GB2366035A

GB2366035A - Interactive multi-media activities

Info

Publication number: GB2366035A
Application number: GB0103154A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Janon T Rogers; Kurt J Hausheer; Susan Nakashima; William R Frolik; Shawn M Rasmor; Timothy B Brown
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Co
Current assignee: HP Inc
Priority date: 2000-02-11
Filing date: 2001-02-08
Publication date: 2002-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-08
Also published as: JP3469207B2; DE10100491A1; GB2366035B; TW493346B; DE10100491B4; JP2001310084A; GB0103154D0

Abstract

Play by print games deliver printed game nodes to the game player's printer 109 at times paced by the game and the player's established time frame. The player does not need to be present to receive the printed node. After selecting a campaign, a first node of the campaign, including the presentation of a first decision to be made, is delivered. A decision required by the first node is communicated to the game provider 117 and the communication with the game provider is ended. After the communication is ended, a second node, generated by the game provider in response to the decision made and including presentation of a second decision to be made, is printed.

Description

I 2366035 INTERACTIVE MULTI-MEDIA ACTIVITIES

5 Background of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of electronically delivering materials to a user and more particularly to the field of electronically delivering on-going segments of interactive multimedia to a user.

10 Games are most likely one of the oldest forms of recreation. Interactive games call upon the game player to match wits and skills with another human in a joint experience of fun. Non-real time games are familiar to most people: games such as chess in which single moves are transmitted between the players by letters through the post office. Fantasy games such as Dungeons and Dragons have readily captured the 15 imagination (and a significant amount of time) of many people. Video game versions of games are by their very nature interactive and intense, requiring the user's complete concentration.

The advent of e-mail and the Internet has offered a game player a vast new world to explore in the field of games. Play-by-mail (PBM) fantasy games have been

20 around since the 1960's and they were initially played via the Postal Service, and there are numerous e-mail versions. There are PBM companies all over the world, including some role playing games. Individuals are driven to PBM games for several reasons, finding good opponents, convenient playing times, and these games contain a lot of hidden information.

Traditionally to get started with a play by mail game, one mails an order to a moderator, human or computer, once a week and they mail the results back. The complexity of the games vary from a simple linear path, to games with fifty pages of 5 rules.

During the same time PBM games have been gaining popularity, a new type of printed publication has emerged: electronic publication. Readers of these publications usually sign on to the Internet through their computer and read the publications online. Many readers of electronic publications have expressed the complaint, however, that 10 the electronic publications are difficult to read, especially for long periods of time. In response to this for those viewing electronic publications, a solution to their long period reading sessions has been offered in an "Instant Delivery" type of service such as that offered by Hewlett-Packard Company and described in US Patent Application No. 09/3 325,040, "Document Delivery Systern for Automatically Printing a Document 15 on a Printing Device", filed on June 7, 1999 on behalf of Jon A. Brewster et al.

In view of this, it would be a feature to take advantage of electronic publication for game usage. Many players of computer garnes also log on to their favorite game via the Internet and play, challenging other, human, players of the same game with their skill. A large number of games (sometimes known as "play-by-mail" - PBM - games) 2o have been written to satisfy the needs of the game-players and have been listed on a web site at www.pbm.com. Computer game players have been shown to virtually cease blinking their eyes for long periods of intense game playing. Moreover, it is inconvenient to scroll back and forth through long pages of documents to extract information.

25 Therefore, it would be desirable that the interactivity capability and wide distribution of the Internet be used to its best advantage to bring multi- media activities to users and the off-line capability of document printing be used to provide an easier technique of providing extensive information to the game player, a "play- by-print".

C) Summaj:y of the Invention The present invention encompasses a method of delivering multi-media 5 interactive materials, including installing an applications software and accessing a material provider for the applications software. Once access is accomplished, one campaign from at least two campaigns offered by the material provider is selected. A first installment of the campaign, including the presentation of a first decision to be made is received. A first decision made is communicated to the material provider and 10 the access with the material provider is ended. After the access is ended, a second installment, including presentation of a second decision to be made, generated by the material provider in response to the decision made is printed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. I is a block diagram of an interactive system which may employ the present invention.

FIGs. 2A and 2B are flowcharts describing a process of playing a play-byprint game.

