System and method for enabling user cooperation in an asynchronous virtual environment

摘要

An asynchronous virtual environment may be provided to users in which synchronous, time-sensitive cooperation between the users is enabled in spite of the asynchronous nature of the virtual environment. Synchronous, time-sensitive cooperation between users may have an impact on gaining and/or retaining users in a virtual environment, such as a videogame or virtual space. For example, such cooperation between users may strengthen a sense of group, community, and/or camaraderie between cooperating users.

主权项

1. A virtual environment server configured to provide an asynchronous online game, the virtual environment server comprising:
one or more physical computer processors configured by machine readable instructions that cause the one or more physical computer processors to:
facilitate creation of a plurality of instances of an asynchronous online game on client computing platforms associated with individual users in a user group, wherein each client computing platform is associated with a respective user, wherein facilitating creation of the plurality of instances of the asynchronous online game on the client computing platforms comprises:
shifting a processing load associated with each instance of the online game to a respective user's client computing platform based on execution of the online game by each respective client computing platform, wherein each user's interactions with the online game is synchronously processed by their respective client computing platform; andasynchronously receiving view information describing views of the plurality of instances from each respective client computing platform by the virtual environment server to coordinate asynchronous play between individual users in the user group, wherein views of a first instance of the asynchronous online game are assembled by a first client from the view information;coordinate a group activity between individual users in the user group without using synchronous communication to and from the virtual environment server based on assigning tasks to each separate client computing platform's game instance;obtain activity criteria that define a group game activity for the user group, wherein:
the activity criteria are obtained via the client computing platform configured to receive selection of the activity criteria from a given user; andthe activity criteria includes a timing parameter specifying a predetermined time interval within which the game task by the individual users on their respective client computing platform must be finished for the individual performances to count toward accomplishment of the group game activity;update the user group's progress towards achieving the task based on periodically updating the virtual environment server with game progress from each separate client computing platform;evaluate performance of the group game activity by the user group, wherein evaluation of the performance of the group game activity includes separate evaluations of the separate performances and comparison of the separate performances with the activity criteria;determine a consequence for the users in the user group based on the evaluation of performance of the group game activity by the user group and based on one or more consequence parameters defining potential consequences for the users; andimplement the consequence for the users in the asynchronous online game wherein:
the one or more physical computer processors are further configured to obtain performance reports corresponding to the individual users in the user group, wherein the performance reports indicate whether the corresponding individual users have completed the game task, and wherein the one or more physical computer processors are further configured to evaluate performance of the group game activity by the user group based on the performance reports.