Group composition matchmaking system and method for multiplayer video games

• US 10,376,792 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Marr, Michael D., Kaplan, Keith S., Lewis, Nathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pinheiro, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/712,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• 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 13/60 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 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A system and method is provided that recommends group compositions in multiplayer video games. The system may suggest a composition of a group of players using a matchmaking process. For example, one or more players may wish to form or join a group of players for a given game, but not know what would be an appropriate mix of player styles, player roles, skill levels, and/or other player characteristics that would make an optimal group, given the player'"'"'s own characteristics. The system may identify optimal groups based on matchmaking related information such as, without limitation, game profile, player profile, prior match scores, prior quality scores, and/or other information. Optimal groups may be those that have performed successfully (e.g., accomplished the most wins, objectives, etc.), are associated with the highest player enjoyment (e.g., based on match and/or quality scores), and/or otherwise are deemed to be desirable.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of recommending the composition of a group of players in a multi-player game based on values of match variables weighted by corresponding coefficients used to generate a match score for the group of players, the method being implemented by a plurality of client devices that are remote from and in data communication with a host computer, wherein data communication between the plurality of client devices is characterized by a delay time, and wherein the host computer has one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the host computer to perform the method, the method comprising:

identifying, by the host computer, a benchmark group of players comprising a first plurality of players that have played together during a prior gameplay session of a multi-player game;

identifying, by the host computer, a coefficient associated with the benchmark group of players, wherein the coefficient is a function, at least in part, of the delay time;

generating, by the host computer, a first potential match of a first plurality of players to play as a group in a gameplay session of a multi-player game;

obtaining, by the host computer, a value of a match variable associated with the first plurality of players, wherein the match variable corresponds to the identified coefficient;

determining, by the host computer, a first match score for the first potential match based on the value of the match variable and the identified coefficient; and

determining, by the host computer, whether to recommend the first potential match based on the first match score.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

generating a second potential match of a second plurality of players;

obtaining a second value of the match variable associated with the second plurality of players;

determining a second match score for the second potential match based on the second value of the match variable and the identified coefficient; and

comparing the first match score with the second match score, wherein the determination of whether to recommend the first potential match is based on the comparison.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the benchmark group of players is identified based on a level of performance exhibited by the benchmark group of players in the prior gameplay session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the match variable relates to a composition of players, and wherein the coefficient weights an importance of the composition of players in forming a given group of players.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a value of the match variable relates to a combination of types of roles played by individual players in the given group of players.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining a number of the first plurality of players is insufficient to form a full group of players; and

identifying a non-player character that should be added to the first potential match based on the based on the impact of the non-player character on the first match score.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

wherein each of the first plurality of players comprises a non-player character such that a group of non-player characters is formed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first match score is used as a proxy for a level of difficulty associated with the first plurality of players, the method further comprising:

selecting a group of human players to play adversarially against the first plurality of players based on a collective skill level of the group of human players and the first match score.

9. A system of recommending the composition of a group of players in a multi-player game based on values of match variables weighted by corresponding coefficients used to generate a match score for the group of players, the system comprising:

a plurality of game modules executing on client devices, each of the client devices being used by one of the group of players to play the multi-player game, wherein data communication between the plurality of game modules is characterized by a delay time;

a host computer remote from, and in data communication with, the plurality of game modules, wherein the host computer has one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the host computer to;

identify a benchmark group of players comprising a first plurality of players that have played together during a prior gameplay session of a multi-player game;

identify a coefficient associated with the benchmark group of players, wherein the coefficient is a function, at least in part, of the delay time;

generate a first potential match of a first plurality of players to play as a group in a gameplay session of a multi-player game;

obtain a value of a match variable associated with the first plurality of players, wherein the match variable corresponds to the identified coefficient;

determine a first match score for the first potential match based on the value of the match variable and the identified coefficient; and

determine whether to recommend the first potential match based on the first match score.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the host computer is further programmed to:

generate a second potential match of a second plurality of players;

obtain a second value of the match variable associated with the second plurality of players;

determine a second match score for the second potential match based on the second value of the match variable and the identified coefficient; and

compare the first match score with the second match score, wherein the determination of whether to recommend the first potential match is based on the comparison.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the benchmark group of players is identified based on a level of performance exhibited by the benchmark group of players in the prior gameplay session.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the match variable relates to a composition of players, and wherein the coefficient weights an importance of the composition of players in forming a given group of players.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a value of the match variable relates to a combination of types of roles played by individual players in the given group of players.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the host computer is further programmed to:

determine a number of the first plurality of players is insufficient to form a full group of players; and

identify a non-player character that should be added to the first potential match based on the based on the impact of the non-player character on the first match score.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the host computer is further programmed to:

wherein each of the first plurality of players comprises a non-player character such that a group of non-player characters is formed.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first match score is used as a proxy for a level of difficulty associated with the first plurality of players, and wherein the host computer is further programmed to:

select a group of human players to play adversarially against the first plurality of players based on a collective skill level of the group of human players and the first match score.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon for recommending the composition of a group of players in a multi-player game based on values of match variables weighted by corresponding coefficients used to generate a match score for the group of players, wherein the computer program instructions are distributed between a host computer and a plurality of game modules executing on client devices, wherein each of the client devices is configured to be used by one of the group of players to play the multi-player game, wherein data communication between the plurality of game modules is characterized by a delay time, wherein the host computer is remote from, and in data communication with, the plurality of game modules, and wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by one or more physical processors of the host computer, cause the host computer to:

identify a benchmark group of players comprising a first plurality of players that have played together during a prior gameplay session of a multi-player game;

identify a coefficient associated with the benchmark group of players, wherein the coefficient is a function, at least in part, of the delay time;

generate a first potential match of a first plurality of players to play as a group in a gameplay session of a multi-player game;

obtain a value of a match variable associated with the first plurality of players, wherein the match variable corresponds to the identified coefficient;

determine a first match score for the first potential match based on the value of the match variable and the identified coefficient; and

determine whether to recommend the first potential match based on the first match score.