Dynamic Matchmaking Population Herding for Game Mode Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-player games, players are unevenly distributed across different gameplay modes, leading to longer matchmaking wait times for unpopular modes, which discourages content developers from creating diverse content and makes unpopular modes unplayable.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic matchmaking population herding system that evaluates metrics to balance player distribution by adjusting gameplay mode selection interfaces and offering herding incentives, allowing new players to choose their preferred mode while encouraging play in less popular modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If each new player selects a particular gameplay mode independently, then player freedom and preference satisfaction are improved, but player distribution becomes uneven across gameplay modes
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors player distribution metrics across different gameplay modes and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the matchmaking population herding strategy. The metric evaluation engine processes real-time data about population distribution and modifies herding incentives accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that balances player freedom with equitable distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the gameplay mode selection interface dynamically based on current population distribution. By adjusting interface configuration and herding incentives according to real-time metrics, the system guides players toward underrepresented modes while preserving their ability to make selections, thereby balancing distribution without completely restricting player autonomy.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the system herds players to balance distribution across gameplay modes, then player distribution evenness is improved, but player autonomy in mode selection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gameplay mode selection interface acts as an intermediary between player preferences and actual mode assignment. Rather than directly assigning players to modes or completely freeing their choice, the interface mediates by presenting customized selections and herding incentives that subtly guide players toward underrepresented modes while still respecting their ultimate selection freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The herding incentive configuration is made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously adapts the strength and nature of herding incentives based on real-time evaluation of population distribution metrics, allowing the degree of herding to fluctuate dynamically to maintain balance while preserving player autonomy during different time periods and distribution states.
3Adaptability or versatility
If content developers deliver a wide variety of creative gameplay modes, then game content diversity is improved, but player distribution across modes becomes increasingly uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary actions by proactively herding players toward newly released or underrepresented gameplay modes before these modes become completely unpopular. By detecting early distribution imbalances and applying herding incentives in advance, the system prevents new modes from falling into the unplayable state, ensuring they maintain adequate player populations throughout their lifecycle.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for dynamically herding a matchmaking population for a multi-player game. A new player requesting to play a multi-player game is presented with a gameplay selection mode interface based on metrics gathered by monitoring the matchmaking population for the different gameplay modes of the multi-player game. The metrics are evaluated by a metric evaluation engine to determine a configuration of the gameplay mode selection interface that is designed to herd the matchmaking population to evenly balance the players across the different gameplay modes of the multi-player game. A herding incentive may be determined based on the evaluation of the metrics and included in the gameplay mode selection interface.