U.S. patent application number 13/664237 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for playing a social game with automatic players.
This patent application is currently assigned to ZYNGA INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is ZYNGA INC.. Invention is credited to Gaurav Agarwal, Fabio Santini.
Application Number | 20140121007 13/664237 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50547759 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140121007 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Santini; Fabio ; et
al. |
May 1, 2014 |
PLAYING A SOCIAL GAME WITH AUTOMATIC PLAYERS
Abstract
A method and system are described for providing a branded
automatic player within a social, online game. In some example
embodiments, the automatic player may receive an indication that a
triggering event has occurred and perform an action within the
online game in response to the triggering event.
Inventors: |
Santini; Fabio; (Mountain
View, CA) ; Agarwal; Gaurav; (Menlo Park,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ZYNGA INC. |
San Francisco |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ZYNGA INC.
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
|
Family ID: |
50547759 |
Appl. No.: |
13/664237 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/29 ;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/49 20140902;
G06Q 30/00 20130101; A63F 13/61 20140902; A63F 13/795 20140902;
G06Q 50/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/29 ;
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method performed by an automatic player
of an online game, the method comprising: receiving an indication
of a triggering event within an online game; and performing a game
play action associated with a sponsor of the automatic player
within the online game in response to the received indication.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is
associated with another player of the online game interacting with
a sponsor associated with the automatic player; and wherein
performing a game play action within the online game includes
performing a game play action for the player that interacted with
the sponsor associated with the automatic player.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes
another player of the online game interacting with the sponsor
associated with the automatic player within the online game.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes
determining another player of the online game has not interacted
with the automatic player within a certain time period.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes
determining another player of the online game has viewed a message
provided by the automatic player.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes
determining another player of the online game has viewed an
advertisement provided by a brand associated with the automatic
player.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a game play action
within the online game in response to the received indication
includes performing a game play for another player of the online
game that is connected to the automatic player.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a game play action
within the online game in response to the received indication
includes performing a group game play action along with two or more
other players of the online game.
9. A system that controls an automatic player of an online game,
the system comprising: a trigger module that is configured to
receive an indication of a triggering event associated with a brand
providing the automatic player; and an action module that is
configured to perform an action within the online game in response
to the received indication.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the triggering event associated
with a brand providing the automatic player includes a triggering
event that occurs outside of the online game.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the triggering event associated
with a brand providing the automatic player includes a triggering
event that occurs within a social network associated with the
online game.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the triggering event associated
with a brand providing the automatic player includes a triggering
event that occurs within the online game.
13. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents, when
executed by an automatic player of an online game, cause the
automatic player of the online game to perform operations,
comprising: receiving an indication of a triggering event in an
environment external to the online game; and performing a game play
action within the online game in response the received
indication.
14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event is associated with another player of the online
game interacting with a brand associated with the automatic player;
and wherein performing a game play action within the online game
includes performing a game play action for the player that
interacted with the brand associated with the automatic player.
15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event includes another player of the online game
interacting with a sponsoring entity associated with the automatic
player.
16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event includes determining another player of the online
game has not interacted with a brand associated with the automatic
player within a certain time period.
17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event includes determining another player of the online
game has viewed an advertisement for a brand associated with the
automatic player.
18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event includes determining another player of the online
game has viewed an advertisement provided by a brand associated
with the automatic player.
19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event includes determining another player of the online
game has interacted with a sponsoring entity associated with the
automatic player within a social network providing the online
game.
20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the
triggering event includes determining another player of the online
game has utilized a product or service provided by a sponsoring
entity associated with the automatic player.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to playing a social
game with automatic players.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventional online games present advertising and other
sponsored information in a variety of ways. For example, an online
game may provide sponsored gifts to other players of a game,
display advertisements via game objects, decorations, messages,
contests, events, and so on. Sponsors and other advertisers may
utilize an online game to present their messaging to players of the
game in the hopes of obtaining customers, among other things.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] The example embodiments are illustrated by way of example,
and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements
unless otherwise indicated.
[0004] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a suitable computing
environment for playing a social game with automatic players, in
some example embodiments.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of a
branded player system, in some example embodiments.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method performed by
an automatic player for interacting with other players within an
online game, in some example embodiments.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method performed by
an automatic player for performing an action within an online game,
in some example embodiments.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a display diagram illustrating an example user
interface depicting a branded, automatic player of a social
game.
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates a social network within a social graph
used to associate game players and sponsors of automatic players,
in some example embodiments.
[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates example data flow between components of
the example computing environment of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 8 illustrates an example network environment in which
various embodiments of the technology may operate.
[0012] FIG. 9 illustrates an example computing system architecture,
which may be used to implement one or more of the methodologies
described herein.
DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
Overview
[0013] Systems and methods for providing an automatic player within
an online social game are described. In some example embodiments,
an automatic player is branded or otherwise associated with a
sponsor, such as a company or other entity. The branded automatic
player may present logo and other information via game objects and
game assets associated with the player, may perform actions within
the online game, may provide incentives to other players within the
online game, and so on, and/or may otherwise interact with other
players of an online game, such as friends within the online
game.
