System and method for simulating group play within asynchronous videogame content

Abstract

To simulate group play, player-controlled characters may be grouped prior to entry into a set of asynchronous videogame content. Then separate instances of the set of asynchronous videogame content may be provided to players associated with individual ones of the grouped player-controlled characters. In the separate instance provided to a given player, secondary instances of the player-controlled characters other than the player-controlled character being controlled by the given player may be controlled automatically to accompany the player-controlled character being controlled by the given player.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system configured to simulate group play within asynchronous videogame content such that the individual players control corresponding player-controlled characters within a videogame, wherein the players include a first player that controls a first player-controlled character and a second player that controls a second player-controlled character, the system comprising:
 one or more physical processors configured via computer-readable instructions to:
 effectuate presentation of views of a first instance of a first set of asynchronous videogame content to the first player; 
 effectuate presentation of views of a second instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content to the second player such that the first player and the second player participate in the first set of asynchronous videogame content separately from each other; 
 receive a first set of information related to progress of the first player-controlled character in the first instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content; 
 generate a first status update based on the first set of information; and 
 effectuate presentation of the first status update to the second player. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured via computer-readable instructions to:
 receive a second set of information related to progress of the second player-controller character in the second instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content;   generate a second status update based on the second set of information; and   effectuate presentation of the second status update to the first player.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first set of asynchronous videogame content is accessible to the first player-controlled character and the second player-controlled character through a synchronization point in the videogame. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first synchronization point includes a virtual location in the video game. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer-readable instructions to effectuate presentation of the first status update and the second status update are executed subsequent to the first player-controlled character and the second player-controlled character being present at the first synchronization point contemporaneously. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to form a group of player-controlled characters including the first player-controlled character and the second player-controlled character, and wherein the computer-readable instructions to effectuate presentation of the first status update and the second status update are executed responsive to individual ones of the group of player-controlled characters reaching a particular virtual location in the videogame. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the videogame further includes a second set of asynchronous videogame content that is accessible to the first and second player-controlled characters through a second synchronization point in the videogame. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the second synchronization point in the videogame is only accessible to the first player subsequent to participation by the first player in the first set of asynchronous videogame content. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein in the first instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content at least partial control of the instance of the second player-controlled character is selectively ceded to the first player. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method of simulating group play within asynchronous videogame content such that the individual players control corresponding player-controlled characters within a videogame, wherein the players include a first player that controls a first player-controlled character and a second player that controls a second player-controlled character, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:
 effectuating presentation of views of a first instance of a first set of asynchronous videogame content to the first player that enable the first player to control the first player-controlled character within the first set of asynchronous videogame content, wherein the second player is without control within the first instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content;   effectuating presentation of views of a second instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content to the second player that enable the second player to control the second player-controlled character within the first set of asynchronous videogame content, wherein the first player is without control within the second instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content;   receiving a first set of information related to progress of the first player-controlled character in the first instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content;   generating a first status update based on the first set of information; and   effectuating presentation of the first status update to the second player.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a second set of information related to progress of the second player-controller character in the second instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content;   generating a second status update based on the second set of information; and   effectuating presentation of the second status update to the first player.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 forming a group of player-controlled characters including the first player-controlled character and the second player-controlled character,   wherein effectuating presentation of the first status update and the second status update is performed responsive to individual ones of the group of player-controlled characters reaching a particular virtual location in the videogame.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first set of asynchronous videogame content is accessible to the first player-controller character and the second player-controlled character through a synchronization point in the videogame. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first synchronization point includes a virtual location in the video game. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein effectuating presentation of the first update and the second update is performed subsequent to the first player-controlled character and the second player-controlled character being present at the first synchronization point contemporaneously. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the videogame includes a second set of asynchronous videogame content that is accessible to the first and second player-controlled characters through a second synchronization point in the videogame. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second synchronization point in the videogame is only accessible to the first player subsequent to participation by the first player in the first set of asynchronous videogame content. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein automatically controlling the instance of the second player-controlled character includes selectively ceding, to the first player in the first instance of the first set of asynchronous videogame content, at least partial control of the instance of the second player-controlled character.