Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Joshua Howard

Peter Vale

Gary William Hall

Bryan Trussel

Jason W Mai

Richard Thames Rowan

Travis Howland

Brett Allan Roark

Linh Van

Debra Thiel

A method and system are disclosed for methods of providing a gaming experience including an in-game viral invite mechanic. In accordance with the present system, inviting others to join in the playing of a game is an objective of the game itself. Thus, a user is encouraged by the game to invite his or her friends, who are in turn encouraged to invite their friends, etc., so that a game may cascade pyramid-fashion to a potentially huge viral fan-out.

Method for viral invites as game and discovery mechanic

An indication of actions by participants taking part in an interactive environment that can represent peripheral information or tells (i.e., not essential to participating in the environment) are communicated to computing devices used by other participants in the interactive environment. Each such action or behavior being monitored is associated with a corresponding indicator. After one of the additional behaviors is detected, the corresponding indicator can be presented to another participant by a computing device used by the other participant. Thus, the other participant may perceive, and respond to the peripheral behavior. For example, if the interactive environment is a card game, a player's act in reordering cards that are held, counting chips, moving the input device in a spurious manner, and other such behaviors are indicated to other players. Receiving indicators of these behaviors enables other players to respond to these behaviors, making the interactive environment more like playing face-to-face.

Peripheral information and digital tells in electronic games

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

Joshua Howard