VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SOFTWARE-BASED SKILL ADJUSTMENT MECHANISMS FOR VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS

• US 20100144424A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tetris Holding, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tetris Holding, LLC
• Inventors: Pajitnov, Alexey L., Rogers, Henk B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,313,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/23
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• 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 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car

Abstract

Video game systems and methods provide one or more software-based skill adjustment mechanisms for video game systems to adjust a difficulty level of the video games based on an existing skill level or game play of a player. The difficulty level of the video games is adjustable to correspond to an existing skill level of the player for removing digital blocks from a digital matrix, clearing digital complete horizontal lines from the digital matrix and/or avoiding game ending conditions. The difficulty level of the video game may be adjusted to facilitate skill-building game play for the player. The difficulty level of the video games is adjustable during game play that is approaching or leading to a game ending condition via software for one or more primary and/or secondary skill adjustment mechanisms. The one or more primary and/or secondary skill adjustment mechanisms include matrix dimension adjustments, line clear adjustments, level and fall speed adjustments, piece adjustments and/or a top-out, lock-out and/or block-out meter.

Claims

1. A method for providing software-based skill adjustments to a video game, wherein game-play of the video game is conducted via a gaming device having a digital display and programmed with software for one or more primary and/or secondary skill adjustment mechanisms, wherein game-play of the video game is being conducted at a current difficulty level, wherein, during game-play, digital blocks move downwardly from a skyline of a digital matrix to a bottom of the digital matrix that is located opposite to the skyline, wherein digital blocks are removed from the digital matrix by forming complete horizontal digital lines with the digital blocks within the digital matrix, wherein the digital blocks and digital matrix are displayed via the digital display of the gaming device, the method comprising:

identifying that current game-play of the video game is approaching an occurrence of a game ending condition;

executing software for at least one primary skill adjustment mechanism chosen from a line adjustment and a level and fall speed adjustment, wherein the line adjustment removes at least one incomplete horizontal line from the digital matrix, and further wherein the level and fall speed adjustment changes a fall speed of one or more digital blocks; and

changing the video game from the current difficulty level to an adjusted difficulty level via the executed software for the at least one skill adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjusted difficulty level is less difficult than the current difficulty level.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

executing software for the one or more secondary skill adjustment mechanisms with the software for the at least one primary skill adjustment mechanism, wherein the one or more secondary skill adjustment mechanisms are chosen from the line adjustment, the level and speed adjustment, a matrix adjustment and a piece adjustment, wherein the matrix adjustment changes dimensions of the digital matrix, and further wherein the piece adjustment changes a size of one or more digital blocks.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more secondary skill adjustment mechanisms comprise the matrix adjustment and the piece adjustment.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more secondary skill adjustment mechanisms comprise the line adjustment and the level and fall speed adjustment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the game-play of the video is continuous and uninterrupted by the execution of the software for the one or more skill adjustment mechanisms.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

increasing a count of a counter after the software for the skill adjustment mechanisms is executed by the gaming device.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

terminating game-play of the video game when the count of the counter is equal to a selected or preset number.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

terminating game-play of the video game after an occurrence of a game ending condition.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying that subsequent game-play of the video game at the adjusted difficulty level is approaching an occurrence of a game ending condition; and

executing software for one or more primary and/or secondary skill adjustment mechanisms.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the video game from the adjusted difficulty level to an intermediate difficulty level, wherein the intermediate difficulty level is more or less difficult than the adjusted difficulty level.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the software for one or more primary and/or secondary skill adjustment mechanisms does not clear existing digital blocks within the digital matrix from the digital matrix.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusted difficulty level is achieved by executing software for two or more skill adjustment mechanisms.

13. A video game system for providing software-based skill adjustments to game-play, wherein game-play is conducted with digital blocks that move downward from a skyline of a digital matrix to a bottom of the digital matrix that is located opposite to the skyline of the digital matrix, wherein complete horizontal digital lines are formed one or more digital blocks during game-play and are removed from the digital matrix, the system comprising:

a gaming device having a digital display that displays the digital blocks and the digital matrix during game-play, wherein game-play is conducted at a current difficulty level via the gaming device,

software, for one or more primary and/or secondary skill adjustment mechanisms, programmed into the gaming device, wherein the gaming device identifies when current game-play approaches a game ending condition and executes software for one or more primary skill adjustment mechanisms based on the identified current game-play, wherein the executed software for the one or more primary skill adjustment mechanisms changes the current difficulty level to an adjusted difficulty level that is less difficult than the current difficulty level, wherein existing digital blocks within the digital matrix remain within the matrix after execution of the software for the one or more primary skill adjustment mechanisms,

wherein the one or more primary skill adjustment mechanisms are selected from the group consisting of a matrix adjustment, a line adjustment, a level and fall speed adjustment and a piece adjustment, wherein the matrix adjustment changes dimensions of the digital matrix, wherein the line adjustment removes at least one incomplete horizontal line from the digital matrix, wherein the level and fall speed adjustment changes a fall speed of one or more digital blocks and further wherein the piece adjustment changes a size of one or more digital blocks.

14. The video game system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a meter displayed by the gaming device, wherein a counter for the meter is increased after the software is executed by the gaming device.

15. The video game system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more primary skill adjustment mechanisms comprise the line adjustment and the level and fall speed adjustment.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the software for one or more secondary skill adjustment mechanisms is executed with the software for the one or more primary skill adjustment mechanisms.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the game play is continuous and uninterrupted by the execution of the software for one or more primary and/or second skill adjustment mechanisms.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the one or more secondary skill adjustment mechanisms are chosen from the line adjustment and the level and speed adjustment.

19. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for changing the adjusted difficulty level to an intermediate difficulty level, wherein the intermediate difficulty level is more or less difficulty than the adjusted difficulty level.

20. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a parameter for game-play of the video game system, wherein the parameter is changeable via the gaining device and is indicative of the current difficulty level or the adjusted difficulty level.