U.S. patent application number 13/244928 was filed with the patent office on 2013-02-28 for method and system to validate in-game actions in a multiplayer online game.
The applicant listed for this patent is Robert Anderson, Nimai Malle, Scott G. Miller. Invention is credited to Robert Anderson, Nimai Malle, Scott G. Miller.
Application Number | 20130053150 13/244928 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47744498 |
Filed Date | 2013-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130053150 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miller; Scott G. ; et
al. |
February 28, 2013 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM TO VALIDATE IN-GAME ACTIONS IN A MULTIPLAYER
ONLINE GAME
Abstract
This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods to
validate in-game actions performed in a multiplayer online game.
Subsequent to performance of one or more in-game actions by a game
engine that includes game code on a client-side client system, one
or more corresponding validation actions may be performed by a
validation engine on a server-side validation system, the
validation engine having validation code that is identical to the
game code. Results of execution of the validation actions may be
compared to provisional game state information resulting from
performance of the in-game actions, to validate the in-game
actions.
Inventors: |
Miller; Scott G.; (Austin,
TX) ; Malle; Nimai; (Austin, TX) ; Anderson;
Robert; (Austin, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Miller; Scott G.
Malle; Nimai
Anderson; Robert |
Austin
Austin
Austin |
TX
TX
TX |
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
47744498 |
Appl. No.: |
13/244928 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13215543 |
Aug 23, 2011 |
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13244928 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/75 20140902;
G07F 17/3241 20130101; A63F 13/822 20140902; A63F 2300/5533
20130101; G07F 17/3272 20130101; A63F 13/35 20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method to validate in-game actions
performed in a computer-implemented game, the method comprising:
executing at a server-side device one or more validation actions
corresponding to one or more in-game actions performed at a
client-side device in an instance of the computer-implemented game,
the one or more validation actions being executed using validation
code identical to game code used to execute the one or more in-game
actions; and invalidating at least one of the one or more in-game
actions responsive to malperformance of at least one corresponding
validation action.
2. (canceled)
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein execution of
at least some of the one or more validation actions includes
performing a prerequisite check to determine whether one or more
predefined game state requirements for the corresponding in-game
action are satisfied, malperformance of a particular one of the one
or more validation action comprising failure of a corresponding
prerequisite check for the particular validation action.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the one or
more validation actions comprises a sequence of validation actions
corresponding to a sequence of in-game actions, failure of the
prerequisite check for the particular validation action
automatically resulting in nonperformance of validation actions
following the particular validation action in the sequence of
validation actions.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein execution of
each of the one or more validation actions produces validation game
state information, the method further comprising: comparing, for
each executed validation action, the validation game state
information with corresponding provisional game state information
associated with the corresponding in-game action; and validating
each one of the one or more in-game actions for which the
provisional game state information and the corresponding validation
game state information are identical.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein
malperformance of the at least one validation action comprises
determining that the provisional game state information and the
validation game state information corresponding to the at least one
validation action are not identical.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the
provisional game state information and the validation game state
information comprises a game state delta that indicates one or more
changes to a game state caused by performance of the associated
in-game action and the associated validation action,
respectively.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising
receiving a validation request that includes: one or more action
identifiers respectively indicating the one of more in-game actions
to be validated; and provisional game state information for each of
the one or more in-game actions.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the
validation request further includes prior game state information
that indicates game state information corresponding to a most
recent validated in-game action prior to performance of any of the
one or more in-game actions indicated in the validation
request.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising
populating a game state library of a validation engine that
includes the validation code with the prior game state information,
execution of the one or more validation actions being performed by
using the validation code in cooperation with the game state
library.
11. A system to validate in-game actions performed in a
computer-implemented game, the system comprising a server-side
validation engine to: execute one or more validation actions
corresponding to one or more in-game actions performed at a
client-side device in an instance of the computer-implemented game,
the one or more validation actions being executed using validation
code identical to game code used to execute the one or more in-game
actions; and invalidate at least one of the one or more in-game
actions responsive to malperformance of at least one corresponding
validation action.
12. (canceled)
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the validation engine is
configured such that execution of at least some of the one or more
validation actions includes performing a prerequisite check to
determine whether one or more predefined game state requirements
for the corresponding in-game action are satisfied, malperformance
of a particular one of the one or more validation action comprising
failure of a corresponding prerequisite check for the particular
validation action.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more validation
actions comprises a sequence of validation actions corresponding to
a sequence of in-game actions, the validation engine being
configured such that failure of the prerequisite check for the
particular validation action automatically results in
nonperformance of validation actions following the particular
validation action in the sequence of validation actions.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the validation engine is
configured to produce validation game state information resulting
from execution of each of the one or more validation actions, the
system further comprising a comparison module to compare, for each
executed validation action, the validation game state information
with corresponding provisional game state information associated
with the corresponding in-game action, the validation engine
further being configured to validate each one of the one or more
in-game actions for which the provisional game state information
and the corresponding validation game state information are
identical.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein malperformance of the at least
one validation action comprises determination by the comparison
module that the provisional game state information and the
validation game state information corresponding to the at least one
validation action are not identical.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the provisional game state
information and the validation game state information comprises a
game state delta that indicates one or more changes to a game state
caused by performance of the associated in-game action and the
associated validation action, respectively.
18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a receiving module
to receive a validation request that includes: one or more action
identifiers respectively indicating the one or more in-game actions
to be validated; and provisional game state formation for each of
the one or more in-game actions.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the validation request further
includes prior game state information that indicates game state
information corresponding to a most recent validated in-game action
prior to performance of any of the one or more in-game actions
indicated in the validation request.
20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing
instructions which, when performed by a machine, cause the machine
to: execute at a server-side device one or more validation actions
corresponding to one or more in-game actions performed at a
client-side device in an instance of the computer-implemented game,
the one or more validation actions being executed using validation
code identical to game code used to execute the one or more in-game
actions; and invalidate at least one of the one or more in-game
actions responsive to malperformance of at least one corresponding
validation action.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit
of priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 to U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 13/215,543, filed on Aug. 23, 2011, which is hereby
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure generally relates to games and applications
in general and, in particular, to computer-implemented online
games, such as online role-playing games (RPGs) that are playable
by more than one person from more than one location.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In many online computer games, there is a virtual world or
some other imagined playing space where a player of the game
controls one or more player characters (herein "characters,"
"player characters," or "PCs"). Player characters can be considered
in-game representations of the controlling player. As used herein,
the terms player, user, entity, neighbor, friend, and the like may
refer to the in-game player character controlled by that player,
user, entity, or friend, unless context suggests otherwise. A game
display can display a representation of the player character. A
game engine accepts inputs from the player, determines player
character actions, decides outcomes of events, and presents the
player with a game display illuminating game play. In sonic games,
there are multiple players, wherein each player controls one or
more player characters.
[0004] Many online computer games are operated on an online social
network. Such a network allows both users and other parties to
interact with the computer games directly, whether to play the
games or to retrieve game- or user-related information. Internet
users may maintain one or more accounts with various service
providers, including, for example, online game networking systems
and online social networking systems. Online systems can typically
be accessed using browser clients (e.g., Firefox, Chrome, Internet
Explorer).
[0005] A client-side computing device or computer system may
present the online game to the user by executing coded game logic
or scripts for the online game. For example, a player may visit a
virtual city of the online game, and may perform an in-game action
by initiating a battle between the player's player character and
another character in the virtual city. To perform and animate the
battle, the player's client computing device may execute game view
logic (e.g., JavaScript or ActionScript) to generate a visual
representation of the in-game action, while execution of the battle
or in-game action by game logic on the client computing device may
make changes to a game state associated with the player based on
the in-game action.
[0006] Such client-side execution of in-game actions allows near
real-time interaction between the player and the client computing
device, promoting immersive gameplay action. Unauthorized
modification of game view logic and social games state information
by a player on the client computing device may, however, allow
devious users to obtain an unfair advantage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system for implementing
particular disclosed embodiments.
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a more detailed view of an example system
for implementing an example embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates an example validation system for
implementing particular disclosed embodiments.
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates an example game management system for
implementing particular disclosed embodiments. FIGS. 5A and 5B
illustrate high-level views of respective methods of implementing
exemplary embodiments.
[0011] FIG. 6 illustrates a more detailed view of a flowchart for
an example method of implementing a particular disclosed
embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 7 illustrates an example data flow in a system.
[0013] FIG. 8 illustrates an example network environment.
[0014] FIG. 9 illustrates an example computer system
architecture.
DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0015] One example embodiment may provide a method and system to
validate, on a server-side validation system, in-game actions
performed on a client system in a multiplayer online game by
executing server-side validation actions identical to the in-game
actions on server-side coded game logic identical to client-side
coded game logic by which the in-game actions were initially
executed. Results of server-side execution of the validation
actions may be compared to results of client-side execution of the
in-game actions, and the in-game actions may be validated if the
respective results are identical.
