SYSTEMS, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES FOR SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY COORDINATING VIDEO GAME PLAY AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AMONG MULTIPLE REMOTE NETWORKED FRIENDS AND RIVALS

Abstract

Real time interactive networked gaming is provided with two different classes of bookmarked online game players: “Friends” and “Rivals.” “Friends” are game players that are known personally. “Rivals” are game players who are not known personally but whom one has played against in the past in an online gaming scenario. Game software may allow chatting or other direct communication with “Friends” but not with “Rivals.” Rivals may be tracked to a limited degree so that for example it is possible to play against the Rival when he or she is online. Rivals may for example be players who you wish to track or keep track of, but in a manner that is safe for both you and the “rival.” When a player goes online again, he or she can see whether his or her Rivals are online and invite them to play another game. Inviting Rivals to play may be selectable, so an online player can invite Friends, Rivals or both to play.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and further aspects of the exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementations will be better understood in light of the following detailed description of illustrative exemplary non-limiting implementations in conjunction with the drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementation of an overall networked gaming system;

FIG. 1A shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a list (roster) of Friends and Rivals;

FIG. 1B shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a list (roster) of Friends and Rivals ONLINE;

FIG. 1C an illustrative non-limiting example of a list of Available Games ONLINE;

FIG. 1D shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a screen display that appears when you select FIND GAME mode in Wi-Fi Connections;

FIG. 1E shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a screen display that appears when you connect to enough players in FIND GAME mode in Wi-Fi Connections and then select your characters;

FIG. 1F shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a screen display that appears when you want to add a new Friend to your Friends Roster thru “Friend Code”;

FIG. 1G shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a screen display that appears after you use Rival Radar and manage to connect and find another player using Rival Radar out on the streets;

FIG. 1H shows an illustrative non-limiting example of a Character Selection Screen during a Friends and Rival networked game

FIG. 1I is an illustrative non-limiting example of a Result Screen display;

FIG. 2A shows an exemplary illustrative non-limiting game device including a first liquid crystal display and a second liquid crystal display;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing an exemplary illustrative non-limiting electric configuration of the game device 10;

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting Internet main menu routine;

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting tournament routine;

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting opponent selection routine;

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting in game routine;

FIG. 7 a shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting buddy card menu routine;

FIGS. 7 b and 7c show exemplary representations of illustrative non-limiting possible add buddy menus;

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting multi-player routine;

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting Wi-Fi menu routine;

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting random match setup routine;

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting level selection routine;

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting friends/rivals routine;

FIG. 13 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting ready room menu routine;

FIG. 14 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting friends/rivals in-game routine;

FIG. 15 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting hunter's licenses routine;

FIG. 16 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting view hunter's licenses routine;

FIG. 17 shows an exemplary flow of an illustrative non-limiting view own license routine; and

FIG. 18 shows an exemplary flow of an add license menu routine;

Claims

1. A method of interacting between first and second game devices communicating via a network, the method comprising: introducing a first game device player to a second game device player;determining whether the second game device player is personally known to the first game device player;conditioning chat capabilities between said first and second game device players on whether the second game device player is personally known to the first game device player; andpermitting said first game device player to track and play real time games with said second game device player whether or not said second game device player is personally known to the first game device player.

2. A method for creating a list comprising: providing a first virtual card containing at least one piece of owner information to a second card owner;receiving, from the second card owner, a second virtual card containing at least one piece of second card owner information;adding the information stored on the second card owner's card to a first list on a first card owner's device; andstoring the added information in a memory in the device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: verifying that an exchange of information is desired.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the providing and receiving is performed over a local area network.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising: processing a first code entered by the first card owner;processing a second code entered by the second card owner;verifying the validity of the entered codes; andconditioning storing of the information on whether the entered codes are valid.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first code corresponds to a code assigned to the second card owner's device, and the second code corresponds to a code assigned to the first card owner's device.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first and second codes correspond to a password selected by at least one of the first and second card owners.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein a subset of the information contained on the cards is stored on a second list.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising: providing an option to exchange information upon the completion of a game.

10. An apparatus for creating a list comprising: a connection mechanism allowing connection to another apparatus or a network containing a plurality of apparatus connections;a memory which stores information relating to a first apparatus operator;a sending mechanism which sends the stored information to a second apparatus;a receiving mechanism which receives sent information from the second apparatus;a list creating mechanism which adds information relating to a second apparatus operator to a list, if that information has been received in conjunction with the sending of the stored information relating to the first apparatus operator; anda memory which stores created list information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a verification mechanism which verifies that the first apparatus operator desires to send the stored information relating to that apparatus operator.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the network is a local area network.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a unique I.D. code.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the list creating mechanism conditions operation on which the second apparatus operator has entered the unique I.D. code associated with the first apparatus and the first apparatus operator has entered the unique I.D. code associated with the second apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the I.D. codes are a password or code chosen by at least one of the first apparatus operator and the second apparatus operator.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the list mechanism adds a subset of the information sent from the second apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the sending mechanism sends a subset of the information relating to the apparatus operator.