Playable Gameplay Moments in Game Simulation

Solution Overview

Problem

Sports video games on mobile devices often have game durations that are too long for continuous user engagement, making it challenging for users to play against each other for extended periods.

Innovation Solution

A game mode that simulates a series of playable moments or 'highlight' interactions based on player selections and team ratings, allowing users to control their team during key moments in the game while the rest of the game is simulated, enabling longer engagement with the game.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If a full simulation of the game is provided to the user, then the user can experience complete gameplay, but the game duration becomes too long for continuous mobile device usage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame durationVSAvoiduser engagement efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The game is divided into multiple discrete moments or highlights rather than presenting the complete game continuously. Each moment represents a significant gameplay event (scoring opportunity, defensive situation, etc.) that can be independently simulated and played. This segmentation allows users to experience key gameplay elements in shorter time intervals, making mobile gameplay feasible without requiring commitment to a full game duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-calculates and identifies significant moments in the game before presenting them to the user. By analyzing game data and team ratings in advance, the system determines which moments are most likely to be engaging (scoring chances, defensive situations) and prepares these for accelerated simulation. This preliminary action allows the full game to be processed offline while the user only interacts with pre-selected highlight moments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Duration of action of moving object

If the game is simulated in accelerated fashion, then the game duration is reduced for mobile usage, but the user loses control and engagement with the gameplay

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame durationVSAvoiduser control

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The game is divided into multiple discrete moments or highlights rather than presenting the complete game continuously. Each moment represents a significant gameplay event (scoring opportunity, defensive situation, etc.) that can be independently simulated and played. This segmentation allows users to experience key gameplay elements in shorter time intervals, making mobile gameplay feasible without requiring commitment to a full game duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The simulation speed is dynamically adjusted based on the significance of the moment being simulated. Less critical moments are simulated faster, while moments identified as high-engagement events (scoring chances, defensive situations) are simulated at normal or reduced speed, allowing users to maintain control and engagement during important gameplay events while still benefiting from accelerated play during less critical segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If only key moments are presented to the user, then the engagement time is extended, but the user experiences less of the complete game

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser engagement efficiencyVSAvoidgame content

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and identifies significant moments in the game before presenting them to the user. By analyzing game data and team ratings in advance, the system determines which moments are most likely to be engaging (scoring chances, defensive situations) and prepares these for accelerated simulation. This preliminary action allows the full game to be processed offline while the user only interacts with pre-selected highlight moments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to users about which moments are being simulated and their significance. By informing users about the nature of each moment (scoring chance, defensive situation) and potentially allowing them to influence simulation parameters, the system maintains user engagement and understanding of the complete game context even though not every moment is fully simulated in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10926178B1Presenting playable gameplay moments during a simulation of a game

Publication Date: 2021.02.23 ELECTRONIC ARTS INC

AI summary

Methods and systems for displaying a playable interaction in a simulated game are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a device of a user, a plurality of player selections for a first team, calculating an overall team rating for the first team, calculating a number of scoring chances for the first team, simulating, based on the number of scoring chances, a first portion of the game until a predetermined type of interaction between the first team and the second team occurs, displaying the predetermined type of interaction, providing control of the first team for predetermined type of interaction, simulating, based on the number of scoring chances, a second portion of the game until a second predetermined type of interaction occurs, displaying the second predetermined type of interaction, providing control of the first team for the second predetermined type of interaction.