Adaptive Matchmaking for Games

• US 20080242420A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Graepel, Thore, Herbrich, Ralf, Shaw, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• 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 13/798 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 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 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time

Abstract

Matchmaking processes at online game services often result in players having to wait unacceptably long times to receive a match or immediately receiving a poorly matched session. By using a matchmaking process which dynamically adapts a good balance is achieved between the quality of proposed matches (for example, in terms of how balanced, interesting and fun those matches are likely to be) and the waiting time for potential matches. A matchmaking threshold is specified. When a player seeks a match a waiting time is observed, for example, as to how long that player waits until starting a game or dropping out. Information about such waiting times is used to dynamically update the matchmaking threshold. The update is made on the basis of a relationship between information about the observed waiting time and a target waiting time. Further control may be achieved by using separate matchmaking thresholds and target waiting times for different game categories.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information about a first player who is seeking a match with at least one other player in order to play a game;

accessing a matchmaking threshold and a target waiting time;

using the matchmaking threshold to find a potential match for the first player;

observing a waiting time for the first player;

updating the matchmaking threshold on the basis of at least a relationship between information about the observed waiting time and information about the target waiting time; and

storing the updated matchmaking threshold.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of observing a waiting time comprises observing a time taken for the first player to do either of find a match and discontinue.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 which further comprises, if the observed waiting time relates to a time taken for the first player to discontinue, only updating the matchmaking threshold if the observed waiting time is less than the target waiting time.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of updating the matchmaking threshold is carried out using a linear process.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises receiving information about a specified game category within which the player is seeking a match.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the process of accessing the matchmaking threshold and target waiting time comprises accessing a matchmaking threshold and a target waiting time which are specific to the specified game category.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the specified game category relates to a skill bucket.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the specified game category relates to a game title.

9. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the specified game category relates to a time of day.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the process of updating the matchmaking process comprises using a damping process.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises repeating that method and updating the matchmaking threshold only after a plurality of waiting times have been observed.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 which comprises calculating an average of the plurality of observed waiting times and using that average during the process of updating the matchmaking threshold.

13. A method comprising:

receiving information about a first player who is seeking a match with at least one other player in order to play a game of a specified game category;

accessing a matchmaking threshold and a target waiting time both specific to the specified game category;

using the matchmaking threshold to find a potential match for the first player;

observing a waiting time for the first player;

updating the matchmaking threshold on the basis of at least a relationship between information about the observed waiting time and information about the target waiting time; and

storing the updated matchmaking threshold.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the step of updating the matchmaking threshold is carried out using a linear process.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the process of updating the matchmaking process comprises using a damping process.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 which further comprises repeating that method and updating the matchmaking threshold only after a plurality of waiting times have been observed for the specified game category.

17. An adaptive matchmaking system comprising:

an input arranged to receive information about a first player who is seeking a match with at least one other player in order to play a game;

a database interface arranged to access a matchmaking threshold and a target waiting time from a database;

a processor arranged to use the matchmaking threshold to find a potential match for the first player and to observe a waiting time for the first player;

and where the processor is also arranged to update the matchmaking threshold on the basis of at least a relationship between information about the observed waiting time and information about the target waiting time.

18. An adaptive matchmaking system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the database interface is also arranged to store the updated matchmaking threshold in the database.

19. An adaptive matchmaking system as claimed in claim 17 which comprises the database and wherein the database also comprises information about players.

20. An adaptive matchmaking system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the database comprises a matchmaking threshold and a target waiting time for each of a plurality of different game categories.