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. An apparatus for managing lobby functions in an application network, the apparatus comprising:
 a network interface that receives a request for access to an interactive gaming environment identified by a game application identifier, the request sent over a communication network from a client device; and   a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor:
 identifies a game host that hosts a game application corresponding to the interactive gaming environment and a server that stores game application-related information corresponding to the game application identifier, and 
 assigns the client device to the identified server based on the corresponding game application identifier, wherein the client device participates in the interactive gaming environment of the game application hosted by the game host and is allowed access to a real-time user communication channel when connected to the assigned server.  
   
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to verify the game application identifier.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising memory that tracks one or more available servers based on reports sent from each of the available servers, wherein the assigned server is identified from among the available servers.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reports are sent continuously while the respective available server remains operational.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the client device remains connected to the identified server during a game play session.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the client device sends periodic reports on a status of the game application to the identified server.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to establish the real-time user communication channel that includes one or more chat functions for a user of the client device and a user of at least one other client device while connected to the identified server.  
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the client device executes an integrated server application, and wherein execution of the integrated server application provides the client device with one or more server functionalities.  
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein another client device connects to the client device to participate in the interactive game environment.  
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the network interface receives reports from the client device having one or more server functionalities.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to provide information to the client device regarding one or more other client devices and one or more games played by each other client device.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to provide information to at least one other client device when the client device participates in a game.  
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to provide information to the client device regarding creation and management of a clan.  
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to perform player-matching.  
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor executes further instructions to provide information to the client device regarding available chat channels, available games, or locations of other users.  
     
     
       28. 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.  
     
     
       29. A method for managing lobby functions in an application network, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for access to an interactive gaming environment identified by a game application identifier, the request sent over a communication network from a client device; and   executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor:
 identifies a game host that hosts a game application corresponding to the interactive gaming environment and a server that stores game application-related information corresponding to the game application identifier, and 
 assigns the client device to the identified server based on the corresponding game application identifier, wherein the client device participates in the interactive gaming environment of the game application hosted by the game host and is allowed access to a real-time user communication channel when connected to the assigned server.  
   
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor verifies the game application identifier.  
     
     
       31. The method of claim 29, further comprising tracking one or more available servers based on reports sent from each of the available servers, wherein the assigned server is identified from among the available servers.  
     
     
       32. The method of claim 31, wherein the reports are sent continuously while the respective available server remains operational.  
     
     
       33. The method of claim 29, wherein the client device remains connected to the identified server during a game play session.  
     
     
       34. The method of claim 29, wherein the client device sends periodic reports on a status of the game application to the identified server.  
     
     
       35. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor establishes the real-time user communication channel that includes one or more chat functions for a user of the client device and a user of at least one other client device while connected to the identified server.  
     
     
       36. The method of claim 29, wherein the client device executes an integrated server application, and wherein execution of the integrated server application provides the client device with one or more server functionalities.  
     
     
       37. The method of claim 29, wherein another client device connects to the client device to participate in the interactive game environment.  
     
     
       38. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving reports from the client device having one or more server functionalities.  
     
     
       39. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor provides information to the client device regarding one or more other client devices and one or more games played by each other client device.  
     
     
       40. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor provides information to at least one other client device when the client device participates in a game.  
     
     
       41. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor provides information to the client device regarding creation and management of a clan.  
     
     
       42. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor performs player-matching.  
     
     
       43. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor provides information to the client device regarding available chat channels, available games or locations of other users.  
     
     
       44. The method of claim 29, wherein execution of further instructions by the processor provides a list of a plurality of client devices, wherein the list is ranked according to a predetermined metric.  
     
     
       45. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for managing lobby functions in an application network, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for access to an interactive gaming environment identified by a game application identifier, the request sent over a communication network from a client device;   identifying a game host that hosts a game application corresponding to the interactive gaming environment and a server that stores game application related-information corresponding to the game application identifier; and   assigning the client device to the identified server based on the corresponding game application identifier, wherein the client device participates in the interactive gaming environment of the game application hosted by the game host and is allowed access to a real-time user communication channel when connected to the assigned server.