Method and system for dynamically leveling game play in electronic gaming environments

Abstract

Methods and systems for automatically determining game content based upon dynamically adjusted individual skill levels are provided. Example embodiments provide an Electronic Gaming Engine (“EGE”), which includes a Dynamic Challenge Level Adjuster for supporting multi-player, individualized skill-based games. In one embodiment, the EGE comprises game flow logic; game content models, for example, question and answer (“Q&A”) challenge models; a Dynamic Challenge Level Adjuster; one or more scoring modules; challenge data; participant data; and an input/output interface. These components cooperate to determine and assign skill level indexes on an individual basis and to automatically present game content appropriate to each individual player's skill level.

1 . An electronically-implemented method in an electronic game played between a plurality of participants, each participant having an associated skill level index, the game comprising a plurality of challenges presented to the participants in a plurality of turns, comprising: 
 for each turn of each participant, 
 automatically selecting a next challenge based upon a skill level index associated with the participant;  
 presenting the selected next challenge;  
 determining a response to the presented challenge;  
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon a result of the determined response, the adjusted skill level index used for a next turn of the participant, thereby automatically managing competitive play between the participants.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 determining an initial value for the skill level index associated with each participant.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the initial value is at least one of age-based, knowledge-based, or skill-based.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the determining the initial skill level index comprises: 
 automatically determining an initial skill level index associated with each participant based upon at least one of (a) querying each participant for age-related, skill-related or knowledge-related criteria; or (b) presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the age-related, skill-related or knowledge-related criteria comprises at least one of age, age group, or grade level.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the determining the initial skill level index comprises: 
 determining an initial skill level index associated with each participant by retrieving a manually entered indication of skill level from each participant.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon the result of the determined response comprises: 
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon correctness of the determined response.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the skill level index is increased for a correct response and decreased for an incorrect response.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon the result of the determined response comprises: 
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant by different amounts based upon a current value of the skill level index.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon the result of the determined response comprises: 
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant a first amount when the determined response is correct and a second amount when the determined response is incorrect, the first amount not equal to the second amount.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the challenges are grouped into challenge level groups, and the automatically selecting the next challenge based upon the skill level index associated with the participant comprises: 
 determining a challenge level from the skill level index associated with the participant; and    selecting a next challenge from a challenge level group that corresponds to the determined challenge level.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the determined challenge level is one of three challenge levels and challenges are grouped by difficulty into each challenge level.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the challenge level groups are based upon age, knowledge, or skill.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic game is a question and answer based game.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic game is at least one of a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  performed by a DVD player, a personal computer, a networked computer system, or a game console.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the selected next challenge presents the next challenge using at least one of text, video clips, audio clips, still images, graphics, or animations.  
     
     
         18 . A memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to perform a game played between a plurality of participants, each participant having an associated skill level index, the game comprising a plurality of challenges presented to the participants in a plurality of turns, by: 
 for each turn of each participant, 
 automatically selecting a next challenge based upon a skill level index associated with the participant;  
 sending instructions to present the selected next challenge to a display device;  
 determining a response to the presented challenge;  
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon a result of the determined response, the adjusted skill level index used for a next turn of the participant, thereby automatically managing competitive play between the participants.  
   
     
     
         19 . The memory medium of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions that control the computer processor by: 
 determining an initial value for the skill level index associated with each participant.    
     
     
         20 . The memory medium of  claim 19  wherein the initial value is at least one of age-based, knowledge-based, or skill-based.  
     
     
         21 . The memory medium of  claim 19  wherein the determining the initial skill level index determines an initial skill level index associated with each participant based upon at least one of (a) querying each participant for age-related, skill-related or knowledge-related criteria; or (b) presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level.  
     
     
         22 . The memory medium of  claim 19  wherein the determining the initial skill level index determines an initial skill level index associated with each participant by retrieving a manually entered indication of skill level from each participant.  
     
     
         23 . The memory medium of  claim 18  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant modifies the skill level index based upon correctness of the determined response.  
     
     
         24 . The memory medium of  claim 23  wherein the skill level index is increased for a correct response and decreased for an incorrect response.  
     
     
         25 . The memory medium of  claim 18  wherein the skill level index associated with the participant is modified in non-linear increments.  
     
     
         26 . The memory medium of  claim 18  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant modifies the skill level index by a first amount when the determined response is correct and by a second amount when the determined response is incorrect, the first amount having a different value than the second amount.  
     
     
         27 . The memory medium of  claim 18  wherein the challenges are grouped into challenge level groups, and automatically selecting the next challenge based upon the skill level index associated with the participant comprises: 
 determining a challenge level from the skill level index associated with the participant; and    selecting a next challenge from a challenge level group that corresponds to the determined challenge level.    
     
     
         28 . The memory medium of  claim 27  wherein the challenge level groups are based upon age, knowledge, or skill.  
     
