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  Game optimization systemRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), Skill Level Adjustment (e.g., Speed Change, Complexity, Etc.)Game optimization system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060281535, Game optimization system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/682954, filed May 20, 2006, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND [0002] Games have always been a popular pastime. Of late, computer gaming has become an important part of the game world. Computer networks such as the internet allow players on different computers in different locations to play with each other in real time. [0003] Many popular on-line games involve the selection and use of multiple game elements, or components, that a player manipulates in order to succeed in the game, typically by defeating an opponent and/or accomplishing one or more tasks. Examples of games including player-selected game components include, but are not limited to, collectible card games (CCGs), role playing games (RPGs), and real time strategy games (RTS). [0004] In contrast to games like chess, checkers, or hearts, where the playing components are static (pre-determined pieces with pre-determined characteristics), in the CCG and RPG-style games, players make choices regarding which playing components they will use in order to play any given game. For example, in one style of CCGs, players typically purchase (or trade for) large numbers of cards from which they are able to design and build their own customized deck(s). The player then uses the customized deck to battle one or more opponents, typically by playing combinations of cards and engaging in various duels. Thus, the player chooses which playing components he or she wishes to use. In one style of RPGs, players typically create one or more characters having various characteristics (strength, agility, intelligence, etc.) and then travel through the game collecting various game components, which may include, without limitation, tangible and intangible components such as abilities, spells, weapons, items, etc. that help the player's character battle opponents, accomplish tasks, and/or otherwise progress through the game. Thus, like the CCGs, RPG players often make choices regarding some or all of the components with which they play the game. Moreover, in many RPGs, the character in the RPG is limited to only a certain number of items or game components and must, therefore, select from between several different items, thereby forcing the player to make choices during the game regarding the items or game components with which he or she wishes to play. [0005] Currently, thousands or even hundreds of thousands of players are able to access and play on-line games. As a game is played more and more, it may become apparent that, despite all efforts of the game designers, a particular game component strategy, by which is meant the use of a particular game component or a particular combination of game components in game play, unfairly dominates the game. In the CCG context, a dominant strategy may become apparent by the repeated, non-random appearance of one or more specific cards in a statistically significant number of winning decks. In the RPG context, a dominant strategy may become apparent by the repeated, non-random appearance of one or more characters having given characteristics, and/or selecting similar abilities, and/or the ownership and/or use of one or more items, by successful players. Conversely, it may become apparent that there are (weak) strategies which are nearly always unsuccessful. [0006] Thus, in the context of the present disclosure, the existence of dominant and weak strategies essentially becomes a requirement that players who wish to "win" or be successful limit their playing component choices to those components that are dominant and avoid those components that are weak. Because these types of games are designed and intended to allow players to make choices regarding game strategy and devise their own unique strategies, significant limitations on the choices that players make can negatively impact enjoyment of the game. Accordingly, many game designers spend large amounts of time during game development attempting to balance the game. However, because such efforts are made during game design and, typically, before the game is played by the general public, these efforts often ultimately fail, as it is often only after extensive game play that unfairly dominant and weak strategies become apparent. [0007] Thus, a game that is designed to avoid the presence of unfairly dominant or weak strategies is greatly desirable. Therefore, a system that is able to both monitor for and identify game components that form or lead to the presence of unfairly dominant or weak strategies is greatly desired. Moreover, a system that is able to dynamically adjust the game, in order to account for and counteract any unfairly dominant or weak strategies is similarly greatly desired. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a game balancing system for networked game play according to the present disclosure. [0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a game balancing system for non-networked game play according to the present disclosure [0010] FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting a first embodiment of a game balancing engine according to the present disclosure. [0011] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting a second embodiment of a game balancing engine according to the present disclosure. [0012] FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting a third embodiment of a game balancing engine according to the present disclosure. [0013] FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary playing piece according to one embodiment of a game according to the present disclosure. [0014] FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary playing field according to one embodiment of a game according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0015] The present disclosure describes a game balancing engine (GBE) that is able to both monitor and identify components of games that form dominant or weak strategies. In its most basic embodiment, the GBE comprises a computer program that monitors game play and measures the usage of the individual game components in order to identify those game components that create an unfair advantage or unfair disadvantage to a player using those components in game play. [0016] For the purposes of the present disclosure it will be understood that the following terms are defined as follows: [0017] "Game system" includes any hardware system by which the game is communicated to the player. The game system may be a dedicated single game system (Plug it in and Play TV Games, Jakks Pacific, Malibu, Calif.), a dedicated multi-game system (e.g. the Play Station & Play Station 2 game systems from Sony Co.; the X box game system from Microsoft Corp.; or the Game Boy, Nintendo, and Nintendo 64 game systems from Nintendo Corp.), or a general or multi-purpose device capable of playing games such as a personal computer, cellular phone, personal data assistant (PDA), handheld computer, or the like. It should be noted that the software and/or code for playing the game need not reside locally on the game system. Thus a computer that links to the internet and allows a player to play a game that resides entirely on a separate server would still be considered a game system for the purposes of the present disclosure. [0018] "Networked game play" includes all ways and methods by which two or more game systems can communicate or link with one another, for example, in order to allow two or more players to interact with one another or the same environment. Networked game play may take place whether or not the players play "against" one another. Thus, networked game play includes games in which player vs. player combat is strictly banned, as well as cooperative play games and traditional player vs. player combat games. Networked game play includes, but is not limited to, both private and public internet and intranet game play. [0019] "Non-networked game play" includes any game play that is not networked game play. Accordingly, non-networked game play may include, without limitation, stand alone games played on a single computer, or on-line single player games that do not involve communication, linkage, or interaction with other players or shared game environments. [0020] "Game component" includes any tangible or intangible element existing in the game that a player may choose to acquire and/or use. Examples of game components include, without limitation, skills, items, cards, spells, characteristics, personality traits, the right to go first or make a move, and the like. In other words, game components are a manifestation of the strategic choices a player makes between two or more game elements. Thus, a game component may further include paths, routes, rooms, actions, etc. where a player is presented with the choice between whether to take path A or path B, whether to engage in action A or action B, or whether to take path A or engage in action A, etc. Continue reading about Game optimization system... Full patent description for Game optimization system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Game optimization system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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