Multi-player game architecture

Abstract

A network-based game system includes a computer network configured to communicate with game client applications running on a plurality of computer devices, wherein at least two of the game client applications are engaged in the same game room, a first server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game engine application capable of communicating with the plurality of game client applications, a computer storage device connected to the computer network, configured to store a protocol for message encryption and message decryption, and a second server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game-system-interface (GSI) program that can receive a plurality of first encrypted messages from the plurality of game client applications and decrypt the first encrypted messages using the protocol stored on the computer storage device.

1 . A network-based game system, comprising: 
 a computer network configured to communicate with game client applications running on a plurality of computer devices, wherein at least two of the game client applications are engaged in the same game room;    a first server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game engine application capable of communicating with the plurality of game client applications;    a computer storage device connected to the computer network, configured to store a protocol for message encryption and message decryption; and    a second server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game-system-interface (GSI) program that can receive a plurality of first encrypted messages from the plurality of game client applications and decrypt the first encrypted messages using the protocol stored on the computer storage device.    
   
   
       2 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the first server is configured to store a game engine application capable of communicating with the plurality of game client applications in a persistent network connection.  
   
   
       3 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer storage device is configured to store a plurality of protocols for message encryption and message decryption and the game-system-interface (GSI) program can decrypt the first encrypted messages using one or more of the plurality of the protocols.  
   
   
       4 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the game engine application is configured to broadcast to the plurality of client applications in the same game room.  
   
   
       5 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the game engine application is configured to receive requests from the game client application and instantaneously respond to the requests.  
   
   
       6 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the first encrypted messages comprise game status information comprising one or more of game statistics and game configurations associated with at least one of the game client applications.  
   
   
       7 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first encrypted messages includes a serialized message that can be serialized by the protocol.  
   
   
       8 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the first encrypted messages include one or more of user identification, session identification, and game room information associated with the game client applications.  
   
   
       9 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a data storage device connected to the computer network, configured to receive information associated with the first encrypted messages from the GSI program and store the information associated with the first encrypted messages.    
   
   
       10 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the GSI program is configured to receive requests from the game client applications in the first encrypted messages and to respond to the requests by sending second encrypted messages to the game client applications.  
   
   
       11 . The network-based game system of  claim 10 , wherein the second encrypted messages are encrypted using one or more of the plurality of protocols stored on the computer storage device.  
   
   
       12 . The network-based game system of  claim 10 , wherein the first encrypted messages include authentication information and the second encrypted messages include verification information.  
   
   
       13 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the GSI program comprises a GSI controller configured to decrypt the first encrypted messages and encrypt response messages using one or more of the protocols stored on the computer storage device.  
   
   
       14 . The network-based game system of  claim 13 , wherein the GSI program comprises a GSI model that stores game application logic and is configured to develop the response messages in accordance with the application logic.  
   
   
       15 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the game client applications are executed by a plug-in to a web browser installed on the computer device.  
   
   
       16 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the GSI program is configured to communicate with the game client applications in a non-persistent network connection.  
   
   
       17 . A network-based game system, comprising: 
 a computer network configured to communicate with game client applications running on a plurality of computer devices, wherein at least two of the game client applications are engaged in the same game room;    a first server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game engine application that can    a) respond to the game client applications instantaneously after receiving requests from the game client applications, and    b) send requests to the game client applications and instantaneously receive responses from the game client applications;    a computer storage device connected to the computer network, configured to store a plurality of protocols for message encryption and message decryption; and    a second server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game-system-interface (GSI) program that can receive a plurality of first encrypted messages from the plurality of game client applications and decrypt the first encrypted messages using one or more of the plurality of the protocols.    
   
   
       18 . The network-based game system of  claim 17 , wherein the game engine application is configured to broadcast to the plurality of client applications in the same game room.  
   
   
       19 . The network-based game system of  claim 17 , wherein the first encrypted messages comprise game status information comprising one or more of game statistics and game configurations associated with at least one of the game client applications.  
   
   
       20 . A network-based game system, comprising: 
 a computer network configured to communicate with game client applications running on a plurality of computer devices, wherein at least two of the game client applications are engaged in the same game room;    a first server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game engine application that can    a) respond to the game client applications instantaneously after receiving requests from the game client applications, and    b) send requests to the game client applications and instantaneously receive responses from the game client applications;    a computer storage device connected to the computer network, configured to store a plurality of protocols for message encryption and message decryption; and    a second server connected to the computer network, configured to store a game-system-interface (GSI) controller and a GSI model,    wherein the GSI controller can receive a plurality of first encrypted messages from the plurality of game client applications, decrypt the first encrypted messages, and encrypt second encrypted messages to be sent to the game client applications using one or more of the protocols stored on the computer storage device and the GSI model can store game application logic and develop response messages to be encrypted in the second encrypted messages in accordance with the application logic.