Method and system for dynamically leveling game play in electronic gaming environments

• US 8,105,153 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamehancement LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Dugac Remote Systems LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Buecheler, Kurt, Sauers, Peter, Hanson, C. Rowland, Cantu, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US11/955,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 463/23, 463/29, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 434/322
• US Class Current: 463/23
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

Methods and systems for automatically determining game content based upon dynamically adjusted individual skill levels are provided. Example embodiments provide an Electronic Gaming Engine (“EGE”), which includes a Dynamic Challenge Level Adjuster for supporting multi-player, individualized skill-based games. In one embodiment, the EGE comprises game flow logic; game content models, for example, question and answer (“Q&A”) challenge models; a Dynamic Challenge Level Adjuster; one or more scoring modules; challenge data; participant data; and an input/output interface. These components cooperate to determine and assign skill level indexes on an individual basis and to automatically present game content appropriate to each individual player'"'"'s skill level.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method in an electronic game played between a plurality of participants, each participant having an associated skill level index, the game comprising a plurality of challenges presented to the participants in a plurality of turns during the game, comprising:

determining an initial value for the skill level index for at least one of the participants based on characteristics of the participant unrelated to previous experience with the game;

for a turn of a first participant during the game,

designating the first participant as a current participant, wherein only a single participant is the current participant at any one time;

automatically selecting by the computer a first next challenge in the game for the first participant based upon a first skill level index associated with the first participant, wherein the first next challenge includes content associated with the game;

presenting by the computer the selected first next challenge;

determining by the computer a first response to the presented first next challenge;

dynamically adjusting the first skill level index associated with the first participant by a first adjustment amount based upon a result of the determined first response, the adjusted first skill level index used for a next turn of the first participant during the game, thereby automatically managing competitive play between the participants during the game; and

removing the designation of the first participant as the current participant; and

for a turn of a second participant during the game, the turn of the second participant being distinct from the turn of the first participant,

after the designation of the first participant as the current participant has been removed, designating the second participant as the current participant;

automatically selecting by the computer a second next challenge in the game for the second participant based upon a second skill level index associated with the second participant, wherein the second next challenge includes content associated with the game;

presenting by the computer the selected second next challenge;

determining by the computer a second response to the presented second next challenge; and

dynamically adjusting the second skill level index associated with the second participant by a second adjustment amount based upon a result of the determined second response, the adjusted second skill level index used for a next turn of the second participant during the game, thereby automatically managing competitive play between the participants during the game, wherein at least one of the first and second adjustment amounts are based on a difference between the first skill level index and the second skill level index.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the initial value for the skill level index comprises determining at least one of an age-based, knowledge-based, or skill-based value for the skill level index.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the initial value for at least one of the first and second skill level index comprises:

automatically determining an initial skill level index associated with at least one of the first and second participants based upon at least one of (a) querying the current at least one of the first and second participants for age-related, skill-related, or knowledge-related criteria;

or (b) presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein querying the at least one of the first and second participants for age-related, skill-related, or knowledge-related criteria comprises querying the at least one of the first and second participants for at least one of age, age group, or grade level.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamically adjusting at least one of the first and second skill level index comprises:

dynamically adjusting the at least one of the first and second skill level index based upon correctness of the determined first or second response.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the dynamically adjusting at least one of the first and second skill level index comprises increasing the skill level index for a correct first or second response and decreasing the skill level index for an incorrect first or second response.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamically adjusting at least one of the first and second skill level index comprises:

dynamically adjusting the at least one of the first and second skill level index by different amounts based upon a current value of the first or second skill level index.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamically adjusting at least one of the first or second skill level index comprises:

dynamically adjusting the at least one of the first and second skill level index by a first amount when the determined first or second response is correct and a second amount when the determined first or second response is incorrect, the first amount not equal to the second amount.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the challenges are grouped into challenge level groups, and the automatically selecting at least one of the first and second next challenge comprises:

determining a challenge level from the skill level index associated with the first or second participant; and

selecting a first or second next challenge from a challenge level group that corresponds to the determined challenge level for the first or second participant.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the determining a challenge level comprises determining a challenge level from one of three challenge levels, wherein the challenges are grouped by difficulty into each challenge level.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the challenge level groups are based upon age, knowledge, or skill.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic game is a question and answer based game.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic game is at least one of a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.

14. The method of claim 1 performed by a DVD player, a personal computer, a networked computer system, or a game console.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the presenting the selected at least one of the first and second next challenge comprises presenting the selected next challenge using at least one of text, video clips, audio clips, still images, graphics, or animations.

16. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for playing a game between a plurality of participants, each participant having an associated skill level index, the game comprising a plurality of challenges presented to the participants in a plurality of turns, the instructions comprising:

instructions for establishing an initial value for a skill level index based on characteristics of at least one of the participants unrelated to previous experience with the game;

for each sequential turn of a first participant during the game, wherein a sequential turn is executed for only a single participant at a time,

instructions for automatically selecting a next challenge in the game based upon a skill level index associated with the first participant;

instructions for sending instructions to a display device to present the selected next challenge;

instructions for determining a response to the presented challenge; and

instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the first participant based upon a result of the determined response by a skill level adjustment amount based at least in part upon a skill level index of a second participant, wherein the adjusted skill level index is used for a next turn of the first participant, thereby automatically managing competitive play between the participants.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the initial value is at least one of age-based, knowledge-based, or skill-based.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the instructions for establishing the initial value for the skill level index comprises instructions for establishing an initial skill level index associated with the participant based upon at least one of (a) querying the participant for age-related, skill-related or knowledge-related criteria;

