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Player deception in a video gameRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), In A Game Including A Simulated Projectile (e.g., Bullet, Missile, Ball, Puck, Etc.)Player deception in a video game description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070218965, Player deception in a video game. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] As the popularity of video games grows, and more games are offered in the marketplace, video game developers continue to try to provide innovative game play to video game players, or gamers. Multiplayer video games have become increasingly popular in the video game industry over recent years, allowing players to compete against one another. The advent of online multiplayer gaming networks, such as the Xbox.RTM. LIVE gaming network provided by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., has made it easier than ever for gamers to find one another and to play multiplayer games. [0002] One popular genre of multiplayer games is the first-person shooter (FPS) genre. A FPS game can be characterized by the player's on-screen view of the game simulating that of the character's view, i.e., first person view. In FPS games, the player has full control over a character and can interact directly with the environment. In a multiplayer game, each player attempts to accomplish a goal within the game, either alone or in conjunction with other teammates with whom the player is playing the game. Goals include "killing" other player characters a certain number of times, capturing another team's flag, and launching an assault on another team's base, to name a few. [0003] Many third-person shooters (e.g., where the player sees the game world from a viewpoint above and/or behind the main character) are often conceptually paired with first-person shooters, due to similarities in gameplay. In addition, some games have allowed the player to toggle the game between both viewpoints, first person view and third person view, to suit the player's preference or needs at various points during the game. [0004] In recent years, some consider that FPS game development has stagnated, where each new FPS game provides a new storyline, while the gameplay remains the same as previous iterations of FPS games. This causes gamers to quickly get bored and lose interest in new games, and also to seek alternative forms of entertainment, e.g., a different game. SUMMARY [0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0006] Various aspects described below provide methods, systems, and computer readable media storing executable instructions for deceiving other characters in a video game. A video game may include a simulated virtual environment, or simulated environment, in which character interaction to achieve some goal takes place. According to some aspects, player controlled characters can monitor other characters' positions using a radar provided by the video game, e.g., an acoustic radar that detects noise (such as the firing of various weapons) associated with other characters. [0007] According to an aspect described below, there is a video game method of representing characters on a radar image displayed on a video output device, by determining a first simulated noise level associated with a first character in a simulated video game environment operating under control of the video game. The first simulated noise level may result, e.g., from the first character firing various weapons, which each result in a different noise level or radar signature. The video game then displays on a second character's radar image a first radar blip identifying an approximate current location of the first character relative to the second character. The first radar blip has a first characteristic (e.g., a duration of time for display) based on the first simulated noise level associated with the first character. [0008] According to another aspect, a character may fire a decoy bullet or other projectile, which creates noise at the location of impact rather than the location of firing. When an acoustic radar is in use, the firing character appears on radar at the location of impact of the decoy bullet rather than at the location of firing, thereby deceiving other characters as to his or her true location. In an illustrative aspect, a video game performs a method of representing characters on a radar image displayed on a video output device, by providing an acoustic radar system to a first character in a simulated environment of the video game. The acoustic radar system identifies a location of a second character in the simulated environment based on a noise level associated with the second character. The video game receives first input indicating that the second character has fired a first type of projectile in the simulated environment, and thus displays on the radar image, which corresponds to the radar system of the first character, a first radar blip corresponding to a location of impact of the projectile. [0009] According to other aspects described below, a character may temporarily jam another character's radar so that the other character's radar does not display character locations. In an illustrative aspect, a video game performs a method of representing characters on a radar image displayed on a video output device, by providing a radar system to a first character in a simulated environment of the video game. The radar system, when in a normal operation state, identifies on the radar image a location of a second character in the simulated environment relative to a location of the first character in the simulated environment. The video game receives input indicating that the second character has performed a predetermined action directed at the first character in the simulated environment, and thus places the radar system in a jammed state for some amount of time. While in the jammed state, the radar system does not identify the location of the second character, regardless of whether the radar system would otherwise identify the location of the second character were the radar system in the normal operation state. [0010] According to other aspects, a character may mimic an enemy character on radar so that the character appears as a friend to enemy characters on each enemy characters' radar. In an illustrative aspect, a video game performs a method representing characters on a radar image displayed on a video output device, by providing a radar system to a first character in a simulated environment of the video game, where the radar system identifies on the radar image, using a first visual appearance (e.g., a first color or appearance indicating an enemy), a location of a second character in the simulated environment relative to a location of the first character in the simulated environment. The video game receives input indicating a predetermined action has occurred within the simulated environment of the video game, and then identifies the location of the second character on the radar image using a second visual appearance (e.g., a second color or appearance indicating a friend) based on the occurrence of the predetermined action. [0011] In still other aspects, a special weapon may cause a psychosis-like effect on a player hit by the gun, making all visible characters visually appear as enemies to the character hit by the weapon, thereby confusing the player controlling the hit character. According to an illustrative aspect, a video game may perform a method of visually deceiving a video game player by visually depicting, on a video output device corresponding to the video game player, a first subset of a plurality of characters (e.g., a first team in a multi-team game) using a first visual appearance in a simulated environment under control of the video game. The first visual appearance may include a team-based common appearance, e.g., representing all team members as wearing similar uniforms. The video game visually depicts a second subset of the plurality of characters (e.g., a second team in the multi-team game) using a second visual appearance in the simulated environment. The second visual appearance is different from the first visual appearance. The second visual appearance may include another team-based common appearance, e.g., representing all team members as wearing similar uniforms. The first subset and second subset may be mutually exclusive subsets of the plurality of characters (e.g., a single player/character cannot simultaneously be on both teams). The video game detects a predetermined action within the simulated environment of the video game directed at a first character in the first subset of the plurality of players. The first character being controlled by the video game player corresponding to the video output device. The video game visually depicts on the video output device, any visible characters of the first subset of the plurality of characters using the second visual appearance (e.g., as enemies), based on the occurrence of the predetermined action. The first character thus sees all characters as enemies, and shoots at everyone because she is not able to distinguish friend from foe. [0012] In still other aspects, a special weapon creates a hologram-like effect by creating a duplicate image of a character in the simulated environment, thereby confusing other characters. According to an illustrative aspect, a video game performs a method depicting a hologram image of a video game character, by visually depicting an actual image of a first character in the simulated environment of the video game. Upon detecting a first predetermined action corresponding to the actual image of the first character within the simulated environment, and based on the predetermined action, the video game visually depicts a hologram image of the first character in the simulated environment. The video game then moves the hologram image of the first character within the simulated environment based on movement input received from a player corresponding to the first character, e.g., in tandem with the actual image of the first character. [0013] These and other aspects will be described in greater detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a game console that may be used to implement various features described herein. [0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a general computing environment that may be used to implement various features described herein. [0016] FIG. 3 illustrates an example network configuration over which various aspects of the invention may be performed. [0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a block architecture diagram of software modules that may be used to implement various features described herein. [0018] FIG. 5A illustrates an instance of a character object according to various features described herein. [0019] FIG. 5B illustrates an instance of a weapon object according to various features described herein. [0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a screenshot of a video game implementing one or more illustrative aspects described herein. [0021] FIG. 7 illustrates a method for an acoustic radar in a video game according to one or more illustrative aspects described herein. Continue reading about Player deception in a video game... Full patent description for Player deception in a video game Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Player deception in a video game patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Player deception in a video game or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Systems, methods and techniques for safely and effectively coordinating video game play and other activities among multiple remote networked friends and rivals Next Patent Application: Radar manipulation in a video game Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Player deception in a video game patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.42683 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error 174 |
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