WO2001069512A1

WO2001069512A1 - Internet advertisement - mud game system

Info

Publication number: WO2001069512A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000272
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hoon-Haeng Lee
Original assignee: Lee Hoon Haeng
Priority date: 2000-03-14
Filing date: 2000-03-29
Publication date: 2001-09-20
Also published as: AU3462800A; KR20010091283A

Abstract

An Internet advertisement-MUD game system for providing the contents of advertisement during the progress of game while providing a free game for users at a website on the Internet is disclosed. An advertiser can be satisfied with good and reliable advertisement effects since a user perceives naturally the contents of advertisements desired by the advertiser during the progress of the MUD game while the user plays the game for free. In addition, an operator of website can also make sufficient profits since he can provide advertisements from various companies by including the various contents of advertisements in various kinds of goods, stores, and buildings within one MUD game. Furthermore, costs required for the game operation by combining an existing MUD game with an advertisement is very low compared to advertisement costs via television, newspaper, magazine, etc., leading to a low cost creation of advertisement and an increase of income of website operator.

Description

INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT - MUD GAME SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an Internet advertisement - MUD game system that has an advertising effect of showing the content of advertisement during the progress of a game while an Internet user plays the game for free.

BACKGROUND ART

As is well known, a banner advertisement created by use of a HTML code and shown commonly on an existing Internet is aimed only at an advertisement effect required by an advertiser. This makes a less good feeling to users, thus resulting in departure of users from the banner advertisement by a failure to attraction. In addition to this, recently, some users isolate themselves from the banner advertisement using a banner deletion software.

To attract more users, systems for offering points or goods, or prizes, to viewers according to the number of clicks to view advertisements, have been suggested. However, it takes much time for the viewers to accumulate the points for the goods and the probability of winning a prize is too low, leading to a premature abandonment or inviting an antipathy towards the method. Accordingly, such banner advertisements do not attract advertisers due to low effect of advertisement.

In addition, as such advertisements of the on-line manner excessively cost in creation over advertisements, the advertisers must pay excessive money for their advertisements . Furthermore, as an operator of web site must sell banner advertisement with a very limited time and screen size while providing various services for users, it is difficult to make sufficient profits.

Critically, though Internet advertising increases rapidly with the rapid increase in the number of Internet users, users are not interested in traditional banner advertisements any longer, and search and use web sites to accomplish a previously defined goal, and the traditional banner advertisements do not attract advertisers or users any longer.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and a first object of the present invention is to provide an Internet advertisement - MUD game system in which users can perceive naturally the content of advertisement included in the game progressed by a web site while enjoying the game for free. A second object of the present invention is to provide an Internet advertisement - MUD game system in which one or more contents of company advertisements is seen by Internet users while the users enjoy the game.

A third object of the present invention is to provide an Internet advertisement - MUD game system in which one or more contents of company advertisements is perceivable by Internet users while the users enjoy the game.

In order to accomplish the above objects, according to the present invention, an Internet advertisement - MUD game system including a web server, a media server and mail server which are constructed based on the Internet and connected to the Internet and a user payment certification server through a router and CSU (Channel Service Unit) according to TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and connected to a user terminal for progressing the game through the Internet, are characterized in that a MUD game is progressed by said web server and an advertisement is combined with elements of the progressing MUD game. The media server of Internet advertisement - MUD game system of the present invention provides multimedia information such as various audio and video animations required for the operation of game. The present invention is useful to provide a customized video system for users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view for showing an entire configuration of an Internet advertisement - MUD game system according to the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a flow chart for illustrating the entire operation of an Internet advertisement - MUD game system according to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference now should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components . Such games as ADVENTURE, ROLE PLAYING, SIMULATION, etc., are generally referred to as MUD (MULTI USER DIMENSION) GAME in which each of users plays according to a role given to him after accessing a server computer through Telnet Protocol. The MUD game is a role playing game played in a virtual space through a three dimensional simulation in which users are connected each other in real time. The adventure game is the game in which a hero accomplishes an object through an exploration or an adventure under varying circumstances, and a game-operating server makes a plot by issuing a command in the face of a given circumstances. The role playing game also includes a game progressed by a server computer in which a story is established and each of users plays a role of his own in the story through conversation with the other users.

