Summary:

The ‘539 patent describes a flight simulation computer game which can receive meteorological conditions for a specific geographic area. The game determines the temperature and dew point for the specified geographic area from a database over the internet, and generates clouds and other weather patterns based upon the internet information. Unlike previous flight simulation games which only allow for one weather condition during a flight, the ‘539 patent allows a user to have changing weather patterns throughout a flight  by continuously rendering clouds based at least in part on actual temperature, dew point, and/or pressure data which correspond to a user’s current position in the simulated environment of the computer game.

Abstract:

Methods and systems for providing dynamic weather simulation in a computer gaming environment are disclosed. Weather may be user-specified, computer simulated, or based on periodic updates of real-world weather conditions. To dynamically simulate weather while conserving computer resources, a weather simulation manager may periodically alter temperature and dew point values and determine whether to render or dissipate clouds based on the current temperature and dew point values. Weather may be morphed back to real-world weather as updated weather is retrieved from a database over the Internet. The weather simulation manager may simulate weather independently for each of a plurality of geographic cells, thus allowing different weather to appear in different directions during game play. Cloud dissipation may be based on increasing a transparency value of sprites located at the outer edges of each cloud, and gradually working towards the center of the cloud until the cloud has disappeared completely.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A method for dynamically simulating weather in a computer game, comprising: starting a game play portion of the computer game; receiving meteorological conditions for a specified geographic area in a simulated environment of the computer game; altering cloud formations based on the received meteorological conditions, said altering comprising: determining whether clouds should form and, if so, rendering a layer of clouds, and determining whether clouds should dissipate and, if so, dissipating a layer of rendered clouds; and repeating the receiving and altering steps in intervals during the game play portion of the computer game, wherein said dissipating step further comprises gradually increasing a transparency level at edges of each cloud in the cloud layer, and iteratively increasing a transparency level closer to a center of each cloud as the farther out portions of the cloud fades from view due to its increased transparency level.

Summary:

The ‘028 patent seeks to make it easier to join friends during online gameplay. With this invention, the player has the option to select “Quick Join,” which causes the online service to instantly place the player in the game with his friends. The player also has the option to pull up his friends list and select a specific friend to invite to a game. Depending on the type of game his friend is playing the player will either be placed immediately in the game or he will have to wait for the current game to finish before he is placed in the game next round.

Abstract:

The user who has signed onto an online gaming service can be immediately joined in playing an instance of a game with a friend appearing in the user's friends list. After signing onto the online service, the user has the option to select "Quick Join," causing the online service to immediately join the user in an instance of the game having an opening for the user and also being played by the first player found in the friends list. Alternatively, the user may selectively display the friends list and select a specific friend who is online, before activating the Quick Join option to immediately join in playing within the friend's game. Depending upon the type of game, the user will either be immediately placed into play or joined to a portion of the game that enables the user to select options, so that the user can participate in the next session of the game.

Illustrative Claim:

1. In a computer gaming network that includes one or more gaming servers connectable through a network with a plurality of game consoles, a method of enabling a user of one of the game consoles to immediately join, at the user's option and without the user having to first access any particular gaming friend's online status, any of a plurality of the user's remote gaming friends in playing an online game, the method comprising steps for: a user of one of the game consoles first logging online so as to access a gaming server in order to join in playing a selected game online; the gaming server then causing a user interface to be displayed to the user at the user's gaming console, the user interface presenting a plurality of options for initiating or joining in an online game for the selected game, at least one of said options comprising a quick join option which, when selected by the user, in turn causes the gaming server to perform steps for: automatically causing the gaming server to launch a search of a friends list previously created and stored for the user in order to find the first friend in that list who is online playing the selected game; and thereafter, either i) enabling the user to select game options prior to joining in the online game, or ii) permitting the user to immediately join the first friend in playing the online game that is going on.

Summary:

The ‘758 patent describes a video game where player is rewarded during a battle. The player is awarded points depending on actions he takes. Higher points will be awarded for killing the enemy than for an insubstantial hit during the fight. The invention also has a feature whereby the player can receive items whenever they defeat an enemy. Thus, players are encouraged to fight the enemies on each stage instead of bypassing them to complete the level sooner. Some items suggested vary from small to large medicinal items which increase the player’s health recovery depending on which item the player uses.

