Patent ID: 7717782

Claim:
A method performed by a computer, the method comprising: communicating, by the computer, with a plurality of game devices to provide a virtual video game environment, wherein each game device allows at least one respective player to access the computer, wherein each of the players controls at least one player character; wherein the plurality of player characters interact with one another and wherein the virtual video game environment includes a plurality of game parameters that are completed by the player characters as the player characters progress through the game; identifying, by the computer, game parameters which can be completed by receiving help from another player character; permitting, by the computer, a first player character of the plurality of player characters to post a request for help for the other players to view; permitting, by the computer, a second player character of the plurality of player characters to accept the request for help; permitting, by the computer, the second player character to provide help to the first player character; determining, by the computer, whether the first player character successfully completes a first game parameter; providing, by the computer, a benefit to the second player character based on whether the first player character successfully completes a first game parameter; and receiving, by the computer, from the first player character a rating of the help given by the second player character.