     
         29 . The memory medium of  claim 18  wherein the electronic game is at least one of a question and answer based game, a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.  
     
     
         30 . The memory medium of  claim 18  used for controlling a computer processor in a DVD player, a personal computer, a networked computer system, or a game console.  
     
     
         31 . The memory medium of  claim 18  wherein the next challenge is presented using at least one of text, video clips, audio clips, still images, graphics, or animations.  
     
     
         32 . An electronic game engine for providing a game played between a plurality of participants, each participant having an associated skill level index, the game comprising a plurality of challenges presented to the participants in a plurality of turns, comprising: 
 dynamic level adjuster that is structured to 
 retrieve a skill level index associated with a designated participant;  
 modify the retrieved skill level index based upon a response to a presented challenge; and  
 store the modified skill level index as the skill level index associated with the designated participant; and  
   game flow logic module structured to progress the game between participants by, for each participant turn, 
 retrieving a skill level index associated with the participant;  
 automatically selecting a next challenge based upon the retrieved skill level index associated with the participant;  
 presenting the selected next challenge;  
 determining a response to the presented challenge; and  
 invoking the dynamic level adjuster with the determined response to adjust the skill level index associated with the participant for a next turn of the participant.  
   
     
     
         33 . The engine of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 skill level assessment module that is structured to determine an initial value for the skill level index associated with each participant.    
     
     
         34 . The engine of  claim 33  wherein the initial value is at least one of age-based, knowledge-based, or skill-based.  
     
     
         35 . The engine of  claim 33  wherein the assessment module automatically determines the initial skill level index associated with each participant based upon at least one of (a) querying each participant for age-related, skill-related or knowledge-related criteria; or (b) presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level.  
     
     
         36 . The engine of  claim 33  wherein the assessment module determines the initial skill level index by retrieving a manually entered indication of skill level from each participant.  
     
     
         37 . The engine of  claim 32  wherein the dynamic level adjuster modifies the skill level index associated with the designated participant based upon correctness of the determined response.  
     
     
         38 . The engine of  claim 37  wherein the skill level index is increased for a correct response and decreased for an incorrect response.  
     
     
         39 . The engine of  claim 32  wherein the skill level index is modified by different amounts based upon a current value of the skill level index.  
     
     
         40 . The engine of  claim 32  wherein the skill level index is modified by different amounts depending upon whether the determined response is correct or incorrect.  
     
     
         41 . The engine of  claim 32  wherein the challenges are grouped into challenge level groups and the game flow logic module selects the next challenge from one of the challenge level groups based upon the retrieved skill level index.  
     
     
         42 . The engine of  claim 41  wherein the challenge level groups are based upon age, knowledge, or skill.  
     
     
         43 . The engine of  claim 32  wherein the electronic game is at least one of a question and answer based game a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.  
     
     
         44 . The engine of  claim 32  executed by a DVD player, a personal computer, a networked computer system, or a game console.  
     
     
         45 . The engine of  claim 32  wherein challenges are presented using at least one of text, video clips, audio clips, still images, graphics, or animations.  
     
     
         46 . A DVD-like medium containing instructions that control a processor in a DVD-like player to perform an interactive electronic game with a plurality of participants, the game being presented on a display device associated with the DVD-like player, by: 
 (a) determining a next current participant from the plurality of participants;    (b) retrieving a skill level associated with the current participant;    (c) automatically selecting a next challenge for the current participant based upon the retrieved skill level;    (d) presenting the next challenge and determining the result;    (e) based upon the determined result, automatically adjusting the skill level associated with the current participant and storing the adjusted skill level; and    (f) repeating instructions (a)-(e) until the game is determined to be completed.    
     
     
         47 . The memory medium of  claim 46 , further containing instructions that control a computer processor by determining and storing an initial skill value for each participant.  
     
     
         48 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein the determining the initial skill value for each participant is performed automatically by querying the user for age-related, knowledge-related, or experience-related criteria, or by presenting at least one sample challenge indicative of skill level and determining a response thereto.  
     
     
         49 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein the determining the initial skill value for each participant is determined by receiving an initial skill value entered by each participant.  
     
     
         50 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon the result of the determined response comprises: 
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon correctness of the determined response.    
     
     
         51 . The memory medium of  claim 50  wherein the skill level index is increased for a correct response and decreased for an incorrect response.  
     
     
         52 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon the result of the determined response comprises: 
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant by a non-linear amount.    
     
     
         53 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant based upon the result of the determined response comprises: 
 dynamically adjusting the skill level index associated with the participant a first amount when the determined response is correct and a second amount when the determined response is incorrect, the first amount not equal to the second amount.    
     
     
         54 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein the electronic game is at least one of a trivia-based game, a word game, a puzzle, a question and answer game, a time-based question and answer game, or a multiple-choice question and answer game.  
     
     
         55 . The memory medium of  claim 46  wherein the presented challenge is at least one of a multiple-choice question, a time limited challenge, or a true/false challenge.