Determining hardness quotients for level definition files based on player skill level

• US 10,384,132 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Ware, John Carlton, Haire, Christopher Vance, Watters, William R., vanSuchtelen, John, Waite, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US14/569,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20160067610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 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 13/32 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. A System Tuner selects a hardness quotient, based on a player skill level, from a hardness quotient range, the player skill level for a player is calculated by a client computing device based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player. The System Tuner provides the hardness quotient to a level definition file for a second game level. The level definition file modifies at least one feature of the second game level according to the hardness quotient. The System Tuner modifies the hardness quotient range based at least on a performance of the plurality of player'"'"'s in the second game level and the respective hardness quotients assigned to each of those players for their game play in the second game level.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating a level definition file module to cause a client computing device to modify respective sets of attributes of game levels in a multi-level computer-implemented game, via respective level definition files, according to one or more hardness quotients received by the client computing device;

generating a first level definition file that corresponds to a set of modifiable attributes of a first game level;

generating a second level definition file that corresponds to a set of modifiable attributes of a second game level, the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level being different from the set of modifiable attributes of the second game level;

creating a plurality of hardness quotient ranges corresponding to a plurality of possible hardness quotients applicable to different respective modifiable attributes of the first game level;

receiving, from the client computing device, a player skill level, the player skill level calculated by the client computing device for a first player based at least on a comparison by the client computing device between at least one game move of the first player in a previous game level and a second target measure of performance in the previous game level;

selecting a plurality of hardness quotients based at least in part on the player skill level of the first player by selecting a respective hardness quotient from each of the plurality of hardness quotient ranges;

sending the plurality of selected hardness quotients to the level definition file module of the client computing device, causing the level definition file module executing on the client computing device to modify the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level via the first level definition file according to the plurality of selected hardness quotients; and

sending a different hardness quotient to the level definition file module with respect to the second game level, causing the level definition file module executing on the client computing device to modify the set of modifiable attributes of the second game level according to said different hardness quotient.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

upon receiving an indication of completion of the first game level by the first player, comparing a game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level, the game level performance of the first player based at least on one or more game moves by the first player in the first game level; and

modifying at least one of the plurality of hardness quotient ranges based on an extent of a difference between the game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein modifying the at least one hardness quotient range based on an extent of a difference between the game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level comprises:

upon determining that the game level performance of the first player exceeds the first target measure of performance in the first game level, increasing a value of at least one possible hardness quotient in the at least one hardness quotient range; and

upon determining that the game level performance of the first player subceeds the first target measure of performance in the first game level, decreasing a value of at least one possible hardness quotient in the at least one hardness quotient range.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable range of speed which a respective player of the game can reach in the first game level.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of time to accomplish a task in the first game level.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of an in-game reward for accomplishing the task in the game level.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of a vertical grace experienced by the player during game play.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of modifiable attributes for the second game level comprises a single modifiable attribute.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which;

when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;

generating a level definition file module to cause a client computing device to modify respective sets of attributes of game levels in a multi-level computer-implemented game, via respective level definition files, according to one or more hardness quotients received by the client computing device;

generating a first level definition file that corresponds to a set of modifiable attributes of a first game level;

generating a second level definition file that corresponds to a set of modifiable attributes of a second game level, the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level being different from the set of modifiable attributes of the second game level;

creating a plurality of hardness quotient ranges corresponding to a plurality of possible hardness quotients applicable to different respective modifiable attributes of the first game level;

receiving, from the client computing device, a player skill level, the player skill level calculated by the client computing device for a first player based at least on a comparison by the client computing device between at least one game move of the first player in a previous game level and a second target measure of performance in the previous game level;

selecting a plurality of hardness quotients based at least in part on the player skill level of the first player by selecting a respective hardness quotient from each of the plurality of hardness quotient ranges;

sending the plurality of selected hardness quotients to the level definition file module of the client computing device, causing the level definition file module executing on the client computing device to modify the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level via the first level definition file according to the plurality of selected hardness quotients; and

sending a different hardness quotient to the level definition file module with respect to the second game level, causing the level definition file module executing on the client computing device to modify the set of modifiable attributes of the second game level according to said different hardness quotient.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

upon receiving an indication of completion of the first game level by the first player, comparing a game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level, the game level performance of the first player based at least on one or more game moves by the first player in the first game level; and

modifying at least one of the plurality of hardness quotient ranges based on an extent of a difference between the game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein modifying the at least one hardness quotient range based on an extent of a difference between the game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level comprises:

upon determining that the game level performance of the first player exceeds the first target measure of performance in the first game level, increasing a value of at least one possible hardness quotient in the at least one hardness quotient range; and

upon determining that the game level performance of the first player subceeds the first target measure of performance in the first game level, decreasing a value of at least one possible hardness quotient in the at least one hardness quotient range.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable range of speed which a respective player of the game can reach in the first game level.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of time to accomplish a task in the first game level.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of an in-game reward for accomplishing the task in the game level.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of a vertical grace experienced by the player during game play.

16. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

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

generating a level definition file module to cause a client computing device to modify respective sets of attributes of game levels in a multi-level computer-implemented game, via respective level definition files, according to one or more hardness quotients received by the client computing device;

generating a first level definition file that corresponds to a set of modifiable attributes of a first game level;

generating a second level definition file that corresponds to a set of modifiable attributes of a second game level, the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level being different from the set of modifiable attributes of the second game level;

creating a plurality of hardness quotient ranges corresponding to a plurality of possible hardness quotients applicable to different respective modifiable attributes of the first game level;

receiving, from the client computing device, a player skill level, the player skill level calculated by the client computing device for a first player based at least on a comparison by the client computing device between at least one game move of the first player in a previous game level and a second target measure of performance in the previous game level;

selecting a plurality of hardness quotients based at least in part on the player skill level of the first player by selecting a respective hardness quotient from each of the plurality of hardness quotient ranges;

sending the plurality of selected hardness quotients to the level definition file module of the client computing device, causing the level definition file module executing on the client computing device to modify the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level via the first level definition file according to the plurality of selected hardness quotients; and

sending a different hardness quotient to the level definition file module with respect to the second game level, causing the level definition file module executing on the client computing device to modify the set of modifiable attributes of the second game level according to said different hardness quotient.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

upon receiving an indication of completion of the first game level by the first player, comparing a game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level, the game level performance of the first player based at least on one or more game moves by the first player in the first game level; and

modifying at least one of the plurality of hardness quotient ranges based on an extent of a difference between the game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein modifying the at least one hardness quotient range based on an extent of a difference between the game level performance of the first player and the first target measure of performance in the first game level comprises:

upon determining that the game level performance of the first player exceeds the first target measure of performance in the first game level, increasing a value of at least one possible hardness quotient in the at least one hardness quotient range; and

upon determining that the game level performance of the first player subceeds the first target measure of performance in the first game level, decreasing a value of at least one possible hardness quotient in the at least one hardness quotient range.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable range of speed which a respective player of the game can reach in the first game level.

20. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the set of modifiable attributes of the first game level comprises:

a modifiable amount of time to accomplish a task in the first game level.