Gaming on demand system and methodology

Abstract

A system and method for gaming on demand in real time via a computer network indexes game segments and prioritizes segments of a game to be downloaded, such that segments of a game needed immediately to play at a current level are downloaded, and then portions which correspond to levels accessible from the current level are downloaded. Downloading of the portions corresponding to directly related levels, and then portions corresponding to other levels, may occur while the game is being played at a current level.

1 . A gaming on demand method comprising steps of profiling a game having a plurality of levels including a first level and at least one other level of play, 
 said step of profiling including determining a chunk of game data required for play at the first level of play and a chunk of game data required for play at each of the at least one other level of play,    creating assets comprising one or more chunks to be delivered to a client, such that the each chunk of game data required for play at the first level of play is delivered in a first asset and chunks needed to play all other levels of play are delivered in other assets after the first asset.    
   
   
       2 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of profiling includes running the game, performing moves at every level, intercepting all calls made by the game as each move is performed, and determining the data required in response to each call and the corresponding level.  
   
   
       3 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the data required in response to each call includes retrieving a file name, a start offset and an end offset corresponding to each intercepted call.  
   
   
       4 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the data required in response to each call includes retrieving a file name and bytes read corresponding to each intercepted call.  
   
   
       5 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of profiling further includes identifying each level corresponding to data required in response to each call.  
   
   
       6 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of profiling further includes saving into a container file the information identifying data required in response to each call and the corresponding level.  
   
   
       7 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 6 , wherein the step of profiling further includes sorting and consolidating information identifying data required in response to each call and the corresponding level in the container file.  
   
   
       8 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 6 , further comprising parsing the container file containing information identifying data required in response to each call and the corresponding level, and creating a chunk for each level.  
   
   
       9 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 6 , further comprising creating audit files that identify what part of a chunk corresponds to a determined level, and sending the audit file to a client.  
   
   
       10 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 9 , wherein the first asset includes an audit file and chunk corresponding to a first level.  
   
   
       11 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 10 , wherein the other assets include audit files and chunks corresponding to all other levels.  
   
   
       12 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 11 , further comprising compressing the assets before delivery to a client.  
   
   
       13 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 12 , further comprising encrypting the assets before delivery to a client.  
   
   
       14 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 11 , further comprising installing a driver on a client to hook a file system.  
   
   
       15 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 14 , further comprising installing the first asset on the client.  
   
   
       16 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 15 , further comprising using the driver to intercept each call by the first asset.  
   
   
       17 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 16 , further comprising determining whether each intercepted call requires an asset on the client or an asset that is not yet on the client.  
   
   
       18 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 17 , further comprising delivering to the client each asset that is required by an intercepted call but is not yet on the client.  
   
   
       19 . A gaming on demand method comprising steps of profiling a game having a plurality of levels including a first level and at least one other level of play, 
 said step of profiling including determining a chunk of game data required for play at the first level of play and a chunk of game data required for play at each of the at least one other level of play,    creating assets comprising one or more chunks to be delivered to a client, such that the each chunk of game data required for play at the first level of play is delivered in a first asset and chunks needed to play all other levels of play are delivered in other assets after the first asset,    wherein the step of profiling includes running the game, performing moves at every level, intercepting all calls made by the game as each move is performed, and determining the data required in response to each call and the corresponding level, and the step of determining the data required in response to each call includes retrieving a file name data identifier corresponding to each intercepted call, identifying each level corresponding to data required in response to each call., saving into a container file the information identifying data required in response to each call and the corresponding level, sorting and consolidating information identifying data required in response to each call and the corresponding level in the container file, parsing the container file containing information identifying data required in response to each call and the corresponding level, and creating a chunk for each level, creating audit files that identify what part of a chunk corresponds to a determined level,    wherein the first asset includes an audit file and chunk corresponding to a first level.    
   
   
       20 . A gaming on demand method according to  claim 19 , further comprising installing a driver on a client to hook a file system, installing the first asset on the client, using the driver to intercept each call by the first asset, determining whether each intercepted call requires an asset on the client or an asset that is not yet on the client, and delivering to the client each asset that is required by an intercepted call but is not yet on the client.