Graphical user interfaces in computer-implemented multiplayer games

This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods to provide graphical user interfaces in computer-implemented multiplayer games. The graphical user interface includes a friends panel that is operable between a collapsed condition and an expanded condition. The friends panel provides friends information display functionality, social network management functionality, and/or messaging functionality both in the collapsed condition and in the expanded condition. In the collapsed condition, the friends panel may comprise a friends bar that shows a row of friend cards or chiclets associated with respective friends of a host player associated with a displayed game instance, the friends bar being clear of a view of a virtual in-game environment shown in the game display, while the expanded friends panel may comprise a grid of friend cards or chiclets that functionally obscures the in-game environment.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to games and applications in general, and also to computer-implemented online games, such as online role-playing games (RPGs) that are playable by more than one person from more than one location.

BACKGROUND

In many online computer games, there is a virtual world or some other imagined playing space where a player of the game controls one or more player characters (herein “characters,” “player characters,” or “PCs”). Player characters can be considered in-game representations of the controlling player. As used herein, the terms player, user, entity, neighbor, friend, and the like may refer to the in-game player character controlled by that player, user, entity, or friend, unless context suggests otherwise. A game display can display a representation of the player character. A game engine accepts inputs from the player, determines player character actions, decides outcomes of events, and presents the player with a game display illuminating game play. In some games, there are multiple players, wherein each player controls one or more player characters.

An electronic social networking system typically operates with one or more social networking servers providing interaction between users such that a user can specify other users of the social networking system as “friends.” A collection of users and the “friend” connections between users can form a social graph in such a social networking system that can be traversed to find second, third and more remote connections between users, much like a graph of nodes connected by edges can be traversed. Instead or in addition, an in-game social graph may be maintained.

Many online computer games are operated on an online social network. Such a network allows both users and other parties to interact with the computer games directly, whether to play the games or to retrieve game- or user-related information. Internet users may maintain one or more accounts with various service providers, including, for example, online game networking systems and online social networking systems. Online systems can typically be accessed using browser clients (e.g., Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer).

Game displays generated on client devices typically provide graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to receive user input and to display game related information, including social networking information.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Example embodiments described below with reference to, inter alia,FIGS. 4-6disclose a method and system to provide a game display for a computer-implemented game that includes a graphical user interface comprising a selectively expandable panel that provides social networking functionalities, such as information display about friends of a particular player, social network management functionality, and/or messaging functionality.

The expandable panel may thus be operable between a collapsed condition in which a virtual in-game environment shown in the game display is substantially unobscured by the expandable panel, and an expanded condition in which the expandable panel supplies a larger area and obscures at least part of the virtual in-game environment. As will be described in greater detail below,FIGS. 6A and 6Bshow an example embodiment in which the expandable panel provides a friends bar616in the collapsed condition (FIG. 6A) and provides an expanded friends panel650in the expanded condition (FIG. 6B).

The expandable panel may in some embodiments be operable between a friends display mode and a messaging mode. One example of such an embodiment is described herein with reference toFIG. 7A-7D, in which a friends panel is selectively switchable between a message bar706(FIG. 7A), an expanded message panel730(FIG. 7B), a friends bar616(FIG. 7C), and an expanded friends panel650(FIG. 7D).

These and further aspects of the example embodiment will be evident from the description that follows. An example game environment for implementing example embodiments is first described, whereafter example embodiments are described in greater specificity, in the context of the example game environment.

Example Game Environment

FIG. 1illustrates an example of a system100for implementing various disclosed embodiments. In particular embodiments, system100comprises player101, social networking system140, game networking system150, client system130, and network160. The components of system100can be connected to each other in any suitable configuration, using any suitable type of connection. The components may be connected directly or over a network160, which may be any suitable network. For example, one or more portions of network160may be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks.

Social networking system140is a network-addressable computing system that can host one or more social graphs. Social networking system140can generate, store, receive, and transmit social networking data. Social networking system140can be accessed by the other components of system100either directly or via network160. Game networking system150is a network-addressable computing system that can host one or more online games. Game networking system150can generate, store, receive, and transmit game-related data, such as, for example, game account data, game input, game state data, and game displays. Game networking system150can be accessed by the other components of system100either directly or via network160. Player101may use client system130to access, send data to, and receive data from social networking system140and game networking system150. Client system130can access social networking system140or game networking system150directly, via network160, or via a third-party system. As an example and not by way of limitation, client system130may access game networking system150via social networking system140. Client system130can be any suitable computing device, such as a personal computer, laptop, cellular phone, smart phone, computing tablet, or the like.

AlthoughFIG. 1illustrates a particular number of players101, social networking systems140, game networking systems150, client systems130, and networks160, this disclosure contemplates any suitable number of players101, social networking systems140, game networking systems150, client systems130, and networks160. As an example and not by way of limitation, system100may include one or more game networking systems150and no social networking systems140. As another example and not by way of limitation, system100may include a system that comprises both social networking system140and game networking system150. Moreover, althoughFIG. 1illustrates a particular arrangement of player101, social networking system140, game networking system150, client system130, and network160, this disclosure contemplates any suitable arrangement of player101, social networking system140, game networking system150, client system130, and network160.

The components of system100may be connected to each other using any suitable connections110. For example, suitable connections110include wireline (such as, for example, digital subscriber line (DSL) or Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)), wireless (such as, for example, Wi-Fi or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)) or optical (such as, for example, Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) connections. In particular embodiments, one or more connections110each include an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a WWAN, a MAN, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the PSTN, a cellular telephone network, another type of connection, or a combination of two or more such connections. Connections110need not necessarily be the same throughout system100. One or more first connections110may differ in one or more respects from one or more second connections110. AlthoughFIG. 1illustrates particular connections between player101, social networking system140, game networking system150, client system130, and network160, this disclosure contemplates any suitable connections between player101, social networking system140, game networking system150, client system130, and network160. As an example and not by way of limitation, in particular embodiments, client system130may have a direct connection to social networking system140or game networking system150, bypassing network160.

Game Networking Systems

In an online computer game, a game engine manages the game state of the game. A game state comprises all game play parameters, including player character state, non-player character (NPC) state, in-game object state, game world state (e.g., internal game clocks, game environment), and other game play parameters. Each player101controls one or more player characters (PCs). The game engine controls all other aspects of the game, including non-player characters (NPCs) and in-game objects. The game engine also manages game state, including player character state for currently active (online) and inactive (offline) players.

An online game can be hosted by game networking system150, which can be accessed using any suitable connection with a suitable client system130. A player may have a game account on game networking system150, wherein the game account can contain a variety of information associated with the player101(e.g., the player's personal information, financial information, purchase history, player character state, and game state). In some embodiments, a player101may play multiple games on game networking system150, which may maintain a single game account for the player101with respect to all the games, or multiple individual game accounts for each game with respect to the player101. In some embodiments, game networking system150can assign a unique identifier to each player101of an online game hosted on game networking system150. Game networking system150can determine that a player101is accessing the online game by reading the user's cookies, which may be appended to Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests transmitted by client system130, and/or by the player101logging onto the online game.

In particular embodiments, player101may access an online game and control the game's progress via client system130(e.g., by inputting commands to the game at the client device). Client system130can display the game interface, receive inputs from player101, transmit user inputs or other events to the game engine, and receive instructions from the game engine. The game engine can be executed on any suitable system (such as, for example, client system130, social networking system140, or game networking system150). As an example and not by way of limitation, client system130can download client components of an online game, which are executed locally, while a remote game server, such as game networking system150, provides backend support for the client components and may be responsible for maintaining application data of the game, processing the inputs from the player101, updating and/or synchronizing the game state based on the game logic and each input from the player101, and transmitting instructions to client system130. As another example and not by way of limitation, each time player101provides an input to the game through the client system130(such as, for example, by typing on the keyboard or clicking the mouse of client system130), the client components of the game may transmit the player101's input to game networking system150.

Game Play

In particular embodiments, player101can engage in, or cause a player character controlled by him to engage in, one or more in-game actions. For a particular game, various types of in-game actions may be available to player101. As an example and not by way of limitation, a player character in an online role-playing game may be able to interact with other player characters, build a virtual house, decorate the interior of a virtual house, attack enemies, go on a quest, and go to a virtual store to buy/sell virtual items. As another example and not by way of limitation, a player character in an online poker game may be able to play at specific tables, place bets of virtual or legal currency for certain amounts, discard or hold certain cards, play or fold certain hands, and play in an online poker tournament.

In particular embodiments, player101may engage in an in-game action by providing one or more user inputs to client system130. Various actions may require various types and numbers of user inputs. Some types of in-game actions may require a single user input. As an example and not by way of limitation, player101may be able to harvest a virtual crop by clicking on it once with a mouse. Some types of in-game actions may require multiple user inputs. As another example and not by way of limitation, player101may be able to throw a virtual fireball at an in-game object by entering the following sequence on a keyboard: DOWN, DOWN and RIGHT, RIGHT, B. This disclosure contemplates engaging in in-game actions using any suitable number and type of user inputs.

In particular embodiments, player101can perform an in-game action on an in-game object or with respect to another player character. In-game actions performed with respect to another player character comprise “social interactions” as used herein. Actions performed with respect to non-player characters are not considered social interactions. An in-game object is any interactive element of an online game. In-game objects may include, for example, player characters, NPCs, in-game assets and other virtual items, in-game obstacles, game elements, game features, and other in-game objects. This disclosure contemplates performing in-game actions on any suitable in-game objects. For a particular in-game object, various types of in-game actions may be available to player101based on the type of in-game object. As an example and not by way of limitation, if player101encounters a virtual bear, the game engine may give him the options of shooting the bear or petting the bear. Some in-game actions may be available for particular types of in-game objects but not other types. As an example and not by way of limitation, if player101encounters a virtual rock, the game engine may give him the option of moving the rock; however, unlike the virtual bear, the game engine may not allow player101to shoot or pet the virtual rock. Furthermore, for a particular in-game object, various types of in-game actions may be available to player101based on the game state of the in-game object. As an example and not by way of limitation, if player101encounters a virtual crop that was recently planted, the game engine may give him only the option of fertilizing the crop, but if player101returns to the virtual crop later when it is fully grown, the game engine may give him only the option of harvesting the crop.

In particular embodiments, the game engine may cause one or more game events to occur in the game. Game events may include, for example, a change in game state, an outcome of an engagement, completion of an in-game obstacle, a transfer of an in-game asset or other virtual item, or a provision of access, rights and/or benefits. In particular embodiments, a game event is any change in game state. Similarly, any change in game state may be a game event. As an example and not by way of limitation, the game engine may cause a game event where the virtual world cycles between daytime and nighttime every 24 hours. As another example and not by way of limitation, the game engine may cause a game event where a new instance, level, or area of the game becomes available to player101. As yet another example and not by way of limitation, the game engine may cause a game event where player101's player character heals one hit point every 5 minutes. Game events may include asynchronous social events, as described in greater detail herein.

In particular embodiments, a game event or change in game state may be an outcome of one or more in-game actions. The game engine can determine the outcome of a game event or a change in game state according to a variety of factors, such as, for example, game logic or rules, player character in-game actions, player character state, game state of one or more in-game objects, interactions of other player characters, or random calculations. As an example and not by way of limitation, player101may overcome an in-game obstacle and earn sufficient experience points to advance to the next level, thereby changing the game state of player101's player character (it advances to the next character level). As another example and not by way of limitation, player101may defeat a particular boss NPC in a game instance, thereby causing a game event where the game instance is completed, and the player advances to a new game instance. As yet another example and not by way of limitation, player101may pick the lock on a virtual door to open it, thereby changing the game state of the door (it goes from closed to open) and causing a game event (the player101can access a new area of the game).

In particular embodiments, player101may access particular game instances of an online game. A game instance is a copy of a specific game play area that is created during runtime. In particular embodiments, a game instance is a discrete game play area where one or more players101can interact in synchronous or asynchronous play. A game instance may be, for example, a level, zone, area, region, location, virtual space, or other suitable play area. A game instance may be populated by one or more in-game objects. Each object may be defined within the game instance by one or more variables, such as, for example, position, height, width, depth, direction, time, duration, speed, color, and other suitable variables. A game instance may be exclusive (i.e., accessible by specific players) or non-exclusive (i.e., accessible by any player). In particular embodiments, a game instance is populated by one or more player characters controlled by one or more players101and one or more in-game objects controlled by the game engine. When accessing an online game, the game engine may allow player101to select a particular game instance to play from a plurality of game instances. Alternatively, the game engine may automatically select the game instance that player101will access. In particular embodiments, an online game comprises only one game instance that all players101of the online game can access.

In particular embodiments, a specific game instance may be associated with one or more specific players101. A game instance is associated with a specific player101when one or more game parameters of the game instance are associated with the specific player101. As an example and not by way of limitation, a game instance associated with a first player101may be named “First player's Play Area,” or “First player's Game Instance.” This game instance may be populated with the first player101's player character and one or more in-game objects associated with the first player101.

Such a game instance associated with a specific player101may be accessible by one or more other players, either synchronously or asynchronously with the specific player101's game play. As an example and not by way of limitation, a first player101(i.e., the host player) may be associated with a first game instance, but the first game instance may be accessed by all first-degree friends in the first player101's social network. As used herein, players thus accessing a game instance associated with another player are referred to as guest players, guests, visiting players, or visitors. In particular embodiments, the game engine may create a specific game instance for a specific player when that player accesses the game. As an example and not by way of limitation, the game engine may create a first game instance when a first player initially accesses an online game, and that same game instance may be loaded each time the first player accesses the game.

In particular embodiments, the set of in-game actions available to a specific player may be different in a game instance that is associated with that player (e.g., in which the player is a host player) compared to a game instance that is not associated with that player (e.g., in which the player is a guest player). The set of in-game actions available to a specific player in a game instance associated with that player may be a subset, superset, or independent of the set of in-game actions available to that player in a game instance that is not associated with him. As an example and not by way of limitation, a first player may be associated with Blackacre Farm in an online farming game. The first player may be able to plant crops on Blackacre Farm. If the first player accesses a game instance associated with another player, such as Whiteacre Farm, the game engine may not allow the first player to plant crops in that game instance. However, other in-game actions may be available to the first player, such as watering or fertilizing crops on Whiteacre Farm.

Social Graphs and Social Networking Systems

In particular embodiments, a game engine can interface with a social graph. Social graphs are models of connections between entities (e.g., individuals, users, contacts, friends, players, player characters, non-player characters, businesses, groups, associations, concepts, etc.). These entities are considered “users” of the social graph; as such, the terms “entity” and “user” may be used interchangeably when referring to social graphs herein. A social graph can have a node for each entity and edges to represent relationships between entities. A node in a social graph can represent any entity. In particular embodiments, a unique client identifier can be assigned to each user in the social graph. This disclosure assumes that at least one entity of a social graph is a player or player character in an online multiplayer game, though this disclosure may apply to any suitable social graph user.

The minimum number of edges to connect a player (or player character) to another user is considered the degree of separation between them. For example, where the player and the user are directly connected (one edge), they are deemed to be separated by one degree of separation. The user would be a so-called “first-degree friend” of the player. Where the player and the user are connected through one other user (two edges), they are deemed to be separated by two degrees of separation. This user would be a so-called “second-degree friend” of the player. Where the player and the user are connected through N edges (or N−1 other users), they are deemed to be separated by N degrees of separation. This user would be a so-called “Nth-degree friend.”

Within the social graph, each player (or player character) has a social network. A player's social network includes all users in the social graph within Nmaxdegrees of the player, where Nmaxis the maximum degree of separation allowed by the system managing the social graph (such as, for example, social networking system140or game networking system150). In one embodiment, Nmaxequals 1, such that the player's social network includes only first-degree friends. In another embodiment, Nmaxis unlimited and the player's social network is coextensive with the social graph.

In particular embodiments, the social graph is managed by game networking system150, which is managed by the game operator. In other embodiments, the social graph is part of a social networking system140managed by a third-party (e.g., Facebook, Friendster, Myspace). In yet other embodiments, player101has a social network on both game networking system150and social networking system140, wherein player101can have a social network on the game networking system150that is a subset, superset, or independent of the player's social network on social networking system140. In such combined systems, game networking system150can maintain social graph information with edge type attributes that indicate whether a given friend is an “in-game friend,” an “out-of-game friend,” or both. The various embodiments disclosed herein are operable when the social graph is managed by social networking system140, game networking system150, or both.

FIG. 2shows an example of a social network within a social graph200. As shown, player101can be associated, connected or linked to various other users, or “friends,” within the out-of-game social network250. These associations, connections or links can track relationships between users within the out-of-game social network250and are commonly referred to as online “friends” or “friendships” between users. Each friend or friendship in a particular user's social network within a social graph is commonly referred to as a “node.” For purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the details of out-of-game social network250will be described in relation to player101. As used herein, the terms “player” and “user” can be used interchangeably and can refer to any user in an online multiuser game system or social networking system. As used herein, the term “friend” can mean any node within a player's social network.

As shown inFIG. 2, player101has direct connections with several friends. When player101has a direct connection with another individual, that connection is referred to as a first-degree friend. In out-of-game social network250, player101has two first-degree friends. That is, player101is directly connected to friend 11211and friend 21221. In a social graph, it is possible for individuals to be connected to other individuals through their first-degree friends (i.e., friends of friends). As described above, each edge required to connect a player to another user is considered the degree of separation. For example,FIG. 2shows that player101has four second-degree friends to which he is connected via his connection to his first-degree friends. Second-degree friend 12212and friend 22222are connected to player101via his first-degree friend 11211. The limit on the depth of friend connections, or the number of degrees of separation for associations that player101is allowed is typically dictated by the restrictions and policies implemented by social networking system140(FIG. 1).

In various embodiments, player101can have Nth-degree friends connected to him through a chain of intermediary degree friends, as indicated inFIG. 2. For example, Nth-degree friend 1N219is connected to player101via second-degree friend 32232and one or more other higher-degree friends. Various embodiments may take advantage of and utilize the distinction between the various degrees of friendship relative to player101.

In particular embodiments, a player (or player character) can have a social graph within an online multiplayer game that is maintained by the game engine and another social graph maintained by a separate social networking system.FIG. 2depicts an example of in-game social network260and out-of-game social network250. In this example, player101has out-of-game connections255to a plurality of friends, forming out-of-game social network250. Here, friend 11211and friend 21221are first-degree friends with player101in his out-of-game social network250. Player101also has in-game connections265to a plurality of players, forming in-game social network260. Here, friend 21221, friend 31231, and friend 41241are first-degree friends with player101in his in-game social network260. In some embodiments, it is possible for a friend to be in both the out-of-game social network250and the in-game social network260. Here, friend 21221has both an out-of-game connection255and an in-game connection265with player101, such that friend 21221is in both player101's in-game social network260and player101's out-of-game social network250. As used herein, players forming part of the in-game social network260may also be referred to as “friend players.”

As with other social networks, player101can have second-degree and higher-degree friends in both his in-game and out-of-game social networks. In some embodiments, it is possible for player101to have a friend connected to him both in his in-game and out-of-game social networks, wherein the friend is at different degrees of separation in each network. For example, if friend 22222had a direct in-game connection with player101, friend 22222would be a second-degree friend in player101's out-of-game social network250, but a first-degree friend in player101's in-game social network260. In particular embodiments, a game engine can access in-game social network260, out-of-game social network250, or both.

In particular embodiments, the connections in a player's in-game social network260can be formed both explicitly (e.g., users must “friend” each other) and implicitly (e.g., system observes user behavior and “friends” users to each other). Unless otherwise indicated, reference to a friend connection between two or more players can be interpreted to cover both explicit and implicit connections, using one or more social graphs and other factors to infer friend connections. The friend connections can be unidirectional or bidirectional. It is also not a limitation of this description that two players who are deemed “friends” for the purposes of this disclosure are not friends in real life (i.e., in disintermediated interactions or the like), but that could be the case.

In multiplayer online games, two or more players can play in the same game instance. Game play is asynchronous when the players do not play simultaneously in the game instance. In particular embodiments, synchronous game play between two players in the same game instance can be simulated from asynchronous game play by recording the game play of a first player in the game instance at a first time and replaying that game play during the game play of a second player in the game instance at a later time. In particular embodiments, the game engine can record the in-game actions of a first player in a game instance for later play-back by other players in the game instance, and then the game engine loads and executes the previously recorded in-game actions during the game play of other players in the game instance.

Example System

FIG. 3illustrates an example system300for implementing particular disclosed embodiments. The system300may comprise a number of hardware implemented modules provided by one or more processors. The system300may include a game engine304to manage a multiplayer online game. To this end, the game engine304may include game logic to manage in-game objects and non-player character behavior, and to execute in-game actions responsive to user input. Although other illustrated modules of the system300are shown inFIG. 3to be separate from the game engine304, one or more of these modules may form part of the game engine module.

The system300may further include a game display module306to generate a game display for the computer-implemented game on a client system130. The game display may be of a particular game instance associated with a particular player101(FIG. 1). The game display typically comprises an environment view that shows a virtual in-game environment of the particular game instance, and a graphical user interface to receive user input and to display game related information to the user.

To this end, the system300may include a graphical user interface (GUI) module312to generate a graphical user interface in the game display. The GUI may include a friends panel that provides friend information display functionality and/or friend communication functionality. The friends panel may be switchable between a friends display mode and a messaging mode. In the friends display mode, the friends panel displays information about multiple friend players in the in-game social network260and/or the out-of-game social network250of the player101(FIG. 2). For ease of description, the friend players are hereafter referred to as friends221(FIG. 2). In the messaging mode, the friends panel may provide messaging functionality for reading, composing, and sending messages to the friends221. The system300may therefore comprise a friends display module318to generate and manage the friends panel in the friends display mode, and a messaging module324to generate and manage display of the friends panel in the messaging mode.

The friends display module318and the messaging module324may be configured to generate the friends panel such that it is operable between a collapsed condition in which the friends panel provides a provides a collapsed friends panel, and an expanded condition that provides an expanded friends panel occupying a larger area of the game display than the collapsed friends panel. Further aspects of these modules, in this example embodiment, will be evident from the description below with reference toFIGS. 5-7.

The system300may further include a sorting module332to automatically sort multiple friend cards associated with respective friends221, thereby automatically to determine the sequence of friend cards displayed in any particular view of the friends panel in the friends display mode. A tabbed document interface (TDI) module328may further provide a TDI when the friends panel is in its expanded mode, the expanded friends panel thus including multiple friend cards arranged in groups according to the type or attributes of respective friends221, the respective groups being accessible via corresponding tabs. A navigation module330may provide navigation functionality within each group of friend cards. The system300may yet further include a gifting module340to provide batch-sending of in-game gifts.

Functionality of the system300and its respective modules, in accordance with the example embodiment, is further described below with respect to example methods.

Example Methods

FIG. 4shows a high-level flow chart of an example method400to host a computer-implemented multiplayer game. The method400may be implemented in one embodiment by example system300, described above with reference toFIG. 3, in the game environment described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2.

The method400comprises generating, at405, a game display for a particular game instance of a computer-implemented multiplayer game, the game display including an environment view that shows a virtual in-game environment associated with the game instance (see, e.g.,FIG. 6A). A GUI forming part of the game display may be generated, at410, to provide friend information display functionality and/or communication functionality to the player101associated with the game instance.

Responsive to player input, the friends panel may be switched between a collapsed condition that provides a collapsed friends panel (see, e.g.,FIG. 6A,7A, or7C), and an expanded condition that provides an expanded friends panel which occupies a larger area of the game display than the collapsed friends panel (see, e.g.,FIGs. 6B,7B, or7D). Both the collapsed friends panel and the expanded friends panel provides user-accessible friend information display functionality and/or friend communication functionality, such as messaging functionality, to the player101.

FIG. 5shows a more detailed flowchart of a method500for implementing particular disclosed embodiments. The method500may be implemented in one embodiment by example system300, described above with reference toFIG. 3, in the example game environment described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2.

At operation503, the player101(FIG. 1) may access a game instance that is associated with him/her. The player101may, for example, access a multiplayer online game on game networking system150, social networking system140, or both (FIG. 1). In this example embodiment, and not by way of limitation, the player101may access, via client system130(FIG. 1), a webpage hosted by social networking system140, wherein the webpage has an embedded game interface hosted by the game networking system150. In such a case, the system300providing the game engine304(FIG. 3) may be provided by the game networking system150. In other embodiments, the game engine304may be provided by or installed on the client system130.

Social networking information associated with the player101may thereafter be accessed, at operation506. In particular embodiments, social networking information on the social networking system140, the game networking system150, or both may be accessed. As an example, and not by way of limitation, the player101may have an out-of-game social network250on social networking system140and an in-game social network260on the game networking system150, wherein the in-game social network260is a subset of the player101's first-degree friends in out-of-game social network250(see, for example,FIG. 2). In some embodiments, game instances can be selected from a set of game instances associated with the player101's friends221(FIG. 2) in the relevant social network. Here, the player101selects the game instance uniquely associated with him/her.

The game engine304may thereafter load the player101's game instance, at509, and may generate a game display for the selected game instance, at512.FIG. 6Ashows an example embodiment of a game display600generated within a browser window604on the client system130. The game display600includes an environment view that shows a visual representation of a virtual in-game environment of the game instance. In this example, the online RPG simulates a residential environment in which the game instance of each player comprises a virtual house605. Player characters can interact and perform predefined actions in their own game instances and in the game instances of other players to whose game instances they have access, in order to increase in-game scores, achieve in-game rewards, and increase in-game experience levels or points. This disclosure, however, contemplates any suitable multiplayer game.

Once the game display600has been generated, at512, the player101may perform one or more in-game actions to one or more in-game objects in the game instance, or with respect to the player characters of friends221. The player101is represented in the virtual environment of the game instance by a player character in the form of an avatar612(FIG. 6A) that is controlled by the player101.

Generation of the game display600, at512, includes generating a graphical user interface (GUI)606to receive user input and to provide interactive information display to the player101. The GUI606includes a friends panel that is operable between a collapsed condition (FIG. 6A) and an expanded condition (FIG. 6B). In the collapsed condition shown inFIG. 6Athe collapsed friends panel, in this example, provides a friends bar616that includes a single row of friend cards620.n. Each friend card620.ndisplays information regarding a particular corresponding friend221of the player101. In this example, each friend card620.nis a rectangular chiclet that includes an image624of the corresponding friend221, together with in-game score, experience level, and/or status indicators628. The friend card image624may be a profile picture of the respective friend221, and may, in some embodiments, be a current active profile picture of the friend in the social networking system140(FIG. 1). Note that, in some embodiments, the friend cards620.nmay be selected first from the out-of-game network250and the in-game network260, while, in other embodiments, the friend cards620.nmay be selected from only the in-game social network260.

The friend cards620.nare GUI elements and function as soft buttons, being applicable to select the associated friends221for performance of a particular action by the player101with respect to the selected friend221. The friends bar616may also include one or more filler cards632that can be selected to initiate a process for adding new friends221to the player101's in-game social network260. The total number of friend cards620.nthat may be displayed simultaneously in the friends bar616is limited by the relevant dimension of the browser window604, in this example being limited by the width of the browser window604. The friends bar616, however, includes scroll buttons636to effect scrolling of the row of friend cards620.nin order to access friend cards620.nthat are currently out of view.

The default condition of the friends panel in this example embodiment is the collapsed condition (the friends bar616) and the method500may therefore comprise displaying the collapsed friends panel in the example form of the friends bar616, at operation515, immediately after the initial loading of the game display600. The friends bar616may occupy a peripheral area of the game display600, in this example being located along a lower horizontal edge of the browser window604. The friends bar616is therefore clear of the environment view and allows substantially unobstructed viewing of and access to the virtual house605.

It is thereafter determined, at518, whether or not display of the friends bar616, at515, was immediately preceded by selection of a particular friend card620.nwhile the friends panel was in its expanded condition. When the game display600is initially loaded, the determination at518will be in the negative, and the row of friend cards620.nis displayed, at521, in default order.

The friends bar616may include a GUI element to toggle the friends panel between its expanded and collapsed conditions, in this example comprising an expansion chiclet640that forms part of the friends bar616. Responsive to determining that the player101has clicked the expansion chiclet640at527, the friends bar616is expanded upwards to display an expanded friends panel650(seeFIG. 6B), at539. Displaying the expanded friends panel650comprises expanding the friends panel over the environment view of the game instance at530, so that a large portion the virtual house605is obscured by the expanded friends panel650. The expanded friends panel650therefore occupies a significantly larger portion of the screen area of the game display600than is the case with the friends bar616, and may in some embodiments obscure a majority of the environment view. Animated or automated gameplay may continue in the virtual in-game environment while the expanded friends panel650is shown, although some animated action may naturally be obscured by the expanded friends panel650. Transition of the friends panel from the friends bar616to the expanded friends panel650may be animated or smoothed, so that a horizontal upper edge of the friends bar616moves smoothly upwards to form the upper horizontal edge of the expanded friends panel650, and creating the visual impression is that the expanded friends panel650is drawn up out of the friends bar616, drawer-fashion.

The expanded friends panel650may comprise a grid of friend cards620.nthat may comprise a plurality of horizontally arranged rows of friend cards620.n. The system300may be configured to display a full grid of cards at all times. To this end, filler cards632may be added into a grid view having too few friend cards620.nassociated with actual in-game friends221. As used herein, the term “friend cards” includes the filler cards632. The positions of the filler cards632in the grid may be randomized. To promote continuity in display, and to facilitate ready location by the player101of specific friend cards620.n, an uppermost row of the grid of friend cards620.nin the expanded friends panel650may, in some embodiments, be identical to the row of friend cards620.nthat were immediately previously displayed in the friends bar616. Transition from the friends bar616to the expanded friends panel650may also include changing the expansion chiclet640(FIG. 6A) to a collapse chiclet654(FIG. 6B) at533.

The GUI606may provide a tabbed document interface (TDI) in the expanded friends panel650. To this end, different groups of friend cards620.nmay be arranged in respective pages that are accessible by selection of corresponding tabs658.n. In this example, the friend cards620.nare arranged in groups comprising: all the friends221of the player101(accessible via an “All Friends” tab658.1); currently active friends221(accessible via an “Active Friends” tab658.2; and players who have visited the player101's game instance (accessible via a “Visitors” tab658.3). As used herein, the term “friend” therefore includes players whose player characters visit or have visited a particular game instance associated with the player101. Note that the respective groups of friend cards620.nshown in the respective data pages may be subsets or supersets of one another. For example, the “Active Friends” tab658.2may show friend cards620.nthat are all also included in the “All Friends” tab658.1. In this example, the GUI module312(FIG. 3) is configured initially to display, at operation536, the “All Friends” tab658.1, by default. The availability of a particular tab658.nand its associated grid may be conditional upon the corresponding group's membership exceeding a threshold value. Thus, for example, the “Visitors” tab658.3may be available for selection only when the current number of friends221who are visitors exceeds the threshold value, for example, 10. In some embodiments, an unavailable tab658.nmay be grayed out, but, in this embodiment, unavailable tabs658.nare not shown in the expanded friends panel650.

Each group of friend cards620.nmay further be navigated, for example by use of scroll buttons636included in the TDI of the expanded friends panel650, if the total number of friend cards620.nin the respective group exceeds the maximum number of friend cards620.nthat can be displayed at a time in the grid of the expanded friends panel650. Scrolling of the grid of friend cards620.nmay be by shifting of the grid one column at any time, or by shifting a whole grid at a time.

The expanded friends panel650may provide a batch communication functionality to simultaneously send communications to a plurality of the friends221which friend cards620.ncurrently displayed in the friends bar616represent. One embodiment of such a batch communication functioning as an arrangement for sending gifts to friends221in a batch operation, is shown with reference toFIG. 6B. In this example, the expanded friends panel650includes a gifting button664to send a gift comprising an in-game benefit or object to a plurality of the friends221shown in the expanded friends panel650responsive to clicking the gifting button664once. The GUI module312may be configured to automatically show the gifting button664in an available state or an unavailable state, depending on whether or not a grid currently displayed by the expanded friends panel650includes the friend cards620.nof any friends221who are currently eligible to receive gifts. The computer-implemented game may implement rules that place a cap on the number of gifts that any player may receive a call and/or within a predefined time periods. When any of the friends221exceeds the cap or threshold value, that friends221is no longer eligible to receive gifts.

The method may therefore comprise, at542, determining whether or not any of the friends221whose friend cards620.nare currently displayed in the expanded friends panel650are eligible to receive a gift. If there are no gift-eligible friends in the currently displayed group, then the gifting button664is displayed in an unavailable state, at545, for example, being grayed out. If, on the other hand, there are one or more gift-eligible friends221represented by the currently visible friend cards620.n, then the gifting button664is shown in an available state, at548.

The method may further comprise detecting input indicating that the player has clicked one of the tabs658.nat551, and in response thereto, changing the grid of friend cards620.ndisplayed in that the expanded friends panel650to reflect filtering parameters associated with the selected tab658.nat554. For example, if the user, by a user input device such as a computer mouse, clicks on the “Active Friends” tab658.2, a grid of friend cards620.nconstituting a first page of the subset of the player101's friends221who are currently active friends would be displayed. In some example embodiments, users may create custom tabs658.nthat apply user-selected filtering criteria. Responsive to clicking on the scroll buttons636, at557, new friend cards620.nmay scroll into view, at560. When it is determined, at563, that the gifting button664has been clicked, the in-game gift may be sent to all gift-eligible players in the current view shown in the expanded friends panel650. In embodiments where the friends221whose friend cards620.nare displayed in the expanded friends panel650include player selected from the out-of-game social network250, the method500may include determining whether or not a recipient list for the gift includes any friends221who are not whitelisted in the social networking system140, and a whitelisting dialogue of the social networking system140may accordingly be displayed to allow the player101to whitelisted selected recipients.

Following display of a new tab658.n, at554, scrolling of the grid view, at560, or sending of the gift, at566, the method500resumes at operation542, to recalculate gift-eligibility of the currently shown friends221.

When the player101clicks on the collapse chiclet654, at operation569, the friends panel reverts to its collapsed condition, and the friends bar616is displayed, at515. The selection and arrangement of the friend cards620.ndisplayed in the collapsed friends bar616may be affected by intermediate navigation actions. Navigation actions such as scrolling through different views and selecting different tabs658.nin the expanded friends panel650do not affect the sorting of the friend cards620.ndisplayed in the friends bar616. Such navigation actions exclude the selection of friend cards620.nin the expanded friends panel650, since selection of a particular friend card620.naffects the position of that friend card620.nin the subsequent friends bar616. If the friends bar616is therefore expanded, and various navigation actions are thereafter performed in the expanded friends panel650without selecting a particular friend card620.n, the friends bar616that is displayed upon collapse of the expanded friends panel650may show a row of friend cards620.nthat is identical to the row of friend cards620.nthat were displayed in the friends bar616before expansion. Certain navigation actions, such as, for example, tab choices in the expanded friends panel650may, however, persist. If, e.g., the expanded friends panel650is collapsed while the “Active Friends” tab658.2is selected, subsequent expansion of the friends bar616to the expanded friends panel650will display the grid of the “Active Friends” tab658.2.

The friends bar616may likewise be displayed, at515, responsive to selection of a particular friend cards620.nby the player101, at572, for example by clicking on the selected friend card620.n, the friend cards620.nserving as soft buttons for selection of the corresponding friends221. When collapse of the expanded friends panel650is responsive to player selection of a friend card620.n, the determination, at518, will be in the positive, and the selected friend card620.nmay be displayed in a position of prime prominence. In this example embodiment, the position of prime prominence in the friends bar616(FIG. 6A) is the leftmost position in the row of friend cards620.n, the leftmost friend card620.1having been selected in an immediately preceding iteration of the expanded friends panel650.

Note that the content displayed in the GUI606is uniquely associated with the player101, so that the GUI606may remain constant even if the player101accesses another game instance.

Another example embodiment is shown with reference toFIG. 7, with like numerals indicating like elements inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, unless otherwise indicated. The example embodiment described with reference toFIG. 7comprises a GUI703(FIG. 7A) having a friends panel that provides not only the friend information display functionality described with reference toFIG. 6A-6B, but also provides messaging functionality. The friends panel may thus be operable between, on the one hand, a friends display mode in which it can be switched between a friends bar616(FIG. 7C) and an expanded friends panel650(FIG. 7D), and, on the other hand, a messaging mode in which it can be switched between a collapsed condition in which it provides a message bar706(FIG. 7A), and an expanded condition in which the friends panel provides an expanded message panel730(FIG. 7B).

In the collapsed condition, the message bar706shown inFIG. 7A, one or more message panes712are shown, in which messages from respective friends221may be displayed. The number of message panes712(and therefore the number of messages) displayed in the message bar706may automatically vary depending on the available space in the message bar706and the length of the associated messages. In the example embodiment shown inFIG. 7A, a single message pane712is displayed in the message bar706. In other embodiments, no more than one message pane712may at any time be displayed in the message bar706.

The message bar706may further include a message entry interface, in this example being a text entry box709in which a message can be posted by the player101via a text input device, such as a keyboard or a speech recognition facility. Messages entered into the text entry box709may be sent by clicking a soft button (in this example post button715) provided as a GUI element in the message bar706.

Responsive to player-selection of the expansion chiclet640, the friends panel may be switched to its expanded condition in which it provides the expanded message panel730(FIG. 7B). The message bar706expands in size to increase the available area for display of messages. Similar to expansion of the friends bar616described with reference toFIG. 6B, the message bar706may expand from the peripheral area in which it allows unobscured view of the environment view (e.g. the house605), over at least a significant part of the environment view, in this example expanding upwards.

In this example embodiment, the message bar706(FIG. 7A) does not include images identifying authors of the respective messages, while the expanded message panel730(FIG. 7B) includes profile picture images624associated with the respective messages. The text entry box709in the expanded message panel730may be larger than it is in the message bar706, and post button715may likewise be enlarged. The message panes712selected for display in the expanded message panel730may comprise a discussion thread, and the expanded message panel730may include a GUI scrolling element in the form of a vertical scroll bar and scroll buttons to enable vertical scrolling through all of the messages in a particular discussion thread or message group that does not fit into a single view of the expanded message panel730.

The GUI703further comprises GUI elements to allow switching of the friends panel between its messaging mode and its friends display mode, in this example comprising a pair of tabs in the form of a friends tab705.1and a message tab705.2. Returning briefly toFIG. 5, some additional operations of the method500that may be included in embodiments wherein the friends panel includes a messaging mode (e.g. implemented by a messaging module324in system300(FIG. 3)) are shown in broken lines in theFIG. 5.

For example, when the friends bar616is displayed, at515, player selection of the messaging tab705.n, at580, results in switching of the friends panel to the messaging mode, at operation588, and display of the message bar706. In this example, as will be noted from a comparison ofFIG. 7AandFIG. 7C, the message bar706and the friends bar616occupy an identical area in the game display600, creating the impression that only the content of the friends panel changes by clicking the tabs705.n. If the friends bar616is thereafter clicked, at580, the friends bar616is again displayed at515. The mode switching tabs705.nmay be available both in the collapsed condition and the expanded condition of the friends panel both in its messaging mode and its friends display mode. As can be seen with reference toFIGS. 7A-7D, the mode switching tabs705.nare visible and located in a constant position in the friends bar616(FIG. 7A), in the expanded message panel730(FIG. 7B) in the friends bar616(FIG. 7C), and in the expanded friends panel650(FIG. 7D).

When the message tab705.2is selected, at584(FIG. 5), while the expanded friends panel650is displayed, the friends panel may be switched to the messaging mode, at588. When the friends panel is in the messaging mode, at588, it may selectively be returned to the friends display mode by player selection of friends tab705.1, at580. In this example embodiment, player selection of the message tab705.2results in display of the friends panel in its collapsed condition (e.g., the message bar706) regardless of the previous condition of the friends panel. Thus, the message bar706(as opposed to the expanded message panel730) may be displayed when switching from the friends bar616, and when switching from the expanded friends panel650. Switching to the friends display mode may likewise result in display of the friends bar616, regardless of whether the friends tab705.1is clicked in the message bar706or in the expanded message panel730. In other embodiments, switching between the messaging mode and the friends display mode may be performed while retaining the expanded condition of the friends panel, so that switching to the messaging mode from the expanded friends panel650results in display of the expanded message panel730, and/or vice versa.

Therefore, the example embodiments describe a method that comprises generating a game display for a game instance of a computer-implemented multiplayer game, the game display being associated with a player of the game and including an environment view that shows a virtual in-game environment associated with the game instance; generating a graphical user interface that forms part of the game display, the graphical user interface including a friends panel that is operable between, on the one hand, a collapsed condition that provides a collapsed friends panel, and, on the other hand, an expanded condition that provides an expanded friends panel which occupies a larger area of the game display than the collapsed friends panel, both the collapsed friends panel and the expanded friends panel providing friend information display functionality and/or friend communication functionality to the player. The friends panel may be switched between the collapsed condition and the expanded condition responsive to player input.

Another aspect of the example embodiment is a system to implement the method, comprising a game display module to generate a game display and a graphical user interface to generate the graphical user interface.

The friends panel may further be operable between a friends display mode in which it displays information about multiple friends of the player, and a messaging mode in which it provides messaging functionality to the player, the method further comprising switching the friends panel between the display mode and the messaging mode responsive to player input.

The collapsed friends panel may occupy a constant peripheral area of the game display, to allow unobscured visual access to the environment view (for example comprising a horizontally extending elongated bar at a bottom edge of a window within which the game display is provided), while the expanded friends panel occupies an expanded area that includes the peripheral area and obscures a majority of the environment view.

The collapsed friends panel and the expanded friends panel may each display multiple friend cards that respectively show information about corresponding friends of the player (for example including avatars or images associated with the friends), the expanded friends panel displaying a greater number of friend cards than the collapsed friends panel. The collapsed friends panel may, for example, comprise a friends bar that displays a single row of friend cards, while the expanded friends panel may comprise a grid of friend cards. The size of the grid of friend cards in the expanded friends panel may be automatically variable dependent on the available screen size. The system may thus be configured to automatically determine a size of the grid of friend cards based on an available screen area for the expanded friends panel in the game display.

The friend cards may be GUI elements capable of receiving user input, the friend cards, for example, providing chiclets or soft buttons that can be clicked or selected with a user input device. The method may comprise switching from the expanded friends panel to the collapsed friends panel responsive to selection by the player of a particular friend card in the expanded friends panel. The selected friend card may automatically be displayed in a position of prime prominence in the collapsed friends panel immediately subsequent to its selection in the expanded friends panel. Note that the position of prime prominence may vary depending on the layout of the friend cards in the collapsed friends panel. For example, when the collapsed friends panel is a horizontally extending or comprising a horizontal row of friend cards, the position of prime prominence may be the leftmost position in the row. In embodiments, however, where the collapsed friends panel comprises a vertically extending bar showing a vertical row of cards, the position of prime prominence may be the topmost friend card. Instead, or in addition, the selection and arrangement of friend cards displayed in the collapsed friends panel may automatically be determined based on criteria that exclude any intermediate navigation actions performed in the expanded friends panel. Such navigation actions may include, for example, scrolling through pages of friend's cards, via different tabbed pages, or performing messaging actions. Selection of a friend card in the expanded friends panel is, however, not considered to constitute a navigation action.

The expanded friends panel may comprise a plurality of pages of friend cards that are navigable responsive to player input to display one page of friend cards at a time. Each page of friend cards may, for example, be a grid of friend cards. Instead, or in addition, the expanded friends panel comprises a plurality of groups of friend cards that are grouped by type and/or status of the respective friends. The expanded friends panel may provide a tabbed document interface that provides a tab corresponding to each group, the expanded friends panel displaying at least a subset of a particular one of the plurality of groups responsive to player selection of the corresponding tab. Display of a tab for at least one of the plurality of groups may be conditional upon members of the at least one group exceeding a threshold value, so that a particular group or subset of friends are only available in the tabbed document interface if the members of the associated group or subset of friends is large enough. The method may therefore comprise determining that the number of friend cards in the at least one group exceeds the threshold value, and based on the determination, displaying the corresponding tab. The plurality of groups of friend cards are directly accessible only in the expanded friends panel, but not in the collapsed friends panel.

The expanded friends panel may therefore provide augmented functionality relative to the collapsed friends panel, in that at least some friends display, friend selection, friends management, gifting, and/or messaging functionality is directly available in the expanded friends panel, but cannot be used directly from the collapsed friends panel.

The graphical user interface (GUI) further comprises a batch send GUI element (such as a soft button, chiclet, or icon) that can be selected or limited by the player to send a batch communication to a plurality of players. In one embodiment, gifts are sent in the batch only to friends whose friend cards are displayed in the expanded friends panel (and who are otherwise eligible to receive the relevant gift) when the batch send GUI element is selected. In other embodiments, the batch gift may be sent to all eligible friends, or to all eligible friends in a particular group or subset that is currently viewed, regardless of the identity of currently displayed friend cards. The batch send GUI element may automatically switch between an available state and an unavailable state depending on whether or not selection of the batch send GUI element will result in sending of the gift to any friends. The system may thus be configured to switch the batch send GUI element to the unavailable state responsive to determining that a total number of friend players whose friend cards are currently displayed in the expanded friends panel and who are eligible to receive the batch communication is lower than a threshold value. In some instances, the threshold value is one, while in other embodiments a larger threshold value may be employed.

It is a benefit of the example embodiments described above that it provides a graphical user interface in a computer-implemented game that promotes effective use of available screen area, while providing ready access by a player of the game to various functionalities. When the friends panel is in its collapsed condition, the environment view in the game display is unobscured by friend display information, friend messaging information, friend selection widgets, and/or friend messaging widgets. Core functionalities with respect to, e.g., the viewing of friend information, managing of friend networks, selection of friends, and friend messaging are nevertheless conveniently available from the friends panel in its collapsed condition (e.g., the friends bar616and/or the message bar706).

When, however, the player wishes to focus on friend network management or messaging, the friends panel can be switched to its expanded condition in which additional functionalities are available and increased screen space is dedicated to the display of friends information and/or messaging.

Data Flow

FIG. 8illustrates an example data flow between the components of an example system800. In particular embodiments, system800can include client system830, social networking system820a, and game networking system820b. A system300such as that described with reference toFIG. 3may be provided by the client system830, the social networking system820a, or the game networking system820b, or by any combination of these systems. The components of system800can be connected to each other in any suitable configuration, using any suitable type of connection. The components may be connected directly or over any suitable network. Client system830, social networking system820a, and game networking system820bcan each have one or more corresponding data stores such as local data store825, social data store845, and game data store865, respectively. Social networking system820aand game networking system820bcan also have one or more servers that can communicate with client system830over an appropriate network. Social networking system820aand game networking system820bcan have, for example, one or more Internet servers for communicating with client system830via the Internet. Similarly, social networking system820aand game networking system820bcan have one or more mobile servers for communicating with client system830via a mobile network (e.g., GSM, PCS, Wi-Fi, WPAN, etc.). In some embodiments, one server may be able to communicate with client system830over both the Internet and a mobile network. In other embodiments, separate servers can be used.

Client system830can receive and transmit data823to and from game networking system820b. This data can include, for example, webpages, messages, game inputs, game displays, HTTP packets, data requests, transaction information, updates, and other suitable data. At some other time, or at the same time, game networking system820bcan communicate data843,847(e.g., game state information, game system account information, page info, messages, data requests, updates, etc.) with other networking systems, such as social networking system820a(e.g., Facebook, Myspace, etc.). Client system830can also receive and transmit data827to and from social networking system820a. This data can include, for example, webpages, messages, social graph information, social network displays, HTTP packets, data requests, transaction information, updates, and other suitable data.

Communication between client system830, social networking system820a, and game networking system820bcan occur over any appropriate electronic communication medium or network using any suitable communications protocols. For example, client system830, as well as various servers of the systems described herein, may include Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networking stacks to provide for datagram and transport functions. Of course, any other suitable network and transport layer protocols can be utilized.

In addition, hosts or end-systems described herein may use a variety of higher layer communications protocols, including client-server (or request-response) protocols, such as HTTP, other communications protocols, such as HTTP-S, FTP, SNMP, TELNET, and a number of other protocols may be used. In addition, a server in one interaction context may be a client in another interaction context. In particular embodiments, the information transmitted between hosts may be formatted as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) documents. Other structured document languages or formats can be used, such as XML and the like. Executable code objects, such as JavaScript and ActionScript, can also be embedded in the structured documents.

In some client-server protocols, such as the use of HTML over HTTP, a server generally transmits a response to a request from a client. The response may comprise one or more data objects. For example, the response may comprise a first data object, followed by subsequently transmitted data objects. In particular embodiments, a client request may cause a server to respond with a first data object, such as an HTML page, which itself refers to other data objects. A client application, such as a browser, will request these additional data objects as it parses or otherwise processes the first data object.

In particular embodiments, an instance of an online game can be stored as a set of game state parameters that characterize the state of various in-game objects, such as, for example, player character state parameters, non-player character parameters, and virtual item parameters. In particular embodiments, game state is maintained in a database as a serialized, unstructured string of text data as a so-called binary large object (BLOB). When a player accesses an online game on game networking system820b, the BLOB containing the game state for the instance corresponding to the player can be transmitted to client system830for use by a client-side executed object to process. In particular embodiments, the client-side executable may be a Flash-based game, which can de-serialize the game state data in the BLOB. As a player plays the game, the game logic implemented at client system830maintains and modifies the various game state parameters locally. The client-side game logic may also batch game events, such as mouse clicks, and transmit these events to game networking system820b. Game networking system820bmay itself operate by retrieving a copy of the BLOB from a database or an intermediate memory cache (memcache) layer. Game networking system820bcan also de-serialize the BLOB to resolve the game state parameters and execute its own game logic based on the events in the batch file of events transmitted by the client to synchronize the game state on the server side. Game networking system820bmay then re-serialize the game state, now modified, into a BLOB, and pass this to a memory cache layer for lazy updates to a persistent database.

With a client-server environment in which the online games may run, one server system, such as game networking system820b, may support multiple client systems830. At any given time, there may be multiple players at multiple client systems830all playing the same online game. In practice, the number of players playing the same game at the same time may be very large. As the game progresses with each player, multiple players may provide different inputs to the online game at their respective client systems830, and multiple client systems830may transmit multiple player inputs and/or game events to game networking system820bfor further processing. In addition, multiple client systems830may transmit other types of application data to game networking system820b.

In particular embodiments, a computed-implemented game may be a text-based or turn-based game implemented as a series of web pages that are generated after a player selects one or more actions to perform. The web pages may be displayed in a browser client executed on client system830. As an example and not by way of limitation, a client application downloaded to client system830may operate to serve a set of webpages to a player. As another example and not by way of limitation, a computer-implemented game may be an animated or rendered game executable as a stand-alone application or within the context of a webpage or other structured document. In particular embodiments, the computer-implemented game may be implemented using Adobe Flash-based technologies. As an example and not by way of limitation, a game may be fully or partially implemented as a Small Web Format (SWF) object that is embedded in a web page and executable by a Flash media player plug-in. In particular embodiments, one or more described webpages may be associated with or accessed by social networking system820a. This disclosure contemplates using any suitable application for the retrieval and rendering of structured documents hosted by any suitable network-addressable resource or website.

Application event data of a game is any data relevant to the game (e.g., player inputs). In particular embodiments, each application datum may have a name and a value, and the value of the application datum may change (i.e., be updated) at any time. When an update to an application datum occurs at client system830, either caused by an action of a game player or by the game logic itself, client system830may need to inform game networking system820bof the update. For example, if the game is a farming game with a harvest mechanic (such as Zynga FarmVille), an event can correspond to a player clicking on a parcel of land to harvest a crop. In such an instance, the application event data may identify an event or action (e.g., harvest) and an object in the game to which the event or action applies. For illustration purposes and not by way of limitation, system800is discussed in reference to updating a multi-player online game hosted on a network-addressable system (such as, for example, social networking system820aor game networking system820b), where an instance of the online game is executed remotely on a client system830, which then transmits application event data to the hosting system such that the remote game server synchronizes the game state associated with the instance executed by the client system830.

In a particular embodiment, one or more objects of a game may be represented as an Adobe Flash object. Flash may manipulate vector and raster graphics, and supports bidirectional streaming of audio and video. “Flash” may mean the authoring environment, the player, or the application files. In particular embodiments, client system830may include a Flash client. The Flash client may be configured to receive and run Flash application or game object code from any suitable networking system (such as, for example, social networking system820aor game networking system820b). In particular embodiments, the Flash client may be run in a browser client executed on client system830. A player can interact with Flash objects using client system830and the Flash client. The Flash objects can represent a variety of in-game objects. Thus, the player may perform various in-game actions on various in-game objects by making various changes and updates to the associated Flash objects. In particular embodiments, in-game actions can be initiated by clicking or similarly interacting with a Flash object that represents a particular in-game object. For example, a player can interact with a Flash object to use, move, rotate, delete, attack, shoot, or harvest an in-game object. This disclosure contemplates performing any suitable in-game action by interacting with any suitable Flash object. In particular embodiments, when the player makes a change to a Flash object representing an in-game object, the client-executed game logic may update one or more game state parameters associated with the in-game object. To ensure synchronization between the Flash object shown to the player at client system830and the game networking system820b, the Flash client may send the events that caused the game state changes to the in-game object to game networking system820b. However, to expedite the processing and hence the speed of the overall gaming experience, the Flash client may collect a batch of some number of events or updates into a batch file. The number of events or updates may be determined by the Flash client dynamically or determined by game networking system820bbased on server loads or other factors. For example, client system830may send a batch file to game networking system820bwhenever50updates have been collected or after a threshold period of time, such as every minute.

As used herein, the term “application event data” may refer to any data relevant to a computer-implemented game application that may affect one or more game state parameters, including, for example and without limitation, changes to player data or metadata, changes to player social connections or contacts, player inputs to the game, and events generated by the game logic. In particular embodiments, each application datum may have a name and a value. The value of an application datum may change at any time in response to the game play of a player or in response to the game engine (e.g., based on the game logic). In particular embodiments, an application data update occurs when the value of a specific application datum is changed. In particular embodiments, each application event datum may include an action or event name and a value (such as an object identifier). Thus, each application datum may be represented as a name-value pair in the batch file. The batch file may include a collection of name-value pairs representing the application data that have been updated at client system830. In particular embodiments, the batch file may be a text file and the name-value pairs may be in string format.

In particular embodiments, when a player plays an online game on client system830, game networking system820bmay serialize all the game-related data, including, for example and without limitation, game states, game events, and user inputs, for this particular user and this particular game into a BLOB and store the BLOB in a database. The BLOB may be associated with an identifier that indicates that the BLOB contains the serialized game-related data for a particular player and a particular online game. In particular embodiments, while a player is not playing the online game, the corresponding BLOB may be stored in the database. This enables a player to stop playing the game at any time without losing the current state of the game that the player is in. When a player resumes playing the game next time, game networking system820bmay retrieve the corresponding BLOB from the database to determine the most-recent values of the game-related data. In particular embodiments, while a player is playing the online game, game networking system820bmay also load the corresponding BLOB into a memory cache so that the game system may have faster access to the BLOB and the game-related data contained therein.

Systems and Methods

In particular embodiments, one or more described webpages may be associated with a networking system or networking service. However, alternate embodiments may have access to the retrieval and rendering of structured documents hosted by any type of network addressable resource or web site. Additionally, as used herein, a user may be an individual, a group, or an entity (such as a business or third party application).

Particular embodiments may operate in a WAN environment, such as the Internet, including multiple network addressable systems.FIG. 9illustrates an example network environment900, in which various example embodiments may operate. Network cloud960generally represents one or more interconnected networks, over which the systems and hosts described herein can communicate. Network cloud960may include packet-based WAN (such as the Internet), private networks, wireless networks, satellite networks, cellular networks, paging networks, and the like. AsFIG. 9illustrates, particular embodiments may operate in a network environment comprising one or more networking systems, such as social networking system920a, game networking system920b, and one or more client systems930. The components of social networking system920aand game networking system920boperate analogously; as such, hereinafter they may be referred to simply at networking system920. Client systems930are operably connected to the network environment via a network service provider, a wireless carrier, or any other suitable means.

Networking system920is a network addressable system that, in various example embodiments, comprises one or more physical servers922and data stores924. The one or more physical servers922are operably connected to network cloud960via, by way of example, a set of routers and/or networking switches926. In an example embodiment, the functionality hosted by the one or more physical servers922may include web or HTTP servers, FTP servers, and, without limitation, webpages and applications implemented using Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, PHP Hyper-text Preprocessor (PHP), Active Server Pages (ASP), HTML, XML, Java, JavaScript, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), Flash, ActionScript, and the like.

Physical servers922may host functionality directed to the operations of networking system920. Hereinafter servers922may be referred to as server922, although server922may include numerous servers hosting, for example, networking system920, as well as other content distribution servers, data stores, and databases. Data store924may store content and data relating to, and enabling, operation of networking system920as digital data objects. A data object, in particular embodiments, is an item of digital information typically stored or embodied in a data file, database, or record. Content objects may take many forms, including: text (e.g., ASCII, SGML, HTML), images (e.g., jpeg, tif and gif), graphics (vector-based or bitmap), audio, video (e.g., mpeg), or other multimedia, and combinations thereof. Content object data may also include executable code objects (e.g., games executable within a browser window or frame), podcasts, and the like. Logically, data store924corresponds to one or more of a variety of separate and integrated databases, such as relational databases and object-oriented databases that maintain information as an integrated collection of logically related records or files stored on one or more physical systems. Structurally, data store924may generally include one or more of a large class of data storage and management systems. In particular embodiments, data store924may be implemented by any suitable physical system(s) including components, such as one or more database servers, mass storage media, media library systems, storage area networks, data storage clouds, and the like. In one example embodiment, data store924includes one or more servers, databases (e.g., MySQL), and/or data warehouses. Data store924may include data associated with different networking system920users and/or client systems930.

Client system930is generally a computer or computing device including functionality for communicating (e.g., remotely) over a computer network. Client system930may be a desktop computer, laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), in- or out-of-car navigation system, smart phone or other cellular or mobile phone, or mobile gaming device, among other suitable computing devices. Client system930may execute one or more client applications, such as a web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, and Opera), to access and view content over a computer network. In particular embodiments, the client applications allow a user of client system930to enter addresses of specific network resources to be retrieved, such as resources hosted by networking system920. These addresses can be uniform resource locators (URLs) and the like. In addition, once a page or other resource has been retrieved, the client applications may provide access to other pages or records when the user “clicks” on hyperlinks to other resources. By way of example, such hyperlinks may be located within the webpages and provide an automated way for the user to enter the URL of another page and to retrieve that page.

A webpage or resource embedded within a webpage, which may itself include multiple embedded resources, may include data records, such as plain textual information, or more complex digitally encoded multimedia content, such as software programs or other code objects, graphics, images, audio signals, videos, and so forth. One prevalent markup language for creating webpages is HTML. Other common web browser-supported languages and technologies include XML, the Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), JavaScript, Flash, ActionScript, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), and, frequently, Java. By way of example, HTML enables a page developer to create a structured document by denoting structural semantics for text and links, as well as images, web applications, and other objects that can be embedded within the page. Generally, a webpage may be delivered to a client as a static document; however, through the use of web elements embedded in the page, an interactive experience may be achieved with the page or a sequence of pages. During a user session at the client, the web browser interprets and displays the pages and associated resources received or retrieved from the website hosting the page, as well as, potentially, resources from other websites.

When a user at a client system930desires to view a particular webpage (hereinafter also referred to as target structured document) hosted by networking system920, the user's web browser, or other document rendering engine or suitable client application, formulates and transmits a request to networking system920. The request generally includes a URL or other document identifier as well as metadata or other information. By way of example, the request may include information identifying the user, such as a user ID, as well as information identifying or characterizing the web browser or operating system running on the user's client computing device or system930. The request may also include location information identifying a geographic location of the user's client system930or a logical network location of the user's client system930. The request may also include a timestamp identifying when the request was transmitted.

Although the example network environment described above and illustrated inFIG. 9is described with respect to social networking system920aand game networking system920b, this disclosure encompasses any suitable network environment using any suitable systems. As an example and not by way of limitation, the network environment may include online media systems, online reviewing systems, online search engines, online advertising systems, or any combination of two or more such systems.

FIG. 10illustrates an example computing system architecture, which may be used to implement a server922or a client system930(FIG. 9). In one embodiment, hardware system1000comprises a processor1002, a cache memory1004, and one or more executable modules and drivers, stored on a tangible computer readable medium, directed to the functions described herein. Additionally, hardware system1000may include a high performance input/output (I/O) bus1006and a standard I/O bus1008. A host bridge1010may couple processor1002to high performance I/O bus1006, whereas I/O bus bridge1012couples the two buses1006and1008to each other. A system memory1014and one or more network/communication interfaces1016may couple to bus1006. Hardware system1000may further include video memory (not shown) and a display device coupled to the video memory. Mass storage1018and I/O ports1020may couple to bus1008. Hardware system1000may optionally include a keyboard, a pointing device, and a display device (not shown) coupled to bus1008. Collectively, these elements are intended to represent a broad category of computer hardware systems, including but not limited to general purpose computer systems based on the x86-compatible processors manufactured by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., and the x86-compatible processors manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., as well as any other suitable processor.

The elements of hardware system1000are described in greater detail below. In particular, network interface1016provides communication between hardware system1000and any of a wide range of networks, such as an Ethernet (e.g., IEEE 802.3) network, a backplane, and the like. Mass storage1018provides permanent storage for the data and programming instructions to perform the above-described functions implemented in servers922(FIG. 9), whereas system memory1014(e.g., DRAM) provides temporary storage for the data and programming instructions when executed by processor1002. I/O ports1020are one or more serial and/or parallel communication ports that provide communication between additional peripheral devices, which may be coupled to hardware system1000.

Hardware system1000may include a variety of system architectures, and various components of hardware system1000may be rearranged. For example, cache1004may be on-chip with processor1002. Alternatively, cache1004and processor1002may be packed together as a “processor module,” with processor1002being referred to as the “processor core.” Furthermore, certain embodiments of the present disclosure may not require nor include all of the above components. For example, the peripheral devices shown coupled to standard I/O bus1008may couple to high performance I/O bus1006. In addition, in some embodiments, only a single bus may exist, with the components of hardware system1000being coupled to the single bus. Furthermore, hardware system1000may include additional components, such as additional processors, storage devices, or memories.

An operating system manages and controls the operation of hardware system1000, including the input and output of data to and from software applications (not shown). The operating system provides an interface between the software applications being executed on the system and the hardware components of the system. Any suitable operating system may be used, such as the LINUX Operating System, the Apple Macintosh Operating System, available from Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., UNIX operating systems, Microsoft® Windows® operating systems, BSD operating systems, and the like. Of course, other embodiments are possible. For example, the functions described herein may be implemented in firmware or on an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Furthermore, the above-described elements and operations can be comprised of instructions that are stored on non-transitory storage media. The instructions can be retrieved and executed by a processing system. Some examples of instructions are software, program code, and firmware. Some examples of non-transitory storage media are memory devices, tape, disks, integrated circuits, and servers. The instructions are operational when executed by the processing system to direct the processing system to operate in accord with the disclosure. The term “processing system” refers to a single processing device or a group of inter-operational processing devices. Some examples of processing devices are integrated circuits and logic circuitry. Those skilled in the art are familiar with instructions, computers, and storage media.

Modules, Components, and Logic

Miscellaneous

For example, the methods described herein may be implemented using hardware components, software components, and/or any combination thereof. By way of example, while embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as operating in connection with a networking website, various embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in connection with any communications facility that supports web applications. Furthermore, in some embodiments the term “web service” and “website” may be used interchangeably and additionally may refer to a custom or generalized API on a device, such as a mobile device (e.g., a cellular phone, smart phone, personal GPS, personal digital assistant, personal gaming device), that makes API calls directly to a server. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims and that the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.