Reward for resurrecting teammate in a multiplayer game

US8308569B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Derek Carroll · Los Angeles, US
• John W. Howard · Cedar Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 12, 2008
• Grant date: Nov 13, 2012
• Expiry date: Feb 14, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A63F2300/575
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

Teamwork in a multiplayer video game is encouraged by rewarding game characters who resurrect killed teammates with spendable cash that may be used to purchase additional capabilities or tools to enhance the players' ability to progress through the game. Resurrected teammates are tied to the game character who performed the resurrections by splitting their future earnings accumulated during gameplay with that game character. If a resurrected game character goes on to resurrect other teammates then he will be entitled to a portion of the future earnings of those other resurrected teammates. But the resurrected teammate will also give a portion of those earnings to the original game character who resurrected him in the first place. A resurrection chain is thus created in which game characters can be resurrected and go on to resurrect other teammates while sharing earnings with other game characters that are above them in the chain using a pyramid payment system.