20 FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a node materials print delivery which may be employed in a play-by-print game.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an automatic document delivery process which may be employed in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a page of printer output illustrating a textural installment of a game 25 story which may be output from a game employing the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a page of printer output illustrating a news bulletin relating to a game employing the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a page of printer output illustrating a map relating to a game employing the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The present invention uses the interactivity capability and wide distribution of 5 the Internet to bring multi-media activities to users of the Internet. One exemplary use is that of playing games via the Internet. It should be recognized, of course, that the Internet is currently the preferred vehicle for providing interconnection between content provider and multiple users, but other networks such as a local area network, or other type of public or private network, either wired (e.g., telephone, cable TV, etc) or 10 wireless (e.g., satellite, radio, cell phone, etc), could also or additionally be used. Gaines have captured the imagination of many users and provide satisfying recreation to these users, The truly innovative and intellectual games provide a rich background of plot, character, and detail to delight and challenge the user/game player. Providing the information to the user on a video monitor has been a success, but for intellectually

15 challenging games, other methods of information presentation may be more pleasing over a long period of time. Such "long" periods may extend to days, weeks, or months of analyzing followed by decision making. Thus, a user reads the materials presented during a "node" of the game, spends time analyzing the materials (which can be textural material, graphical material, pictorials, or other types), and decides upon a 20 course of action for the character acting as surrogate for the user. The user then enters the decided course of action from a decision branch of a few to many possible decisions available at the decision branch into the connected computer, which subsequently conveys the decision to the decision central at the game provider. The decision central then accepts the decision, processes it, and provides another game node set of material 25 (and another decision branch) to the user. The timing of the receipt of the game node and the apparatus receiving the material may be selected by the user in advance of the commencement of the game.

An example of a network which may represent the hardware necessary for realization of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. A user, whom we shall call 30 "user A" herein, has the local personal computer generally indicated as user equipment 1. Basically such equipment functionally includes a processor 103), associated computer storage 105, real time user interfaces 107 (which can include a keyboard, Z mouse, CRT display, etc.), a printer 109 (for example an HP DeskJet 970CM or HP LaserJet V printer, or other models of printing devices manufactured by BP or others), and a modem I 11. Of course, there are enhancements to this equipment, but such enhancements are left to the selection and enjoyment of user A. The local equipment is 5 well known to computer users and the hardware is readily purchased and configured by the general public.

Other users interface with the Internet 113 with their user equipment, generally represented by block 115. The game provider interconnects with the Internet 113 with a generally available server 117, including conventional interface equipment 119, a 10 database and game control 12 1, and governing processor 123. Of particular interest in the present invention is the mediation of the Document Delivery site 125. This site provides user A a delivery of printed game materials at a predetermined time.

Document delivery system site 125 preferably contains a document server. In the preferred embodiment, the document server is operatively coupled via the Internet 113 15 to users 101 and 103 as well as the game provider server 117. The document server contains an edit module 1330, a transmission module 13 1, and a knowledge module 133.

Depending upon specific configuration, knowledge module includes print module (PM) software 140 and print schedule (PS) software 155. Edit module 130 receives inputs from one or more content providers like the game provider server 115, and represented 20 as a port 157. Also, an advertising provider, for example provider 159, may provide advertising content for game node materials. Although the document delivery server is coupled to the Internet to receive information from the game server, an alternative embodiment would place the two functions within a single server at the game site.

It is beneficial to the understanding of the present invention that one follow the 25 process user A follows to play the game. FIG. 2A flowcharts the process of a preferred embodiment. The process has been conceived with the goal of providing a game experience. It should be understood, of course, that other, perhaps more serious endeavors, will use the game process herein described to achieve other results. For example, but without limitation, is the learning of a foreign language. Language events 30 can be presented as different independent experiences that are presented to the user and are to be understood (and tested) before the user passes to a more advanced experience.

In any event, user A downloads software, at block 203, to his user equipment from the Internet game provider site. User A installs the software and subsequently enters a main page, at block 205, of the game provider's web site. At the main page site for the game, user A is presented with a myriad of campaign choices and other information. A campaign, as used herein, is considered to be one of the adventures that can be 5 undertaken within the game. These adventures can be variously considered to be activities, paths, etc. and are typically geared to the experience level (and risk tolerance level) of the user. Other users select and play different campaigns simultaneously with one user A will select and the results of the play of other users, even though unconnected and non-interacting with user A, provide global game results which affect 10 user A's environment. These results are correlated and reported to user A in various documents.

