Nonlinear Gameplay Configuration via Independent Sub-processes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional technologies have not enabled video games that offer a shared multiplayer game event where all participating users can easily contribute to the storyline through their game actions, due to complexity and resource-intensive processing requirements, especially in open-world designs.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented process that allocates game characters to users and initiates independently progressing sub-processes in separate state machines, allowing users to activate specific interaction functions that change the state of their sub-process, with the set of allowed functions updated based on the sub-process state, enabling a modular and interactive storyline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If open world designs are used to provide extreme nonlinear gameplay freedom, then player freedom and nonlinear storyline are improved, but processing resources and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The game event is divided into multiple independent sub-processes, each represented by a separate state machine. This segmentation allows the complex nonlinear storyline to be broken down into manageable, independent units that can be processed separately, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining player freedom to choose which sub-processes to engage with.
Solution Approach 2:
The state machine framework provides a universal structure that can handle multiple different sub-processes and interaction functions through a common mechanism. This multi-functional approach allows the system to manage diverse game events and player actions without requiring separate complex processing logic for each scenario.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more players are involved in the game event to enhance shared experience, then social interaction is improved, but processing resources and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the game event into independent sub-processes with separate state machines, the system can efficiently manage multiple players participating in different sub-processes simultaneously. Each player's actions are processed within their specific sub-process context, avoiding the need to track all player interactions in a single complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
Players can participate in selected sub-processes rather than being required to engage with all game events. This partial participation approach allows the system to process only the relevant sub-processes for each player, reducing overall processing complexity while still providing rich shared experiences for those who do participate together.
3Device complexity
If conventional linear gameplay is used, then storyline control and predictability are improved, but player freedom and replayability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The state machines are designed to be dynamic, allowing the storyline to adapt based on player choices and actions. While each sub-process has a defined structure that maintains control, the overall game event becomes dynamic as players can choose different sub-processes to engage with, creating varied storylines and enhancing player freedom without losing narrative coherence.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved computer implemented process for providing an interactive game event for two or more users. A game event is configured to comprise one or more independently progressing sub-processes (SP1-SP6) into which groups of game characters (C1-C3) are selected. Selected game characters (C1-C3) are provided with a set of allowed interaction functions for activation in the sub-process (SP1-SP6). The state of the sub-process (SP1-SP6) is changed in response to a game character (C1-C3) activating an interaction function from the set of allowed interaction functions, and the set of allowed interaction functions of the game characters (C1-C3) is updated in response to state change of the sub-process (SP1-SP6).