Method for dynamic content generation in a role-playing game

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, storing:

• information regarding one or more computer-generated, computer-controlled, non-playing characters (NPCs) of a role-playing game;
• a pre-defined set of goals which are available for assignment to the one or more NPCs within the role-playing game, and for each goal of the set of goals, a pre-defined set of candidate steps operable by player-controlled avatars to assist an NPC to which the goal is assigned in achieving the goal;
• and
• program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform:
• for a given in-game time frame, assigning a specific goal randomly selected from at least a subset of the set of goals to one of the one or more NPCs within the role-playing game, wherein the specific goal remains assigned to the one of the NPCs for at least the duration of the in-game time frame, and wherein the specific goal is not assigned to any other NPC while it is assigned to the one of the NPCs;
• within a subsequent in-game time frame, assigning a different goal randomly selected from a subset of the set of goals other than the at least a subset of the set of goals to the one of the NPCs for at least the duration of the subsequent in-game time frame;
• and
• during operation of the role-playing game, dynamically determining a set of steps from among the candidate steps stored for a goal that is currently assigned to the one of the NPCs which, if accomplished by a player-controlled avatar, will result in the one of the NPCs achieving the goal currently assigned to the one of the NPCs.

A system for providing an on-line role-playing game, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory, storing:
• information regarding one or more computer-generated, computer-controlled, non-playing characters (NPCs) in the role-playing game;
• information regarding a pre-defined set of goals which are available for assignment by the system to the NPCs within the role-playing game, and for each goal of the set of goals, information regarding a pre-defined set of candidate steps which are operable by human players during in-game play to assist an NPC to which the goal is assigned;
• and
• program instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform:
• within an in-game time frame defined by the system for use within an in-game environment, assigning a specific goal randomly selected from at least a subset of the set of goals to one of the one or more NPCs within the role-playing game, wherein the specific goal remains assigned to the one of the NPCs for at least the duration of the in-game time frame, and wherein the specific goal is not assigned to any other NPC while it is assigned to the one of the NPCs;
• and
• within the in-game time frame, in response to a human player electing to interact with the one of the NPCs, dynamically defining a set of one or more steps from among the set of candidate steps for the specific goal which, if accomplished by the human player during the in-game time frame, will result in the one of the NPCs achieving the specific goal;
• and
• a network port for providing information regarding the role-playing game to at least one player computer, and for receiving input from a human player through the at least one player computer.