Trophy Module Emulation for Legacy Game Achievement Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Older video games lack the capability to award trophies to players, which diminishes the gaming experience for users who played these games before the trophy feature was introduced.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows trophies to be awarded in previously released games by using a trophy module that emulates game execution, checks the program counter for predetermined trophy events, and performs validation checks to ensure trophies are earned validly, utilizing a network environment with a trophy module, application server, and client modules to detect and assign trophies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If trophies are added to older games, then the gaming experience is enhanced, but the original game code must be modified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a trophy module as an intermediary component that sits between the game executable and the trophy system. This module intercepts program counter values during game execution and compares them against predefined trophy trigger values, allowing trophies to be awarded in older games without modifying the original game code. The intermediary handles all trophy-related logic externally.
Solution Approach 2:
The trophy system is segmented into separate functional components: the original game executable remains unchanged, while the trophy module operates as a separate entity that monitors game execution. This segmentation allows the trophy feature to be added without altering or complicating the original game codebase.
2Measurement precision
If trophy triggers are defined using program counter analysis, then trophy detection accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the trophy module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trophy module creates copies of relevant game state information (program counter values) at specific points during game execution. By copying and storing these values for later comparison against trophy triggers, the system achieves accurate trophy detection without needing to continuously analyze or modify the entire game code structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Trophy trigger values are predetermined and stored in advance based on analysis of the game's program counter behavior. This preliminary action allows the trophy module to simply compare current program counter values against pre-established criteria, reducing the complexity of real-time decision-making while maintaining high detection accuracy.
3Reliability
If validation checks are performed to ensure trophy legitimacy, then trophy reliability is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The validation process is optimized to quickly verify trophy legitimacy by checking essential criteria (program counter match, trophy not already awarded) and skipping unnecessary verification steps. This allows the system to maintain high reliability while minimizing the time spent on validation checks during game execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The trophy module maintains its own internal state tracking which trophies have been awarded and uses this self-service mechanism to prevent duplicate awards. This self-management reduces the need for complex external validation and minimizes processing time while ensuring trophy integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method assigns one or more trophies to a user. A game is emulated in response to a request from a client device. A trophy trigger is detected during emulation of the game by comparing a memory value of the emulated game to a predetermined value and assigning the one or more trophies to the user based on the detected trophy trigger.