Patent Application
20230302354
The present invention relates to a digital social platform for users to create and share video content, which is designed to enable users to participate in a digital contest that is based on the content.
An online game is a game played over some form of a computer network, such as the Internet. The expansion of online gaming has reflected the overall expansion of computer networks from small local networks to the Internet and the growth of Internet access itself. Online games can range from simple text-based games to games incorporating complex graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously. Many online games have associated online communities, making online games a form of social activity beyond single player games. Conventionally, a method for operating a live hosted multiplayer online game is provided. The method includes the steps of registering a plurality of online game clients to participate in the live hosted multiplayer online game; registering a live host console to provide a user interface for a live host to control and monitor the live hosted multiplayer online game; publishing a question to the plurality of online game clients; receiving a set of responses from the plurality of responses received from the plurality of online game clients; creating a summary of the set of responses received from the plurality of online game clients; sending the summary of the set of responses to the live host console; receiving an event request from the live host console; and transmitting a game content to the plurality of client online game clients in response to the event request. However, when many new Internet-based online games work, they typically offer a game challenge with traditional feedback interactions. The lack of dynamic and flexibility of games discourages users to participate a game. Moreover, all users, no matter what games they are in, receive the restricted number of challenges given by a host and thus the possibility of earning the same number of points, which are already determined. Thus, direct comparisons between users, although not encouraged, are possible. Such comparisons between players under the lack of feedback from other users and simple awards to a winner can lead to user disappointment in the game. For example, a traditional structure that streams video over the Internet is not interactive such as “making of” video, games, or director's commentary (stream the material.) This is often due to the fact that the interactive material is made based on an ineffective feedback and structures intended for audiences and participants that handle interactivity locally. Inflexible game challenges and ineffective awarding systems are problems waiting for solution. Moreover, in the digital age, there is much information that people want to share with other people, including pictures, lists, music, etc. video file sharing has typically been achieved through conventional file server. Hence, a user that wants to share a video file with other users will share it through endpoint devices for an online game. Endpoint devices such as phones, computer, television, and so forth are an important part of the fabric of everyday life, and the way people communicate, so that sharing files to and from these endpoint devices is ever more desirable.
With the increasing demands of customers for ever richer gaming experiences, advances in online games are needed.
The game named “CHLNGE” by the inventor is an online game, which can be operated by practically unlimited number of USERs (“USERS”) at the most diverse locations and at the most diverse times together and/or one after the other via the Internet. CHLNGE is a digital social platform where USERs can create and share video content. It is designed to allow USERs to participate in a digital competition based on the content giving it more flexibility. Participation is uploaded and shared through the medium of video. The entirety of the USERs is referred to as the “COMMUNITY,” and the respective competition leaders as the “HOST”. In concrete terms, it is an online game that can be accessed from a computer by logging onto a designated web page or via a mobile device with the help of an app. The purpose of the game is to accept (competition) tasks (“CHALLENGES”) defined by the operator (“ADMIN”), if applicable, also by the USERS, to solve them, to post the solution online in a suitable manner within a specified time and to have it evaluated by the other PARTICIPANTs. In this way, all USERS who have accepted the same task and solved it within the specified time (“PARTICIPANTS”) collect points (“VOTES”), which are summed up in a competition table and assign a table position to the PARTICIPANTS as effective awarding points. The ADMIN moderates and provides functions such as the verification of CHALLENGES, counting of points, updating of the table position, and transfer of points.
USERs can create “CHALLENGES” that include producing a video and requirements to complete the tasks. CHALLENGES proposed by USERs are verified by the ADMIN. USERs can invite other USERs to participate in these challenges, in which case the USERs become the “HOST”. USERs can decide for themselves whether they want to participate in these challenges; if they accept them, USERs become PARTICIPANTS. USERs can follow the video content of the PARTICIPANTS. USERs can decide whether PARTICIPANTs have completed a challenge by distributing upvotes or downvotes, which are counted by the ADMIN. By participating in a challenge, USERs also participate in a contest. USERs can not only rate videos, but also comment on them and share them with third parties who are not in a game. USERs can follow other USERs. Dynamic transitions between USERs and HOST for a game gives more dynamic environments for an online game and effective feedback or grades for each challenger can attract more users compared to conventional online games.
In order to clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described in the following. It is apparent that the described drawings are only related to some embodiments of the present disclosure and thus are not limitative of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the disclosure taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure.
Also, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It is also understood that all spatial references, such as, for example, horizontal, vertical, top, upper, lower, bottom, left and right, are for illustrative purposes only and can be varied within the scope of the disclosure.