[0016] The example method may thus comprise receiving one or more
action identifiers that respectively indicate one or more
corresponding in-game actions or steps executed on a client system
or client computing device responsive to player inputs received
from a player, the one or more in-game actions having been executed
on the client system by coded game logic, and receiving provisional
game state information with respect to a game state associated with
the player after execution of the one or more in-game actions on
the client system. The embodiment may further comprise executing,
based on the one or more action identifiers, one or more validation
actions or steps identical to the one or more in-game actions, with
the validation actions being executed on a validation system remote
from the client system by coded validation logic that is identical
to the coded game logic on the client system. Results of execution
of the one or more validation actions may be compared to the
provisional game state information, to validate the one or more
in-game actions. Game state information may, for example, comprise:
a player character's spatial location or orientation in a virtual
environment of a game instance; a player's score, experience score,
energy level, or the like; and/or the state of an in-game
environment or world associated with the player.
[0017] The method may further comprise generating verification game
state information as at least part of the results of execution of
the one or more validation actions, and validating the one or more
in-game actions when the provisional game state information is
identical to the verification game state information. Thus, in
instances where the provisional game state information is identical
to the verification game state information, either for a particular
action or for a group or sequence of actions, the corresponding
in-game action(s) may be validated. However, if the provisional
game state information is not identical to the verification game
state information, the in-game action(s) may be invalidated. As
used herein, the term "invalidate" includes failure of a validation
operation or validation check. The method may also comprise
receiving prior game state information that indicates previously
validated game state information with respect to the player
immediately before execution of the one or more in-game actions. In
such a case, the generation of the verification game state
information may be based at least in part on the prior game state
information, the verification game state information being
generated by applying to the prior game state information game
state changes caused by execution of the one or more validation
actions.
[0018] The provisional game state information and/or the
verification game state information may comprise at least one game
state delta that indicates one or more changes to a game state
caused by performance of the one or more in-game actions. The at
least one game state delta may thus comprise one or more game step
deltas corresponding respectively to the one or more in-game
actions, each of the one or more game step deltas indicating
changes to the game state caused by performance of a corresponding
in-game action. In such a case, generating of the verification game
state information may comprise generating one or more verification
step deltas corresponding to the respective patient actions, each
verification step delta indicating one or more changes to a
verification game state caused by performance of a corresponding
meditation action. The operation of comparing the results of
execution of the validation actions to the provisional game state
information may in turn comprise comparing each game step delta to
a corresponding verification step delta, and validating a
particular in-game action if its associated verification step delta
is identical to the corresponding game step delta. The in-game
actions or steps may thus be validated individually or separately,
even though a plurality of in-game action identifiers may be
received together for validation, for example in a validation
request.
[0019] The one or more in-game actions that are to be validated may
comprise a sequence of in-game actions. In such case, the method
may further comprise validating the sequence of in-game actions
individually and in sequence until a particular in-game action is
invalidated, or until the entire sequence of in-game actions is
validated. Validation of the one or more in-game actions may in
such case comprise producing verification game state information
associated with a last or latest validated in-game action in the
sequence of in-game actions. Such verification game state
information may be transmitted to a master game state system to
persist or store the last or furthest validated game state
information.
[0020] The coded game logic may be configured to perform a
prerequisite check with respect to at least one of the in-game
actions and/or validation actions, the prerequisite check being to
establish whether predefined game state prerequisites or
assumptions for executing the corresponding action or step are
satisfied. The method may in such case comprise determining that a
particular in-game action is invalidated if the prerequisite check
for the corresponding validation action fails. In such case, the
results of execution of the one or more validation actions may
include an indication as to whether or not the respective
validation actions are executed by the coded validation logic,
e.g., whether or not the respective prerequisite checks succeeded
or failed. It will be appreciated that failure of a prerequisite
check, and hence invalidation of the corresponding in-game action,
necessarily results in a difference between the provisional game
state information and the verification game state information,
because game state changes resulting from performance of the
particular in-game action (and reflected in the provisional game
state information) are not replicated in the verification game
state information, due to nonperformance of the corresponding
validation action.
[0021] An example game environment for implementing the
above-described method and system is set forth below, whereafter
the example embodiment is described in greater detail, in the
context of the example game environment.
Example Game Environment
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system for implementing
various disclosed embodiments. In particular embodiments, system
100 comprises player 101, social networking system 140, game
networking system 150, client system 130, and network 160. The
components of system 100 can be connected to each other in any
suitable configuration, using any suitable type of connection. The
components may be connected directly or over a network 160, which
may be any suitable network. For example, one or more portions of
network 160 may he an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a
virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a
wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN
(WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the
Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN), a cellular telephone network, another type of network, or a
combination of two or more such networks.
[0023] Social networking system 140 is a network-addressable
computing system that can host one or more social graphs. An
electronic social networking system typically operates with one or
more social networking servers providing interaction between users
such that a user can specify other users of the social networking
system as "friends." A collection of users and the "friend"
connections between users can form a social graph that can he
traversed to find second, third and more remote connections between
users, much like a graph of nodes connected by edges can be
traversed.
[0024] Social networking system 140 can generate, store, receive,
and transmit social networking data. Social networking system 140
can be accessed by the other components of system 100 either
directly or via network 160. Game networking system 150 is a
network-addressable computing system that can host one or more
online games. Game networking system 150 can generate, store,
receive, and transmit game-related data, such as, for example, game
account data, game input, game state data, and game displays. Game
networking system 150 can be accessed by the other components of
system 100 either directly or via network 160. Player 101 may use
client system 130 to access, send data to, and receive data from
social networking system 140 and game networking system 150. Client
system 130 can access social networking system 140 or game
networking system 150 directly, via network 160, or via, a
third-party system. As an example and not by way of limitation,
client system 130 may access game networking system 150 via social
networking system 140. Client system 130 can be any suitable
computing device, such as a personal computer, laptop, cellular
phone, smart phone, computing tablet, or the like.
[0025] Although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular number of players
101, social networking systems 140, game networking systems 150,
client systems 130, and networks 160, this disclosure contemplates
any suitable number of players 101, social networking systems 140,
game networking systems 150, client systems 130, and networks 160.
As an example and not by way of limitation, system 100 may include
one or more game networking systems 150 and no social networking
system 140. As another example and not by way of limitation, system
100 may include a system that comprises both social networking
system 140 and game networking system 150. Moreover, although FIG.
1 illustrates a particular arrangement of player 101, social
networking system 140, game networking system 150, client system
130, and network 160, this disclosure contemplates any suitable
arrangement of player 101, social networking system 140, game
networking system 150, client system 130, and network 160.
[0026] The components of system 100 may be connected to each other
using any suitable connections 110. For example, suitable
connections 110 include wireline (such as, for example, Digital
Subscriber Line (DSL) or Data Over Cable Service Interface
Specification (DOCSIS)), wireless (such as, for example, Wi-Fi or
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)) or optical
(such as, for example, Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) or
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) connections. In particular
embodiments, one or more connections 110 each include an ad hoc
network, an intranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a
WWAN, a MAN, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the PSTN, a
cellular telephone network, another type of connection, or a
combination of two or more such connections. Connections 110 need
not necessarily be the same throughout system 100. One or more
first connections 110 may differ in one or more respects from one
or more second connections 110. Although FIG. 1 illustrates
particular connections 110 between player 101, social networking
system 140, game networking system 150, client system 130, and
network 160, this disclosure contemplates any suitable connections
between player 101, social networking system 140, game networking
system 150, client system 130, and network 160. As an example and
not by way of limitation, in particular embodiments, client system
130 may have a direct connection to social networking system 140 or
game networking system 150, bypassing network 160.
Game Networking Systems
[0027] In an online computer game, a game engine manages the game
state of the game and effects changes to the game state based on
in-game actions performed by a player (e.g., player 101 of FIG. 1).
A game state comprises all game play parameters, including player
character state, non-player character (NPC) state, in-game object
state, game world state (e.g., internal game clocks, game
environment), and other game play parameters. Each player 101
controls one or more player characters (PCs). The game engine
controls all other aspects of the game, including non-player
characters (NPCs) and in-game objects. The game engine also manages
game state, including player character state for currently active
(online) and inactive (offline) players.
[0028] In the example environment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an
online game can be administered by game networking system 150,
while a game engine 204 may be hosted on the client device or
client system 130. The game networking system 150 can be accessed
by the client system 130 using any suitable connection. A player
may have a game account on game networking system 150, wherein the
game account can contain a variety of information associated with
the player (e.g., the player's personal information, financial
information, purchase history, player character state, game state).
In some embodiments, a player may play multiple games administered
by game networking system 150, which may maintain a single game
account for the player with respect to all the games, or multiple
individual game accounts for each game with respect to the player.
In some embodiments, game networking system 150 can assign a unique
identifier to each player 101 of an online game administered by
game networking system 150. Game networking system 150 can
determine that a player 101 is accessing the online game by reading
the user's cookies, which may be appended to Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) requests transmitted by client system 130, and/or
by the player 101 logging onto the online game.
