SYSTEM FOR USER INTERACTION AROUND A COMMON COMPUTER GAME OBJECTIVE

• US 20120252579A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Sethi, Sudhanshu Pintu, Ocko, Matthew Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A computer-implemented method comprises identifying a user of a computer-implemented game to interact with a further user in pursuit of a common game objective. The identifying is performed based at least partially on the user not being directly related, as reflected within relationship data, with the further user. Interactions, within the computer implemented-game, between the further user and the user in the pursuit of the common game objective of the computer-implemented game are enabled responsive to the identifying of the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a user of a computer-implemented game to interact with a further user in pursuit of a common game objective, the identifying being based on the user not being directly related, as reflected within relationship data, with the further user; and

using at least one processor, enabling interactions, within the computer implemented-game, between the further user and the user in the pursuit of the common game objective of the computer-implemented game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the user to interact with the further user involves:

ranking a plurality of users of the computer-implemented game according to degree of separation, as reflected within the relationship data, from the further user; and

identifying the user based on the ranking of the plurality of users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the user to interact with the further user involves:

ranking a plurality of users of the computer-implemented game according to game level proximity to the further user; and

identifying the user based on the ranking of the plurality of users.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user is at most three game levels of the computer-implemented game apart from the further user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an opt-in request to the further user, wherein the opt-in request includes at least an option for the further user to opt-in to an interaction mechanic;

receiving an opt-in indication from the further user of a computer-implemented game, wherein the opt-in indication indicates that the further user is opting-in to the interaction mechanic of the computer-implemented game; and

recording the further user as opted into the interaction mechanism based on the opt-in indication.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the opt-in request further includes an option for the further user to opt-in to interactions with geographically-proximate users.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the opt-in indication further indicates that the further user is opting-in to interactions with geographically-proximate users;

and

wherein the identifying of the user to interact with the further user involves identifying a set of users associated with a first geographic location that is within a predetermined distance from a second geographic location associated with the further user.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the opt-in request is sent to the further user in response to determining that the further user has not achieved the game objective.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the opt-in request is sent to the further user in response to detecting a decrease in game interactions by the further user.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the opt-in request is sent to the further user in response to the identifying of the user, and determining that the further user is not opted into the interaction mechanic.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

based on the identifying of the user, sending an interaction request to the further user, wherein the interaction request identifies the user; and

associating the further user and the user in the relationship data based on receiving a first interaction confirmation from the further user and a second interaction confirmation from the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the interaction request identifies the common game objective.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the common game objective includes a competitive challenge of the computer-implemented game;

and

wherein interactions between the further user and the user include the further user and the user competing to achieve the common game objective.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the common game objective includes a cooperative challenge of the computer-implemented game;

and

wherein interactions between the further user and the user include the further user and the user cooperating to achieve the common game objective.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the cooperating involves the further user and the user participating in a synchronous interaction.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the cooperative challenge is a timed challenge.

13. The method of claim wherein tire common game objective includes at least one of:

a new game challenge which the further user has not initiated;

a current game challenge which the further user has not completed;

a game level which the further user has not reached; and

a virtual good which the further user has not obtained.

18. An apparatus comprising:

an introduction module to enable interactions between a user and a further user of a computer-implemented game that are experiencing a common game objective, wherein the introduction module is configured to select the user to interact with the further user based on the user not being directly associated, as reflected within relationship data, with the further user; and

an association module to associate the further user and the user with the common game objective of the computer-implemented game, based on the a selection of the user by the interaction module, thereby allowing the further user and the user to interact to achieve the common game objective.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the identifying of the user to interact with the further user involves:

ranking a plurality of users of the computer-implemented game according to degree of separation, as reflected within the relationship data, from the further user; and

identifying the user based on the ranking of the plurality of users.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the identifying of the user to introduce to the further user involves:

ranking a plurality of users of the computer-implemented game according to game level proximity to the further user; and

identifying the user based on the ranking of the plurality of users.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an opt-in module to:

send an opt-in request to the further user, wherein the opt-in request includes at least an option for the further user to opt-in to interactions with other users of the computer-implemented game;

receive an opt-in indication from the further user of the computer-implemented game, wherein the opt-in indication indicates that the further user is opting-in to the interactions with other users of the computer-implemented game; and

record the further user as opted in based on the opt-in indication.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the opt-in module sends the opt-in request to the further user in response to identifying that the further user has not achieved the common game objective.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the opt-in module sends the opt-in request to the further user in response to detecting a decrease in game interactions from the further user.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the opt-in module sends the opt-in request to the further user in response to the identifying of the user, and identifying that the further user is not opted into the interaction module. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the common game objective includes a cooperative challenge of the computer-implemented game;

wherein interactions between the further user and the user include the further user and the user cooperating to achieve the common game objective; and

wherein the cooperating involves the further user and the user participating in a synchronous interaction.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the common game objective includes a cooperative challenge of the computer-implemented game;

wherein interactions between the further user and the user include the further user and the user cooperating to achieve the common game objective; and

wherein the cooperating involves the further user and the user participating in a synchronous interaction.