CONTROLLING A USER INTERFACE OF A COMPUTER DEVICE

• US 20180108212A1
• Filed: 12/19/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: KNUTSSON, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 10,621,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A computer implemented game has a game code module. The game code module generates a group game mode for user engagement at a user interface, the group game mode providing user selectable game objects on an initial game board on the display. The game code module is configured to receive from a server remote user game data generated by other user devices of users engaged in the group game mode. The display displays a progress indicator which indicates cumulative progress of the user and other users, using the game data generated by the user device and the remote user game data.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of controlling a display at a user interface of a user device associated with a user, having a game code module available to execute a game the method conducted at a user device in communication with a game server via a communication network, the game server storing contact identifiers of other users, the method comprising:

executing in a processor of the user device computer code of a game code module to issue a request to a game server to join a group game, the request defining a level, selected from multiple game levels in which the group game is to be played;

receive from the server event data defining a group game mode at that level, the event data identifying contacts of the users who will constitute the other users participating in the group game mode; and

generate from the event data a group game mode at that level for user engagement at the user interface, the group game mode providing user selectable game objects on an initial game board on the display, and responding to user engagement with the game objects to cause game changes on the game board and to generate game data arising from those game changes, the computer code further configured to receive from the game server in communication with the user device remote user game data generated by user devices of the other users engaged in the group game mode who also receive the initial game board at their user devices, wherein the computer code is configured to generate on the display;

(i) ongoing game changes in the game board resulting from activity of the user in engaging with game objects of the game board; and

(ii) a progress indicator which indicates cumulative progress of the user and the other users, using the game data generated by the user device and the remote user game data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the progress indicator comprises a bar, wherein a shaded proportion of the bar denotes progress, and wherein a length of the bar denotes a maximum score representing a cumulative game objective.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the contact identifiers stored at the same server are connected with the first user via a social platform.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of the server allocating the user to a queue to participate in a group game mode for that level.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contact identifiers of users to participate in the group game mode are selected by the user.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contact identifiers of users to participate in the group game mode are selected at the server.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the step of selecting the contact identifiers at the server comprises selecting the contact identifiers at random.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the event data comprises a set of contact identifiers in a format selectable by a user at the user interface, whereby the user can select a subset of the contact identifiers for constituting the other users.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the progress indicator indicates cumulative progress towards a cumulative objective, wherein users whose user game data contributes towards the cumulative objective each achieve a marker when the cumulative game objective is attained.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the marker is displayed at a location icon at which the game mode was accessed, the location icon representing a location on a path of an image generated on the user interface.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the progress indicator indicates progress towards a cumulative game objective, the method comprising adjusting the cumulative game objective based on the number of users participating in the group game mode.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the game mode is available for user engagement for a limited period of time, after which time further progress of the user or the other users no longer contributes towards the cumulative game objective.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the progress indicator indicates progress towards a cumulative game objective based on a group score, the method comprising setting a group score for predetermined number of users and adjusting the group score achieved by the users based on an actual number of users participating in the group game mode.

14. A method according to claim 12, comprising the step of displaying on the display an indicator of the time remaining for engagement in the game mode.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the group score achieved by the users is increased if the actual number of users is less than the predetermined number of users by a proportionate amount.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein respective contributions of the users are monitored and wherein a recognition notification is issued identifying a user whose game data represented the greatest contribution.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the cumulative game objective is reduced if the actual number of users participating in the game mode is less than a predetermined number for which the cumulative game objective was set.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein game data is generated by each user in one or more plays of the requested level at the location, each play having an end score which contributes to the game data.

19. A method according to claim 4, wherein a group identifier is associated at the server with the users participating in the group game mode, and wherein game data of the users is assigned to the group identifier.

20. A computer device communicatively couplable to a game server storing contact identifier of users, the computer device comprising:

a user interface with a display;

a memory holding executable code of a game mode module

a processor configured to execute the code of the game code module to issue a request to a game server to join a group game, the request defining a level, selected from multiple game levels in which the group game is to be played;

receive from the server event data defining a group game mode at that level, the event data identifying contacts of the users who will constitute the other users participating in the group game mode; and

generate from the event data a group game mode at that level for user engagement at the user interface, the group game mode providing user selectable game objects on an initial game board on the display, and responding to user engagement with the game objects to cause game changes on the game board and to generate game data arising from those game changes, the computer code further configured to receive from the game server in communication with the user device remote user game data generated by other user devices of users engaged in the group game mode who also receive the initial game board at their user devices, wherein the computer code is configured to generate on the display;

(i) ongoing game changes in the game board resulting from activity of the user in engaging with game objects of the game board; and

(ii) a progress indicator which indicates cumulative progress of the user and the other users, using the game data generated by the user device and the remote user game data.

21. A computer program product comprising computer code on a non-transistory computer readable media which provides a game mode module which, when executed, causes a processor to issue a request to a game server to join a group game, the request defining a level, selected from multiple game levels in which the group game is to be played;

receive from the server event data defining a group game mode at that level, the event data identifying contacts of the users who will constitute the other users participating in the group game mode; and

generate from the event data a group game mode at that level for user engagement at the user interface, the group game mode providing user selectable game objects on an initial game board on the display, and responding to user engagement with the game objects to cause game changes on the game board and to generate game data arising from those game changes, the computer code further configured to receive from the game server in communication with the user device remote user game data generated by user devices of the other users engaged in the group game mode who also receive the initial game board at their user devices, wherein the computer code is configured to generate on the display;

(i) ongoing game changes in the game board resulting from activity of the user in engaging with game objects of the game board; and

(ii) a progress indicator which indicates cumulative progress of the user and the other users, using the game data generated by the user device and the remote user game data.