[0029] In embodiments in which the game engine 204 is provided by
the client system 130, player 101 may access the game and control
the game's progress via client system 130 (e.g., by inputting
commands to the game at the client device). Client system 130 may
display the game interface by use of game view logic 208 (FIG. 2),
receive inputs from player 101, and may perform in-game actions or
events responsive to the user inputs by means of game logic 212
forming part of the game engine 204. The game logic 212 may effect
changes to game state information associated with the player 101
caused by the in-game actions performed responsive to user input.
The client system 130 may also maintain a game state library 216
that stores game state information indicative of the game state
associated with the player 101. Game state information may, for
example, include player state information and world state
information.
[0030] The client system 130 may be in continuous communication
with the game networking system 150 or may intermittently transfer
to the game networking system 150 update information with respect
to in-game actions executed by the game engine 204. Client system
130 can thus, for example, download client components of an online
game, which are executed locally, while a remote game server, such
as game networking system 150, provides backend support for the
client components and may be responsible for maintaining the
application data of the game, updating and/or synchronizing the
game state based on the game logic 212 and each input from the
player 101, and transmitting instructions to client system 130.
Execution of the game engine 204 on the client system 130 enables
off-line and/or asynchronous gameplay by a user via the client
system 130.
Game Play
[0031] In particular embodiments, player 101 can engage in, or
cause a player character controlled by him to engage in, one or
more in-game actions. For a particular game, various types of
in-game actions may be available to player 101. As an example and
not by way of limitation, a player character in an online
role-playing game may be able to interact with other player
characters, build a virtual house, attack enemies, go on a quest,
and go to a virtual store to virtual items. As another example and
not by way of limitation, a player character in an online poker
game may be able to play at specific tables, place bets of virtual
or legal currency for certain amounts, discard or hold certain
cards, play or fold certain hands, and play in a online poker
tournament.
[0032] In particular embodiments, player 101 may engage in an
in-game action by providing one or more user inputs to client
system 130. Various actions may require various types and numbers
of user inputs. Some types of in-game actions may require a single
user input. As an example and not by way of limitation, player 101
may be able to harvest a virtual crop by clicking on it once with a
mouse. Some types of in-game actions may require multiple user
inputs. As another example and not by way of limitation, player 101
may be able throw a virtual fireball at an in-game object by
entering the following sequence on a keyboard: DOWN, DOWN and
RIGHT, RIGHT, B. This disclosure contemplates engaging in in-game
actions using any suitable number and type of user inputs.
[0033] In particular embodiments, player 101 can perform an in-game
action on an in-game object or with respect to another player
character. An in-game object is any interactive element of an
online game. In-game objects may include, for example, PCs, NPCs,
in-game assets and other virtual items, in-game obstacles, game
elements, game features, and other in-game objects. This disclosure
contemplates performing in-game actions on any suitable in-game
objects. For a particular in-game object, various types of in-game
actions may be available to player 101 based on the type of in-game
object. As an example and not by way of limitation, if player 101
encounters a virtual bear, the game engine may give him the options
of shooting the bear or petting the bear. Some in-game actions may
be available for particular types of in-game objects but not other
types. As an example and not by way of limitation, if player 101
encounters a virtual rock, the game engine may give him the option
of moving the rock; however, unlike the virtual bear, the game
engine may not allow player 101 to shoot or pet the virtual rock.
Furthermore, for a particular in-game object, various types of
in-game actions may be available to player 101 based on the game
state of the in-game object. As an example and not by way of
limitation, if player 101 encounters a virtual crop that was
recently planted, the game engine may give him only the option of
fertilizing the crop, but if player 101 returns to the virtual crop
later when it is fully grown, the game engine may give him only the
option of harvesting the crop.
[0034] In particular embodiments, the game engine may cause one or
more game events to occur in the game. Game events may include, for
example, a change in game state, an outcome of an engagement, a
completion of an in-game obstacle, a transfer of an in-game asset
or other virtual item, or a provision of access, rights and/or
benefits. In particular embodiments, a game event is any change in
game state. Similarly, any change in game state may be a game
event. This disclosure contemplates any suitable type of game
event. As an example and not by way of limitation, the game engine
may cause a game event where the virtual world cycles between
daytime and nighttime every 24 hours. As another example and not by
way of limitation, the game engine may cause a game event where a
new instance, level, or area of the game becomes available to
player 101. As yet another example and not by way of limitation,
the game engine may cause a game event where player 101's player
character heals one hit point every 5 minutes.
[0035] In particular embodiments, a game event or change in game
state may be an outcome of one or more in-game actions. The game
engine can determine the outcome of a game event or a change in
game state according to a variety of factors, such as, for example,
game logic or rules, player character in-game actions, player
character state, game state of one or more in-game objects,
interactions of other player characters, or random calculations. As
an example and not by way of limitation, player 101 may overcome an
in-game obstacle and earn sufficient experience points to advance
to the next level, thereby changing the game state of player 101's
player character (it advances to the next character level). As
another example and not by way of limitation, player 101 may defeat
a particular boss NPC in a game instance, thereby causing a game
event where the game instance is completed, and the player advances
to a new game instance. As yet another example and not by way of
limitation, player 101 may pick the lock on a virtual door to open
it, thereby changing the game state of the door (it goes from
closed to open) and causing a game event (the player can access a
new area of the game).
[0036] In particular embodiments, player 101 may access particular
game instances of an online game. A game instance is a copy of a
specific game play area that is created during runtime. In
particular embodiments, a game instance is a discrete game play
area where one or more players 101 can interact in synchronous or
asynchronous play. A game instance may be, for example, a level,
zone, area, region, location, virtual space, or other suitable play
area. A game instance may be populated by one or more in-game
objects. Each object may be defined within the game instance by one
or more variables, such as, for example, position, height, width,
depth, direction, time, duration, speed, color, and other suitable
variables. A game instance may be exclusive (i.e., accessible by
specific players) or non-exclusive (i.e., accessible by any
player). In particular embodiments, a game instance is populated by
one or more player characters controlled by one or more players 101
and one or more in-game objects controlled by the game engine. When
accessing an online game, the game engine may allow player 101 to
select a particular game instance to play from a plurality of game
instances. Alternatively, the game engine may automatically select
the game instance that player 101 will access. In particular
embodiments, an online game comprises only one game instance that
all players 101 of the online game can access.
[0037] In particular embodiments, a specific game instance may be
associated with one or more specific players. A game instance is
associated with a specific player when one or more game parameters
of the game instance are associated with the specific player. As an
example and not by way of limitation, a game instance associated
with a first player may be named "First Player's Play Area." This
game instance may be populated with the first player's PC and one
or more in-game objects associated with the first player. As used
herein, a player who is thus uniquely associated with a specific
game instance, and to whom certain actions are exclusively
available, is referred to as a "host player."
[0038] Such a game instance associated with a specific player may
be accessible by one or more other players, either synchronously or
asynchronously with the specific player's game play. As an example
and not by way of limitation, a first player (i.e., the host
player) may be associated with a first game instance, but the first
game instance may be accessed by all first-degree friends in the
first player's social network. As used herein, players thus
accessing a game instance associated with another player are
referred to as "guest players." In particular embodiments, the game
engine may create a specific game instance for a specific player
when that player accesses the game. As an example and not by way of
limitation, the game engine may create a first game instance when a
first player initially accesses an online game, and that same game
instance may be loaded each time the first player accesses the
game.
[0039] In particular embodiments, the set of in-game actions
available to a specific player may be different in a game instance
that is associated with that player (e.g., in which the player is a
host player) compared to a game instance that is not associated
with that player (e.g., in which the player is a guest player). The
set of in-game actions available to a specific player in a game
instance associated with that player may be a subset, superset, or
independent of the set of in-game actions available to that player
in a game instance that is not associated with him. As an example
and not by way of limitation, a first player may be associated with
Blackacre Farm in an online farming game. The first player may be
able to plant crops on Blackacre Farm. If the first player accesses
a game instance associated with another player, such as Whiteacre
Farm, the game engine may not allow the first player to plant crops
in that game instance. However, other in-game actions may be
available to the first player, such as watering or fertilizing
crops on Whiteacre Farm.
Example System
[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a game networking system 150 for
implementing particular disclosed embodiments. The game networking
system 150 includes a validation system 220 to validate in-game
actions performed in an online game. In the example embodiment of
FIG. 2, the validation system 220 is to validate in-game actions in
a multiplayer online game, typically a massively multiplayer online
game, but in other embodiments, the methodologies and systems
described herein can be employed to validate in-game actions in a
single player online game. FIG. 3 illustrates an example validation
system 220 forming part of the game networking system 150 of FIG.
2. The validation system 220 may comprise a number of
hardware-implemented modules provided by one or more processors.
