WO2001093146A1

WO2001093146A1 - Methods for advertising items using multi user graphic game over a network

Info

Publication number: WO2001093146A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/000936
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seon-Gyu Jeon
Original assignee: Jeon Seon Gyu
Priority date: 2000-06-01
Filing date: 2001-06-01
Publication date: 2001-12-06
Also published as: AU6277501A; KR20010108924A

Abstract

A method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over the Internet is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of having a user become a member; selecting a character for playing a game according to a game scenario and selecting a role for the character; judging whether to execute an event and increasing a level and granting an item according to the judgment result; analyzing user's comsumption propensity and granting an event according to the anlyzed consumption propensity; determining a class of the selected role according to the performance ability and time of the game, controlling a position-class and granting a result according to the performance estimate degree; and making and transmitting a commodity advertisement according to the user's consumption propensity through e-mail. This method effectively induces user's interest by allowing the user to spontaneously look at a displayed advertisement to obtain cyber money and to increase experience values resulted from purchasing the advertised item according to the game scenario.

Description

METHODS FOR ADVERTISING ITEMS USING MULTI USER GRAPHIC GAME

OVER A NETWORK

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention is an improvement of earlier Korean Patent

Application No. 2000-29977, filed June 1, 2000 by the same applicant and entitled "Advertising Method Using MUG Games over the Internet" , which is incorporated herein by reference .

The present invention relates to a method for advertising items using multi-user graphic (MUG) game via a communication network, and more particularly to an interactive advertising method that substitutes a subject matter necessary for an

Internet game with an advertising commodity.

BACKGROUND ART

Advertising an item through the Internet has become a new field in the art and has been highlighted more than conventional mass media such as TV, radio, newspaper and magazine. Particularly, the Internet advertising market has increased more than twice according to an increase of a user population of the Internet and is expected to increase according to an improvement of Internet technology.

Accordingly, various kinds of advertising method using the Internet have been developed. The methods include a banner advertising method that requires Internet users to click banner advertisements. Another one provides the user with a point resulted from a game on an advertising page. In the banner advertisement method, the clicking rate of the banner advertisement becomes low, and it effected a decrease in connection speed of an Internet Web site.

Accordingly, sponsors require an improved advertising method that effects a change of user's interest in the advertisement. In this connection, rich media banner advertisement is disclosed, which supplements the conventional banner advertisement by richmedia such as audio-video, search, and game .

At present, the most effective advertisement among rich media advertisements is making one's avatar in a three- dimensional cyber space and performing cyber shopping therein. In such a method, a user wanders from place to place using the user' s avatar out of curiosity. However, with time elapses , the user loses interest thereto. Also, when a user needs to purchase* an item, the user may simply enter a shopping mall and order the needed item. However, to wander the user' s avatar from place to place and shop for an item idles away the user's time .

Since shopping ona three-dimensional space cannot precede pedestrian shopping center or an electronic shopping mall, there is a limit to make an appeal to curiosity of the Internet user and to collect many sponsors.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over a network capable of attracting user's interest so that users spontaneously look at a displayed advertisement and the advertisement effect is increased by viewing an advertisement to obtain a cyber money and increasing experience value resulted from purchasing the advertised item according to the game scenario .

In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over a network, the method comprises the steps of: (i) having a user become a member;

(ii) selecting a character for playing a game according to agame scenario and selecting a j ob for the character including a fighter, a police officer, and a thief;

(iii) judging whether to execute an event and increasing a level and granting an item according the judgment result;

(iv) analyzing the user's consumption propensity and granting an event according to an analysis of the user's consumption propensity;

(v)' determining a class of the selected job according to a performance ability and a time of the game, controlling a position-class and granting a result according to a performance estimate degree; and

(vi) making and transmitting a commodity advertisement according to the user's consumption propensity through mail.

Preferably, the event includes an advertisement .

Preferably, the step (i) includes performing a program and anengine download. The step (ii) includes selecting a character and a job according to a member's propensity when a member plays the game. The step (iii) includes transmitting an advertising object of a prepared event commodity or an advertising commodity to a client system playing the game by a server system.

Also, the step (iv) includes analyzing the user's consumption propensity using data stored in a member database through the game. The step (v) includes continuing the game for a predetermined time when an experience value and a level byposition-classes are equal to orgreater than apredetermined value, and controlling a position-class when an ability by position-classes is equal to or greater than a predetermined value .

