Multiplayer Story System with Server Merging and Dynamic Action Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current interactive movies and role-playing games are limited in allowing multiple players to interact concurrently, offer predictable and unrealistic experiences, restrict social interaction among players on different servers, and lack mechanisms for efficient content development and integration, including merchandising and addressing intellectual property concerns.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables multiple players to interact through a networked computer system with a story application providing timing, event, and opportunity-based adventuring, allowing multiple instantiations of a story, player character interactions, and social interactions, while facilitating content creation and integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional interactive movies enable one player to act out an event/scene, then the system is simple to operate, but it is not capable of supporting the interaction of multiple players to act out an event/scene
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the interactive movie experience into multiple independent player instances, each with their own control interface and event participation capabilities. This allows multiple players to simultaneously act out different roles or perspectives within the same event/scene without requiring a complete redesign of the interaction framework
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a universal platform that supports both single-player and multi-player modes, as well as various types of interactions (cooperative, competitive, observational). The same core engine handles different player configurations and interaction types, making the system adaptable to multiple use cases
2Ease of operation
If interactive movies provide a limited number of action choices to players, then the system is easier to control, but the experience is predictable and less enjoyable
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically generates and presents action choices based on the current event state, player decisions, and narrative context. Rather than providing a fixed set of options, the available actions adapt in real-time based on what has occurred and what is narratively appropriate, maintaining ease of control while dramatically increasing variety and unpredictability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of available actions based on event progression, player characteristics, and story requirements. Action choices are not static but are modified in terms of availability, effectiveness, and consequences based on dynamic game state parameters, creating a more engaging experience while maintaining manageable complexity
3Productivity
If location-based RPG adventuring requires players to travel to pre-defined locations, then the adventure structure is clear and manageable, but players are often queued and must wait for other players to perform the activity
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows players to prepare for adventures in advance by gathering necessary items, skills, and information before being assigned to an event. Players can complete preliminary tasks and be ready to immediately participate when their adventure opportunity arises, reducing idle waiting time while maintaining structured adventure progression
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary matching mechanism that connects players with appropriate adventure opportunities based on their readiness, skills, and availability. Rather than players waiting at fixed locations, the intermediary system actively matches and assigns adventures, eliminating queues while maintaining clear adventure structure and progression
4Reliability
If location-based RPG adventuring distributes players among different servers, then server load is balanced, but players using different servers are restricted in their ability to interact with each other
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple server instances into a unified interaction space for specific events and adventures. When players from different servers are assigned to the same event, their server boundaries are temporarily merged, allowing full interaction while maintaining separate server infrastructures for stability and load management
5Manufacturing precision
If RPGs rely on developers to create story lines and dungeons, then content quality is controlled, but there is no efficient mechanism for integrating new story lines and merchandising
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables content creators and merchandising partners to self-submit and integrate their own story lines, characters, and products into the platform. Automated quality assessment and integration mechanisms evaluate and incorporate new content without requiring extensive manual review, maintaining quality standards while dramatically improving integration efficiency and enabling continuous content expansion
Data Source
AI summary
A system that enables player character interactions in an interactive multiplayer game or story including a user interface that enables a user to control a player character in the interactive multiplayer game or story and a processor, in communication with the user interface, that i) tracks the actions of the player character within the interactive multiplayer game or story, and ii) transfers control of the player character from the user to the processor during an interaction event with a second player character in response to an interaction condition.