Dynamic Game Lobby Matching Reduces Player Wait Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional game systems require players to wait until a fixed number of participants are ready to play, leading to increased waiting times and potential loss of interest.
Innovation Solution
A game system that includes a lobby creation section, lobby entry processing, game selection processing, and game processing sections, which automatically matches players with available games based on the number of ready players, allowing for immediate game initiation and reducing waiting times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system waits for a fixed number of players to enter the lobby before starting a game, then the game can be played with a complete team, but the waiting time increases and players may lose interest
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the game starting conditions based on the number of players present. Instead of using a fixed threshold, the game can start with varying numbers of players (e.g., 3-6 players depending on lobby size), allowing the system to adapt to real-time player availability and reduce waiting time while maintaining game quality
Solution Approach 2:
The minimum player count requirement is changed from a fixed parameter to a flexible parameter that adjusts based on the current number of players in the lobby. This parameter change enables the system to start games with fewer players when necessary, directly reducing the waiting time while still allowing for complete teams when possible
2Reliability
If the system requires all players to be ready before starting a game, then the game experience is optimized, but the system complexity increases due to manual player management
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically manages player readiness states and game initiation without requiring manual player intervention. Players are automatically added to the game when the conditions are met, eliminating the need for players to manually confirm readiness or coordinate with each other, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining game quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary checks and automatic player selection before game start, determining which players should participate based on readiness status and game requirements. This preliminary automation reduces the complexity of real-time player coordination while ensuring optimal game composition
Data Source
AI summary
A non-limiting example game system includes a plurality of terminal apparatuses operated by a plurality of players, and connect to a network. The computer system creates a virtual lobby that allows up to a predetermined number of players to participate therein, and sets a player who operates one of the terminal apparatuses as a player who is virtually present in the lobby in response to a request from that terminal apparatus. The game system also automatically selects one from a plurality of games including at least games requiring different numbers of participant players, according to the number of players who are present in the lobby and are not playing a game and are ready to play, and automatically selects participant players in the selected game from the players ready to play.