# US 8,540,570 B2 · Online game with mechanic for combining visual display parameters of virtual objects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,570 B2 - Document ID: US8540570B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/244,925 - Filed: 2011-09-26 - Published: 2012-09-20 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-16 - Assignees: Zynga Inc. - Applicants: Sean Janis; Gregory Omi; Tim Wang; Vasudev Vadlamudi; Bruce Harlick - Inventors: Sean Janis; Gregory Omi; Tim Wang; Vasudev Vadlamudi; Bruce Harlick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540570B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/825: Fostering virtual characters - A63F 13/23: for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console - A63F 13/52: involving aspects of the displayed game scene - A63F 13/335: using Internet - A63F 13/533: for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu - A63F 13/63: by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor - A63F 2300/407: Data transfer via internet - A63F 2300/5533: using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game - A63F 2300/575: for trading virtual items - A63F 2300/6009: for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content - A63F 2300/65: for computing the condition of a game character - A63F 2300/8058: Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An online game includes a mechanic for combining visual display parameters of virtual objects including virtual animals. In some embodiments features of a first virtual object and a second virtual object are combined to generate a third virtual object, where these features may include a base color and optional pattern markings with a corresponding pattern color. Additional game aspects may include generating multiple candidates for the third virtual object and selecting or identifying the third virtual object from the multiple candidates. Additional game aspects may also include options for enhancing the likelihood of successfully generating a third virtual object. Parameterized color values for a specific virtual object may be substituted into source artwork to generate a variety of distinctive displays. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of combining visual display parameters for virtual objects in an online game, comprising: receiving selections for a first virtual object and a second virtual object in the online game, each of the selected virtual objects being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; generating, with at least one computer, a third virtual-object parameter set from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, the third virtual-object parameter set visually characterizing a third virtual object having a virtual object type related to at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object, the generating of the third virtual-object parameter set including: generating a random number to select a feature value from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set, and changing the selected feature value to another feature value based on the selected feature value satisfying a threshold test relative to a record of feature values, the record of feature values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer; and providing values from the third virtual-object parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each parameter set corresponding to the virtual object type includes at least one base color parameter to specify a base color, and at least one pattern color parameter to specify a presence or an absence of markings with an associated pattern color. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving instructions to satisfy preliminary conditions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the preliminary conditions including a specification of virtual currency in the online game. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving instructions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the instructions including an enhancement value for generating the third virtual-object parameter set; and using the enhancement value to increase a likelihood of success for generating the third virtual-object parameter set. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a plurality of potential virtual-object parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential virtual objects of the virtual object type; and providing values from the potential virtual-object parameter sets to the user machine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the third virtual-object parameter set includes: generating a first random number to select color parameters for the third virtual-object parameter set from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set; and generating a second random number to determine a random variation about the selected color parameters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the third virtual object is an offspring animal having a virtual animal type, and the method further comprises: receiving instructions to satisfy a nourishment requirement for the offspring animal; and in response to the satisfied nourishment requirement, changing a status of the offspring animal from an offspring status to an adult status so that the offspring animal is displayed as an adult male or an adult female of the virtual animal type. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a source artwork for the third virtual object to the user machine to enable generating a display of the third virtual object by substituting combinations of color-channel values corresponding to the third virtual-object parameter set for color-channel values in the source artwork. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual object corresponds to a male animal of a virtual animal type, the second virtual object corresponds to a female animal of the virtual animal type, the third virtual object corresponds to an offspring animal of the virtual animal type, and the selected feature value determines whether the offspring animal is male or female. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selected feature value is changed to the another feature value if the user machine corresponding to the player has been provided with a threshold number of virtual-object parameter sets having the selected feature value within a given portion of the online game. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining the record of feature values for the player, the record of feature values including a sequence of feature values included in virtual-object parameter sets that were provided to the user machine corresponding to the player; and changing the selected feature value to the another feature value if the selected feature value appears a threshold number of times in a threshold portion of the sequence of feature values. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a computer program to combine visual display parameters for virtual objects in an online game, the computer program including computer-program instructions that, when executed by at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: receiving selections for a first virtual object and a second virtual object in the online game, each of the selected virtual objects being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a third virtual-object parameter set that visually characterizes a third virtual object having a virtual object type related to at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object, the generating of the third virtual-object parameter set including: generating a random number to select a feature value from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set, and changing the selected feature value to another feature value based on the selected feature value satisfying a threshold test relative to a record of feature values, the record of feature values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer; and providing values from the third virtual-object parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein each parameter set corresponding to the virtual object type includes at least one base color parameter to specify a base color, and at least one pattern color parameter to specify a presence or an absence of markings with an associated pattern color. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: receiving instructions to satisfy preliminary conditions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the preliminary conditions including a specification of virtual currency in the online game. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: receiving instructions for generating the third virtual-object parameter set, the instructions including an enhancement value for generating the third virtual-object parameter set; and using the enhancement value to increase a likelihood of success for generating the third virtual-object parameter set. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: generating, from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a plurality of potential virtual-object parameter sets that visually characterize a corresponding plurality of potential virtual objects of the virtual object type; and providing values from the potential virtual-object parameter sets to the user machine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein generating the third virtual-object parameter set includes: generating a first random number to select color parameters for the third virtual-object parameter set from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set; and generating a second random number to determine a random variation about the selected color parameters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the third virtual object is an offspring animal having a virtual animal type and the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: receiving instructions to satisfy a nourishment requirement for the offspring animal; and in response to the satisfied nourishment requirement, changing a status of the offspring animal from an offspring status to an adult status so that the offspring animal is displayed as an adult male or an adult female of the virtual animal type. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: providing a source artwork for the third virtual object to the user machine to enable generating a display of the third virtual object by substituting combinations of color-channel values corresponding to the third virtual-object parameter set for color-channel values in the source artwork. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first virtual object corresponds to a male animal of a virtual animal type, the second virtual object corresponds to a female animal of the virtual animal type, the third virtual object corresponds to an offspring animal of the virtual animal type, and the selected feature value determines whether the offspring animal is male or female. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the selected feature value is changed to the another feature value if the user machine corresponding to the player has been provided with a threshold number of virtual-object parameter sets having the selected feature value within a given portion of the online game. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program further includes computer-program instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the at least one computer to perform operations comprising: maintaining the record of feature values for the player, the record of feature values including a sequence of feature values included in virtual-object parameter sets that were provided to the user machine corresponding to the player; and changing the selected feature value to the another feature value if the selected feature value appears a threshold number of times in a threshold portion of the sequence of feature values. ### Claim 23 An apparatus to combine visual display parameters for virtual objects in an online game, the apparatus comprising at least one computer configured to perform operations for computer-executable modules including: a selection-receiving module configured to receive selections for a first virtual object and a second virtual object in the online game, each of the selected virtual objects being visually characterized by a corresponding parameter set that includes one or more color parameters; a parameter-generating module configured to generate from the first virtual-object parameter set and the second virtual-object parameter set, a third virtual-object parameter set that visually characterizes a third virtual object having a virtual object type related to at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object, the generating of the third virtual-object parameter set including: generating a random number to select a feature value from one of the first virtual-object parameter set or the second virtual-object parameter set, and changing the selected feature value to another feature value based on the selected feature value satisfying a threshold test relative to a record of feature values, the record of feature values being stored in a computer-readable medium in the at least one computer; and a value-providing module configured to provide values from the third-virtual-object parameter set to a user machine corresponding to a player in the online game.