Combining games suited for synchronous play with games suited for asynchronous play

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517413-B1
Application number	US-201213485919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2012
Priority date	Jul 28, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A method of combining games suited for synchronous play with games suited for asynchronous play is disclosed. It is identified that a first player and a second player are playing a primary game. The primary game has been determined to require the first player and the second player to be online simultaneously while they are playing the primary game. The first player and a third player are provided with an option to play a secondary game simultaneously with the first game. The secondary game is adapted such that it is determined that the secondary game does not require the first player and the third player to be online simultaneously while they are playing the secondary game.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a notification at a game networking system from a device of a first player, the notification identifying that the first player is playing a first computer game as a primary game
determining a level of interactivity of the first computer game, the determination of the level of interactivity of the first computer game based at least in part on an amount of idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game;
generating a modified form of a second computer game at the game networking system for storage in one or more data stores of the game networking system, the generating based on a comparison between the level of interactivity of the first computer game, a level of interactivity of a standard form of the second computer game, and a level of interactivity of the modified form of the second computer game, the comparison including comparing the amount of idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game, an average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player over a time period in the standard form of the second computer game, and an average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player over the time period in the modified form of the second computer game, the creating of the modified form of the second computer game including changing an aspect of the second computer game such that the average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player in the modified form of the second computer game is different from the average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player in the standard form of the second computer game; and
selecting the modified form of the second game from a plurality of previously-generated computer games stored in the one or more data stores of the game networking system while the first player is playing the first computer game, the selecting based on a level of compatibility between the average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player in the modified form of the second game and the amount of idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game;
communicating a user interface to the device of the first player while the first player is playing the first computer game, the user interface configured to provide the first player with an option to play the selected modified form of the second computer game as a secondary game of the first computer game when the first player has some of the amount of idle time available, one or more modules incorporated into a game networking system to configure the game networking system to perform the receiving, determining, generating, selecting, and communicating, the one or more modules implemented by one or more processors of the game networking system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the level of interactivity of the second computer game based on an amount of time the first player has to respond to an action by a second player within the second computer game.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the creating of the modified form of the second game includes at least one of removing an action and response cycle relative to the standard form of the second computer game and increasing an amount of time that the first player has to respond to an action by a second player relative to the standard form of the second computer game.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the first player with an option to play the second computer game as the secondary game of the first computer game includes providing the first player with an option to perform an action in the second computer game based on a determination that the first player has idle time with respect to the first computer game.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the first player with an option to play the second computer game as the secondary game of the first computer game includes providing to the first player a user interface for the second computer game within a user interface of the first computer game.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the providing of the first player with an option to play the second computer game as a secondary game of the first computer game includes changing a focus from the user interface for the second computer game to the user interface of the first computer game based on a determination that idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game has ended.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a card game as the second computer game based on the first computer game being a casino game.

8. A system comprising:
one or more modules implemented by one or more processors of a game networking system, the one or more modules incorporated into the game networking system to configure the game networking system to, at least:
receive a notification at a game networking system from a device of a first player, the notification identifying that the first player is playing a first computer game as a primary game
determining a level of interactivity of the first computer game, the determination of the level of interactivity of the first computer game based at least in part on an amount of idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game;
generate a modified form of a second computer game at the game networking system for storage in one or more data stores of the game networking system, the generating based on a comparison between the level of interactivity of the first computer game, a level of interactivity of a standard form of the second computer game, and a level of interactivity of the modified form of the second computer game, the comparison including comparing the amount of idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game, an average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player over a time period in the standard form of the second computer game, and an average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player over the time period in the modified form of the second computer game, the creating of the modified form of the second computer game including changing an aspect of the second computer game such that the average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player in the modified form of the second computer game is different from the average number of computer-input actions expected to be performed by the first player in the standard form of the second computer game; and
select the modified form of the second game from a plurality of previously-generated computer games stored in the one or more data stores of the game networking system while the first player is playing the first computer game, the selecting based on a level of compatibility between the average number of computer-input actions expected to be Performed by the first player in the modified form of the second game and the amount of idle time of the first player with respect to the first computer game;
communicate a user interface to the device of the first player while the first player is playing the first game, the user interface configured to provide the first player with an option to play the selected modified form of the second computer game as a secondary game of the first computer game when the first player has some of the amount of idle time available.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the determination that that the second computer game is more suited for asynchronous play than for synchronous play is based on an amount of time the first player has to respond to an action by

Assignees

• Wickett Justin
• Sareli Shane Ishmael
• Kane Michael
• Driemeyer Justin Potter
• Alvaro Lamberto
• Zynga Inc

Inventors

• Wickett Justin
• Sareli Shane Ishmael
• Kane Michael
• Driemeyer Justin Potter
• Alvaro Lamberto

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G06F16/27

  Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor · CPC title

• A63F2300/556

  Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list · 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

• A63F13/85

  Providing additional services to players · CPC title