[0014] In some example embodiments, the automatic player may be
configured to interact with other players within a game and perform
actions within the game based on the interactions. The automatic
player may send messages or other sponsored information to players
within a social game, and upon receiving an indication that the
players have interacted with the information, perform various game
play actions for the players within the online game.
[0015] In some example embodiments, the automatic player may be
configured to perform actions within a game for other players
within the game based on determining that the players have
interacted with a sponsor of the automatic player in an environment
inside or outside of the game. The automatic player may receive an
indication that a player of an online game has interacted with the
sponsor of the player, and in response, perform a game play action
for the player within the online game. In a similar fashion, in
some example embodiments, the sponsor may provide benefits in an
environment outside of the game based on an indication that the
player has interacted with the sponsor within the game.
[0016] Thus, the system described herein may enable players of
online social games to interact with automatic players, such as
branded automatic players, both inside and outside of the game,
enabling a sponsoring entity associated with the brand to engage
with potential customers in a deep and targeted manner, among other
things.
Suitable System
[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a suitable computing
environment 100 for playing a social game with automatic players,
in some example embodiments. The online computing environment 100
may include a user device 110 associated with a player 105 of an
online game, a network 120, a social networking system 140, a game
networking system 130, and a branded player system 150. The example
components of the online computing environment 100 may be connected
directly or via the network 120, which may be any suitable network.
In various example embodiments, one or more portions of the network
120 may include 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, any other type of network, or
a combination of two or more such networks.
[0018] Although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular example of the
arrangement of the player 105, the user device 110, the social
networking system 140, the game networking system 130, the branded
player system 150, and the network 120, this disclosure includes
any suitable arrangement or configuration of the player 105, the
user device 110, the social networking system 140, the game
networking system 130, the branded player system 150, and the
network 120.
[0019] The user device 110 may be any suitable computing device,
such as a smart phone 112, a tablet 114, a laptop 116, and/or any
mobile device or computing device suitable for playing a virtual,
online game. The user device 110 may access the social networking
system 140 or the game networking system 130 directly, via the
network 120, or via a third-party system. For example, the user
device 110 may access the game networking system 130 via the social
networking system 140, or vice versa. It should be noted that the
functionality described herein may reside partially or wholly on
any one device or be distributed across several devices. For
example, the game networking system 130 may partially or wholly
provide aspects of the branded player system 150, the social
networking system 130 may partially or wholly provide aspects of
the branded player system 150, the user device 110 may partially or
wholly provide aspects of the branded player system 150, and so on.
In some example embodiments, a script operating in conjunction with
a browser running on the user device 110 may facilitate a branded
automatic player interacting with other players within an online
game, among other things.
A Branded Automatic Player of a Social Game
[0020] As described herein, in some example embodiments, the
branded player system 150 enables a sponsoring entity to interact
with players of a social game via an automatic player of the social
game. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the
branded player system 150, in some example embodiments.
[0021] The branded player system 150 may include a game play module
210, a trigger module 220, an interaction module 230, and an action
module 240. The modules may constitute either software modules
(e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a
transmission signal) or hardware modules. A "hardware module" is a
tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may be
configured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In various
example embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., a
standalone computer system, smart phones, tablet computers, or the
like, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one
or more hardware modules of a computer system (e.g., a processor or
a group of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an
application or application portion) as a hardware module that
operates to perform certain operations as described herein. One or
more of the modules shown by way of example in FIG. 2 may be
hardware modules.
[0022] In some embodiments, a hardware module may be implemented
electronically, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, a
hardware module may include dedicated circuitry or logic that is
permanently configured to perform certain operations. For example,
a hardware module may be a special-purpose processor, such as a
field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC). A hardware module may also include
programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configured by
software to perform certain operations. For example, a hardware
module may include software encompassed within a general-purpose
processor or other programmable processor. It will be appreciated
that the decision to implement a hardware module, in dedicated and
permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured
circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may be driven by cost and
time considerations.
[0023] Accordingly, the phrase "hardware module" should be
understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that
is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g.,
hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) and/or
programmed to operate in a certain manner or to perform certain
operations described herein. As used herein, "hardware-implemented
module" refers to a hardware module. Considering embodiments in
which hardware modules are temporarily configured (e.g.,
programmed), each of the hardware modules need not be configured or
instantiated at any one instance in time. For example, where a
hardware module comprises a general-purpose processor configured by
software to become a special-purpose processor, the general-purpose
processor may be configured as respectively different
special-purpose processors (e.g., comprising different hardware
modules) at different times. Software may accordingly configure a
processor, for example, to constitute a particular hardware module
at one instance of time and to constitute a different hardware
module at a different instance of time.
