Favor tracking in a social game environment

Abstract

A video game allows players to gain various benefits from providing favors to other players. In certain embodiments of the invention, a player must perform favors for others before he can receive requested favors form others. Favors include, e.g., providing advice to another player, assisting another player in completing in-game activities, and loaning currency or in-game objects to another player.

1 . A method performed by a computer, the method comprising:
 running, by a video game central server, a multiplayer online game that is operable to support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,
 in which each of the players controls at least one player character; 
   receiving, by the video game central server, from a first player of the plurality of players, a request to have a favor performed in the game for the first player;   determining, by the video game central server, that the first player does not have sufficient favor credits to have the favor performed;   determining, by the video game central server, a set of eligible favors that the first player can complete in return for receiving a number of favor credits;   outputting, by the video game central server, the set of eligible favors to the first player;   receiving, by the video game central server, from the first player a selection of at least one of the set of eligible favors;   determining, by the video game central server, that the first player has completed a selected eligible favor; and   providing, by the video game central server, the number of favor credits to the first player.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the video game central server, from the first player, a request to log in to the game;   logging in, by the video game central server, the first player to the game;   and wherein the step of outputting the set of eligible favors to the first player is performed after logging the first player in to the game.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a set of eligible favors that the first player can complete in return for receiving a number of favor credits comprises:
 determining a set of eligible favors by collecting from a set of other players as plurality of favors that the other players have requested.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a set of eligible favors that the first player can complete in return for receiving a number of favor credits comprises:
 determining a set of eligible favors by selecting from a predetermined list of favors.   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a tangible computer readable medium in communication with the processor;
 in which the computer readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to 
   run a multiplayer online game that is operable to support a plurality of players via a plurality of video game devices,
 in which each of the players controls at least one player character; 
   receive from a first player of the plurality of players, a request to have a favor performed in the game for the first player;   determine that the first player does not have sufficient favor credits to have the favor performed;   determine a set of eligible favors that the first player can complete in return for receiving a number of favor credits;   output the set of eligible favors to the first player;   receive from the first player a selection of at least one of the set of eligible favors;   determine that the first player has completed a selected eligible favor; and   provide the number of favor credits to the first player.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which the computer readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to:
 receive from the first player a request to log in to the game;   log, the first player in to the game;   and wherein the processor outputs the set of eligible favors to the first player after the first player is logged in to the game.