Preferably, a status window is displayed on the lower portion of the screen of the client system, whereby kinds of the item user possesses, cyber shopping, time of the game use, confirmation of cyber money, level and experience value of the character, ability of the character, and characteristic value of the character are displayed. Also, the step (vi) includes preparing advertising mail suitable to obtained consumption propensity of the member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood and its various objects and advantages will be more fully appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.1 is a flowchart for illustrating a commoditypurchase process using a network multi-user graphic game and common commoditypurchase process throughanelectronic shoppingmall ;

FIG: 2 is a block diagram for showing an operation between a client system and a server system in order to perform a method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over the Internet ;

FIG.3 is a flow chart for illustrating a commoditypurchase induction performed by the client system and the server system shown in FIG. 2 ; FIG.,.4 is a view for showing a state during operation of an advertisement at a game place;

FIG .5 is a view for showing a status window which displays detailed, information provided by an operated advertising company; FIG .6 is a view for showing a user interface status window used when playing a multi-user graphic game;

FIG. 7 is a view for showing a purchase status window for displaying advertising commodities purchasedwhile playing the game; and FIGs. 8a through 8c are a flow chart for illustrating a method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, this invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 illustrates a commodity purchase process using an Internet multi-user graphic (MUG) game and common commodity purchase process through the Web page of an electronic shopping mall .

As shown in FIG. 1, in the commodity purchase process by MUG games, a game user accesses a game Web page and sign up a member for playing the game. Then the game user clicks a commodity provided while playing the game to perform an imaginary purchase. While, in common purchase process through the Web page of a shopping mall, a commodity purchaser simply accesses the home page of a shopping mall and becomes a member for performing Internet shopping. Then the commoditypurchaser selects a desired commodity while performing the Internet shopping to perform a real purchase through an electronic commercial transaction. FIG. 2 shows an operation between a client system 1 and a server system in order to perform a method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over the Internet. As shown in FIG. 2, each of client systems la and lb accesses a server_^system 2 via the Internet . The server system 2 provides a home page to each of the client systems la and lb. A member registration and automatic access program is included in the home page .

For example, when the user of the client system la is a new member, the server system 2 transmits a questionnaire for investigating user's consumption propensity, fields of interest, hobby and so forth, a member register and automatic access program, and a game engine to the client system la. When the user of the client system lb is the existing member, the server system 2 transmits data, corresponding files, and the background image necessary to a game according to a class to the client system lb.

In the downloading operation from the server system 2 to the client systems la and lb, when the amount of data received by client systems .la and lb from the server system 2 is large, the user may become bored. Thus, files necessary for games according to modes by job and situation and the application programbecome a library so that the server system 2 can transmit the game engine for use of the member to the client systems la and lb only during a situation that the client systems la and lb need them.

Such a reason occurs because users do not need all graphic data by jobs and it is enough for the user to receive the corresponding graphic data. Therefore, the server system 2 only transmits a web engine, corresponding files, and graphic data to the client systems la and lb.

At this time, the client systems la and lb store all kinds of database values such as the graphic data from the server system necessary to the game in a database. The client systems la and lb protocol-process and transmit location information, upgrade information, and chatting of a character necessary to a real network and data such as an electronic mail to be transmitted to a corresponding guild to the server system 2. Accordingly, the server system 2 does not process the graphic data to .thereby manage many users .

FIG. 3 shows a commodity purchase induction performed by the client system and the server system shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, a client system 1 and a server system 2 are connected to each other through a communication network such as the Internet .

When a user accesses the server system 2 using the client system l,-'the client system 1 provides member' s identification and password to the server system 2. As the client system 1 selects one character and the job of characters group, the server system 2 retrieves information stored in a member database and provides an event according to the level of user of the cl.-_.ent system 1 from the read information to the client system 1.

Such a process is used to obtain discriminated information of a member using customer relationship management marketing andguide a commoditypurchase of the member throughdatamining. Also, the process manages a presence of a commodity purchase by the member. A game situation according to a level is automatically set in the client system 1 and the user plays the game. While the user is playing the game, the server system 2 provides an event to a screen of the client system 1 so that the user can look at an advance situation of the game. The server system 2 analyzes an advertisement object and an advertisement commodity that the user looked at and obtained, respectively, while the user is playing the game. The server system 2.stores an analysis of a member propensity in the member database. The server system 2 transmits a commodity advertisement, a commodity bargain, and a purchase benefit to the user through an electronic mail. The user gives a class and obtains cyber money according to performances of an event and a game provided from the server system 2, and receives commodity purchase and bargain benefits.