The simulation game includes flight simulation game, automobile driving game, war simulation game, city construction game, etc., for simulating the state of reality.

In the present invention, a user excited in the progress of the game finds or perceives figure or character trademarks of himself, which causes an outstanding effect of advertisement, by combining the figure or character trademarks with a game factor such as character provided by a server computer in the progress of various games, a combat factor affecting a score, and a game progress factor such as mission performed by a player. For example, for Starcraft game in which Medic cures Marine wounded during combat, the game is progressed in a manner that Marine is increased in its energy when Marine itself, not Medic, takes medicines, drinks or cigarettes on which a trademark owned by particular company is marked. In addition, an advertising effect is obtainable by displaying a signboard of a particular company on the background of game.

<! —saved from url= (0022)http: //Internet .e-mail —> The present invention will be hereafter explained in more detail in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, a new/non-registered member can register their membership information and then use a game program within a limited range. It is confirmed again whether an existing member joins membership if he is not certified. If he is a member, it is determined if he has settled his account. If his account is settled, a normal use is possible after confirmation of payment. If payment is not confirmed, corresponding member can use the game program only within the limited range.

Here, the use within the limited range is referred to the limited use in which a normal game cannot be served. For a normal user, when a certification screen having a window for inputting a user ID and a password is displayed and the user ID and the password are inputted by the user, they are sent to the certification server and then, after they are acknowledged and certified by the server, the user can select and use a game normally. For example, when "MUG SAMKOOKGI" being a kind of MUD game is selected, a message "welcome to Mug Samkookgi" is sent from the server at the time of accessing the game. Subsequently, a screen for inputting selection of character face and nation is displayed for user, and then, user selects a kind of game and a specified game and performs room installation and search. And then, when user enters the installed room to select a desired party/fellow and performs message transmission and character call, etc., server perceives it and begins the game. In addition, an environment should be set for the game. When the option menu and environment setting menu in the main menu within the game are selected in turn, a check box for setting such environmental conditions as sound, speed, route, talk window, resolution, etc., is displayed. When environment is checked normally, the server transmits video data and audio data normally such that user plays the game in a desired environment. At that time, the game is progressed at the level and speed corresponding to a rank assigned according to user ID. In addition, the web server progresses the game and grants a task by a one to one, one to multiple, or multiple to multiple manner. Such a series of process may be arranged in the process of environment setting.

Under the complete environment for the game, characters collect reserve points for raising their capability in enforcement of castle wall, commercial business, war activities such as expedition and defense, and so on. The reserve point may be a stone used for building a castle wall on which a trademark "LG" is marked. For the commercial business, an advertisement may be practiced in the form of trade of books or clothes on which a trademark "SAMSUNG" is marked. In addition, for war activity such as expedition and defense, when a character eats food purchased at a store with "E-MART" signboard or food in packing paper with a trademark of a particular company, he is energized to assist in enhancing an image of a particular food company beyond a simple level of advertisement .

Furthermore, when a character in war activity puts on shoes with a trademark of a particular footwear company, the character' motion becomes speedy to enhance the image of the company. In addition, when soldiers are wounded during a local combat, they drink "Poweraid" produced in a built "Poweraid" factory to recover power of combat of them. Also, if soldiers are inferior to an enemy in military power during a local combat, when "Motorola" radio device hidden in any place of game screen is used to call for assistance for their forces, their backup military forces arrive within 3 seconds, while they would take 20 seconds to arrive by a normal movement according to command. When a value of experience is raised in such progress of game, the number of the soldiers and people increases to make a regular combat possible. To this end, an enemy castle is attacked in earnest via an easy course such as thief sweeping. This attack against an enemy castle is performed by use of a catapult through which a stone with "IBM" trade name or mark is projected, with the stone retaining power stronger than that of a common stone.

