Systems and methods for determining game level attributes based on player skill level prior to game play in the level

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

calculating a player skill level for a player of a computer-implemented game based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player;

prior to game play of the player in a second game level, automatically modifying at least one attribute of the second game level based on the player skill level to produce a plurality of modified attributes;

monitoring initial game play of the player in the second game level, which initial game play is implemented according to a set of level attributes that exclude the plurality of modified attributes:

identifying a difference between a current rate of progression of the player through the second game level and a reference rate of progression for the second game level;

based on an extent of the difference between the current rate of progression and the reference rate of progression, automatically selecting one of the plurality of modified attributes for activation in the second game level; and

in an automated operation using one or more computer processor devices, automatically modifying game play difficulty of the second game level by triggering the selected modified attribute of the second game level, such that subsequent game play in the second game level is implemented based at least in part on the selected modified attribute.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising:

calculating the reference rate of progression based at least on one or more game moves of a plurality of players in the second game level, wherein the reference rate of progression comprises a threshold range of a desirable rate of progression towards at least one of: a conclusion of the second game level and a second game level purchase decision.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level, a number of instances of a type of a virtual object available for presentation to the player during game play in the second game level of a type of a virtual object available.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level, a rate of appearance of a type of a virtual object available for presentation to the player during game play in the second game level of a type of a virtual object available.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein modifying, based on the player skill level, a rate of appearance of a type of a virtual object comprises:

modifying a rate of appearance of a barrel-type virtual object appears, wherein the receipt of a particular type of a virtual object by the barrel-type object eliminates all instances of the particular type of the virtual object from a game state of the second game level.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein calculating a player skill level for a player based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player comprises:

calculating the player skill level based on at least one of:

(1) an extent of a difference between the player's number of attempts for a game goal and a reference number of attempts for the game goal,

(2) an extent of a difference between a pattern of virtual objects selected by the player and a reference pattern of virtual objects, and

(3) an extent of a difference between an amount of in-game points earned by the player and a reference amount of in-game points.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

calculating a player skill level for a player of a computer-implemented game based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player;

prior to game play of the player in a second game level, automatically modifying at least one attribute of the second game level based on the player skill level to produce a plurality of modified attributes;

monitoring initial game play of the player in the second game level, which initial game play is implemented according to a set of level attributes that exclude the plurality of modified attributes;

identifying a difference between a current rate of progression of the player through the second game level and a reference rate of progression for the second game level;

based on an extent of the difference between the current rate of progression and the reference rate of progression, automatically selecting one of the plurality of modified attributes for activation in the second game level; and

automatically modifying game play difficult of the second game level by triggering the selected modified attribute of the second game level, such that subsequent game play in the second game level is implemented based at least in part on the selected modified attribute.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the operations further include:

calculating the reference rate of progression based at least on one or more game moves of a plurality of players in the second game level, wherein the reference rate of progression comprises a threshold range of a desirable rate of progression towards at least one of: a conclusion of the second game level and a second game level purchase decision.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level, a number of instances of a type of a virtual object available for presentation to the player during game play in the second game level of a type of a virtual object available.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level, a rate of appearance of a type of a virtual object available for presentation to the player during game play in the second game level of a type of a virtual object available.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein modifying, based on the player skill level, a rate of appearance of a type of a virtual object comprises:

modifying a rate of appearance of a barrel-type virtual object appears, wherein the receipt of a particular type of a virtual object by the barrel-type object eliminates all instances of the particular type of the virtual object from a game state of the second game level.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein calculating a player skill level for a player based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player comprises:

calculating the player skill level based on at least one of:

(1) an extent of a difference between the player's number of attempts for a game goal and a reference number of attempts for the game goal,

(2) an extent of a difference between a pattern of virtual objects selected by the player and a reference pattern of virtual objects, and

(3) an extent of a difference between an amount of in-game points earned by the player and a reference amount of in-game points.

13. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device holding an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

calculating a player skill level for a player of a computer-implemented game based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player;

prior to game play of the player in a second game level, automatically modifying at least one attribute of the second game level based on the player skill level—to produce a plurality of modified attributes;

monitoring initial game play of the player in the second game level, which initial game play is implemented according to a set of level attributes that exclude the plurality of modified attributes;

identifying a difference between a current rate of progression of the player through the second game level and a reference rate of progression for the second game level;

based on an extent of the difference between the current rate of progression and the reference rate of progression, automatically selecting one of the plurality of modified attributes for activation in the second game level; and

automatically modifying game play difficulty of the second game level by triggering the selected modified attribute of the second game level, such that subsequent game play in the second game level is implemented based at least in part on the selected modified attribute.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:

calculating the reference rate of progression based at least on one or more game moves of a plurality of players in the second game level, wherein the reference rate of progression comprises a threshold range of a desirable rate of progression towards at least one of: a conclusion of the second game level and a second game level purchase decision.

15. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level, a number of instances of a type of a virtual object available for presentation to the player during game play in the second game level of a type of a virtual object available.

16. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level, a rate of appearance of a type of a virtual object available for presentation to the player during game play in the second game level of a type of a virtual object available.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein modifying, based on the player skill level, a rate of appearance of a type of a virtual object comprises:

modifying a rate of appearance of a barrel-type virtual object appears, wherein the receipt of a particular type of a virtual object by he barrel-type object eliminates all instances of the particular type of the virtual object from a game state of the second game level.

18. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying a rate of appearance of a elimination attribute appears, wherein the elimination attribute triggers removal of a plurality of virtual objects of a same type from a game state of the second game level.

19. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein modifying at least one attribute of a second game level comprises:

prior to any game play of the player in the second game level, modifying, based on the player skill level a rate of appearance of an option for a type of an in-game purchase transaction.

20. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein calculating a player skill level for a player based at least on a plurality of game moves in a first game level completed by the player comprises:

calculating the player skill level based at least one an extent of a difference between a pattern of use by the player of virtual objects that provide bonus points and a reference pattern of use of bonus virtual objects.