[0024] Hardware modules can provide information to, and receive
information from, other hardware modules. Accordingly, the
described hardware modules may be regarded as being communicatively
coupled. Where multiple hardware modules exist contemporaneously,
communications may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g.,
over appropriate circuits and buses) between or among two or more
of the hardware modules. In embodiments in which multiple hardware
modules are configured or instantiated at different times,
communications between such hardware modules may be achieved, for
example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory
structures to which the multiple hardware modules have access. For
example, one hardware 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 module may then, at a
later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the
stored output. Hardware modules may also initiate communications
with input or output devices and can operate on a resource (e.g., a
collection of information).
[0025] Referring back to FIG. 2, in some example embodiments, the
game play module 210 of the branded player system 150 is configured
and/or programmed to perform various game play actions for an
automatic player associated with a brand or sponsor. An automatic
player may be, for example, a player controlled by an online game
or other non-human entity associated with the online game, such as
the brand or sponsor, a game network, a social network, and so on.
In a social game such as FarmVille by Zynga, Inc., the game play
module 210 may cause the automatic player to harvest crops, visit
neighbors, purchase decorations, click on viral messages (such as
Facebook.RTM. feeds and/or requests), and/or perform other actions
within the game and/or within a social network associated with the
game.
[0026] In some example embodiments, the trigger module 220 of the
branded player system 150 is configured and/or programmed to
identify, determine, and/or receive a trigger that causes the
automatic player to perform an action within an online game, such
as an action for another player within the game that is connected
(e.g. a "friend" or a "community neighbor") to the automatic
player.
[0027] In some cases, the trigger occurs within the online game.
For example, a friend of an automatic player may interact with the
automatic player, may interact with messaging, prompts, or
advertisements that are associated with the automatic player, or
with a sponsoring brand of the automatic player. Examples of
in-game triggers include:
[0028] an interaction between a player of an online game and a
sponsored automatic player within the online game;
[0029] an interaction between a player of an online game and a
sponsored message within the online game; and/or
[0030] a time period of inaction between a player of an online game
and a sponsored automatic player within the online game commencing;
and so on.
[0031] In some cases, the trigger occurs outside the online game.
For example, a player of an online game may interact with a
sponsoring entity that provided the automatic player within the
online game. Example interactions include clicking on
feeds/requests, "liking," sharing, micro-blogging, commenting, or
otherwise interacting with the sponsoring entity within a social
network environment (such as a social network provided by the
social networking system 130), purchasing a product associated with
the sponsoring entity, utilizing a service and/or an offer
associated with the sponsoring entity (e.g., using a credit card
associated with a sponsoring bank), and so on.
[0032] In some example embodiments, the interaction module 230 of
the branded player system 150 is configured and/or programmed to
interact with players of an online game via the branded automatic
player. For example, the automatic player may send messages,
prompts, or gifts to other players within a game, perform group
tasks with other players within the game, and so on.
[0033] In some example embodiments, the action module 240 of the
branded player system 150 is configured and/or programmed to
perform actions within an online game via the branded automatic
player. For example, the action module may facilitate the branded
automatic player to perform game play actions (e.g., harvest a
player's crop or request to be a "neighbor") for or along with
other players, to buy and/or give gifts to other players, to chat
with other players, to select requests and/or feeds, to send
postcards or other messaging, to join and assist group play tasks,
to send invites to events within the game, and so on.
[0034] As described herein, in some example embodiments, the
branded player system 150 enables a sponsoring entity to interact
with players of an online social game via an automatic player
associated with the sponsoring entity. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram
illustrating a method 300 performed by an automatic player for
interacting with other players within an online game, in some
example embodiments.
[0035] 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 described herein. As used herein,
"processor-implemented module" refers to a hardware module
implemented using one or more processors.
[0036] Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least
partially processor-implemented, with a processor being an example
of hardware. For example, at least some of the operations of a
method may be performed by one or more processors or
processor-implemented modules. Moreover, 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., an application program interface (API)).
[0037] 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 one or more processors or
processor-implemented modules may be located in a geographic
location (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment,
or a server farm). In other example embodiments, the one or more
processors or processor-implemented modules may be distributed
across a number of geographic locations.
[0038] Returning to FIG. 3, in operation 310, a branded automatic
player receives an indication of an occurrence of a trigger within
an online game. For example, the trigger module 220 of the branded
player system 150 determines that an occurrence of a triggering
event within the online game has occurred.
[0039] A triggering event may be an event associated with another
player interacting with the branded automatic player, accepting a
gift or other virtual asset provided by the branded automatic
player, viewing or selecting a message, advertisement, video, or
other visual information associated with the branded automatic
player, and so on.
[0040] In operation 320, the branded automatic player performs an
action within the online game based on the received indication. For
example, the action module 240, the game play module 210, and/or
the interaction module 230 of the branded player system 150
performs an action within the online game.
[0041] As described herein, the branded automatic player may
perform many different actions based on interactions with other
players within a game. For example, the branded automatic player
may interact with other players, may perform game play actions for
other players, may present gifts and/or other virtual assets, may
perform group tasks, and so on.
