Methods and systems for generating tailored game challenges

• US 9,101,834 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: LeTourneau, Tim, Chialtas, Alexi, Traverso, Joseph, Chen, Hao, O'Loughlin Irwin, Naoise, Baity, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US14/018,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/25, 463/39, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items

Abstract

A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for generating game features are presented. For example, a first user may be segmented to a user segment based on a property of a game profile of the first user. The property of the game profile may match a threshold of the user segment. The user segment may then be assigned a difficulty level. The difficulty level may be usable to set a configuration value for the feature of the game. The feature of the game is then surfaced to the first user and the configuration value for the feature of the game may be updated with the difficulty level assigned to the user segment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

segmenting a first user to a user segment based on matching a property of a game profile of the first user with a threshold of the user segment;

assigning the user segment a difficulty level, the difficulty level being usable to set a configuration value for a feature of a game and specifying a number of responses from viral requests for a game action performed for a game challenge by the user'"'"'s active friends in a social game network;

surfacing, using one or more processors, the feature of the game to the first user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the difficulty level assigned to the user segment; and

generating display data based on the feature of the game for display with a user interface of a game.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

segmenting a second user to the user segment based on matching a property of a game profile of the second user with the threshold of the user segment; and

surfacing the feature of the game to the second user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the difficulty level assigned to the user segment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the property of the game profile includes at least one of:

a number of active friends in the social game network, a response rate associated with the social game network, or a number of expected responses from the social game network.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising updating the segmentation of the first user on a periodic basis.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

segmenting a second user to a different user segment based on matching a different property of a game profile of the second user with a threshold of the different user segment;

assigning the different user segment a different difficulty level, the different difficulty level being usable to set the configuration value for the feature of the game; and

surfacing the feature of the game to the second user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the different difficulty level assigned to the different user segment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising tuning values for the difficulty level and the different difficulty level to correspond to users assigned to the user segment and the different user segment completing a task in substantially the same time.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operation of surfacing the feature of the game includes updating a goal of the game challenge to correspond to the difficulty level.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operation of surfacing the feature of the game includes updating a progress of the game challenge to correspond to the difficulty level.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein updating the progress of the game challenge to correspond to the difficulty level is performed in the absence of updating an asset inventory of the first user.

10. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a dynamic content generator implemented by the one or more processors and configured to;

segment a first user to a user segment based on matching a property of a game profile of the first user with a threshold of the user segment;

assign the user segment a difficulty level, the difficulty level being usable to set a configuration value for a feature of a game and specifying a number of responses from viral requests for a game action performed for a game challenge by the user'"'"'s active friends in a social game network;

surface the feature of the game to the first user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the difficulty level assigned to the user segment; and

generate display data based on the feature of the game for display with a user interface of a game.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the dynamic content generator is further configured to:

segment a second user to the user segment based on matching a property of a game profile of the second user with the threshold of the user segment; and

surface the feature of the game to the second user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the difficulty level assigned to the user segment.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the property of the game profile includes at least one of:

a number of active friends in the social game network, a response rate associated with the social game network, or a number of expected responses from the social game network.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the dynamic content generator is configured to updating the segmentation of the first user on a periodic basis.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the dynamic content generator is configured to:

segment a second user to a different user segment based on matching a different property of a game profile of the second user with a threshold of the different user segment;

assign the different user segment a different difficulty level, the different difficulty level being usable to set the configuration value for the feature of the game; and

surface the feature of the game to the second user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the different difficulty level assigned to the different user segment.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the dynamic content generator is configured to tune values for the difficulty level and the different difficulty level to correspond to users assigned to the user segment and the different user segment completing a task in substantially the same time.

16. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the dynamic content generator is configured to surface the feature of the game by updating a goal of the game challenge to correspond to the difficulty level.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the dynamic content generator is configured to surface the feature of the game by updating a progress of the game challenge to correspond to the difficulty level.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for causing a processor to implement operations, the operations comprising:

segmenting a first user to a user segment based on matching a property of a game profile of the first user with a threshold of the user segment;

assigning the user segment a difficulty level, the difficulty level being usable to set a configuration value for a feature of a game and specifying a number of responses from viral requests for a game action performed for a game challenge by the user'"'"'s active friends in a social game network;

surfacing the feature of the game to the first user, the configuration value for the feature of the game being updated with the difficulty level assigned to the user segment; and

generating display data based on the feature of the game for display with a user interface of a game.