Patent ID: 8147306
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: A63F

Abstract:
1. A method for varying the experiential content available to human players of an on-line role-playing game comprising: a computer providing an in-game environment having a number of computer-generated, computer-controlled, non-playing characters (NPCs) with which human players can interact; the computer providing a pre-defined set of goals which are available for assignment to the NPCs within the in-game environment, wherein for each goal of the set of goals, the computer provides a pre-defined set of candidate steps which are operable by human players during in-game play to assist an NPC to which the goal is assigned in achieving the goal; within an in-game time frame defined by the computer for use within the in-game environment, the computer assigning a specific goal randomly selected from at least a subset of the set of goals to one of the NPCs, wherein the specific goal remains assigned to the one of the NPCs for at least the duration of the in-game time frame, and wherein the specific goal is not assigned to any other NPC while it is assigned to the one of the NPCs; and within the in-game time frame, in response to a human player electing to interact with the one of the NPCs, the computer dynamically defining a set of one or more steps from among the set of candidate steps for the specific goal which, if accomplished by the human player during the in-game time frame, will result in the one of the NPCs achieving the specific goal.