[0042] As an example, an automatic player within the FarmVille game
is associated with a restaurant chain. The automatic player
receives an indication that another player, who is a friend of the
automatic player within the game, has purchased an asset within the
game that is branded with the restaurant chain's logo, which is a
triggering event. The automatic player, in response to receiving an
indication of the triggering event, automatically harvests the
friend's crops and purchases a cow for the other player.
[0043] In some example embodiments, an automatic player may perform
actions within an online game based on interactions outside of the
game between other players of the game and a sponsoring entity
associated with the automatic player. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram
illustrating a method 400 performed by an automatic player for
performing an action within an online game, in some example
embodiments.
[0044] In operation 410, an automatic player within an online game
receives an indication of a triggering event in an environment
outside of the online game. For example, the trigger module 220 of
the branded player system 150 determines that an occurrence of an
external triggering event outside of the online game has
occurred.
[0045] An external triggering event may occur within a social
network providing, or otherwise associated with, the online game.
Example external triggering events may include:
[0046] another player of the online game interacting with a brand
or other sponsor associated with the automatic player, such as via
a sponsor's page within a social network (e.g., the player "liking"
a product provided by the sponsor);
[0047] another player of the online game commenting, discussing,
micro-blogging, or otherwise communicating about a sponsor and/or
the sponsor's products or services (e.g., the player tweeting about
a sponsor's product);
[0048] another player of the online game utilizing a product or
service provided by the sponsor (e.g., the player using a credit
card provided by a sponsor); and/or
[0049] another player of the online game not interacting with the
sponsor within a certain time period (e.g., the player not entering
a sponsor's restaurant chain within the past month); and so on.
[0050] In operation 420, the branded automatic player performs an
action within the online game based on the received indication. For
example, the action module 240, the game play module 210, and/or
the interaction module 230 of the branded player system 150
performs an action within the online game.
[0051] As described herein, the branded automatic player may
perform many different actions based on interactions with other
players within a game. For example, the branded automatic player
may interact with other players, may perform game play actions for
other players, may present gifts and/or other virtual assets, may
perform group tasks, and so on.
[0052] As another example, a player of an online game is a
"neighbor" of an automatic player within the online game CityVille,
provided by Zynga, Inc. The automatic player is associated with a
bank and is presented within the game as a bank within the city.
The player, outside of the online game, uses her credit card, which
is a service provided by the bank associated with the automatic
player, to make a real-world purchase, which is a triggering event.
In response to receiving an indication of the triggering event, the
automatic player performs a number of jobs for the player within
the game.
[0053] Thus, in some example embodiments, the branded player system
150 enables a sponsoring entity to interact with other players of
an online game via an automatic player that responds to virtual
world and/or real world interactions between the sponsoring entity
and players of the online game. FIG. 5 shows a branded automatic
player 500 of a social game. The branded automatic player (e.g., a
branded farm in FarmVille) may include a brand's logo 510 or other
distinguishing information.
[0054] The interactions between the branded automatic player and
other players enable the sponsoring entity to engage with users via
game play and enable the players to receive gifts and other rewards
from the sponsoring entity, among other benefits.
Example Game Systems, Social Networks, and Social Graphs
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates a social network within a social graph
600 used to provide rewards to players, in some example
embodiments. In example embodiments, a virtual landscape or
environment of a player may be visible to other players of the
virtual game.
[0056] The social graph 600 is shown by way of example to include
an out-of-game social network 650 and an in-game social network
660. Moreover, the in-game social network 660 may include one or
more players that are friends with the User 601 (e.g., a Friend
3.sub.1 631), and may include one or more other users that are not
friends with the User 601. The social graph 600 may correspond to
the various users associated with the virtual game. In an example
embodiment, each user may "build" their own virtual structures
using branded virtual objects and/or unbranded virtual objects.
[0057] As described above, the example systems described herein may
include, communicate, or otherwise interact with a game system. As
such, a game system is now described to illustrate further example
embodiments. In an online multiuser game, users control player
characters (PCs), and a game engine controls non-player characters
(NPCs), such as a branded automatic player. The game engine also
manages player character states and tracks states for currently
active (e.g., online) users and currently inactive (e.g., offline)
users. A game engine, in some embodiments, may include a
documentation engine. Alternatively, the documentation engine and
game engine may be embodied as separate components operated by the
game network system and/or the document provision system.
[0058] A player character, such as a branded automatic player, may
have a set of attributes and a set of friends associated with the
player character. As used herein, the terms "state" and "attribute"
can be used interchangeably to refer to any in-game characteristic
of a player character, such as location, assets (e.g., value
icons), levels, condition, health, status, inventory, skill set,
name, orientation, affiliation, specialty, and so on. The game
engine may use a player character state to determine the outcome of
a game event, while sometimes also considering set variables or
random variables. Generally, an outcome is more favorable to a
current player character (or player characters) when the player
character has a better state. For example, a healthier player
character is less likely to die in a particular encounter relative
to a weaker player character or non-player character.
