Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A virtual vault is generated and displayed for a user of a real-money application and is defined to hold in trust real-money rewards for the user. Each real-money reward is redeemable for real-world monetary value within the real-money application. The virtual vault includes respective reward graphics for the real-money rewards for the user. Upon selection of a reward graphic by the user, a determination is made as to whether or not the user is qualified to receive a real-money reward corresponding to the selected reward graphic. If the user is qualified to receive the real-money reward, the user is credited with a real-world monetary value specified by the real-money reward. Or, if the user is not qualified to receive the real-money reward, the user is notified of one or more actions required by the user in order to qualify for receipt of the real-money reward.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for providing games with multi-hand bets with escalating payouts. One method includes an operation for providing an interface for a betting game, the interface including an option to select single or multiple turn bets. Additionally, the method includes an operation for detecting a player selection of the multiple-turn bet, which has a plurality of single turns, each single turn being associated with a respective payout multiplier. The method executes game operations for each single turn until the player loses or until the player plays the last turn, and calculates the total winnings, which are equal to the sum of winnings from each single turn. The winnings from each single turn are equal to the respective payout multiplier times the winnings determined from a payout table. In addition, the method includes an operation for providing the total winnings, if any, to the player.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enabling a user of an online game to assemble a crew of additional crew members for accessing a content item after completing a goal with the crew. A method provides an operation for displaying a crew assembly dialog that includes a graphics user interface (GUI) allowing the user to select crew members for assembling the crew from a crew inventory. The method further provides operations for receiving a selection of at least one crew member and sending a help request directed to the at least one crew member. Additionally, the method provides for assembling the crew and detecting completion of the goal by the crew. Moreover, the method provides an operation for sending data to the user to access the content item.

Abstract: A method of customizing offers for sales of combinations of virtual items at discounted prices is disclosed. A combination of virtual items of a computer-implemented game is selected such that the sum of the values of each of the combination of virtual items has a proportion to an amount of currency in an account of a user of the computer-implemented game, the selecting being performed by a processor. An offer for a sale of the combination of the virtual items at a discounted price is generated for the user of the computer-implemented game. The offer for the sale of the combination of virtual items at the discounted price is presented to the user.

Abstract: A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for generating game configurations are presented. For example, a system may receive a game configuration request message from a client device being operated by a player playing a virtual game. The game configuration request message may be sent, for example, in response to the player initiating a new game of the virtual game. The system may then select a game configuration based at least in part on historical performance data associated with the selected game configuration. The historical performance data may accumulate performance data from a group of players that previously played the virtual game using the selected game configuration. The system then communicates the selected game configuration to the client device. The player may play the virtual game using the selected game configuration as the initial game configuration for the virtual game.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for customizing a player's experience. The System Tuner calculates a player skill level for a player. The System Tuner modifies at least one attribute of a second game level based on the player skill level prior to game play of the player in the second game level. The System Tuner detects game play of the player in the second game level. The System Tuner identifies a difference between a current rate of progression of the player and a reference rate of progression. The System Tuner triggers the modified attribute of the second game according to an extent of the difference between the current rate of progression and the reference rate of progression.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for enhancing social collaboration in an online casino game. One method includes receiving game inputs from client devices facilitating play in a first mode for an online room. Then, determining contributions to a community metric based on outcomes of the game inputs in the first mode, such that client devices facilitate play in the online room contribute toward the community metric as play progresses in the first mode. Progress of the community metric is indicated by a community progress indicator, and the community progress indicator has a characteristic that indicates increases in the community metric. The method includes moving each of said client devices connected to the online room into a second mode different from the first mode when a predetermined goal is reached for the community metric.

