Virtual Economy Balance via Optional Rake Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtual economies in online games often become unbalanced due to inflation, as players quickly accumulate virtual currency, leading to a surplus that can devalue assets and reduce player engagement and revenue for game operators.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an in-game asset extraction module that allows players to opt-in to a rake on their winnings, where a percentage of their virtual currency winnings is deducted and removed from the virtual economy, thereby maintaining economic balance and encouraging faster asset consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If players are allowed to earn and accumulate virtual currency freely, then player engagement and game enjoyment are improved, but virtual economy balance deteriorates due to inflation and currency surplus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts a portion of virtual currency from players' winnings through an optional rake feature. When players opt in, the system automatically removes a percentage of their winnings from the virtual economy, preventing currency surplus while maintaining player engagement through the optional nature of the feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the rake percentage applied to player winnings based on virtual economy conditions. By changing the parameter of currency removal rate, the system can respond to inflation trends and maintain economic balance without fundamentally altering the game's earning mechanisms.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a mandatory rake is applied to all player winnings, then virtual economy balance is improved by removing surplus currency, but player engagement deteriorates due to reduced earnings
Solution Approach 1:
The rake feature transitions from a static mandatory charge to a dynamic optional feature. Players can adjust their participation based on their preferences and economic conditions, allowing the system to maintain balance while respecting player autonomy and engagement levels.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forcing currency removal on all players, the system inverts the approach by offering players the choice to participate in the rake program. This voluntary participation model maintains economy balance through aggregated small removals while preserving player engagement through autonomy.
3Loss of energy
If optional features with rake are provided to players, then revenue for game operators is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional feature management
Solution Approach 1:
The optional rake feature serves multiple functions simultaneously: it generates revenue for operators, maintains virtual economy balance, and provides players with choice and control. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single feature implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of removing virtual currency from a virtual economy associated with a game is disclosed. A notification is received. The notification indicates that a player of the game has accepted an offer to enable an optional feature of the game in exchange for having a rake performed on winnings of the player. The feature of the game is enabled. It is detected that the player has received the winnings. The rake is deducted from the winnings. The rake is removed from the virtual economy. The player is provided with the remaining winnings.