JP2002018139A - Game server, its operation method and game method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Even when you are not actually playing a game,
The growth of the character is worrisome, and the user can be given a pleasure to know the parameters. A game method in which two or more operators connect to a game server (S) from each terminal (1) via a network and play a game for each operator, comprising a plurality of agents prepared in the game server (S) in advance. , And a player agent that is generated and registered in the game server S by an operation from the terminal 1.
The operator's team is organized and registered by an agent selected from the plurality of agents together with the operator's player agent, a game is played by the team, and the player agent and the selected agent respond to their respective activities. An evaluation value is given. The evaluation value is reflected on a player agent and a selected agent which constitute a team of another operator registered and organized by operation from another terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game server for playing a game by connecting from a personal computer or a telephone terminal, an operation method thereof, and a game method. More specifically, a plurality of agents placed on the game server are selectively registered from the terminal of the operator, and even when the operator is not operating the registered agent, the agent is operated by other than the operator, and The parameter of the agent is changed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, computer networks such as the Internet and an intranet have become widespread, and various game servers that can be enjoyed there have emerged. Conventionally, the operation method of the game server includes not only a method in which the operator (player) enjoys the game by moving the agent (character), but also a method in which the operators play against each other. In any case, each operator basically operates and fosters a selected or designated agent. If the operator does not operate / foster his / her own agent, the virtual space on the game (the game Is a system in which nothing changes, and of course, the virtual space is also stopped as long as the game is interrupted.

[0003]

Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional system, the game development under the constraint that the world of the game does not change unless the operator operates and fosters the agent by connecting from a terminal or the like. Therefore, there was a limit in giving interests and ways of enjoying.

[0004]

The present invention is characterized by the following technical means for solving the above-mentioned problems. An invention according to claim 1 is a game server for exchanging information with at least one terminal, wherein at least two finite number of virtual objects that make an action based on a decision in a virtual space. And an operator object adapted to determine an action according to an instruction from the terminal, and when a selection of a virtual object is received from the terminal, a virtual object corresponding to the specification is assigned, and the operator The object and the assigned virtual object operate in the same virtual space. Here, the virtual object is for realizing the above-mentioned agent (character) on a computer, and is a virtual object selection method included in a virtual object method among the operator objects described later. Is activated, a selection is made from a limited number of virtual objects. Then, the method for the selected virtual object is started from the operator object. The operator object is an object for realizing the operator (player) in a computer, and a method included in the operator is activated by an operation on the terminal of the operator.

Therefore, in the above game server, a finite number of two or more virtual objects are prepared in the virtual space, each of which determines an action based on a decision in the virtual space, and an operator (terminal) on the terminal side. The player) designates at least two or more virtual objects from a finite number of virtual objects, and the designated and assigned virtual objects and operator objects (determining actions according to instructions from the terminal) are teams. Alternatively, it is characterized in that it operates by knitting a set or the like. This enables a novel game development in which the operator on the terminal side first operates in addition to the operator object that operates according to an instruction from the terminal and includes a specific virtual object specified in the virtual space. When the requirements of the following claims are satisfied, the virtual space changes while the player on the terminal side interrupts the connection without operating or nurturing the operator object. Make it easy to continue. Here, the virtual object acts as an agent in the game. Further, the finite number is set so that there are only a finite number of agents in the present game, and the game can be used by scrambling from the operator object.