User A selects a campaign, at block 207, and this decision is communicated, at block 209, back to the game provider's server in conventional Internet manner. User A does not have a user account for this game. The game prompts user A, at 211, to enter 15 a username or create an account. User A creates an account. In a preferred embodiment, a choice of characters available in the game is offered to. user A by the game provider, at 2 1 3). User A then is prompted to create a character and is provided with a printout listing the starting attributes, skills, and inventory, at 215. User A can accept or try again, at 217. In an alternative embodiment, user A is given the 20 opportunity to create a wholly unique character by defining characteristics that define the character's personality and abilities.

Following this selection, in the preferred embodiment, user A is provided playing choices that include having the game nodes delivered to User A's printer at convenient times but without user A's intervention to obtain the printed materials. This 25 feature is of particular advantage to the game player of a complex intellectually stimulating game because it does not require the user to remain at a real time display to receive the material. Because the game is an intellectual exercise in understanding and analyzing, facts to ascertain risks and rewards of certain actions, off-line study of the materials is of substantial benefit. Accordingly, user A selects the print delivery 30 parameters that are unique to user A, at 219. Significant among these parameters is when the node materials are to be automatically delivered to user A's printer. Of course, the game has its own cadence to accept all of the inputs from the various players and calculate the results of their random inputs and decisions. This cadence runs on the order of days (or at least hours) and user A cannot expect a new node earlier than the cadence of the game. (Any earlier user A-prompted requests for a new node will result in a reprint of the last node, in the preferred embodiment). Since the game 5 will have the time known for the period during which it will accept user input to the latest node, and the calculation time necessary for a new node to be generated, the game can present to the user a statement of when the next node can be available (for example, 12:01 am every Wednesday). User A is given, as one of the printing parameters, the option of selecting an automatic delivery to. user A's printer of the

10 newest node at a selected time (for example, 5:30 pm. every Friday). This selected parameter, among others, is sent to the game server. The game server then provides this information to the document delivery server 125 for use in delivering and prhiting user A's node materials at the time requested by user A.

Returning to FIG. 2A, following user A's selection of print delivery para meters, 15 the first "node" or installment, block 221, is sent to user A's printer. This installment typically includes a character data sheet, character background, information and news about other characters, a local map, and a community map. Game nodes are calculated after predetermined periods of (real) time elapse. During this time, the inputs of all the users regarding their characters, trading that occurs among the characters, game-

20 mediated action and random game events are calculated by the game provider server. The results are parsed among the various characters and one or more story fact sheets and accompanying newsletters, maps, charts, etc. are generated for each character. Each character's installment, its node, is delivered to the document delivery server for distribution to each user's printer at the appointed time.

25 A concept of a "decision center" is created for the user to access in order to view game choices, obtain some limited additional information, and post the choice made for the action the user's character is to undertake. User A is also encouraged to visit the decision center to trade, buy, or sell virtual merchandise (such as tools, intelligence, clothing, etc, for use by the user's character), interact with other characters, 30 and edit user A's character inventory between making action decisions. After looking over the infon-nation printed, user A enters, at 223, the decision center page on the game web site. User A enters the account name, then selects the campaign being zn t) played. The decision paths are filled out with text related to the campaign and node number active. User A is provided a "trade bazaar" decision point, block 225, for the campaign, enters, reads the auctions, messages, buying and selling between players and decides to return to the main decision center to make a decision. At block 227, User A 5 clicks the desired decision and, in the preferred embodiment, clicks on a submit decision button. In the preferred embodiment, user A is provided a "thank you, your next chapter will be delivered to you" message. The trade bazaar is treated by the software as subroutine C, shown in FIG. 2B, and provides a user options of buying, selling, or trading virtual items (blocks 250, 252,254), posting a message to another 10 character (blocks 256,258), or modifying the inventory of virtual elements owned by user A's character (blocks 260, 262, 264).