In addition, when a character is wounded during combat and he takes medicines with a trademark of a particular pharmaceutical company to recover completely, the user of a game perceives the trademark to thereby make formation of image on corresponding goods possible.

When the attack against the enemy castle is successful through such progresses, soldiers, people, catapult, canon, etc., are prepared in sufficient numbers by domestic activity such as enforcement of castle wall, agriculture, flood control, etc., to attack another enemy castle. When a significant region is conquered through this process, a nation is formed, and when neighboring nations are conquered through a similar process, unification of three nations is accomplished.

In the embodiment described above, though an example of combination of the content of advertisement with a combat factor affecting an acquired score and an amount of energy is explained, it should be understood that the form of combination of the content of advertisement with a game factor such as character and game progress factor such as mission to be performed by a player according to a kind and property of game can be carried out.

In addition, the server for sending video data and audio data to user consists of web server, media server, and certification server whereby multimedia information and certification information are provided. For the present invention, if a high degree of accomplishment of user such as getting a high score in the progress of game is achieved, various incentives such as a premium can be provided under agreement with an advertiser. This leads to enhancement of advertising effect due to the increase of the number of users of web site.

In addition, such offering of premiums is published periodically on users' screens to prove its fairness and induce use by more users.

In addition, for the present invention, both of free MUD game and charged MUD game are operable to control the number of users. In the use of both types of game, certification and acknowledgement number are sent to a web server via a payment certification server of, e.g., a financial supervisory agency. The web server stores them in its database and transmits them to the terminal of the user so that the user can see the certification.

However, if the payment certification server rejects the certification, the certification process is repeated by the payment certification server against possibility of the occurrence of error. If certified, the certification and acknowledgement number are transmitted to the web server. If the certification continues to be rejected, a corresponding data is transmitted to the web server to interrupt connection with a communication network. In addition, in the present invention, it should be understood that chatting, memo, character call, Internet mail service, homepage service, etc., provided by a common web site can be provided by use of web server, media server, and a management function. In addition, in the present invention, a banner advertisement can be inserted outside the screen in which the game is displayed and links to a website of an advertiser can be inserted at right or left of the screen to create an additional advertising effect. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, according to the Internet advertisement-MUD game system of the present invention, an advertiser can be satisfied with good and reliable effect of advertisement since a user perceives naturally the contents of advertisement desired by the advertiser during the progress of the MUD game while user plays the game for free. In addition, the operator of the website can also make sufficient profits since he can provide advertisements from various companies by including the various contents of advertisement in various kinds of goods, stores, and buildings within one MUD game. Furthermore, costs required for game operation by combining an existing MUD game with an advertisement is very low compared to advertisement costs by television, newspaper, magazine, etc., leading to low cost creation of advertisement and increase of income of website operator.

In the end, according to the present invention, since a user perceives the contents of advertisement to be surely and sincerely needed with him devoted to the game, a strong connection can be formed and a change of attitude can be induced, compared to an existing advertisement. This will produce a great benefit for both of user and advertiser, and the operator of the website can secure a new concept of advertisement to make profits. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An Internet advertisement-MUD game system including a web server, a media server and mail server which are constructed based on the Internet and connected to both the Internet and a user payment certification server through a router and CSU (Channel Service Unit) according to TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and connected to a user terminal for progressing the game through the Internet, being characterized in that the MUD game is progressed by said web server, and an advertisement is combined with elements of the progressed MUD game .

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a combat factor including various goods, buildings, etc., affecting an acquired score and an amount of energy is combined with the contents of advertisement.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein a game factor such as character served by a server computer is combined with the contents of advertisement.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein a game progress factor such as mission to be performed by a player is combined with the contents of advertisement.