Method for implementing a computer game

• US 9,320,967 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Knutsson, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/029,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20140080560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25, 463 30- 32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3274 : wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play

Abstract

A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which computer game graphics for a casual, social game are shown on a display of a computing device and in which one or more of the processors are programmed: to show a virtual path or other virtual world that indicates the level reached by the player and that player'"'"'s social network friends; to show on the computing device a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched by a player, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which a processor generates, if no move has been made for a defined time, help or hints by brightening and enlarging game elements used in a possible move on the gameboard with an animation.

Claims

1. A computing device adapted to play a computer game, the device including a processor, a memory, a display configured to display a game board of said computer game, a touch screen or a cursor based input device, and computer code stored in device memory or on a remote server and executable by the device processor or a remote processor, and in which the computer code generates computer game graphics for the display on the device;

and in which one or more of the processors are configured to;

display a set of interactive game objects on said game board which are configured to be switched or matched in response to user input, each game object of said set of interactive game objects having one or more visual characteristic, information on said set of game objects being stored in said at least one memory;

remove from said game board, a first subset of said set of interactive game objects which satisfy a match condition upon a move being made;

track an amount of time elapsed after a move has been made;

determine if a predefined period of inactivity has elapsed; and

if it is determined that the predefined period of inactivity has elapsed, display a second subset of said interactive game objects with altered visual characteristics, said second subset satisfying said match condition.

2. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to show the game objects as one or more of:

candies, bubbles, flowers, animals, fruits, vegetables, toys.

3. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the altering said one or more visual characteristics involves a single brightening and enlarging of the game elements.

4. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to so that the altering said one or more visual characteristics involves two successive brightening and enlarging of the game elements.

5. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the altering said one or more visual characteristics involves three successive brightening and enlarging of the game elements.

6. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the altering said one or more visual characteristics involves four successive brightening and enlarging of the game elements.

7. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that a friend'"'"'s game level position is indicated by a small icon or photograph that the friend uses for its page or data on a social network site, placed on the virtual path or world, by a node for the highest level completed by that friend.

8. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to show a current game level position and highest scores for each completed level, for both the player and also some of its friends on a social network application or environment.

9. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to display to a player, which of their friends on the social network are currently playing the game and the level at which they are playing.

10. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to enable a player to collaborate with friends in the social network, such as by sending lives, in-game currency, boosters, charms, other in-game elements, messages.

11. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that each level of the game can be failed and, if a level is failed, the game automatically offers the player extra moves to purchase, to carry on playing the game.

12. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that in-app purchases are bought for real or virtual currency by touching an icon of the purchase shown next to the gameplay board, and then touching a ‘

buy’

button that is subsequently displayed.

13. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that functions and features relating to sharing players'"'"' game state information, including levels and achievements, on a virtual path or other virtual world with that player'"'"'s social network friends is continuously or regularly optimized for engagement and monetisation by continuously or regularly monitoring and analyzing player behavior and interaction, such as monetisation.

14. The computing device of claim 1 in which a single user database, which may be distributed or centralised, tracks all metrics for all players, including all game state information, irrespective of the platform used by each of those players, and that single user database is accessible by several different games, such as a match 3 switcher and a match 3 clicker, a bubble shooter etc.

15. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that a player'"'"'s score and game level position and also the scores and game level positions of all their social network friends also playing the game, is fully sync'"'"'d across different platforms, such as iOS, desktop and Android, and there are sections of the game that must be unlocked through either help from those friends or through a purchase.

16. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that a visual prompt is displayed by the game if a friend'"'"'s high score has been beaten by that player, the prompt enabling the player to send a message to that friend.

17. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the player can play the game in offline mode on one platform/device and the progress in the game and other game state information is synchronised with a remote server when the device is online again and the player can continue playing the game on another platform.

18. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game enables the player to buy a permanent booster which can be used without limit in time.

19. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that successive levels have different difficulty rankings to introduce variety even without a new game mechanic being introduced—

e.g. after a difficult level, there is an easier level.

20. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that some or all friends of a player are sent a message prompting the friend(s) to assist the player once that player has played, but not completed, a level, for more than a predefined time or predefined number of attempts.

21. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the player is prompted to notify a social network friend when the friend'"'"'s high score on a specific level has been beaten by that player.

22. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game state information is fully sync'"'"'d across different platforms, such as iOS, web-based social network application or environment, and Android, and, in which the gameplay for each level can be enhanced through the use of an acquired item, such as a booster, and where the game state information relating to the acquisition or use of an acquired item is synchronized across several different platforms.

23. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game board contains switchable elements that can be matched with other switchable elements and switchable elements that cannot be matched with other switchable elements on the game board, where one of the goals for completing a level is to interact with the game board in such a way that a predefined number of non-matchable switchable elements are placed in any of a plurality of predefined areas on the game board, such as being brought down from the top of the gameboard to the bottom.

24. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the player has to satisfy multiple criteria within a limited number of moves to complete the level;

in which the criteria include at least two of the following;

reaching a target score

removing matchable game elements to clear a path for a non-matchable game element to reach a predefined area on the game board

clear a predefined number of a certain type of game items layered on the game board having a matchable game element, together with each of the layered game items, where each layered game item can be removed by removing a matcheable game element in the same position as the layered game item.

25. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that a player can purchase on-line a booster to aid gameplay and that booster, once available for use on the player'"'"'s current platform, can be used immediately and alternatively on any other platform used by the player, and in which game state information for that player, including information relating to use of the booster, is synchronised using a remote server across each of several different devices used by that player.

26. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that players can see their own and their social network friends'"'"' game level position on a virtual path (or other virtual world) with nodes representing levels in the game, and each node can reveal, in response to user input, a graphical preview representation of the gameboard for that level and, if the player has played that level before, a visual indication of how well the player succeeded on that level.

27. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that, after a player has failed to meet level completion criteria, a message is shown articulating why the level completion criteria was not met, and offering as the only visually significant option to replay the level.

28. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that, after a player has achieved level completion criteria, a message is shown articulating that the level was successfully completed, and offering as the only visually significant option to share information to a social network.

29. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that some or all game levels are untimed, eliminating any time pressure.

30. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game is a casual, social game and some or all levels have a true fail, to enable monetization through purchasing extra moves.

31. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that there is a continuous musical soundtrack, such as a waltz, that plays during gameplay.

32. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game generates and displays congratulatory messages when the player scores more than a predefined amount, or matches more than a predefined number of game elements, in a single move.

33. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that there is an algorithm for automatically detecting when there are no possible moves left.

34. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that there is an algorithm for re-shuffling the elements on the game board.

35. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to require a player to reach a target score before running out of moves in order to complete a level successfully, but completing the level is not timed.

36. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to automatically replenish a life for a player in 30 minutes.

37. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that, if a player finishes a level in under the target number of moves, then random game elements on the game board are triggered and give the player bonus points.

38. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that, if a level is finished with moves left, those moves are converted to special game elements that trigger for extra bonus points.

39. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game generates and displays congratulatory messages when the player scores more than a predefined amount, or matches more than a predefined number of game elements, in a single move.

40. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the player can ask his friends for lives.

41. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the player can ask his friends for other help.

42. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that social network friends are prompted to assist another player if that other player has played, but not completed, a level meeting a certain criteria.

43. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the player can send gifts to friends.

44. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game can be synchronized between different devices.

45. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that a player can seamlessly stop and re-start playing the game at any time since game state information is stored, e.g. remotely and/or on the playing device.

46. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that every change in the game state, such as every move of a game piece by the user, and every consequential change in every game piece on the game board, is accompanied by sound and visual feedback to provide immediate, positive gratification to the player.

47. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that game state information is preserved, enabling a remote server system to identify a player and all aspects of the state of the game they are playing, so that the player can end game play on one device and resume from a different device at a later time at exactly the same state.

48. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the different device can be a different type of device, so that the player can move seamlessly between playing the game on a smartphone and on a tablet.

49. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that a remote server system can identify a player because that player has accessed the game through a social network.

50. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed so that the game is a casual, social game, namely a game that can be downloaded as an app to a smartphone and/or tablet computer and which can be accessed or played using a social network application or environment.

51. The computing device of claim 1 in which said processor is programmed to show a virtual path or other virtual world that indicates the level reached by the player and that player'"'"'s social network friends.

52. A computer implemented method of controlling a user interface and displaying a game board, the method comprising the following implemented by at least one processor in communication with said interface and at least one memory:

displaying a set of interactive game objects on said game board which are configured to be switched or matched in response to user input, each game object of said set of interactive game objects having one or more visual characteristics, information on said set of game objects being stored in said at least one memory;

removing from said game board, a first subset of said set of interactive game objects which satisfy a match condition upon a move being made;

tracking an amount of time elapsed after a move has been made;

determining if a predefined period of inactivity has elapsed;

if it is determined that the predefined period of inactivity has elapsed, displaying a second subset of said interactive game objects with altered visual characteristics, said second subset satisfying said match condition.

54. The method of claim 52 in which the design of the game is optimised through a process including the step of:

using data analytics to understand the impact of changes to the game design in terms of player engagement and/or monetisation and/or viralisation and;

implementing changes to the game design, including frequent changes such as daily or weekly changes, to optimise player engagement and/or monetisation and/or viralisation.

55. The computer implemented method of claim 52, wherein:

said predefined period of inactivity occurs if a move is not made in a predefined period of time.

56. The computer implemented method of claim 52, wherein said second subset of game objects are such that:

it is permitted to make a move using the game objects of the second subset; and

if said second subset is selected, said second subset are removed from the game board.

53. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions which when executed by a processor perform a method for controlling a computer system to display a game board on a display, said method comprising:

displaying a set of interactive game objects on said game board which are configured to be switched or matched in response to user input, each game object of said set of interactive game objects having one or more visual characteristics, information on said set of game objects being stored in said at least one memory;

removing from said game board, a first subset of said set of interactive game objects which satisfy a match condition upon a move being made;

tracking an amount of time elapsed after a move has been made;

determining if a predefined period of inactivity has elapsed;

if it is determined that the predefined period of inactivity has elapsed, displaying a second subset of said interactive game objects with altered visual characteristics, said second subset satisfying said match condition.