Patent ID: 7507157

Claim:
A method for representing at least one additional behavior of a first participant to a second participant in an interactive computer environment during play of an electronic game, where the first participant is interacting using a first computing system coupled in communication with a second computing system that is being used for the interactive computer environment by the second participant, comprising the steps of: (a) specifying at least one additional behavior that is not dictated by rules of the interactive computer environment; (b) associating an indicator with the at least one additional behavior; (c) the first computing system monitoring actions of the first participant to detect an occurrence of the at least one additional behavior by the first participant corresponding with a user interaction with a first at least one displayed game piece of an electronic game in a manner that does not complete a turn or a move in the electronic game, wherein the user interaction with the first at least one displayed game piece comprises one or more of reordering the first at least one displayed game piece, selecting the first at least one displayed game piece in a manner that does not complete a turn or a move, or positioning an input cursor over the first at least one displayed game piece in excess of a predefined period of time; (d) after detecting the occurrence of the user interaction with the first at least one displayed game piece by the first participant, the first computing system sending a signal to the second computing system, which is in a remote location from the first computing system, and signifying the occurrence of the at least one additional behavior; and (e) wherein the signal causes the second computing system to display an indicator on the second computing system proximate a second at least one displayed game piece that corresponds to the first at least one displayed game piece to reflect the user interaction with the first at least one displayed game piece at the first computing system.