[0059] A game event may be an outcome of an engagement, a provision
of access, rights, and/or benefits, or the obtaining of some assets
(e.g., health, money (e.g., virtual currency from a value icon),
strength, inventory, land, etc.). A game engine may determine the
outcome of a game event according to game rules (e.g., "a character
with less than 5 health points will be prevented from initiating an
attack"), based on a character's state, and also possibly based on
interactions of other player characters and a random calculation.
Moreover, an engagement may include simple tasks (e.g., cross the
river, shoot at an opponent, interact with a value icon, or the
like), complex tasks (e.g., win a battle, unlock a puzzle, build a
factory, rob a liquor store), or other events. Selecting an award
based on these events, or captured photos depicting these events
and tasks, may enhance the likelihood that a player will enjoy and
subsequently rengage with the virtual game.
[0060] In a game system according to some aspects of the present
disclosure, in determining the outcome of a game event in a game
being played by a user (or a group of more than one users), the
game engine may take into account the state of the player character
(or group of PCs) that is playing, but also the state of one or
more PCs of offline/inactive users who are connected to the current
user (or PC, or group of PCs) through the game social graph but are
not necessarily involved in the game at the time.
[0061] For example, a User A with six friends on User A's team
(e.g., the friends that are listed, depending on the nature of the
game, as being in the user's mob/gang/set/army/business/crew/etc.)
may be playing the virtual game and choose to confront a User B who
has 20 friends on User B's team. In some embodiments, a user may
only have first-degree friends on the user's team. In other
embodiments, a user may also have second-degree and higher degree
friends on the user's team. To resolve the game event, in some
embodiments, the game engine may total up the weapon strength of
the seven members of the User A's team and the weapon strength of
the 21 members of the User B's team and decide an outcome of the
confrontation based on a random variable applied to a probability
distribution that favors the side with the greater total. In some
embodiments, all of this may be done without any other current
active participants other than the User A (e.g., the User A's
friends, the User B, and the User B's friends could all be offline
or inactive). In some embodiments, the friends in a user's team may
see a change in their state as part of the outcome of the game
event.
[0062] A virtual game may be hosted by the game networking system
130, which can be accessed using any suitable connection 125 with a
suitable user device 110. A user may have a game account on the
game networking system 130, wherein the game account may contain a
variety of information associated with the user (e.g., the user's
personal information, financial information, purchase history
(e.g., of in-game assets), player character state, game state, or
any other user profile data). In some embodiments, a user may play
multiple games on the game networking system 130, which may
maintain a single game account for the user with respect to the
multiple games, or multiple individual game accounts for each game
with respect to the user. In some embodiments, the game networking
system 130 may assign a unique identifier to a player 105 of a
virtual game hosted on the game networking system 130. The game
networking system 130 may determine that the player 105 is
accessing the virtual game by reading the user's cookies, which may
be appended to HTTP requests transmitted by the user device 110,
and/or by the player 105 logging onto the virtual game.
[0063] In some embodiments, the player 105 accesses a virtual game
and controls the game's progress via the user device 110 (e.g., by
inputting commands to the game at the user device 110). The user
device 110 can display the game interface, receive inputs from the
player 105, transmit user inputs or other events to the game
engine, and receive instructions from the game engine. The game
engine can be executed on any suitable system (such as, for
example, the user device 110, the social networking system 140, or
the game networking system 130). For example, the user device 110
may download client components of a virtual game, which are
executed locally, while a remote game server, such as the game
networking system 130, provides backend support for the client
components and may be responsible for maintaining application data
of the game, processing the inputs from the player 105, updating
and/or synchronizing the game state based on the game logic and
each input from the player 105, and transmitting instructions to
the user device 110. As another example, when the player 105
provides an input to the game through the user device 110 (such as,
for example, by typing on the keyboard, clicking the mouse, or
interacting with a touch screen of the user device 110), the client
components of the game may transmit the user's input to the game
networking system 130.
[0064] In some embodiments, the player 105 accesses particular game
instances of a virtual game. A game instance is a copy of a
specific game play area that is created during runtime. In some
embodiments, a game instance is a discrete game play area where one
or more players 105 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
(e.g., decorations on a game board). 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.
[0065] In some embodiments, a specific game instance may be
associated with one or more specific users. A game instance is
associated with a specific user when one or more game parameters of
the game instance are associated with the specific user. For
example, a game instance associated with a first user may be named
"First User's Play Area." This game instance may be populated with
the first user's PC and one or more in-game objects associated with
the first user.
[0066] In some embodiments, a game instance associated with a
specific user is only accessible by that specific user. For
example, a first user may access a first game instance when playing
a virtual game, and this first game instance may be inaccessible to
all other users. In other embodiments, a game instance associated
with a specific user is accessible by one or more other users,
either synchronously or asynchronously with the specific user's
game play. For example, a first user may be associated with a first
game instance, but the first game instance may be accessed by all
first-degree friends in the first user's social network.