Returning to FIG. 2A, a user is given a choice of time periods, consistent with the game play parameters, during which the node materials are to be automatically delivered to the user's printer. For example and with reference to FIG. 3, user A has 15 selected delivery to be Friday at 5:30 pm. On Friday, while user A is not in attendance, the delivery of the next node, including a tactical map, text of what the. game has determined has happened, an updated character data sheet, and a what-happened-in-theworld map is accomplished to user A's printer, block 301. These materials enable user A to, at block 303, review, read, view, and comprehend the game action that has 20 occurred since the last node. For example, User A may notice that user A's character's inventory changed, some skills improved, and the world map indicates several hot spots where other experienced players have impacted events in the game world. An advanced version of a game employing the present invention has an unscheduled event process in which a campaign-wide event - an earthquake, for example - occurs. All of 25 the players of the game will be notified of the event by a publication printed on the printers of the users (without the users having to access the game). The users would read all about the event when they unloaded the output tray of their printer.

Examples of the type of game node material is shown in FIGs. 5, 6, and 7. FIG. 5, a page of printer output illustrates a textural installment of the game story, 30 personalized to user A's character and ending with a problem or decision for user A to solve or make. FIG. 6 is a page of printer output, ostensibly a news bulletin regarding the state of affairs user A's character would be encountering on the day the game node occurred. FIG. 7 is a computer output map, ostensibly of the local area and providing user A with additional material to elucidate (and perhaps add complexity to) the state of the game.

After user A has had the opportunity to digest the printed node materials, user A 5 will access the game web site, at 305. User A enters the decision center and provides the account name and the campaign name, at 307. Typically, user A will enter the trade bazaar, at 309, post a message commending the positive results generated in the world map by other players, and offer an item for trade. Regardless, user A goes to the decision center to decide on the next move, at 311. User A can then end the session 10 and expect the next node delivery to user A's printer at user A's appointed time, the next Friday at 5:30 pm. User A eventually accumulates skills and wealth makes friends to adventure with in an on going saga which unfolds segment by segment.

FIG. 4 shows companion flowcharts detailing the operation of transmission module 131 and printing module 140 of an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 4, the 15 flow diagram shown in the left column is executed by transmission module 131 of the document server, and the flow diagram in the right column is executed. by the printing module 140. As the block diagram of FIG. I shows, the software represented by printing module 140 could be located at the document delivery site 125. It is expected that the majority of installations will install.the printing module software in the user's 20 personal computer and printer. It is expected that transmission module 131 and printing module 140 represent software that executes on suitably programmed processor(s) coupled to or within the printer, although those skilled in the art will appreciate that special purpose hardware or other mechanisms could be employed to execute the flowcharts shown in FIG. 4.

25 Referring now to FIG. 4, the flow diagram for transmission module 131 starts in block 401, and the flow diagram for the companion printer printing module 140 starts in block 403. Since there is a great deal of interaction between these two flow diagrams, as represented by dashed lines connecting the two columns, the operation of the two flow diagrams will be described simultaneously.

30 In block 404, user profile data is sent to the document server by the game server (which accepted the user print data from the user during the early stages of the game set-up) to be stored in the knowledge module 133. This user profile data can take on many different forms, from simple to very detailed. The Instant Delivery Program offered by Hewlett-Packard Company is a preferred vehicle for timed delivery of game node materials. In this program, only three pieces of information are stored in the user profile: type of printer, email address, and whether Hewlett-Packard Company 5 can contact the user or not.

Block 405 checks to see whether it is time to receive a document from the document server. This is done by checking print schedule (PS) 155 which is preferably stored at the document server located at the document delivery site 125 after being received from the game provider server, but may be stored in some other local or 10 remote location. Printing schedule 155 preferably contains information that can be used to determine when documents should be printed by the printing device, such as upon document creation, user requested time, lapse of specified time period, and/or occurrence of one or more external events.

