I came across this today and wonfered if some one from wgt could try and explain it in a easier to understand format for us thick ohs plz and how it effets my play cheers thedoctor
The VEM... Virtual Equipment Model. What the VEM does is change the properties of the game as you get better at it to ensure you dont get too good at it. It is set up with preset variables and as you play if you do better than a predetermined threshold set by WGT then the game changes the characteristics of the virtual equipment to... welll let me copy and paste what it says...
"Virtual equipment automatically adapts to reflect changes in user skill level and keep users challenged as their skill level improves. As a result, users are less likely to loose interest in a computer game. An associated user input model..."
It goes on to say exactly how it works... apparently it's some cutting edge system... so much so that they filed a patent on it.
here's some more...
"In general, in another aspect, embodiments of the invention feature determining a user skill level for user interaction with virtual equipment in an interactive computer game. The virtual equipment is capable of being manipulated through user interaction with an associated representation. A sweet spot associated with the virtual equipment is automatically adapted based on the determined user skill level, the sweet spot governing how the virtual equipment behaves in response to user interaction with the representation."
"A skill level monitor 306 monitors changes to user skill level. A
change in user skill level can be detected by the user's proficiency at
using a given piece of virtual equipment to achieve one or more goals
in the virtual universe (e.g., such as an improved score), the ability
to perform relatively advanced tasks with the virtual equipment, an
achieved accuracy rate using the virtual equipment, an achieved
precision rate using the virtual equipment, time spent using the
virtual equipment, combinations of these, and other factors, in one
implementation, user skill level is quantified as a number. If the
skill level increases or decreases beyond a certain threshold, a change
is communicated to the VEM 306, which in turn can communicate the
change to the input model 302 and the representation 304. Using a
non-zero threshold value can prevent the VEM 306 from changing too
rapidly.
Based on a change in skill level, one or more of the
VEM 306, the input model 302, and the representation 304 can adapt to
reflect the change. Adapting the VEM 306 can include changing the value
of one or more variables in the set of variables, changing one or more
relationships in the set of relationships, adding or removing one or
more variables in the set of variables, adding or removing one or more
relationships in the set of relationships, and combinations of these,
in the case of an increased user skill level, for example, the virtual
equipment model 306 could add additional variables for controlling the
virtual equipment that were not available at a lower skill level and
change variables representing distribution curves, thresholds and sweet
spots.
A game engine 310 maintains state for the virtual
universe based on user input and the interaction of objects in the
virtual universe. The game engine 310 can include a renderer for
rendering graphical views of the virtual universe that can be presented
on a display device. The game engine can also artificial intelligence
capabilities for determining one or more future states for the virtual
universe. Objects in the virtual universe such as virtual equipment are
associated with assets 312 (e.g., content, models, sounds, physics,
artificial intelligence). Assets are used by the game engine 310 to
represent objects and render the computer game. The game engine 310
communicates with the skill level monitor 308 to convey user skill
level information, such as detected changes to user skill level. The
VEM 306 communicates with the game engine 310 to affect changes to the
virtual universe based on user interaction with the VEM 306.
FIG.
4 illustrates a virtual equipment model adaptation process. A user
skill level for a piece of virtual equipment is determined by, for
example, the skill level monitor 308 (step 402). It is then determined
whether the skill level has increased or decreased beyond a threshold
(step 406). If the user skill level has not increased or decreased
beyond the threshold, the user skill level is determined again at a
later point in time (step 402). Otherwise, the VEM 306 associated with
the virtual equipment is adapted based on the user skill level (step
406), for example by changing the value of one or more sweet spots
associated with the virtual equipment, or other variables."