[0067] In some embodiments, the set of in-game actions available to
a specific user is different in a game instance that is associated
with this user compared to a game instance that is not associated
with this user. The set of in-game actions available to a specific
user in a game instance associated with this user may be a subset,
superset, or independent of the set of in-game actions available to
this user in a game instance that is not associated with him. For
example, a first user may be associated with Blackacre Farm in an
online farming game and may be able to plant crops on Blackacre
Farm. If the first user accesses a game instance associated with
another user, such as Whiteacre Farm, the game engine may not allow
the first user to plant crops in that game instance. However, other
in-game actions may be available to the first user, such as
watering or fertilizing crops on Whiteacre Farm. Likewise, a value
icons may have restrictions.
[0068] In some embodiments, a game engine interfaces with a social
graph (e.g., to obtain user profile data from the social graph to,
inter alia, configure the virtual sctach cards). Social graphs are
models of connections between entities (e.g., individuals, users,
contacts, friends, users, player characters, non-player characters,
businesses, groups, associations, concepts, etc.). These entities
are considered "users" of the social graph; as such, the terms
"entity" and "user" may be used interchangeably when referring to
social graphs herein. A social graph can have a node for each
entity and edges to represent relationships between entities. A
node in a social graph can represent any entity. In some
embodiments, a unique client identifier may be assigned to
individual users in the social graph. This disclosure assumes that
at least one entity of a social graph is a user or player character
in an online multiuser game.
[0069] In some embodiments, the social graph 600 of FIG. 6 is
managed by the game networking system 130, which is managed by the
game operator. In other embodiments, the social graph is part of a
social networking system 140 managed by a third party (e.g.,
Facebook, Friendster, Myspace, Google+). In yet other embodiments,
the player 105 has a social network on both the game networking
system 130 and the social networking system 140, wherein the player
105 can have a social network on the game networking system 130
that is a subset, superset, or independent of the user's social
network on the social networking system 140. In such combined
systems, game network system 130 can maintain social graph
information with edge-type attributes that indicate whether a given
friend is an "in-game friend," an "out-of-game friend," or both.
The various embodiments disclosed herein are operable when the
social graph is managed by the social networking system 140 the
game networking system 130, or both.
[0070] Returning to FIG. 6, the User 601 may be associated,
connected, or linked to various other users, or "friends," within
the out-of-game social network 650. These associations,
connections, or links can track relationships between users within
the out-of-game social network 650 and are commonly referred to as
online "friends" or "friendships" between users. Each friend or
friendship in a particular user's social network within a social
graph is commonly referred to as a "node." For purposes of
illustration, the details of out-of-game social network 650 are
described in relation to User 601. As used herein, the terms "user"
and "player" can be used interchangeably and can refer to any user
in an online multiuser game system or social networking system. As
used herein, the term "friend" can mean any node within a user's
social network, including the branded automatic players described
herein.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 6, User 601 has direct connections with
several friends. When the User 601 has a direct connection with
another individual, the connection is referred to as a first-degree
friend. In out-of-game social network 650, the User 601 has two
first-degree friends. That is, the User 601 is directly connected
to Friend 1.sub.1 611 and Friend 2.sub.1 621. In social graph 600,
it is possible for individuals to be connected to other individuals
through their first-degree friends (e.g., friends of friends). As
described above, the number of edges in a minimum path that
connects a user to another user is considered the degree of
separation. For example, FIG. 6 shows that User 601 has three
second-degree friends to which User 601 is connected via User 601's
connection to User 601's first-degree friends. Second-degree Friend
1.sub.2 612 and Friend 2.sub.2 622 are connected to User 601 via
User 601's first-degree Friend 1.sub.1 611. The limit on the depth
of friend connections, or the number of degrees of separation for
associations, that User 601 is allowed is typically dictated by the
restrictions and policies implemented by the social networking
system 140.
[0072] In various embodiments, User 601 can have Nth-degree friends
connected to him through a chain of intermediary degree friends as
indicated in FIG. 6. For example, Nth-degree Friend 1.sub.N 619 is
connected to User 601 within in-game social network 660 via
second-degree Friend 3.sub.2 632 and one or more other
higher-degree friends.
[0073] In some embodiments, a user (or player/player character), or
branded automatic player, has a social graph within an online
multiuser game that is maintained by the game engine and another
social graph maintained by a separate social networking system.
FIG. 6 depicts an example of in-game social network 660 and
out-of-game social network 650. In this example, User 601 has
out-of-game connections 655 to a plurality of friends, forming
out-of-game social network 650. Here, Friend 1.sub.1 611 and Friend
2.sub.1 621 are first-degree friends with User 601 in User 601's
out-of-game social network 650. User 601 also has in-game
connections 665 to a plurality of users, forming in-game social
network 660. Here, Friend 2.sub.1 621, Friend 3.sub.1 631, and
Friend 4.sub.1 641 are first-degree friends with User 601 in User
601's in-game social network 660. In some embodiments, a game
engine can access in-game social network 660, out-of-game social
network 650, or both.
