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 having a plurality of game positions that can be occupied by players, the method comprising:
associating with each of a plurality of players a plurality of counters relating to respective game positions in the game, wherein a player's counter corresponding to a given game position is updated in response to the player occupying the given game position in a game instance; and
assigning players from the plurality of players to a game instance based on the counters, wherein the assigning step comprises, for a given game position in the game instance:
determining position weights for each of a set of players, wherein determining the position weight for a player comprises calculating the position weight based on the player's counter for the given game position and a number of games participated in by the player,
selecting one of the set of players based on the position weights, and
assigning the selected player to the given game position in the game instance.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the position weight for a player comprises:
determining a ratio of the number of games participated in by the player and the number of game positions available in the game, and
modifying the player's counter value based on the ratio.
3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising subtracting the ratio from the player's counter value.
4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising selecting the set of players from the plurality of players.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein selecting the set of players comprises selecting players who are currently idle and/or selecting the players based on idle indicators associated with each of the plurality of players.
6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein selecting the set of players comprises selecting randomly from available players.
7. The method according to claim 4 , comprising selecting a number of players for the set corresponding to the number of available game positions in the game instance.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the position weight is determined further in dependence on a time value indicating a time the player has been idle.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein assigning players further comprises applying one or more player placement rules, a player placement rule indicating a preference for or against placing a player at a particular position based on positions played by the player in previous game instances.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method of operating instances of a game having a plurality of game positions that can be occupied by players, the software code comprising code for:
associating with each of a plurality of players a plurality of counters relating to respective game positions in the game, wherein a player's counter corresponding to a given game position is updated in response to the player occupying the given game position in a game instance; and
assigning players from the plurality of players to a game instance based on the counters, wherein the assigning step comprises, for a given game position in the game instance:
determining position weights for each of a set of players, wherein determining the position weight for a player comprises calculating the position weight based on the player's counter for the given game position and a number of games participated in by the player,
selecting one of the set of players based on the position weights, and
assigning the selected player to the given game position in the game instance.
11. The medium according to claim 10 , wherein determining the position weight for a player comprises:
determining a ratio of the number of games participated in by the player and the number of game positions available in the game, and
modifying the player's counter value based on the ratio.
12. The medium according to claim 11 , the software code further comprising subtracting the ratio from the player's counter value.
13. The medium according to claim 10 , the software code further comprising selecting the set of players from the plurality of players.
14. The medium according to claim 13 , wherein selecting the set of players comprises selecting players who are currently idle and/or selecting the players based on idle indicators associated with each of the plurality of players.
15. The medium according to claim 13 , wherein selecting the set of players comprises selecting randomly from available players.
16. A system for operating instances of a game having a plurality of game positions that can be occupied by players, the system comprising:
means for associating with each of a plurality of players a plurality of counters relating to respective game positions in the game, wherein a player's counter corresponding to a given game position is updated in response to the player occupying the given game position in a game instance; and
means for assigning players from the plurality of players to a game instance based on the counters, wherein the assigning step comprises, for a given game position in the game instance:
means for determining position weights for each of a set of players, wherein determining the position weight for a player comprises calculating the position weight based on the player's counter for the given game position and a number of games participated in by the player,
means for selecting one of the set of players based on the position weights, and
means for assigning the selected player to the given game position in the game instance.
17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein determining the position weight for a player comprises:
determining a ratio of the number of games participated in by the player and the number of game positions available in the game, and
modifying the player's counter value based on the ratio.
18. The system according to claim 17 , the system further comprising means for subtracting the ratio from the player's counter value.
19. The system according to claim 16 , the system further comprising means for selecting the set of players from the plurality of players.
20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein selecting the set of players comprises selecting players who are currently idle and/or selecting the players based on idle indicators associated with each of the plurality of players.
21. The system according to claim 19 , wherein selecting the set of players comprises selecting randomly from available players.