System and method for placing players of a multiplayer game in a virtual world

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

placing, by execution of a placement module in a processor of the computer, a territory for a first player of a computer-implemented multiplayer game in a virtual world for the multiplayer game, wherein instructions for the placement module are provided by the computer-implemented multiplayer game, and wherein a placement location of the territory for the first player is determined by the placement module independent of input from any player of the multiplayer game, wherein the virtual world comprises a plurality of territories arranged in a common game board layout for respective players of the multiplayer game;

receiving input from the first player in an interface of the computer-implemented multiplayer game, the input indicating selection of at least one other selected player from a defined set of one or more other players for association with territory adjacent to the territory of the first player; and

placing, by execution of the placement module, a territory for the at least one other selected player adjacent to the territory of the first player in the virtual world, wherein a placement of the territory for the at least one other selected player shares at least one common boundary with the territory for the first player, and wherein a placement location of the territory for the at least one other selected player is determined by the placement module independent of input from any player of the multiplayer game;

wherein a first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for the first player in the multiplayer game is unique to the first player, wherein a set of territories for the one or more other players accessible to the first player in the first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world is determined from in-game relationships established between the first player and the one or more other players, wherein the territory for the first player in the virtual world is inaccessible to players without an in-game relationship with the first player;

wherein a second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world respectively generated for each of the at least one other selected player in the multiplayer game is unique to each of the at least one other selected player, wherein a set of territories accessible to each of the at least one other selected player in the second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world is determined respectively from in-game relationships established between the at least one other selected player and the one or more other players; and

wherein the second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for each of the at least one other selected player provides placements in the virtual world that are consistent with the first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for the first player, based on the common game board layout of the virtual world.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one other selected player includes an in-game friend of the first player.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising automatically placing a territory for at least one opponent of the first player adjacent to the territory of the first player, responsive to selection by the first player of the at least one opponent for association with territory adjacent to the territory of the first player.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a territory for a guild controlled by a plurality of players adjacent to the territory of the first player, responsive to the first player selecting the guild.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the guild is controlled by the first player and at least one in-game friend of the first player.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of players controlling the guild includes at least one in-game opponent of the first player.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a plurality of territories adjacent to the territory of the first player in the virtual world, at least one of the plurality of territories comprising a contested territory.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a plurality of territories adjacent to the territory is a territory for a non-player character.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the first player has entered the territory for the at least one other selected player by crossing a boundary common to the territory for the first player and the territories for the at least one other selected player.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising automatically assigning at least one in-game task to the first player responsive to determining that the first player has entered the territory for the at least one other selected player.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a boundary of the territory for the first player and a boundary of the territory for the at least one other selected player is separated by unoccupied territory.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defined set of the one or more other players is also determined from one or more out-of-game relationships between the first player and the one or more other players in an out-of-game social network, the out-of-game social network operating independently from the multiplayer game.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more territories for players accessible to the first player in the first layout of territories in the virtual world is not equal to the set of one or more territories for players accessible to each of the one or more other players in the second layout of territories in the virtual world.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the territory of the first player is fixed in the common game board layout for the duration of the game for the first player.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a plurality of instructions executable with the processor to provide a placement module, the processor-implemented placement module configured to:

place a territory for a first player of a computer-implemented multiplayer game in a virtual world for the multiplayer game, wherein a placement location of the territory for the first player is determined by the placement module independent of input from any player of the multiplayer game, wherein the virtual world comprises a plurality of territories arranged in a common game board layout for respective players of the multiplayer game;

receive input from the first player in an interface of the computer-implemented multiplayer game, the input indicating selection of at least one other selected player from a defined set of one or more other players for association with territory adjacent to the territory of the first player; and

place a territory for the at least one other selected player adjacent to the territory of the first player in the virtual world, wherein a placement of the territory for the at least one other selected player shares at least one common boundary with the territory for the first player, and wherein a placement location of the territory for the at least one other selected player is determined by the placement module independent of input from any player of the multiplayer game;

wherein a first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for the first player in the multiplayer game is unique to the first player, wherein a set of territories for the one or more other players accessible to the first player in the first display layout of accessible territories in the virtual world is determined from in-game relationships established between the first player and the one or more other players, wherein the territory for the first player in the virtual world is inaccessible to players without an in-game relationship with the first player;

wherein a second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world respectively generated for each of the at least one other selected player in the multiplayer game is unique to each of the at least one other selected player, wherein a set of territories accessible to each of the at least one other selected player in the second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world is determined respectively from in-game relationships established between the at least one other selected player and the one or more other players; and

wherein the second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for each of the at least one other selected player provides placements in the virtual world that are consistent with the first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for the first player, based on the common game board layout of the virtual world.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one other selected player includes an in-game friend of the first player.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the placement module is further configured to automatically place a territory for at least one opponent of the first player adjacent to the territory of the first player, responsive to selection by the first player of the at least one opponent for association with territory adjacent to the territory for the first player.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the placement module is further configured to place a territory for a guild controlled by a plurality of players adjacent to the territory of the first player, responsive to the first player selecting the guild.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the guild is controlled by the first player and at least one in-game friend of the first player.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of players controlling the guild includes at least one in-game opponent of the first player.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the placement module is further configured to place a plurality of territories adjacent to the territory of the first player in the virtual world, at least one of the plurality of territories comprising a contested territory.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of a plurality of territories adjacent to the territory is a territory for a non-player character.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing at least one program that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

placing a territory for a first player of a computer-implemented multiplayer game in a virtual world for the multiplayer game, wherein a placement location of the territory for the first player is determined by the placement module independent of input from any player of the multiplayer game, wherein the virtual world comprises a plurality of territories arranged in a common game board layout for respective players of the multiplayer game;

receiving input from the first player in an interface of the computer-implemented multiplayer game, the input indicating selection of at least one other selected player from a defined set of one or more other players to associate the first player with territory adjacent to the territory of first player; and

placing a territory for at least one other selected player adjacent to the territory of the first player in the virtual world, wherein a placement of the territory for the at least one other selected player shares at least one common boundary with the territory for the first player, and wherein a placement location of the territory for the at least one other selected player is determined by the placement module independent of input from any player of the multiplayer game;

wherein a first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for the first player in the multiplayer game is unique to the first player, wherein a set of territories for the one or more other players accessible to the first player in the first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world is determined from in-game relationships established between the first player and the one or more other players, wherein the territory for the first player in the virtual world is inaccessible to players without an in-game relationship with the first player;

wherein a second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world respectively generated for each of the at least one other selected player in the multiplayer game is unique to each of the at least one other selected player, wherein a set of territories accessible to each of the at least one other selected player in the second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world is determined respectively from in-game relationships established between the at least one other selected player and the one or more other players; and

wherein the second layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for each of the at least one other selected player provides placements in the virtual world that are consistent with the first layout of accessible territories in the virtual world generated for the first player, based on the common game board layout of the virtual world.