Multi-User Game

Abstract

A method of controlling a multi-user game, comprising: receiving non-game information concerning the technical capabilities of a first device; and providing game play at the first device, in dependence upon the received non-game information, that compensates for the technical capabilities of the first device. A method of initiating a multi-user game that has a plurality of potential roles, the method comprising: specifying a first sub-set of the plurality potential roles; specifying a second sub-set of the plurality potential roles, that is different to the first sub-set; providing, if a first device has first technical capabilities, the first sub-set of potential roles to the first device; and providing, if a second device has second technical capabilities, different to the first technical capabilities, the second sub-set of potential roles to the second device.

1 . A method of controlling a multi-user game, comprising:
 receiving non-game information concerning the technical capabilities of a first device; and   providing game play at the first device, in dependence upon the received non-game information, that compensates for the technical capabilities of the first device.   
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the non-game information is received as a multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the technical capabilities of the first device are augmentable using accessories. 
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the non-game information comprises time-invariant information concerning time invariant technical capabilities of the first device and the provided game play compensates for at least the time-invariant technical capabilities. 
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the non-game information comprises time-variant information concerning time-variant technical capabilities of the first device and the provided game play compensates for the time-variant technical capabilities of the first device as they vary in time. 
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the time-variant technical capabilities include at least one of: current processing speed of the first device, the data transfer rate from the first device, the data transfer rate to the first device. 
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the non-game information is provided as a time-variant multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein different game plays are associated with different volumes of a vector space defined, at least in part, by the multi-dimensional vector and the provided game play corresponds to a volume associated with the received multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the received multi-dimensional vector is quantized to determine the provided game play. 
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the non-game information comprises time-variant information concerning a time-variant environment of the first device and the provided game play compensates for the technical capabilities by providing compensation to the first device that depends on its environment. 
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the time-variant information includes at least one sensor-based parameter. 
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the non-game information is provided as a time variant multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein different game plays are associated with different volumes of a vector space defined, at least in part, by the multi-dimensional vector and the provided game play corresponds to a volume associated with the received multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the received multi-dimensional vector is quantized to determine the provided game play. 
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the provided game play introduces a new gaming object(s). 
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the provided game play defines the attribute(s) of a user gaming object and/or one or more gaming objects. 
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the provided game play defines which of a plurality of roles or user gaming objects are selectable for use in the game by a user of the first device. 
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first device is a hand-portable electronic device. 
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , performed at a gaming server, wherein the first device is a remote client device and the non-game information is received from the remote client device. 
   
   
       20 . A device for controlling a multi-user game, the device comprising:
 a component for receiving non-game information concerning the technical capabilities of a first device; and   a component for providing game play at the first device, in dependence upon the received non-game information, that compensates for the technical capabilities of the first device.   
   
   
       21 . A device as claimed in  claim 20  operable as a gaming server. 
   
   
       22 . A gaming device for participating in a multi-user game, the gaming device comprising:
 a component for providing information concerning the technical capabilities of the gaming device; and   a component for receiving game control data that includes compensation for the technical capabilities of the gaming device.   
   
   
       23 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the technical capabilities of the gaming device are augmentable using accessories. 
   
   
       24 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the information is provided as a time variant multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       25 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the information comprises time-variant information concerning the environment of the gaming device. 
   
   
       26 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising a sensor for providing the time-variant information. 
   
   
       27 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the game control data defines at least a new gaming object. 
   
   
       28 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the game control data defines at least the attribute(s) of a user gaming object and/or one or more gaming objects. 
   
   
       29 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the game control data defines which of a plurality of roles or user gaming objects are selectable for use in the game by a user of the device. 
   
   
       30 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the gaming device is a hand-portable electronic device. 
   
   
       31 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the gaming device is operable as a client to a gaming server and is operable to send the information concerning the technical capabilities of the gaming device to the gaming server and to receive the game control data from the gaming server. 
   
   
       32 . A computer program product, comprising computer program instructions stored on a readable medium, which when loaded into a processor of a host device provide:
 information indicating the technical capabilities of the host device; and   game control data that includes compensation for the technical capabilities of the host device.   
   
