Social supply harvest mechanic for interactive social games

• US 8,133,116 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Kelly, Sean Uberoi, Le, Alexander Michael Minh Khiem
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/244,895
• Time in Patent Office: 169 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/10, 463/13, 463 30- 35, 463 40- 43, 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.43
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5593 involving scheduling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation

Abstract

Systems and methods that provide a social supply harvest mechanic for interactive social games are described. In some embodiments, a method receives a request for supplies from a first player in an interactive social game. The method presents multiple supply options to the first player, where each supply option has an associated processing time. A supply option selection is received from the first player as well as an identity of a second player. A supply fulfillment invitation is distributed to the second player. The processing time associated with the selected supply option is shortened if the second player accepts the supply fulfillment invitation. A visual indicator is presented to the first player upon completion of the processing time for the selected supply option. The visual indicator represents an availability of the requested supplies to the first player.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request for in-game supplies from a first player in an interactive social game;

presenting, using one or more processors, a plurality of supply options to the first player in response to receiving the request, each supply option having an associated processing time;

receiving a supply option selection from the first player, the supply option selection indicating selection of one of the plurality of supply options;

receiving an identity of a second player from the first player;

distributing a supply fulfillment invitation to the second player based on the selected supply option from the first player using a graphical expression of a supply delivery vehicle, the supply fulfillment invitation being associated with an expiration time;

shortening the processing time associated with the selected supply option in response to acceptance of the supply fulfillment invitation by the second player prior to the expiration time; and

presenting the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle to the first player upon completion of the processing time for the selected supply option, the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle representing availability of the requested in-game supplies to the first player.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the requested in-game supplies include a plurality of in-game assets.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical expression of the delivery vehicle includes the expiration time associated with the supply fulfillment invitation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of a status of the supply fulfillment invitation to the first player.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the graphical representation of the status of the supply fulfillment invitation is displayed to the first player via the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing an in-game benefit to the second player in response to acceptance of the supply fulfillment invitation.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second player is a friend of the first player.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second player is not actively playing the interactive social game at the time of distributing the supply fulfillment invitation to the second player.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each supply option further has an associated quantity of in-game supplies.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each supply option further has an associated cost.

11. An apparatus comprising:

an interface to communicate with players of an interactive social game;

a memory to store data associated with the interactive social game; and

one or more processors coupled to the interface and the memory, the one or more processors configured to;

present a plurality of supply options to a first player in response to a request for in-game supplies from the first player, each supply option having an associated processing time;

receive a supply option selection from the first player, the supply option selection indicating selection of one of the plurality of supply options;

receive an identity of one or more second players from the first player;

distribute a supply fulfillment invitation to each of the second players based on the selected supply option from the first player using a graphical expression of a supply delivery vehicle, the supply fulfillment invitation being associated with an expiration time;

shorten the processing time associated with the selected supply option in response to acceptance of the supply fulfillment invitation by at least one second player prior to the expiration time; and

present the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle to the first player upon completion of the processing time for the selected supply option, the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle representing availability of the requested in-game supplies to the first player.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the requested in-game supplies include a plurality of in-game assets having value in the interactive social game.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors further provide an in-game benefit to each second player that accepts the supply fulfillment invitation.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the second players is not actively playing the interactive social game when the supply fulfillment invitation is distributed to each of the second players.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for in-game supplies from a first player in an interactive social game;

presenting a plurality of supply options to the first player in response to receiving the request, each supply option having an associated processing time;

receiving a supply option selection from the first player, the supply option selection indicating selection of one of the plurality of supply options;

receiving an identity of a second player from the first player;

distributing a supply fulfillment invitation to the second player based on the selected supply option from the first player using a graphical expression of a supply delivery vehicle, the supply fulfillment invitation being associated with an expiration time;

shortening the processing time associated with the selected supply option in response to acceptance of the supply fulfillment invitation by the second player prior to the expiration time; and

presenting the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle to the first player upon completion of the processing time for the selected supply option, the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle representing availability of the requested in-game supplies to the first player.