Method and apparatus for providing a computer implemented game

Abstract

A user device provides a computer implemented game with different levels. The device has a user interface. A player selects a level via the user interface. When a level is selected, the associated game board in displayed. Information about the number of attempts made by the user to complete the level is displayed as is information about the number of attempts made by a group of user to complete the level.

1 . A computer device providing a computer implemented game, said computer device comprising:
 a user interface configured to detect user input from a player of said game, said user input selecting a level of a plurality of levels of the computer implemented game to play;   at least one processor configured to receive the detected user input and in response thereto providing (a) a game board of said computer implemented game associated with said selected level, (b) first information associated with a number of attempts made by said player to complete said level and (c) second information associated with attempts made by a group of players to complete said level; and   a display configured to display the game board, said first information and second information.   
     
     
         2 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a transmitter, said at least one processor configured to cause said transmitter to transmit to a server information associated with at least one failure of said player of said selected level. 
     
     
         3 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a transmitter, said at least one processor configured to cause said transmitter to transmit to a server information associated with a success of said player of said selected level. 
     
     
         4 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a transmitter, said at least one processor configured to cause said transmitter to transmit to a server information associated with a start by said player of an attempt to pass said selected level. 
     
     
         5 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a receiver, said receiver configured to receive at least one of said first and said second information from a server. 
     
     
         6 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said player is part of said group of players. 
     
     
         7 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a counter configured to be updated each time said player one of plays said level and fails said level. 
     
     
         8 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said counter is configured to be reset when said player completes said selected level. 
     
     
         9 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second information comprises an average number of attempts needed to complete said level. 
     
     
         10 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second information comprises a lowest number of attempts needed to complete said level of said group of players. 
     
     
         11 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said display is configured to display said first information and said second information with respect to a graphical scale. 
     
     
         12 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first information further comprises personal best information for said player. 
     
     
         13 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine based on said second information a category for at least one level. 
     
     
         14 . A computer device as claimed in  claim 13  comprising displaying on said display a plurality of level options, wherein selection of one of said level options causes the game board of the selected level to be displayed, at least one of said plurality of level options being displayed with a respective category. 
     
     
         15 . A computer implemented game server, said computer implemented game comprising a plurality of different levels, said server comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive, from a plurality of different computer devices on which said computer implemented game is played by a group of players, information associated with one or more attempts to play said computer implemented game;   at least one processor configured to use said information to update information about a number of attempts to complete respective levels of said game; and   transmitting update information associated with attempts made by said group of players to complete said level to one or more of said plurality of different computer devices.   
     
     
         16 . A server as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said server comprises a first counter for a respective level which is updated in response to each attempt to complete said level. 
     
     
         17 . A server as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said server comprises a second counter for a respective level which is updated in response to each successful attempt to complete said respective level. 
     
     
         18 . A server as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to use said first counter and said second counter to determine an average number of attempts taken to complete said level. 
     
     
         19 . A server as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said server is configured to categorise at least one of said levels with respect to at least one other level using said information about the number of attempts to complete a respective level. 
     
     
         20 . A server as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said categorisation is a difficulty categorisation. 
     
     
         21 . A server as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising an interface for communicating with at least one other server, said at least one other server being configured to communicate with a respective different plurality of user devices, said interface being configured to receive from said at least one other server update information about a number of attempts to complete respective levels of said game for respective players of the different plurality of user devices. 
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer device causes said at least one processor to perform the following steps:
 detect via a user interface user input from a player of said game, said user input selecting a level of a plurality of levels of the computer implemented game to play; and   in response to said input cause display of a game board of said computer implemented game associated with said selected level, first information associated with a number of attempts made by said player to complete said level and second information associated with attempts made by a group of players to complete said level.   
     
     
         23 . A non-transitory computer readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a server causes said at least one processor to perform the following steps:
 receive from a plurality of different computer devices on which a computer implemented game is played by a group of players, information associated with one or more attempts to play said computer implemented game;   use said information to update information about a number of attempts to complete respective levels of said game; and   transmit update information associated with attempts made by said group of players to complete said level to one or more of said plurality of different computer devices.