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U.S. Patent No. 9,005,033: Game movie maker
Issued April 14, 2015, to Sony Interactive Entertainment America, LLC
Priority date April 11, 2008



Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 9,005,033 (the '033 Patent) describes a method for recording the successful completion of a level in a video game. The patent is concerned about how gamers describe their conquests to their friends. The '033 Patent addresses the issue by providing players a video archive every time the player completes a level. While a person is playing a video game, the system begins to create an archive. If the player fails to complete the level then the system deletes the archive. A separate video is created for each level completed, but upon the completion of the game, the system will combine all the videos into a single video. The claims in the '033 Patent only relate to the creation of videos, and does not claim any method for sharing.

Abstract:
Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for recording a user's game play experience. The player's game play can be recorded by recording a player's commands as the player navigates a game level as well as game data that can include a state of the game and variables, such as random numbers, generated during the game play that were used to control aspects of the game. The recording of the player's game play can then be reviewed and shared with others.

Illustrative Claim:
1. A method for recording a path of completed levels of a game by a player, the method comprising: determining if the player completed a particular level of the game, wherein the player completes a level of the game when the player makes it through the level, and wherein the game includes a plurality of levels including a start level and an end level; storing data captured during gameplay of the particular level of the game by the player to a file if it is determined that the player completed the particular level of the game; and discarding the data captured during the gameplay of the particular level of the game by the player if it is determined that the player did not complete the particular level of the game, wherein as the player plays through the plurality of levels of the game, the data captured during the gameplay of each completed level is saved to each respective files and when the end level is reached, files for all levels from the start level to the end level is combined into a single video file such that contents of the single video file upon completion of the game comprise data representing a completed path of the gameplay taken through the game from the start level to the end level.



Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas


U.S. Patent No. 8,858,330: Music video game with virtual drums
Issued October 14, 2014, to Activision Publishing, Inc.
Priority Date July 14, 2008







Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 8,858,330 (the '330 Patent) describes a music rhythm game that uses motions controls without any peripheral equipment. An excellent example of the '330 Patent is a game with virtual drums. The game represents the drums on the screen. To play the virtual drums, the user must do the correct controller inputs, which could include motions. A person using the Nintendo Wii might have to swing the Wiimote down for the system to register an input. A drum sound will be played on the television once the system logs the input. The '330 Patent is not limited to just motion controls; a player can use traditional controller inputs as well.

Abstract:
A video game maps each of a plurality of outputs to inputs associated with a video game controller. In some embodiments, the plurality of outputs represent the various potential outputs of a drum set. Combinations of video game controller inputs are used to generate the outputs. Video game controller inputs include traditional input devices such as button inputs, as well as input signals generated from positioning and movement of the video game controllers. In some embodiments, a video game console provides a video representation of the outputs generated by input combinations received from the video game controllers.
Illustrative Claim:
1. A method of providing audio and video outputs for a video game, comprising: receiving an input signal from a video game controller, the input signal being based on an output of an accelerometer of the video game controller; receiving additional signals from a plurality of additional inputs on the video game controller, the additional signals being based on status of a plurality of buttons of the video game controller, at least one combination of the additional inputs being associated with a predefined sequence of successive audio outputs; selecting one or more audio outputs to output based on the input signal and the additional signals, the one or more audio outputs including the predefined sequence of successive audio outputs; and determining a video output based on the selection of the one or more audio outputs.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas


U.S. Patent No. 8,851,993: Game device, game method, non-transitory storage medium encoded with computer readable program for controlling game device, and game system, allowing for fun in tactics and enhanced zest of game
Issued October 7 2014, to Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Priority Date: June 3, 2011





Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 8,851,993 (the '993 Patent) describes a board game video game where all the players travel along the same path together. Normally, every player in a board game travels an independent route. Each player will roll a dice that determines how far an individual player travels. Depending on the game, the route may have forks in the road where a player can choose which direction to travel. The '993 Patent describes a board game where each player travels together. Each player will get to roll dice but the distance traveled will be applied to the group. If the group lands on a special square, then the player who rolled the dice will receive the benefit or determent of the square. Some squares will apply to the group as a whole. Nintendo has used the board game described in the '993 Patent in the most recent Mario Party games.

Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment provides a game device. The game device includes an indication acceptance unit for accepting an indication for determining an amount of movement, a movement amount determination unit for determining an amount of movement on the prescribed route, a position updating unit for updating positions of all player characters on the route in accordance with the determined amount of movement, and an event processing unit for executing an event on the player character and the indication acceptance unit includes a normal indication acceptance unit for accepting a normal indication for determining a normal amount of movement and a special indication acceptance unit for accepting a special indication for determining an amount of movement different from normal, which is executed alternative to the normal indication and of which number of permitted times of issuance by the plurality of player characters is limited.
Illustrative Claim:
1. A device for playing a game in which a plurality of player characters move on a prescribed route in a game space displayed on a display, comprising: an information processing device including one or more processing units configured to perform functions and operates as: an indication acceptance unit that accepts a movement indication for determining an amount of player character movement on said prescribed route directed to a player character among said plurality of player characters; a movement amount determination unit that determines an amount of player character movement on said prescribed route when said indication acceptance unit accepts the movement indication; a position updating unit that updates positions of said player character for which the movement indication has been accepted and of all other player characters on said prescribed route in accordance with said amount of player character movement determined by said movement amount determination unit; an item acquirement/loss processing unit that performs processing by which player characters acquire or lose a prescribed item in accordance with an update of a position of said player character for which said movement indication has been accepted; an event processing unit that executes an event at least on said player character for which the movement indication has been accepted in accordance with the position to which said player character has been moved; and a win/loss processing unit that performs a win/loss determination in which winning and losing is determined for player characters based on an amount of said prescribed items acquired by each of said plurality of player characters; wherein said indication acceptance unit further operates as: a normal movement indication determiner that accepts a normal movement indication for determining an amount of player character movement of a type that is a normal movement for a player character in the game, wherein said normal movement indication corresponds to a value of a cast shown by using a normal die, and a special movement indication determiner that accepts a special movement indication for determining an amount of player character special movement which is of a type that is different from said type that is a normal movement for a player character in the game, the special movement indication being used as an alternative to said normal movement indication and for which a number of permitted times of usage by each of said plurality of player characters is limited, and wherein said special movement indication corresponds to a value of a cast shown by using a special die different from said normal die.


Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas



U.S. Patent No. 8,821,260: System and method for granting in-game bonuses to a user
Issued September 2, 2014, to Kabam Inc.
Priority Date November 6, 2012






Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 8,821,260 describes a system and method for granting in-game bonuses to a player connected to in-game items or other in-game features. For example, equipping a magic hat will give the player's character +3 Magic bonus. Often, a player's character will outgrow an item as their character levels up. The '260 Patent allows for players to upgrade an item to enhance the bonus. However, a failed upgrade could break the item which would decrease the bonus. 


Abstract:
Disclosed herein is technology for providing in-game bonuses to a user's in-game persona. The technology involves virtual items that provide quality-based bonuses and level based bonuses. The technology provides systems and methods for upgrading an item's level and enhancing the item's quality. If an upgrade or enhancement is unsuccessful, the item may be broken and the quality bonuses and level bonuses may be decreased until the item is repaired.


Illustrative Claim:
1. A method, executed on a computer processor, for granting bonuses to a user's in-game persona, the method comprising: defining an interface that allows a user to place a first virtual item in a first slot within the interface, the virtual item comprising a first quality value and a first level value; receiving input by the user to place the first virtual item in the first slot; establishing, responsive to reception of the input, a set of one or more quality bonuses based on the first quality value; establishing, responsive to reception of the input, a level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses based on the first level value; causing the interface to offer the user the ability to upgrade the first virtual item; assigning a percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded; causing the interface to present an indication of the percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded; causing the interface to offer the user the ability to increase the percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded by providing a second virtual item; causing the interface to present an indication of the increased percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded in response to the user providing a second virtual item; determining, responsive to an acceptance of the offer, whether the first virtual item is upgraded or broken; increasing the level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses responsive to the first virtual item being upgraded; decreasing each of the one or more quality bonuses and the level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses responsive to the first virtual item being broken; and providing each of the one or more quality bonuses and the level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses to the user's in-game persona.


Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

U.S. Patent No. 8,814,687: Multi-player music game
Issued August 26, 2014, to Activision Publishing, Inc.
Priority Date: May 5, 2010



Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 8,814,687 (the '687 Patent) describes a method to allow a multiplayer game in Guitar Hero. If a person was already playing a song in the game, the '687 Patent allows for a second person to join without interrupting the song. The system would quickly configure the settings and information for the second player while the first player kept play. A player could also leave a session without forcing other players to leave as well. The system removes all the information relating to the player who quit but leaves the remaining player's information intact.

Abstract:
A video game allows dynamic transitions in the number of players. A player may join other players already playing the game without interrupting the play of the existing players, and a player may cease playing the game without interrupting the play of players who continue playing. The video game uses a method including providing game play for at least one game player including displaying video information based on game program instructions and inputs from a controller. The method also includes determining whether a further player is joining the video game, and if the further player is joining the video game, displaying player specific information associated with the further player to the video information. The method also includes determining whether a player is quitting the video game, and if the player is quitting the video game, removing display of the player specific information associated with the player


Illustrative Claim:
1. A method of providing for video game play of a music-based video game, comprising: displaying, for the music-based video game, video of a band performing, the band including musicians whose roles players may perform, with each of the players provided a score; determining whether a further player is joining the video game during a presentation of a music piece based on at least an input signal from a further controller, the further controller not already associated with another game player; if the further player is joining the video game during the music piece, providing game play for the further player without disrupting play of other players, including commanding display of instructive cues for operation of the further controller and commanding display of a score for the further player based on compliance with the instructive cues based on inputs from the further controller; determining whether the further player is quitting the video game during display of the instructive cues for the further player; and if the particular player is quitting the video game, removing display of the instructive cues for the further player.


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