System and method for a multi-prize mystery box that dynamically changes probabilities to ensure payout value

• US 9,737,819 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Desanti, Brian, Ernst, Tim, Hawk, Travis, Mendoza, Rick, Im, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US13/948,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20150031440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• 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 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence

Abstract

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a multi-prize mystery box that dynamically changes probabilities to ensure payout value in an online game. The multi-prize mystery box which dynamically changes probabilities may provide the ability to arrange multiple items in a mystery box. The probability of acquiring an instance of the second item through Nth item may be dynamically weighted based on the value of the first item.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating adjustments of probabilities associated with potential virtual items to be distributed to purchasers of virtual containers that are associated with the potential virtual items, the system comprising:

a server including one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

execute a game instance of a game space, and to use the game instance 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 game space to users via the client computing platforms associated with the users, wherein execution of the game instance further enables interaction of the users with the game space and/or each other by performing operations in the game space in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms associated with the users;

effectuate presentation, through a store interface, of offers to sell container instances of virtual containers, the offers including a first offer to sell an instance of a first virtual container at a first price, the virtual containers being associated with sets of potential items such that the first virtual container is associated with a first set of potential items, the first set of potential items including a first potential item and a second potential item;

effectuate a purchase by a first user of a first container instance of the first virtual container;

obtain information regarding prior distributions to the users of item instances through the first virtual container, wherein the prior distributions correspond to prior purchases by the users of container instances of the first virtual container, and wherein the obtained information includes values of the prior distributions;

obtain probabilities associated with the individual potential virtual items for container instances of the virtual containers purchased by the users such that a first probability for the first potential item is obtained for the first container instance of the first virtual container purchased by the first user and a second probability for the second potential item for the first container instance purchased by the first user; and

receive activation requests from users for container instances purchased by the users and, responsive to receiving the activation requests, determine which items in the sets of potential items should be distributed to the users within the game space through the container instances such that which first item in the first set of potential items should be distributed to the first user through the first container instance is determined in response to an activation request from the first user for the first container instance, the determination of which first item being based on the first probability;

adjust the second probability for the second potential item for the first container instance based on

(i) the first price,

(ii) a value of the first item, and

(iii) the values of the prior distributions;

determine which second item in the first set of potential items should be distributed to the first user through the first container instance, the determination of which second item being based on the adjusted second probability; and

distribute the first item as determined to the first user and distribute the second item as determined to the first user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the value of the second item is determined based on a cost of the second item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the value of the second item is determined based on a rareness of the second item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the value of the second item is determined based on a utility of the second item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to adjust the probabilities for the items in the first set of potential items to enhance the likelihood that an aggregate value of the items distributed by the first container instance will surpass a minimum aggregate value.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the minimum aggregate value is determined based on the first price.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the minimum aggregate value is the first price.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to the value of the first potential item being high in relation to the values of the other potential items in the first set of potential items, further responsive to the value of the second potential item being low in relation to the values of the other potential items in the first set of potential items, and further still responsive to distribution of an item instance of the second potential item through the first container instance, the probability for the first potential item is adjusted higher to enhance the likelihood that the first container instance will distribute an item instance of the first potential item to enhance an aggregate value of the items distributed by the first container instance.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to adjust probabilities for the items in the first set of potential items to enhance the likelihood that an aggregate value of the items distributed by the first container instance will not surpass a maximum aggregate value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the maximum aggregate value is determined based on the first price.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to:

effectuate presentation to the first user, through the store interface, of an opportunity to swap at least one of the distributed items subsequent to being determined; and

responsive to the first user electing to take the opportunity, replace the at least one of the distributed items with a newly determined replacement item, wherein the newly determined replacement item is selected from the first set of potential items.

12. A computer implemented method for facilitating adjustments of probabilities associated with potential virtual items to be distributed to purchasers of virtual containers that are associated with the potential virtual items, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes a server including one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of a game space, and using the instance of the game space 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 associated with the users, wherein execution of the instance further enables interaction of the users with the game space and/or each other by performing operations in the game space in response to commands received over the network from the client computing platforms associated with the users;

presenting, through a store interface, offers to sell container instances of virtual containers, the offers including a first offer to sell an instance of a first virtual container at a first price, the virtual containers being associated with sets of potential items such that the first virtual container is associated with a first set of potential items, the first set of potential items including a first potential item and a second potential item;

effectuating a purchase by a first user of a first container instance of the first virtual container;

obtaining information regarding prior distributions to the users of item instances through the first virtual container, wherein the prior distributions correspond to prior purchases by the users of container instances of the first virtual container, and wherein the obtained information includes values of the prior distributions;

obtaining probabilities associated with the individual potential virtual items for container instances of the virtual containers purchased by the users such that the obtaining a first probability for the first potential item for the first container instance of the first virtual container purchased by the first user and a second probability for the second potential item for the first container instance purchased by the first user; and

receiving activation requests from users for container instances purchased by the users and, responsive to the activation requests, determine which items in the sets of potential items should be distributed to the users within the game space through the container instances such that determining which first item in the first set of potential items should be distributed to the first user through the first container instance in response to an activation request from the first user for the first container instance, the determination of which first item being based on the first probability;

adjusting the second probability for the second potential item for the first container instance based on

(i) the first price,

(ii) a value of the first item, and

(iii) the values of the prior distributions;

determining which second item in the first set of potential items should be distributed to the first user through the first container instance, the determination of which second item being based on the adjusted second probability; and

distributing the first item as determined to the first user and distributing the second item as determined to the first user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the value of the second item is determined based on a cost of the second item.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the value of the second item is determined based on a rareness of the second item.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the value of the second item is determined based on a utility of the second item.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising adjusting the probabilities for the items in the first set of potential items to enhance the likelihood that an aggregate value of the items distributed by the first container instance will surpass a minimum aggregate value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the minimum aggregate value is determined based on the first price.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the minimum aggregate value is the first price.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein, responsive to the value of the first potential item being high in relation to the values of the other potential items in the first set of potential items, further responsive to the value of the second potential item being low in relation to the values of the other potential items in the first set of potential items, and further still responsive to distribution of an item instance of the second potential item through the first container instance, the probability for the first potential item is adjusted higher to enhance the likelihood that the first container instance will distribute an item instance of the first potential item to enhance an aggregate value of the items distributed by the first container instance.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting probabilities for the items in the first set of potential items to enhance the likelihood that an aggregate value of the items distributed by the first container instance will not surpass a maximum aggregate value.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the maximum aggregate value is determined based on the first price.