The validation system 220 may include a receiving module 304 to
receive a validation request 222 (see FIG. 2) that includes: one or
more action identifiers to indicate corresponding in-game actions
executed on the client system 130; and provisional game state
information with respect to the game state of the player 101 and
execution of the one or more in-game actions indicated by the
validation request 222. In some embodiments, the validation request
222 may include player inputs received at the client system 130 to
cause execution of the relevant in-game actions.
[0041] The validation system 220 may further include a validation
engine 224 that comprises coded validation logic 228 to execute
validation actions identical to the in-game actions identified in
the validation request 222. The validation logic 228 is identical
to the game logic 212 forming part of the game engine 204. As used
herein, the term "identical" with respect to coded logic means not
only that identical operations are automatically performed
responsive to identical inputs, but also means that the code of the
respective coded logic is in the same format and/or computer
programming language and may thus be used interchangeably. In an
example embodiment, the game logic 212 and the validation logic 228
may be identical sequences of ActionScript code. In some instances,
the validation engine 224 may be identical to the game engine 204,
while, in other example embodiments, the validation engine 224 and
the game engine 204 may be different, but may have identical game
logic 212 and validation logic.
[0042] The validation engine 224 may further include a game state
library 232 to temporarily hold game state information with respect
to the player 101. The validation logic 228 and the game state
library 232 may be configured to call operate, so that the
validation logic 228 executes validation actions based at least in
part on game state information stored in the game state library
232, and updates or changes the game state information in the game
state library 232 based on the validation actions.
[0043] A comparison module 308 (FIG. 3) may further form part of
the validation system 220 to compare results of execution of the
validation actions (e.g., verification game state information
resulting from execution of the validation actions by the
validation logic 228) to the provisional game state information
included in the validation request 222. The comparison module 308
may be configured to validate the relevant in-game actions when the
provisional game state information is identical to the verification
game state information, e.g., if performance of the validation
actions by the validation engine 224 has the same effect on game
state information as execution of the corresponding in-game actions
by the game engine 204.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 2, the game networking system 150 may
further comprise a game management system 240 comprising a game
state database 244 in which validated game states for a plurality
of players may be persisted or stored. The game management system
240 further comprises a synchronization management device or
synchronization manager 248 to receive update requests 252 from
client systems 130, to generate and send validation request 222 to
the validation system 220, to receive a validation result 256 from
the validation system 220, and to persist validated game state
information in the game state database 244. In the example
embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the synchronization manager 248 is a
Web server.
[0045] FIG. 4 illustrates a number of components of an exemplary
game management system 240, in this example embodiment being
provided by the Web server providing the synchronization manager
248. The game management system 240 includes a receiving module 404
to receive an update request 252 (see FIG. 2) that includes action
identifiers indicating a number of in-game actions executed on the
game engine 204 of the client system 130, and further includes
provisional game state information resulting from performance of
the relevant in-game actions. A game state retrieval module 424 may
further be included to retrieve prior game state information that
indicates previously validated game state information immediately
before execution of the relevant in-game actions indicated in the
update request 252. The game management system 240 may further
include a validation request module 408 to generate and transmit a
validation request 222 in response to reception of the update
request 252. The game management system 240 further includes a
validation result receiver 412 to receive a validation result 256
(FIG. 2) that indicates whether or not in-game actions included in
the validation request 222 have been validated. An update module
416 may further be provided to generate validated game state
information based at least in part on the provisional game state
information included in the update request 252 and based at least
in part on the validation result 256, and a persistence module 420
may be provided to process the updated game state information and
to persist the updated game state information to the game state
database 244.
[0046] Functionality of the validation system 220, the game
management system 240 and their respective components, in
accordance with an example embodiment, are further described below
with respect to example methods.
Example Methods
[0047] FIG. 5A shows a flowchart 500 of a high-level view of an
example method, performed by a validation system such as validation
system 220 (FIG. 2), to validate in-game actions performed in a
multiplayer online game. The method of flowchart 500 comprises
receiving from the game management system 240 action identifiers,
at operation 504, and provisional game state information, at
operation 508. The action identifiers and provisional game state
information may be included in a validation request 222 that may be
a serialized communication, for example being in XML format. The
action identifiers may be with respect to a plurality of in-game
actions performed by the game logic 212, the provisional game state
information being with respect to changes to the game state
associated with the player 101 caused by execution of the in-game
actions. The validation engine 224 may thereafter execute
validation actions, at operation 512, by use of the validation
logic 228. Results of execution of the validation actions, e.g., in
the form of verification game state information generated by the
validation engine 224, are compared, at operation 516, to the
provisional game state information included in the validation
request 222, to validate the in-game actions indicated by the
validation request 222. If the provisional game state information
with respect to a particular in-game action is identical to
verification game state information for a corresponding validation
action, then the particular in-game actions may be validated.
[0048] FIG. 5B shows a flowchart 520 of a high-level view of an
example method, performed by a game management system such as game
management system 240 (FIG. 2), to validate in-game actions
performed. In a multiplayer online game. The method of flowchart
520 comprises receiving from the client system 130 a plurality of
action identifiers, at operation 524, and provisional game state
information, at operation 528. The action identifiers and
provisional game state information may be included in an update
request 252 (FIG. 2) that may be a serialized message, in the
present example embodiment being in XML format. A validation
request 222 may thereafter be transmitted, at operation 532, to the
validation system 220, to validate the in-game actions indicated by
the action identifiers in the update request 252 by executing
validation actions identical to the in-game actions by the
validation logic 228 that is identical to the game logic 212 of the
game engine 204, on which the in-game actions were initially
executed. The game management system 240 may subsequently receive a
validation result 256 (FIG. 2) from the validation system 220, at
operation 536, indicating that one or more of the in-game actions
have been validated. The game management system 240 may thereafter
generate updated game state information, at operation 540, based on
the validation result 256 and based upon prior game state
information that indicates previously validated game state
information immediately before execution of the relevant in-game
actions. The updated game state information is then persisted, at
operation 544.
[0049] FIG. 6 shows a more detailed flowchart 600 of a method to
validate in-game actions in a multiplayer online game, and to
synchronize game state information in the multiplayer online game.
The method of flowchart 600 may be implemented in one embodiment by
example system 100 of FIG. 1, with some of the operations being
performed by example game management system 240 or example
validation system 220 described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4
above, in the game environment described with reference to FIGS. 1
and 2 above. The flowchart of FIG. 6 is illustrated as being
divided into so-called swim lanes, to indicate which of the
operations are performed by the client system 130, the game
management system 240, or the validation system 220,
respectively.
[0050] At operation 604, the player 101 may access the multiplayer
online game on the client system 130. Although not illustrated in
the flowchart 600 of FIG. 6, the client system 130 may access a
webpage hosted by social networking system 140 on the game
networking system 150, whereafter the first player's social
networking information may be accessed. In particular embodiments,
social networking information on the social networking system 140,
the game networking system 150, or both may be accessed. At
operation 608, the player 101 may select a game instance to access.
In particular embodiments, game instances can be selected from a
set of game instances associated with the first player's friends in
the relevant social network. Here, the player 101 selects the game
instance uniquely associated with him/her. At operation 612, the
game engine 204 may then load the game instance associated with the
player 101. Loading of the game instance, at operation 612, may
include retrieving a last synchronized or validated game state or
game state information from the game management system 240, and
loading of the game state information into the game state library
216 of the game engine 204 provided by the client system 130. In
the present example embodiment, the game state library 216 is a
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) library. Loading of the game
instance may further include generating, by use of the game view
logic 208 (FIG. 2), a user interface including a game display that
includes a visual representation of a virtual in-game environment
of the game instance.
[0051] The player 101 may provide gameplay input, at operation 616,
to the client system 130, the input, for example, being encountered
by the game view logic 208. Upon receipt of input to perform an
action that may affect game state, one or more assumption checks or
prerequisite checks may be performed, at operation 618, to check
whether or not predefined prerequisites or assumptions are
satisfied in order to perform the relevant actions. Such
prerequisite checks may include, for example, checking whether or
not the player character has a required minimum in-game experience
level, whether an in-game object on which the action is to be
performed has a predefined status to permit performance of the
action, and so forth. If the predefined prerequisite check(s) for a
particular in-game action is satisfied, the action is executed, at
operation 620.
[0052] In-game actions that may affect game state information of
the player 101 may be executed, at operation 620, by the game logic
212 of the game engine 204, the game logic 212 in this instance
being ActionScript code. The game logic 212 may be configured such
that in-game actions that affect game state are modified into
atomic logic elements that are referred to herein, inter alia, as
"steps." In FIG. 2, an exemplary sequence of in-game actions or
steps are illustrated as Actions A-C. In some embodiments, logic
common to the game engine 204 and the validation engine 224 (e.g.,
game logic 212 and identical validation logic 228 in the example
embodiment of FIG. 2) may be limited to game logic that affects
game state, while other game logic (e.g., game logic that does not
affect game state information) may located on the client system 130
only.
