Determining hardness quotients for level definition files based on player skill level

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10918952-B2
Application number	US-201916454529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 10, 2014
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for customizing a player's experience. A System Tuner selects a hardness quotient, based on a player skill level, from a hardness quotient range, the player skill level for a player is calculated by a client computing device based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player. The System Tuner provides the hardness quotient to a level definition file for a second game level. The level definition file modifies at least one feature of the second game level according to the hardness quotient. The System Tuner modifies the hardness quotient range based at least on a performance of the plurality of player's in the second game level and the respective hardness quotients assigned to each of those players for their game play in the second game level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
for each game level in a computer-implemented game having multiple game levels, providing a respective level definition file that comprises definition of a respective set of modifiable attributes according to which gameplay is governed in the corresponding game level, a first set of modifiable attributes that applies to a first one of the multiple game levels being different from a second set of modifiable attributes that applies to a second one of the multiple game levels;
identifying a skill level for a player of the game based at least in part on historical gameplay by the player within the game;
based at least in part on the identified skill level, performing player-specific modification of respective values of the first and second sets of modifiable attributes, such that the modified value of at least one of the first set of modifiable attributes is different from the modified value of at least one of the second set of modifiable attributes; and
facilitating gameplay in the first game level and in the second game level according to the respective modified values of the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes each has a single respective attribute, the single attribute of the first set of modifiable attributes governing a different aspect of gameplay behavior than the single attribute of the second set of modifiable attributes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes defines a plurality of different attributes that are modifiable to vary player-specific game difficulty in the corresponding game level.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the player-specific modification comprises:
for each of a plurality of attributes included in the first set of modifiable attributes and/or in the second set of modifiable attributes, selecting a respective hardness quotient based at least in part on the identified skill level; and
modifying the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes based at least in part on the corresponding selected hardness quotients.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes share an attribute in common, the selecting of the plurality of hardness quotients being performed such that the hardness quotients for the common attribute differs in value for the first game level and for the second game level respectively.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
accessing a plurality of hardness quotient ranges corresponding respectively to a corresponding one of the plurality of attributes; and
for each of the plurality of attributes, selecting the respective hardness quotient from the corresponding hardness quotient range based at least in part on the identified skill level.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of attributes include a modifiable maximum speed for a player character in the corresponding game level.

8. A system comprising:
one or more computer processor devices; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processor devices, configure the system to perform operations comprising:
for each game level in a computer-implemented game having multiple game levels, providing a respective level definition file that comprises definition of a respective set of modifiable attributes according to which gameplay is governed in the corresponding game level, a first set of modifiable attributes that applies to a first one of the multiple game levels being different from a second set of modifiable attributes that applies to a second one of the multiple game levels;
identifying a skill level for a player of the game based at least in part on historical gameplay by the player within the game;
based at least in part on the identified skill level, performing player-specific modification of respective values of the first and second sets of modifiable attributes, such that the modified value of at least one of the first set of modifiable attributes is different from the modified value of at least one of the second set of modifiable attributes; and
facilitating gameplay in the first game level and in the second game level according to the respective modified values of the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes, respectively.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes each has a single respective attribute, the single attribute of the first set of modifiable attributes governing a different aspect of gameplay behavior than the single attribute of the second set of modifiable attributes.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes defines a plurality of different attributes that are modifiable to vary player-specific game difficulty in the corresponding game level.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions configure the one or more computer processor devices such that performing the player-specific modification comprises:
for each of a plurality of attributes included in the first set of modifiable attributes and/or in the second set of modifiable attributes, selecting a respective hardness quotient based at least in part on the identified skill level; and
modify the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes based at least in part on the corresponding selected hardness quotients.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first set of modifiable attributes and the second set of modifiable attributes share an attribute in common, the selecting of the plurality of hardness quotients being performed such that the hardness quotients for the common attribute differs in value for the first game level and for the second game level respectively.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further configure the system to:
access a plurality of hardness quotient ranges corresponding respectively to a corresponding one of the plurality of attributes; and
for each of the plurality of attributes, select the respective hardness quotient from the corresponding hardness quotient range based at least in part on the identified skill level.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of attributes include a modifiable amount of time to accomplish a task in the corresponding game level.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processor devices, cause the one or more computer processor devices to perform operations comprising:
for each game level in a computer-implemented game having multiple game levels, providing a respective level definition file that comprises definition of a respective set of modifiable attributes according to which gameplay is governed in the corresponding game level, a first set of modifiable attributes that applies to a first one of the multiple game levels being different from a second set of modifiable attributes that applies to a second one of the multiple game levels;
identifying a skill level for a player of the game based at least in part on historical gameplay by the player within the game;
based at least in part on the identified skill level, performing player-spe

Assignees

• Zynga Inc

Inventors

• Ware John Carlton
• Haire Christopher Vance
• Watters William R
• Vansuchtelen John
• Waite Michael

Classifications

• A63F13/35

  Details of game servers · CPC title

• A63F13/837

  Shooting of targets · CPC title

• A63F13/33

  using wide area network [WAN] connections · CPC title

• A63F13/67 Primary

  adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use · CPC title

• A63F13/537

  using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen · CPC title