Abstract: According to an aspect of this specification, there is described a computer implemented method comprising: receiving input data, the input data comprising data relating to a user of a computer game; generating, based on the input data, one or more candidate challenges for the computer game; determining, using a machine-learned model, whether each of the one or more of the candidate challenges satisfies a threshold condition, wherein the threshold condition is based on a target challenge difficultly; in response to a positive determination, outputting the one or more candidate challenges that satisfy the threshold condition for use in the computer game by the user.

Abstract: Embodiments of an automated fraud detection system are disclosed that can detect user accounts that are engaging in unauthorized activities within a game application. The fraud detection system can provide an automated system that identifies parasitic accounts. The fraud detection system may identify patterns using machine learning based on characteristics, such as gameplay and transaction characteristics, associated with the parasitic user accounts. The fraud detection system may generate a model that can be applied to existing accounts within the game in order to automatically identify users that are engaging in unauthorized activities. The fraud detection system may automatically identify these parasitic accounts and implement appropriate actions to prevent the accounts from impacting legitimate users within the game application.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing video game content is provided. The method comprises monitoring a request rate of requests to provide video game content; and in response to the request rate exceeding a threshold request rate: initialising at least one instance of a first machine learning model, wherein the first machine learning model is configured to provide an output which is approximate to the output of a second machine learning model from which the first machine learning model is derived, the first machine learning model being produced by a model derivation process to have a faster response time compared to the second machine learning model; and providing video game content, wherein providing the video game content comprises generating an output responsive to the specified input using the at least one instance of the first machine learning model.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a tutorial system that can aid a user in performing various game commands in response to different game states in a virtual game environment. As the user plays the game, various game states may be encountered. A tutorial engine may, based on a current game state, determine one or more game commands to be recommended to the user, based on historical information of the user and a game state model, wherein the game state model maintains associations between game states and different segments of users. The user is recommended relevant game commands during the normal course of gameplay, based on their own gameplay history and on game commands commonly performed by other users of the game application.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable storage medium, and device for generating a character model. The method comprises: receiving an input image of a reference subject; processing the input image to generate a normalized image; identifying a set of features present in the normalized image, wherein each feature in the set of features corresponds to a portion of a head or body of the reference subject; for each feature in the set of features, processing at least a portion of the normalized image including the feature by a neural network model corresponding to the feature to generate a parameter vector corresponding to the feature; and combining the parameter vectors output by respective neural network models corresponding to respective features in the set of features to generate a parameterized character model corresponding to reference subject in the input image.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems presented herein may identify users to include in a match plan. A parameter model may be generated to predict the retention time of a set of users. A queue of potential users, a set of teammates, and/or opponents may be selected from a queue of waiting users. User information for the set of teammates and/or opponents may be provided to the parameter model to generate a predicted retention time. The set of teammates and/or opponents may be approved if the predicted retention time meets a predetermined threshold. Advantageously, by creating a match plan based on retention rates, the engagement and/or retention level for a number of users may be improved compared to existing multiplayer matching systems.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided of allowing a user to automatically transform domain knowledge into a machine learning model to be used in real-time operation of video games. The method comprises providing a user interface which allows a user to define domain knowledge relating to a video game by specifying one or more labeling functions; transforming the labeling functions into executable code; labeling raw data relating to the video game using the executable code to obtain labeled data; and applying an automated machine learning module to the labeled data to obtain a machine learning model.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing video game content is provided. The method comprises monitoring a request rate of requests to provide video game content; and in response to the request rate exceeding a threshold request rate: initialising at least one instance of a first machine learning model, wherein the first machine learning model is configured to provide an output which is approximate to the output of a second machine learning model from which the first machine learning model is derived, the first machine learning model being produced by a model derivation process to have a faster response time compared to the second machine learning model; and providing video game content, wherein providing the video game content comprises generating an output responsive to the specified input using the at least one instance of the first machine learning model.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing video game content is provided. The method comprises maintaining a current machine learning model for each of a plurality of machine learning model branches; receiving a request to provide video game content responsive to specified input; in response to receiving the request, identifying a selected one of the machine learning model branches, wherein the machine learning model branch is selected based on an evaluation of the current machine learning model for each branch; and providing video game content responsive to the request, wherein providing the video game content comprises generating an output responsive to the specified input with the current machine learning model for the selected branch.

Abstract: Embodiments presented herein use an audio based authentication system for pairing a user account with an audio-based periphery computing system. The audio-based authentication system allows a user to interface with the periphery device through a user computing device. The user can utilize a previously authenticated user account on the user computing device in order to facilitate the pairing of the audio-based periphery computing system with the user account.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a customized virtual character are disclosed. A system may obtain video data or other media depicting a real person, and then may provide the obtained media to one or more machine learning models configured to learn visual appearance and behavior information regarding the particular person depicted in the video or other media. The system may then generate a custom visual appearance model and a custom behavior model corresponding to the real person, which may subsequently be used to render, within a virtual environment of a video game, a virtual character that resembles the real person in appearance and in-game behavior.