[0053] Upon execution of each in-game action or step, at operation
620, the game engine 204 may modify the game state information in
the game state library 216, and may additionally record the step or
action and its resulting game state delta or game state change(s),
at operation 624, in an update log 215 (FIG. 2) forming part of the
client system 130. In the present example embodiment, the game
state deltas or game state changes recorded in the update log 215
may be game step deltas respectively indicating changes to the game
state information caused by performance of a corresponding one of
the in-game actions or steps.
[0054] In the present example embodiment, game state information in
the game state library 216 may be maintained in a property tree or
graph with respect to the player 101. Such a property tree may be
maintained, for example by the game management system 240, with
respect to each of the multiplicity of players of the multiplayer
online game, and may be loaded into the game state library 216 upon
loading of an associated game instance by the game engine 204. The
property tree may contain nested sets of property values that are
organized locally. Each property of the property tree is defined by
a respective key, which may be a dot-separated list of tree nodes
and a final leaf name. Both nodes and names are strings consisting
of lowercase letters, numbers, dashes or underscores. An example
property tree for a simple slot machine game may look as follows:
[0055] player.name:string [0056] player.high_score:int [0057]
player.high_score.date:date [0058] inventory.coins:int [0059]
achievements.match_three.state:int [0060]
achievements.match_two.state:int
[0061] Game state information in the exemplary form of a property
tree as described above may facilitate translation to XML format,
so that transmissions of game state information between the game
management system 240 and the client system 130 may be serialized,
for example being XML communications. An XML version of the above
exemplified property tree, may read as follows:
TABLE-US-00001 <properties> <player> <name
type="string"> John Doe </name> <high_score
type="int"> 3500 <date type="string"> 2009.11.25 5:32:09
</date> </high_score> </player> <inventory>
<coins type="int"> 274 </coins> </inventory>
<achievements> <match-two> <state
type="int">1</state> </match_two>
<match_three> <state type="int">0</state>
</match_three> </achievement> </properties>
[0062] Game step information written to the update log 215 may
include inputs received for the respective actions or steps, and
game step deltas in the form of property changes to the property
tree or game state information resulting from execution of the
associated action or step. The client system 130 may intermittently
or periodically generate checkpoints or update requests 252, at
operation 628, with respect to in-game actions or steps which have
not yet been validated and/or which have not been included in a
previous update request 252, and may transmit the update request
252 to the game management system 240.
[0063] The game client system 130 may produce a serialized update
request 252, for example in XML format. Each update request 252 may
include action identifiers for the associated in-game actions, as
well as provisional game state information in the form of game step
deltas resulting from the respective actions. The action
identifiers may comprise an action type or step type identifier, as
well as identification of user input that prompted performance of
the action. Provisional game state information may be provided for
each action included in the update request. Such action of a
specific game state information may comprise an absolute value for
a particular property after completion of the action, or it may
comprise a change for Delta to a particular property resulting from
performance of the action. The provisional game state information
may comprise only those properties of the player character that
have been affected by performance of the respective action. An
example serialized update request 252 may read as follows:
TABLE-US-00002 <checkpoint> <properties
user_id="1:12345"> ... strata state </properties>
<sync> <property> <name>sound</name>
<type>boolean</type> <value>false</value>
</property> </sync> <step
type="com.zynga.kingdoms.steps.Movement">
<input><to>5</to></input> <output>
<property> <name>location</name>
<type>int</type> <value>5</value>
</property> <property> <name>energy</name>
<type>int</type> <delta>-1</delta>
</property> </output> </step> <step
type="com.zynga.kingdoms.steps.Movement">
<input><to>6</to></input> <output>
<property> <name>location</name>
<type>int</type> <value>6</value>
</property> <property> <name>energy</name>
<type>int</type> <delta>-1</delta>
</property> </output> </step>
</checkpoint>
[0064] It will be noted that the above example XML checkpoint or
update request 252 includes a synchronization that blindly sets the
player state to advance non-validated player state between steps.
The example update request 252 above identifies two in-game
actions. The first action is identified by an action type
identifier as being a movement action. The action identifiers
further include an input having a value of 5. Provisional game
state information in the form of game state information for the
first action comprises location and energy level outputs resulting
from performance of the first action. Thus, the player character's
location has a value of 5 after performance of the first movement
action, while the energy level of the player character is
decremented by a single unit due to the action. The second action
indicated by action identifiers in the above example XML update
request 252 comprises a number movement action having an input
value of 6 and an output value of 6, while the performance of the
second movement action also results in decrementing of the energy
level by a further unit.
[0065] Update requests 252 such as that exemplified above may be
generated and transmitted at regular intervals (for example at
intervals of 30 seconds to two minutes), or may be generated and
transmitted intermittently. In instances of off-line play input,
information, output information, and game step deltas may be stored
in the update log 215 until the game client system 130 is
reconnected to the game management system 240, at which time the
relevant information with respect to all in-game actions which have
not yet been included in a transmitted update request 252 may be
included in a single update request 252.
[0066] In some instances, some of the in-game actions indicated in
the update request 252 may comprise actions or events having an
element of randomness. For example when a player character engages
in an in-game battle with a nonplayer character, the game engine
204 may generate a random seed as an input before execution of the
baffle. The update request 252 may in such instances include the
randomly generated input, or random seed, related to the in-game
action or event.
[0067] Upon receipt of the update request 252 by the receiving
module 404 (FIG. 4) of the game management system 240, at operation
632, the game state retrieval module 424 (FIG. 4) accesses a
persistence subsystem in the form of the game state database 244,
and retrieves prior game state information, at operation 634, with
respect to the player 101 and the particular game instance
indicated by the update request 252. The prior game state
information indicates previously validated game state information
immediately before execution of the one or more in-game actions
indicated in the update request 252. In the present example, the
prior game state information includes world state information or
environment state information 262 and player state information 266
(FIG. 2). The environment state information 262 may indicate the
last validated state of the in-game environment or virtual world,
for example indicating the location, type, and states of virtual
objects in the in-game environment. The player state information
266 may, for example, be a last validated property tree, such as
that described above with respect to the claim client system 130,
for the relevant player character. Both of the environment state
information 262 and player state information 266 may be in a format
which is serializable.
[0068] The method of flowchart 600 may include serializing the
prior game state information, at operation 636, and may thereafter
include generating and transmitting a validation request 222, at
operation 640, by means of the validation request module 408 (FIG.
4). The validation request 222 includes the action identifiers and
provisional game state information received in the update request
252 (e.g., action type identifiers, input information, and output
information), together with serialized environment state
information 262 and player state information 266. The validation
request 222 is transmitted, at operation 640, to the validation
system 220.
[0069] Upon receipt of the validation request 222, at operation
644, by the receiving module 304 (FIG. 3) of the validation system
220, game state library 232 of the validation engine 224 is
populated, at operation 648, with the prior game state information
included in the validation request 222 (e.g., the environment state
information 262 and the player state information 266).
[0070] Thereafter, validation actions corresponding to the in-game
actions indicated in the validation request 222 may be performed by
the validation logic 228 of the validation engine 224. As mentioned
before, the validation logic 228 may comprise ActionScript code
identical to that of the game logic 212 forming part of the game
engine 204 of the game client system 130, as shown in FIG. 2. Such
performance of the validation actions may comprise, with respect to
each action, performing a prerequisite check, at operation 652,
and, if the prerequisite check is successful, performing the
relevant validation action, at operation 656. It will be
appreciated that the prerequisite checks may be performed with
respect to the prior game state information in the game state
library 232. If the prerequisite check fails, the relevant action
or step is invalidated, at operation 660.
[0071] Performance of the validation action, at operation 656, may
include generation of verification game state information, in this
example being validation output resulting from performance of the
validation action. Because the validation logic 228 is identical to
the game logic 212, execution of identical actions based on
identical game state information should result in identical
outputs. Game state changes, deltas, or outputs resulting from
performance of each validation action may thus be compared, at
operation 664, with the corresponding output of the associated
in-game action indicated in the validation request 222. If the
validation output (also referred to as the results of execution of
the relevant validation action) is identical to the corresponding
in-game output (also referred to as the provisional game state
information), then the in-game action is validated, at operation
668. If however, there is a discrepancy between the validation
output and the corresponding in-game output, then the relevant
action is invalidated, at operation 660.
[0072] When a particular action is validated, at operation 668, the
sequence of operations to validate an action, at operations 652 to
668, is performed for the next in-game action indicated in the
validation request 222. The plurality of in-game actions indicated
in the validation request 222 are thus validated stepwise, in
sequence, until all of the actions have been validated, or until a
first invalid action is identified, either by failure of a
prerequisite check, at operation 652, or by identification of a
discrepancy between the validation output and the in-game output,
at operation 664.
