Video game with simulated evolution

• US 7,867,093 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Wright, Will
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US11/894,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20080176658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/004 Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life

Abstract

A video game that provides a player game play experience that simulates an evolution process is disclosed. In each stage of the evolution process, the player can create game content that is uploaded to a server. Other players'"'"' game content can also be downloaded into the player'"'"'s game. In an embodiment of the present invention, the player-defined content can be automatically uploaded to a server, where it can be automatically downloaded to players'"'"' games in accordance with criteria such as heuristics that are relevant to the game, player preferences, rankings, community preferences and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A client application comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed, performs steps as indicated by program code comprising:

program code for displaying a content editor for creating player-defined content on a video game client;

program code for receiving a set of configuration parameters defining player-defined content;

program code for generating a set of instructions for creating the player-defined content based upon the configuration parameters;

program code for uploading the instructions for creating the player-defined content to a game server where the instructions may be downloaded by other players to recreate the player-defined content; and

program code for displaying an in-game content browser for viewing a subset of available player-defined content on the game server, wherein the subset of the available player-defined content is selected based upon attributes of player-defined content stored on the video game client.

2. The client application of claim 1, wherein the subset of available player-defined content is based upon a state of a game on the video game client.

3. The client application of claim 1, wherein the subset of available player-defined content is based upon a player'"'"'s progress in a video game on the video game client.

4. The client application of claim 1, further comprising:

program code for tracking and awarding points during game play to a player; and

program code for coordinating purchasing content for download with awarded points.

5. The client application of claim 1, further comprising:

program code for creating the player-defined content;

program code for enabling another player to download the instructions;

program code for creating one or more instances of the player-defined content on another video game client; and

program code for integrating the one or more instances of the player-defined content into a video game on the video game client.

6. The client application of claim 1, wherein the player-defined content includes player-defined animated characters, with appearance and behavior of the animated characters defined by predefined procedural animation data and wherein the program code for creating player-defined content includes program code for selecting procedural animation data to control the appearance and behavior of the player-defined animated characters.

7. The client application of claim 6, wherein a player-defined animated character comprises a plurality of body parts, and the appearance and behavior of each body party is controlled by procedural animation data associated with the body part.

8. The client application of claim 6, wherein the player-defined content includes player-defined animated objects that interact with the player-defined animated characters, wherein the appearance and behavior of the animated objects is defined by predefined procedural animation data and creating the player-defined content includes selecting procedural animation data to control the behavior and appearance of player-defined animated objects.

9. The client application of claim 1, wherein the content editor is configured to allow for customization of the player-defined content created by other users downloaded from the game server.

10. A computer-implemented method for sharing content, the method comprising:

displaying a content editor for creating player-defined content on a video game client;

receiving a set of configuration parameters defining player-defined content;

generating a set of instructions for creating the player-defined content based upon the configuration parameters;

uploading the instructions for creating the player-defined content to a game server where the instructions may be downloaded by other players to recreate the player-defined content; and

displaying an in-game content browser for viewing a subset of available player-defined content on the game server, wherein the subset of the available player-defined content is selected based upon attributes of player-defined content stored on the video game client.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the subset of available player-defined content is based upon a state of a game on the video game client.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the subset of available player-defined content is based upon a player'"'"'s progress in a video game on the video game client.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein players earns points during game play that may be used to purchase content for download.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein players earns points during game play that may be used to purchase content for download, wherein content has an associated cost, and wherein players are limited to purchasing content for which the players have acquired enough points.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions for creating the player-defined content enable another player to download the instructions and to create one or more instances of the player-defined content on another video game client and to integrate the one or more instances of the player-defined content into a video game on the video game client.

16. A computer system comprising:

a server configured to store player-defined content;

a client device communicably coupled to the server via a network, wherein the client device is configured to;

(a) display a content editor for creating player-defined content;

(b) receive a set of configuration parameters defining player-defined content;

(c) generate a set of instructions for creating the player-defined content based upon the configuration parameters;

(d) upload the instructions for creating the player-defined content to the server where the instructions may be downloaded by other players to recreate the player-defined content and to integrate the player-defined content into a video game; and

(e) display an in-game content browser for viewing a subset of available player-defined content on the game server, wherein the subset of the available player-defined content is selected based upon attributes of player-defined content stored on the video game client.