comprises:

transmitting to the remote player device an indication associated with the game result.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote player device comprises at least one of:

(i) a personal computer, (ii) a portable computing device, (iii) a personal digital assistant, (iv) a wireless telephone, and (v) a game terminal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication network comprises at least one of:

(i) a publicly-accessible computer network, (ii) a public network, (iii) a public switched telephone network, (iv) a proprietary network, (v) a cable television network, (vi) a wireless network, and (vii) a local area network.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

arranging for the player to receive a payment if the determined game result has a predetermined relationship to a successful game result.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

arranging for the player to provide a payment in exchange for playing the game.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the game is associated with a physics simulation, the physics simulation being adapted to generate a game result based on the first game information and a set of input parameters, and said arranging for the player to play the game comprises:

receiving from a remote player device a set of player input parameters via a communication network; and

determining a game result based on the received player input parameters, the first game information, and the physics simulation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the game is associated with propelling a simulated object, and a successful game result comprises the simulated object reaching a predetermined destination.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the game comprises a golf simulation, and a successful game result comprises information associated with at least one of:

a distance between a golf ball and a golf hole,

whether the golf ball comes to rest within the golf hole, and

a number of strokes required to place the golf ball within the golf hole.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the game comprises a golf simulation, and the first game information is associated with at least one of:

a terrain feature,

a terrain contour,

a three-dimensional putting green terrain,

a fairway layout,

a fairway contour,

a wind direction,

a wind velocity,

a friction parameter,

a golf ball location, and

a golf hole location.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the game is associated with at least one of:

a golf simulation,

a golf putting simulation,

a gold driving simulation,

an archery simulation,

a moving water simulation,

a racing simulation,

a fishing simulation,

a baseball simulation,

a basketball simulation,

a football simulation,

a soccer simulation,

a hockey simulation,

a bowling simulation,

a billiards simulation,

a throwing simulation,

a ring-toss simulation,

a shooting simulation, and

a space simulation.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the game is associated with at least one of:

a memory game,

a knowledge game,

a reaction game, and

a strategy game.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the game is associated with at least one of:

an archery simulation,

a moving water simulation,

a racing simulation,

a fishing simulation,

a baseball simulation,

a basketball simulation,

a football simulation,

a soccer simulation,

a hockey simulation,

a bowling simulation,

a billiards simulation,

a throwing simulation,

a ring-toss simulation,

a shooting simulation, and

a space simulation.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the game is associated with at least one of:

a memory game,

a knowledge game, and

a reaction game.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information enabling the determination of the first game information and the altered game information.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

determine first game information associated with a game to be played by a player;

arrange for altered game information to be indicated to the player; and

arrange, without enabling the player to determine the first game information, for the player to play the game in accordance with the first game information, the first game information being different from the altered game information,

wherein the altered game information alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said storage device further stores at least one of:

(i) a player database; and

(ii) a game database.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a communication device coupled to said processor and adapted to communicate with at least one of;

(i) a player device, (ii) a game controller, (iii) a payment device, and (iv) an automated game playing device.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a communication device coupled to said processor and adapted to communicate with a payment device.

33. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method of facilitating game play, said method comprising:

determining first game information associated with a game to be played by a player;

arranging for altered game information to be indicated to the player; and

arranging, without enabling the player to determine the first game information, for the player to play the game in accordance with the first game information, the first game information being different from the altered game information,

wherein the altered game information alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

34. A computer-implemented method of conducting a golf game associated with a golf simulation, the golf simulation being adapted to generate a game result based on a set of input parameters, comprising:

arranging for a player to provide a payment in exchange for playing the golf game;

establishing a first golf game condition;

transmitting an altered golf game condition to a remote player device via a communication network, the altered golf game condition being different from the first golf game condition;

receiving from the remote player device a set of player input parameters via the communication network, the set of player input parameters being based on the altered golf game condition;

determining a game result based on the received player input parameters, the first golf game condition, and the golf simulation, wherein the golf game is associated with hitting a simulated golf ball and the game result comprises the simulated golf ball reaching a destination;

transmitting to the remote player device an indication associated with the game result via the communication network; and

arranging for the player to receive a payment if the destination of the simulated golf ball is within a predetermined distance of a simulated golf hole.

35. A method of facilitating game play, comprising:

determining first game information;

altering the first game information; and

arranging, without enabling the player to determine the first game information, for the altered game information to be indicated to the player,

wherein the altered game information alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

36. A method of facilitating game play, comprising:

receiving from a player a player input parameter generated by at least one of a keyboard and a pointing device;

determining, without an instruction from the player to do so, an altered player input parameter by altering the player input parameter generated by the at least one of a keyboard and a pointing device; and

arranging for the player to play a game based on the altered player input parameter, wherein the altering of the player input parameter is performed so as to alter game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the game comprises a golf simulation, and the player input parameter includes information associated with at least one of:

a golf ball velocity,

a golf ball angular measurement,

a golf ball rotation,

a golf ball location,

a golf club velocity,

a golf club angular measurement,

a golf club location,

a golf club type,

an aiming direction, and

an aiming location.

38. A method of facilitating game play, comprising:

translating a first game condition into a translated game condition;

arranging for the translated game condition to be provided to a player; and

arranging, without enabling the player to determine the first game condition, for the player to play the game in accordance with the first game condition, the first game condition being different from the translated game condition,

wherein the translated game condition alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

39. A method of playing a game, comprising:

receiving an indication of an altered game condition; and

playing the game in accordance with a first game condition that is different from the altered game condition and affects a simulated movement of a simulated object, without being able to determine the first game condition,

wherein the altered game condition alters game play by an automated game playing device more than game play by a human player.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first game condition is one of a fairway layout, a three-dimensional putting green and wind condition.

41. A method of facilitating game play, comprising:

determining first game information associated with a game to be played by a player;

generating altered game information by altering the first game information;

arranging for the altered game information to be indicated to the player; and

arranging for the player to play the game in accordance with the first game information;

wherein the altered game information is configured to reduce accuracy of performance of an automated game playing device without altering performance of a human player.

42. A method comprising:

displaying altered game information to a player of a game; and

while the altered game information is being displayed, playing the game in accordance with first game information that is different from the displayed altered game information,

whereby the altered game information and the first game information are both associated with the game being played by the player.