Cross-Game Data Normalization for Unified Player Rankings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video games lack systems to effectively aggregate, normalize, and publish player performance data and virtual item values across different games, leading to stagnated player engagement and difficulty in comparing or trading virtual items between distinct games.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for aggregating and normalizing data across multiple video games, using a programmable clock, game server interface call modules, a database, and a video game content aggregation module to generate unified rankings and trade values, allowing for cross-game comparisons and trading of virtual items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If player performance data is collected across multiple separate video games, then the quantity of available performance data increases, but the complexity of aggregating and normalizing this data across different games increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data aggregation process into distinct modular components: data collection modules for individual games, a normalization module that applies game-specific transformation rules, and a publishing module. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple games independently while maintaining overall integration, reducing the complexity of managing cross-game data aggregation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized server as an intermediary between multiple game servers and the external world. This server receives performance data from various games, applies normalization rules specific to each game, and publishes aggregated results. The intermediary handles the complexity of data transformation and game-specific variations, isolating this complexity from both the game servers and external consumers of the data.
2Measurement precision
If leaderboards are game-specific, then the precision of performance measurement is maintained, but the versatility of comparing performance across different games is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by implementing game-specific normalization rules that are tailored to each game's unique metrics and performance characteristics. Each game can have its own transformation rules that preserve the precision and meaning of performance data within that specific game context, while still allowing aggregation across games through the standardized interface provided by the server.
3Ease of operation
If video games are played intermittently, then player autonomy is maintained, but player engagement and retention decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by providing players with aggregated performance data that spans multiple games and play sessions. This feedback helps players track their progress and performance over time, even when playing intermittently, motivating them to return to games to improve their rankings and maintain engagement with the gaming ecosystem.
4Reliability
If virtual items are game-specific, then the purity of item value within a game is maintained, but the liquidity of virtual items across games is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements universality by creating a multi-functional platform that handles both game-specific item valuation and cross-game item trading. The server maintains an understanding of item values within each specific game context while also enabling comparison and trading across games through standardized interfaces, allowing virtual items to function both as game-specific assets and as tradable commodities in a broader ecosystem.
Data Source
AI summary
The present specification describes a system and method for aggregating user results, rankings and statistical data associated with playing video games across two or more games, normalizing the aggregated data to unified values and presenting the aggregated and unified data via an interface, such that data from one game may be fairly combined and/or compared to data from another game. The present system allows a user to obtain a unified ranking across multiple games, especially when the games are of a similar genre.