Method for ladder ranking in a game

Abstract

Methods for creating an interactive gaming environment are provided. In various embodiments, methods of the present invention may include initializing an interactive game application at a game server which is then characterized as having an active status, notifying a lobby server concerning the active status of the game server, registering the application with a universe management server via the lobby server, and allowing users to join the interactive gaming environment. The users joining the interactive gaming environment may be identified by a server key obtained from the game server.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for ladder ranking in a game application, comprising:
 receiving a request for a ladder ranking list from a player having a user account registered with the game application, wherein the game application is associated with a plurality of registered user accounts and the request for the ladder ranking list includes one or more game performance metrics identified by the player;   executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor:
 retrieves game performance data from all user accounts registered with the game application, the game performance data stored at an application server; 
 sorts all user accounts registered with the game application based on the stored game performance data; and 
 generates a ladder ranking list including all sorted registered user accounts based on the one or more game performance metrics. 
   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game performance data stored at the application server is collected during periodic game application status reports. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game performance metric includes the number of wins. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game performance metric includes the number of losses. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game performance metric includes points scored. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game performance metric includes points allowed. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ladder ranking list is sorted in ascending order. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ladder ranking list is sorted in descending order. 
     
     
       9. A system for ladder ranking in a game application, comprising:
 a lobby server for receiving a request for a ladder ranking list from a player having a user account registered with the game application, wherein the game application is associated with a plurality of registered user accounts and the request for the ladder ranking list includes one or more game performance metrics identified by the player; and   a ladder engine stored in memory and executable by a processor to:
 retrieve game performance data from all user accounts registered with the game application, the game performance data stored at an application server, 
 sort all user accounts registered with the game application based on the stored game performance data, and 
 generate a ladder ranking list including all sorted registered user accounts based on the one or more game performance metrics. 
   
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the ladder engine executes further instructions to sort the ladder ranking list in ascending order. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the ladder engine executes further instructions to sort the ladder ranking list in descending order. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for ladder ranking in a game application, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for a ladder ranking list from a player having a user account registered with the game application, wherein the game application is associated with a plurality of registered user accounts and the request for the ladder ranking list includes one or more game performance metrics identified by the player;   retrieves game performance data from all user accounts registered with the game application;   sorts all user accounts registered with the game application based on the stored game performance data; and   generates a ladder ranking list including all sorted registered user accounts based on the one or more game performance metrics.   
     
     
       13. A lobby server apparatus for cross-application and real-time communication channels, the apparatus comprising:
 a network interface that receives login information from a first client device; and   a processor that executes instructions stored in a memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor:
 authenticates the login information received from the first client device, 
 establishes an online session with the first client device in accordance with a lobby server assignment based on the authenticated login information, 
 assigns the first client device to a game server in accordance with a game server assignment, wherein the first client device connects to the assigned game server based on the game server assignment and obtains game-related information from the assigned game server, and 
 performs a plurality of lobby server functionalities associated with the game-related information in accordance with a split distribution of functionalities that reduces one or more operating demands on the assigned game server, the lobby server functionalities including:
 providing status information regarding game play of a first game by the first client device in a game environment provided by the assigned game server, the status information provided to at least a second client device; 
 establishing a channel for cross-application user communications in real-time between the first client device and the second client device during the game play of the first game by the first client device in the game environment provided by the assigned game server and during game play of a second game by the second client device, and 
 updating the status information regarding the first client device when the online session of the first client device is terminated.  
 
   
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the status information is provided via an application portal that provides real-time information regarding one or more games currently in progress and regarding players currently playing each game.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the login information includes information regarding an account registered to the first client device.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to create a clan based on a request from the first client device, wherein the clan comprises the first client device and one or more other client devices.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the network interface sends an invitation to each of the other client devices, and wherein the processor executes further instructions to add the respective client device upon acceptance of the invitation.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one of the other client devices is not online when the respective invitation is sent, and wherein the invitation is made available to the at least one other client device when the at least one other client device next logs in.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first client device further specifies that the other client devices are able to make decisions regarding the clan.  
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the channel for cross-application user communications is specific to the clan.  
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein information regarding the created clan is used in a plurality of different game applications.  
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising memory that stores information related to the clan, the stored information including at least one of a member list, tracked activity, and electronic messages.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the clan includes an organizational structure that includes at least one client device identified as a leader, wherein the leader makes one or more decisions for the clan.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the network interface further receives periodic status reports sent from an application server of the first client device.  
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising memory that maintains information regarding a plurality of client devices that are currently logged in.  
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the online session of the first client device is terminated when the first client device performs a logout procedure or when the first client device is detected as having been inactive for a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to perform player-matching.  
     
     
       28. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to provide information to the first client device regarding available chat channels, available games, or locations of other users.  
     
     
       29. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to provide a list of a plurality of client devices, wherein the list is ranked according to a predetermined metric.  
     
