Computer-based trading card system and method

Abstract

A collection system using a CD ROM computer system wherein the collection items (or more specifically their unlocking keys) are contained in various floppy disks. With the disks inserted into the computer system, the icons of the collection items on the disks appear on the computer monitor. By (double) clicking on the icon, the unlocking key unlocks the corresponding collection item in the CD ROM program into the hard drive and at the same time the unlocking key is rendered inoperative. A generally reverse process can be used to lock the collection item relative to the hard drive and render the unlocking key operative. The user collects the collection items by unlocking, using a number of floppy disks, the locks in his CD ROM program, which contains the corresponding locks for all of the collection items in the set. When the entire set or a predetermined subset thereof has been collected, the CD ROM program allows the user to play an interactive game related to the collection items. The user can also enjoy a video and/or audio presentation contained in the disk and/or the CD ROM program associated with each of the keys (and thereby the corresponding collection items) by (single) clicking on the appropriate icons. That is, instead of the prior art system of trading paper cards or the like, the user herein trades floppy disks to collect the collection items, and can enjoy audio/visual presentations and interactive computer games also associated with the collected items.