Method and apparatus for evaluation of skill level progression and matching of participants in a multi-media interactive environment

Abstract

In an online interactive simulation or game environment, in which an object's motion is controlled by a player, a player's skill level is quickly quantified as they control the object to properly place the player in games with those of like skill without having to compete with others. An optimal motion is established for the object's travel during a portion of a game. At each increment of travel, an optimum velocity or time delta is established. The motion of the object that is being controlled by a player who is being rated is then tracked relative to the established optimal motion. Deviations therebetween are calculated on an incremental basis, and the aggregate score is used to determine the player's skill level for a set of equivalent conditions.

1 . A computer implemented method for quantifying and using a progression of a player's skill with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 continually quantifying a player's skill during one or more events of a game type;   based on a plurality of quantifications of the player's skill, predicting a skill level of the player for a next event; and   matching a player with other players of similar skill for the next event, based at least in part on the predicted skill level.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein quantifying the progression of the player's skill comprises comparing said player's skill level with a target skill level at one or more points in time during an event. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said one or more points in time coincide with increments of any of time and distance. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating skill cohorts comprising groupings of players with like skills; and   during a registration period, admitting a player to an appropriate skill cohort based on the player's predicted skill level.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 after close of the registration period, identifying players who are likely to cross between skill cohorts during a next event; and   adjusting the skill cohorts as appropriate based in part on the identifying of players likely to cross between skill cohorts.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 after the close of the registration period and based on available player liquidity, adjusting the skill cohorts as appropriate to create matches optimized for minimal skill variance within a cohort.   
     
     
         7 . A method for quantifying and using progressions of skill for a plurality of players with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 continually quantifying a player's skill during one or more events of a game type; and   determining for a plurality of players over a first time period comprising a first plurality of events, a first set of players who have progressed from a first skill level to a second skill level at a first rate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining for the first set of players over a second time period comprising a second plurality of events, equipment comprising any of a car type and a track type that has enabled a second set of players within the first set of players to advance faster to a third skill level during the second time period; and   encouraging the second set of players to continue using their current equipment.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining over a second time period comprising a second plurality of events and for the first set of players, equipment comprising any of a car type and a track type that has enabled a third set of players within the first set of players to advance more slowly to the third skill level during the second time period; and   encouraging the third set of players to upgrade their equipment.   
     
     
         10 . A method for quantifying and using a progression of a player's skill with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 continually quantifying a first player's skill during one or more events of a game type;   analyzing a plurality of quantifications of the first player's skill to determine the first player's skill progression rate of increase or decrease over time; and   determining by a drop in the skill progression rate of increase that the first player is constrained by equipment, the equipment comprising any of an input device and characteristics of a game object model.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 comparing the drop in the skill progression rate of increase for the first player exhibiting the recorded drop in the skill progression rate of increase with other players having similar equipment, wherein the other players exhibited increased rates of skill progression increase after upgrading their equipment; and   determining that the first player is constrained by his equipment based on similarities of skill progression rates of increase between the first player and the other players.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 suggesting to the first player that he should upgrade his equipment.   
     
     
         13 . A method for quantifying and using a progression of a player's skill with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 continually quantifying a first player's skill during one or more events of a game type;   analyzing a plurality of quantifications of the first player's skill to determine the player's skill progression rate of increase or decrease over time; and   determining by abnormal variations in the skill level of a player that the player appears to be sandbagging.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 warning the player if he appears to be sandbagging.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 penalizing the player if he appears to be sandbagging.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the abnormal variations in the player's skill level comprise negative variations determined during a qualifying event followed by a skill level determined for the player measured during a race event that is consistent with a high skill level previously exhibited by the player. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining the abnormal variations in the player's skill level comprises comparing the variations in the player's skill level with a global data set of player skill variations. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for quantifying and using a progression of a player's skill with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 a processor continually quantifying a player's skill during one or more events of a game type;   based on a plurality of quantifications of the player's skill, said processor predicting a skill level of the player for a next event; and   said processor matching a player with other players of similar skill for the next event, based at least in part on the predicted skill level.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein quantifying the progression of the player's skill comprises said processor comparing said player's skill level with a target skill level at one or more points in time during an event. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more points in time coincide with increments of any of time and distance. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 said processor creating skill cohorts comprising groupings of players with like skills; and   during a registration period, said processor admitting a player to an appropriate skill cohort based on the player's predicted skill level.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 after close of the registration period, said processor identifying players who are likely to cross between skill cohorts during a next event; and   said processor adjusting the skill cohorts as appropriate based in part on the identifying of players likely to cross between skill cohorts.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 after the close of the registration period and based on available player liquidity, said processor adjusting the skill cohorts as appropriate to create matches optimized for minimal skill variance within a cohort.   
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for quantifying and using progressions of skill for a plurality of players with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 a processor continually quantifying a player's skill during one or more events of a game type; and   said processor determining for a plurality of players over a first time period comprising a first plurality of events, a first set of players who have progressed from a first skill level to a second skill level at a first rate.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 said processor determining for the first set of players over a second time period comprising a second plurality of events, equipment comprising any of a car type and a track type that has enabled a second set of players within the first set of players to advance faster to a third skill level during the second time period; and   said processor encouraging the second set of players to continue using their current equipment.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 said processor determining over a second time period comprising a second plurality of events and for the first set of players, equipment comprising any of a car type and a track type that has enabled a third set of players within the first set of players to advance more slowly to the third skill level during the second time period; and   said processor encouraging the third set of players to upgrade their equipment.   
     
     
         27 . An apparatus for quantifying and using a progression of a player's skill with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 a processor continually quantifying a first player's skill during one or more events of a game type;   said processor analyzing a plurality of quantifications of the first player's skill to determine the first player's skill progression rate of increase or decrease over time; and   said processor determining by a drop in the skill progression rate of increase that the first player is constrained by equipment, the equipment comprising any of an input device and characteristics of a game object model.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 said processor comparing the drop in the skill progression rate of increase for the first player exhibiting the recorded drop in the skill progression rate of increase with other players having similar equipment, wherein the other players exhibited increased rates of skill progression increase after upgrading their equipment; and   said processor determining that the first player is constrained by his equipment based on similarities of skill progression rates of increase between the first player and the other players.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 said processor suggesting to the first player that he should upgrade his equipment.   
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for quantifying and using a progression of a player's skill with respect to an interactive computer game simulation, comprising:
 a processor continually quantifying a first player's skill during one or more events of a game type;   said processor analyzing a plurality of quantifications of the first player's skill to determine the player's skill progression rate of increase or decrease over time; and   said processor determining by abnormal variations in the skill level of a player that the player appears to be sandbagging.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 said processor warning the player if he appears to be sandbagging.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 said processor penalizing the player if he appears to be sandbagging.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the abnormal variations in the player's skill level comprise negative variations determined during a qualifying event followed by a skill level determined for the player measured during a race event that is consistent with a high skill level previously exhibited by the player. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein determining the abnormal variations in the player's skill level comprises comparing the variations in the player's skill level with a global data set of player skill variations.