Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 9,061,205 (the '205 Patent) describes a method to add more variety in a music rhythm game during a free play routine. Music rhythm games like Guitar Hero often feature a free play feature. The '205 describes a method where if the player holds the plastic guitar in a certain position during free play, the game will enter into a different mode. Pointing the head of the guitar downward would access a power chord mode. The game would mute the normal audio sample and begin to play a power chord version of the same song. The idea is to recreate the artistic nature that takes place during live performances. A real guitarist can add or subtract elements from a song while playing, and that is the type of freedom the '205 Patent aims to give players.


Abstract:

Illustrative Claim:
1. A method of generating audio tracks in a music video game, comprising: receiving a first input signal indicating status of a first plurality of input devices of a video game controller; outputting a polyphonic audio compilation based on the first input signal, the polyphonic audio compilation including at least two audio tracks featuring a sequence of notes or chords of different instruments; receiving a second input signal indicating status of a second plurality of input devices of the video game controller; selecting at least one of the at least two audio tracks based on the second input signal; and muting the at least one of the at least two audio tracks.


Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 5,390,937 (the '937 Patent) describes the active battle system found in games like Final Fantasy IV or Chrono Trigger. Traditionally, RPG's used a turn-based battle system, where each character has to wait for their turn to attack.  Turn order is based on who has the highest agility or speed stat. The active battle system, as described by the '937 Patent, scrapes the traditional turns for constant action. Player characters and enemies can attack at any time in an active battle system. A timer governs when each character may attack. The active battle system creates a dynamic feeling compared to the static nature of a turn-based system. Players must choose their next move wisely because of the unpredictable nature of when the next attack will occur.


Abstract:

Illustrative Claim:
1. In a video game apparatus in which a player character and an enemy character are displayed on a display screen of a display unit and the player character and enemy character carry out attacks on each other in accordance with an inputted action command or a predetermined action schedule, a method of controlling the video game apparatus comprising the steps of: clocking a time, which has been stipulated for each character, from the end of a previous action of a character; generating a signal for character when the time clocked in said clocking step is equal to or greater than a predetermined time assigned to that character; allowing, in response to said generated signal, input of an action command if the character is a player character, and processing in accordance with the inputted action command; and processing, in response to said generated signal, an action in accordance with the predetermined action schedule if the character is an enemy character.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

Summary:

Abstract:
The storyline of a dynamically generated entertainment program, such as a video game, is generated using a matrix of reusable storyline fragments called substories. A set of characters that participate in the storyline is established and a set of reusable substories is defined. Each substory represents a "fragment of a story", usually involving an action by a subject, where the subject is one of the characters. Most substories can be reused multiple times with different ones of the characters being the subject and different ones of the characters being the direct object of the substory. Each substory has a set of possible reaction substories, which are a subset of the defined substories. A plan list stores plan data indicating ones of the substories to be performed at specified times. An initial "seed story" in the form of an initial set of substories is stored in the plan list. The substories stored in the plan list are executed at times corresponding to their respective specified times. For at least a subset of the executed substories, the end user of the system is either shown a video image representing the executed substory or is otherwise informed of the executed substory. In reaction to each executed substory, plans to perform additional ones of the substories are generated. The additional substories are ones of the set of possible reaction substories for each executed substory. Each plan to perform an additional substory is assigned a specified time and plan data representing the plan is stored in the plan list.

Illustrative Claim:
1. A method of generating a sequence of images representing a dynamically generated story line, comprising: establishing a set of characters; defining a set of re-usable substories, a multiplicity of the substories representing an action by a subject comprising a selectable one of the characters where the action is performed with respect to at least one object comprising at least a selectable one of the characters; for each substory, establishing a set of possible reaction substories comprising a subset of the set of re-usable substories; establishing a plan list for storing plans indicating ones of the substories to be performed; storing in the plan list an initial set of plans, each of the stored plans representing a substory to be performed; executing ones of the substories represented by the plans stored in the plan list; establishing a physical position for each of the characters and updating the characters' physical positions during the executing step; establishing a current time and advancing the current time during the executing step; generating, in reaction to each executed substory, additional plans to perform additional ones of the substories wherein the additional substories comprise selected ones of the set of possible reaction substories for the executed substory; and storing the generated plans in the plan list; the plan list at times storing a multiplicity of the generated plans; the generating plans step including receiving, in reaction to at least a subset of the executed substories, input from an end user and selecting at least a subset of the additional substories in accordance with the end user input; the plan generating step including assigning each generated plan an earliest execution time and a set of associated characters including a subject and an object, wherein the subject and object are each a specified one of the characters; each stored plan in the plan list including the assigned earliest execution time, subject and object, such that at various times at least a subset of the plans in the plan list have respective earliest execution times that are later than the current time; at least a subset of the generated plans comprising deferred plans, where each deferred plan's execution is deferred because its earliest execution time is later than the current time and/or its associated characters are not physically proximate each other; the executing step including selecting for execution one plan from those of the stored plans in the plan list whose associated earliest execution time is at least as early as the current time and that meet opportunity availability criteria, the opportunity availability criteria including a requirement that the characters associated with the one plan have physical positions that are proximate to one another; wherein the generated plans are executed in a different order than those generated plans are added to the plan list by the generated plans storing step.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

Summary:

Abstract:

Illustrative Claim:



Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

A multi-player, multi-character video game where the game rules force the players to cooperate in negotiating the maze at least until the characters reach a portion of the maze where a specific objective is located. Certain limited resources to change the attributes of the characters or to increase their longevity are displayed in a maze. The players may compete to obtain possession of these limited resources when the characters have cooperated in their movements sufficiently to move to the location of the limited resources. Cooperation among the characters is forced by forcing all characters active in the game to remain visible in the displayed window. Players may enter the game at any time, and they may leave the game at any time without affecting the status of the game or the status of the other characters in the game. All active players may simultaneously, independently control their characters so long as they do not attempt to move their characters outside the currently displayed window.