Abstract:

A video game determines a reward acquired by a player character that has won a battle. If the player character inflicts damage of at least a predetermined value on an enemy character and kills the enemy character, the experience points acquired by the player character increase and the number of acquired items is also increased. If damage inflicted by the player character on the enemy character, immediately before the player character defeats the enemy character, is at least the predetermined value, then the reward of the battle is thus modified favorably for the player.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A computer-readable recording medium having a program of a video game recorded therein, at least one predetermined parameter assigned to a player character in said game being changed when the player character defeats an enemy character, wherein upon being read by a computer, the program of the video game causes the computer to execute: comparing an amount of damage inflicted on the enemy character by the player character, immediately before the player character defeats the enemy character, with a threshold value previously set for the enemy character; changing the parameter stored in a storage device according to a first condition, when the enemy is defeated by an amount of damage that is less than the threshold value; and changing the parameter stored in the storage device according to a second condition that is different from the first condition, when the enemy is defeated by an amount of damage that is at least the threshold value.

Summary:

The ‘830 patent, issued to Microsoft, can be used for its popular Flight Simulator game. The patent allows for weather simulation in a video game and allows for dynamic weather scenarios to a computer user based on the player’s location. The patent also calls for a time function which will help determine the weather pattern for the user’s current location. The software represented here also allows for a player to move a certain weather pattern an insert it into any geographical location during its flight path. For example, the user could take the weather associated with a hurricane from one area and place it along a flight path in another geographical location.

Abstract:

Methods and systems for providing dynamic weather simulation in a computer gaming environment are disclosed. Weather may be user-specified, computer simulated, based on periodic updates of real-world weather conditions, or based on a pre-existing or user-created weather profile. A weather profile may include a data structure that stores weather over a location neutral geographical space, which may subsequently be applied dynamically to any selected geographical space in a simulated environment. To dynamically simulate weather while conserving computer resources, a weather simulation manager may periodically alter temperature and dew point values and determine whether to render or dissipate clouds based on the current temperature and dew point values.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A tangible computer readable medium, other than a modulated data signal, storing computer executable instructions, which when executed perform a computer-assisted method of graphically depicting weather defined in a pre-existing weather profile to a simulated geographical environment in a computer game, comprising: a) a computer reading a data structure storing predefined location neutral weather information, wherein the data structure comprises weather information for each of a plurality of cells in a multi-dimensional array, and wherein the weather information for each cell comprises a plurality of layers of weather information; b) the computer applying the weather information read from the data structure to a grid within the simulated geographical environment of the computer game based on a user's starting position within the computer game; and c) the computer graphically depicting weather in the computer game based on a current position of the user within the grid.

Summary:

The ‘715 patent describes a game system which helps a player navigate an open grid within a game or virtual environment. The invention calls for an indicated to be displayed which indicated a straight line direction between the current location of the player and the next unattained goal. Whenever a player nears a goal a symbol or indicator will appear on the screen to inform him of his nearness to the next goal. This invention has been used most frequently in car games like Crazy Taxi where completing goals is a vital part of the game. In that game, the character had a giant arrow above the car which directed him toward the next goal. This is an essential part of the game because it helps keep the player from getting lost and wandering around aimlessly.

Abstract:

