System and method for use in a multi-team game

Abstract

A method and system associated with playing a multi-team based game. In one embodiment, the multi-team game comprises multiple teams of players competing for the high score among a series of episodes each having a content release and associated responses. In one embodiment, team scoring is based on correct and incorrect responses, and a temporal factor, and player scoring is based on the player's team scoring and team roster.

1 . A method of playing a multi-team game comprising:
 receiving data representing a team formation action indicating a desire for a player to join a team in a multi-team game, each team comprising at least one player and having a team roster, said multi-team game comprising one or more episodes ending in a final episode, each episode comprising one or more episode content releases and associated team responses;   for each episode except the final episode, performing the steps of:   publishing an episode content release to each player of said multi-team game, said episode content release being associated with a correct episode response, said correct episode response being associated with an episode time period for receiving said correct episode response, wherein if said correct episode response is to be published, said correct episode response is not published prior to the end of said episode time period,   receiving an episode team response during said episode time period;   scoring, at the end of said episode time period, each player of each team, said episode player score being based in part upon an episode team score and said episode team roster, said episode team score based in part upon whether said episode team response is correct or incorrect, and a temporal factor; and   receiving, during a second time period, data representing a subsequent team formation action during which players may effect changes to team rosters so as to change a player's team association, but wherein each player's score remains individual to that player throughout the duration of said game regardless of any change in team association during the game; and   for the final episode, or if the game comprises only a single episode, performing only the steps of, publishing content, receiving team responses, and scoring players, wherein the scoring of players that occurs after said final episode yields a final player score comprising all episode players scores for said game.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein during said episode time period, a player submitting a submitted episode team response does not know if said submitted episode team response matches said correct episode response. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode content release comprises a clue. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode content release comprises a puzzle. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team response comprises an answer. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team response comprises a solution. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode content release is related to another episode content release of said game, wherein said other episode content release cannot be answered without knowing said episode correct team response. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises displaying said first clue in a web page. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises emailing said first clue. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises sending out said first clue via an instant messenger program. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises sending out said first clue via really simple syndication. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises displaying said first clue via a broadcast medium. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises sending out said first clue via text messaging. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises sending out said first clue via a telephonic message. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of publishing said episode content release comprises sending out said first clue via a physical medium. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode time period begins when said episode content is released. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the end of said episode time period is the last time when a team response can be submitted. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein either one or both of said episode time period and said second time period are constant among each of said episodes. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein either one or both of said episode time period and said second time period are variable among each of said episodes. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein either one or both of said episode time period and said second time period are based upon an occurrence of an event. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said temporal factor comprises a time period, and as time passes within said time period, a number of points awarded for a correct team response decreases. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team score is calculated by assigning a higher number of points to a submitted correct episode team response if said submitted correct episode team response occurs early in a series of submitted episode team responses, and a lower number of points if said submitted correct episode team response occurs later in a series of submitted episode team responses, so as to award the highest number of points to the first correct submitted episode team response in the series. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team score is calculated by deducting a number of points from said episode team score for a submitted incorrect episode team response. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team score is calculated by assigning a first number of points to said episode team score for a submitted correct episode team response and deducting a second number of points from said episode team score for a submitted incorrect episode team response. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team score is calculated by assigning a first number of points to said episode team score for a submitted correct episode team response and not deducting points from said episode team score for a submitted incorrect episode team response. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode team roster comprises a number of players associated with each team. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said temporal factor comprises when, during said episode time period, said episode team response was submitted. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said temporal factor comprises a determination of where within an order of episode team responses, during said episode time period, a specific team's episode team response falls. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said player score being based in part on said team roster comprises dividing said episode team score by a number of players on said team's roster. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said subsequent team formation action comprises a player joining another team. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said subsequent team formation action comprises a player forming a new team. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said subsequent team formation action comprises a player leaving the game. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode time period overlaps a beginning of said team formation time period. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said episode time period encompasses said team formation time period. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said team formation time period begins after said episode time period ends. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 1  wherein only one designated player on each team can submit an episode team response on behalf of each team. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 1  wherein any player on each team can submit can an episode team response on behalf of each team. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising disbanding all teams at the beginning of said final episode so that each player is competing individually for the highest individual player score aggregated among of all said episodes. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a player with the highest aggregated individual player score at the end of said final episode is a winner of said multi-team game. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 1  wherein players with the highest aggregated individual player score at the end of said final episode enter a selection process for determining the winner. 
   
   
       41 . A system for playing a multi-team game comprising:
 a server operated by an online entity and associated with said online entity, said server comprising code operable upon execution to:   receive data representing a team formation action indicating a desire for a player to join a team in a multi-team game, each team comprising at least one player and having a team roster, said multi-team game comprising one or more episodes ending in a final episode, each episode comprising one or more episode content releases and associated team responses;   for each episode except the final episode, performing the steps of:   publishing an episode content release to each player of said multi-team game, said episode content release being associated with a correct episode response, said correct episode response being associated with an episode time period for receiving said correct episode response, wherein if said correct episode response is to be published, said correct episode response is not published prior to the end of said episode time period,   receiving an episode team response during said episode time period;   scoring, at the end of said episode time period, each player of each team, said episode player score being based in part upon an episode team score and said episode team roster, said episode team score based in part upon whether said episode team response is correct or incorrect, and a temporal factor; and   receiving, during a second time period, data representing a subsequent team formation action during which players may effect changes to team rosters so as to change a player's team association, but wherein each player's score remains individual to that player throughout the duration of said game regardless of any change in team association during the game; and   for the final episode, or if the game comprises only a single episode, performing only the steps of, publishing content, receiving team responses, and scoring players, wherein the scoring of players that occurs after said final episode yields a final player score comprising all episode players scores for said game.