Zynga Inc.

Kevin Holme

Justin Rouse

Jessica Oyhenart

Daniel Hurd

Vijay Thakkar

Shawn Lohstroh

Michael Chow

David Chow

Jason Tomlinson

Grant Yang

Michael McGary

Ananda Ghosh

Tim Terence Trampedach

Andy Gotcher

Jane Shapiro

Michael Coker

Shannon Dees

In a method of notifying a user of an option to participate in a meta game, a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a location is detected. An association between a computer-implemented meta-game and the location is identified. The player of the computer-implemented game is presented with an option to participate in the computer-implemented meta-game. An indication of an acceptance of the option to participate in the computer-implemented meta game is received from the player of the computer-implemented game. A performance of an action within the computer-implemented game by the player of the computer-implemented game is reflected within the computer-implemented meta game.

Notifying users of options to participate in meta games

A system and method to facilitate moves in a word game includes a game asset distribution module that adjusts the respective distribution weights of letters in a set of alphabet letters. The letters are distributed to players in a word game with a probability proportional to the distribution weights. The game asset distribution module includes an analysis module to analyze the game board, lists of playable words, player skill levels, and relationships of particular letters in word formations. Accordingly, distribution weights of the letters are adjusted in order to facilitate allocation to the player of those letters which will facilitate word formation, ensure at least a minimum playable word experience, and enhance an overall user experience, even amongst players with significantly different skill levels.

System and method to facilitate moves in a word game

In a method of managing a location-based meta game, a presence of a device is detected at a location. The device is configured to execute a computer-implemented game. Based on the detecting of the presence of the device, the device is instructed to present a user of the computer-implemented game with an option to participate in a computer-implemented meta game associated with the location.

Managing location-based meta games

An advertisement is associated with a particular user move in a gaming environment where playing of the user move by a user results in the advertisement being displayed at the user's gaming device. With multiple users, each play of a unique user move results in a corresponding uniquely targeted advertisement being displayed at the respective gaming device of each user. User moves and associated advertisements are bound to one another based on a frequency of use of the user move in game play and the desirability of the advertiser to associate the advertisement with the user move.

Matching advertising to game play content

An online game mechanic matches requests and responses of different data types that include text, image and audio. Request values corresponding to a first data type are sent to users in a distribution list, and those users send response values corresponding to a second data type. Winning response values are selected and announced. In an example embodiment, the request values include a text description that includes at least one word, and the response values include an image file or a reference to an image file.

Online game for matching text with images

An online game mechanic matches requests and responses of different data types that include text, image and audio. Request values corresponding to a first data type are sent to users in a distribution list, and those users send response values corresponding to a second data type. Winning response values are selected and announced.

Online game with matching of different data types

A system, computer-readable storage medium sorting at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for providing notifications to players of games are described. An identifier for a player of a first game is received. Notifications for at least one other game are obtained using the identifier for the player. The notifications for the at least one other game are transmitted to a device of the player, where the notifications for the at least one other game are to be displayed in a user interface for the first game.

System and method for providing notifications to players of games

Systems and methods to provide game notifications are described. In some embodiments, a method receives an identifier for a player of a first multiplayer game and obtains multiple notifications using the identifier for the player. The multiple notifications are associated with at least one other multiplayer game. The method further determines a display order for displaying the plurality of notifications in a user interface for the first multiplayer game. The multiple notifications are transmitted to a device associated with the player in the display order and displayed in the user interface for the first multiplayer game in the display order.

Game notification systems and methods

A player-matching mechanic selects users for an online asynchronous game where players specify moves at different times. Values from instances of the game are used to determine characteristics of the users including at least one of gameplay characteristics or chat characteristics. Users can be chosen for instances of the game by comparing values corresponding to these characteristics.

Growing community of inventors

Allen, TX, United States of America

Kevin Holme