To assist a player in navigating an open grid within a game or virtual environment, a global indicator and a local indicator are displayed within the virtual environment. The global indicator continuously indicates a straight line direction between an object controlled by the player and a next goal unattained within the virtual environment. As the object approaches within a predefined distance from a turn that should be taken to reach the next unattained goal, a local indicator is displayed showing the direction that the object should be turned to reach the goal. The local indicator is removed from the display after a predefined time has elapsed. Preferably, the local indicator is not displayed before a turn so long as continuing to move the object along a current path without turning at the next turn will permit the object to reach the next unattained goal.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A method for providing assistance to a user in navigating an object to a user in navigating an object to one or more unattained goals during a game in an open grid type virtual environment, comprising the steps of: maintaining a listing of one or more unattained goals within a virtual environment for which an object is to be navigated to by a user during a game; removing any unattained goal reached by the object during game play and that is included within the listing of the one or more unattained goals once it has been determined that the object has reached the unattained goal and such that the listing of the one or more unattained goals only includes unattained goals that still remain to be reached by the object during the game; identifying a next listed unattained goal within the listing that still remains to be reached by the object during the game; repeatedly displaying a global indicator that points in a direction directly from the object toward the next listed unattained goal within the virtual environment upon determining that the next listed unattained goal is present and until the next listed unattained goal is reached by the object and removed from the listing, and by at least iteratively performing the following: identifying a current location of the next listed unattained goal within the virtual environment; identifying a current location of the object within the virtual environment; and displaying the global indicator to point in a direction directly from the object toward the next listed unattained goal within the virtual environment, and such that the global indicator is repeatedly displayed from a time in which the next listed unattained goal is determined to be present and until the next listed unattained goal is reached by the object and removed from the listing, and such that each repeated display of the global indicator points in a direction directly from the object toward the next listed unattained goal and so as to dynamically reflect change in the current location of the object as the object is navigated within the virtual environment; providing a local indicator, which is graphically distinguished from the global indicator, and that generally points to indicate a direction of a specific turn to be taken by the object in the virtual environment-for reaching the goal; and displaying the local indicator in the virtual environment at least before the specific turn can be taken by the object to reach the goal, and wherein the local indicator is displayed simultaneously with the global indicator, at least temporarily.

Gamasutra has just posted a new article by attorney Preeti Khanolkar regarding drafting a social media handbook policy for developers.  The article covers federal labor law, potential conflicts, FTC endorsement guidelines, and provides many do's and don'ts:

So, you are an indie game developer getting close to releasing your first game. Or maybe you are a large company that is ready to launch your next triple-A title. Perhaps your employees have already started talking about your games on Facebook, Twitter, or on their personal blogs. And maybe you are starting to wonder if your employees' online actions can impact your game's success. 

Now you are thinking about whether you should revise (or have?) a social media handbook policy. In the game industry, most employees are very tech savvy, so you want to have some sort of policy regulating their social media usage, right? If so, read on for guidance on how to draft your policy with federal labor law and the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines in mind....

Read the full article here.

Summary:

The ‘589 patent allows a player to easily target and attack one or more enemies while playing a video game. Once an enemy is targeted, the player initiates the attack against the enemy regardless of whether the player’s character is facing toward the enemy or not. If the player has locked on to multiple enemies, the player can press a button and target a specific enemy. This also allows the player to quickly switch between enemies at the touch of a button.

Abstract:

A video game player can easily target and attack one or more enemies in a video game environment. The player may quickly designate an enemy on a display screen as a target and associate the enemy with a controller button on a video game controller. When the game player actuates the controller button, a player character initiates an attack on the targeted enemy that is assigned or associated with the button. The character initiates the attack on the enemy regardless of whether the character is facing toward the enemy or away from the enemy. If multiple enemies are present and multiple controller buttons are available, the player can choose which enemy will be targeted and associated with a controller button. This allows the player flexibility in choosing which enemies to attack. The player can also associate additional enemies with different buttons on a controller. The player can then initiate successive attacks on the additional enemies by actuating the buttons associated with the enemies.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A method for causing a player object to target and attack one or more enemy objects in a virtual environment, comprising: displaying a target range indicator that defines the target range of the player object, the target range indicator comprising a bounded area that encompasses a region of a display screen; maneuvering the target range indicator toward a first enemy object so that the first enemy object is at least partially located within the region of the display screen that is encompassed by the bounded area of the target range indicator; associating the first enemy object with a first button on an input device according to a button hierarchy, the button hierarchy prioritizing plural buttons on the input device in a predetermined priority order wherein the first button is the first button in the priority order; maneuvering the target range indicator toward a second enemy object so that the second enemy object is at least partially located within the region of the display screen that is encompassed by the bounded area of the target range indicator; associating the second enemy object with a second button on the input device according to the button hierarchy, wherein the second button is the next button in the priority order after the first button; and causing the player object to attack an enemy object when the button associated with the enemy object is pressed.

