Dynamic generation of a draft of virtual entities within a game application environment

• US 10,449,460 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Frank, Jeffrey Edward, Parry, Thomas Adam, Younger, Jeffry Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Jasson H
• Application Number:
  US15/239,640
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

The present disclosure provides embodiments of a virtual draft framework that can be used to provide a controlled randomized virtual draft process by using virtual profile groups to selectively control the amount of randomness during the virtual draft process. The virtual draft can include of a predetermined number of rounds. In each round one or more virtual players can be drafted to a virtual team. Each draft round can provide a player with the opportunity to select a virtual characters that will be used within the game application.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data store configured to store virtual profile data associated with a plurality of virtual entities and virtual draft framework data;

one or more processors configured with computer executable instructions that cause the one or more processors to execute a game application, the game application configured to;

generate a user interface within the game application comprising at least one interface element configured to receive input to initiate a virtual team draft;

receive input to initiate a virtual team draft within the game application;

generate a virtual team comprising a plurality of virtual entities, the virtual team comprising a plurality of virtual team positions, each virtual entity associated with at least one virtual team position;

generate instructions to display a user interface configured to display a virtual team interface identifying the plurality of virtual entities within their associated virtual team positions during runtime of the game application;

select a predetermined number of virtual packs from one or more virtual predetermined virtual pack groups, based at least in part on a virtual draft framework, wherein the virtual draft framework comprises a plurality of draft rounds, wherein in each draft round a virtual pack is selected from a virtual pack group, each virtual pack group comprising a plurality of different virtual packs, each virtual pack comprising a plurality of a virtual pack slots, each virtual pack slot associated with a virtual profile group;

for each of the selected virtual packs,

identify a virtual profile for each virtual pack slot within the virtual pack from the associated virtual profile group, the identification of the virtual profile based, at least in part, on predetermined weighted values associated with the virtual profiles within the associated virtual profile group;

generate instructions to display each of the identified virtual profiles, each virtual profile associated with a drafted virtual entity being associated with at least one team position;

receive input indicating a selection of one of the identified virtual profiles; and

update the user interface to display the drafted virtual entity associated with the selected virtual profile within the virtual team interface;

execute a virtual game using the virtual team within a virtual environment of the game application, wherein each virtual profile assigned to a virtual team position is represented by a virtual entity within the virtual environment when participating within the virtual game;

receive user input from a first user to perform a first action within the virtual environment during the virtual game by at least one of the virtual entities on the virtual team; and

in response to the user input, execute the first action within the virtual environment during the virtual game by the at least one of the virtual entities.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the game application is further configured to determine an order for the selected virtual packs based at least in part on prioritization information associated with each of the selected virtual packs and a predetermined group order.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the game application is further configured to:

select a plurality of virtual coaches based at least in part on weighted values associated each of the virtual coaches, wherein a virtual coach is selected for each of a plurality of coach slots within a coach pack, and

generate instructions to display an interface displaying the selected virtual coaches.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the game application is further configured to generate instructions to display attributes and a position associated with each of the identified virtual profiles.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the game application is further configured to determine a virtual team for deployment within the game application based at least in part on virtual entities in the initial virtual team and at least one of the virtual entities selected during the virtual team draft.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual team includes a plurality of virtual entities associated with each position of the virtual team.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the game application is further configured to:

identify an indication of interest with a first of the identified virtual profiles;

display attributes associated with the first identified virtual profile; and

display at least a portion of the virtual team interface identifying other virtual entities associated with the at least one team position associated with the first identified virtual profile.

8. A method comprising:

under control of a computing system comprising computer hardware, the computing system configured with computer executable instructions to execute a game application, the game application configured to perform operations during runtime of the game application including,

generating a user interface within the game application comprising at least one interface element configured to receive input to initiate a virtual team draft;

receiving input to initiate a virtual team draft within the game application;

generating a virtual team comprising a plurality of virtual entities, the virtual team comprising a plurality of virtual team positions, each virtual entity associated with at least one virtual team position;

generating instructions to display a user interface configured to display a virtual team interface identifying the plurality of virtual entities within their associated virtual team positions during runtime of the game application;

selecting a predetermined number of virtual packs from one or more virtual predetermined virtual pack groups, based at least in part on a virtual draft framework, wherein the virtual draft framework comprises a plurality of draft rounds, wherein in each draft round a virtual pack is selected from a virtual pack group, each virtual pack group comprising a plurality of different virtual packs, each virtual pack comprising a plurality of a virtual pack slots, each virtual pack slot associated with a virtual profile group;

