Game system provided with message exchange function, game apparatus used in the game system, message exchange system, and computer readable storage medium

• US 20020025853A1
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Kojima, Hideo, Okamura, Noriaki, Murata, Shuyou
• Granted Patent: US 6,612,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

A game system capable of message exchange taking profit of functions proper to the game machine is achieved by a game system, comprising a first game apparatus 1 including a message creation device 4, 10 and a device 10 for transmitting the created message, and a second game apparatus 1 including a reception device 10 of said message and a display control device 10 for displaying the received message on the screen of a predetermined display apparatus 3, wherein said second game apparatus 1 includes a game execution device 10 for making a user to play a predetermined game, and a display permission control device 10 for prohibiting to display at least a part of said message until a predetermined condition is met in said game, and allowing to display the display prohibited part of said message when said condition is met.

Claims

1. A game system comprising:

a first game apparatus including a message creation device and a device for transmitting the created message; and

a second game apparatus including a reception device of said message and a display control device for displaying the received message on a screen of a predetermined display apparatus,

wherein said second game apparatus includes a game execution device for making a user play a predetermined game, and a display permission control device for prohibiting to display at least a part of said message until a predetermined condition is met in said game, and permitting to display the prohibited part of said message when said condition is met.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein said display permission control device expands the display permitted range of said message as said game progresses.

3. The game system according to claim 1, wherein said second game apparatus comprises a music reproduction device for selecting and reproducing any one piece of music among a plurality of pieces of music prepared beforehand, said game execution device is composed to make the user play a game requiring an operation related to the piece of music to be reproduced by said music reproduction device, and said first game apparatus is provided with a music designation device for designating the piece of music to be reproduced by said music reproduction device of said second game apparatus in relation to said message.

4. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the game execution device of said second game apparatus comprises:

an operation instruction device showing a series of operations to an input device provided in said second game apparatus to the user through the screen of said display apparatus, based on operation instruction data prepared beforehand; and

an evaluation device for evaluating each one of said series of operations, based on the level of agreement of each one of the series of operations instructed by said operation instruction device, and individual operation actually performed by the user to said input apparatus,

a correspondence is established between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message, and

said display permission control device permits to display the character corresponding to the operation to which an evaluation equal or superior to a predetermined level is afforded by said evaluation device, and prohibits to display the character corresponding to the operation to which an evaluation inferior to said predetermined level is afforded by said evaluation device.

5. The game system according to claim 4, wherein said first game apparatus is provided with a device for creating data designating the correspondence between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message, said message transmission device is capable of transmitting said data designating the correspondence along with said message, and said reception device of said second game apparatus can receive said data designating the correspondence along with said message.

6. The game system according to claim 5, wherein said device for creating data designating the correspondence comprises:

an operation selection device for selecting an operation as an object to be allocated with a character from each one of the series of operations defined by said operation instruction data, based on the instruction by said user; and

an allocation character decision device for deciding at least one character to be allocated from said created message to the operation selected by said operation selection device based on the instruction by the user.

7. The game system according to claim 5, wherein said device for creating data designating the correspondence comprises:

a character extraction device for extracting automatically at least one character from said created message independently of the instruction by the user; and

an operation selection device for selecting automatically an operation to which said extracted character is to be allocated from each one of the series of operations defined by said operation instruction data independently of the instruction by the user.

8. The game system according to claim 4, wherein said second game apparatus is provided with a device for creating data designating the correspondence between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message, said device for creating data designating the correspondence comprises:

a character extraction device for extracting automatically at least one character from said created message independently of the instruction by the user; and

an operation selection device for selecting automatically an operation to which said extracted character is to be allocated from each one of the series of operations defined by said operation instruction data independently of the instruction by the user.

9. The game system according to claim 4, wherein said second game apparatus comprises a music reproduction device for selecting and reproducing any one piece of music among a plurality of pieces of music prepared beforehand, and operation instruction data is created individually for each one of said plurality of pieces of music.

10. The game system according to claim 9, wherein said first game apparatus is provided with a music designation device for designating the piece of music to be reproduced by said music reproduction device of said second game apparatus in relation to said message.

11. The game system according to claim 1, wherein said second game apparatus allows to execute said game within a predetermined play range until said message becomes a predetermined display status.