Here, the virtual space means the world of the game on the game server. The program in the game server is, for example, an object-oriented program,
Each object has a data structure including a specific system and predetermined information, and has a data attribute (property) and a method start, and a data operation or the like of the object having a request operation by starting a method of the object. It is assumed that a program system is implemented by acting on the program. In each claim, decision-making means deciding an operation in a virtual space to which the object belongs by activating a method or changing a data attribute of the object. For this reason, it goes without saying that even if the action method is simply activated for the object, a different result may be obtained depending on the state of the virtual space in which the object operates. Note that the terminal is preferably a telephone having an information display function. Specifically, in the case of Japan, it is to be realized on the iMode service provided by NTT DoCoMo. Of course, the game can be a network battle game on a personal computer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the game server of the first aspect, the operator object is generated by a registration operation from a terminal. That is, this means that the operator (player) on the terminal side can arbitrarily generate an operator object and register it in the game world by a registration operation, so that the operator object can be used again next time, It is possible to obtain the pleasure of generating or updating the operator object of the player by himself.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the game server of the first aspect, the virtual object accumulates information relating to an action determined in the past. That is, this is because the virtual object is handled in a state where the past information is accumulated, and the operator object (player) to which the virtual object is assigned stores the information (point or score) accumulated in the past action. Etc.), that is, to be able to enjoy as a game with updated contents.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the game server according to the first aspect, the operator object and the virtual object have respective evaluation values based on predetermined criteria, and the operator (for example, The evaluation value of the operator on the terminal side generated by the operation is the sum of the evaluation values of the operator object and the virtual object. That is, this is a method of deepening the game content with the evaluation values (points, scores, money used in the game, etc., according to the game content) of the operator object and the virtual object, and specifying and assigning the virtual object. To enjoy the game with new contents.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the game server of the first aspect, the virtual space is determined based on time information acquired by the game server. That is, this specifies that the virtual space constructing the game world is determined, for example, at the time of connection from the terminal side, that is, the so-called game world is continuously changing. It was done.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the invention of the first aspect is specified from the operation method of the game server, and is connected from a terminal and decides an action based on a decision in a virtual space. When there is a selection instruction for at least two finite numbers of virtual objects, the virtual objects are determined, the operator object corresponding to the terminal is determined, and the virtual objects and the operator objects are determined. They operate in the same virtual space. The operational features of the above game server are
A plurality of virtual objects are provided in the world of the game, and the virtual objects function under the condition that an operator (player) on the terminal side selects and determines at least two virtual objects. The virtual object is configured to operate with the operator object of the operator and a team or the like.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the game server and the operation method thereof are specified by the game method. Two or more operators connect to the game server from each terminal via a network, and A game method for playing a game for each operator, comprising: a plurality of agents prepared in advance in the game server; and a player agent generated and registered in the game server by an operation from the terminal. By operation, the operator's team is formed and registered by an agent selected from the plurality of agents together with the player's agent of the operator, a game is played by the team, and the player agent and the selected agent perform their respective activities. Is given according to the evaluation value, and the evaluation value is The information is reflected on the player agent and the selected agent constituting the team of another operator registered and organized by the operation from the terminal. In the above game method, while the operator is not playing the game, the player agent or the evaluation value of the agent (points, scores, and the like used in the game according to the content of the game) by another team formed from other terminals (Money, etc.) change, and there is also a chance to grow. Therefore, the growth of those agents is worrisome, and it is possible to give unprecedented interest and enjoyment, such as enjoyment to know the parameters of the agents.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this form explanation, first,
The use form of the game server of the present invention will be outlined with reference to FIG. After the game server and its operation method are described with reference to the conceptual processing flow of FIG. 2, the game method embodied thereby will be described with reference to two game examples and the characteristic points when actually developed.

