Dynamic asset and obstacle generation in online games

• US 8,348,767 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Mahajan, Amitt, Dickey, Roger F., Schiermeyer, Carl Eric, Tien, Jonathan Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US13/244,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Example systems and methods related to dynamic generation of in-game assets and in-game obstacles of an online game are presented. In an example, information describing a social network of a first player of an online game is accessed, the information identifying other players of the online game. Game account information of the other players is then accessed. The game account information of the other players identifies in-game assets of the other players. At least one of an in-game asset for the first player and an in-game obstacle to affect the first player in the online game is generated based on a mathematical function that considers the in-game assets of the other player.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing information describing a social network of a first player of an online game, the information identifying other players of the online game;

accessing game account information of the other players, the game account information of the other players identifying in-game assets of the other players; and

generating, using at least one processor, at least one of an in-game asset for the first player and an in-game obstacle to affect the first player in the online game based at least in part on the in-game assets of the other players, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being biased against generating an in-game asset that at least one of the other players currently possesses.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing game account information of the first player, the game account information of the first player identifying in-game assets of the first player;

the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being further based on the in-game assets of the first player.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing game state information of the online game not related to in-game assets;

the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being further based on the game state information.

4. The method of claim 3, the game state information comprising at least one of game parameters controlled by an engine of the online game and game parameters controlled by the first player and the other players.

5. The method of claim 1, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player comprising using a random number generator to produce a random number to select an entry of a table, the table comprising a plurality of entries representing one of in-game assets and in-game obstacles.

6. The method of claim 5, a probability of selecting a specific in-game asset or in-game obstacle in the table being related to a number of entries of the table corresponding to the specific in-game asset or in-game obstacle.

7. The method of claim 6, the number of entries of the table occupied by the specific in-game asset or in-game obstacle being affected by the in-game assets of the other players.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the in-game assets is configured to overcome a predetermined one of the in-game obstacles.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

accessing information describing a social network of a first player of an online game, the information identifying other players of the online game;

accessing game account information of the other players, the game account information of the other players identifying in-game assets of the other players; and

generating at least one of an in-game asset for the first player and an in-game obstacle to affect the first player in the online game based at least in part on the in-game assets of the other players, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being biased against generating an in-game asset that a friend of the first player currently possesses.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player comprising using a random number generator to produce a random number to select at least one in-game asset for the first player from a plurality of available in-game assets.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

accessing game account information of the first player, the game account information of the first player identifying in-game assets of the first player;

accessing game state information of the online game not related to in-game assets; and

determining the plurality of available in-game assets according to the in-game assets of the first player and the other players, and the game state information.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

accessing game account information of the first player, the game account information of the first player identifying in-game assets of the first player;

the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being biased against generating an in-game asset that the first player currently possesses.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the friend of the first player comprising a first-degree friend of the first player.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first layer being biased against generating an in-game asset configured to overcome an in-game obstacle currently affecting the first player.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being biased toward generating an in-game asset configured to overcome an in-game obstacle currently affecting the first player.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being biased toward generating a first in-game asset more valuable than a second in-game asset in response to the first player overcoming an in-game obstacle.

17. An online gaming system comprising:

at least one processor; and

containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

access information describing a social network of a first player of an online game, the information identifying other players of the online game;

access game account information of the other players, the game account information of the other players identifying in-game assets of the other players; and

generate at least one of an in-game asset for the first player and an in-game obstacle to affect the first player in the online game based at least in part on the in-game assets of the other players, the generating of the at least one of the in-game asset for the first player and the in-game obstacle to affect the first player being biased against generating an in-game asset that at least one of the other players currently possesses.