Summary: 

The ‘728 patent describes an apparatus for controlling an interactive virtual environment. Objects in the environment may be attached or detached from other objects. Whenever a character attaches itself to an object, the character will react to things in the environment along with the object. The character and the object will attach themselves together and all animations will reflect this. The game has set animations depending on what the character is holding. Thus, animations will be differently if a player holds an object than it would if he is empty handed.

Abstract:

An apparatus for controlling an interactive virtual environment is disclosed. The apparatus comprises means for defining a virtual environment populated by objects, the objects comprising at least avatars and props, objects within the virtual environment may be dynamically attached to and detached from other objects under user control. A prop has associated with it an animation for use when an avatar interacts with the prop, and when the prop is attached to another object the animation remains associated with the prop. When an object is attached to another object, it may inherit the movement of the object to which it is attached.

Illustrative Claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling an interactive virtual environment, the apparatus comprising a unit which defines a virtual environment populated by objects, the objects comprising avatars and props, wherein objects within the virtual environment may be dynamically attached to and detached from other objects, characterized in that one or more of the props has associated with it information defining one or more animations which may be performed by an avatar when said avatar interacts with the prop, the avatar being operable to query the prop for the information defining the animation that the avatar is to perform when the avatar interacts with the prop, and wherein when the prop is dynamically attached to another object, the information defining the animation(s) to be performed by one or more of the avatars during an interaction with the prop, remains associated with the prop.

Summary:

The ‘195 patent provides for a change in camera viewpoint during a third-person shooter. This invention calls for two camera views: explorer and ready. In explorer mode the camera is farther back from the character providing a wider angle of view of the battle terrain. In the ready viewpoint, the camera moves to just behind the character to facilitate better aiming when the character is engaged in combat. The ready view should give the player a better view of the action and help him in battle while the explorer mode allows the player to see all of the action going on. The change in camera aims to make the game more fun for the player by giving different views which help the player.

Abstract:

In a third-person shooter video game, the viewing perspective is smoothly transitioned between an "explorer" viewpoint and a "ready" viewpoint as game conditions change. In the "explore" viewpoint, scenes are depicted from a camera positioned behind and removed from a character. The explorer viewpoint offers a wide angle of view of the surrounding combat area, enabling the game player to scout the terrain. In the "ready" viewpoint, scenes are depicted from the camera as it is repositioned close to the character. The ready viewpoint provides a narrower angle of view to facilitate better aiming when the character is engaged in armed combat. The transition between the explorerr and ready viewpoints tracks a non-linear path.

Illustrative Claim:

1. In a third-person shooter video game, a method comprising: presenting a scene from a first camera viewpoint remote from a character being controlled, wherein the character being controlled is one of a squad of characters participating in the game and individually selectable for control, and wherein at least one of the squad of characters not being directly controlled by a player performs one or more player-issued commands by way of an artificial intelligence of the video game, wherein the one or more player-issued commands are determined from a range of possible player-issued commands, and wherein one or more player-issued commands are depicted on a squad status display; in response to occurrence of a predefined event, smoothly transitioning to present the scene from a second camera viewpoint closer to the character being controlled; and smoothly transitioning back to the first camera viewpoint after i) the predefined event ceases to exist and ii) a predefined time delay lapses, wherein the predefined event comprises: (i) player-actuation of a controller that directs the character to fire a weapon; (ii) placement of an aiming reticle over a target; or (iii) movement of the character into a specified combat region.

Courtesy of Law360:

Law360, New York (January 07, 2013, 1:01 PM ET) --Electronic Arts Inc. and former NFL running back Ricky Williams were sued recently in Louisiana federal court by a tattoo artist who claims EA used his copyrighted artwork when it put Williams on the cover of its “NFL Street” video game.

Stephen Allen, a tattoo artist and owner of Crybabies Tattoo in Shreveport, La., alleged in a Dec. 31 complaint that EA infringed a copyright by using an image of Williams on the cover of “NFL Street,” a game first released in 2004. The game cover, which Allen says he became aware of in 2010, shows tattoo artwork that he inked on Williams' arms in 2003, according to the suit.

The case is Stephen Allen v. Electronic Arts Inc. et al., case number 5:12-cv-03172, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

We will follow the case and keep you updated.

Read more here.