Game Factory System Using Geographic Data API for Multi-Platform Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computer game developers face challenges in creating realistic and varied geographic representations due to the time-consuming and costly process of collecting detailed geographic data, which diverts resources away from other aspects of game development and limits game appeal to specific locales, and also requires adapting games for different hardware platforms.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a computer game factory system with inventories of map data products, road models, 3D models, game shells, and game engines, combined with a geographic data API and tools, to facilitate the development of games across various platforms and locales, allowing for efficient selection and combination of components to produce games with realistic geographic features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If computer game developers collect detailed geographic data to represent real world places, then the realism and accuracy of geographic representations is improved, but the time and cost required for data collection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses existing map data products from third-party sources (such as navigation map providers) as copies or representations of real world geographic data. Instead of collecting original detailed geographic data through field surveys or manual measurement, the system retrieves pre-existing map data that accurately represents roads, buildings, and geographic features, thereby maintaining high representation accuracy while dramatically reducing data collection time and resources.
2Manufacturing precision
If computer game developers collect detailed geographic data for specific locales, then the realism of geographic representations is improved, but the resources diverted from other game development aspects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system retrieves pre-existing map data products from external sources rather than collecting geographic data internally. This approach maintains high geographic representation accuracy by using professional map data while eliminating the need to divert development resources toward data collection activities, thereby improving overall game development productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces map data products as intermediary components between the game development process and real world geographic data. These pre-processed map data products serve as a mediator that provides accurate geographic representations without requiring direct involvement of game developers in data collection activities, thus separating geographic data acquisition from game development workflows.
3Adaptability or versatility
If computer game developers provide multiple real world locales in games, then the appeal and variety of games is improved, but the cost and complexity of collecting geographic data for each locale increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a universal approach where a single infrastructure (game engine with geographic data API) can handle multiple different locales by retrieving appropriate map data products from external sources. This multi-functional capability allows the same development framework to support various geographic representations without requiring separate data collection processes for each locale, thereby enabling game variety while maintaining efficient data acquisition.
4Adaptability or versatility
If computer games are adapted for different hardware platforms, then the platform compatibility and reach of games is improved, but the complexity of development and adaptation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the game development system into distinct modular components: a core game engine, a geographic data API layer, and platform-specific adaptation layers. This segmentation allows the geographic data handling to be separated from platform-specific code, reducing development complexity while maintaining multi-platform compatibility. Each component can be independently optimized for its specific requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are disclosed for facilitating development of computer games that depict or represent actual geographic locales or imaginary locales as part of the play scenarios of the games. A computer game factory system includes inventories of map data products, road models, 3D models, game shells, and game engines. Configuration parameters identify which components to select from the inventories to produce games for various different computer platforms. The selected components are combined with a geographic data API and geographic data tools to produce computer games.