Adjusting individualized content made available to users of an online game based on user gameplay information

• US 9,375,636 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Harrington, Clifford J., Curtis, Matthew, Koh, James, Smalley, Kellen Christopher, Caldarone, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carter, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/856,386
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• 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

Abstract

This disclosure relates to adjusting individualized content made available to users of an online game based on user gameplay information. In implementations, information relating to prospective usage of the online game is used to classify users according by user type, and content made available to the users is customized accordingly. Information relating to prospective usage may include predictive information such as demographic and geographic information, as well as game usage information for the users. User types may include resource collection, player versus player, and player versus environment. Customized content may include content made available to the users through the users in-game actions, such as exploring a map, researching a technology or skill, purchasing an in-game item, and completing an in-game achievement, including in-game items, in-game powers, in-game skills, in-game technologies, in-game pets, in-game transportation units, in-game units, and in-game buildings.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting individualized content made available to users of a single online game, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

execute an instance of the single online game to facilitate presentation of the single online game to the users, and to implement in-game actions in the instance of the single online game in response to action requests for the in-game actions from the users, wherein the users include a first user;

obtain user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the single online game by the users, wherein the user gameplay information includes;

a first set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the single online game by the first user, and

a second set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the single online game by the second user;

determine user types of users that characterize prospective usage of the single online game by the users, the user types being determined based on obtained user gameplay information such that;

a first user type for the first user is determined based on the first set of user gameplay information, and

a second user type for the second user is determined based on the second set of user gameplay information, the second user type being a different user type from the first user type; and

determine customizations of the single online game for the individual users, the customizations making sets of content available to the individual users as an outcome of the individual users'"'"' in-game actions that would otherwise be unavailable to the individual users, wherein the in-game actions comprise at least one of exploring a map, researching a technology or skill, and completing an in-game achievement, the customizations of the single online game being determined for the individual users based on the user types of the individual users, the customizations including;

a first customization for the first user that makes a first set of content available to the first user as the outcome of the first user'"'"'s in-game action in the single online game on the basis of the first user being of the first user type, wherein the first customization enhances the first user'"'"'s ability to perform actions associated with the first set of user gameplay information, wherein the actions comprise at least one of specific in-game actions and in-game action types performed most frequently by the first user within the instance of the online game;

a second customization for the second user that makes a second set of content available to the second user as the outcome of the second user'"'"'s in-game action in the single online game on the basis of the second user being of the second user type;

wherein the customizations are implemented in the instance of the single online game determined for the individual users causing the first customization to be implemented in the instance of the single online game for the first user, and causing the second customization to be implemented in the instance of the single online game for the second user, and

wherein the first set of content is unavailable to the second user in the single online game, and the second set of content is unavailable to the first user in the instance of the single online game.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user types comprise at least one of a) a collection and harvesting type preferring at least one of resource collection, resource cultivation and resource manufacturing, b) a player versus player type, preferring competing with other users within the single online game, and c) a player versus environment type preferring completing quests.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to monitor the users'"'"' usage of the single online game.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises online game usage information associated with other users associated with the first user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises at least one of the first user'"'"'s usage of other online games and other users'"'"' usage of the single online game, wherein the other users are associated with the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first customization affects content comprising at least one of in-game items, in-game powers, in-game skills, in-game technologies, in-game pets, in-game transportation units, in-game units, and in-game buildings.

7. A computer-implemented method for adjusting content presented to a user of a single online game, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of the single online game to facilitate presentation of the single online game to the users, wherein the users include a first user;

implementing in-game actions in the instance of the single online game in response to action requests for the in-game actions from the users;

obtaining user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the single online game by the users, wherein the user gameplay information includes;

a first set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the single online game by the first user, and

a second set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the single online game by the second user;

determining user types of users that characterize prospective usage of the single online game by the users, the user types being determined based on obtained user gameplay information such that;

a first user type for the first user is determined based on the first set of user gameplay information, and

a second user type for the second user is determined based on the second set of user gameplay information, the second user type being a different user type from the first user type;

determining customizations of the single online game for the individual users, the customizations making sets of content available to the individual users as an outcome of the individual users'"'"' in-game actions that would otherwise be unavailable to the individual users, wherein the in-game actions comprise at least one of exploring a map, researching a technology or skill, and completing an in-game achievement, the customizations of the single online game being determined for the individual users based on the user types of the individual users, the customizations including;

a first customization for the first user that makes a first set of content available to the first user as the outcome of the first user'"'"'s in-game action in the single online game on the basis of the first user being of the first user type, wherein the first customization enhances the first user'"'"'s ability to perform actions associated with the first set of user gameplay information, wherein the actions comprise at least one of specific in-game actions and in-game action types performed most frequently by the first user within the instance of the online game;

a second customization for the second user that makes a second set of content available to the second user as the outcome of the second user'"'"'s in-game action in the single online game on the basis of the second user being of the second user type; and

implementing the customizations in the instance of the single online game determined for the individual users causing the first customization to be implemented in the instance of the single online game for the first user, and causing the second customization to be implemented in the instance of the single online game for the second user, and

wherein the first set of content is unavailable to the second user in the single online game, and the second set of content is unavailable to the first user in the instance of the single online game.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining user types of users based on obtained user gameplay information, including determining a first user type for the first user based on the first set of user gameplay information, and determining the customizations of the user interfaces for the users based on the predicted user types, such that the determination of the first customization for the first user is determined based on the first user type for the first user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user types comprise at least one of a) a collection and harvesting type preferring at least one of resource collection, resource cultivation and resource manufacturing, b) a player versus player type, preferring competing with other users within the single online game, and c) a player versus environment type preferring completing quests.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring the users'"'"' usage of the single online game.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises online game usage information associated with other users associated with the first user.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises at least one of the first user'"'"'s usage of other online games and other users'"'"' usage of the single online game, wherein the other users are associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first customization affects content comprising at least one of in-game items, in-game powers, in-game skills, in-game technologies, in-game pets, in-game transportation units, in-game units, and in-game buildings.