Player Matching Algorithm Using Skill and Social Proximity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Social networking systems face challenges in providing an optimal online multiplayer gaming experience by effectively matching players with similar skill levels and social proximity, leading to suboptimal gameplay interactions.
Innovation Solution
A system that integrates skill rating algorithms with social graph data to match players based on both skill level and social proximity, utilizing a social networking platform to identify and suggest co-players who share common characteristics and are geographically or demographically close, enhancing the gaming experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If players are matched solely based on skill level, then gameplay balance is improved, but social interaction and player acceptance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges skill-based matching and social proximity matching into a unified player matching system. The system combines skill level assessment with social graph data (friends, acquaintances, geographic proximity) to create matching recommendations that consider both gameplay balance and social connections, thereby resolving the contradiction between pure skill matching and social interaction preferences
2Ease of operation
If players are matched solely based on social proximity, then player acceptance and enjoyment increase, but gameplay balance and skill compatibility decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system integrates social proximity metrics (friendship connections, geographic location) with skill level assessments to create a comprehensive matching algorithm. This ensures that socially close players are matched only when their skill levels are compatible, maintaining both player acceptance and gameplay balance rather than relying on social proximity alone
3Adaptability or versatility
If the matching system considers multiple factors (skill level and social proximity), then overall gaming experience is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the matching system into distinct modules: skill level assessment module, social proximity calculation module, and matching recommendation module. Each module processes specific data independently (skill stats from game servers, social graph data from networking system, geographic information) before integrating results, thereby managing complexity through modular architecture while achieving versatile matching capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems provide a user of a social network system access to a game over a network from a user device. The social network system matches the user with players of the game based on respective skill levels of the players and/or social proximity between the user and the players. The social network system sends a list of matched players to the user device for selection by the user, and sends an invitation to one or more of the players selected by the user to enable the user to play the game over the network with the one or more players.