[0073] When validation of the sequence of in-game actions of the
validation request 222 is completed (or when one of the in-game
actions are invalidated), the validation result 256 is generated
and transmitted, at operation 672, to the game management system
240. Generation of the validation result 256 may comprise
assembling or collating a resultant or cumulative game state delta
resulting from all of the validated actions or steps. Property
values in the validation result 256 may thus indicate a final
output (e.g., for a property such as location) or a cumulative
delta (e.g., for property such as player character energy or
experience) at the last validated action. The validation result 256
may again be serialized, in the example embodiment being an XML
document. An extract of an example validation result 256, following
validation of all of the actions indicated in the exemplary
validation request 222 provided above, may look as follows:
TABLE-US-00003 <checkpoint success="true"> <sync>
<property> <name>sound</name>
<type>boolean</type> <value>false</value>
</property> <property>
<name>location</name> <type>int</type>
<value>6</value> </property> <property>
<name>energy</name> <type>int</type>
<delta>-2</delta> </property> <property>
<name>rng_seed</name> <type>int</type>
<value>1807257224</value> </property>
</sync> </checkpoint>
[0074] After receiving the validation result 256 at operation 676,
the game management system 240 combines the game state deltas for
validated game state information indicated in the validation result
256 with the prior game state information, at operation 680, to
produce updated game state information that is whole, consistent,
new game state information, in the present example embodiment
comprising validated environment state information 262 and
validated player state information 266. The validated game state
information may be stored by being persisted to the game state
database 244, at operation 684.
[0075] In the event of invalidation of any in-game action by the
validation system 220 at operation 660, the game management system
240 may communicate a non-synchronization notification to the
client system 130, at operation 688, to notify the client system
130 that the game state information of the client system 130 is out
of synchronization with the game management system 240, e.g., that
the provisional game state information included in the update
request 252 could not be completely validated. The
non-synchronization notification may identify the last or furthest
validated action and/or may indicate furthest validated for
validated game state information. In response to receiving the
non-synchronization notification, the client system 130 may cause
operation of the game engine 204 to stop gameplay, forcing the
player to reload the game instance, and returning to a furthest
consistent or synchronized state, at operation 692, as indicated in
the non-synchronization notification.
[0076] The provision of identical game logic 212 and the validation
logic 228 on the client-side and server-side, respectively,
eliminates the variety of separate validation code on the server
side. Using coded game logic on the server side for validating
in-game actions may therefore significantly reduce development time
for game features that involve changes to the game states. An
overall reduction in code required for making available the in-game
actions further results in reduced bug counts due in part to
smaller code paths, and due to the fact that there is no potential
for server/client code mismatch.
[0077] The example embodiment described above further promotes the
asynchronous operation of the game engine 204 on the client system
130, as the update requests 252 may be sent to the game management
system 240 for validation of the in-game actions at any desired
level of infrequency. The architecture illustrated in FIG. 2, for
example, increases architectural scalability of the system.
Data Flow
[0078] FIG. 7 illustrates an example data flow between the
components of an example system 700. In particular embodiments,
system 700 can include client system 730, social networking system
720a, and game networking system 720b. A system 300 such as that
described with reference to FIG. 3 may be provided by the client
system 730, the social networking system 720a, or the game
networking system 720b, or by any combination of these systems. The
components of system 700 can be connected to each other in any
suitable configuration, using any suitable type of connection. The
components may be connected directly or over any suitable network.
Client system 730, social networking system 720a, and game
networking system 720b can each have one or more corresponding data
stores such as local data store 725, social data store 745, and
game data store 765, respectively. Social networking system 720a
and game networking system 720b can also have one or more servers
that can communicate with client system 730 over an appropriate
network. Social networking system 720a and game networking system
720b can have, for example, one or more Internet servers for
communicating with client system 730 via the Internet. Similarly,
social networking system 720a and game networking system 720b can
have one or more mobile servers for communicating with client
system 730 via a mobile network (e.g., GSM, PCS, Wi-Fi, WPAN,
etc.), in some embodiments, one server may be able to communicate
with client system 730 over both the Internet and a mobile network.
In other embodiments, separate servers can be used.
[0079] Client system 730 can receive and transmit data 723 to and
from game networking system 720b. This data can include, for
example, webpages, messages, game inputs, game displays, HTTP
packets, data requests, transaction information, updates, and other
suitable data. As discussed with reference to the example
embodiments of FIGS. 2-6, selected communications may be serialized
documents, such as for example XML documents. At some other time,
or at the same time, game networking system 720b can communicate
data 743, 747 (e.g., game state information, game system account
information, page info, messages, data requests, updates, etc.)
with other networking systems, such as social networking system
720a (e.g., Facebook, Myspace, etc.). Client system 730 can also
receive and transmit data 727 to and from social networking system
720a. This data can include, for example, webpages, messages,
social graph information, social network displays, HTTP packets,
data requests, transaction information, updates, and other suitable
data.
[0080] Communication between client system 730, social networking
system 720a, and game networking system 720b can occur over any
appropriate electronic communication medium or network using any
suitable communications protocols. For example, client system 730,
as well as various servers of the systems described herein, may
include Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
networking stacks to provide for datagram and transport functions.
Of course, any other suitable network and transport layer protocols
can be utilized.
[0081] In addition, hosts or end-systems described herein may use a
variety of higher layer communications protocols, including
client-server (or request-response) protocols, such as HTTP, other
communications protocols, such as HTTP-S, FTP, SNMP, TELNET, and a
number of other protocols may be used. In addition, a server in one
interaction context may be a client in another interaction context.
In particular embodiments, the information transmitted between
hosts may be formatted as HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
documents. Other structured document languages or formats can be
used, such as XML and the like. Executable code objects, such as
JavaScript and ActionScript, can also be embedded in the structured
documents.
[0082] In some client-server protocols, such as the use of HTML
over HTTP, a server generally transmits a response to a request
from a client. The response may comprise one or more data objects.
For example, the response may comprise a first data object,
followed by subsequently transmitted data objects. In particular
embodiments, a client request may cause a server to respond with a
first data object, such as an HTML page, which itself refers to
other data objects. A client application, such as a browser, will
request these additional data objects as it parses or otherwise
processes the first data object.
[0083] In particular embodiments, an instance of an online game can
be stored as a set of game state parameters that characterize the
state of various in-game objects, such as, for example, player
character state parameters, non-player character parameters, and
virtual item parameters. In particular embodiments, game state is
maintained in a database as a serialized, unstructured string of
text data as a so-called Binary Large Object (BLOB). When a player
accesses an online game on game networking system 720b, the BLOB
containing the game state for the instance corresponding to the
player can be transmitted to client system 730 for use by a
client-side executed object to process. In particular embodiments,
the client-side executable may be a FLASH-based game, which can
de-serialize the game state data in the BLOB. As a player plays the
game, the game logic implemented at client system 730 maintains and
modifies the various game state parameters locally. The client-side
game logic may also batch game events, such as mouse clicks, and
transmit these events to game networking system 720b. Game
networking system 720b may itself operate by retrieving a copy of
the BLOB from a database or an intermediate memory cache (memcache)
layer. Game networking system 720b can also de-serialize the BLOB
to resolve the game state parameters and execute its own game logic
based on the events in the batch file of events transmitted by the
client to synchronize the game state on the server side. Game
networking system 720b may then re-serialize the game state, now
modified, into a BLOB, and pass this to a memory cache layer for
lazy updates to a persistent database.
[0084] With a client-server environment in which the online games
may run, one server system, such as game networking system 720b,
may support multiple client systems 730. At any given time, there
may be multiple players at multiple client systems 730 all playing
the same online game. In practice, the number of players playing
the same game at the same time may be very large. As the game
progresses with each player, multiple players may provide different
inputs to the online game at their respective client systems 730,
and multiple client systems 730 may transmit multiple player inputs
and/or game events to game networking system 720b for further
processing. In addition, multiple client systems 730 may transmit
other types of application data to game networking system 720b.
[0085] In particular embodiments, a computer-implemented game may
be a text-based or turn-based game implemented as a series of web
pages that are generated after a player selects one or more actions
to perform. The web pages may be displayed in a browser client
executed on client system 730. As an example and not by way of
limitation, a client application downloaded to client system 730
may operate to serve a set of webpages to a player. As another
example and not by way of limitation, a computer-implemented game
may be an animated or rendered game executable as a stand-alone
application or within the context of a webpage or other structured
document. In particular embodiments, the computer-implemented game
may be implemented using Adobe FLASH-based technologies. As an
example and not by way of limitation, a game may be fully or
partially implemented as a SWF object that is embedded in a web
page and executable by a Flash media player plug-in. In particular
embodiments, one or more described webpages may be associated with
or accessed by social networking system 720a. This disclosure
contemplates using any suitable application for the retrieval and
rendering of structured documents hosted by any suitable
network-addressable resource or website.