Printing module 140 monitors the time or times and dates or dates set by 15 printing schedule 155 to see if it is time to request a document be sent from the document server. When block 404 determines that it is time for a document to be sent from the document server, block 405 is answered affirmatively, and block 406 requests the document from the document server or from another source. Note that if printing module 140 is located at the user's printer, block 405 operates in a "pull" mode - where 20 the document is "pulled" from the document server to the printer. However, if printing module 140 is located remotely from the printer, such as in the document server, block 405 operates in a "push" mode - where the document is "pushed" from the document server to the user's printer. Under most conditions, the latest node materials will be pushed from the game server and document delivery server to the user's printer at the 25 time designated by each individual user. However, a user can pull the latest posted node materials to the user's printer, for example, to replace lost node documents from an earlier push printing. If block 406 determines that the document is located on the document server or at another source accessible via the Internet 113) network, and if the user's printer is currently in a disconnected state where it is not operatively coupled to 30 the network, block 406 will sign on to or otherwise enter a connected state with the Internet 113) network, so that the printer is again operatively coupled to the Internet 113 network. Meanwhile, block 408 checks to see if a document has been requested from the printing module 140 in block 406. Once it determines that such a document has been requested, block 409 generates the document for the printing module 140. Block 410 then sends the document to the printing module 140. Block 412 checks to see whether a document has been received from the document server via block 410. Once 5 such a document has been received, block 413 automatically prints the document, without user intervention, on the user's printer. The term "without user intervention" means that a user is not involved in the printing operation; the document is sent automatically to be printed out by the printer. The user does not press any "print" buttons or otherwise be directly involved in the printing process; in fact, the user may 10 not even be present in the same room, city, state, or country as the printer during the printing operation. The printing operation automatically occurs in an unattended state regardless of whether the user is present or not. In addition, if print schedule 155 is stored in a device-independent manner, such as on the document server, a travelling user could "log in" to the web site 125 having the document server and have his or her 15 game node material sent to a printer that is convenient to the user's current location.

Accordingly, an intellectual games having a rich background of plot, character, and detail can be provided to the game player in a play-byprint mode. This mode eliminates the need to have the game player present and staring at a video monitor for long periods of interactive time. When the present invention is employed, a user reads

20 the materials presented at a game node - but off-line, spends time analyzing the materials, and decides upon a course of action for the game. Play by print games deliver printed game nodes to the game player's printer at times paced by the game and the player's established time frame. The player does not need to be present to receive the printed node. Although the present invention has its first application as a game, 25 other intellectual activities, such as focused leaming activities, also find advantage in off-line delivery of materials.

Claims

We claim:

Claims 1. A method of delivering multi-media interactive materials, comprising the steps of- 5 installing (203) an applications software; accessing a material provider (117) for said applications software; selecting (207) one campaign from at least two campaigns offered by said material provider; receiving (221) a first installment of said campaign, said first installment including 10 presentation of a first deicision to be made; communicating (227) a first decision made to said material provider; ending said access with said material provider; and printing (301), after said ending of said access, a second installment generated by said material provider in response to said first decision made, said second installment 15 including presentation of a second decision to be made.
2. A method in accordance with the method of claim I further comprising the step of communicating (219) to said material provider a time at which said printing is to occur.

20
3. A method in accordance with the method of claim I wherein said step of accessing said material provider ftirther comprises coupling to said material provider via the Internet (113).
4. A method for playing a game comprising the steps of 25 downloading (203) game software, including at least two adventures, to a computer from a decision central; choosing (207) one adventure of said at least two adventures; communicating (209) said choice of one adventure to said decision central; receiving (22 1) a game node, including at least one decision branch, from said 30 decision central in response to said communication said choice; and communicating (227) a decision in accordance with said decision branch to said decision central to receive a next game node appropriate to said communicated decision.
5 5. A method in accordance with the method of claim 4 further comprising the step of receiving a virtual merchandise coupon from said decision central in response to said communication of a decision in accordance with said decision branch.
6. A method in accordance with the method of claim 4 ftirther comprising 10 receiving a customized advertisement in response to said communication of said choice of one adventure.
7. A method in accordance with the method of claim 4 wherein said step of receiving a game node further comprises the step of printing at least one document.
8. A method in accordance with the method of claim 4 wherein said step of choosing an adventure further comprises the step of defining (215, 217) specific attributes of a character.

20
9. A method in accordance with the method of claim 8 further comprising the step,, of communicating (217, 213) a request for information regarding said character from said decision central.
10. A method in accordance with the method of claim 7 further comprising the 25 steps of selecting (219) a frequency of play and communicating said selection of frequency of play to said decision central.
11. A method in accordance with the method of claim 10 wherein said step of printing said at least one document further comprises the step of printing said at least one 30 document at a time determined by said frequency of play.