Patent ID: 6951516
Filing Date: 2005-10-04
Classification: A63F

Abstract:
1. A method of providing interactive video game play comprising: (a) distributing a plurality of video game playing units to a corresponding plurality of video game players; (b) distributing software to said plurality of game players for use on said plurality of video game playing units, said software controlling each of said plurality of video game playing units to independently create a self-contained virtual gaming environment not requiring communication with a network to provide video game play therein, said plurality of independent virtual gaming environments being different from but compatible with one another; (c) encouraging said game players to interact with said virtual gaming environments by defining role playing characters residing within said respective virtual gaming environments; and (d) encouraging said game players to control said role playing characters to temporarily leave one of said virtual gaming environments provided by a first video game playing unit and to journey to another one of said virtual gaming environments provided by a further video game playing unit for a temporary visit; including: generating role playing character travel data, examining whether said role playing character is present at a predetermined position within said virtual gaming environment, and if said role playing character is present at said predetermined position, generating said role playing character travel data including non-player character data for exchange with another instance of said virtual gaming environment; and providing an intermittent communication path allowing said role playing character travel data to be communicated between said first and further game playing units thereby allowing at least one video game character to move between said first and further video game playing units.