Virtual Tile Progression System for Online Game Monetization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional online gaming systems lack effective mechanisms for facilitating player progression through game content by requiring players to defeat non-player entities, with limited monetization opportunities and player engagement strategies.

Innovation Solution

A system that allows players to interact with virtual tiles, where resources are granted to engage non-player entities, with stochastic combat outcomes, and progressive access to subsequent tiles, incorporating pay-gated and tile-gated schemes to enhance player experience and monetization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If players are required to defeat non-player entities to access game content, then player progression and engagement are improved, but player frustration and loss of time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayer progressionVSAvoidtime to access content

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The game content is divided into multiple tiles that can be accessed independently. Players can choose to engage with individual tiles or skip ahead to later tiles by paying additional consideration, allowing them to segment their progression path according to available time and resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-calculates and stores the outcomes of combat engagements between player resources and non-player entities for each tile. This allows players to instantly view potential outcomes without actually engaging in time-consuming combat simulations, enabling informed decisions about whether to engage or skip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 3:

A preview mechanism acts as an intermediary between the player and the actual combat engagement. Players can first preview the tile content, resource requirements, and potential outcomes before committing resources or time, reducing frustration from unexpected difficulties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional pay-gated mechanisms are used, then monetization opportunities are improved, but player experience and engagement deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonetization implementationVSAvoidplayer experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pay-gated mechanism is made dynamic by allowing players to pay at multiple points in the progression path. Players can pay to access individual tiles, pay to access multiple tiles, or pay to skip entire sections. The system dynamically adjusts pricing and access options based on player choices and progression state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of access cost from a fixed gate to a variable option. Players can choose different levels of payment corresponding to different levels of access (individual tile, multiple tiles, or complete section), allowing flexible monetization that adapts to player preferences and spending capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If players must engage with every tile sequentially, then game depth and challenge are improved, but player engagement and completion rates worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame content depthVSAvoidcontent completion rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The complete game content is segmented into discrete tiles that can be accessed independently. Players can choose to complete all tiles sequentially for maximum engagement, or selectively access only certain tiles based on interest, time availability, or resource levels, thereby maintaining high completion rates across different player types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Players are allowed to take partial action by completing only a subset of available tiles rather than being forced to complete all content. This partial completion option increases overall engagement rates while still providing meaningful game experiences, and players can return to remaining tiles later if desired.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9539512B1Facilitating player interactions with tiles in an online game

Publication Date: 2017.01.10 KABAM INC

AI summary

A system and method for facilitating player interaction with sets of virtual tiles in a game space are disclosed. A set of virtual tiles may be provided for player interaction such that a player may be enabled to engage the non-player entity (or entities) associated with the individual tiles in the set of virtual tiles using a set of resources granted to the player. The player may be enabled to allocate a subset of the granted resources to engage a given tile in the set. An outcome of the engagement may be determined stochastically or quasi-stochastically. The player may be enabled to interact with the next tile in the set upon defeating the non-player entity (or entities) associated with the previous tile. Upon the player defeating the non-player entity (or entities) associated with the last tile in the set, a prize may be awarded to the player.