In-Game Tags for Contextual Player Advice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing game play advice solutions are incomplete, outdated, and lack contextual relevance, requiring players to interrupt gameplay to access information, which can lead to frustration and disadvantage in complex, real-time interactive games.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for managing user-generated game play advice using a virtual coordinate system to assign and display contextually relevant information within the game space, allowing players to submit and access in-game tags with text, images, audio, and video, ensuring real-time, accurate, and pervasive advice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If game play advice is provided through external magazines or websites, then players can obtain game play information, but players must interrupt gameplay to access the information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges game play advice functionality directly into the game environment by placing hints and information markers within the virtual game space. This allows players to access game play information without leaving the game, eliminating the need to interrupt gameplay for external references.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that automatically provides game play advice based on the player's current location and situation in the virtual environment. The system acts as a mediator between the player and game information, delivering contextually relevant hints without requiring manual search through external sources.
2Loss of information
If game play advice is provided through external magazines or websites, then players can obtain game play information, but the information lacks contextual relevance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing game play advice that is specifically tailored to the player's current location and situation within the virtual environment. Different hints and information are displayed based on the player's precise position, ensuring that the information provided is contextually relevant to the immediate game situation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically determines what information the player needs based on their current game state and location, eliminating the need for players to manually search for relevant information. The game play advice system serves itself by intelligently selecting and displaying appropriate hints without player intervention.
3Loss of information
If game play advice is provided through external magazines or websites, then players can obtain game play information, but the information is often incomplete or outdated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where players can rate the usefulness of hints and information provided by the system. This feedback loop allows the game play advice system to learn from player experiences and improve the accuracy and completeness of future information delivery, ensuring reliability of the guidance provided.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically updates game play advice based on the current state of the virtual environment and player progress. Unlike static external magazines, the in-game information system adapts to changing game conditions, ensuring that the information provided is always current and accurate for the player's specific situation.
4Loss of information
If multiple external websites are visited to obtain complete game play advice, then players can find comprehensive information, but the process is time-consuming and disruptive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal in-game information system that serves multiple functions: providing location-specific hints, offering contextual game play advice, displaying player progress information, and providing navigation guidance. This multi-functional system consolidates what would otherwise require multiple external websites into a single integrated interface within the game.
Data Source
AI summary
The generation, association, and display of in-game tags are disclosed. Such tags introduce an additional dimension of community participation to both single and multiplayer games. Through such tags, players are empowered to communicate through filtered text messages and images as well as audio clips that other game players, including top rated players, have generated and placed at particular coordinates and/or in context of particular events within the game space. Users may generate the tags using standard push-button commands, gestures via gesture-recognition commands, or voice commands such as “drop tag.” The presently described in-game tags and associated user generated content further allow for label based searches with respect to game play, as well as community participation and feedback.