Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Sandeep Vijay Kharkar

Jaren J Peterson

Kirk Baum

C Matthew Dawson

Derek Peterson

Andrew Cantlay Marre

James Rowe

Paul Mombourquette

Bradley A Edwards

Jason Scanlon

Daren Smith

David M Haslam

Mark Snow

Duane Johnson

Christopher H Stewart

Jon Matsukawa

Systems and methods employing rule based techniques for handling virtual entity manifestation into gameplay modes in accordance with gameplay restrictions of the individual gameplay modes. The system may comprise a host server including one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules. The computer program modules may comprise a game module configured to execute an instance of the online game and to facilitate participation in one or more gameplay modes, a rule module configured to maintain rules corresponding to the restrictions for manifesting virtual entities into the individual gameplay modes, a creation module configured to create manifests including information corresponding to the rules for each gameplay mode, a determination module configured to determine which rules to apply to the virtual entities, and an application module configured to apply the rules according to the determinations.

System using rule based techniques for handling gameplay restrictions

Systems and methods configured for implementing behavior trees when modifying attribute values of game entities based on physical token detection are presented herein. Behavior and/or action of game entities may be implemented using behavior trees. Individual behavior trees may be implemented for individual game entities and/or groups of game entities defined, at least in part, by individual sets of attribute values. Token detection may cause attribute values of one or more game entity attributes to change. In response to the change in attribute values, a behavior tree being implemented for the game entity may be changed to a different game entity. In this manner, behavioral changes for game entity may be implemented 'on-the-fly' as attribute values are modified based on token detection.

System and method of implementing behavior trees when modifying attribute values of game entities based on physical token detection

Users may participate in instances of a virtual space through computing platforms associated with the users. User participation may include controlling game entities within the instances of the virtual spaces. Individual game entities may be defined by attribute values of one or more game entity attributes. One or more attribute values may be modified from their currently defined values based on detection of physical tokens communicatively coupled to token readers. By way of non-limiting example, tokens may store attribute modification information that may specify discrete amounts by which one or more attribute values may be changed.

System and method of modifying attribute values of game entities based on physical token detection

Systems and methods for controlling groups of game entities in a video game in a collective, coordinated, and/or collaborative manner are presented herein. Groups of individual game entities may be formed. Individual groups may be associated with a group entity. Control inputs may be received that are related to group entity actions to be performed by the group entities in the virtual space. The group entity actions may be related to one or more group actions to be performed by the game entities included in the groups in a collective, coordinated, and/or collaborative manner. The one or more group actions may be implemented by executing individual game entity actions to be performed by the individual game entities included in the groups. The individual game entity actions may be determined based on the group entity actions.

Controlling groups of game entities in a video game in a collective, coordinated, and/or collaborative manner using a group entity

Objects in a virtual space may need to be synchronized between different instances (or different expressions of an instance) of the virtual space that are separated spatially. Objects include characters. Different expressions may be associated with different users and different client computing platforms that are connected by a network. The actions of the same character in two expressions of the same instance of the virtual space may not be synchronized due to network delay, lag, latency, or other delays, or due to joining a session already in progress. Responsive to a determination that an object is not synchronized, a sequence of subsequent states is determined that will result in the object being synchronized.

Efficient synchronization of behavior trees using network significant nodes

Character control in a virtual space may be managed between user instructions and non-user instructions. User instructions associated with controllable aspects of characters within the virtual space may be received. The characters may include a first character associated with a first user and a second character. Non-user instructions associated with controllable aspects of characters within the virtual space may be provided. A determination may be made as to whether two or more characters are coupled together. The first character may be coupled with the second character responsive to a coupling action performed by one or both of the first character or the second character. A determination may be made as to whether user instructions or non-user instructions should dictate control of controllable aspects of characters. Individual characters may be configured to be agnostic as to whether user instructions or non-user instructions dictate control of controllable aspects.

Managing character control in a virtual space

Techniques are disclosed for using atomic agents to implement modifications to actors. The atomic agents are self-functioning and may be applied to and removed from an actor in order to modify the behavior and/or appearance of the actor. The default appearance and behavior of the actor is embedded in the program code that defines the actor. One or more atomic agents may be applied to the actor to modify the actor's appearance or behavior without requiring any communication or interaction with the program code that defines the actor. Separate program code defines each atomic agent and the compatibility between the respective atomic agent and other atomic agents.

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Bountiful, UT, United States of America

Sandeep Vijay Kharkar