Internet based pictorial game system and method

1. A method of operating an Internet based pictorial game with a game computing system comprising:

providing a database of game images related to associated topics coupled to the game computing system;

associating said game images with one or more concepts with the game computing system;

providing a rule set for a user to use to give a prediction of an identity of said one or more concepts;

automatically selecting a first game image in response to a user request presented to the game computing system, which first game image is associated with a selected concept of said one or more concepts;

generating different degraded versions of said first game image automatically for the user with the game computing system by performing image processing on said first game image, including at least one of altering a pixelation, noise, or resolution of such first game image such that such first one or more concepts are less detectable in said different degraded versions of such first game image;

presenting said first game image with the game computing system in a visual sequence that varies using said different degraded versions of said first game image so that content is gradually revealed for said first game image to a user over a first time period; and

automatically processing responses from the user in compliance with said rule set with the game computing system to determine if said user has accurately determined an identity of the selected concept associated with said first game image;

wherein said first game image is presented to the user during at least a portion of said first time period substantially without explicit textual information describing said selected concept.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first game image is presented within a web page loaded in an Internet browser.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said web page is part of a game website.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said web page is part of a personal profile page on a social networking site.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user is given a score based on a time required to give an accurate response for said first game image.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein additional visual clues semantically related to said one or more concepts are presented simultaneously to the user with said first game image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user can play said Internet based pictorial game in a solitaire mode.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user can upload additional content as to suggestions to be used as game images.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user can upload additional concepts as suggestions to be rendered into game images.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user can provide said responses in spoken form which are then decoded by a speech recognition system prior to said automatically processing.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein advertisements can be presented within a webpage presenting said first game image, said advertisements including text and/or visual clues related to said one or more concepts.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said advertisements are matched to said first game image based on a plurality of bids provided in an auction by multiple advertisers.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said different degraded versions are prepared by:

dividing said first game image into regions;

randomly selecting one or more of the regions; and

revealing some pixels in the selected regions to create one of the different degraded versions; and

repeating said selecting and said revealing with others of the one or more regions such that a set of different degraded versions is created that, when used in the visual sequence, gradually reveals pixels in individual selected regions until the entire content of said game images is revealed.

14. A method of operating an Internet based pictorial game on a social networking site with a game computing system comprising:

providing a database of game images related to associated topics coupled to the game computing system;

associating said game images with one or more concepts using the game computing system;

wherein said game images are contributed by members of the social networking site;

automatically selecting a first game image from the database of game images in response to a user request presented to the game computing system, which first game image is associated with a selected concept of said one or more concepts;

generating different degraded versions of said first game image automatically for the user with the game computing system by performing image processing on said first game image, including at least one of altering a pixelation, noise, or resolution of such first game image such that such first one or more concepts are less detectable in said different degraded versions of such first game image;

presenting said first game image with the game computing system within a social networking site page in a visual sequence that varies using said different degraded versions of said first game image so that content is gradually revealed for said first game image to the user over a first time period;

wherein said first game image is presented to the user during at least a portion of said first time period substantially without explicit textual information describing said selected concept;

automatically processing responses from the user with the game computing system to determine if said user has accurately determined an identity of said selected concept associated with said first game image;

selectively publishing results of the user's performance on the social networking site.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein multiple members of the social networking site can play said game in a collaborative mode.

16. The method of claim 14 , further including a step: providing a speech recognition engine for processing audible inputs from the user.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said speech recognition engine can identify and discriminate speech originating from multiple individual users in a group.