Game Session Management in Social Messenger Apps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional online game systems require users to leave social networking platforms to access and manage game sessions, limiting seamless integration and instant access to games within social networks.
Innovation Solution
A system that integrates a client-side player component with a social networking system, enabling communication between a game instance on a client device and a backend server, allowing games to be initialized and played within the social network platform, with features like challenge notifications, score sharing, and live streaming, using a game library with private and public APIs to facilitate communication between different components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users access online games through dedicated game servers, then game sessions can be properly managed and maintained, but users must leave the social networking platform to access and manage games
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a game server as an intermediary component that bridges the social networking platform and game management functions. The game server receives game session information from the social networking system and manages game instances independently, allowing users to access games through the social platform without direct platform-server integration complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the social networking system handles user interactions and session initiation, while the separate game server handles game instance management. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function without requiring full integration, simplifying the overall system architecture
2Productivity
If game sessions are managed externally to the social network, then game functionality is maintained, but user engagement within the social network is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The social networking system is enhanced with multi-functionality to handle both social interactions and game session management. The system can process different types of requests (social messages, game invitations, session management) through unified communication interfaces, increasing user engagement without requiring separate specialized systems
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple programming languages and protocols are used for communication between game components, then system flexibility is improved, but communication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The game server acts as a communication intermediary that handles protocol translation and data format conversion between different programming languages and systems. It receives requests in various formats from the social networking system and translates them into standardized game management commands, isolating the complexity of multi-protocol communication within a single component
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is directed to enabling access to a game instance through a messenger application. A client-side player component facilitates communication between a game instance on the client device and a backend server of a social networking system. The communication information can be stored in or retrieved from a social graph of the social networking system. The game instance can be initialized from a social platform of the social networking system, and the game can be played without leaving the messenger application.