Method and system for operating instances of a game
Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of (and system for) operating instances of a game having a plurality of game positions that can be occupied by players, such as a poker-type game. The method comprises assigning a player a plurality of weights relating to game positions, where each weight indicates a bias towards placement of the player at a game position. When a player has played in a first game at a given position, the weights are updated to indicate an altered bias towards placement at each position. The player is then assigned to a second game based on the updated weights.
1. A computer-implemented method of operating instances of a game, the method comprising:
connecting a client application associated with a player to a first game instance operated by a server;
in response to cessation of participation of the player in the first game instance, assigning the player to a second game instance;
assigning, for the player, a respective weight to each seat position of the second game instance according to a predetermined position sequence, wherein each assigned weight indicates a bias against placement of the player at a respective seat, and wherein, for a seat position occupied by the player in the first game instance, the weight assigned indicates a stronger bias against placement of the player than a weight from a prior game for that seat position;
connecting the client application to the second game instance;
placing the player at one of the seat positions of the second game instance selected according to the assigned weight; and
maintaining a first connection between the first game instance and the client application and maintaining a second connection between the second game instance and the client application, during participation of the player in the second game instance and while the player has ceased participation in the first game instance.
2. A method according to claim 1 , comprising:
receiving an indication at the client application that the game in the first game instance has finished; and
in response to the indication, terminating the first connection to the first game instance, the second connection maintained after terminating the first connection.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the assigning is performed in response to a user interaction indicating a desire to withdraw from the game.
4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the assigning is performed in response to a user interaction indicating a desire to withdraw from the game out of turn.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein maintaining the first connection to the first game instance prevents the cessation of participation of the player in the first game instance from being revealed to other players of the first game instance.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein cessation of participation indicates the player has finished participation in the first game instance out-of-turn and will be unable to participate further in the first game instance.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weights of the seat positions also are assigned according to a seating position of the player at the first game instance.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method comprising to cause the data processing apparatus to at least:
connect a client application associated with a player to a first game instance operated by a server;
in response to cessation of participation of the player in the first game instance, assign the player to a second game instance;
assign, for the player, a respective weight to each seat position of the second game instance according to a predetermined position sequence, wherein each assigned weight indicates a bias against placement of the player at a respective seat position, and wherein, for a seat position occupied by the player in the first game instance, the weight assigned indicates a stronger bias against placement of the player than a weight from a prior game for that seat position;
connect the client application to the second game instance;
place the player at one of the seat positions of the second game instance selected according to the assigned weight; and
maintain a first connection between the first game instance and the client application and maintain a second connection between the second game instance and the client application, during participation of the player in the second game instance and while the player is not participating in the first game instance.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein maintaining the first connection to the first game instance prevents the cessation of participation of the player in the first game instance from being revealed to other players of the first game instance.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first connection is terminated upon the player's turn to fold in the first game instance.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the weights of the seat positions also are assigned according to a seating position of the player at the first game instance.
12. A system comprising:
a processing device;
a memory comprising code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processing to comprise:
connecting a client application associated with a player to a first game instance operated by a server;
assigning the player to a second game instance, in response to cessation of participation of the player in the first game instance;
assigning, for the player, a respective weight to each seat position of the second game instance according to a predetermined position sequence, wherein each assigned weight indicates a bias against placement of the player at a respective seat position, and wherein, for a seat position occupied by the player in the first game instance, the weight assigned indicates a stronger bias against placement of the player than a weight from a prior game for that seat position;
connecting the client application to the second game instance;
placing the player at one of the seat positions of the second game instance selected according to the assigned weight; and
maintaining a first connection of the client application to the first game instance while connected, by a second connection of the client application, to the second game instance during participation of the player in the second game instance and while the player has ceased participation in the first game instance.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein maintaining the first connection to the first game instance prevents the cessation of participation of the player in the first game instance from being revealed to other players of the first game instance.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first player is marked as idle in the first game instance.
15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
terminating the first connection to the first game instance in response to receiving an indication that the first game instance has finished, wherein the second connection is maintained after terminating the first connection.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the assigning is performed in response to a user interaction indicating a desire to withdraw from the first game instance.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the assigning is performed in response to a user interaction indicating a desire to withdraw from the first game instance out of turn.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein cessation of participation indicates the player has finished all participation in the first game instance and will be unable to participate further in the first game instance.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first connection is terminated upon the player's turn to fold in the first game instance.
20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the weights of the seat positions also are assigned according to a seating position of the player at the first game instance.