(Regarding Usage of Game Server) FIG. 1
Is an example of a network system in which the game server of the present invention is suitably used. In FIG. 1, terminals a to x (hereinafter simply referred to as “terminal 1”) are assumed to be mobile phone terminals having an information display unit or personal computers, and call a game server S as a host computer. Communication lines such as lines are connected via the Internet. Each terminal 1 has a communication program for controlling communication with the game server S. The game server S executes a processing program for processing various data transmitted from each terminal 1 and communication with each terminal 1 as described below. It has communication programs to be controlled, and these programs are executed by the arithmetic unit (CPU) of the game server S. Therefore, hereinafter, from each terminal 1, a person who connects to the game server S and plays a game is referred to as an operator or a player a.
To x, and an example in which a game is played by operating the terminal 1 will be described. In this description, in the game server S, each of the players a to x is realized as a virtual object, and each of the players is realized as an operator object. It is easier to do this, and there is no inconvenience in the implementation. Therefore, here, the virtual object will be described as an agent, and the operator object will be described as a player or a player agent.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the concept of the game server according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, the game server S is shown on the left side, and the players a, b... X are shown on the right side. The game program is set as follows. Each player a to x
Owns an agent registered in advance in the game server S, that is, an operator object that determines an action based on a decision in a virtual space. Note that among the agents, besides the agents registered by the players in the game server S, there are also agents prepared in advance on the game server S side. Each agent has its own internal parameters (strength, quickness),
The money (e.g., currency, points, belongings, etc. used in the game) and data unique to each agent are provided, and the unique data is rewritten and updated according to the progress and results of the game. Of course, in programming, it is sufficient to record the data such as internal parameters and money in possession as properties of the object. When the registration is performed, each agent is listed on the registered member list of the game server S, becomes a friend of another player, forms a team with a player other than the registered player (as a virtual object).
In some cases, the other player may act in a team together with an agent registered by another player. However, as a game, for example, if the client of player a uses the agent of player a and the agent of player b as a team, the agents of the players who are already using (in this case, a and b) Even if it is an agent of a player who has registered himself (player b in this case), it cannot be used. However, when the agent of the player b plays an active role by acting together with the agent of the other player (in this case, a) and gains points (hereinafter referred to as “migration points”), it is the score of the agent of the player b. Is added. On the other hand, if they acted together as a team but did nothing, no points will be added. In the case where the game has failed, the point of the character of the player a is not added, but the point of the character of the player b is added according to the activity until the game is over.

Next, on the right side of FIG.
The case where the client plays a game will be described.
First, the client of the player a operates the terminal 1 to connect to the game server S, and displays a menu on the monitor screen of the terminal 1. Subsequently, when data is sent from the game server S and displayed on the monitor screen by operating keys and the like of the terminal 1, the name and telephone number of the client of the player a are input according to the instruction, and the execution key is pressed . In this way, the game progresses sequentially in accordance with the instructions on the monitor screen, and the client of the player a downloads the player agent as the operator object and forms the team on the team formation screen. That is, this example shows a case where the client of the player a forms a team with four agents: the agent of the player a (player agent), the agent of the player b, the agent of the player c, and the agent of the player x. (Step 1). Therefore, until the client of the player a finishes the game, the clients other than the player a form the team by selecting the agent of the player a, the agent of the player b, the agent of the player c, and the agent of the player x. Must.

When the team formation is completed, the client of the player a operates the keys of the terminal 1 to make a game start request. Then, the game is started by software processing on the game server S side (step 2).
Further, as the game progresses, a description of the situation of the game, options, status, and the like are sequentially displayed on the monitor screen of the terminal 1, and the game proceeds according to the instruction. Further, when the agent of each player plays an active part in the progress of the game, points are given to each agent as a reward according to the active part (step 3). In this example, the agent of player a (player agent) is +5 points, the agent of player b is +2 points, the agent of player c is +10 points, and the agent of player x is +6 points.
Points have been added. This data is uploaded (step 4) and rewritten and recorded in the game server S as an update of the agent data. When data is rewritten, the data passes through a log processing unit, and the log processing unit manages the update history. In the rewriting and recording here, a buffer may be prepared, the acquired points and the like may be temporarily stored in the buffer, and the rewriting process may be performed after the game ends or for one day at a time. When the buffer is provided in this manner, the load on the game server S can be reduced.