FIG. 4 is a view for showing a state during operation of an advertisement at a game place. The server system 2 inserts and transmits various company advertisements into the client system 1 in which the game is played. FIG. 5 is a view for showing a status window that displays detailed information provided by an operated advertising company. When the user moves and clicks a mouse of the client system 1 to an advertising object of a company on the status window 3, detailed information of the operated company including a name of the company, sale commodities, selling prices, and a telephone number is displayed on a screen of the client system 1 to efficiently advertise the commodities. FIG. 6 shows a user interface status window used when playing, a multi-user graphic game. An experience value 10 according to a class of a job of a user in the game, an ability 20 and a feature value of a character necessary to play the game, a game time 40, a current weather 50 in the game, and all kinds of control keys 60 are displayed on the user interface status window 4 of a screen in the client system 1. Thus, the user can play the game while confirming the user interface status window 4.

FIG. 7 shows a purchase status window for displaying advertising commodities purchased while playing the game. A name and a company name of a commodity obtained while the user is playing the game are displayed on the purchase status window 5 of a screen in the client system 1 to efficiently advertise the commodity. For example, when the user purchases a liquor having a specific trademarkwhile performing a mission according a level in the game, a current status which the user needs to play the game is displayed on the user interface status window 4 of FIG. 6. The current status includes statuses in which a horsepower 20 increases, a physical strength 20 reduces, and an experience value 10 according to the commodity purchase. The experience value 10 can increase by looking at an advertisement inserted into the game or by a real purchase through a shopping mall . The advertisement effect can be maximized by an advertising object view and an advertising commodity acquisition by the user in order to increase the experience value 10 in the game.

FIGs . 8a through 8c shows a flow chart for illustrating a method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over a network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When a user accesses a server system 2 using a client system 1., the server system 2 judges whether or not the user is the registered member (step SI) .

According to the judgment in step SI, when the user is not the member, the server system 2 asks the user whether the user wants to become the member (step S2) . According to the judgment in step^"S2, when the user does not want to become the member, a general service is performed (step S3) .

When the user wants to become the member in step S2, the user makes and transmits member data including user information, tastes, and a consumption pattern to the server system 2 using the client system l(step S4) . The server system 2 receives and stores the member data from the client system 1 in a member database (step S5) . The server system 2 selects one of ten kinds of cyber characters and selects a job for the selected cyber character (step S6) . The server system 2 confirms whether or not the user wants to complete a usage education for a predetermined time to know a usage by characters and jobs to thereby manage a game (step S7) . According to the judgment in step S7, when the user does not want to complete the usage education, the server system 2 sends a massage urging the user to complete the usage education program to the client system l(step S8) and finishes that routine. When it is judged in step S7 that the user wants to complete the usage education, the server system 2 runs a usage education program to perform the usage education for the predetermined time (step S9) . The server system 2 confirms whether the user wants to join a guild (step S10) . The guild is an organization in which the user can play a game together with another user as a feature of a multi-user graphic game. According to the confirmation in step S10, when the user does not wish to join the guild, the server system 2 supplies cyber money necessary to manage the game to the user (step S15) and stores those cyber money information in the member database (step S16) . When the user joins the guild in step S10, the server system judges whether or not the user wants to form a new guild (step Sll) . According to the judgment in step Sll, when the user wants to form the new guild, the server system runs a guild formation program to form the new guild (step S13) . The server system 2 registers the new guild in a group of guilds

(step S14) . When the user does not want to form the new guild, the serve*: system 2 judges that the user wants to join one of a plurality of formed guilds, and performs joining the corresponding formed guild (step 12) and the routine goes to step S14. After performing step S14, the routine sequentially proceeds to steps S15 and S16.

When the user is the member in step SI, the server system 2 confirms whether the user has accessed a game at least once during a predetermined time (step S17) . According to the confirmation in step S17, when the user has never accessed the game during the predetermined time, the server system 2 sets a grade of the job that was previously performed to an initial grade (stepSlδ) . The server system2 transmits aprogram suitable to a grade by position-classes in each job to the client system 1 (step S20) .

