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

• US 9,889,380 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• 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:
  US15/182,339
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• 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 an online game, the system comprising:

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

execute an instance of the online game to facilitate presentation of the online game to the users via client computing platforms associated with the users, and to effectuate in-game actions in the instance of the online game in response to action requests for the in-game actions from the client computing platforms, wherein the users include a first user and a second user, and wherein execution of the instance of the online game is performed such that the first user and the second user can interact with each other;

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

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

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

determine user types of users that characterize prospective usage of the 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, and the second user type being a different user type from the first user type; and

determine customizations of playable in-game content in the same instance of the online game made available to individual ones of the users through participation and/or achievement within the online game, the customizations of playable in-game content being designed to enhance prospective usage of the online game by the user, the customizations of playable in-game content being determined based on the user types of the users,

wherein the customizations of playable in-game content include a first customization of playable in-game content that includes playable in-game content not previously accessible by the first user in the instance of the online game but made accessible for the first user within the instance of the online game to enhance prospective usage of the online game by the first user, and

wherein the customizations of playable in-game content further include a second customization of playable in-game content that includes playable in-game content not previously accessible by the second user in the same instance of the online game but made accessible for the second user within the same instance of the online game to enhance prospective usage of the online game by the second user;

implement, in the instance of the online game, the customizations of playable in-game content determined for the individual ones of the users such that the first customization of playable in-game content is implemented in the instance of the online game for the first user, and further such that the second customization of playable in-game content is implemented in the same instance of the online game for the second user,

wherein execution of the instance of the online game subsequent to implementation of the first and second customizations is further performed such that the first user and the second user can interact with each other in the same instance of the 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 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 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 online game, wherein the other users are associated with the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first customization of playable in-game content is made available to the first user through the first user'"'"'s in-game actions, wherein the user'"'"'s in-game actions comprise at least one of exploring a map, researching a technology or skill, purchasing an in-game item, and/or completing an in-game achievement.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first customization of playable in-game content includes 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/or in-game buildings.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises 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.

9. A computer-implemented method for adjusting content presented to a user of an 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 online game to facilitate presentation of the online game to the users via client computing platforms associated with the users, wherein the users include a first user and a second user, and wherein executing the instance of the online game is performed such that the first user and the second user can interact with each other;

effectuating in-game actions in the instance of the online game in response to action requests for the in-game actions from the client computing platforms;

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

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

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

determining user types of users that characterize prospective usage of the 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, and the second user type being a different user type from the first user type; and

determining, based on the obtained user gameplay information, customizations of playable in-game content in the same instance of the online game made available to individual ones of the users through participation and/or achievement within the online game, the customizations of playable in-game content being designed to enhance prospective usage of the online game by the user,

wherein the customizations of playable in-game content include a first customization of playable in-game content that includes playable in-game content not previously accessible by the first user in the instance of the online game but made accessible for the first user within the instance of the online game to enhance prospective usage of the online game by the first user, and

wherein the customizations of playable in-game content further include a second customization of playable in-game content that includes playable in-game content not previously accessible by the second user in the same instance of the online game but made accessible for the second user within the same instance of the online game to enhance prospective usage of the online game by the second user; and

implementing, in the instance of the online game, the customizations of playable in-game content determined for the individual ones of the users such that the first customization of playable in-game content is implemented in the instance of the online game for the first user, and further such that the second customization of playable in-game content is implemented in the same instance of the online game for the second user,

wherein executing the instance of the online game subsequent to implementing the first and second customizations is further performed such that the first user and the second user can interact with each other in the same instance of the online game.

10. The method of claim 9, 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 online game, and c) a player versus environment type preferring completing quests.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising monitoring the users'"'"' usage of the online game.

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

13. The method of claim 9, 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 online game, wherein the other users are associated with the user.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first customization of playable in-game content is made available to the first user through the first user'"'"'s in-game actions, wherein the user'"'"'s in-game actions comprise at least one of exploring a map, researching a technology or skill, purchasing an in-game item, and/or completing an in-game achievement.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first customization of playable in-game content includes 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/or in-game buildings.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first set of user gameplay information comprises 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.

17. A system for adjusting content presented to users of online games, the system comprising:

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

execute instances of online games to facilitate presentation of the online games to the users via client computing platforms associated with the users, and to effectuate in-game actions in the instances of the online games in response to action requests for the in-game actions from the client computing platforms, wherein the plurality of users is associated with each other on an online social network, wherein the users include a first user and a second user, and wherein execution of a particular instance of a particular online dame is performed such that the first user and the second user can interact with each other in the particular instance of the particular online game;

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

a first set of user gameplay information related to prospective usage of the online games by the first user; and

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

determine user types of users that characterize prospective usage of the 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, and the second user type being a different user type from the first user type; and

determine customizations of playable in-game content in the particular instance of the particular online game made available to individual ones of the users through participation and/or achievement within the online games, the customizations of playable in-game content being designed to enhance prospective usage of the particular online game by the first and second user, the customizations of playable in-game content being determined based on the user types of the users, the customizations of playable in-game content including a first customization of playable in-game content that includes content not previously accessible by the first user in the particular instance of the particular online game but made accessible for the first user within the particular instance of the particular online game to enhance prospective usage of the particular online game by the first user and a second customization of playable in-game content that includes content not previously accessible by the second user in the particular instance of the particular online game but made accessible for the second user within the particular instance of the particular online game to enhance prospective usage of the particular online game by the second user;

implement, in the particular instance of the particular online game, the customizations of playable in-game content determined for the individual ones of the users such that the first customization of playable in-game content is implemented in the particular instance of the particular online game for the first user, and further such that the second customization of playable in-game content is implemented in the particular instance of the particular online game for the second user,

wherein execution of the particular instance of the particular online game subsequent to implementation of the first and second customizations is further performed such that the first user and the second user can interact with each other in the particular instance of the particular online game.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to determine predicted user types of users based on obtained user gameplay information such that a first user type is determined for the first user based on the first set of user gameplay information, and the customizations for the users are determined based on the predicted user types such that the determination of the first customization for the first user is determined based on the prediction of the first user type for the first user, wherein the predicted user types comprise at least one of a) a collection and harvesting type predicted to prefer at least one of resource collection, resource cultivation and resource manufacturing, b) a player versus player type, predicted to prefer competing with other users within the particular online game, and c) a player versus environment type predicted to prefer completing quests.