In other words, when the game is advanced while updating the agent data and the last event is cleared,
Results are announced and the points earned so far are added to each agent. This is the harvest of this time, XX points for the agent of player a, XX points for the agent of player b, XX points for the agent of player c, and XX points for the agent of player x. Are displayed on the monitor screen of the terminal 1 for each of the agents. In addition,
As described above, if the game fails as a team in the middle, the agent of the player a (ie,
No points are added to the (player agent), but points corresponding to activities until the game is over are added to the agents b, c, and x other than the player.

Further, when the game by the client of the player a is completed, an e-mail is sent to the players b, c, and x indicating that "XX points have been newly added as migrant points." Therefore, the players b, c, and x can see how many points the agent owned by the player b, c, and x has obtained by looking at the e-mail. That is,
In this game system, even if the player who owns the agent does not actually play the game, a strong and quick agent (the internal parameters that create this strong and quick element are, for example,
Possessed by the player), it is borrowed when another player forms a virtual object by forming a team, and can earn migrant points each time. Therefore,
In addition to actually enjoying the game, you will also have the fun of creating an agent for that player.

In the case where the clients of the players b, c, and x play the game before the game of the client of the player a is completed, the agent is downloaded and the team is formed. Players other than those used by the clients of
Teams must be formed by downloading agents of players other than c and x.

(Game Method) The game server and its operation method described above are suitable for the following baseball games, adventure games, and the like. Next, a further description will be given of an example applied to a baseball game and an adventure game. The terminal is not limited to a telephone, but may be a personal computer or a video game machine, and these terminals may be connected to the game server S via a network.

(Specific Example 1): Baseball Game In the case of a baseball game, the outline is as follows.
Is processed in the following procedure. Each player trains a baseball player (agent). In this training, individual training, a game, and the like are performed, and the player grows according to the result (the baseball is improved = the internal parameters are increased). When playing a match, make a team of nine. For example, when not used by another player, in addition to the player (player agent) registered in the game server S, a player registered in the game server S and not used by another player (agent) ) To select the last eight. Play the game. As a result of the match, each player gets points according to their performance,
grow up. In addition, results such as batting average, batting average and home run are also added. After the match, the data of each player (agent) is returned to the game server S. After the end, the migrating points are notified to the players of each player (agent) who have earned migrating points during the match.

(Specific Example 2): In the case of an adventure game An outline of an example embodied as an adventure game will be described below.

(Summary of Game) This game method is a game book-like survival game with interactive command selection.
A horror adventure game with the following system features: (1) A player forms a team with three crew agents (characters) other than his / her player agent (kyakurata) and cooperates with friends to solve a mystery. The story also changes depending on the selection or the choice. Note that, in relation to the game server, the player agent corresponds to an operator object corresponding to a terminal generated by a registration operation from the terminal 1. An agent other than the player agent corresponds to a virtual object selected and designated from the terminal 1. (2) An event that occurs during the progress of a game is randomly generated for each play, is fresh every time, and is a random event system that does not get tired of playing many times.

(Outline of the story) "Deep forest spreading on the outskirts of city H. Until about 10 years ago, it became a bit of a boom as a psychic spot, and TV crews came to shoot. Occasionally, tragic accidents have occurred frequently, and a number of people have been distressed or disappeared. Join the team of four members with fellow crew members, into the forest ... what the players meet and what in the maze-shaped forest You will discover ... ".

(Flow of Game): Headquarters First, a player operates a keyboard or the like of the telephone terminal 1, connects to the game server S, and makes a play request for the game. Then, the menu image of FIG. 3 is sent from the game server S to the monitor screen of the terminal 1. This menu image includes columns of “0 member registration”, “1 adventure start”, “2 item shop”, and “3 album mode”. “Registration 0” allows registration of player agents. "Start one adventure" starts a new research team and starts an adventure. The "2 item shop" can purchase items using points described later. In the “3 album mode”, recorded photographs of past survey bodies described later can be viewed. Then, when the player operates the keyboard or the like of the terminal 1 to select a column and clicks a corresponding button, the next corresponding image corresponding to the button is displayed on the monitor screen of the terminal 1. Here, "0 member registration" is selected. The team formation image shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the monitor screen. The player registers the next agent (registration for team formation). It is possible to temporarily return to the menu image at any time during the game.

