Generating individual play bases in a virtual space using markup information

• US 10,220,318 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Rhinesmith, Justin, Vukicevich, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leichliter, Chase
• Application Number:
  US15/841,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20180104590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence

Abstract

A system and method for generating individual player bases in a virtual space using markup information are disclosed. Player base definitions specific individual players may be managed. The player base definitions may indicate boundaries of player bases in the virtual space, a base type for the player bases, and/or any other information related to the player bases. Player base markup information may be obtained for a given player base type. The obtained player base markup information may indicate, in a markup language format, building information regarding one or more default buildings within a player base having the given base type. Individual player bases may be generated in the virtual space base on the boundaries of the player bases as indicated in the player base definitions associated with the individual players and further based on the player base markup information for the base type of the player bases.

Claims

1. A virtual space server generating individual player bases in a virtual space using markup information, the virtual space server comprising:

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

execute an instance of the virtual space in which an online game takes place, and to implement the instance of the virtual space to facilitate player participation in the online game via client computing platforms by transmitting space state information derived from the instance of the virtual space to the client computing platforms;

manage player accounts comprising player information associated with individual players, the player accounts including a first player account associated with a first player;

obtain player base markup files for the player bases, the obtained player base markup files being in a markup language format and defining individual bases associated with the players separate from other player information associated with individual players in the player account, the obtained player base markup files including a first player base markup file that defines a first base associated with the first player, the first player base markup file being separate from the other player information included in the first player account, wherein edits to the player base markup files are configured to be deployed to the virtual space server during the execution of the instance of the virtual space without changing a codebase of the virtual space;

generate, on the virtual space server, player bases in the instance of the virtual space based on the player base markup files such that the first player base is generated in the instance of the virtual space based on a first boundary and the first player base markup information; and

generate, format, and initiate transmission of state information derived from the instance of the virtual space to the client computing platforms to facilitate user participation in the virtual space.

2. The virtual space server of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readably instructions such that the first player base markup file for the first base specifies, in the markup language format, building information regarding one or more default virtual buildings within the first player base, the building information indicating locations of the virtual buildings within the first player base.

3. The virtual space server of claim 2, wherein the building information specified by the first player base markup file for the first base further indicates levels of default buildings in the first player base.

4. The virtual space server of claim 1, wherein the individual player bases have a base type, wherein the base type dictates one or more of the number, type, level, and/or location of the default buildings, and/or wherein the base type dictates one or more of resources and/or base units initially available to a given player specified in the player base markup information associated with the base type for the given player.

5. The virtual space server of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readably instructions to assign a new player base, that has not been occupied by any other players previously in the virtual space, to a new player responsive to the new player beginning to interact with the virtual space upon joining the online game.

6. The virtual space server of claim 1, wherein a given player base markup file includes player based markup information that indicates various aspects of a new and/or unoccupied player base.

7. The virtual space server of claim 1, wherein the various aspects of a new and/or unoccupied player based include one or more of a level of the new and/or unoccupied player base, a name of the new and/or unoccupied player base, building information indicating one or more default buildings within the new and/or unoccupied player base, resource information regarding the new and/or unoccupied player base, and/or terrain information regarding the new and/or unoccupied player base.

8. The virtual space server of claim 1, wherein the markup language format includes Extensible Markup Language (XML) and/or Yet Another Markup Language (YAML).

9. A method for generating individual player bases in a virtual space using markup information, the method being implemented in physical processors of a virtual space server, the physical processors being configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of the virtual space in which an online game takes place, and implementing the instance of the virtual space to facilitate player participation in the online game via client computing platforms by transmitting space state information derived from the instance of the virtual space to the client computing platforms;

managing player accounts comprising player information associated with individual players, the player accounts including a first player account associated with a first player;

obtaining player base markup files for the player bases, the obtained player base markup files being in a markup language format and defining individual bases associated with the players separate from other player information associated with individual players in the player account, the obtained player base markup files including a first player base markup file that defines a first base associated with the first player, the first player base markup file being separate from the other player information included in the first player account, wherein edits to the player base markup files are configured to be deployed to the virtual space server during the execution of the instance of the virtual space without changing a codebase of the virtual space;

generating player bases in the instance of the virtual space based on the player base markup files such that the first player base is generated in the instance of the virtual space based on the first player base markup file;

deriving state information from the instance of the virtual space for transmission to the client computing platforms to facilitate user participation in the virtual space;

formatting the state information for transmission to the client computing platforms to facilitate user participation in the virtual space; and

initiating transmission of the state information to the client computing platforms to facilitate user participation in the virtual space.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first player base markup file for the first base specifies, in the markup language format, building information regarding one or more default virtual buildings within the first player base, the building information indicating locations of the virtual buildings within the first player base.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the building information included in the first player base markup file for the first base further indicates levels of default buildings in the first player base.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the markup language format includes Extensible Markup Language (XML) and/or Yet Another Markup Language (YAML).

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the individual player bases have a base type, wherein the base type dictates one or more of the number, type, level, and/or location of the default buildings, and/or wherein the base type dictates one or more of resources and/or base units initially available to a given player specified in the player base markup information associated with the base type for the given player.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising assigning a new player base, that has not been occupied by any other players previously in the virtual space, to a new player responsive to the new player beginning to interact with the virtual space upon joining the online game.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein a given player base markup file includes player based markup information that indicates various aspects of a new and/or unoccupied player base.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the various aspects of a new and/or unoccupied player based include one or more of a level of the new and/or unoccupied player base, a name of the new and/or unoccupied player base, building information indicating one or more default buildings within the new and/or unoccupied player base, resource information regarding the new and/or unoccupied player base, and/or terrain information regarding the new and/or unoccupied player base.