System for multi-user communications using discrete video game platforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403085-B2
Application number	US-17848305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2005
Priority date	Aug 21, 2001
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A multi-user video game with communications capabilities allows players to communicate with one another via simulated mail, leaflets and conversations. Different installations of the game on different discrete video game playing platforms may be unique or different depending upon random or other data available at the platform. For example, different installations may have different subsets of characters, different landscapes, or the like. Player characters from one virtual environment or village may visit another virtual environment or village and return home to his or her resident environment or village. Non-player characters may move from one virtual environment or village to another—thereby providing an ever-changing variety of characters. Communications between different game playing platforms can be provided via portable memory devices, portable game playing devices, or conventional communications means such as networks.

First claim

We claim:

1. A game playing system comprising:
a processor configured to execute game software to establish a first gaming environment on a first gaming device, said processor having writable storage associated therewith;
said processor being structured to provide at least one animated non-player character and at least one animated player character within the first gaming environment;
at least one input device connected to the processor, the input device being structured to facilitate user interaction with the first gaming environment; and
a portable non-volatile transfer memory device operable to transfer the at least one animated player character from the first gaming environment to a second gaming environment on a second gaming device, and to secretly transfer the at least one non-player item from the first gaming environment to the second gaming environment on the second gaming device, by a player decoupling the portable non-volatile transfer memory device from the first gaming device, physically carrying the portable non-volatile transfer memory device to the second gaming device, and coupling the portable non-volatile transfer memory device to the second gaming device to thereby share data with the second gaming device, the portable non-volatile transfer memory device configured to alternatively couple to the first gaming device or to the second gaming device,
the portable non-volatile transfer memory device receiving data relating to the at least one non-player item and the at least one animated player character from the first gaming device and storing the received data relating to the at least one non-player item with data relating to the at least one animated player character, the portable non-volatile transfer memory device providing the stored data to the second gaming device, the second gaming device in response animating both the at least one non-player item and the at least one animated player character in the second gaming environment for presentation to a user of the second gaming device, the second gaming device being structured to modify at least one parameter stored on the portable non-volatile transfer memory device, the at least one modified parameter being associated with the animated player character, the modification being made as a result of animated game play of the animated player character on the second gaming device, the portable non-volatile transfer memory device being configured to transfer the animated player character with the modified parameter from the second gaming environment without transferring the non-player item from the second gaming environment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the transferred at least one non-player item comprises a non-player animated character operable to remember interactions with other player characters that are not transferred from the first gaming device.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the transferred at least one non-player item comprises a non-player animated character operable to remember interactions with the first gaming environment.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one animated player character interacts with the first gaming environment to change the first gaming environment.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the portable non-volatile transfer memory device is structured to transfer at least some of the first gaming environment changes to the second gaming environment.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first gaming device comprises a portable game device.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a portable game system operable to communicate with the portable non-volatile transfer memory device and receive game content, the at least one non-player item, and the at least one animated player character.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the portable game device provides a subset of functionality included in the first gaming device.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the portable game device is configured to interact with the second gaming environment.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-player item generates travel data in response to departure from the first gaming environment and then leaves the first gaming environment to move to the second gaming environment.

11. A first game system providing a first game environment, the first game system comprising:
a portable transfer device configured to alternately couple to the first game system or to a second game system, the portable transfer device being adapted to receive characteristics of at least one player character from the first game system and store the received characteristics of the at least one player character, the portable transfer device being further adapted to provide the stored at least one player character characteristics to the second game system;
a processor configured to:
facilitate the placement of the at least one player character in the first game environment provided by the first game system;
remove the at least one player character from the first game environment in response to game player action that the at least one player character is to travel via the portable transfer device to a second game environment provided by the second game system;
randomly select a non-player animated game character within the first game environment for transfer with the player character on the portable transfer device out of the first game environment into the second game environment;
use the portable transfer device to return the at least one player character from the second game environment to the first game environment without returning the non-player animated character from the second game environment back to the first game environment; and
a game control input interface coupled to the processor, the game control input interface controlling the processor to control animation of the player character within the first game environment.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising non-player character circuitry to animate the non-player character in the first game environment, the non-player character circuitry operable to store results of non-player character animated interactions with the player character into the portable transfer device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-player character circuitry provides animated interactions between the at least one non-player character and other player characters concerning the player character.

14. A first game system having at least some writeable storage, the system comprising:
a communication interface operable to receive at least one non-player item from a second game environment provided by a second game system;
a processor configured to:
execute game software to establish a first game environment on a first game system different from the second game system;
create game content within the first game environment;
store the created game content in the at least some writeable storage;
generate other game content in response to the at least one non-player item's interactions with the first game environment;
store a portion of the other game content with the at least one non-player item on a portable storage device alternatively coupleable to either the first game system or to the second game system, wherein the portable storage device secretly transfers the at least one non-player item away from the first game environment;
receive, via the portable storage device from the second game system, at least one stored parameter that the second game system modified as a result of game play on the second game system, without receiving the previously-transferred non-player item; and
a user input interface coupled

Assignees

• Eguchi Katsuya
• Miyamoto Shigeru
• Tezuka Takashi
• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Eguchi Katsuya
• Miyamoto Shigeru
• Tezuka Takashi

Classifications

• A63F13/10 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63F2300/636

  involving process of starting or resuming a game · CPC title

• A63F2300/403

  Connection between platform and handheld device · CPC title

• A63F2300/206

  Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards · CPC title

• A63F2300/807

  Role playing or strategy games · CPC title