(Game flow): Team formation The team formation images in FIG. 4 are "return to headquarters" and "1 to 8".
Member list "and" To the entrance of 9 forests ". “Return to headquarters” stops team formation and returns to headquarters. "Member list" is "Name of candidate member"
(1 Takahashi, 2 Suzuki ...) and 8 agents are listed. Also, under "Name of each candidate member" (for example, in the case of 3
The "item owned by member" is displayed for each agent, such as "directional magnet, beef jackie", and the items owned by the member can be confirmed. here,
From the eight members displayed in the "Member List", select the desired three members. The candidate members of the “1 to 8 member list” are automatically picked up on the game server S side based on conditions such as items possessed and the number of adventures. Each member is limited to two items. Then, the player registers his / her agent (player agent, ie, corresponding to the operator object), selects three agents (corresponding to the virtual object) from the “member list”, and ends the team formation. . Subsequently, when "1 adventure start" is selected, an adventure by a newly formed research team is started.

When "Return to headquarters" is selected, the screen returns to the menu screen of FIG. Here, if "two item shop" is selected, an item can be purchased using the points possessed by the agents forming the player's team. The points are like "money" obtained according to the activity of the adventure, as described above. For example, items can be purchased by paying the points shown in the following table.

[0029]

If "3 album mode" is selected on the way, the photograph recorded in the past survey, that is, the illustration (name scene) displayed during the adventure can be browsed.

(Game flow): Adventure scene The game starts, and in the adventure scene,
The image, the situation description, and the options as shown in FIG. 5 are displayed, and the actions and results of the players change according to the selected options. That is, in FIG. 5, the state of the place where the player is located is depicted in the “situation explanation” column. The description here is basically only characters, but there are cases where an illustration is inserted. In the "Options (player command)" column, actions that can be performed by the player agent are listed, and the content of the options changes according to the item or situation that the player agent has. In the "Options (Random Command)" column, you can also leave the solution to fellow members, which is effective when you can not solve with your own items. However, the player does not always behave as expected. The "Member Status" column contains "Member Health" and "Member Items"
Is displayed. Here you can check the physical strength and possession items of each member. In "Member's Health", if you take damage during the adventure, your health will decrease, and if your health drops to zero, the adventure will end. In addition, if the health of a member other than yourself becomes zero, continue the adventure excluding that member.
You can check the items owned by “Member's Items”.

When, for example, "light two flashlights" is selected in "options (player commands)" in FIG. 5, "selection result" (state shown in FIG. 6) is displayed on the monitor screen. Description) and "Options" are displayed.
“Selection result” describes the result of the action performed by the player. "Options" lists actions that can be performed by the player agent. When "choose 3" is selected for "choice (automatic command)" in FIG. 5, "selection result" (state explanation) and "choice" are displayed on the monitor screen as shown in FIG. You. “Selection result” describes the result of the action performed by the player.
"Options" lists actions that can be performed by the player agent.

(Game Flow): Result Announcement When the game is advanced and the last event is cleared,
“Ending” and “Result announcement” as shown in FIG. 8 are displayed on the monitor screen. "Ending" describes the end of the adventure. In "Result announcement", points according to the degree of activity are displayed for each agent. In other words, in the result announcement, if the last event is cleared and the escape from the dead forest succeeds, points are distributed according to the activity level. In this example, Player A (Player Agent) has 6 points, Takahashi (Agent) has 0 points, Mitchie (Agent) has 2 points, Yamada-kun (Agent) has 4 points, and members other than Player Agent (Player Character) (Takahashi / Michie / Yamada-kun) will be notified of the earned points (migration points) for one day by e-mail.