[0074] In some embodiments, the connections in a user's in-game
social network are formed both explicitly (e.g., when users
"friend" each other) and implicitly (e.g., when the system observes
user behaviors and "friends" users to each other). Unless otherwise
indicated, reference to a friend connection between two or more
users can be interpreted to cover both explicit and implicit
connections, using one or more social graphs and other factors to
infer friend connections. The friend connections can be
unidirectional or bidirectional. It is also not a limitation of
this description that two users who are deemed "friends" for the
purposes of this disclosure are not friends in real life (e.g., in
disintermediated interactions or the like), but that could be the
case.
[0075] FIG. 7 illustrates an example data flow between example
components of an example system 700. One or more of the components
of the example system 700 may correspond to one or more of the
components of the example computing environment 100. In some
embodiments, system 700 includes a client system 730, a social
networking system 720a, and a game networking system 720b. The
components of system 700 can be connected to each other in any
suitable configuration and using any suitable type of connection.
The components may be connected directly or over any suitable
network. The client system 730, the social networking system 720a,
and the game networking system 720b may have one or more
corresponding data stores, such as the local data store 725, the
social data store 745, and the game data store 765,
respectively.
[0076] The client system 730 may receive and transmit data 723 to
and from the game networking system 720b. This data can include,
for example, a web page, a message, a game input, a game display, a
HTTP packet, a data request, transaction information, and other
suitable data. At some other time, or at the same time, the game
networking system 720b may 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 the social networking system 720a (e.g., Facebook,
Myspace, etc.). The client system 730 can also receive and transmit
data 727 to and from the social networking system 720a. This data
can include, for example, web pages, messages, social graph
information, social network displays, HTTP packets, data requests,
transaction information, updates, and other suitable data.
[0077] Communication between the client system 730, the social
networking system 720a, and the game networking system 720b can
occur over any appropriate electronic communication medium or
network using any suitable communication protocol. For example, the
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.
[0078] In some embodiments, an instance of a virtual game is 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 some 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 user accesses a
virtual game on the game networking system 720b, the BLOB
containing the game state for the instance corresponding to the
user may be transmitted to the client system 730 for use by a
client-side executed object to process. In some embodiments, the
client-side executable is a FLASH-based game, which can
de-serialize the game state data in the BLOB. As a user plays the
game, the game logic implemented at the 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 the 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. The 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. The 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.
[0079] In some embodiments, a computer-implemented game is a
text-based or turn-based game implemented as a series of web pages
that are generated after a user selects one or more actions to
perform. The web pages may be displayed in a browser client
executed on the client system 730. For example, a client
application downloaded to the client system 730 may operate to
serve a set of web pages to a user. As another example, a virtual
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 some embodiments, the virtual game is
implemented using Adobe Flash-based technologies. As an example, 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 user
plug-in. In some embodiments, one or more described web pages are
associated with or accessed by the 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.
[0080] Application event data of a game is any data relevant to the
game (e.g., user inputs or interations). In some embodiments, each
application datum may have a name and a value, and the value of the
application datum may change (e.g., be updated) at any time. When
an update to an application datum occurs at the client system 730,
either caused by an action of a game user or by the game logic
itself, the client system 730 may need to inform the game
networking system 720b of the update. For example, if the game is a
farming game with a harvest mechanic (such as FarmVille by Zynga),
an event can correspond to a user 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, achievement of a level,
or the like) and an object in the game to which the event or action
applies.
[0081] In some embodiments, one or more objects of a game are
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 user, or
the application files. In some embodiments, the client system 730
may include a Flash client. The Flash client may be configured to
receive and run a Flash application or game object code from any
suitable networking system (such as, for example, the social
networking system 720a or the game networking system 720b). In some
embodiments, the Flash client is run in a browser client executed
on the client system 730. A user can interact with Flash objects
using the client system 730 and the Flash client. The Flash objects
can represent a variety of in-game objects. Thus, the user may
perform various in-game actions on various in-game objects by
making various changes and updates to the associated Flash
objects.
[0082] In some embodiments, in-game actions are initiated by
clicking or similarly interacting with a Flash object that
represents a particular in-game object. For example, a user can
interact with a Flash object to use, move, rotate, delete, scratch,
attack, shoot, redeem virtual currency from a value object, or
harvest an in-game object. This disclosure contemplates performing
any suitable in-game action by interacting with any suitable Flash
object. In some embodiments, when the user 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 user at the client system 730, the Flash
client may send the events that caused the game state changes to
the in-game object to the 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 the game networking system 720b based on server loads
or other factors. For example, client system 630 may send a batch
file to the game networking system 720b whenever 50 updates have
been collected or after a threshold period of time, such as every
minute.
[0083] As used herein, the term "application event data" may refer
to any data relevant to a computer-implemented virtual game
application that may affect one or more game state parameters,
including, for example and without limitation, changes to user data
or metadata, changes to user social connections or contacts, user
inputs to the game, and events generated by the game logic. The
user profile data may include application event data. In some
embodiments, each application datum has a name and a value. The
value of an application datum may change at any time in response to
the game play of a user or in response to the game engine (e.g.,
based on the game logic). In some embodiments, an application data
update occurs when the value of a specific application datum is
changed.
