Virtual world event notification from a persistent world game server in a logically partitioned game console

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for generating event notifications for offline characters from within a persistent world online game. A player agent for an offline player runs in a secondary partition in a video game console while a primary application runs in a main partition. The offline player agent includes an event monitor that monitors for events that occur in a persistent virtual world maintained by a game server. When a game event occurs that triggers an offline player rule, the player agent composes an event notification message and presents the message to the offline player through speech or through an interface within the primary application. Event notification messages may include images, voice (text-to-speech), sound, or video.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present application relates generally to an improved data processing system and method. More specifically, the present application is directed to a method, apparatus, and program product for generating virtual world event notifications from within a persistent world game server in a logically partitioned game console.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]A massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) is an online computer or console game in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world. As in all role playing games (RPGs), players assume the role of a character and take control over most of that character's actions. The virtual world may be a fantasy setting, a science fiction universe, or the old west, for example.[0005]The origin of multiplayer games may trace back to Dungeons & Dragons® or even tabletop war games. “Dungeons & Dragons” is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast in the U...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]In a further illustrative embodiment, a computer program product is provided comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program. The computer readable program, when executed on a video game console, causes the video game console to activate a hypervisor on the video game console, activate, by the hypervisor, a primary application in a main partition in the video game console, and activate, by the hypervisor, a player agent in a secondary partition in the video game console for an o

Problems solved by technology

Players of persistent world games tend to invest a great deal of time in their online characters, in some cases to the detriment of their real-life counterparts.

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