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The game concept and the competition pursued are based on the decisions of the community. The performance of each PARTICIPANT in a challenge can be evaluated by each member of the community with an upvote or downvote. Each PARTICIPANT in the contest is represented in a table (“LEADERSHIP BOARDS”) maintained by the respective HOST. The spreadsheet contains information about the PARTICIPANT's name, nationality, total score, and placement. To win the competition, PARTICIPANTS can earn points in term of VOTES by taking part in challenges. The sum of the collected points in relation to the other PARTICIPANTs determines the ranking of the PARTICIPANTS in the table.
USERs can participate in a challenge independently and must complete it within a time limit set by the HOST or other PARTICIPANTS. USERs can also create and send invitations to other USERs to challenge them; in these cases, the inviting PARTICIPANTS themselves become the HOST. To incentivize interactions with these invitations, a limited validity period is set. Once a HOST sends the invitations, the invited USERS have a limited window of time to respond and decline or accept the invitation. If a USER accepts the invitation, he/she has the same time window as any other PARTICIPANT in the same challenge. If a USER, who has confirmed his/her participation, cannot solve the challenge within the given time or cannot put the proof online, he/she will not receive any points; instead, the number of points specified for this challenge will be credited to the respective HOST. No points are taken from the USER failing to solve or upload his/her video. The number of points credited to the HOST is determined and transferred by the ADMIN.
The following is an example of a challenge based on the present embodiment. The host invites participants to take part in a push-up competition. Each invited competitor must confirm their participation within a defined period of time and then has another defined period of time to prove the number of push-ups they have managed per unit of time by uploading a video. The other competitors then evaluate the performance by awarding points. The host can also participate indirectly in this competition, because for each participant who has agreed to participate but has not provided video evidence within the prescribed time, the host is credited with points.
In other embodiment, the game process follows the process explained below:
In some embodiment, the contest is based on the decisions of the community. Every participant's content can be judged by every member of the community with an upvote or a downvote. Every participant in the contest is reflected in the leadership board. The leadership board includes information regarding the participant's name, nationality, total account balance of points and the ranking. To win the contest, participants can collect points by participating in challenges. The sum of collected points in relation to other participant determines the participants ranking.
How to Collect Points
Create a Challenge
A Participant produces a film that shows an activity. Furthermore, the Participant sets requirements that are needed to fulfill the activity. These requirements act as information for challenge Participants and viewers to have a broad overview about the requirements to pass the challenge. The Participant uploads the video and suggests it to be published. Challenge administration checks the suggestion and publishes it on the platform.
Participate in a Challenge
A Participant can join challenges and collect points to increase their account and climb up the ranking. If a user decides to join a challenge, the user must complete different levels to accomplish the task and collect the point of the community. As the goal is to create a commitment to be active in the challenge and credibility, it makes sense to set different time targets for the user and incentivize the upload of the participation. To create the commitment and avoid outstanding uploads, a user faces a deadline to upload the proof video. The deadline should be linked to the difficulty of a challenge. If the Participant can upload the video within the deadline, it will be published to the community. To incentivize the community to vote for the Participant's video, it would also make sense to only allow votes during a timeslot. One the timeslot is over, the sum of upvotes subtracted by downvotes equal the amount of points the Participant was able to collect for the challenge.
Invite Participant to a Challenge
Users can join challenged independently and will have to accomplish the challenge in a given deadline. User can also generate invitations and send them out to other users in order to challenge them. To incentivize interactions with these invitations, it makes sense to set limited validity. Once a host sends out the invitations, invitees have a limited timeslot to answer whether they decline the invitation or they accept it. If a user accepts the invitation, he/she will face the same timeslots that a Participant in a challenge faces. But the difference now is, if the deadline is missed, the host of the invitation will automatically collect points that are added the hosts account balance.
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While the above description contains many specifics, these specifics should not be construed as limitations of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.
Where this application has listed the steps of a method or procedure in a specific order, it may be possible, or even expedient in certain circumstances, to change the order in which some steps are performed, and it is intended that the particular steps of the method or procedure claim set forth herein below not be construed as being order-specific unless such order specificity is expressly stated in the claim.
While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Modification or combinations of the above-described assemblies, other embodiments, configurations, and methods for carrying out the invention, and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those of skill in the art are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
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The following should be noted:
What are described above are illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure only and not limitative to the scope of the present disclosure. Any changes or substitutions that are easily for those skilled in the art to envisage should within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure should be based on the protection scope of the accompanying claims.
