Patent ID: 8821260

Claim:
A method, executed on a computer processor, for granting bonuses to a user's in-game persona, the method comprising: defining an interface that allows a user to place a first virtual item in a first slot within the interface, the virtual item comprising a first quality value and a first level value; receiving input by the user to place the first virtual item in the first slot; establishing, responsive to reception of the input, a set of one or more quality bonuses based on the first quality value; establishing, responsive to reception of the input, a level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses based on the first level value; causing the interface to offer the user the ability to upgrade the first virtual item; assigning a percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded; causing the interface to present an indication of the percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded; causing the interface to offer the user the ability to increase the percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded by providing a second virtual item; causing the interface to present an indication of the increased percentage likelihood of the first virtual item being upgraded in response to the user providing a second virtual item; determining, responsive to an acceptance of the offer, whether the first virtual item is upgraded or broken; increasing the level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses responsive to the first virtual item being upgraded; decreasing each of the one or more quality bonuses and the level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses responsive to the first virtual item being broken; and providing each of the one or more quality bonuses and the level bonus for each of the one or more quality bonuses to the user's in-game persona.