Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 7,803,048 (the '048 Patent) describes methods and systems for a deception in an online multiplayer game. One such method is for a player to manipulate the game's radar to trick other players. The player's in-game character could shoot a fake bullet to create a noise at another location, triggering the virtual acoustic radar. Also, a player can temporarily jam an opponent's radar, or make all the opponents visible on the radar. The '048 Patent describes several methods for deception using the in-game radar.

Abstract:
Methods and systems for deceiving other characters in a video game are disclosed. A video game may include a simulated environment in which player and computer controlled characters can monitor each other's positions using radar, e.g., an acoustic radar that detects noise (such as the firing of various weapons) associated with other characters. A character may fire a decoy bullet, which creates noise at the location of impact rather than the location of firing. A character may temporarily jam another character's radar so that the other character's radar does not display character locations. A first character may mimic an enemy character so that the first character appears as a friend to enemy characters on each enemy characters' radar. A special weapon may make all visible characters visually appear as enemies to a first character, thereby confusing the first character. Another special weapon may create a duplicate image of a character, thereby confusing others.
Illustrative Claim:
1. One or more computer readable storage device storing executable instructions for performing a video game method of representing characters on a radar image displayed on a video output device, said method comprising steps of: determining a first simulated noise level associated with a first object in a simulated environment operating under control of the video game; and displaying on the radar image, said radar image corresponding to a first character, a first radar blip corresponding to the first object, said first radar blip having a first characteristic based on the first simulated noise level associated with the first object determining a second simulated noise level associated with the first object in the simulated environment operating under control of the video game, wherein said second simulated noise level is determined to be louder than said first simulated noise level; and displaying on the radar image corresponding to the first character, a second radar blip corresponding to the first object, said second radar blip having a first characteristic based on the second simulated noise level associated with the first object, wherein the first characteristic of the first radar blip comprises a first amount of time based on the first simulated noise level, wherein the first characteristic of the second radar blip comprises a second amount of time based on the second simulated noise level, said second amount of time being longer than said first amount of time, wherein displaying the first radar blip comprises displaying the first radar blip for the first amount of time, and wherein displaying the second radar blip comprises displaying the second radar blip for the second amount of time.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas