Credit Cards in a Virtual Environment
A virtual environment in which players are able to receive alerts intended to indicate the occurrence of a given event within the virtual environment. The alerts may be delivered to the player while he is playing the game via an in-game messaging service or other similar device. Alternatively the alerts may be delivered to the player via a real world communication device such as a cell phone, pager, text messaging device, or the like.
1 . A method comprising:
providing a virtual environment wherein a player is able to interact with the environment and with other players in the environment other via an avatar;
providing a virtual credit card to a player accessing the virtual environment;
monitoring activities conducted by the player;
determining if any of the monitored activities qualify as a benefit-endowing activity;
awarding a benefit to the player if the transaction qualifies as a benefit-endowing activity, wherein the award of the benefit is independent of any future credit card-based performance by the player.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the monitored transactions are conducted by the player in the virtual environment.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual credit card also functions as a real world credit card.
4 . The method of claim 3 further wherein the monitored activities are conducted by the player in the real world.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the benefit endowing activity is making a purchase with the virtual credit card.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the benefit endowing activity is purchasing a specific item.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the benefit endowing activity is winning a battle in the virtual environment.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the benefit endowing activity is achieving an objective in the virtual environment.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the benefit endowing activity is performing a game management activity.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the benefit endowing activity is accumulating a predetermined amount of playing time in the game.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the benefit endowing activity is achieving an objective in a virtual battle.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the awarded benefit is a fee reduction for playing the game.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the awarded benefit is virtual currency.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the awarded benefit is a discount on the purchase price of one or more items in the virtual environment.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the awarded benefit is the ability to select a given avatar.
16 . The method of claim 15 where the given avatar is not otherwise available to players.
16 . The method of claim 1 wherein the awarded benefit is the award of a given character attribute.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the given character attribute is not otherwise available.
18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the given character attribute is the ability to perform certain actions.
19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the given character attribute is a one or more physical characteristics for an avatar.
20 . The method of claim 1 wherein the awarded benefit is access to a portion of the game that is not otherwise accessible.