Persistent autonomous agents

• US 10,092,842 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rogers, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US15/338,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20170182418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS

Abstract

The systems and methods are directed towards object driven attributes for characters within a network-based game. More specifically, characters within a network-based game have various attributes that are influenced with the association and/or possession of objects provided by the user. These user-provided objects impact one or more attributes possessed by a character within the network-based game thereby influencing the character'"'"'s actions, personality and motivations. In other embodiments, the characters within the network-based game communicate with players using a variety of methods such as social media, e-mail and text. The communications provide in-game updates for the player to view. The player can provide natural language commands or responses for the characters that may influence the character'"'"'s actions within the game.

Claims

1. A method for persistent autonomous agents, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user, at least one object for a character within a network-based game, wherein the character has a set of character attributes that influence character actions within the network-based game, and wherein the received at least one object has one or more object-based attributes that modify one or more of the character attributes of the set of character attributes;

updating the set of character attributes based on the received at least one object in accordance with the one or more object-based attributes;

evaluating an impact of the received at least one object on the set of character attributes, wherein the evaluated impact identifies one or more of the character attributes that have been modified by the received at least one object;

generating instructions for the character within the network-based game based on the evaluated impact of the received at least one object on the updated plurality of character attributes; and

executing the generated instructions to influence performance of subsequent character actions in accordance with the evaluated impact.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the character receives two or more objects within the network-based game, wherein each received object has respective object-based attributes, and wherein the evaluating the impact on the set of character attributes that influence character actions is based on the received two or more objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more object-based attributes modify one or more of statistics, characteristics, motivations and abilities of the character within the network-based game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating the impact on the set of character attributes is also based on a length of time the received at least one object has been in possession of the character within the network-based game.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating the impact on the set of character attributes is also based on a period of time associated with a use of the received at least one object by the character within the network-based game.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the received at least one object is generated by third-parties.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the received at least one object that is generated by third parties includes advertisement or brand information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the received at least one object that is generated by third parties possesses characteristics that have higher values compared to other similar objects that are usable within the network-based game.

9. A system for persistent autonomous agents, the system comprising:

a user device, wherein the user device is used by a user to interact with a character within a network-based game, wherein the interaction includes transmitting at least one object for the character within the network-based game; and

a gaming server that manages the network-based game, wherein the gaming server;

receives, from the user device, the at least one object for the character within the network-based game, wherein the character has a set of character attributes that influence character actions within the network-based game, and wherein the received at least one object has one or more object-based attributes that modify one or more of the character attributes of the set of character attributes;

updates the set of character attributes based on the received at least one object in accordance with the one or more object-based attributes;

evaluates an impact of the received at least one object on the set of character attributes, wherein the evaluated impact identifies one or more of the character attributes that have been modified by the received at least one object;

generates instructions for the character within the network-based game based on the evaluated impact of the received at least one object on the updated plurality of character attributes; and

executes the generated instructions to influence performance of subsequent character actions in accordance with the evaluated impact.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the character receives two or more objects within the network-based game, wherein each received object has respective object-based attributes, and wherein the evaluating the impact on the set of character attributes that influence character actions is based on the received two or more objects.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more object-based attributes modify one or more of statistics, characteristics, motivations and abilities of the character within the network-based game.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the evaluating the impact on the set of character attributes is also based on a length of time the received at least one object has been in possession of the character within the network-based game.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the evaluating the impact on the set of character attributes is also based on a period of time associated with a use of the received at least one object by the character within the network-based game.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the received at least one object is generated by third-parties.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the received at least one object that is generated by third parties includes advertisement or brand information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the received at least one object that is generated by third parties possesses characteristics that have higher values compared to other similar objects that are usable within the network-based game.