Patent ID: 8562438

Claim:
A system comprising: a set-top box configured to run a game client and to send game messages via a television distribution system, the messages being based on a first message format used by the game client; a server cluster; and a protocol converter configured to determine whether the messages are compatible with a cluster protocol used by the server cluster and to selectively convert the messages to a second message format that is compatible with the cluster protocol, wherein the protocol converter is configured to (i) receive a login request message from the game client to participate in a game instance hosted by the server cluster, (ii) determine a communication protocol of the login request message, (iii) determine whether the communication protocol of the login request message is compatible with the cluster protocol, and (iv) if the communication protocol of the login request message is incompatible with the cluster protocol, convert the login request message to be compatible with the cluster protocol, wherein the server cluster includes processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising: receiving, via the protocol converter, the login request message; verifying, in response to the login request message, that the game client is authorized to participate in the game instance; assigning the game client to a process corresponding to the game instance; receiving, via the protocol converter, input from the game client indicating an action associated with the game instance; determining an updated status of the game instance based on the action; generating a game status message identifying the updated status of the game instance; and transmitting the game status message to the game client via the protocol converter.