Experimentation and optimization service

• US 10,315,114 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Dhawan, Anshul, Gauthier, Michael, Tabay, Oliver Attila, Zakrzewski, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US15/652,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20170312636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• 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 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0423 Word games, e.g. scrabble electric A63F3/0421; two-dimensional puzzles with rotating rings or discs A63F9/0811, A63F9/0819

Abstract

A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for customizing a player'"'"'s experience. The System Tuner creates an optimal game model based on game-related data of a plurality of players. The optimal game model corresponds to a player segment in the plurality of players. The System Tuner generates one or more rules for building a game variant based on the optimal game model. The System Tuner detects a first player accessing the game. The System Tuner determines a particular player segment to which the player belongs. The System Tuner generates a game variant based on an optimal game model for the particular player segment and sends the game variant to a client device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

creating, at a server computing device, a game variant model for a version of an online game, the game variant model corresponding to game-related data of a plurality of players associated with a type of client computing device, the creating of the game variant model including;

identifying a plurality of player segments, each respective player segment including players that share at least one common attribute and use a common type of client device; and

defining at least one desired player activity in the online game, which defining includes defining a desired type of transaction request to be received from respective type of client computing device that corresponds with a particular player segment;

generating, at the server computing device, one or more rules for building a respective instance of a game variant based on the game variant model;

receiving an indication that a physical instance of the type of client computing device is requesting access to the online game;

generating an instance of the game variant based on the one or more rules; and

sending, from the server computing device, the instance of the game variant to the physical instance of the client computing device for instantiation.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein defining the at least one desired player activity in the game further comprises:

defining a desired increase in a number of additional players of the online game,

wherein each additional player has a respective social network connection with a current player of the online game.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of player segments comprises:

for each player segment;

identifying previous instances of the at least one desired activity that have occurred in one or more game sessions played by one or more players who belong to the respective player segment;

identifying at least one setting of an adjustable feature of the game present during the one or more game sessions during which the previous instances of the desired activity occurred; and

incorporating the at least one setting of the adjustable feature as part of the game variant model for the respective player segment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, comprising:

upon sending the instance of the game variant to the physical instance of the client computing device for instantiation;

receiving game performance data of the first player after an instantiation of the instance of the game variant for the first player'"'"'s respective player segment; and

incorporating the game performance data of the first player into the game related data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein creating, at a server a game variant model comprises:

updating the game variant model for the first player'"'"'s player segment based on the game performance data of the first player.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

creating a game variant model for a version of an online game, the game variant model corresponding to game-related data of a plurality of players associated with a type of client computing device, the creating of the game variant model including;

identifying a plurality of player segments, each respective player segment including players that share at least one common attribute and use a common type of client device; and

defining at least one desired player activity in the online game, which defining includes defining a desired type of transaction request to be received from respective type of client computing device that corresponds with a particular player segment;

generating one or more rules for building a respective instance of a game variant based on the game variant model;

receiving an indication that a physical instance of the type of client computing device is requesting access to the online game;

generating an instance of the game variant based on the one or more rules; and

sending the instance of the game variant to the physical instance of the client computing device for instantiation.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein defining the at least one desired player activity in the game further comprises:

defining a desired increase in a number of additional players of the online game,

wherein each additional player has a respective social network connection with a current player of the online game.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein identifying the plurality of player segments comprises:

for each player segment;

identifying previous instances of the at least one desired activity that have occurred in one or more game sessions played by one or more players who belong to the respective player segment;

identifying at least one setting of an adjustable feature of the game present during the one or more game sessions during which the previous instances of the desired activity occurred; and

incorporating the at least one setting of the adjustable feature as part of the game variant model for the respective player segment.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, comprising:

upon sending the instance of the game variant to the physical instance of the client computing device for instantiation;

receiving game performance data of the first player after an instantiation of the instance of the game variant for the first player'"'"'s respective player segment; and

incorporating the game performance data of the first player into the game related data.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein creating a game variant model comprises:

updating the game variant model for the first player'"'"'s player segment based on the game performance data of the first player.

11. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory device holding an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising;

creating a game variant model for a version of an online game, the game variant model corresponding to game-related data of a plurality of players associated with a type of client computing device, the creating of the game variant model including;

identifying a plurality of player segments, each respective player segment including players that share at least one common attribute and use a common type of client device; and

defining at least one desired player activity in the online game, which defining includes defining a desired type of transaction request to be received from respective type of client computing device that corresponds with a particular player segment;

generating one or more rules for building a respective instance of a game variant based on the game variant model;

receiving an indication that a physical instance of the type of client computing device is requesting access to the online game;

generating an instance of the game variant based on the one or more rules; and

sending the instance of the game variant to the physical instance of the client computing device for instantiation.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein defining the at least one desired player activity in the game further comprises:

defining a desired increase in a number of additional players of the online game,

wherein each additional player has a respective social network connection with a current player of the online game.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein identifying the plurality of player segments comprises:

for each player segment;

identifying previous instances of the at least one desired activity that have occurred in one or more game sessions played by one or more players who belong to the respective player segment;

identifying at least one setting of an adjustable feature of the game present during the one or more game sessions during which the previous instances of the desired activity occurred; and

incorporating the at least one setting of the adjustable feature as part of the game variant model for the respective player segment.

14. The computer system of claim 13, comprising:

upon sending the instance of the game variant to the physical instance of the client computing device for instantiation;

receiving game performance data of the first player after an instantiation of the instance of the game variant for the first player'"'"'s respective player segment; and

incorporating the game performance data of the first player into the game related data.