System and method of displaying device information for party formation

• US 9,868,063 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2017
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Harrington, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Jasson
• Application Number:
  US15/466,674
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal

Abstract

A virtual space is provided to users via client computing devices. Device information related to a client computing platform used by a user to interact with the virtual space may be obtained. Customized in-game capabilities available for the user may be determined based on the device information, which may include a description of or otherwise identify the client computing platform. The device information may include or otherwise by used to obtain device capabilities such as hardware, software, network, and/or other specifications. Different users using different client computing platforms may be provided with different in-game capabilities such as user roles, content items, levels, and/or other content or actions available for the user in the virtual space based on the client computing platform used by the users to access the virtual space. The device information may be used to facilitate enhanced party formation between users of the virtual space.

Claims

1. An online gaming system configured to display information related to client computing platforms used by users of an online game to facilitate enhanced relationship formation, the system comprising:

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

execute an instance of a virtual space in which the online game takes place, and to facilitate presentation of the online game to the users on client computing platforms, and to initiate formation of a relationship formed by the users to cooperatively play individual portions of the online game;

obtain device information indicative of the features and functions of different client computing platforms used by the users to interact with the instance of the virtual space, wherein the different client computing platforms have different classes of client computing platforms that are associated with different in-game actions, and wherein the device information includes a first set of information indicative of the features and functions of a first client computing platform used by a first user of the virtual space, and a second set of information indicative of the features and functions of a second client computing platform used by a second user of the virtual space;

initiate one or more relationships between users, wherein an individual relationship includes users that will be able to engage in gameplay together upon relationship formation, and wherein initiating formation of the one or more relationships includes effectuating presentation of request interfaces for viewing by the users of the virtual space, the request interfaces configured to receive entry and/or selection from the users for forming the relationships of users that will be able to engage in gameplay together, the request interfaces being presented at a time of initiation of the one or more relationships and including device information indicative of the features and functions of the different client computing platforms used by the users of the virtual space that are participating in the same game via the different client computing platforms, such that a first request interface that is configured to receive entry and/or selection from the first user to form a first relationship between two or more users that will be able to engage in gameplay together, is presented to the first user via a client computing platform associated with the first user, and wherein the users in the first relationship include the second user, and the first request interface includes, for viewing by the first user, the second set of information related to the second client computing platform used by the second user, and

responsive to receiving a request confirmation by the second user, process the request to form the first relationship including the first user and the second user by associating the first user and the second user with the first relationship directly or indirectly; and

wherein the first relationship is implemented for the first user and the second user in the virtual space.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

present a second request interface that is configured to receive entry and/or selection from the second user to confirm the request to form the first relationship, the second interface including, for viewing by the second user, the first set of information related to the first client computing platform used by the first user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

identify a particular class of client computing platform via which users are able to perform a first type of in-game action using the particular class of client computing platform;

determine that the second user uses the particular class of client computing platform to interact with the instance of the virtual space based on the second set of device information; and

provide an indication that the first relationship should include the second user as a member of the first relationship, and wherein the request to form the first relationship is processed after the indication is provided.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

process a query that requests to obtain information related to users of the virtual space that use a particular class of client computing platform, wherein the requested information includes an identification of the users that use the particular class of client computing platform;

identify, directly or indirectly responsive to the query, one or more users of the virtual space that use the particular class of client computing platform, wherein the second user is identified as using the particular class of client computing platform; and

provide the identified second user to the first user, wherein the request to form the first relationship is processed thereafter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive a provisioning request to provide device information to one or more users of the virtual space, including receiving a provisioning request to provide device information including the second set of information to one or more users of the virtual space, such that the one or more users are made aware of the device information of the second user; and

provide the device information including the second set of information to the one or more users, wherein the one or more users includes the first user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that device information provided to the one or more users includes device information associated with users specifically identified by the first user or are part of a larger set of users not identified by the first user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are is configured by machine-readable instructions such that the association of the first user and the second user to form the first relationship comprises addition of the first user to the first relationship of which the second user is already a member.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the association of the first user and the second user to form the first relationship comprises creation of a new relationship and addition of the first user and the second user to the new relationship that was created.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to implement user roles that are associated with an ability to perform an in-game action and/or associated with access to in-game content, and wherein different classes of client computing platforms are associated with different in-game actions and/or different access to in-game content.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to assign one or more in-game capabilities and/or one or more access to in-game content to the first user based on the first set of device information such that the first relationship includes a member that has the one or more in-game capabilities and/or the one or more access to in-game content after the first user is associated with the first relationship.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the request interface includes a device indicator such as a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and/or a tactile indicator.

