Abstract:
Software displays a virtual game space for an online game. The virtual game space is associated with a first player of the online game and includes at least one terraformed feature created by a first player. The software receives a modification from a second player of the online game. The modification changes one of the at least one terraformed features into another terraformed feature. Then the software displays the virtual game space with the modification. At least one virtual object is associated with each of the at least one terraformed features.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and/or priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/569,174, entitled “Method of Operating an Online Game Using Terraformed Game Spaces”, filed on Aug. 7, 2012. This application also claims the benefit of and/or priority to U.S. Provisional Patent 61/574,747, entitled “Method of Operating An Online Game Using A Globe-Shaped Controller”, filed on Aug. 9, 2011. The disclosures of both of these applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to methods of operating an online game and, more specifically, to an online game in which the topography of the game space may be modified to produce in-game benefits. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Computer games have grown from simple single-player, text-based games playable on stand-alone desktop computers to massive multi-player games using high-resolution graphics playable across global networks. 
         [0004]    The newest and most popular computer games allow members of online social networks to play games in which they build their own virtual worlds and share them with each other. For example, an online social network called Facebook offers such online social games to over 700 million members, such as Zynga&#39;s Cityville, LOLapp&#39;s Ravenswood Fair, and Digital Chocolate&#39;s Millionaire City. 
         [0005]    Many online social games use a game play environment (or “game space”) with fixed topographical elements. For example, a game space with a fixed number of mountains, rivers, and/or farming plains in fixed locations at fixed sizes. At most, a player may place crops, trees, or other decorative features into the game space but may not modify the underlying topographical features. 
         [0006]    Games with fixed topography suffer from numerous drawbacks. First, such games limit the creativity and enjoyment of players. For example, a player may want to re-create the topography of their home town in their virtual world. Second, such games restrict game designers from providing additional in-game benefits. For example, a game designer may want to provide a player with gold ore awards for mining a new mountain. And, third, such games may hamper game operators from maximizing revenues. For example, a player may be willing to pay for the ability to add a stream or mountain to their game space. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is a need for an online social game which allows a player to modify the topographical features of a game space to produce in-game benefits. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present invention provides methods for modifying the topography of a game space to produce in-game benefits. In-game benefits may include any element that provides the player with additional resources to play, decorate, operate, or monetize the game. For example, in-game benefits may include energy to take actions within the game, in-game currency to purchase virtual goods from the game, or objects to place into the virtual world comprising the game. 
         [0009]    In a preferred embodiment, a player may raise the topography to create hills and mountains, or lower the topography to create ponds, rivers, and lakes. The modification of the topography produces in-game benefits. For example, the creation of a mountain results in the addition of more gold ore for the player to mine. The additional in-game benefits are located within the modified topographical feature. For example, a new pond contains fish that players can catch to earn rewards. Any modification of the topography may be modified again. For example, a mountain modified into a lake and then modified back into a hill. 
         [0010]    In an alternative embodiment, modifying topography may result in any type of in-game benefit depending on the nature of the modification. For example, creating a river adds “fish” elements to the game whereas creating an ocean adds “whale” elements. 
         [0011]    In an alternative embodiment, modifying topography may result in any amount of in-game benefits from a single, one-time benefit to an infinite, recurring benefit. For example, creating a mountain provides a source of “gold” element that replenishes every 24 hours. 
         [0012]    Further, the amount of in-game benefits may be affected by the extent, magnitude, duration or other aspect of the topographical modification. For example, the amount of in-game benefits may be proportional to the extent and magnitude of the modifications to the topography. 
         [0013]    In an alternative embodiment, modifying topography may introduce in-game benefits at any location in the game space with or without regard to the location of the modifications. For example, creating a mountain range adds “oil” elements to an adjacent farming plain. 
         [0014]    In an alternative embodiment, topography may be modified to any magnitude from a bottomless ocean to a towering mountain peak. For example, a player may adjust a particular location in the virtual world from a flat plain to a shallow river stream to a deep ocean. 
         [0015]    In an alternative embodiment, topography may be modified for any duration from an instant to eternity. For example, a player may adjust the topography of a virtual world for 24 hours at which point the topography returns to its original state. 
         [0016]    In an alternative embodiment, modifying topography removes the benefits inherent to the prior topography. For example, creating a mountain range from a lake removes the “fish” elements associated with the prior lake. 
         [0017]    In an alternative embodiment, modifying topography may cost any amount from nothing to any sum of virtual or real world currency. For example, a player pays 1 in-game credit to modify a specific location in the game space from a farm plain into a mountain peak. 
         [0018]    In an alternative embodiment, a player may modify the topography of one or more other players. For example, a first player may access the virtual world of a second player and modify a mountain range into an ocean. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an initial topographical state of a game space 
           [0020]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   e  illustrate a modified topographical state of game space with mountains. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 3   a - 3   d  illustrate a modified topographical state of game space with a lake. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a player builds a virtual world comprised of game objects placed onto the topography of a digital game space. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 1 , the game space  100  displays a virtual world that may contain any number or type of buildings, trees, flowers, paths, roads, decorations, and/or other objects. Further, some or all of the virtual world objects may be moved, rotated, adjusted, combined, removed, stored, or otherwise modified during the play of the game. The virtual world may also be populated by any number or type of creatures, animals, or other beings controlled by players and/or operated by a computer. The size of a virtual world, number of objects, and size of population may be limited by design but are otherwise infinitely expandable. 
