Customized chance-based items

• US 9,814,981 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: McLellan, Sam, Pieron, Luc, Schultz, Stephanie
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL
• Application Number:
  US15/334,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

A system configured to facilitate user customization of the distribution of virtual items usable in a virtual space. Virtual items may be distributed via probability item bundles. Probability item bundles may be associated with a set of potential awards. The potential awards included in the set of potential awards may be individually associated with a probability of being distributed once the probability item bundle is activated by a user. Customization of probability item bundles may comprise facilitating user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the probability item bundles.

Claims

1. A system configured to facilitate user customization of distribution of virtual items in an online game, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors configured by computer-readable instructions to;

execute an instance of an online game, and to use the instance of the online game to generate game state information that is transmitted to client computing platforms over a network, the game state information facilitating presentation of views of the online game to users via the client computing platforms, wherein execution of the instance of the online game further enables participation of the users in the online game by performing operations in the instance in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms;

effectuate presentation of offers to sell probability item bundles to users for consideration through a shop interface, wherein a given probability item bundle is associated with a set of potential awards, wherein individual ones of the potential awards within the set of potential awards include virtual items usable in the online game and are associated with distribution probabilities;

facilitate customization of probability item bundles offered for sale through the shop interface by receiving entry and/or selection by users of potential awards for inclusion in probability item bundles such that entry and/or selection of at least one potential award by a first user is received and the at least one potential award entered and/or selected by the first user is included in a first set of potential awards associated with a first customized probability item bundle;

determine distribution probabilities for the potential awards selected and/or entered by users and included in sets of potential awards of customized probability item bundles such that distribution probabilities for the first customized probability item bundle having the first set of potential awards that includes the at least one potential award are determined; and

distribute potential awards to the users that activate instances of the customized probability item bundles, such distributions being made in accordance with the determined distribution probabilities.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured to store the sets of potential awards included in the customized probability item bundles such that the stored sets of potential awards are available for access by the users during subsequent customizations of probability item bundles, include storing the first set of potential awards selected by the first user for the first customized probability item bundle, such that the first set of potential awards is available for access by the first user during customization of a second customized probability item bundle.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that the offers to sell probability item bundles to users include offers to sell probability item bundles including the stored sets of potential awards.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that facilitating customization of probability item bundles comprises restricting user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that restricting user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles includes assigning point values to individual ones of the potential awards, and setting threshold total point values for the sets of potential awards, wherein the threshold total point value corresponds to the summed point values of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that restricting user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles includes ranking the potential awards on a multi-tier ranking system, and restricting the quantity of potential awards which can be included from individual tiers in the sets of potential awards.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that facilitating customization of probability item bundles comprises adjusting the purchase price of the probability item bundle based on the user selection of potential awards included in the sets of potential awards.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that facilitating customization of probability item bundle comprises effectuating presentation of a customization interface, wherein the customization interface is configured to receive the user entry and/or selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that the customization interface includes a template for selecting potential awards for customization of the probability item bundles, wherein the template restricts selection of potential awards.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured to generate custom offers to sell virtual items and/or sets of virtual items to users through the shop interface, wherein the custom offers include offers to sell instances of one or more of the individual potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles selected by the users.

11. A method of customizing distribution of virtual items in an online game, the method being implemented in a computer system including one or more physical processor and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of an online game, and using the instance of the online game to generate game state information that is transmitted to client computing platforms over a network, the game state information facilitating presentation of views of the online game to users via the client computing platforms, wherein execution of the instance of the online game further enables participation of the users in the online game by performing operations in the instance in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms;

effectuating presentation of offers to sell probability item bundles to users for consideration through a shop interface, wherein a given probability item bundle is associated with a set of potential awards, wherein individual ones of the potential awards within the set of potential awards include virtual items usable in the online game and are associated with distribution probabilities;

facilitating customization of probability item bundles offered for sale through the shop interface by receiving entry and/or selection by users of potential awards for inclusion in probability item bundles such that entry and/or selection of at least one potential award by a first user is received and the at least one potential award entered and/or selected by the first user is included in a first set of potential awards associated with a first customized probability item bundle;

determining distribution probabilities for the potential awards selected and/or entered by users and included in sets of potential awards of customized probability item bundles such that distribution probabilities for the first customized probability item bundle having the first set of potential awards that includes the at least one potential award are determined; and

distributing potential awards to the users that activate instances of the customized probability item bundles, such distributions being made in accordance with the determined distribution probabilities.

12. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the operation of storing the sets of potential awards included in the customized probability item bundles, such that the stored sets of potential awards are available for access by the users during subsequent customizations of probability item bundles, including storing the first set of potential awards selected by the first user for the first customized probability item bundle, such that the first set of potential awards is available for access by the first user during customization of a second customized probability item bundle.

13. The method of claim 12 additionally configured such that the offers to sell probability item bundles to users include offers to sell probability item bundles including the stored sets of potential awards.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein facilitating customization of probability item bundles comprises restricting user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein restricting user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles includes assigning point values to individual ones of the potential awards, and setting threshold total point values for the sets of potential awards, wherein the threshold total point value corresponds to the summed point values of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein restricting user selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles includes ranking the potential awards on a multi-tier ranking system, and restricting the quantity of potential awards which can be included from individual tiers in the sets of potential awards.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein facilitating customization of probability item bundles comprises adjusting the purchase price of the probability item bundle based on the user selection of potential awards included in the sets of potential awards.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein facilitating customization of probability item bundle comprises effectuating presentation of a customization interface, wherein the customization interface is configured to receive the user entry and/or selection of the potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the customization interface includes a template for selecting potential awards for customization of the probability item bundles, wherein the template restricts selection of the potential awards.

20. The method of claim 11 additionally including generating custom offers to sell virtual items and/or sets of virtual items to users through the shop interface, wherein the custom offers include offers to sell instances of one or more of the individual potential awards included in the sets of potential awards of the customized probability item bundles selected by the users.