Delivery of projections for rendering
Granted: October 22, 2013
Patent Number:
8564595
A workflow for 3D content authoring, delivery, and rendering is facilitated based on pre-authored image projections to obtain improvements in authoring efficiency. Additionally, a content delivery platform centered on such pre-authored image projections provides a mechanism for significantly improving streaming efficiency for 3D worlds. Multiple images encode primary surface detail of 3D worlds in real-time applications. Examples of such projections include images that can be as rich as…
Sharing items between multiple game participants
Granted: October 22, 2013
Patent Number:
8562444
Items may be transferred between participants in a multi-participant gaming application through an item sharing object. The item sharing object may be activated by a participant during game play. After activating the item sharing object, a state of the item sharing object may be determined. If the state indicates that a prior participant has left behind an item that is available, then the left behind item may be presented to the current participant activating the object. Alternatively,…
Apparatuses, methods and systems for an online game manager
Granted: October 15, 2013
Patent Number:
8556724
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A ONLINE GAME MANAGER (“OGM”) transform user social graph and online behavioral pattern data inputs via OGM components into optimized server computational load reports. In one embodiment, the OGM may process a user server migration request for a user by obtaining user social graph data identifying co-users, and social activity pattern data associated with the user and the co-users. The OGM may also obtain server load indices of servers…
Linking virtual items to real-world items
Granted: October 15, 2013
Patent Number:
8556719
A method of linking virtual items to real-world items is disclosed. A real-world item is associated with a virtual item of a virtual world of a computer-implemented game. A location-based action involving the real-world item is reflected in the virtual world of the computer implemented game.
Cross social network data aggregation
Granted: October 1, 2013
Patent Number:
8549073
Disclosed in some examples is a method of aggregating social networking data by receiving first authentication information for a first social networking service, the first authentication information being associated with a user and being received from a first social networking application, receiving second authentication information for a second social networking service, the second authentication information being associated with the user and being received from a second social…
Validation of device activity via logic sharing
Granted: October 1, 2013
Patent Number:
8549069
Methods for validating device activity by way of logic sharing are presented. In an example of the method, a text file comprising a script defining programming logic to be executed is received at a first device. The text file is accessed at a second device. Input data for an application executing at the first device is received at the first device. The input data is transmitted from the first device to the second device. The script is executed at the first device from the application…
Contextual in-game messaging system
Granted: October 1, 2013
Patent Number:
8545330
A method of enabling in-game contextual chatting is disclosed. A request for information about an online game currently being played by a first player and a second player is received. A previous online game that was previously played by the first player and the second player is determined. A chat transcript is generated that pertains to the online game in response to the request for the information, the chat transcript spanning from the online game currently being played by the first…
Online game with mechanic for combining visual display parameters of virtual objects
Granted: September 24, 2013
Patent Number:
8540570
An online game includes a mechanic for combining visual display parameters of virtual objects including virtual animals. In some embodiments features of a first virtual object and a second virtual object are combined to generate a third virtual object, where these features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include generating multiple candidates for the third virtual object and selecting or identifying…
Low-friction synchronous interaction in multiplayer online game
Granted: September 17, 2013
Patent Number:
8535163
Methods for low-friction synchronous interaction in multiplayer online games are presented. In one method, a social grid with relationship information is accessed, and a first and a second game boards are executed for a first and a second user, respectively. The first and second boards are managed by the first and the second users, respectively, the social grid including a social link between the first and second users. An assistance request, generated in the second game board, is…
Systems, methods, and machine readable media for social network application development using a custom markup language
Granted: August 27, 2013
Patent Number:
8522137
Disclosed in some examples are systems, methods, and machine readable medium for programming an application for multiple target social networks using custom markup tags that are independent of any custom markup tags defined by social networking services. These independent tags may be translated into the custom markup tags defined by the social networking service of interest if the desired functionality is supported in that social networking service using custom markup tags or if the tags…
Gaming system for updating a presentation of a virtual game environment
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8512140
A system, a computer readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for updating a performance of a presentation of a virtual game environment. A presentation of a virtual game environment is generated based on a visual attribute. The visual attribute may identify a visual quality of the presentation of the virtual game environment. A visual performance metric associated with the presentation of the virtual game environment is then monitored. The…
Methods and apparatus for managing network linked gambling video games
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8512117
Methods and apparatus for team play in video games is provided. One method includes receiving a request to initiate a gambling game for a player of a first networked machine and joining a second player of a second networked machine to a team. The method further enables transfer of currency between the first and second players of the team using the networked machines during play of the gambling game. The method debits an account of a player using the networked machine that transferred the…
Clan wars
Granted: August 13, 2013
Patent Number:
8506409
A method of implementing clan wars is disclosed. An incentive reward is generated that is to be provided to at least one member of a group of users of a game networking system based on the group exercising a level of influence over a location during a time period that is greater than a level of influence of an additional group of users over the location during the time period. It is determined that the group exercised the level of influence over the location during the time period. The…
Clan wars
Granted: July 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8496532
A method of implementing clan wars is disclosed. A first group of a plurality of players of a computer-implemented game is notified that each member of the first group is to receive an incentive reward based on a level of influence of the first group over a location being greater than a level of influence of a second group of the plurality of players over the location. The level of influence of the first group over the location is determined to be greater than the level of influence of…
Game supply delivery systems and methods
Granted: July 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8491396
Systems and methods that deliver game supplies are described. In some embodiments, a method receives a request for in-game supplies from a first player in an interactive social game. The method presents multiple supply options where each supply option has an associated processing time. A supply option selection is received from the first player that indicates selection of one of the multiple supply options. A supply fulfillment invitation is distributed to a second player of the…
Game-based incentives for location-based actions
Granted: July 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8491395
In a method and system of providing in-game assets for location-based actions, an indication of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game is received. A virtual item is provided based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game, the virtual item being usable within the computer-implemented game.
Online game rewards for non-gaming online activities
Granted: July 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8491380
Example systems and methods related to providing rewards for an online game in response to non-gaming online activities are presented. In an example, an identifier of a user related to a proposed online action not involving a game of an online gaming system is received at the online gaming system. Also received is an identification of the proposed online action. An in-game reward based at least in part on the identification of the proposed online action is determined. The in-game reward…
System and method for providing branded virtual objects in a virtual environment
Granted: July 16, 2013
Patent Number:
8485897
A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for providing branded virtual objects in a virtual environment are presented. A graphical user interface is provided to a requestor device. A request is received from the requestor device to present a branded virtual object to a player of a multiplayer online game. During rendering of the online game, a request is received from the player to locate a virtual object in a virtual…
Electronic amusement device offering secondary game of chance and method for operating same
Granted: July 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8480467
An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a slot machine server controls a secondary game of chance played at a client slot machine. The server receives a player identifier corresponding to a player and a client identifier corresponding to a client slot machine. The server retrieves registration data relating to a secondary game of chance corresponding to the player identifier and the client identifier.…
Methods for managing progress of game activity by crews in social networked games
Granted: July 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8480494
Methods for crew creation and management are provided. One method includes providing a user interface by the social gaming program for generating a request for help by a requestor to enable access to a content item in the social gaming program. The request for help is forwarded to friends of the requestor based on analysis of the social graph to define a crew of friends in the social gaming program. The method includes obtaining an indication of acceptance of the request for help from at…
