Providing a shared virtual experience in a location-based game

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10737178-B2
Application number	US-201816012714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2018
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A shared virtual experience is provided to players of a location-based game. The virtual location of a player in the game is based on the real world location of the player's client device. If a player's location in the game is within an interaction distance of a virtual element, in indication that a shared virtual experience is available may be provided. Player input is received requesting participation in the shared virtual experience and the player is added to a lobby including a specified start time. At the specified time, the shared virtual experience begins and includes interaction with other players who were in the lobby. An update to game data is sent based on an outcome of the shared virtual experience.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a shared virtual experience in a location-based game, the method comprising:
receiving selection of a virtual element located at a virtual location in a virtual world that corresponds to a real world physical location;
determining a virtual location of a player in the virtual world based on a real world location of a client device associated with the player;
providing, responsive to the virtual location of the player being within an interaction range of the virtual location of the virtual element, an indication that the shared virtual experience is available;
receiving player input requesting participation in the shared virtual experience;
assigning the player to a lobby for the shared virtual experience responsive to the player input, the lobby having a specified start time for the shared virtual experience;
identifying a first game server that is servicing the client device;
identifying a second game server that is servicing a second client device of a second player that is assigned to the lobby;
reassigning the client device to be serviced by the second game server responsive to the second game server being different than the first game server;
providing the shared virtual experience at the specified start time, the shared virtual experience including a collaborative portion with a mutual objective achieved through interaction with one or more other players who are in the lobby; and
updating a game database of the location-based game based on an outcome of the shared virtual experience.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, in response to the player input, the player is eligible to participate in the shared virtual experience,
wherein the player is assigned to the lobby responsive to determining that the player is eligible to participate in the shared virtual experience.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, in response to the player input, the player is ineligible to participate in the shared virtual experience because the player does not possess a required virtual item;
providing the player an opportunity to become eligible to participate in the shared virtual experience, the opportunity including exchanging at least one of a virtual item or real world currency to acquire a required virtual item,
wherein the player is assigned to the lobby responsive to the player acquiring the required virtual item.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modifying a visual representation of the virtual element responsive to the virtual location of the player being within the interaction range of the virtual location of the virtual element.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the player to the lobby comprises:
determining a number of players in an existing lobby; and
assigning the player to the lobby if the number of players is less than a maximum number of players.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the player to the lobby comprises:
prompting the player to input a code assigned to the lobby; and
assigning the player to the lobby responsive to the player providing the code.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the player to the lobby comprises:
determining that an existing lobby is not available to the player;
creating the lobby, the specified start time being a given period of time after a current time; and
assigning the player to the lobby.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared virtual experience further includes an individual portion subsequent to the collaborative portion with an individual objective achieved by actions by the player, wherein the individual portion is responsive to an outcome of the collaborative portion, and wherein the outcome of the shared virtual experience includes the outcome of the collaborative portion and an outcome of the individual portion.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mutual objective of the collaborative portion is battling a boss and the individual objective of the individual portion is capturing the boss.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable computer program code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving selection of a virtual element located at a virtual location in a virtual world that corresponds to a real world physical location;
determining a virtual location of a player in the virtual world based on a real world location of a client device associated with the player;
providing, responsive to the virtual location of the player being within an interaction range of the virtual location of the virtual element, an indication that a shared virtual experience is available;
receiving player input requesting participation in the shared virtual experience;
assigning the player to a lobby for the shared virtual experience responsive to the player input, the lobby having a specified start time for the shared virtual experience;
providing the shared virtual experience at the specified start time, the shared virtual experience including a collaborative portion with a mutual objective achieved through interaction with one or more other players who are in the lobby and an individual portion subsequent to the collaborative portion with an individual objective achieved by actions by the player, wherein gameplay content of the individual portion is determined by an outcome of the collaborative portion; and
updating a game database of the location-based game based on an outcome of the shared virtual experience including the outcome of the collaborative portion and an outcome of the individual portion.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining, in response to the player input, the player is eligible to participate in the shared virtual experience,
wherein the player is assigned to the lobby responsive to determining that the player is eligible to participate in the shared virtual experience.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining, in response to the player input, the player is ineligible to participate in the shared virtual experience because the player does not possess a required virtual item;
providing the player an opportunity to become eligible to participate in the shared virtual experience, the opportunity including exchanging at least one of a virtual item or real world currency to acquire a required virtual item,
wherein the player is assigned to the lobby responsive to the player acquiring the required virtual item.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
modifying a visual representation of the virtual element responsive to the virtual location of the player being within the interaction range of the virtual location of the virtual element.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein assigning the player to the lobby comprises:
determining a number of players in an existing lobby; and
assigning the player to the lobby if the number of players is less than a maximum number of players.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein assigning the player to the lobby comprises:
prompting the player to input a code assigned to the lobby; and
assigning the player to the lobby responsive to the player providing the code.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein assignin

Assignees

• Niantic Inc

Inventors

• Nomura Tatsuo
• Hwang Dennis
• Wu Edward
• Doo Kevin
• Ishitsuka Naoyuki
• Matney Calin
• Hollin David

Classifications

• A63F13/847

  Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal · CPC title

• A63F13/822

  Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence) · CPC title

• A63F13/216

  using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS · CPC title

• A63F13/35

  Details of game servers · CPC title

• A63F13/48

  Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session · CPC title