Zynga Inc.

Carl Eric Schiermeyer

Matthew Adam Ocko

William Henry Kelly Mooney

Jonathan Chang Tien

Roger F Dickey

Mark Pincus

Michael Arieh Luxton

Stephen Henry Schoettler

Erik Francis Vanbragt

Amitt Mahajan

The present disclosure relates to games and applications in general and in particular to computer-implemented online games, such as online role-playing games, playable by more than one person from more than one location. The game engine can dynamically determine the type of in-game asset to award to a first player and the types of in-game obstacles to present to the first player by referencing the in-game assets available to other players in the first player's social network and by referencing other game state variables.

Socially-based dynamic rewards in multiuser online games

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for limiting transfer of virtual currency in an online game. One method includes an operation for receiving, at a server, a purchase order for virtual currency from a first player. The purchase order is made with legal currency, and the virtual currency is usable within a computer-implemented gambling game. Further, the method includes operations for using a particular type of virtual currency available in an account of the first player to purchase a virtual item and a beneficiary is selected for crediting the virtual item. Account of the first player is adjusted to reflect the purchase of the virtual item and the account of the beneficiary is updated to credit the virtual item.

Limiting transfer of virtual currency in a multiuser online game

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for limiting transfer of virtual currency in an online game. One method includes an operation for receiving, at a server, a purchase order for virtual currency from a first player. The purchase order is made with legal currency, and the virtual currency is usable within a computer-implemented gambling game. Further, the method includes operations for crediting an account of the first player with virtual currency, and for enabling the first player to make transfers of the virtual currency to other players. The transfers of virtual currency from the first player to other players are then limited, such as by limiting the amount, the frequency, or the recipients of the transfers.

In various embodiments, virtual currency is used within a multiplayer online game in a restricted manner.

Virtual playing chips in a multiuser online game network

Example systems and methods related to player recruitment for acquiring rewards in an online game network is presented. In an example, an online game for a plurality of players is hosted. A player of the game is provided an asset based satisfaction of an acquisition requirement that includes a social requirement satisfied by a new association of a predetermined number of people with the online game.

Player recruitment for online game rewards

Example systems and methods related to a social requirement for acquiring an asset, such as a reward, in an online game are presented herein. In one example, an online game for a plurality of players is hosted. Information describing a social network of friends of a player of the game is accessed. An asset is provided to the player based satisfaction of an acquisition requirement to acquire the asset. The acquisition requirement includes a social requirement that is satisfied by a new association of a predetermined number of friends of the social network of the player with the online game.

Social requirement for online game asset acquisition

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for executing game transactions in an online game to acquire virtual currency. One method includes an operation for detecting a request from a player to purchase virtual currency for use in the online game. Cash or credit is received, in an online transaction, to make the purchase of the virtual currency. The virtual currency of the online game is not redeemable for cash or credit so the virtual currency cannot be considered gambling proceeds. The method further includes an operation for crediting the player with an amount of virtual currency based on the amount of the received cash or credit.

Example systems and methods related to dynamic generation of in-game assets and in-game obstacles of an online game are presented. In an example, information describing a social network of a first player of an online game is accessed, the information identifying other players of the online game. Game account information of the other players is then accessed. The game account information of the other players identifies in-game assets of the other players. At least one of an in-game asset for the first player and an in-game obstacle to affect the first player in the online game is generated based on a mathematical function that considers the in-game assets of the other player.

Dynamic asset and obstacle generation in online games

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for operating a multiuser online game with viral dynamic rewards.

Viral dynamic rewards in a multiuser online game network

Systems and methods to distribute benefits and detriments in a multiuser game are described. In some embodiments, a method accesses social network information associated with a player of a game. The player controls a first player character in the game where the first player character has certain attributes. The method accesses profile information associated with a friend of the player, who controls a second player character. A proxy based on the second player is created and includes multiple proxy attributes based on the profile information associated with the friend of the player. A game event outcome associated with the first player character is determined based on the first player character attributes and at least one proxy attribute. The game event outcome includes an in-game benefit or detriment that is distributed to the first and second player characters based on the proxy.

Distribution of benefits in a multiuser game

Systems and methods to generate proxies for players in a game are described. In some embodiments, a method accesses social network information associated with a player of a first game and a second game. The player controls a first player character in the first game and controls a second player character in the second game. The method accesses profile information of a friend of the player controlling a third player character in the first game. The method creates a proxy based on the third player character having multiple attributes based on the profile information of the friend of the player. A event outcome is determined based on an attribute of the first player character and at least one proxy attribute. Another game event outcome is determined based on an attribute of the second player character and at least one proxy attribute.

Applying proxy attributes in multiple games

An online multiuser game includes friend-playing characters that can be taken into account when determining outcomes of game events. The outcome of a game event can depend on player inputs, player character state, game state and the state of characters of friends of the player, independent of whether the friends are current players. Friends of a player can be determined by a game social network system that maintains records on game players and relationships between various players. A game server can attribute one or more in-game benefits to a current player based on the in-game profile associated with other players who are identified in a game social network as friends of the current player. The friend network can be single-layered or multiple-layered.

Multiuser game with friend proxy automated characters

Systems and methods to generate proxies for players in a game are described. In some embodiments, a method accesses social network information associated with a player of a game. The player controls a first player character in the game where the first player character has certain attributes. The method further accesses profile information associated with a friend of the player. The friend of the player controls a second player character in the game. A proxy based on the second player character is created and includes multiple proxy attributes based on the profile information associated with the friend of the player. The proxy is associated with the first player character. A game event outcome associated with the first player character is determined based on the first player character attributes and at least one proxy attribute.

Growing community of inventors

Burlingame, CA, United States of America

Carl Eric Schiermeyer