U.S. Patent No. 9,174,128: Dynamic quests in game
Issued: November 3, 2015
Assigned: Zynga Inc.
Priority Date: April 26, 2012
Summary:
This patent relates to creating computer-generated quests for a game. Some games provide challenges to players, where the challenges entail the completion of tasks. As a player completes each challenge, the player receives rewards, and new challenges are provided. The challenges, sometimes called quests, are needed in large numbers. This is because if players run out of challenges, they will likely leave the game because there is nothing else to do. Additionally, some players may dislike some challenges. The players may ignore these challenges and continue to look for challenges they find more appealing. However, creating challenges is a time-consuming task. In order for expert players to stay engaged, and to provide challenges to the liking of every player, a system is needed to create a large number of challenges at a minimum cost.
This patent relates to methods, computer programs and systems to create quests, referred to as dynamic quests. One method includes a template for creating a quest. The quest includes tasks as well as rewards, which are provided to a player upon completion of the tasks. The template includes template tasks and template rewards. The method involves an operation to select one or more template tasks and an operation to select one or more template rewards. After these selections take place, the new quest is created. This gives players more reasons to collect items or kill monsters.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for executing a game and for creating computer-generated game quests, which are referred to as dynamic quests. One method includes an operation for identifying a template for creating a dynamic quest. The dynamic quest includes quest tasks and quest rewards, which are provided to a player upon completion of the quest tasks in the game. The template includes template tasks and template rewards. Further, the method includes an operation for selecting one or more template tasks for the quest tasks, and an operation for selecting one or more template rewards for the quest rewards. The dynamic quest is created in the game with the selected one or more template tasks and the selected one or more template rewards.
Illustrative Claim:
1. A method for executing an online game, the method comprising: determining, by a computer program, if a number of game quests assigned to a player in the online game is below a predetermined threshold; when the number of game quests is below the predetermined threshold, identifying a template from a plurality of templates for a dynamic quest to be created by the computer program, the template including a plurality of tasks and a plurality of rewards, wherein each task is predefined and specifies a respective assignment that a player must complete in the online game; selecting two or more tasks from the template for the dynamic quest, the two or more tasks defining a subset from the plurality of tasks, the selecting of two or more tasks being performed by the computer program automatically without requiring user input to select the two or more tasks; determining an amount of game currency required to buy completion of the selected two or more tasks; selecting, by the computer program, one or more rewards from the template for the dynamic quest based on the amount of game currency required; creating the dynamic quest in the online game with the selected two or more tasks and the selected one or more rewards; and providing the dynamic quest to the player in the online game after the creating, wherein the selected one or more rewards are provided to the player after the player completes all the selected two or more tasks in the dynamic quest, wherein operations of the method are executed by a processor.
Research By: Rachel Johns
Edited By: Andrew F. Thomas