Economy games having purchasable and obtainable game pieces

Abstract

A game piece management system comprising a piece sales system for allowing players to purchase pieces operable for playing at least one game, an account management system for maintaining player accounts, each player account identifying pieces owned by a player, and, a game interface for providing the player with access to a game session of an online game, the game interface allowing the player to select at least one piece from the player's account for use as an active piece in the game session. The player's active piece interacts with another player's active piece in the game session under control of the player, such that if the player's active piece neutralizes the other player's active piece, the other player's neutralized active piece becomes available to be obtained by the player.

1 . A game piece management system comprising:
 a piece sales system for allowing players to purchase pieces operable for playing at least one game;   an account management system for maintaining player accounts, each player account identifying pieces owned by a player; and,   a game interface for providing the player with access to a game session of an online game, the game interface allowing the player to select at least one piece from the player's account for use as an active piece in the game session, whereby the player's active piece interacts with another player's active piece in the game session under control of the player, such that:   if the player's active piece neutralizes the other player's active piece, the other player's neutralized active piece becomes available to be obtained by the player.   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the other player's neutralized active piece is obtained by the player as an obtained piece by providing information identifying the obtained piece to the account management system for recording in the player's account. 
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 2  wherein the other player's neutralized active piece is automatically obtained by the player upon neutralization. 
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 2  wherein the other player's neutralized active piece is obtainable by the player after neutralization upon the player's active piece performing a predetermined obtainment action. 
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the piece sales system is configured to accept pieces offered for sale by the player and credit the player's account with sales of pieces offered for sale by the player by providing information identifying sold pieces to the account management system. 
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 5  wherein the piece sales system maintains pieces offered for sale by a plurality of players in a FIFO queue. 
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the piece sales system allows players to purchase pieces offered for sale from the FIFO queue with priority over other pieces. 
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the piece sales system allows players to purchase pieces offered for sale from the FIFO queue at a discount to equivalent pieces not in the FIFO queue. 
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 5  wherein the piece sales system is configured to buy back a piece offered for sale by the player for a reduced price compared to a purchase price paid for the piece offered for sale. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1  comprising a plurality of game interfaces for providing the player with access to game sessions of a plurality of online games. 
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 10  wherein the piece sales system comprises a piece exchange system through which pieces from different games may be traded. 
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 1  comprising a graphical user interface which facilitates simultaneous playing of one or more games and buying, selling or trading of pieces. 
   
   
       13 . A method for implementing an economy game, the method comprising:
 providing a game engine on a server accessible by a plurality of player terminals, the game engine comprising computer-readable instructions for operating an online game;   providing a plurality of game pieces for purchase by players through a piece sales system operable to credit one or more player accounts with one or more purchased pieces, the game pieces comprising data stored on a computer-readable medium;   implementing a game session of the online game upon receipt of an indication of one or more active pieces from one or more players, the game session permitting interaction between the game pieces such that active pieces owned by one player are obtainable by active pieces owned by another player; and,   crediting an obtaining player's account with one or more obtained pieces.   
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of game pieces for purchase by players through a piece sales system comprises receiving an indication of one or more obtained pieces for sale from one or more player accounts. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein providing a plurality of game pieces for purchase by players through a piece sales system comprises offering obtained pieces for a reduced price compared to unobtained pieces. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein providing a plurality of game pieces for purchase by players through a piece sales system comprises offering obtained pieces with priority over unobtained pieces. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16  comprising maintaining a FIFO queue for sales of obtained pieces.