IP Library Patent Application 13244766
Patent Application
App. No. 13/244,766

ENHANCED REWARD ACQUISITION FOR ONLINE GAME BASED ON SOCIAL REQUIREMENT

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
13/244,766
Abstract

Example systems and methods related to the acquisition of awards in a multiplayer online game based on a social requirement are presented. In an example, a player is provided with a first-level reward based on satisfaction of first acquisition requirement including at least one of an in-game asset requirement and a game state requirement. Also provided to the player is a second-level reward based on satisfaction of a second acquisition requirement including a social requirement that is satisfied by anew association between another person and the online game.

Claims (27)

1 . A computer-implemented method of providing a multiplayer online game for a plurality of players, the method comprising:

providing to a player a first-level reward based on satisfaction of a first acquisition requirement comprising at least one of an in-game asset requirement and a game state requirement; and

providing to the player, using at least one processor, a second-level reward based on satisfaction of a second acquisition requirement comprising a social requirement that is satisfied by a new association between another person and the online game.

2 . The method of claim 1 , at least one of the first-level reward and the second-level reward comprising an in-game asset to be employed by the player in the online game.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the game state requirement comprising at least one parameter of the online game that is not related to in-games assets of the player and is not related to online social interactions involving the player.

4 . The method of claim 1 , the game state requirement comprising at least one parameter of the online game controlled by another player of the online game.

5 . The method of claim 1 , the other person comprising a non-player of the online game, the new association comprising the other person joining the online game.

6 . The method of claim 5 , the social requirement further comprising issuance of an invitation by the player to the other person that results in the other person joining the online game.

7 . The method of claim 5 comprising facilitating a transfer of in-game assets from the player to the other person in response to the other person playing the online game.

8 . The method of claim 5 comprising facilitating the other person joining an in-game team comprising the player.

9 . The method of claim 5 , the new association comprising the other person joining a player group including the player.

10 . The method of claim 5 , the new association comprising the other person and the player pursuing a same goal in the online game.

11 . The method of claim 5 , the player having a social network comprising the other person and a third person, the other person comprising a first-level friend of the player, the third person comprising a second-level friend of the player, the new association further comprising the third person joining the online game.

12 . The method of claim 1 , the second-level reward being more valuable within the online game than the first-level reward.

13 . The method of claim 1 , the second acquisition requirement further comprising at least one of a second in-game asset requirement and a second game state requirement.

14 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

hosting a multiplayer online game;

providing to a player a first-level reward based on satisfaction of a first acquisition requirement comprising at least one of an in-game asset requirement and a game state requirement; and

providing to the player a second-level reward based on satisfaction of a second acquisition requirement comprising a social requirement that is satisfied by a new association between another person and the online game.

15 . An online game system hosting a multiplayer online game, the online game system being configured to:

provide to a player a first-level reward based on satisfaction of a first acquisition requirement comprising at least one of an in-game asset requirement and a game state requirement; and

provide to the player a second-level reward based on satisfaction of a second acquisition requirement comprising a social requirement that is satisfied by a new association between another person and the online game.

16 . The online game system of claim 15 , a social network of the player comprising the other person.

17 . The online game system of claim 16 configured to store information describing the social network, the social network comprising players of the online game.

18 . The online game system of claim 16 configured to retrieve the information describing the social network from a social network system, the social network system being managed by a first entity that is different than a second entity managing the online game system.

19 . The online game system of claim 18 configured to generate and store information describing a second social network for the player, the second social network being different from the first social network corresponding to the social network system.

20 . The online game system of claim 19 , the information describing the second social network indicating whether a member of the second social network is an in-game friend of the player, a social network friend of the player, or both.