Patent ID: 9254440
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: A63F

Claim Text:
1. A method for playing a multi-player video game, the method comprising: generating, in accordance with execution of a video game program by a computer, a virtual game world including multiple player-controllable game characters; generating, by the computer, images of the virtual game world for display on a display screen; receiving, by the computer, during the playing of the video game, game character movement control signals, the game character movement control signals being based on inputs to input devices, each used by a respective player, for controlling a corresponding game character in the virtual game world; controlling, by the computer, movements of each game character in the virtual game world in accordance with the respective game character movement control signals; and in response to receiving a signal corresponding to a first predetermined input by a first one of the players controlling a first one of the game characters during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that the first game character becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the game world without an end to the life of the first game character; and controlling, by the computer, movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world, wherein permitted movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world differ from permitted movements of the first game character in the virtual game world as an unprotected game character before being protected from harm.