System and method for providing a quest from a probability item bundle in an online game

• US 10,188,951 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Brent Jason, Lee, Hannah Won, Im, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Clarke, Jr., Robert T
• Application Number:
  US15/665,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence

Abstract

A system and method for providing a quest from a probability item bundle in an online game. The system and method include executing an instance of an online game. The system and method include maintaining inventories of virtual items, and presenting offers to sell probability item bundles. The system and method include associating potential awards in sets of potential awards with different award distribution probabilities. The system and method include receiving activation requests from users for purchased probability item bundles. The system and method include stochastically selecting one of the potential awards in accordance with the award distribution probabilities and providing access to a first quest in an online game in accordance with the selected award.

Claims

1. A system for providing access to quests from probability item bundles in an online game, the system comprising:

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

execute an instance of the online game, and to implement the instance of the online game to facilitate participation of users in gameplay of the online game, via client computing platforms that are associated with the users;

maintain inventories of virtual items under control of the users, and to store associations between the users and the virtual items which the users control in the online game;

effectuate presentation to the users, through a shop interface, offers to sell probability item bundles, individual ones of the probability item bundles being associated with sets of potential awards for the online game, the probability item bundles including a first probability item bundle being associated with a first set of potential awards, the first set of potential awards including a first potential award and a second potential award, the first potential award providing access to a first quest in the online game;

wherein the potential awards in the sets of potential awards are associated with different award distribution probabilities such that the first potential award is associated with a first award distribution probability and the second potential award is associated with a second award distribution probability;

wherein purchase of the probability item bundles by the users results in addition, via the one or more physical computer processors, of purchased probability item bundles to the inventories of the users such that responsive to purchase of the first probability item bundle by a first user, the first probability item bundle is added to a first inventory of virtual items under control of the first user; and

receive activation requests from the users for the purchased probability item bundles under user controlled inventories, and to stochastically distribute the potential awards to the users in accordance with the award distribution probabilities associated with the potential awards such that, in response to receiving an activation request from the first user for the first probability item bundle subsequent to purchase of the first probability item bundle by the first user, one of the potential awards is stochastically selected from the first set of potential awards in accordance with the award distribution probabilities associated with the potential awards such that the first potential award is selected.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quest includes game activity that directly impacts game content and game evolution within the executed instance of the online game.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first probability item bundle is presented in the online game as a mystery box.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein successful completion of gameplay criteria of the first quest results in items, prizes, and/or bonuses that cannot be obtained by completion of universal quests.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the universal quests include game activity that serves as part of an online game tutorial, the tutorial including walkthrough instructions of the gameplay.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the universal quests includes game actions of one or more of:

quests resulting in a user leveling up a character or kingdom, quests that tell a story, and/or quests that introduce new features.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quest includes game activity including one or more of attacking specific tiles, engaging in a personal tournament of might, and/or building a certain building or troop.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase of the first probability item bundle includes completion of a microtransaction.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quest includes additional game content and gameplay for one or more of low level, mid-level, and/or high level players.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein individual quests are associated with a quest type, a quantity of quest type per online game, and an associated prize.

11. A computer-implemented method for providing access to quests from probability item bundles in an online game, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more processors executing computer program components, the method comprising:

executing an instance of the online game and implementing the instance of the online game to facilitate participation in the online game by users via client computing platforms that are associated with the users;

maintaining inventories of virtual items under control of the users, and storing associations between the users and the virtual items which the users control in the online game;

effectuating presentation to the users, through a shop interface, offers to sell probability item bundles, individual ones of the probability item bundles being associated with sets of potential awards for the online game, the probability item bundles including a first probability item bundle being associated with a first set of potential awards, the first set of potential awards including a first potential award and a second potential award, the first potential award providing access to a first quest in the online game;

associating the potential awards in the sets of potential awards with different award distribution probabilities such that the first potential award is associated with a first award distribution probability and the second potential award is associated with a second award distribution probability, and

wherein purchase of the probability item bundles by the users results in adding the purchased probability item bundles to the inventories of the users such that responsive to purchase of the first probability item bundle by a first user, the purchased first probability item bundle is added to a first inventory of virtual items under control of the first user; and

receiving activation requests from the users for the purchased probability item bundles under user controlled inventories, and stochastically distributing the potential awards to the users in accordance with the different award distribution probabilities associated with the potential awards such that, in response to receiving an activation request from the first user for the first probability item bundle subsequent to purchase of the first probability item bundle by the first user, stochastically selecting one of the potential awards from the first set of potential awards in accordance with the different award distribution probabilities associated with the potential awards such that the first potential award is selected.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the quest includes game activity that directly impacts game content and game evolution within the executed instance of the online game.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first probability item bundle is presented in the online game as a mystery box.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein successful completion of gameplay criteria of the first quest results in items, prizes, and/or bonuses that cannot be obtained by completion of universal quests.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the universal quests include game activity that serves as part of an online game tutorial, the tutorial including walkthrough instructions of the gameplay.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the universal quests includes game actions of one or more of:

quests resulting in a user leveling up a character or kingdom, quests that tell a story, and/or quests that introduce new features.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first quest includes gameplay activity including one or more of attacking specific tiles, engaging in a personal tournament of might, and/or building a certain building or troop.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the purchase of the first probability item bundle includes completion of a microtransaction.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first quest includes additional game content and gameplay for one or more of low level, mid-level, and/or high level players.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein individual quests are associated with a quest type, a quantity of quest type per online game, and an associated prize.