[0086] Application event data of a game is any data relevant to the
game (e.g., player inputs). In particular embodiments, each
application datum may have a name and a value, and the value of the
application datum may change (i.e., be updated) at any time. When
an update to an application datum occurs at client system 730,
either caused by an action of a game player or by the game logic
itself, client system 730 may need to inform game networking system
720b of the update. For example, if the game is a firming game with
a harvest mechanic (such as Zynga Farmville), an event can
correspond to a player clicking on a parcel of land to harvest a
crop. In such an instance, the application event data may identify
an event or action (e.g., harvest) and an object in the game to
which the event or action applies. For illustration purposes and
not by way of limitation, system 700 is discussed in reference to
updating a multi-player online game hosted on a network-addressable
system (such as, for example, social networking system 720a or game
networking system 720b), where an instance of the online game is
executed remotely on a client system 730, which then transmits
application event data to the hosting system such that the remote
game server synchronizes the game state associated with the
instance executed by the client system 730.
[0087] In a particular embodiment, one or more objects of a game
may be represented as an Adobe Flash object. Flash may manipulate
vector and raster graphics, and supports bidirectional streaming of
audio and video, "Flash" may mean the authoring environment, the
player, or the application files. In particular embodiments, client
system 730 may include a Flash client. The Flash client may be
configured to receive and run Flash application or game object code
from any suitable networking system (such as, for example, social
networking system 720a or game networking system 720b). In
particular embodiments, the Flash client may be run in a browser
client executed on client system 730. A player can interact with
Flash objects using client system 730 and the Flash client. The
Flash objects can represent a variety of in-game objects. Thus, the
player may perform various in-game actions on various in-game
objects by making various changes and updates to the associated
Flash objects. In particular embodiments, in-game actions can be
initiated by clicking or similarly interacting with a Flash object
that represents a particular in-game object. For example, a player
can interact with a Flash object to use, move, rotate, delete,
attack, shoot, or harvest an in-game object. This disclosure
contemplates performing any suitable in-game action by interacting
with any suitable Flash object. In particular embodiments, when the
player makes a change to a Flash object representing an in-game
object, the client-executed game logic may update one or more game
state parameters associated with the in-game object. To ensure
synchronization between the Flash object shown to the player at
client system 730, the Flash client may send the events that caused
the game state changes to the in-game object to game networking
system 720b. However, to expedite the processing and hence the
speed of the overall gaming experience, the Flash client may
collect a batch of some number of events or updates into a batch
file. The number of events or updates may be determined by the
Flash client dynamically or determined by game networking system
720b based on server loads or other factors. For example, client
system 730 may send a batch file to game networking system 720b
whenever 50 updates have been collected or after a threshold period
of time, such as every minute.
[0088] As used herein, the term "application event data" may refer
to any data relevant to a computer-implemented game application
that may affect one or more game state parameters, including, for
example and without limitation, changes to player data or metadata,
changes to player social connections or contacts, player inputs to
the game, and events generated by the game logic. In particular
embodiments, each application datum may have a name and a value.
The value of an application datum may change at any time in
response to the game play of a player or in response to the game
engine (e.g., based on the game logic). In particular embodiments,
an application data update occurs when the value of a specific
application datum is changed. In particular embodiments, each
application event datum may include an action or event name and a
value (such as an object identifier). Thus, each application datum
may be represented as a name-value pair in the batch file. The
batch file may include a collection of name-value pairs
representing the application data that have been updated at client
system 730. In particular embodiments, the batch file may be a text
file and the name-value pairs may be in string format.
[0089] In particular embodiments, when a player plays an online
game on client system 730, game networking system 720b may
serialize all the game-related data, including, for example and
without limitation, game states, game events, and user inputs, for
this particular user and this particular game into a BLOB and store
the BLOB in a database. The BLOB may be associated with an
identifier that indicates that the BLOB contains the serialized
game-related data for a particular player and a particular online
game. In particular embodiments, while a player is not playing the
online game, the corresponding BLOB may be stored in the database.
This enables a player to stop playing the game at any time without
losing the current state of the game that the player is in. When a
player resumes playing the game next time, game networking system
720b may retrieve the corresponding BLOB from the database to
determine the most-recent values of the game-related data. In
particular embodiments, while a player is playing the online game,
game networking system 720b may also load the corresponding BLOB
into a memory cache so that the game system may have faster access
to the BLOB and the game-related data contained therein.
Systems and Methods
[0090] In particular embodiments, one or more described webpages
may be associated with a networking system or networking service.
However, alternate embodiments may have application to the
retrieval and rendering of structured documents hosted by any type
of network-addressable resource or web site. Additionally, as used
herein, a user may be an individual, a group, or an entity (such as
a business or third-party application).
[0091] Particular embodiments may operate in a WAN environment,
such as the Internet, including multiple network-addressable
systems. FIG. 8 illustrates an example network environment 800, in
which various example embodiments may operate. Network cloud 860
generally represents one or more interconnected networks, over
which the systems and hosts described herein can communicate.
Network cloud 860 may include packet-based WAN (such as the
Internet), private networks, wireless networks, satellite networks,
cellular networks, paging networks, and the like. As FIG. 8
illustrates, particular embodiments may operate in a network
environment 800 comprising one or more networking systems, such as
social networking system 820a, game networking system 820b, and one
or more client systems 830. The components of social networking
system 820a and game networking system 820b operate analogously; as
such, hereinafter they may be referred to simply as networking
system 820. Client systems 830 are operably connected to the
network environment 800 via a network service provider, a wireless
carrier, or any other suitable means.
[0092] Networking system 820 is a network-addressable system that,
in various example embodiments, comprises one or more physical
servers 822 and data stores 824. The one or more physical servers
822 are operably connected to network cloud 860 via, by way of
example, a set of routers and/or networking switches 826. In an
example embodiment, the functionality hosted by the one or more
physical servers 822 may include web or HTTP servers, FTP servers,
and, without limitation, webpages and applications implemented
using Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, PHP Hyper-text
Preprocessor (PHP), Active Server Pages (ASP), HTML, XML, Java,
JavaScript, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), Flash,
ActionScript, and the like.
[0093] Physical servers 822 may host functionality directed to the
operations of networking system 820. Hereinafter servers 822 may be
referred to as server 822, although server 822 may include numerous
servers hosting, for example, networking system 820, as well as
other content distribution servers, data stores, and databases.
Data store 824 may store content and data relating to, and
enabling, operation of networking system 820 as digital data
objects. A data object, in particular embodiments, is an item of
digital information typically stored or embodied in a data file,
database, or record. Content objects may take many forms,
including: text (e.g., ASCII, SGML, HTML), images (e.g., jpeg, tif
and gif), graphics (vector-based or bitmap), audio, video (e.g.,
mpeg), or other multimedia, and combinations thereof Content object
data may also include executable code objects (e.g., games
executable within a browser window or frame), podcasts, and the
like. Logically, data store 824 corresponds to one or more of a
variety of separate and integrated databases, such as relational
databases and object-oriented databases, that maintain information
as an integrated collection of logically related records or files
stored on one or more physical systems. Structurally, data store
824 may generally include one or more of a large class of data
storage and management systems. In particular embodiments, data
store 824 may be implemented by any suitable physical system(s)
including components, such as one or more database servers, mass
storage media, media library systems, storage area networks, data
storage clouds, and the like. In one example embodiment, data store
824 includes one or more servers, databases (e.g., MySQL), and/or
data warehouses. Data store 824 may include data associated with
different networking system 820 users and/or client systems
830.
[0094] Client system 830 is generally a computer or computing
device including functionality for communicating (e.g., remotely)
over a computer network. Client system 830 may be a desktop
computer, laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), in- or
out-of-car navigation system, smart phone or other cellular or
mobile phone, or mobile gaming device, among other suitable
computing devices. Client system 830 may execute one or more client
applications, such as a web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, and Opera),
to access and view content over a computer network. In particular
embodiments, the client applications allow a user of client system
830 to enter addresses of specific network resources to be
retrieved, such as resources hosted by networking system 820. These
addresses can be Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and the like. In
addition, once a page or other resource has been retrieved, the
client applications may provide access to other pages or records
when the user "clicks" on hyperlinks to other resources. By way of
example, such hyperlinks may be located within the webpages and
provide an automated way for the user to enter the URL of another
page and to retrieve that page.
[0095] A webpage or resource embedded within a webpage, which may
itself include multiple embedded resources, may include data
records, such as plain textual information, or more complex
digitally encoded multimedia content, such as software programs or
other code objects, graphics, images, audio signals, videos, and so
forth. One prevalent markup language for creating webpages is HTML.
Other common web browser-supported languages and technologies
include XML, the Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML),
JavaScript, flash, ActionScript, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), and,
frequently, Java. By way of example, HTML enables a page developer
to create a structured document by denoting structural semantics
for text and links, as well as images, web applications, and other
objects that can be embedded within the page. Generally, a webpage
may be delivered to a client as a static document; however, through
the use of web elements embedded in the page, an interactive
experience may be achieved with the page or a sequence of pages.
During a user session at the client, the web browser interprets and
displays the pages and associated resources received or retrieved
from the website hosting the page, as well as, potentially,
resources from other websites.
