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US 8,944,911 B2Granted
Online parallel play
AssigneeDisney Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsJason Avent, Jonathan Gibson, Chris Bowles, James Callin, David Jefferies
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for providing concurrent gameplay of a single-player mode of a computer game. In one embodiment, a first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game is being played by a first player and receives, from a second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, data associated with an avatar controlled by a second player. The first instance may provide, to the first player, an indication of the avatar controlled by the second player, as both players play the computer game.
Claims27
A computer-implemented method to convey concurrent locations of avatars in different instances of a single-player mode of a computer game, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- providing a first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, wherein the first instance includes a first virtual environment including a first avatar being controlled by a first player;
- receiving, from a second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, data associated with a second avatar in a second virtual environment and being controlled by a second player concurrently with the first avatar being controlled by the first player;
- configuring one or more computer processors to generate an indication of a concurrent location of the second avatar in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, based on the data associated with the second avatar, whereby the concurrent location of the second avatar in the second instance is conveyed to the first player of the first instance, wherein actions of the second avatar affect the second virtual environment and do not affect the first virtual environment;
- enforcing a maximum progress differential between the first avatar in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game and the second avatar in the second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, including precluding the first avatar from advancing past a specific point in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game until the second avatar is determined to have reached a corresponding point in the second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game;
- and
- responsive to a request from the second player, annotating a specified location with a specified annotation in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, wherein the annotation is output to the first player.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation to convey concurrent locations of avatars in different instances of a single-player mode of a computer game, the operation comprising:
- providing a first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, wherein the first instance includes a first virtual environment including a first avatar being controlled by a first player;
- receiving, from a second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, data associated with a second avatar in a second virtual environment and being controlled by a second player concurrently with the first avatar being controlled by the first player;
- generating an indication of a concurrent location of the second avatar in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, based on the data associated with the second avatar and by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the program, whereby the concurrent location of the second avatar in the second instance is conveyed to the first player of the first instance, wherein actions of the second avatar affect the second virtual environment and do not affect the first virtual environment;
- enforcing a maximum progress differential between the first avatar in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game and the second avatar in the second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, including precluding the first avatar from advancing past a specific point in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game until the second avatar is determined to have reached a corresponding point in the second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game;
- and
- responsive to a request from the second player, annotating a specified location with a specified annotation in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, wherein the annotation is output to the first player.
3 more elements
A system to convey concurrent locations of avatars in different instances of a single-player mode of a computer game, the system comprising:
- one or more computer processors;
- and
- a memory containing a program, which when executed by the one or more computer processors is configured to perform an operation comprising:
- providing a first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, wherein the first instance includes a first virtual environment including a first avatar being controlled by a first player;
- receiving, from a second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, data associated with a second avatar in a second virtual environment and being controlled by a second player concurrently with the first avatar being controlled by the first player;
- generating an indication of a concurrent location of the second avatar in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, based on the data associated with the second avatar, whereby the concurrent location of the second avatar in the second instance is conveyed to the first player of the first instance, wherein actions of the second avatar affect the second virtual environment and do not affect the first virtual environment;
- enforcing a maximum progress differential between the first avatar in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game and the second avatar in the second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, including precluding the first avatar from advancing past a specific point in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game until the second avatar is determined to have reached a corresponding point in the second instance of the single-player mode of the computer game;
- and
- responsive to a request from the second player, annotating a specified location with a specified annotation in the first instance of the single-player mode of the computer game, wherein the annotation is output to the first player.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.