         [0024]    The topography of game space  100  in  FIG. 1  is entirely flat. The flat topography may support building roads, buildings, and trees. A single building  102  is shown. In addition, the flat topography may also provide in-game benefits from planting crops (not shown) or drilling for oil (not shown). 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 2   a , the topography of the game space  100  has been modified by raising the elevation of a single segment  112 . The coloration and texture of the raised segment  112  may be altered to indicate elevation (not shown). In  FIG. 2   b , the raised segment  112  is raised again. The coloration and texture of the raised segment  112  may be altered again to indicate even greater elevation (not shown). 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 2   c , a segment  114  is raised that lies adjacent to the first raised segment  112 . The newly raised segment  114  is melded into the shape and contour of the first raised segment The two raised segments  112  and  114  become part of a mountain range. 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 2   d , segment  114  is raised again to the same height as segment  112 . The coloration and texture of these raised segments may indicate elevation and serve to meld the segments into a coherent and contiguous mountain range (not shown) or grassy plateau (not shown). 
         [0028]    The mountainous topography created in  FIGS. 2   a - d  provides new in-game benefits: metal ores, such as gold, that can be mined; animals, such as mountain goats, that can be herded; or plants, such as pine trees, that can be harvested. Further, a house  120  may be placed on the mountains or plateaus to generate higher rents or other benefits, as shown in  FIG. 2   e.    
         [0029]    In  FIG. 3   a , the topography of game space  100  is modified by lowering raised segment  114  to ground level. The coloration and texture of the segment  114  may be altered to indicate the change in elevation (not shown) to match other ground level segments at the same elevation. In  FIG. 3   b , segment  112  is also lowered to ground level to return to a flat topography. 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 3   c , segment  112  is lowered below ground level to create a depression. A depression may be indicated as water, such as a lake (not shown). In  FIG. 3   d , segment  114  is also lowered below ground level. Since the segments  112  and  114  are contiguous, one large depression or body of water is formed. Non-contiguous segments would form their own independent depressions or bodies of water (not shown). 
         [0031]      FIGS. 3   a - 3   d  show the topography of game space  100  being modified to replace a raised topography (i.e. mountain range) with a depression (i.e. lake). The in-game benefits associated with mountains have been removed and replaced with new in-game benefits specific to lakes: fish, such as trout, which can be caught; and water which can be used for drinking and irrigation. Further, houses placed at the water&#39;s edge may generate higher rents. 
       Network &amp; Systems 
       [0032]    The present invention may be implemented on computer-based networks using systems comprised of interconnected client and server devices. In a preferred embodiment, server and client devices operate across the Internet using one or more of the following networks: wired, wireless, satellite, and cellular communication. Client devices are connected to the networks via a network service provider or wireless carrier; servers are connected to the networks via modems, routers and/or networking switches. 
         [0033]    Clients. A client device is generally computer-based equipment such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, computer tablet, personal digital assistant, mobile phone, smart phone, mobile gaming device, and/or console game system that is managed and controlled by an operating system, such as LINUX, UNIX, Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh, and/or other proprietary or open source operating system. 
         [0034]    To facilitate communication with a network, a client device includes a network interface, such as an Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), Wi-Fi (802.11), or Wi-Max (802.16). In addition, a client device may also include, but not be limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), system memory (DRAM), video memory, video display, hard drive, I/O ports, and/or keyboard. 
         [0035]    A client device may execute one or more applications, such as a web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari) and plug-ins, languages, or other extensions (e.g., Flash Media Player, Unity 3D, AJAX, XML, HTML, Javascript), to perform game-related functions and/or access data from the servers available via one or more networks. 
         [0036]    Servers. Servers are computing devices that execute applications using languages such as PHP, ASP, C#, C, C++, CGI, PERL, XML, Java, JSP, SQL, PYTHON, and RUBY. Similar to client devices, servers must communicate with a network via a network interface, such as an Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), Wi-Fi (802.11), or Wi-Max (802.16). In addition, a server device may also include, but not be limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), system memory (DRAM), video memory, video display, hard drive, I/O ports, and/or keyboard. 
         [0037]    Servers also store digital data as data files or records and, in many cases, organize the digital data into a variety of databases, such as relational and object-oriented databases. A database is logical framework that allows files and records to be created, accessed, edited, and/or deleted with maximum accuracy and speed. Digital data may take many forms, including: text, numbers, 2D and 3D images, graphics, animations, audio, video, and/or other media. 
       Scope &amp; Spirit of the Present Invention 
       [0038]    The many features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the foregoing descriptions of the preferred embodiments. The present invention, however, is not limited to these particular embodiments, as the invention is capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. For example, new features may be added to an existing embodiment or features from two or more embodiments may be combined to produce a new embodiment. Further, features mentioned in any embodiment may be interchanged with similar features not mentioned that perform the same or similar functions. And, finally, the phraseology and terminology used to explain the embodiments are only descriptive and should not be regarded as limiting. The claims, therefore, seek to cover all features and advantages that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 
       Copyright Notice 
       [0039]    A portion of this application may contain materials subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of this material in the same form as filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but all other copyright rights are reserved.