Method of designing multiple computer games

• US 10,272,328 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Knutsson, Sebastian, Stymne, Patrik, Lagerstrom, Marcus, Rodopoulos, Evgenios
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Ross
• Application Number:
  US15/174,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20160279521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 31, 463 40- 42
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• 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 13/2145 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3274 : wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play

Abstract

A method of designing multiple computer games, using a software module running on a processor, in which the module enables pre-defined kinds of game design functions to be implemented across multiple different computer games; and in which the module implements multiple pre-defined kinds of common game design functions; and is extensible in that new components can be added to the module to create new functionality.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, using a first software module comprising a model module for use in at least one switcher computer game, said method being performed in a computing device, comprising one or more processors and a display, by executing computer code on said one or more processors to perform the steps of:

controlling the display to display a game board comprising a plurality of game elements which are configured to he switched or matched in response to user input;

receiving at the model module, commands from a controller module running on said processor to update state of the model module;

in response to a change in the state of said model module, sending, from the model module, notifications to said controller module to change an available set of the commands and to a view module running on said processor to produce updated output to be displayed; and

wherein the model module comprises a plurality of components each providing a game function of said at least one switcher computer game,

wherein said plurality of components comprises a plurality of combinable components reusable for different game elements of said at least one switcher computer game,

each combinable component providing at least one in game action performable by at least some of said different game elements, wherein each in game action is modifiable by at least one parameter,

wherein a game element of said different game elements is provided by combining two or more of said combinable components providing different in game actions.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the first software module uses a Model View Controller (MVC) software architecture pattern.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the MVC uses entities, and enables components to be combined to create new entities.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the game functions provided by said plurality of components include generating a game board of defined size and layout.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the game functions provided by said plurality of components include game rules or game-play logic.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the game functions provided by said plurality of components include all of switching objects, matching objects, removing objects, and generating objects.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the game functions provided by said plurality of components include common game rules.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the first software module allows new game rules to be designed and included within the first software module.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the game functions provided by said plurality of components include creating new game levels.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the first software module enables debug tracking data to be stored.

11. The method of claim 1 in which the first software module receives events that trigger the game logic to be processed and to draw graphics.

12. The method of claim 1 which includes the step of:

using data analytics to understand the impact of changes to the game design in terms of player engagement and/or monetisation and;

implementing changes to the game design, including frequent changes such as daily or weekly changes, to optimise player engagement and/or monetisation.

13. The method of claim 1 which includes the steps of:

deploying multiple different computer games on a game playing web site hosting a number of computer games, the games each including the first software module;

using data analytics to measure player engagement and/or monetisation of a game;

for games that provide a threshold level of player engagement and/or monetisation, using the first software module to adapt those games for play on a platform that supports mobile game play on smartphones, tablets and also PCs.

14. The method of claim 1 in which, for games that provide a threshold level of player engagement and/or monetisation, the further step of using the first software module to add extra game play levels and additional game design functions.

15. The method of claim 1 including the step of using the first software module to regularly add extra game play levels and additional game design functions, potentially indefinitely.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software module enables social casual games to be rapidly created and revised.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software module enables switcher games to be rapidly created and revised.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software module enable match-3 games to be rapidly created and revised.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software module enables clicker games to be rapidly created and revised.

20. A computing device comprising a model module for use in at least one switcher computer game, said module configured in use to run on a processor of the device, wherein the device is configured to display a game board comprising a plurality of game elements which are configured to be switched or matched in response to user input,

wherein the model module is configured to receive commands from a controller module running on said processor to update state of the model module, said model module further configured to, in response to a change in the state of said model module, send notifications to said controller module to change an available set of the commands and to a view module running on said processor to produce updated output to be displayed,

wherein the model module comprises a plurality of components, each of said plurality of components configured to provide a game function of said at least one switcher computer game,

wherein said plurality of components comprises a plurality of combinable components reusable for different game elements of said at least one switcher computer game

each combinable component providing at least one in game action performable by at least some of said different game elements, wherein each in game action is modifiable by at least one parameter,

wherein a game element of said different game elements is provided by combining two or more of said combinable components having different game functions.