In step S21, a game is started. According to the confirmation in step S17, when the user has accessed the game at least once, the server system 2 confirms whether or not the user has an accumulated result (step S19) . According to the confirmation in step S19, when the user does not have the accumulated result, the routine goes to step S18. When it is confirmed in step S19 that the user has the accumulated result, the routine sequentially goes to steps S20 and S21. As shown in FIG. 8c, when the game is started, the server system 2 makes an advertising event by position-classes according to a level of the user (step S22) . The server 2 transmits the advertising event by position-classes to the client system 1 (step S23) . The user plays the game (step S24) . The user stores advertising bulletin data, advertising commodity acquisition action data, and ranks acquired while playing the game in a member database while playing the game (step S25) . The server system 2 runs a member propensity-analyzing program (step S26) to retrieve user age data, user consumption propensity data, user interest field data, anduserparticipating degree data (stepS27) . The server system 2 analyzes the user's consumption propensity (step S28) . The server system2 confirms whether or not an experience value by position-classes is equal to or greater than a predeterminedvalue (stepS29) . According to the confirmation in step S29, when the experience value by position-classes is less than the predetermined value, the routine returns

( to step.S22. When the experience value by position-classes is equal to or greater than the predeterminedvalue, the server system *2 confirms whether or not the ability by position-classes is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S30) . According to the confirmation in step S30, when the ability by position-classes is less than the predetermined value, the routine returns to step S22. When the ability by position-classes is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the server system 2 increases the user' position-class according to a performance of the game

(step S31) . The server system 2 supplies cyber money and a point to the user (step S32) . The server system 2 stores the above-mentioned data in the member database (step S33) . The server system 2 makes a commodity advertising mail according to the user's consumption propensity analyzed in step S28 (step S34) and transmits the commodity advertising mail to the user through an electronic mail (step S35) .

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As apparent from foregoing description, the advertising method using MUG game according to this invention provides for an interactive advertisement being performed in a place, a structure, and materials necessary for the game while playing the game. Thus, it is possible to simultaneously advertise to a plurality of members in the same network. Also, effect of the advertisement can be increased since the advertisement is carried out according to a member's propensity using a customer relation management method. This method contributes to a development of the advertisement industry.

Claims

1. A method for advertising items using a multi-user graphic game over a network, the method comprises the steps of:

(i) having a user become a member;

(ii) selecting a character for playing a game according to a game scenario and selecting a job for the character;

(iii> judging whether to execute an event and increasing a level and granting an item according the judgment result;

(iv) analyzing the user's consumption propensity and granting an event according to the analyzed consumption propensity;

(v) determining a class of the selected job according to the performance ability and time of the game, controlling a position-class and granting a result according to the performance estimate degree; and

(vi) making and transmitting a commodity advertisement according to the user' s consumptionpropensity through e-mail .

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the event includes an advertisement.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (i) includes performing a program and an engine download.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (i) includes downloading a file and a background picture necessary for the .game according to the user' class.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (ii) includes selecting a character and a job according to the member's propensity when the member plays the game.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step (ii) includes completing a usage education programhaving a function feature of the character for a predetermined time.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step" of forming a guild.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (iii) includes transmitting an advertising obj ect of a prepared event commodityor an advertising commodity to a client systemplaying the game by a server system.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step (iii) includes storing a view of an inserted advertising obj ect while the user is playing the game andanacquisitionof the advertising commodity in a member database, and increasing a level of the character and granting an item according to a point obtained by the view of an advertising object and acquisition of the advertising commodity.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (iv) includes analyzing the user consumption propensity using data stored in the member database through the game .

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (v) includes continuing the game for a predetermined time when an experience value and a level by position-classes are equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and controlling a position-class when an ability by position-classes is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the experience value, level, and ability by position-classes and a game time are confirmed by a status window displayed on a client system.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the status window is displayed on the lower portion of a screen of the client system, wherebykinds of itemtheuserhas, cyber shopping, game use time, confirmation of cyber money, level of the character, experience values of the character, ability of the character, and -feature value of the character are displayed on the status window.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the experience value, level, and ability by position-classes and game time are confirmed by the status window displayed on the client system.

15. ^'.The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (vi) includes making advertising mail suitable to prepared consumption propensity of the member.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step (vi) further includes transmitting the advertising mail.