for each of the selected virtual packs,

identifying a virtual profile for each pack slot within the virtual pack from the associated virtual profile group, the identification of the virtual profile based, at least in part, on predetermined weighted values associated with the virtual profiles within the associated virtual profile group;

generating instructions to display each of the identified virtual profiles, each virtual profile associated with a drafted virtual entity being associated with at least one team position;

receiving input indicating a selection of one of the identified virtual profiles; and

updating the user interface to display the drafted virtual entity associated with the selected virtual profile within the virtual team interface;

executing a virtual game using the virtual team within a virtual environment of the game application, wherein each virtual profile assigned to a virtual team position is represented by a virtual entity within the virtual environment when participating within the virtual game

receiving user input from a first user to perform a first action within the virtual environment during the virtual game by at least one of the virtual entities on the virtual team; and

in response to the user input, executing the first action within the virtual environment during the virtual game by the at least one of the virtual entities.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining an order for the selected virutal packs based at least in part on prioritization information associated with each of the selected virtual packs and a predetermined group order.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

selecting a plurality of virtual coaches based at least in part on weighted values associated each of the virtual coaches, wherein a virtual coach is selected for each of a plurality of coach slots within a coach pack, and

generating instructions to display an interface displaying the selected virtual coaches.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising generating instructions to display attributes and a position associated with each of the identified virtual profiles.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining a virtual team for deployment within the game application based at least in part on virtual entities in the initial virtual team and at least one of the virtual entities selected during the virtual team draft.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual team includes a plurality of virtual entities associated with each position of the virtual team.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the game application is further configured to:

identify an indication of interest with a first of the identified virtual profiles;

display attributes associated with the first identified virtual profile; and

display at least a portion of the virtual team interface identifying other virtual entities associated with the at least one team position associated with the first identified virtual profile.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, configure the one or more computing devices to execute a game application, the game application configured to perform operations during runtime of the game application comprising:

generating a user interface within the game application comprising at least one interface element configured to receive input to initiate a virtual team draft;

receiving input to initiate a virtual team draft within the game application;

generating a virtual team comprising a plurality of virtual entities, the virtual team comprising a plurality of virtual team positions, each virtual entity associated with at least one virtual team position;

generating instructions to display a user interface configured to display a virtual team interface identifying the plurality of virtual entities within their associated virtual team positions during runtime of the game application;

selecting a predetermined number of virtual packs from one or more virtual predetermined virtual pack groups, based at least in part on a virtual draft framework, wherein the virtual draft framework comprises a plurality of draft rounds, wherein in each draft round a virtual pack is selected from a virtual pack group, each virtual pack group comprising a plurality of different virtual packs, each virtual pack comprising a plurality of a virtual pack slots, each virtual pack slot associated with a virtual profile group;

for each of the selected virtual packs,

identifying a virtual profile for each virtual pack slot within the virtual pack from the associated virtual profile group, the identification of the virtual profile based, at least in part, on predetermined weighted values associated with the virtual profiles within the associated virtual profile group;

generating instructions to display each of the identified virtual profiles, each virtual profile associated with a drafted virtual entity being associated with at least one team position;

receiving input indicating a selection of one of the identified virtual profiles; and

updating the user interface to display the drafted virtual entity associated with the selected virtual profile within the virtual team interface; and

executing a virtual game using the virtual team within a virtual environment of the game application, wherein each virtual profile assigned to a virtual team position is represented by a virtual entity within the virtual environment when participating within the virtual game;

receiving user input from a first user to perform a first action within the virtual environment during the virtual game by at least one of the virtual entities on the virtual team; and

in response to the user input, executing the first action within the virtual environment during the virtual game by the at least one of the virtual entities.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the game application is a football game and the virtual entities are virtual players on a football team.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the game application is further configured to perform operations comprising:

selecting a plurality of virtual coaches based at least in part on weighted values associated each of the virtual coaches, wherein a virtual coach is selected for each of a plurality of coach slots within a coach pack, and

generating instructions to display an interface displaying the selected virtual coaches.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the game application is further configured to perform operations comprising generating instructions to display attributes and a position associated with each of the identified virtual profiles.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the game application is further configured to perform operations comprising determining a virtual team for deployment within the game application based at least in part on virtual entities in the initial virtual team at least one of the virtual entities selected during the virtual team draft.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the game application is further configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying an indication of interest with a first of the identified virtual profiles;

displaying attributes associated with the first identified virtual profile; and

displaying at least a portion of the virtual team interface identifying other virtual entities associated with the at least one team position associated with the first identified virtual profile.