Method for implementing a computer game

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561437-B2
Application number	US-201314029289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2013
Priority date	Sep 17, 2012
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which, one or more of the processors are programmed such that: (a) to pass a level, the player has to remove a defined number of game elements of several specific collectable types which are present on the gameboard in a limited number of moves, and (b) the gameboard also displays removable elements of one or more other types that the player does not have to remove, and receives no score or points if he does remove.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling a display responsive to user engagement via a user interface with a game board of a computer implemented game displayed on said display, the method comprising the following implemented by at least one processor of a computer device in communication with said interface, said display and at least one memory:
displaying the game board on said display, said game board having removable game elements of a first type and of a second type, the first type of removable game elements comprising removable elements of one or more specific collectable game elements, and the second type of removable game elements comprising removable elements of one or more other types
detecting a move comprising selection of at least one removable game element with respect to the displayed game board in response to user input received via said user interface;
determining in response to said detected move, an occurrence of at least one match with respect to said removable game elements; and
in response to said determining of the occurrence of at least one match:
removing said game elements of said at least one match from said game board displayed on the display;
determining for each removed game element if said removed game element is of the first type or the second type and only for the game elements of the first type updating information associated with a removed number of game elements, wherein removal of said game elements of the second type does not cause said information associated with the removed number of game elements to change; and

determining from said information that a defined number of game elements of the first type have been removed within a defined number of moves to thereby pass a level of said game.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that a bonus number +X is applied to a game element on the game board and displayed as a bonus number X adjacent to that element, and removing that element is handled by the processor as being equivalent to removing X+1 elements of that type.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that, when the user makes a match of elements that leads to elements being removed from the game board, and then any remaining adjacent elements that are also of first type are allocated a bonus number.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that removing elements causes new elements to move into position on the game board, creating further matches, then any remaining adjacent elements that are also of the first type are allocated a bonus number.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that a bonus number +X is applied to every collectable game element on the game board within a defined region.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that if the user removes more than the defined number of game elements of all of the first type, then the processor causes the game to enter a new mode in which some of the game elements on the board are automatically allocated a bonus number.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the extent to which the user removes more than the defined number of game elements is counted and a number of bonus items, such as green beans, is allocated to the user depending on this extent.

8. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the number of bonus items is relevant to another level in which the objective is to remove a defined number of game elements of several specific types of the first type in order to defeat a character and the bonus items can be used to purchase a bonus number to be applied automatically to one or more game elements or to a matched combination of game elements in order to make the level easier.

9. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the defined number of game elements of several specific types of the first type is displayed on screen.

10. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the number of a specific single type of collectable element is relevant to completing a level and is displayed to the user.

11. The method of claim 1 in which a processor is programmed such that the defined number of game elements of several specific collectable types is not displayed on screen.

12. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the number of a specific single type of collectable element is not relevant to completing a level, but instead the total number of all collectable types is relevant.

13. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the game board includes a type of collectable element that cannot be removed by being included in a match.

14. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the game board includes special blocking elements that can only be removed after there have been multiple matches to remove adjacent elements.

15. The method of claim 1 in which the special elements are shown as items whose appearance changes after each match of adjacent elements, and (a) sound effect accompanies the change of appearance, (b) the special element is a flower that progressively opens after each match of adjacent elements and (c) a goal of the level is to remove a set number of these special elements.

16. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that the elements include one or more of the following, each with animated faces: vegetables, animals, candies, sun, moon, flowers.

17. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that a collectable element evolves in stages each time it is included in a matching combination.

18. The method of claim 17 in which the collectable element is an egg and a combination of three eggs creates a cracked egg, and a combination of three cracked eggs creates an animal that flies off the game board; and one of the goals for a level is to collect one or more of these animals.

19. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that an element on the game board is a bucket that progressively fills with water each time there is a match of elements adjacent to it and that element can spill over after a set number of matches adjacent to it, causing collectable elements to be shown on the game board.

20. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that reaching targets for a level earns a user stars, and earning 1 star earns the user an animal of one species, earning two stars earns the user a different species and earning three stars earns the user a still different species.

21. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one processor is programmed such that, if the user earns a collection of one group of different species, then that collection entitles the user to one type of booster; and if the user earns a collection of a different group of species, then that collection entitles the user to a different type of booster.

22. The method of claim 1 in which some or all game levels are untimed, eliminating any time pressure.

23. The method of claim 1 in which the game is a casual, social game an

Assignees

• King Com Ltd
• King Com Ltd

Inventors

• Knutsson Sebastian

Classifications

• A63F13/12

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63F13/75

  Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players · CPC title

• G07F17/32

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title

• A63F13/428

  involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes · CPC title

• G06F9/44

  Arrangements for executing specific programs · CPC title