U.S. Patent No. 8,814,687: Multi-player music game
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.
