Mobile handset video game system and method

Abstract

A method of display is provided that includes providing a similar game onto a first and second mobile devices. The game displaying a first portion of a video image on a small display of the first mobile device. The game displaying a second portion of the video image on a larger display of the second mobile device. The second portion wider and higher than the width the height of the first portion. The game allowing a first player of the game on the first mobile device a range of motion of a target indicator on the first mobile device about the height and width of the first portion of the video image. The game allowing a second player of the game on the second mobile device about the same height range of motion of the target indicator as provided on the first mobile device with the smaller display.

1 . A system for displaying games on mobile handsets having different size displays, the system comprising: 
 a background for a game having a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension;    a component of the game operable when the game is played on a smaller mobile handset having a smaller display to display a first horizontal portion of the background and a first vertical portion of the background to the smaller display, the first horizontal portion being defined as less than a width of the total horizontal dimension of the background and the first vertical portion being defined as less than a height of the total vertical dimension of the background, and wherein the component is further operable when the game is played on a larger mobile handset having a larger display to display a second horizontal portion of the background and a second vertical portion of the background to the larger display, the second horizontal portion being defined as greater than a width of the first horizontal portion and as less than the width of a total horizontal dimension of the background and the second vertical portion being defined as greater then a height of the first horizontal portion and about the height of the total vertical dimension of the background.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second vertical portion is defined as including additional foreground scenery, the additional foreground scenery related to and extending a foreground scenery included by the first vertical portion.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the additional foreground scenery of the second vertical portion is further defined as a lower portion of the background not included in the first vertical portion.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second vertical portion is defined as including additional background scenery relative to background scenery included by the first vertical portion.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the additional foreground scenery of the second vertical portion is further defined as an upper portion of the background not included in the first vertical portion.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the component is operable on both larger and smaller displays to display a threat indicator within the first horizontal and vertical portions.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the component is operable on both larger and smaller displays to display a game score within the first horizontal and vertical portions.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the component is operable on smaller displays to display a threat indicator and a game score within the first horizontal and vertical portions, the component further operable on larger displays to display the threat indicator and game score within the second horizontal and vertical portions.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the component is operable on both larger and smaller displays to promote limiting a range of motion of an action indicator to the first horizontal and vertical portions.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the background is further defined as a graphics image of a substantially 360-degree view of a landscape, and wherein a first portion defining a first edge of the graphics image is substantially similar to a second portion defining a second edge of the graphics image such that the first and second portions overlap one another when the graphics image defines the 360-degree view of the landscape.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions of the 360-degree landscape graphics image are identical.  
   
   
       12 . A method for operating games on mobile handsets having different size displays, the method comprising: 
 creating a graphics image to be used as a background for display for a game, the graphics image having a height and a width;    when displaying the game on mobile devices having smaller displays, displaying only a first portion of the background, the first portion having a smaller height and smaller width than the height and width of the graphics image;    when displaying the game on mobile devices having larger displays, displaying only a second portion of the background, the second portion having a smaller width than the width of the graphics image and a height not greater than the height of the graphics image, the second portion having a greater height and a greater width than the height and width of the first portion;    when playing the game on mobile devices having smaller displays, restricting the movement of a targeting indicator to an area about the height and width of the first portion of the background; and    when playing the game on mobile devices having larger displays, restricting the movement of the targeting indicator to the area about the height of the first portion of the background.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when playing the game on mobile devices having larger displays, restricting the movement of the targeting indicator to the area about the width of the first portion of the background.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the game automatically detecting the display size of the mobile device on which the game is operating to determine the background size to display.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising displaying on mobile devices having small displays and also displaying on mobile devices having large displays a threat indicator and a score within an area about the size of the first portion of the background.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the threat indicator includes a directional indicator indicating a direction of a threat.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the threat indicator is operable to indicate a plurality of threats, the directional indicator indicating the direction of the highest priority threat.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of threats are prioritized and threat priority is indicated by a color of portions of the threat indicator related to the threats.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein background is operable to create a substantially 360-degree landscape and wherein the threat indicator comprises a bar whereon a location of the threat is indicated, the location of the threat on the threat indicator bar corresponds to a location of the threat on the substantially 360-degree background.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the targeting indicator is controlled by a user of the game using direction keys of the mobile device.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mobile device having the smaller display is a mobile telephone and wherein the mobile device having the larger display is a personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       22 . A method of display, comprising: 
 providing substantially the same game onto a first and second mobile devices;    the game displaying a first portion of a video image on a small display of the first mobile device;    the game displaying a second portion of the video image on a larger display of the second mobile device, the second portion wider and higher than the width the height of the first portion;    the game allowing a first player of the game on the first mobile device a range of motion of a target indicator, the range of motion of the target indicator on the first mobile device about the height and width of the first portion of the video image; and    the game allowing a second player of the game on the second mobile device about the same height range of motion of the target indicator as provided on the first mobile device with the smaller display.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the game allowing the second player of the game on the second mobile device about the same width range of motion of the target indicator as provided on the first mobile device with the smaller display.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein target indicator are further defined as one of a targeting component, a pointer component, cross-hairs, an aiming indicator, targeting reticle.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the video game is a first person shooter game.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a difference is defined as the height of the second portion of the video image less the height of the first portion of the video image, and wherein the difference includes additional foreground in a lower portion of the display of the second mobile device and further includes additional background in an upper portion of the display of the second mobile device.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising not providing any playable action in the additional foreground and additional background in the second portion of the video image displayed in the larger displays of the second mobile device.