On the other hand, if the player agent becomes unable to adventure (zero physical strength) during the adventure, the team is dissolved (game over) on the spot, and “ Ending (bad ending) "and" Result announcement "are displayed. "Ending" describes the end of the adventure. In the "Result Announcement", the player agent does not receive points, but the other members (Takahashi, Mitchie, Yamada-kun) will receive points according to their activities until the game is over. However, this is not displayed on the player's screen.

(Team System) Next, team formation in the above-described game method will be captured. As described in the section of the game flow, when the player starts an adventure by selecting three friends, the team system targets agents registered at the headquarters. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the agents in the registered member list registered in the headquarters (game server S) include agents (finite number of virtual objects) prepared in advance on the game server S side. In addition, agents (operator objects) registered by other players are also mixed. Of course, since the agent (player agent) registered at the headquarters, there is a possibility that another player (an agent of a team formed by another player) has adventured in another place. Then, as can be seen from the above example, the other players temporarily store the points gained as adventures as companions (agents) of the player in a buffer,
Along with the earned points (migration points) for the other day, the results are summarized as shown in FIG. 11, and this is notified by e-mail.

(About Random Event System) Each adventure is randomly generated by combining a branch pattern and an event type. The branch pattern includes
A total of about 10 patterns are prepared. The branching pattern also includes information on “at what order what type of event occurs”. FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a short one-way pattern. FIG. 13 shows a maze pattern. FIG.
Indicates the mode of the pattern in which the separation / merging is disturbed.

In addition to the events shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, there is an event in which all the members receive damage if the event fails, an event in which the player agent receives the event if the event fails, an event with an illustration (a famous scene), or an event in which the event fails. It is also possible to prepare a category such as an event for losing an item.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For example, when viewed as a game method, while the agent owner is not playing the game, there is a chance that the agent will be operated by other than the owner and the parameters will change and there is a chance to grow. Even when there is no game, the growth of the agent (character) is worrisome, and the pleasure of knowing the parameters is increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a use form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a game server and an operation method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of an image displayed on a terminal side monitor screen of the game system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal-side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is another image example displayed on the terminal side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal-side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal-side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is another example of an image displayed on the terminal side monitor screen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a pattern in the random event system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a pattern in the random event system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a pattern in the random event system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Mobile phone terminal, S: Game server.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A game server for exchanging information with at least one terminal, comprising: at least two finite numbers of virtual objects for making an action based on a decision in a virtual space; And a virtual object corresponding to the specification when a selection of a virtual object is received from the terminal, and the operator object and the operator object are selected. A game server wherein the assigned virtual object operates in the same virtual space. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operator object is generated by a registration operation from a terminal.
A game server according to. 3. The game server according to claim 1, wherein the virtual object accumulates information on an action determined in the past. 4. The operator object and the virtual object have respective evaluation values based on a predetermined criterion, and the evaluation value of the operator is an evaluation value of each of the operator object and the virtual object. The game server according to claim 1, wherein the sum is a sum of values. 5. The game server according to claim 1, wherein the virtual space is determined based on time information acquired by the game server. 6. At least two devices connected from a terminal for making an action based on a decision in a virtual space.
When there is a selection instruction for a finite number of virtual objects, the virtual objects are determined and the operator object corresponding to the terminal is determined, and the virtual objects and the operator objects are set to the same A method of operating a game server, wherein the game server operates in a virtual space. 7. A game method in which two or more operators connect to a game server from each terminal via a network and play a game for each operator, comprising: a plurality of agents prepared in advance in the game server; There is a player agent generated and registered in the game server by the operation from the terminal, and the operator's team by the agent selected from the plurality of agents together with the player's agent by the operation from the terminal. The player agent and the selected agent are given an evaluation value according to their respective activities, and the evaluation value is formed and registered by operation from another terminal. Player agents that make up another operator ’s team; A game method characterized by being reflected on a selected agent.