Providing virtual items configured to facilitate temporary resource requirement reduction in an online game

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating resource requirement reduction in an online game are disclosed. Instances of resource requirement reduction items may be offered for purchase in an online store associated with the online game. A given resource requirement reduction item may be configured to reduce a type of game action requirements for game actions requested by a player during a corresponding time period subsequent to the activation of the instance of the resource requirement reduction item by the player. The player may activate a purchased instance of the requirement reduction item in the online game to reduce the game action requirements specified in the instance.

1 . A system for facilitating activities in an online game, the system comprising
 one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:
 execute an instance of a game space in which the online game takes place, and to implement the instance of the game space to facilitate participation of players in the online game via interaction of the players with the game space and/or each other by executing game actions on behalf of the players in the game space in response to receiving player requests over a network from client computing platforms associated with the players, the executed game actions including game actions whose initiations require resource requirements; 
 manage players accounts associated with individual players in the game space, the player accounts comprising player information regarding individual players, the player information including information indicating balances of stored consideration associated with the individual players, the player accounts including a first player account; 
 provide, through a store interface, offers to sell instances of a first resource requirement reduction item for purchase by the players; and 
 receive over the network from the client computing platforms associated with the players, activation requests and responsive to receiving the activation requests, activate the instances of the first resource requirement reduction item purchased by the players in the online game such that responsive to purchase of a first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item by the first player, and further in response to a request to activate the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item from the first player, the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item is activated in the online game resulting in resource requirements for initiating game actions requested by the first player being reduced. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first resource requirement reduction item is associated with a corresponding time period during which the resource requirements for initiating the game actions request by the first player are reduced, and wherein the time period corresponding to the first resource requirement reduction item is a real-world time period. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first resource requirement reduction item is associated with a corresponding time period during which the resource requirements for initiating the game actions request by the first player are reduced, and wherein the time period corresponding to the first resource requirement reduction item is a time period during which the player interacts with the game space. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the resource requirements for the initiation of the game actions requested by the first player is reduced to zero subsequent to the activation of the first resource requirement reduction item. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item is purchased by the first player for an amount of stored consideration, the stored consideration including virtual currencies, points, virtual items, and/or real-world money credits. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first resource requirement reduction item is associated with a corresponding time period during which the resource requirements for initiating the game actions request by the first player are reduced, and wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to sell instances of a second resource requirement reduction item, the second resource requirement reduction item being associated with a corresponding time period that is different from the time period corresponding to the instances of the first resource requirement reduction item. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein executions of the game actions in the game space further require wait-periods for completion, and wherein activation of the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item by the first player does not alter the wait-period requirements for the game actions. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first resource requirement item is further associated with a corresponding action type such that the game actions whose resource requirements are reduced subsequent to the activation are of the corresponding action type. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the action type corresponding to the first resource requirement reduction item includes construction, crafting, researching, training, harvesting, mining, troop marching, upgrading, or quest. 
     
     
         10 . A method for facilitating activities in an online game, the method being implemented in one or more physical processors, the method comprising:
 executing an instance of a game space in which the online game takes place, and to implement the instance of the game space to facilitate participation of players in the online game via interaction of the players with the game space and/or each other by executing game actions on behalf of the players in the game space in response to receiving player requests over a network from client computing platforms associated with the players, the executed game actions including game actions whose initiations require resource requirements;   managing players accounts associated with individual players in the game space, the player accounts comprising player information regarding individual players, the player information including information indicating balances of stored consideration associated with the individual players, the player accounts including a first player account;   providing, through a store interface, offers to sell instances of a first resource requirement reduction item for purchase by the players; and   receiving over the network from the client computing platforms associated with the players, activation requests responsive to receiving the activation requests, and activate the instances of the first resource requirement reduction item purchased by the players in the online game such that responsive to purchase of a first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item by the first play, and further in response to a request to activate the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item from the first player, the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item is activated in the online game resulting in resource requirements for initiating game actions requested by the first player being reduced.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first resource requirement reduction item is associated with a corresponding time period during which the resource requirements for initiating the game actions request by the first player are reduced, and wherein the time period corresponding to the first resource requirement reduction item is a real-world time period. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first resource requirement reduction item is associated with a corresponding time period during which the resource requirements for initiating the game actions request by the first player are reduced, and wherein the time period corresponding to the first resource requirement reduction item is a time period during which the player interacts with the game space. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the resource requirements for the initiation of the game actions requested by the first player is reduced to zero subsequent to the activation of the first resource requirement reduction item. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item is purchased by the first player for an amount of stored consideration, the stored consideration including virtual currencies, points, virtual items, and/or real-world money credits. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first resource requirement reduction item is associated with a corresponding time period during which the resource requirements for initiating the game actions request by the first player are reduced, and the method further comprising selling instances of a second resource requirement reduction item, the second resource requirement reduction item being associated with a corresponding time period that is different from the time period corresponding to the instances of the first resource requirement reduction item. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein executions of the game actions in the game space further require wait-periods for completion, and wherein activation of the first instance of the first resource requirement reduction item by the first player does not alter the wait-period requirements for executing the game actions. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first resource requirement item is further associated with a corresponding action type such that the game actions whose resource requirements are reduced subsequent to the activation are of the corresponding action type. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the action type corresponding to the first resource requirement reduction item includes construction, crafting, researching, training, harvesting, mining, troop marching, upgrading, or quest.