     
       30. A lobby server method for cross-application and real-time communication, the method comprising:
 receiving login information sent over a communication network from a first client device; and   executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor:
 authenticates the login information received from the first client device, 
 establishes an online session with the first client device in accordance with a lobby server assignment based on the authenticated login information, 
 assigns the first client device to a game server in accordance with a game server assignment, wherein the first client device connects to the assigned game server based on the game server assignment and obtains game-related information from the assigned game server, and 
 performs a plurality of lobby server functionalities associated with the game-related information in accordance with a split distribution of functionalities reduces one or more operating demands on the assigned game server, the lobby server functionalities including:
 providing status information obtained from the assigned game server regarding game play of a first game by the first client device in a game environment provided by the assigned game server, the status information provided to at least a second client device, 
 establishing a channel for cross-application user communications in real-time between the first client device and the second client device during the game play of the first game by the first client device in the game environment provided by the assigned game server and during game play of a second game by the second client device, and 
 updating the status information regarding the first client device when the online session of the first client device is terminated.  
 
   
     
     
       31. The method of claim 30, wherein the status information is provided via an application portal that provides real-time information regarding one or more games currently in progress and regarding players currently playing each game.  
     
     
       32. The method of claim 30, wherein the login information includes information regarding an account registered to the first client device.  
     
     
       33. The method of claim 30, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor creates a clan based on a request from the first client device, wherein the clan comprises the first client device and one or more other client devices.  
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33, further comprising sending an invitation to each of the other client devices, and wherein execution of further instructions by the processor adds the respective client device upon acceptance of the invitation.  
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34, wherein at least one of the other client devices is not online when the respective invitation is sent, and wherein the invitation is made available to the at least one other client device when the at least one other client device next logs in.  
     
     
       36. The method of claim 33, wherein the first client device further specifies that the other client devices are able to make decisions regarding the clan.  
     
     
       37. The method of claim 33, wherein the channel for cross-application user communications is specific to the clan.  
     
     
       38. The method of claim 33, wherein information regarding the created clan is used in a plurality of different game applications.  
     
     
       39. The method of claim 33, further comprising storing information in memory related to the clan, the stored information including at least one of a member list, tracked activity, and electronic messages.  
     
     
       40. The method of claim 33, wherein the clan includes an organizational structure that includes at least one client device identified as a leader, wherein the leader makes one or more decisions for the clan.  
     
     
       41. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving periodic status reports sent from an application server of the first client device.  
     
     
       42. The method of claim 30, further comprising maintaining information in memory regarding a plurality of client devices that are currently logged in.  
     
     
       43. The method of claim 30, wherein the online session of the first client device is terminated when the first client device performs a logout procedure or when the first client device is detected as having been inactive for a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
       44. The method of claim 30, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor performs player-matching.  
     
     
       45. The method of claim 30, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor provides information to the first client device regarding available chat channels, available games or locations of other users.  
     
     
       46. The method of claim 30, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor provides a list of a plurality of client devices, wherein the list is ranked according to a predetermined metric.  
     
     
       47. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a lobby server method for cross-application channels in real-time communication, the method comprising:
 receiving login information sent over a communication network from a first client device;   authenticating the login information received from the first client device;   establishing an online session with the first client device in accordance with a lobby server assignment based on the authenticated login information;   assigning the first client device to a game server in accordance with a game server assignment, wherein the first client device connects to the assigned game server based on the game server assignment and obtains game-related information from the assigned game server within the online session; and   performing a plurality of lobby server functionalities associated with the game-related information in accordance with a split distribution of functionalities reduces one or more operating demands on the assigned game server, the lobby server functionalities including:
 providing status information obtained from the assigned game server regarding game play of a first game by the first client device in a game environment provided by the assigned game server, the status information provided to at least a second client device; 
 establishing a channel for cross-application communications in real-time between the first client device and the second client device during the game play of the first game by the first client device in the game environment provided by the assigned game server and during game play of a second game by the second client device; and 
 updating the status information regarding the first client device when the online session of the first client device is terminated.  
   
     
     
       48. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein establishing the online session with the first client device in accordance with the lobby server assignment includes associating the online session with a privilege level of authorized access based on the authenticated login information.  
     
     
       49. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the authorized access includes one or more game applications, and wherein the game server assignment is based on a game application requested by the first client device.  
     
     
       50. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the online session is established further based on a session key, and wherein the connection between the first client device and the assigned game server is further based on a server-specific key.  
     
     
       51. The method of claim 30, wherein establishing the online session with the first client device in accordance with the lobby server assignment includes associating the online session with a privilege level of authorized access based on the authenticated login information.  
     
     
       52. The method of claim 30, wherein the authorized access includes one or more game applications, and wherein the game server assignment is based on a game application requested by the first client device.  
     
     
       53. The method of claim 30, wherein the online session is established further based on a session key, and wherein the connection between the first client device and the assigned game server is further based on a server-specific key.