Electronic invitations for an on-line game

Abstract

An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for inviting a participant to play a session of an on-line game, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a user designated as a game organizer, an indication of a potential participant of an on-line game accessible over a network of computers; 
 enabling transmission of an invitation to the a potential participant to play the a session of the an on-line game, wherein:
 the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the session of the on-line game and a revise control operable to enable the potential participant to indicate a different game parameter for the on-line game, and; 
 the game parameter represents a configuration parameter indicating how the online game is to be played; 
 
 receiving an indication of a different game parameter from the potential participant, the different game parameter representing a configuration parameter of the game indicating how the on-line game is to be played and a condition under which the potential participant is willing to play the on-line game; and 
 communicating the different game parameter to the a user designated as the game organizer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the user designated as the game organizer is a user designated as an organizer of the session of the on-line game, and the method further comprising applying the different game parameter to the session of the on-line game without affecting the designation of the game user as an organizer of the session of the on-line game. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 applying the different game parameter to the session of the on-line game; and 
 designating the potential participant as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1  2 further comprising:
 applying the different game parameter to the session of the on-line game; and 
 designating the potential participant as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game to replace the user designated as the game organizer. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein communicating the different game parameter to the user designated as the game organizer comprises:
 communicating a decline indicator for the on-line game session to the user designated as the game organizer; and 
 sending a new invitation to the user designated as the game organizer for a new session of the on-line game, wherein the new invitation includes a new game parameter to be applied to the new session of the on-line game. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the invitation includes a control to conditionally accept the invitation to indicate that the invited participant is only willing to play if a revised game parameter is applied to the session of the on-line game. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the revise control is operable to initiate an instant messaging session between a user who received the invitation and a user who sent the invitation. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the revise control is operable to initiate a chat session between a user who received the invitation and a user who sent the invitation. 
     
     
       9. A computer-implemented method for initiating an on-line game, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a first user, an indication of a second user of an on-line game accessible over a network of computers and an indication of at least one selection of a game condition to be applied to the a session of the an on-line game; 
 enabling transmission of an invitation to the a second user to play the session of the on-line game, wherein the invitation includes the indication of the at least one selection of a game condition to be applied to the session of the on-line game; 
 enabling transmission of a reply invitation to the first user that invited to play the session of the online game, wherein the reply invitation includes an indication of at least one different selection of a game condition to be applied to the session of the on-line game; 
 receiving an indication of acceptance of the at least one different selection of a game condition to be applied to the session of the on-line game; and 
 initiating the session of the on-line game, wherein at least one different selected game condition is applied to the session of the on-line game. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the first user is a user designated as an organizer of the session of the on-line game, and the method further comprising applying the at least one different selected game condition to the session of the on-line game without affecting the designation of the organizer of the session of the on-line game. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 applying the at least one different selected game condition to the session of the on-line game; and designating the second user as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 applying the at least one different selected game condition to the session of the on-line game; and designating the second user as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game to replace the first user designated as a game organizer. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9  wherein enabling transmission of a reply invitation to the first user comprises:
 communicating a decline indicator for the on-line game session to the first user; and sending a new invitation to the first user for a new session of the on-line game, wherein the new invitation includes a new game parameter to be applied to the new session of the on-line game. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9  wherein the invitation includes a control to conditionally accept the invitation to indicate that the second user is only willing to play if a revised game parameter is applied to the session of the on-line game. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9  wherein the revise control is operable to initiate an instant messaging session between the first and second users. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9  wherein the revise control is operable to initiate a chat session between the first and second users. 
     
     
       17. A computer-based system comprising one or more processors configured to:
 enable transmission of an invitation to a potential participant to play a session of the on-line game, wherein the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the session of the on-line game and a control operable to enable the potential participant to indicate a different game parameter for the on-line game;   receive an indication of a different game parameter from the potential participant, the different game parameter representing a configuration parameter of the game indicating how the on-line game is to be played and a condition under which the potential participant is willing to play the on-line game; and   communicate the different game parameter to the user.   
     
     
       18. A computer implemented method comprising:
 identifying a user of an online communication service;   accessing a buddy list that is associated with the user and the online communication service;   enabling presentation of a game service interface, wherein the game service interface comprises:
 an indication of multiple user-selectable games; and 
 a buddy invitation section including an option to invite a buddy from the buddy list to play a game; and 
   enabling a transmission of an invitation to the buddy to participate in a game session, wherein the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the game session and an option to enable the buddy to indicate a different game parameter for the game session.   
     
     
       19. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface comprises a featured game section, wherein the featured game section is distinct from the depiction of the multiple user selectable games and depicts at least one featured game selected from the multiple user-selectable games. 
     
     
       20. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface further comprises a depiction of at least a portion of the buddy list. 
     
     
       21. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface comprises an indication regarding the availability of at least one buddy from the buddy list. 
     
     
       22. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface indicates a game that at least one buddy from the buddy list is currently playing. 
     
     
       23. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface comprises an advertisement portion including a display of one or more advertisements. 
     
     
       24. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the indication of multiple user-selectable games divides at least a portion of the multiple user-selectable games into categories. 
     
     
       25. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface further comprises information relating to one or more game achievements of at least one buddy from the buddy list. 
     
     
       26. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface is integrated within a webpage. 
     
     
       27. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface is displayed prior to the display of a game play interface where actual game play occurs. 
     
     
       28. A computer-based system comprising one or more processors configured to:
 identify a user of an online communication service;   access a buddy list that is associated with the user and the online communication service;   enable presentation of a game service interface, wherein the game service interface comprises:
 an indication of multiple user-selectable games; and 
 a buddy invitation section, wherein the buddy invitation section provides an option to invite a buddy from the buddy list to play a game; and 
   enable a transmission of an invitation to the buddy to participate in a game session, wherein the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the game session and an option to enable the buddy to indicate a different game parameter for the game session.   
     
     
       29. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface comprises a featured game section, wherein the featured game section is distinct from the depiction of the multiple user selectable games and depicts at least one featured game selected from the multiple user-selectable games. 
     
     
       30. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface further comprises a depiction of at least a portion of the buddy list. 
     
     
       31. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface comprises an indication regarding the availability of at least one buddy from the buddy list. 
     
     
       32. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface indicates a game that at least one buddy from the buddy list is currently playing. 
     
     
       33. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface comprises an advertisement portion including a display of one or more advertisements. 
     
     
       34. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the indication of multiple user-selectable games divides at least a portion of the multiple user-selectable games into categories. 
     
     
       35. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface further comprises information relating to one or more game achievements of at least one buddy from the buddy list. 
     
     
       36. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface is integrated within a webpage. 
     
     
       37. The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface is displayed prior to the display of a game play interface where actual game play occurs.