Systems and methods for determining and implementing platform specific online game customizations

• US 10,096,204 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Huttula, Tomi
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US15/048,903
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system and method for determining and implementing platform specific online game customizations. The multiple platforms may include virtual reality platforms and non-virtual reality platforms. The system may monitor interactions of the users with the online game through the multiple platforms. User profiles including user information related to participating in the online game through the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms may be managed by the system. The system may determine user value metrics for a given user on a virtual reality platform and a non-virtual reality platform. A platform specific online game customization for the online game when played via a virtual reality platform and/or a non-virtual reality platform may be determined based on the user value metrics. The game customization that customizes one or more aspects of the online game for the given user when played via a given platform may be implemented.

Claims

1. A system that determines and implements platform specific online game customizations, the system comprising:

one or more physical computer processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

execute a game instance of the online game played via multiple platforms, and use the game instance to generate game state information that is transmitted to client computing platforms over a network, the game state information facilitating presentation of views of the online game to the users via the client computing platforms, wherein execution of the game instance further enables interaction by the users with the online game and/or each other by performing operations in the game instance in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms, wherein the client computing platforms include virtual reality platforms and non-virtual reality platforms, the virtual reality platforms including a first platform associated with a first user and the non-virtual reality platforms including a second platform associated with the first user;

monitor interactions of the users with the online game through the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms such that interaction of the first user with the online game through the first platform and the second platform is monitored;

manage user profiles including user information related to participating in the online game through the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms such that the user information is based on the monitored interactions, the user profiles including a first user profile that includes user information for the first user that describes interaction of the first user with the online game through the first platform and the second platform;

determine user value metrics for the users on the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms, wherein a first user value metric for the first user on the first platform and a second user value metric for the first user on the second platform are determined based on the user information stored in the first user profile;

determine one or more platform specific online game customizations for the online game when played via the virtual reality platforms and/or the non-virtual reality platforms based on the user value metrics determined for the users, wherein a first game customization is determined for the first platform or the second platform based on a comparison of the first user value metric and the second user value metric; and

implement the first game customization that customizes one or more aspects of the online game for the first user when played via the first platform or the second platform, wherein the first game customization increases or decreases the difficulty of the online game when played by the first user via the first platform or the second platform in comparison to when the online game is played by the first user via a non-customized platform.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

transmit the game state information over the network causing the first platform to present the views of the online game to the first user via a headset display device associated with the first platform.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user value metrics include spend parameters that indicate spending in the online game by individual ones of the users on the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms, such that a first spend parameter indicating spending in the online game by the first user on the first platform and a second spend parameter indicating spending in the online game by the first user on the second platform, are determined.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the spend parameters obtained include one or more of an amount of currency spent during a period of time, a total amount of currency spent, a spend velocity, an average amount of currency spent, and/or a spend frequency.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user information includes payment information such that the user value metrics indicate whether the users have established a method of payment in one or more of the virtual reality platforms and/or the non-virtual reality platforms.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

effectuate presentation of a customization notification, the customization notification including information indicating the first game customization via the first platform such that the first user is made aware that the first game customization impacts gameplay of the online game when played via the first platform or the second platform, but not when played via a non-customized platform.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user is not made aware of the first game customization and/or that the first game customization impacts gameplay of the online game when played via the first platform or the second platform, but not when played via a non-customized platform.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more aspects of the online game that are customized include one or more of a reward, a strength and/or power of one or more user characters, a spawn rate or recovery rate of one or more user characters, power of attacks, resistance to attacks, speed or responsiveness of controlled units, a quality or effectiveness of virtual items, a quantity of available virtual items, wait periods associated with one or more actions, and/or availability of user actions.

9. A computer-implemented method that determines and implements platform specific online game customizations, the method being implemented by a computer system including one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing a game instance of the online game played via multiple platforms, and use the game instance to generate game state information that is transmitted to client computing platforms over a network, the game state information facilitating presentation of views of the online game to the users via the client computing platforms, wherein execution of the game instance further enables interaction by the users with the online game and/or each other by performing operations in the game instance in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms, wherein the client computing platforms include virtual reality platforms and non-virtual reality platforms, the virtual reality platforms including a first platform associated with a first user and the non-virtual reality platforms including a second platform associated with the first user;

monitoring interactions of the users with the online game through the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms such that interaction of the first user with the online game through the first platform and the second platform is monitored;

managing user profiles including user information related to participating in the online game through the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms such that the user information is based on the monitored interactions, the user profiles including a first user profile that includes user information for the first user that describes interaction of the first user with the online game through the first platform and the second platform;

determining user value metrics for the users on the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms, wherein a first user value metric for the first user on the first platform and a second user value metric for the first user on the second platform are determined based on the user information stored in the first user profile;

determining one or more platform specific online game customizations for the online game when played via the virtual reality platforms and/or the non-virtual reality platforms based on the user value metrics determined for the users, wherein a first game customization is determined for the first platform or the second platform based on a comparison of the first user value metric and the second user value metric; and

implementing the first game customization that customizes one or more aspects of the online game for the first user when played via the first platform or the second platform, wherein the first game customization increases or decreases the difficulty of the online game when played by the first user via the first platform or the second platform in comparison to when the online game is played by the first user via a non-customized platform.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting the game state information over the network causing the first platform to present the views of the online game to the first user via a headset display device associated with the first platform.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user value metrics include spend parameters that indicate spending in the online game by individual ones of the users on the virtual reality platforms and the non-virtual reality platforms, such that a first spend parameter indicating spending in the online game by the first user on the first platform and a second spend parameter indicating spending in the online game by the first user on the second platform, are determined.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the spend parameters obtained include one or more of an amount of currency spent during a period of time, a total amount of currency spent, a spend velocity, an average amount of currency spent, and/or a spend frequency.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the user information includes payment information such that the user value metrics indicate whether the users have established a method of payment in one or more of the virtual reality platforms and/or the non-virtual reality platforms.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

effectuating presentation of a customization notification, the customization notification including information indicating the first game customization via the first platform such that the first user is made aware that the first game customization impacts gameplay of the online game when played via the first platform or the second platform, but not when played via a non-customized platform.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first user is not made aware of the first game customization and/or that the first game customization impacts gameplay of the online game when played via the first platform or the second platform, but not when played via a non-customized platform.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more aspects of the online game that are customized include one or more of a reward, a strength and/or power of one or more user characters, a spawn rate or recovery rate of one or more user characters, power of attacks, resistance to attacks, speed or responsiveness of controlled units, a quality or effectiveness of virtual items, a quantity of available virtual items, wait periods associated with one or more actions, and/or availability of user actions.