Patent ID: 8285638

Claim:
A method of managing attributes in a virtual-world, comprising: (a) selecting at least one baseline virtual object within a collective grouping of one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of an in-progress interaction in a virtual-world wherein in said selecting at least one baseline virtual object within a collective grouping of one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of an in-progress interaction in a virtual world includes: (i) selecting at least one baseline virtual object within a collective grouping of one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of an in-game experience; (b) identifying an agreement with at least one real-world entity with provides for at least one adjustment of at least one attribute characteristic of the at least one baseline virtual object within the collective grouping of one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of an in-progress interaction in the virtual-world; (c) providing—consistent with the terms of the agreement with the at least one real-world entity and valuable consideration provided by or on behalf of the at least one real-world entity—at least one adjustment of at least one attribute characteristic of the at least one baseline virtual object within the collective grouping of the one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of the in-progress interaction in the virtual-world, wherein said providing—consistent with the terms of the agreement with the at least one real-world entity and valuable consideration provided by or on behalf of the at least one real-world entity—at least one adjustment of at least one attribute characteristic of the at least one baseline virtual object within the collective grouping of the one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of the in-progress interaction in the virtual-world further includes: (i) providing the at least one adjustment of at least one attribute characteristic of the at least one baseline virtual object by one or more of the following types of techniques: enhancing an existing virtual object, adding a supplemental attribute, providing diminution of another virtual object, weakening another virtual object, changing a characteristic, changing a performance attribute, and supplementing another object; and (d) implementing via a processor a virtual-world notification technique to help establish a recognizable association between the at least one real-world entity as a sponsor of the at least one adjustment of the at least one attribute characteristic of the at least one baseline virtual object within the collective grouping of the one or more virtual objects that form at least a part of the in-progress interaction in the virtual-world.