Guessing Threshold for a Game Challenge

Abstract

Techniques for implementing a guessing threshold for a game challenge are described. In at least some embodiments, a guessing threshold can specify a number of “guesses” that a player is permitted to make during a particular period of time. For example, a guess can be an incorrect solution to a game challenge, a correct solution to a game challenge that was previously provided during a game session, an incorrect solution to a game challenge that is not a legitimate solution attempt, and so on. In implementations, if a player exceeds the guessing threshold during a particular period of time, the player can be warned and/or penalized. For example, the player can be locked out of gameplay for a penalty period and/or the player can be docked a number of points.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 determining whether an incorrect solution attempt to a game challenge is a legitimate solution attempt or a guess that is not a legitimate solution attempt by applying one or more metrics to the incorrect solution attempt;   determining that the solution attempt is a guess;   ascertaining whether a guessing threshold associated with the game challenge is exceeded; and   responsive to ascertaining that the guessing threshold is exceeded, transitioning by at least one computing device to a penalty mode for a game.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the guessing threshold specifies a number of guesses that can be received during a particular period of time. 
     
     
         4 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein said transitioning comprises:
 presenting a notification that the guessing threshold is exceeded; and   locking gameplay functionality such that additional solution attempts to the game challenge cannot be input for a specified period of time.   
     
     
         5 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the penalty mode locks gameplay functionality such that input to a game challenge region of a game user interface cannot be received for a specified period of time, and enables a user to interact with one or more advertisements presented in the game user interface during the specified period of time. 
     
     
         6 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein said determining whether an incorrect solution attempt to a game challenge is a legitimate solution attempt or a guess comprises:
 comparing the incorrect solution attempt to one or more known correct solutions for the game challenge; and   ascertaining that the incorrect solution attempt does not exceed an overlap threshold associated with the one or more known correct solutions.   
     
     
         7 . A method as described in  claim 6 , wherein the overlap threshold specifies a threshold amount of overlap with at least one input path associated with the one or more known correct solutions. 
     
     
         8 . A method as described in  claim 6 , wherein the overlap threshold specifies a threshold amount of overlap with characters associated with the one or more known correct solutions. 
     
     
         9 . A method as described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 said comparing comprises comparing an input path for the incorrect solution attempt to at least one input path for the one or more known correct solutions to determine an amount of path overlap; and   said ascertaining comprises ascertaining that the amount of path overlap does not exceed the overlap threshold.   
     
     
         10 . A method as described in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one input path for the one or more known correct solutions corresponds to pixel regions on a display screen that correspond to the one or more known correct solutions. 
     
     
         11 . A method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising transitioning to a normal gameplay mode in response to an expiration of a penalty period associated with the penalty mode. 
     
     
         12 . A method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transitioning to a probationary mode in response to an expiration of a penalty period associated with the penalty mode;   in response to at least one of an expiration of a probationary period, or an input of a correct solution that was not previously provided during a current game session, transitioning to a normal gameplay mode; or   in response to receiving a solution attempt during the probationary period that is determined to be a guess, transitioning back to the penalty mode.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 transitioning by at least one computing device to a probationary mode for a game in response to an indication that a penalty period associated with exceeding a guessing threshold for the game has expired, the probationary mode occurring between a penalty mode and a normal gameplay mode of the game;   in response to at least one of an expiration of a probationary period, or an input of a correct solution that was not previously provided during a current game session, transitioning to the normal gameplay mode; or   in response to receiving a solution attempt during the probationary period that is determined to be a guess, transitioning to the penalty mode for the game.   
     
     
         14 . A method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the guess comprises one of an incorrect answer, an incorrect answer that is not a legitimate solution attempt, or a correct answer that was previously provided during a current game session. 
     
     
         15 . A method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the penalty mode causes gameplay functionality for the game to be locked such that input to a game challenge region of a game user interface cannot be received during the penalty period. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 determining by at least one computing device whether an incorrect solution attempt to a game challenge is a legitimate solution attempt or a guess that is not a legitimate solution attempt by applying one or more metrics to the incorrect solution attempt;   determining that the incorrect solution attempt is a guess;   ascertaining that a guessing threshold associated with a game challenge for a game is exceeded; and   responsive to said ascertaining:   causing a notification to be presented indicating that the guessing threshold is exceeded; and   locking gameplay functionality such that a user cannot engage in gameplay during a penalty period.   
     
     
         17 . A method as described in  claim 16 , wherein the guessing threshold comprises a threshold number of guesses that are received during a particular period of time. 
     
     
         18 . A method as described in  claim 17 , wherein the guesses include at least one solution attempt for the game challenge that is determined to be a correct answer that was previously provided during a current game session. 
     
     
         19 . A method as described in  claim 16 , further comprising, responsive to said ascertaining, visually obscuring a game challenge region of a game user interface for the game during the penalty period. 
     
     
         20 . A method as described in  claim 16 , further comprising, responsive to determining that the penalty period is expired:
 transitioning to a probationary mode that unlocks the gameplay functionality such that the game can receive solution attempts for the game challenge;   in response to receiving a correct solution attempt that was not previously provided during a current game session, transitioning from the probationary mode to a normal gameplay mode.   
     
     
         21 . A method as described in  claim 7 , wherein the overlap threshold is less than 100% overlap.