Consolidating businesses in a gamespace for an online game
View Patent ↗Software receives a command from a player selecting one or more businesses from a game menu in an online game that is a builder-type game. The software then receives a command from the player identifying an empty location in a game space for the game. The software causes the one or more businesses to be displayed in the game space at the location and receives a command from the player selecting a plurality of displayed businesses. The software then receives a command from the player to consolidate the displayed businesses that were selected into a consolidated business and displays the consolidated business in the game space.
1. A method, comprising operations of:
receiving a command from a player selecting one or more businesses from a game menu in an online game that is a builder-type game, wherein the game menu is a control in a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on a display device by a programmed computer configured to display the GUI and to receive commands from an input device operated in conjunction with the GUI;
receiving a command from the player identifying an empty location in a game space for the game, wherein the game space is a view in the GUI;
causing the one or more businesses to be displayed in the game space at the location;
receiving a command from the player selecting a plurality of displayed businesses;
receiving a command from the player to consolidate the displayed businesses that were selected into a consolidated business; and
displaying the consolidated business in the game space.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game allows consolidation of a business of one type with a business of another type.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game allows consolidation only if the displayed businesses that were selected are of the same sub-family type.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game allows consolidation only after a completion of a predetermined game action by the player.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game allows consolidation only after a completion of a predetermined level of experience by the player.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the player pays a predetermined price for the consolidation.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game allows consolidation only after a completion of a predetermined game action by the player and payment of a pre-determined price by the player.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displayed consolidated business occupies less space than the displayed businesses that were consolidated.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein another player can add a business to the consolidated business.
10. One or more computer-readable media persistently storing a program, wherein the program, when executed, performs the following operations:
receive a command from a player selecting one or more businesses from a game menu in an online game that is a builder-type game, wherein the game menu is a control in a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on a display device by a programmed computer configured to display the GUI and to receive commands from an input device operated in conjunction with the GUI;
receive a command from the player identifying an empty location in a game space for the game, wherein the game space is a view in the GUI;
cause the one or more businesses to be displayed in the game space at the location;
receive a command from the player selecting a plurality of displayed businesses;
receive a command from the player to consolidate the displayed businesses that were selected into a consolidated business; and
display the consolidated business in the game space.
11. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the game allows consolidation of a business of one type with a business of another type.
12. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the game allows consolidation only if the displayed businesses that were selected are of the same sub-family type.
13. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the game allows consolidation only after a completion of a predetermined game action by the player.
14. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the game allows consolidation only after a completion of a predetermined level of experience by the player.
15. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the player pays a predetermined price for the consolidation.
16. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the game allows consolidation only after a completion of a predetermined game action by the player and payment of a pre-determined price by the player.
17. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the displayed consolidated business occupies less space than the displayed businesses that were consolidated.
18. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein another player can add a business to the consolidated business.
19. A method, comprising operations of:
receiving a command from a player selecting one or more businesses from a game menu in an online game that is a builder-type game, wherein the game menu is a control in a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on a display device by a programmed computer configured to display the GUI and to receive commands from an input device operated in conjunction with the GUI;
receiving a command from the player identifying an empty location in a game space for the game, wherein the game space is a view in the GUI;
causing the one or more businesses to be displayed in the game space at the location;
receiving a command from the player selecting a plurality of displayed businesses;
receiving a command from the player to consolidate the displayed businesses that were selected into a consolidated business, wherein the game allows consolidation of a business of one type with a business of another type; and
displaying the consolidated business in the game space, wherein the displayed consolidated business occupies less space than the displayed businesses that were consolidated.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the player pays a predetermined price for the consolidation.