System and method for transparently styling non-player characters in a multiplayer video game

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10668381-B2
Application number	US-201816140863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2018
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A system and method are provided for transparently styling non-player characters (“NPCs”) in multiplayer video games such that it is difficult to distinguish between human players and computer-controlled NPCs. NPCs may be styled to resemble human players in terms of both player profile attributes and gameplay actions such that players may not recognize NPCs as non-human, computer-controlled players. Additionally, or alternatively, NPCs and/or human players may be presented with a limited set of profile attributes that may reduce or eliminate the ability to distinguish between human players and NPCs, one or more profile attributes may be “anonymized,” and/or the ability to view player profiles of human players and/or NPCs may be disabled altogether. In certain gameplay sessions including real and/or practice gameplay sessions, human players may be prompted to select from among a predetermined set of playable characters having predefined profile attributes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of generating one or more non-player characters in a multiplayer video game in a manner that resembles one or more characters controlled by human players, the method being implemented in a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the computer system to perform the method, the method comprising:
identifying, by the computer system, one or more human players to be matched for a gameplay session the multiplayer video game, wherein each of the one or more human players has a player profile comprising at least a value indicative of a skill level of each of the one or more human players;
determining, by the computer system, whether a predetermined skill level value required for the gameplay session is met by a value that is a function of skill level values of the identified one or more human players; and
obtaining, by the computer system, the one or more non-player characters to play in the gameplay session responsive to a determination that the predetermined skill value required for the gameplay session is not met by the value of the skill level of the identified one or more human players, wherein each of the one or more non-player characters has a non-player character player profile comprising at least a skill level value of the non-player character and wherein the predetermined skill level value required for the gameplay session is met by the value of the skill level of the identified one or more human players and skill level values of the obtained non-player characters; and
generating the multiplayer video game with the obtained non-player characters.

2. A system for generating one or more non-player characters in a multiplayer video game in a manner that resembles one or more characters controlled by human players, the system comprising:
one or more physical processors programmed with one or more computer program instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to:
identify one or more human players to be matched for a gameplay session of the multiplayer video game, wherein each of the one or more human players has a player profile comprising at least a value indicative of a skill level of each of the one or more human players;
determine whether a predetermined skill level value required for the gameplay session is met by a value that is a function of skill level values of the identified one or more human players;
obtain the one or more non-player characters to play in the gameplay session responsive to a determination that the predetermined skill value required for the gameplay session is not met by the value of the skill level of the identified one or more human players, wherein each of the one or more non-player characters has a non-player character player profile comprising at least a skill level value of the non-player character and wherein the predetermined skill level value required for the gameplay session is met by the value of the skill level of the identified one or more human players and skill level values of the obtained non-player characters; and
generate the multiplayer video game with the obtained non-player characters.

3. A computer program product for generating one or more non-player characters in a multiplayer video game in a manner that resembles one or more characters controlled by human players, the computer program product comprising:
one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage devices;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable tangible storage devices that, when executed, cause a computer to:
identify one or more human players to be matched for a gameplay session of the multiplayer video game, wherein each of the one or more human players has a player profile comprising at least a value indicative of a skill level of each of the one or more human players;
determine whether a predetermined skill level value required for the gameplay session is met by a value that is a function of skill level values of the identified one or more human players;
obtain the one or more non-player characters to play in the gameplay session responsive to a determination that the predetermined skill value required for the gameplay session is not met by the value of the skill level of the identified one or more human players, wherein each of the one or more non-player characters has a non-player character player profile comprising at least a skill level value of the non-player character and wherein the predetermined skill level value required for the gameplay session is met by the value of the skill level of the identified one or more human players and skill level values of the obtained non-player characters; and
generate the multiplayer video game with the obtained non-player characters.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the player profile of each of the identified one or more human players comprises a first set of profile attributes and wherein the non-player character player profile of each of the one or more non-player characters comprises a second set of profile attributes.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining, by the computer system, a subset of profile attributes common to the first set of profile attributes and the second set of profile attributes; and
enabling, by the computer system, a display of only the determined subset of profile attributes when any of the player profiles of the identified one or more human players or any of the non-player character player profiles of the obtained one or more non-player characters are accessed.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the value that is a function of the skill level values of the identified one or more human players is an average of the skill level values of the identified one or more human players.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the value indicative of the skill level of a player is determined using historical performance data of the player.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the value indicative of the skill level of a player is determined using profile attributes of the player, wherein the profile attributes comprise at least one of a number of games played, a winning percentage, a highest score, or a lowest score.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the value indicative of the skill level of a player varies based on a type of the multiplayer video game being played.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the player profile of each of the identified one or more human players comprises a first set of profile attributes and wherein the non-player character player profile of each of the one or more non-player characters comprises a second set of profile attributes.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein, when executed, the program instructions cause the computer to:
determine a subset of profile attributes common to the first set of profile attributes and the second set of profile attributes; and
enable a display of only the determined subset of profile attributes when any of the player profiles of the identified one or more human players or any of the non-player character player profiles of the obtained one or more non-player characters are accessed.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein the value that is a function of the skill level values of the identified one or more human players is an average of the skill level values of the identified one or more human players.

Assignees

• Activision Publishing Inc

Inventors

• Condrey Michael
• Rubin Mark

Classifications

• A63F13/795

  for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list · CPC title

• A63F13/60 Primary

  Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor · CPC title

• A63F13/48

  Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session · CPC title

• A63F2300/5553

  user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar · CPC title