Patent Document ID: 9427661
Application ID: 13786340

Base Claim:
1. A method to implement a game, the method comprising: providing a game server which cooperates with a host server which hosts and serves a social networking site, the game server connecting to a plurality of remote computers via Internet and executes computer readable instructions on an electronic processing unit which causes: enabling a player using a remote computer out of the plurality of remote computers to sign into a game associated with the social networking site; retrieving, from the social networking site, a friend of the player and the friend's respective friend information; displaying on the remote computer a game area depicted in two or three dimensions which comprises a virtual friend walking around the game area, the virtual friend having characteristics based on the friend information; displaying at least two virtual friends on the remote computer using avatars in the game area, and avatars of valuable virtual friends are highlighted that are determined to be representations of high value players while avatars of non-valuable virtual friends are not highlighted, wherein high value players are players which have met a criteria in the game; displaying on the remote computer a button alongside the virtual friend which allows the player to interact with the friend on the social networking site outside of the game; receiving a press of the button from the player using the remote computer; and in response to the press of the button, transmitting a message to the friend outside the game via the social networking site, wherein the friend has not signed up with the game and is not logged into the social networking site.

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Claim 7:
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the friend information comprises a name of the friend which is displayed alongside the virtual friend.