Abstract: The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN ONLINE REWARDS INCENTIVE PROGRAM (hereinafter “ORIP”) transforms user gameplay inputs via ORIP components into incentive rewards outputs. Also, the ORIP may monitor user gameplay associated with a metagame account and provide a rewards incentive in exchange for user gameplay activities.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for an Animation Engine. The Animation Engine generates a color row representative of positional coordinates of movement of pixel data in an animation according to one or more colors of a color space. The Animation Engine divides the color row into a plurality of segments of equal length. For each segment of the color row, the Animation Engine scales down the respective segment according to a first scaling factor to generate a down-scaled segment. The Animation Engine expands the down-scaled segment according to an original length of the respective segment. The Animation Engine compares at least one color distortion present in the expanded down-scaled segment to at least one color present in the respective segment with respect to a distortion threshold.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for customizing a player's experience. The System Tuner creates an optimal game model based on game-related data of a plurality of players. The optimal game model corresponds to a player segment in the plurality of players. The System Tuner generates one or more rules for building a game variant based on the optimal game model. The System Tuner detects a first player accessing the game. The System Tuner determines a particular player segment to which the player belongs. The System Tuner generates a game variant based on an optimal game model for the particular player segment and sends the game variant to a client device.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a Clustering Engine that determines that respective actions, performed in a first instance of a virtual environment by a first user during a first time range, correspond with a first latent state. The Clustering Engine determines that respective actions, performed in a second instance of the virtual environment by a second user during the first time range, correspond with a second latent state. The Clustering Engine triggers a first virtual environment feature based on a first latent state parameter space for the first user. The Clustering Engine triggers a second virtual environment feature based on a second latent state parameter space for the second user.

Abstract: In example embodiments, a method of mitigating the effects of fraudulent usage of game accounts is disclosed. One or more values stored in one or more fields of a row of a database table maintained by the game networking system are received. The one or more fields correspond to features of a game account that are relevant to determining whether the game account is potentially being used fraudulently. Based on a combination of the one or more values transgressing a threshold value, it is determined that the game account is potentially being used fraudulently. At least some use of the potentially fraudulent game account is automatically locked to mitigate the effect of the potentially-fraudulent use.

Abstract: An optimized friend recommendation system is described. An active social network (ASN) of a player of an online game is determined based on a frequency of reciprocated communications between the player and friends of the player. The ASN of the player has friends of the player with a minimum number of closed-loop communications with the player within a predetermined duration. The social network of non-ASN friends outside the ASN of the player is identified. One or more non-ASN friends identified and suggested to socially engage with the player in an online game based on the social network of non-ASN friends of the player outside the ASN of the player are.

Abstract: A method of providing virtual items based on location-based action is disclosed. An indication is received of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game. A virtual item is provided based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game. The virtual item may be usable within the computer-implemented game.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples is a method of providing a computer implemented game comprising: displaying one or more on-screen objects in accordance with the computer implemented game; accepting input from a user of the computer implemented game; responsive to receiving input from the user, updating the one or more on-screen objects according to one or more game rules using one or more computer processors; receiving a notification from a game server, over a network, that the user of the computer implemented game has completed a gameplay specific task in a second computer implemented game, wherein the second computer implemented game is provided on a separate platform from the computer implemented game; and responsive to receiving the notification from the game server, providing a reward to the user in the computer implemented game.

Abstract: A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for customizing a player's experience. The System Tuner creates an optimal game model based on game-related data of a plurality of players. The optimal game model corresponds to a player segment in the plurality of players. The System Tuner generates one or more rules for building a game variant based on the optimal game model. The System Tuner detects a first player accessing the game. The System Tuner determines a particular player segment to which the player belongs. The System Tuner generates a game variant based on an optimal game model for the particular player segment and sends the game variant to a client device.

Abstract: A system, a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method to provide efficient game access is described. A request to access a first game using a first primary identifier is received. An internal identifier and a game identifier associated with the first primary identifier are accessed. A request to access a second game using a second primary identifier is received. An internal identifier and a game identifier associated with the second primary identifier are accessed. A determination that the first and second primary identifiers are associated with a particular player is made. An association between the internal identifiers is stored.

Abstract: A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for representing a resource object in a virtual environment are presented. To begin, a graphical user interface may be provided to a player. The graphical user interface may display a virtual environment that includes the resource object and a game object. A resource production event may be detected. The resource production event may be generated based on a resource production attribute that specifies that a quantity of resource units have been generated. Based on the detected resource production event, at least some portion of the quantity of generated resource units is allocated to the resource pool. Then, responsive to detecting a user initiated game action being applied to the game object, a determinable amount of resource units is removed from the resource pool.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing approximated diffuse lighting are described. One of the methods includes receiving a position and orientation of a moving object in a frame, which includes a game space of a game. The method further includes receiving a first irradiance attribute imparted by a first light source to at least a portion of the moving object. The first irradiance attribute is generated based on the position and orientation. The method further includes receiving a second irradiance attribute imparted by a second light source to at least the portion of the moving object. The second irradiance attribute is generated based on the position and orientation. The method includes applying a statistical operation to the first irradiance attribute and the second irradiance attribute to generate a combined attribute and generating a rendered attribute for the moving object based on the combined attribute.