Patent ID: 9566513
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: A63F

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method of using balancing actions to mitigate disruption of networked group activities as a result of participant inactivity, the computer-implemented method comprising: programmatically conducting a plurality of networked group activities in a virtual environment of a computer game, based on input received from a plurality of participants via a computer network, wherein each networked group activity includes two teams of avatars controlled based on the input, each team having a respective plurality of distinct avatars, each avatar of which is controlled by a respective participant of the plurality of participants, wherein the at least two teams are in competition with one another to achieve a predefined objective when participating in the respective networked group activity, wherein each avatar is selected from a set of available avatars, each available avatar having a distinct name and a distinct gameplay aspect relative to other available avatars; upon determining, during a first of the plurality of networked group activities, that the avatar of a first of the plurality of participants is inactive in the first networked group activity as characterized by absence of gameplay input received from the first participant for at least a threshold period of time while the avatar of the first participant remains present in the first networked group activity, performing a first balancing action including replacing the first participant with a new participant, outside of the plurality of participants, in the first networked group activity for at least part of a duration in which the avatar of the first participant is inactive; upon determining, during a second of the plurality of networked group activities, that the avatar of a second of the plurality of participants is inactive in the second networked group activity, performing, by operation of one or more computer processors, a second balancing action including prohibiting activity of the avatar of a third participant of the plurality of participants and on an opposing team relative to the second participant, in the second networked group activity for at least part of a duration in which the avatar of the second participant is inactive; and subsequent to completion of at least one of the first and second networked group activities, awarding an incentive via the computer network and to at least one of the new participant and the third participant for facilitating balance in the computer game.