Patent ID: 8430755

Claim:
A method of serving a computer game, comprising: a. providing two separate storage facilities accessible from a server, the first storage facility comprising searchable memory for storage of recently produced game play data, and the second storage facility comprising a structured database for longer term storage of game play data, the first storage facility having a data search and data retrieval speed that is substantially faster than the second storage facility; b. receiving, at the server, a game play request from a live gaming participant, the game play request describing a desired opponent attribute that is capable of being accessed through a social network user interface which is configured to track friends linked to the live gaming participant; c. in response to the game play request, searching the first storage facility, based on the desired opponent attribute, to identify prior game play data corresponding to an appropriate opponent from amongst a list of games played by the appropriate opponent; and d. presenting a multi-player game environment where the live gaming participant can play against and have two-way interactions with an apparently live opponent, the apparently live opponent's interaction being based on the prior game play data corresponding to the appropriate opponent, and being adapted to be different from replay of the prior game play data and to change dynamically with and be responsive to real time game moves by the live gaming participant, and wherein the two-way interactions are adapted to cause a change in progress of game play by the apparently live opponent that is different from replay of the prior game play data, and wherein replay of game items associated with the prior game play data, when desynchronized, is adapted to be slowed down or stopped temporarily in order to synthesize consequences of using said game items so as to affect the game play.