or (b) presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprises instructions for modifying the skill level index based upon correctness of the determined response.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprises instructions for increasing the skill level index for a correct response and decreasing the skill level index for an incorrect response.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprises instructions for modifying the skill level index in non-linear increments.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprises modifying the skill level index by a first amount when the determined response is correct and by a second amount when the determined response is incorrect, the first amount having a different value than the second amount.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the challenges are grouped into challenge level groups, and wherein the instructions for automatically selecting the next challenge in the game based upon the skill level index associated with the participant comprises:

instructions for determining a challenge level from the skill level index associated with the participant; and

instructions for selecting a next challenge from a challenge level group that corresponds to the determined challenge level.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the challenge level groups are based upon age, knowledge, or skill.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the electronic game is at least one of a question and answer based game, a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer readable medium is capable of causing a computer processor in a DVD player, a personal computer, a networked computer system, or a game console to perform the game.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the next challenge is presented using at least one of text, video clips, audio clips, still images, graphics, or animations.

28. An electronic game engine for providing a game played between a plurality of participants, each participant having an associated skill level index, the game comprising a plurality of challenges presented to the participants in a plurality of turns during the game, comprising:

an initial skill level assessment module configured to assess an initial value for the skill level index based on information other than prior experience with the game;

a dynamic level adjuster configured to;

retrieve a skill level index associated with a designated participant;

modify the retrieved skill level index based upon a response to a presented challenge, wherein the presented challenge includes game content associated with the game; and

store the modified skill level index as the skill level index associated with the designated participant; and

a game flow logic module configured to progress the game between participants by, for each participant turn during the game, wherein a turn is executed for only a single participant at a time;

retrieving a skill level index associated with the designated participant;

automatically selecting a next challenge in the game based upon the retrieved skill level index associated with the designated participant, wherein the next challenge includes game content associated with the game;

presenting the selected next challenge;

determining a response to the presented challenge; and

invoking the dynamic level adjuster with the determined response to adjust the skill level index associated with the designated participant by an adjustment amount for a next turn of the designated participant during the game, wherein the adjustment amount is based at least in part on a skill level index of at least one other participant,

wherein the dynamic level adjuster and the game flow logic module are stored in a memory for execution by the electronic game engine.

29. The engine of claim 28 wherein the initial value is at least one of age-based, knowledge-based, or skill-based.

30. The engine of claim 28 wherein the skill level assessment module automatically determines the initial skill level index associated with the designated participant based upon at least one of (a) querying the designated participant for age-related, skill-related, or knowledge-related criteria;

or (b) presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level.

31. The engine of claim 28 wherein the dynamic level adjuster is configured to modify the skill level index associated with the designated participant based upon correctness of the determined response.

32. The engine of claim 31 wherein the dynamic level adjuster is configured to increase the skill level index for a correct response and decrease the skill level index for an incorrect response.

33. The engine of claim 28 wherein the dynamic level adjuster is configured to modify the skill level index by different amounts based upon a current value of the skill level index.

34. The engine of claim 28 wherein the dynamic level adjuster is configured to modify the skill level index by different amounts depending upon whether the determined response is correct or incorrect.

35. The engine of claim 28 wherein the challenges are grouped into challenge level groups and the game flow logic module is configured to select the next challenge from one of the challenge level groups based upon the retrieved skill level index.

36. The engine of claim 35 wherein the challenge level groups are based upon age, knowledge, or skill.

37. The engine of claim 28 wherein the game is at least one of a question and answer based game a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.

38. The engine of claim 28 executed by a DVD player, a personal computer, a networked computer system, or a game console.

39. The engine of claim 28 wherein the selected next challenge is presented using at least one of text, video clips, audio clips, still images, graphics, or animations.

40. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, if executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform an interactive electronic game with a plurality of participants, the game being presented on a display device associated with the computer system, the instructions comprising:

(a) instructions for determining a next current participant from the plurality of participants, wherein only a single participant is the next current participant at a time;

(b) instructions for assessing an initial skill level of at least one of the participants from information other than prior experience with the game;

(c) instructions for retrieving a skill level of the at least one of the participants;

(d) instructions for automatically selecting a next challenge for the current participant during the game based upon the retrieved skill level, wherein the next challenge comprises a question associated with the game;

(e) instructions for presenting the next challenge and determining the result; and

(f) instructions for automatically adjusting, based upon the determined result, the skill level associated with the current participant by a skill level adjustment amount and storing the adjusted skill level, wherein the skill level adjustment amount is at least partially based on a skill level of at least one other participant.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the instructions for assessing the initial skill level for the participant comprise instructions for automatically by querying the participant for age-related, knowledge-related, or experience-related criteria, or by presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level and determining a response thereto.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprise:

instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon correctness of the determined response.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprise instructions for increasing the skill level index for a correct response and decreasing the skill level index for an incorrect response.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprise:

instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant by a non-linear amount.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index comprise:

instructions for dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant a first amount when the determined response is correct and a second amount when the determined response is incorrect, the first amount not equal to the second amount.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the interactive electronic game is at least one of a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a question and answer game, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the presented challenge is at least one of a multiple-choice question, a time limited challenge, or a true/false challenge.