Abstract: System and methods for utilizing a video game console to monitor the player's video game, detect when a particular gameplay situation occurs during the player's video game experience, and collect game state data corresponding to how the player reacts to the particular gameplay situation or an effect of the reaction. In some cases, the video game console can receive an exploratory rule set to apply during the particular gameplay situation. In some cases, the video game console can trigger the particular gameplay situation. A system can receive the game state data from many video game consoles and train a rule set based on the game state data. Advantageously, the system can save computational resources by utilizing the players' video game experience to train the rule set.

Abstract: Various aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and machine-readable media for granting access to a game. The method includes receiving a request to access the game. The method also includes causing to display a set of challenge options representing challenges of varying difficulty levels for a user to select. The method also includes receiving a selection of a challenge option from a user device. The method also includes causing to present a challenge to the user. The method also includes receiving challenge data from the user including interactions with and results of the challenge. The method also includes determining whether the user passed the challenge based on the challenge data. The method also includes executing or enabling execution of the game upon determining that the user passed the challenge. The method also includes providing the user rewards associated with the game for passing the challenge.

Abstract: Systems described herein may automatically and dynamically adjust the amount and type of computing resources usable to execute, process, or perform various tasks associated with a video game. Using one or more machine learning algorithms, a prediction model can be generated that uses the historical and/or current user interaction data obtained by monitoring the users playing the video game. Based on the historical and/or current user interaction data, future user interactions likely to be performed in the future can be predicted. Using the predictions of the users' future interactions, the amount and type of computing resources maintained in the systems can be adjusted such that a proper balance between reducing the consumption of computing resources and reducing the latency experienced by the users of the video game is achieved and maintained.

Abstract: This specification describes a system for generating positions of map items such as buildings, for placement on a virtual map. The system comprises: at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium including executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform at least the following operations: receiving an input at a generator neural network trained for generating map item positions; generating, with the generator neural network, a probability of placing a map item for each subregion of a plurality of subregions of the region of the virtual map; and generating position data of map items for placement on the virtual map using the probability for each subregion.

Abstract: Using voice recognition, a user can interact with a companion application to control a video game from a mobile device. Advantageously, the user can interact with the companion application when the video game is unavailable because, for example, of the user's location. Moreover, machine learning may be used to facilitate generating voice responses to user utterances that are predicted to improve or maintain a user's level of engagement with the companion application, or its corresponding video game.

Abstract: A system for use in video game development to generate expressive speech audio comprises a user interface configured to receive user-input text data and a user selection of a speech style. The system includes a machine-learned synthesizer comprising a text encoder, a speech style encoder and a decoder. The machine-learned synthesizer is configured to generate one or more text encodings derived from the user-input text data, using the text encoder of the machine-learned synthesizer; generate a speech style encoding by processing a set of speech style features associated with the selected speech style using the speech style encoder of the machine-learned synthesizer; combine the one or more text encodings and the speech style encoding to generate one or more combined encodings; and decode the one or more combined encodings with the decoder of the machine-learned synthesizer to generate predicted acoustic features.

Abstract: Embodiments of the systems and methods described herein can automatically measure the difficulty metrics associated with various aspects of a video game using an artificial intelligence system. The artificial intelligence system may include multiple game agents. Telemetry data associated with the gameplay of each game agent may be recorded while the game application is automatically executed by the game agents. The telemetry data may be communicated to a data analysis system which can calculate game difficulty metrics for various aspects of the game. The data analysis system can determine game difficulty associated with the various aspects based on the game difficulty metrics. The results from the data analysis system may be visualized and communicated to a game developer for updating the operations of the video game.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems presented herein may perform automatic granular difficulty adjustment. In some embodiments, the difficulty adjustment is undetectable by a user. Further, embodiments of systems disclosed herein can review historical user activity data with respect to one or more video games to generate a game retention prediction model that predicts an indication of an expected duration of game play. The game retention prediction model may be applied to a user's activity data to determine an indication of the user's expected duration of game play. Based on the determined expected duration of game play, the difficulty level of the video game may be automatically adjusted.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a customized virtual character are disclosed. A system may obtain video data or other media depicting a real person, and then may provide the obtained media to one or more machine learning models configured to learn visual appearance and behavior information regarding the particular person depicted in the video or other media. The system may then generate a custom visual appearance model and a custom behavior model corresponding to the real person, which may subsequently be used to render, within a virtual environment of a video game, a virtual character that resembles the real person in appearance and in-game behavior.