IP Library Granted Patent US 11,083,969
Granted Patent B2
US 11,083,969 · App. 16/742,609 · Granted Aug 10, 2021

Adjusting object adaptive modification or game level difficulty and physical gestures through level definition files

Inventors: John Carlton Ware (Millbrae, CA); Christopher Vance Haire (Emeryville, CA); John vanSuchtelen (San Francisco, CA); Michael Waite (Alamo, CA); Alexandros Ntoulas (San Jose, CA); Jeffrey Zakrzewski (Toronto, CA); Oliver Attila Tabay (Thornhill, CA); Yuko Yamazaki (San Anselmo, CA); Paul Yih Yarng Chong (San Francisco, CA); Sudhish Iyer (Cupertino, CA); Xuyang (Amy) Tan (Fremont, CA); Ameya Vilankar (Sunnyvale, CA); Gaurav Narang (Belmont, CA)
Assignee: Zynga Inc.
A63F13/67A63F13/30A63F13/537A63F13/79A63F13/798
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,083,969
App. No.
16/742,609
Granted
Aug 10, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method to adjust twitch response and collision determination to a player's skill level is provided. Gameplay information of a computer-implemented game is accessed. The gameplay information including input information indicating one or more attributes of gameplay input provided by the player. A gameplay skill level of the player of the player is estimated based on the one or more gameplay input attributes. Based on the estimated gameplay skill level of the player, respective values of one or more gameplay parameters that determine on-screen behavior of virtual in-game objects are modified, thereby a gameplay difficulty level is modified.

Claims (33)

1. A method comprising:

accessing gameplay information for a player of a computer-implemented game in which gameplay comprises player control of on-screen movement of a virtual in-game object responsive at least in part to swipe input gestures provided by the player with respect to the in-game object;

in an automated operation performed using one or more computer processor devices configured therefor and based at least in part on the gameplay information, estimating a skill level of the player;

in an automated procedure based at least in part on the estimated skill level of the player, modifying a gameplay difficulty level for the player by modifying respective values of one or more swipe input parameters that define respective attributes of a swipe input gesture adequate to effect controlled movement of the in-game object, the one or more swipe input parameters including a smoothness of the swipe input gesture; and

controlling on-screen behavior of the in-game objects responsive to corresponding swipe input gestures from the player based on the one or more modified swipe input parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , Wherein the modifying of the one or more swipe input parameters is such that a relatively increased gameplay difficulty level is effected by a relative reduction in smoothness of swipe input gestures adequate to effect control movement of the in-game object.

3. The method of claim 1 , Wherein the one or more swipe input parameters includes a required range of a speed of the swipe input gesture to cause the in-game object to move.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swipe input parameters includes a required range of a size of the swipe input gesture relative to applicable screen size.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more swipe input parameters includes a required range of a duration of the swipe input gesture.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying of the gameplay difficulty level is applied to a particular game level, the modifying of the gameplay difficulty level comprising modifying a level definition file for the particular game level.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating of the skill level is performed based on automated analysis of historic gameplay results by the player.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating of the skill level is performed based on automated analysis of one or more attributes of swipe input gestures provided by the player during historic gameplay.

9. The method of claim 1 , Wherein modifying of the gameplay difficulty level further comprises modifying a required tilt angle of a game play device to effect registering of a tilt input employed during gameplay.

10. A system comprising:

one or more computer processor devices; and

memory having stored thereon computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processor devices, configure the system to perform operations comprising:

accessing gameplay information for a player of a computer-implemented game in which gameplay comprises player control of on-screen movement of a virtual in-game object responsive at least in part to swipe input gestures provided by the player with respect to the in-game object;

estimating a skill level of the player;

modifying a gameplay difficulty level for the player by modifying respective values of one or more swipe input parameters that define respective attributes of a swipe input gesture adequate to effect controlled movement of the in-game object, the one or more swipe input parameters including a smoothness of the swipe input gesture; and

controlling subsequent gameplay behavior responsive to swipe input gestures from the player based on the one or more modified swipe input parameters.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions configure the system to modify the one or more swipe input parameters such that a relatively increased gameplay difficulty level is effected by a relative reduction in smoothness of swipe input gestures adequate to effect control movement of the in-game object.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more swipe input parameters includes a required range of a speed of the swipe input gesture to cause the in-game object to move.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more swipe input parameters includes a required range of a size of the swipe input gesture relative to applicable screen size.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more swipe input parameters includes a required range of a duration of the swipe input gesture.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions modify the system such that modification of the gameplay difficulty level is applied to a particular game level, the modifying of the gameplay difficulty level comprising modifying a level definition file for the particular game level.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions configure the system to estimate the skill level of the player by automated analysis of historic gameplay results by the player.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions configure the system to estimate the skill level of the player by performing automated analysis of one or more attributes of swipe input gestures provided by the player during historic gameplay.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further configure the system to modify the gameplay difficulty level at least in part by modifying a required tilt angle of a game play device to effect registering of a tilt input employed during gameplay.

19. A non-transitive computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions for causing a machine, when executing the instructions, to perform operations comprising:

accessing gameplay information for a player of a computer-implemented game in which gameplay comprises player control of on-screen movement of a virtual in-game object responsive at least in part to swipe input gestures provided by the player with respect to the in-game object;

estimating a skill level of the player;

modifying a gameplay difficulty level for the player by modifying respective values of one or more swipe input parameters that define respective attributes of a swipe input gesture adequate to effect controlled movement of the in-game object, the one or more swipe input parameters including a smoothness of the swipe input gesture; and

controlling subsequent gameplay behavior responsive to swipe input gestures from the player based on the one or more modified swipe input parameters.

Assignments (4)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 23, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 060163/0437 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 11TH INVENTOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 055872 FRAME: 0479. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jul 6, 2021
From: WARE, JOHN CARLTON; HAIRE, CHRISTOPHER VANCE; VANSUCHTELEN, JOHN; WAITE, MICHAEL; NTOULAS, ALEXANDROS; ZAKRZEWSKI, JEFFREY; TABAY, OLIVER ATTILA; YAMAZAKI, YUKO; CHONG, PAUL YIH YARNG; IYER, SUDHISH; TAN, XUYNAG (AMY); VILANKAR, AMEYA; NARANG, GAURAV
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 056769/0152 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2021
From: WARE, JOHN CARLTON; HAIRE, CHRISTOPHER VANCE; VANSUCHTELEN, JOHN; WAITE, MICHAEL; NTOULAS, ALEXANDROS; ZAKRZEWSKI, JEFFREY; TABAY, OLIVER ATTILA; YAMAZAKI, YUKO; CHONG, PAUL YIH YARNG; IYER, SUDHISH; TAN, XUYANG; VILANKAR, AMEYA; NARANG, GAURAV
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 055872/0479 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 14, 2020
From: ZYNGA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054719/0490 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,214,282