Virtual Unit Combination in Online Game Battles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional online game systems restrict users to sending only virtual units of the same type to attack another user's assets, limiting the ability to combine different types of virtual units in a single attack, which complicates game logic and user interaction.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that allows users to combine multiple virtual units into a single entity, with attributes determined by the collective attributes of the combined units, enabling portrayal and interaction as a unified entity in the game space, facilitated by modules such as a game module, virtual unit module, battle module, and troop combination module.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users are allowed to combine different types of virtual units in a single attack, then the versatility and complexity of battle strategies are improved, but the game logic complexity and computational burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattle strategy versatilityVSAvoidgame logic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the combined virtual entity into its constituent virtual units for individual processing, while presenting them as a unified entity to the user. Each virtual unit maintains its own attributes and behavior rules, allowing complex combinations to be managed through modular, independent unit processing rather than requiring complex holistic logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the combined virtual entity) that mediates between the user's high-level strategic intent and the low-level individual unit operations. This intermediary handles the complexity of coordinating multiple different unit types, shielding the user from implementation details while enabling versatile battle strategies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If multiple types of virtual units are combined as a single entity, then the user interface simplicity and ease of operation are improved, but the underlying system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface simplicityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple virtual units of different types into a single combined virtual entity that is presented to the user as one unit. This merging simplifies the user interface by reducing the number of individual objects the user must manage, while the system internally maintains the distinction between constituent units to handle their diverse behaviors and attributes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10279258B2System and method for combining virtual units in a game

Publication Date: 2019.05.07 ELECTRONIC ARTS INC

AI summary

The disclosure relates to facilitating presentation of a combination of virtual units as a single entity during a battle in an online game. A user may be in control of and/or be associated with a first set of virtual units in the game space of the online game. Some of the virtual units of the user may be involved in a battle facilitated in the game space. A plurality of the virtual units controlled by and/or associated with the user may be combined as a single virtual entity, such that the plurality of virtual units is portrayed in the view of the game space of the online game as the single virtual entity. The attributes of the single virtual entity in the game space may be dictated by the collective set of attributes of the respective virtual units of the plurality of virtual units combined as the single virtual entity.