[0096] When a user at a client system 830 desires to view a
particular webpage (hereinafter also referred to as target
structured document) hosted by networking system 820, the user's
web browser, or other document rendering engine or suitable client
application, formulates and transmits a request to networking
system 820. The request generally includes a. URL or other document
identifier as well as metadata or other information. By way of
example, the request may include information identifying the user,
such as a user ID, as well as information identifying or
characterizing the web browser or operating system running on the
user's client computing device 830. The request may also include
location information identifying a geographic location of the
user's client system or a logical network location of the user's
client system. The request may also include a timestamp identifying
when the request was transmitted.
[0097] Although the example network environment 800 described above
and illustrated in FIG. 8 is described with respect to social
networking system 820a and game networking system 820b, this
disclosure encompasses any suitable network environment using any
suitable systems. As an example and not by way of limitation, the
network environment may include online media systems, online
reviewing systems, online search engines, online advertising
systems, or any combination of two or more such systems.
[0098] FIG. 9 illustrates an example computing system architecture,
which may be used to implement a server 822 or a client system 830.
In one embodiment, hardware system 900 comprises a processor 902, a
cache memory 904, and one or more executable modules and drivers,
stored on a tangible computer-readable medium, directed to the
functions described herein. Additionally, hardware system 900 may
include a high performance input/output (I/O) bus 906 and a
standard I/O bus 908. A host bridge 910 may couple processor 902 to
high performance I/O bus 906, whereas I/O bus bridge 912 couples
the two buses 906 and 908 to each other. A system memory 914 and
one or more network/communication interfaces 916 may couple to bus
906. Hardware system 900 may further include video memory (not
shown) and a display device coupled to the video memory. Mass
storage 918 and I/O ports 920 may couple to bus 908. Hardware
system 900 may optionally include a keyboard, a pointing device,
and a display device (not shown) coupled to bus 908. Collectively,
these elements are intended to represent a broad category of
computer hardware systems, including but not limited to general
purpose computer systems based on the x86-compatible processors
manufactured by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., and the
x86-compatible processors manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices
(AMD), Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., as well as any other suitable
processor.
[0099] The elements of hardware system 900 are described in greater
detail below. In particular, network interface 916 provides
communication between hardware system 900 and any of a wide range
of networks, such as an Ethernet (e.g., IEEE 802.3) network, a
backplane, and the like. Mass storage 918 provides permanent
storage for the data and programming instructions to perform the
above-described functions implemented in servers 822, whereas
system memory 914 (e.g., DRAM) provides temporary storage for the
data and programming instructions when executed by processor 902.
I/O ports 920 are one or more serial and/or parallel communication
ports that provide communication between additional peripheral
devices, which may be coupled to hardware system 900.
[0100] Hardware system 900 may include a variety of system
architectures, and various components of hardware system 900 may be
rearranged. For example, cache 904 may be on-chip with processor
902. Alternatively, cache 904 and processor 902 may be packed
together as a "processor module," with processor 902 being referred
to as the "processor core." Furthermore, certain embodiments of the
present disclosure may not require nor include all of the above
components. For example, the peripheral devices shown coupled to
standard I/O bus 908 may couple to high performance I/O bus 906. In
addition, in some embodiments, only a single bus may exist, with
the components of hardware system 900 being coupled to the single
bus. Furthermore, hardware system 900 may include additional
components, such as additional processors, storage devices, or
memories.
[0101] An operating system manages and controls the operation of
hardware system 900, including the input and output of data to and
from software applications (not shown). The operating system
provides an interface between the software applications being
executed on the system and the hardware components of the system.
Any suitable operating system may be used, such as the LINUX
Operating System, the Apple Macintosh Operating System, available
from Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., UNIX operating
systems, Microsoft(r) Windows(r) operating systems, BSD operating
systems, and the like. Of course, other embodiments are possible.
For example, the functions described herein may be implemented in
firmware or on an application-specific integrated circuit
(ASIC).
[0102] Furthermore, the above-described elements and operations can
be comprised of instructions that are stored on non-transitory
storage media. The instructions can be retrieved and executed by a
processing system. Some examples of instructions are software,
program code, and firmware. Some examples of non-transitory storage
media are memory devices, tape, disks, integrated circuits, and
servers. The instructions are operational when executed by the
processing system to direct the processing system to operate in
accord with the disclosure. The term "processing system" refers to
a single processing device or a group of inter-operational
processing devices. Some examples of processing devices are
integrated circuits and logic circuitry. Those skilled in the art
are familiar with instructions, computers, and storage media.
Modules, Components, and Logic
[0103] Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic
or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules may
constitute either software modules (e.g., code embodied (1) on a
non-transitory machine-readable medium or (2) in a transmission
signal) or hardware-implemented modules. A hardware-implemented
module is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations
and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In example
embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone,
client or server computer system) or one or more processors may be
configured by software (e.g., an application or application
portion) as a hardware-implemented module that operates to perform
certain operations as described herein.
[0104] In various embodiments, a hardware-implemented module may be
implemented mechanically or electronically. For example, a
hardware-implemented module may comprise dedicated circuitry or
logic that is permanently configured (e.g., as a special-purpose
processor, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an
ASIC) to perform certain operations. A hardware-implemented module
may also comprise programmable logic or circuitry (e.g., as
encompassed within a general-purpose processor or other
programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software
to perform certain operations. It will be appreciated that the
decision to implement a hardware-implemented module mechanically,
in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or in
temporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may
be driven by cost and time considerations.
[0105] Accordingly, the term "hardware-implemented module" should
be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity
that is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g.,
hardwired) or temporarily or transitorily configured (e.g.,
programmed) to operate in a certain manner and/or to perform
certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments in
which hardware-implemented modules are temporarily configured
(e.g., programmed), each of the hardware-implemented modules need
not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For
example, where the hardware-implemented modules comprise a
general-purpose processor configured using software, the
general-purpose processor may be configured as respective different
hardware-implemented modules at different times. Software may
accordingly configure a processor, for example, to constitute a
particular hardware-implemented module at one instance of time and
to constitute a different hardware-implemented module at a
different instance of time.
[0106] Hardware-implemented modules can provide information to, and
receive information from, other hardware-implemented modules.
Accordingly, the described hardware-implemented modules may be
regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multiple of such
hardware-implemented modules exist contemporaneously,
communications may be achieved through signal transmission over
appropriate circuits and buses) that connect the
hardware-implemented modules. In embodiments in which multiple
hardware-implemented modules are configured or instantiated at
different times, communications between such hardware-implemented
modules may be achieved, for example, through the storage and
retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiple
hardware-implemented modules have access. For example, one
hardware-implemented module may perform an operation, and store the
output of that operation in a memory device to which it is
communicatively coupled. A further hardware-implemented module may
then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and
process the stored output. Hardware-implemented modules may also
initiate communications with input or output devices, and can
operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information).
[0107] The various operations of example methods described herein
may be performed, at least partially, by one or more processors
that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently
configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily
or permanently configured, such processors may constitute
processor-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more
operations or functions. The modules referred to herein may, in
some example embodiments, comprise processor-implemented
modules.
[0108] Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least
partially processor-implemented. For example, at least some of the
operations of a method may be performed by one or more processors
or processor-implemented modules. The performance of certain of the
operations may be distributed among the one or more processors, not
only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number
of machines. In some example embodiments, the processor or
processors may be located in a single location (e.g., within a home
environment, an office environment or as a server farm), while in
other embodiments the processors may be distributed across a number
of locations.
[0109] The one or more processors may also operate to support
performance of the relevant operations in a "cloud computing"
environment or as a "software as a service" (SaaS). For example, at
least some of the operations may be performed by a group of
computers (as examples of machines including processors), with
these operations being accessible via a network (e.g., the
Internet) and via one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g.,
Application Program Interfaces (APIs).)
Miscellaneous
[0110] One or more features from any embodiment may be combined
with one or more features of any other embodiment without departing
from the scope of the disclosure.
[0111] A recitation of "a," "an," or "the" is intended to mean "one
or more" unless specifically indicated to the contrary.
[0112] The present disclosure encompasses all changes,
substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the
example embodiments herein that a person having ordinary skill in
the art would comprehend. Similarly, where appropriate, the
appended claims encompass all changes, substitutions, variations,
alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments herein
that a person having ordinary skill in the art would
comprehend.
[0113] For example, the methods described herein may be implemented
using hardware components, software components, and/or any
combination thereof. By way of example, while embodiments of the
present disclosure have been described as operating in connection
with a networking website, various embodiments of the present
disclosure can be used in connection with any communications
facility that supports web applications. Furthermore, in some
embodiments the term "web service" and "website" may be used
interchangeably and additionally may refer to a custom or
generalized API on a device, such as a mobile device (e.g., a
cellular phone, smart phone, personal GPS, personal digital
assistant, personal gaming device), that makes API calls directly
to a server. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be
regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It
will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes
may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and
scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims and that the
disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents
within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *