Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs for creating a crew to participate in a mission challenge in an online game includes identifying quests to complete the mission challenge. Each quest includes a plurality of tasks and each task includes a plurality of subtasks. A request feed is sent to members of a social graph of a user requesting the members to join the crew and to participate in completing the subtasks of the challenge. Skill set associated with each member of the social graph responding to the request feed is determined and matched with the skill set required for completing each subtask. A distinct subtask is delegated to each member based on the match. Each crew member's progression in completing the challenge is monitored and managed based on the progression made in the delegated subtask. Status of the challenge is updated and shared with the members of the crew.

Abstract: A system and method provide automated guild-dependent variation of in-game capabilities available to player in an computer-implemented game. An in-game capability is made available to the player in inter-guild competitive gameplay, for example comprising an object-specific ability associated with the game object, such as a collectible card. A value for a variable attribute of the in-game capability is dynamically adjusted based at least in part on one or more guild metrics for an associated guild of which the player is a member. The one or more guild metrics may include guild size and activity levels of guild members.

Abstract: Software on a server and/or client device causes a view in a graphical user interface (GUI) for a game to be displayed to a user. The game is an online gambling game for real money. The software receives input from the user. The input includes a wager and play according to game mechanics for the game. The software calculates a payout from the play. The payout includes a promotional payout that depends at least in part on a measure of social activity associated with the user or a measure of social influence associated with the user. And the software broadcasts the payout to at least one other person who is a social relation of the user.

Abstract: A method of updating virtual worlds based on interactions between real-world items is disclosed. An interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item is detected. The first real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a first player of a computer-implemented game and the second real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a second player of the computer-implemented game. A virtual world of the computer-implemented game is updated based on the detection of the interaction.

Abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) animation may be generated from a three-dimensional (3D) mesh by a machine or device that flattens, textures, and modifies the 3D mesh, which results in distorting the texture of the 3D mesh. The machine or device is configured to access and flatten a 3D mesh of 3D vertices. At least some of the 3D vertices of the flattened 3D mesh are texture mapped with a 2D image. The machine or device generates a first 2D frame of animation by rendering the 3D mesh (e.g., with graphics acceleration hardware), modifies the 3D mesh by repositioning one or more of the 3D vertices, and generates a second 2D frame of animation by rendering the modified 3D mesh (e.g., with graphics acceleration hardware). Accordingly, 2D animation may be generated by distorting the 2D image that is mapped onto at least part of the 3D mesh.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods to provide an asynchronous social event in a computer-implemented game. The social event may for example be a virtual party that is staged in a game instance of a host player and may comprise automated attendance of player characters associated with one or more guest players. An event invitation may be sent to the guest players, with the player characters of guest players who accept the invitation being displayed as automatically attending the social event. The social event may be played back to the guest players asynchronously upon request.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates games and applications in general and in particular to computer-implemented online games playable on mobile devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for online game cooperation. One method includes an operation for receiving a first request from a first user to place a game asset in a first game board of the first user. The game asset is associated with a task to be performed in the game. Further, the method includes an operation for receiving a second request from a second user to place the game asset in a second game board of the second user. The first user and the second user make progress by interacting with the game asset in their respective game boards. When the first user or the second user receives a transactional reward for interacting with the game asset, the transactional reward is also given to the other user. A final reward is given to the first user and to the second user upon completion of the task.

Abstract: A method of incentivizing location-based actions by groups is disclosed. A group of users of a game networking system is notified that an incentive reward is to be provided based on a number of members of the group performing a location-based action transgressing a threshold. The incentive reward is provided based on the number of members of the group performing the location-based action transgressing the threshold.

Abstract: Individual participants in a multi-participant collaborative computing application may be sent intermittent updates of actions taken by other participants. These updates need not be sent to a participant's device until the participant has interacted with a specified object in the application. The participant's device may then be sent an update including object interactions of the other participants occurring since the participant's previous object interaction. The update may be used to periodically inform the participant of the actions taken by the other participants during the period between the participant's interactions.

Abstract: A workflow for 3D content authoring, delivery, and rendering is facilitated based on pre-authored image projections to obtain improvements in authoring efficiency. Additionally, a content delivery platform centered on such pre-authored image projections provides a mechanism for significantly improving streaming efficiency for 3D worlds. Multiple images encode primary surface detail of 3D worlds in real-time applications. Examples of such projections include images that can be as rich as film frames, feature animation frames, high end digital renders, concept paintings, or any suitable combination thereof. An algorithm for improved image projection camera path trajectories, sampling selection, and blending may be implemented by various systems and methods to facilitate smooth transitions during movements of a player within a game set in the 3D space. In addition, a back-projection technique may be implemented by various systems and methods to propagate revisions of one or more projections.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are provided for executing games, processed by one or mover servers. The one or more servers are provided with access to a network for communication with one or more client computers. One method includes operations for sending an interface for a casino-type game to a client computer, and for starting an online game that is displayed with the interface for the casino-type game. The method further includes operations for detecting a bet placed in the casino-type game, and for determining an outcome of the bet in the casino-type game. A character is moved along a path of the online game, where the amount of movement of the character is based on the outcome of the bet or wager.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for integrating social game play with social network features is disclosed herein. Content generated in the game is posted to the social network to initiate social game play. Recipients of the content that respond to the content are automatically taken to the game to join the game in a controlled manner. Recipients' interaction with the game may be selectively reviewed and incorporated into a playing space associated with an existing player of the game.

Abstract: A method of combining games based on levels of interactivity of the games is disclosed. It is identified that a player is idle with respect to a primary game, the primary game having a first level of interactivity. A secondary game having a second level of interactivity is selected based on the second level of interactivity being compatible with the first level of interactivity. The player is provided with an option to participate in the secondary game while the player is idle with respect to the primary game.

Abstract: Software at an online game website assigns to a player of a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game a first game task in a conditional series of game tasks. The assignment is based at least in part on a measure of difficulty associated with the first game task. The measure of difficulty depends on a profile associated with the player that includes an Active Social Network (ASN) metric as determined by data that has been read from an in-memory database and that has been retrieved from a social networking website through an application programming interface (API) exposed by the social networking website. Then the software provides a reward to the player upon termination of the conditional series of game tasks. The reward depends at least in part on the game tasks in the conditional series of game tasks that were completed by the player.

Abstract: A method of sending and receiving configurable buckets of communication is disclosed. A request to send a communication from an application executing on a client to an application executing on a server is received. The communication has a first priority. A request to send an additional communication from the application executing on the client to the application executing on the server is received. The additional communication has a second priority. The communication is placed into a bucket of communications based on the communication having the first priority. A determination is made to send the bucket of communications to the application executing on the server. The additional communication is placed into the bucket of communications based on a determination that the bucket of communications is not full. The bucket of communications is sent to the application executing on the server.