12. A method of displaying information related to client computing platforms used by users of an online game to facilitate enhanced relationship formation, 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, by the one or more physical processors, an instance of a virtual space in which the online game takes place and facilitating presentation of the online game to the users on client computing platforms, the execution being configured to implement multi-user parties formed by the users to cooperatively play individual portions of the online game;

obtaining, by the one or more physical processors, device information indicative of the features and functions of different client computing platforms used by the users to interact with the instance of the virtual space, wherein the different client computing platforms have different classes of client computing platforms that are associated with different in-game actions, and wherein the device information includes a first set of information indicative of the features and functions of a first client computing platform used by a first user of the virtual space, and a second set of information indicative of the features and functions of a second client computing platform used by a second user of the virtual space;

initiating, by the one or more physical processors, one or more relationships between users, wherein an individual relationship includes users that will be able to engage in gameplay together upon relationship formation, and wherein initiating formation of the one or more relationships includes effectuating presentation of request interfaces for viewing by the users of the virtual space, the request interfaces configured to receive entry and/or selection from the users for forming one or more relationships of users that will be able to engage in gameplay together, the request interfaces being presented at a time of initiation of the one or more relationships and including device information indicative of the features and functions of the different client computing platforms used by the users of the virtual space that are participating in the same game via the different client computing platforms, such that a first request interface that is configured to receive entry and/or selection from the first user to form a and wherein the multiple users in the first relationship include the second user, and the first request interface includes, for viewing by the first user, the second set of information related to the second client computing platform used by the second user;

responsive to receiving a request confirmation by the second user, processing, by the one or more physical processors, the request to form the first relationship including the first user and the second user by associating the first user and the second user with the first relationship directly or indirectly; and

implementing, by the one or more physical processors, the first relationship for the first user and the second user in the virtual space.

13. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

effectuating presentation, by the one or more physical processors, of a second request interface that is configured to receive entry and/or selection from the second user to confirm the request to form the first relationship, the second interface including, for viewing by the second user, the first set of information related to the first client computing platform used by the first user.

14. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

identifying, by the one or more physical processors, a particular class of client computing platform via which users are able to perform a first type of in-game action using the particular class of client computing platform;

determining, by the one or more physical processors, that the second user uses the particular class of client computing platform to interact with the instance of the virtual space based on the second set of device information; and

providing, by the one or more physical processors, an indication that the first relationship should include the second user as a member of the first relationship, and wherein the request to form the first relationship is processed after the indication is provided.

15. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

processing, by the one or more physical processors, a query that requests to obtain information related to users of the virtual space that use a particular class of client computing platform, wherein the requested information includes an identification of the users that use the particular class of client computing platform;

identifying, by the one or more physical processors, directly or indirectly responsive to the query, one or more users of the virtual space that use the particular class of client computing platform, wherein the second user is identified as using the particular class of client computing platform; and

providing, by the one or more physical processors, the identified second user to the first user, wherein the request to form the first relationship is processed thereafter.

16. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

receiving, by the one or more physical processors, a provisioning request to provide device information to one or more users of the virtual space, including receiving a provisioning request to provide device information including the second set of information to one or more users of the virtual space, such that the one or more users are made aware of the device information of the second user; and

providing, by the one or more physical processors, the device information including the second set of information to the one or more users, wherein the one or more users includes the first user.

17. The method of claim 16 additionally comprising:

wherein device information provided to the one or more users includes device information associated with users specifically identified by the first user or are part of a larger set of users not identified by the first user.

18. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

wherein the association of the first user and the second user to form the first relationship comprises addition of the first user to the relationship of which the second user is already a member.

19. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

wherein the association of the first user and the second user to form the first relationship comprises creation of a new relationship and addition of the first user and the second user to the new relationship that was created.

20. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

implementing, by the one or more physical processors, user roles that are associated with an ability to perform an in-game action and/or associated with access to in-game content, and wherein different classes of client computing platforms are associated with different in-game actions and/or different access to in-game content.

21. The method of claim 20 additionally comprising:

assigning, by the one or more physical processors, one or more in-game capabilities and/or one or more access to in-game content to the first user based on the first set of device information such that the first relationship includes a member that has the one or more in-game capabilities and/or the one or more access to in-game content after the first user is associated with the first relationship.

22. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising:

wherein the request interfaces include a device indicator such as a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and/or a tactile indicator.