   
       33 . A computer program product, comprising computer program instructions stored on a readable medium, which when loaded into a processor of a host device provide:
 game play, in dependence upon received non-game information concerning the technical capabilities of a device, that compensates for the technical capabilities of the device.   
   
   
       34 . A method of initiating a multi-user game that has a plurality of potential roles, the method comprising:
 specifying a first sub-set of the plurality potential roles;   specifying a second sub-set of the plurality of potential roles, that is different to the first sub-set;   providing, if a first device has first technical capabilities, the first sub-set of potential roles to the first device; and   providing, if a second device has second technical capabilities, different to the first technical capabilities, the second sub-set of potential roles to the second device.   
   
   
       35 . A method as claimed in  claim 34 , further comprising maintaining a data structure that associates the first technical capabilities with the first sub-set and the second technical capabilities with the second sub-set. 
   
   
       36 . A method as claimed in  claim 35 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of the technical capabilities of a device, from a remote device;   determining the sub-set associated with the received technical capabilities; and   sending the determined sub-set to the remote device.   
   
   
       37 . A gaming server for controlling a multi-user game that has a plurality of potential roles, comprising:
 a data structure that associates each one of a plurality of device technical capabilities with a different sub-set of the plurality of potential roles;   a component for receiving an indication of the technical capabilities of a device, from a remote device;   a component for determining the sub-set associated with the received technical capabilities in the database; and   a component for assigning to the remote device a role in the game from within the determined sub-set.   
   
   
       38 . A method of initiating, at a device, a multi-user game that has a plurality of potential roles, the method comprising:
 sending an indication of the technical capabilities of the device to a game server;   receiving, in reply, a sub-set of the plurality potential roles, wherein the sub-set depends upon the sent indication; and   providing a user-selectable option, for adopting one of the roles specified by the received sub-set.   
   
   
       39 . A computer program product comprising computer program instructions stored on a readable medium, which when loaded into a processor provides the method as claimed in  claim 38 . 
   
   
       40 . A device for participating in a multi-user game that has a plurality of potential roles, comprising:
 a component for sending an indication of the technical capabilities of the device;   a component for receiving, in reply, a sub-set of the plurality of potential roles, wherein the sub-set depends upon the sent indication; and   a component for providing a user-selectable option, for adopting one of the roles specified by the received sub-set.   
   
   
       41 . A device as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein the device is a hand-portable electronic device. 
   
   
       42 . A method of controlling a multi-user game, the method comprising:
 receiving first non-game information comprising time-variant information concerning the time-variant environment of a first device; and   providing game play at the first device, wherein the provided game play depends upon the received first non-game information.   
   
   
       43 . A method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the game play provided at the first client device compensates for differences in technical capabilities between the first client device and the second client device. 
   
   
       44 . A method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the time-variant information includes at least one sensor-based parameter. 
   
   
       45 . A method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the non-game information is received as a time-variant multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       46 . A method as claimed in  claim 45 , wherein different game plays are associated with different volumes of a vector space defined, at least in part, by the multi-dimensional vector and the game play provided at the first client device corresponds to the volume associated with the received multi-dimensional vector. 
   
   
       47 . A method as claimed in  claim 45 , wherein the received multi-dimensional vector is quantized to determine the game play provided at the first client device. 
   
   
       48 . A method as claimed in  claim 47 , performed at a gaming server, wherein the first device is a first remote client device and the gaming server additionally provides game play at, at least, a second remote client device. 
   
   
       49 . A device for controlling a multi-user game, the device comprising:
 a component for receiving first non-game information comprising time-variant information concerning the time-variant environment of the first client device; and   a component for providing game play at the first device, wherein the provided game play depends upon the received first non-game information.   
   
   
       50 . A gaming device for participating in a multi-user game, the gaming device comprising:
 a component for providing non-game information comprising information concerning the environment of the gaming device; and   a component for receiving game control data that depends upon the non-game information.   
   
   
       51 . A device for controlling a multi-user game, the device comprising:
 means for receiving non-game information concerning the technical capabilities of a first device; and   means for providing game play at the first device, in dependence upon the received non-game information, that compensates for the technical capabilities of the first device.