Real-time, video game playtesting

Abstract

A video game testing system facilitating real-time monitoring and modifying a video game during a playtesting session. The testing system includes video game platforms operating during a playtesting session to run a video game. A server is provided to run a communications hub module communicatively linked with the video game platforms. The testing system also includes a monitoring computer station with a statistics gathering tool receiving data related to play of the video game by a control group of players. The game play data is transmitted from the video game platforms via the communications hub module, and the statistics gathering tool processes the game play data and outputs aggregated statistics during the playtesting session. The testing system includes a development tool issuing authoring messages to the game platforms defining modifications to the game data during the playtesting sessions, whereby real-time feedback is provided on game play and modifications.

1 . A video game testing system facilitating game authoring during testing, comprising:
 a set of video game platforms operating during a playtesting session to provide a video game based on game data;   a server with a communications hub module communicatively linked with the video game platforms; and   a monitoring system with a playtest statistics gathering tool receiving game play data related to a set of players playing the video games, the game play data being transmitted from the video game platforms via the communications hub module, and wherein the playtest statistics gathering tool processes the game play data and outputs aggregated statistics based on the processing during the playtesting session.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a game development tool issuing authoring messages to the game platforms via the communications hub module, wherein the authoring messages comprise content including modifications to the game data and wherein the authoring messages are transmitted during the playtesting session to affect the video games provided by the game platforms. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the authoring messages with the game data modifications are transmitted to a subset of the game platforms, whereby a fraction of the video games are modified during the playtesting session. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the playtest statistics gathering tool repeats the receiving of the game play data, processing of the game play data, and outputting the aggregated statistics after transmittal of the authoring messages, whereby real-time feedback regarding game updates is provided by output of the monitoring system. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises a monitor displaying an interface to the playtest statistics gathering tool including a display of at least a portion of the aggregated statistics. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the interface further comprises a portion of the game play data linked to individuals within the set of players. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the set of players are further divided into subgroups based on one or more parameters and wherein the aggregated statistics include information corresponding to game play be the players one or more of the subgroups. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the authoring messages are transmitted to the game platforms after configuration by the communications hub module according to communications data sets associated with the game platforms. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the game platforms comprises at least two configurations and wherein the communication data sets differ for the game platforms based upon the configurations of the game platforms receiving the authoring messages. 
   
   
       10 . A playtesting method for video game development, comprising:
 during a playtesting session, providing a plurality of instances of a video game running on video game platforms;   transmitting game play data from the video game platforms corresponding to a set of players playing the video game instances;   gathering the transmitted game play data with a statistics gathering tool running on a computer system;   with the statistics gathering tool, processing the gathered game play data to generate a set of playtest statistics; and   during the playtesting session, displaying the set of playtest statistics on a monitor, whereby a developer of the video game is provided with feedback on game play results during the playtesting session.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the game platforms communicate with networked devices using two or more communications libraries defining messaging protocols and further comprising operating a communications hub application receiving the transmitted game data and forwarding the received game data to the statistics gathering tool in a single form. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising collecting player data from the players in the set of players and wherein at least a portion of the collected player data is displayed on the monitor with the set of playtest statistics. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further including operating a game development tool to generate modifications to game data used by the video game platforms to provide the video game instances and transmitting the generated modifications to a set of the video game platforms during the playtesting session to alter the corresponding video game instances. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, after the transmitting of the generated modifications, repeating the transmitting of the game play data, the gathering, the processing, and the displaying of the set of playtest statistics. 
   
   
       15 . A system for testing a software program, comprising:
 a set of at least two computing platforms each running a software program based on a set of program data;   a server running a central hub application providing a communication interface to the computing platforms;   a statistics gathering module running on a computer linked to the central hub server, the statistics gathering module collecting data related to use of the software program by a set of operators, processing the collected data, and at least partially concurrently with the use of the software application by the operation displaying the processed data on a display screen.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a development tool generating an authoring message with modifications to the set of program data, wherein the central hub application forwards the authoring message to the computing platforms for use in running the software program and wherein the authoring message is generated concurrently with the use of the software program by the operators and with the collecting of data by the statistics gathering module. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the computing platforms comprise video game platforms and wherein the software program comprises at least a portion of a video game application. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the authoring message comprises game data affecting operation of the video games running on the video game platforms including modifications to game logic. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processed data displayed on the display screen includes game play status for the operators. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operators are grouped based on at least one demographic parameter and the processed data is displayed on the display screen at least partially based on the demographic grouping of the operators.