Coordinating a multi-player game

1 . A method in a computing system for facilitating a multi-player game play, the method comprising:

selecting, by processing hardware, a group of computing devices based on at least one selection criterion, each of the computing devices operated by a respective user, including (i) generating a geofence enclosing a geographic area (ii) and selecting, from among a set of candidate devices, the group of computing devices that are disposed within the geofence and form a cluster based on geographic proximity of a critical number of the candidate computing devices within the generated geofence;

distributing, by the processing hardware via a communication network to the group of computing devices, interactive content that includes one or more questions with a set of selectable answers;

receiving, by the processing hardware from the group of computing devices, a respective response to the one or more questions;

determining, for each response, a score based on (i) whether the response is a correct response and (ii) a number of computing devices in the group from which the correct response was received;

determining, by the one or more processors, a respective ranking based at least on the corresponding score; and

providing, by the one or more processors, the respective ranking to each computing device in the group.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying user profiles to select the group from among the set of candidate devices further based on the user profiles.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the score includes dividing a number of computing devices in the group from which a response was received by the number of computing devices in the group from which the correct response was received.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the score further includes determining a cumulative score using prior responses received from the same computing device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the respective ranking includes re-calculating a previous ranking using the corresponding score.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the respective ranking to each computing device include:

calculating a delay between a time when the ranking is determined and a time when the ranking is provided to the computing device; and

transmitting the ranking after the delay.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a duration of an interactive session during which the interactive content including a plurality of questions is distributed;

wherein calculating the delay is based at least in a part on an amount of time elapsed since the beginning of the session.

8 . A system comprising one or more processors and a storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the system to:

select a group of computing devices based on at least one selection criterion, each of the computing devices operated by a respective user including (i) generate a geofence enclosing a geographic area (ii) and select, from among a set of candidate devices, the group of computing devices that are disposed within the geofence and form a cluster based on geographic proximity of a critical number of the candidate computing devices within the generated geofence;

distribute, via a communication network to the group of computing devices, interactive content that includes one or more questions with a set of selectable answers;

receive, from the group of computing devices, a respective response to the one or more questions;

determine, for each response, a score based on (i) whether the response is a correct response and (ii) a number of computing devices in the group from which the correct response was received;

determine a respective ranking based at least on the corresponding score; and

provide the respective ranking to each computing device in the group.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to:

apply user profiles to select the group from among the set of candidate devices further based on the user profiles.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to:

apply user profiles to select the group from among the set of candidate devices further based on the user profiles.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein to determine the score, the system is further configured to:

divide a number of computing devices in the group from which a response was received by the number of computing devices in the group from which the correct response was received.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein to determine the score, the system is further configured to:

determine a cumulative score using prior responses received from the same computing device.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein to determine the respective ranking, the system is configured to:

re-calculate a previous ranking using the corresponding score.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein to provide the respective ranking, the system is configured to:

calculate a delay between a time when the ranking is determined and a time when the ranking is provided to the computing device; and

transmit the ranking after the delay.

15 . The system of claim 8 , further configured to:

determine a duration of an interactive session during which the interactive content including a plurality of questions is distributed;

wherein calculating the delay is based at least in a part on an amount of time elapsed since the beginning of the session.

16 . A machine-readable medium carrying machine readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

select a group of computing devices based on at least one selection criterion, each of the computing devices operated by a respective user including (i) generate a geofence enclosing a geographic area (ii) and select, from among a set of candidate devices, the group of computing devices that are disposed within the geofence and form a cluster based on geographic proximity of a critical number of the candidate computing devices within the generated geofence;

distribute, via a communication network to the group of computing devices, interactive content that includes one or more questions with a set of selectable answers;

receive, from the group of computing devices, a respective response to the one or more questions;

determine, for each response, a score based on (i) whether the response is a correct response and (ii) a number of computing devices in the group from which the correct response was received;

determine a respective ranking based at least on the corresponding score; and

provide the respective ranking to each computing device in the group.