[0084] In some embodiments, when a user plays a virtual game on the
client system 730, the game networking system 720b serializes all
the game-related data, including, for example and without
limitation, game states, game events, user inputs, for this
particular user and this particular game into a BLOB and may 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 user and a particular virtual
game. In some embodiments, while a user is not playing the virtual
game, the corresponding BLOB may be stored in the database. This
enables a user to stop playing the game at any time without losing
the current state of the game the user is in. When a user 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 some embodiments,
while a user is playing the virtual game, the game networking
system 720b also loads 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.
[0085] Various embodiments may operate in a WAN environment, such
as the Internet, including multiple network addressable systems.
FIG. 8 shows an example network environment 800, in which various
example embodiments may operate. A 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 WANs (such as the Internet), private
networks, wireless networks, satellite networks, cellular networks,
paging networks, and the like. As FIG. 8 illustrates, various
embodiments may operate in a network environment 800 comprising one
or more networking systems, such as a social networking system
820a, a game networking system 820b, a reward system 820c, and one
or more client systems 830. The components of the social networking
system 820a and the game networking system 820b, operate
analogously; as such, hereinafter they may be referred to simply as
the networking system 820. The client systems 830 are operably
connected to the network cloud 860 via a network service provider,
a wireless carrier, or any other suitable means.
[0086] The 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 computer 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, as well as, without limitation, webpages and applications
implemented using Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, PHP
Hyper-text Preprocessor (PHP), Active Server Pages (ASP),
Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language
(XML), Java, JavaScript, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX),
Flash, ActionScript, and the like.
[0087] The physical servers 822 may host functionality directed to
the operations of the networking system 820. Hereinafter servers
822 may be referred to as server 822, although the server 822 may
include numerous servers hosting, for example, the 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, the networking system 820
as digital data objects. A data object, in some 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.
[0088] 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 some 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.
[0089] The client system 830 is generally a computer or computing
device including functionality for communicating (e.g., remotely)
over a computer network. The client system 830 may be a desktop
computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, 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.
[0090] When a user at a client system 830 desires to view a
particular webpage (hereinafter also referred to as target
structured document) hosted by the networking system 820, the
user's web browser, or other document rendering engine or suitable
client application, formulates and transmits a request to the
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, a timestamp identifying when the request was transmitted,
and/or location information identifying a geographic location of
the user's client system 830 or a logical network location of the
user's client system 830.
[0091] Although the example network environment 800 described above
and illustrated in FIG. 8 is described with respect to the social
networking system 820a and the game networking system 820b, this
disclosure encompasses any suitable network environment using any
suitable systems. For example, a 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.
[0092] 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, the 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 storage medium,
directed to the functions described herein. Additionally, the
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 the processor 902 to the high performance I/0 bus 906,
whereas the 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 the bus 906. The
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 the bus 908. The hardware system
900 may optionally include a keyboard, a pointing device, and a
display device (not shown) coupled to the bus 908. Collectively,
these elements are intended to represent a broad category of
computer hardware systems.
[0093] The elements of the hardware system 900 are described in
greater detail below. In particular, the network interface 916
provides communication between the hardware system 900 and any of a
wide range of networks, such as an Ethernet (e.g., IEEE 802.3)
network, a backplane, or the like. The mass storage 918 provides
permanent storage for the data and programming instructions to
perform the above-described functions implemented in servers 822 of
FIG. 8, whereas system memory 914 (e.g., DRAM) provides temporary
storage for the data and programming instructions when executed by
the 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 the hardware
system 900.
[0094] The hardware system 900 may include a variety of system
architectures, and various components of the hardware system 900
may be rearranged. For example, cache memory 904 may be on-chip
with the processor 902. Alternatively, the cache memory 904 and the
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
neither require nor include all of the above components. For
example, the peripheral devices shown coupled to the standard I/O
bus 908 may couple to the high performance I/O bus 906. In
addition, in some embodiments, only a single bus may exist, with
the components of the hardware system 900 being coupled to the
single bus. Furthermore, the hardware system 900 may include
additional components, such as additional processors, storage
devices, or memories.
[0095] An operating system manages and controls the operation of
the 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.
[0096] Furthermore, the above-described elements and operations may
comprise 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 may be 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.
[0097] 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.
[0098] A recitation of "a," "an," or "the" is intended to mean "one
or more" unless specifically indicated to the contrary. In
addition, it is to be understood that functional operations, such
as "awarding," "locating," "permitting," and the like, are executed
by game application logic that accesses, and/or causes changes to,
various data attribute values maintained in a database or other
memory.
[0099] 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.
[0100] For example, the methods, game features and game mechanics
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., cellular phone, smart phone,
personal GPS, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal gaming
device, etc.), that makes API calls directly to a server. Still
further, while the embodiments described above operate with
business-related virtual objects (such as stores and restaurants),
the embodiments can be applied to any in-game asset around which a
harvest mechanic is implemented, such as a virtual stove, a plot of
land, and the like. 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.
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