12. The game system according to claim 4, wherein said second game apparatus is capable of executing said game within a predetermined play range until said message becomes a predetermined display status, and in the second game and thereafter, said operation instruction device instructs to the user those operations to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level was afforded in the past game(s) and those operations to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level was not afforded in different forms.

14. The game apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said display permission control device expands the display permitted range of said message as said game progresses.

15. The game apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a music reproduction device for selecting and reproducing any one piece of music among a plurality of pieces of music prepared beforehand, wherein said game execution device is composed to make the user play a game related to the piece of music to be reproduced by said music reproduction device, said reception device is capable of receiving information designating the piece of music to be reproduced by said music reproduction device in relation to said message, and said music reproduction device reproduces the piece of music designated in relation to the message, when a game corresponding to said received message is executed.

16. The game apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the game execution device comprises:

an operation instruction device showing a series of operations to an input device provided in said second game apparatus to the user through the screen of said display apparatus, based on operation instruction data prepared beforehand;

an evaluation device for evaluating each one of said series of operations, based on the level of matching of each one of the series of operations instructed by said operation instruction device, and individual operation actually performed by the user to said input apparatus,

a correspondence is established between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message, and

said display permission control device permits to display the character corresponding to the operation to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level is afforded by said evaluation device, and prohibits to display the character corresponding to the operation to which an evaluation inferior to said predetermined level is afforded by said evaluation device.

17. The game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said reception device is capable of receiving said data designating the correspondence between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message from outside along with said message, and said display permission control device controls permission and prohibition of said display based on the data designating said correspondence.

18. The game apparatus according to claim 16, comprising as a device for creating data designating the correspondence between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message:

a character extraction device for extracting automatically at least one character from said received message independently of the instruction by the user; and

an operation selection device for selecting automatically an operation to which said extracted character is to be allocated from each one of the series of operations defined by said operation instruction data independently of the instruction by the user.

19. The game apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said game is capable of being executed within a predetermined play range until said message becomes a predetermined display status.

20. The game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said game is capable of being executed within a predetermined play range until said message becomes a predetermined display status, and in the second game and thereafter, said operation instruction device instructs to the user those operations to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level was afforded in the past games and those operations to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level was not afforded in different forms.

13. A game apparatus capable of exchanging messages, comprising:

an input apparatus for outputting a signal corresponding to the user operation;

a display apparatus capable of displaying a predetermined game screen;

a reception device for receiving an external message;

a display control device for displaying the received message on the screen of said display apparatus;

a game execution device for making a user play a predetermined game through said game screen; and

a display permission control device for prohibiting to display at least a part of said message until a predetermined condition is met in said game, and permitting to display the prohibited part of said message when said condition is met.

21. A message exchange system, comprising:

a first terminal apparatus including a device for creating a message and a device for transmitting the created message; and

a second terminal apparatus including a reception device of said message and a display control device for displaying the received message on the screen of a predetermined display apparatus,

wherein said second terminal apparatus includes a game execution device for making a user play a predetermined game, and a display permission control device for prohibiting to display at least a part of said message until a predetermined condition is met in said game, and permitting to display the prohibited part of said message when said condition is met.

22. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for making a computer provided in a game apparatus function as:

a reception device for receiving an external message;

a display control device for displaying the received message on the screen of a predetermined display apparatus;

a game execution device for making a user play a predetermined game through the screen of said display apparatus; and

a display permission control device for prohibiting to display at least a part of said message until a predetermined condition is met in said game, and permitting to display the prohibited part of said message when said condition is met.

23. The storage medium according to claim 22, wherein said display permission control device expands the display permitted range of said message as said game progresses.

24. The storage medium according to claim 22, wherein

said program is composed to make said computer function as a device for selecting any one piece of music among a plurality of pieces of music prepared beforehand and making it reproduced by a reproduction apparatus of the game apparatus,

said game execution device is composed to make the user execute an operation related to the piece of music to be reproduced by said reproduction apparatus,

said reception device is capable of receiving information designating the piece of music to be reproduced by said music reproduction device in relation to said message along with said message, and

said device for reproducing makes the piece of music designated in relation to the message be reproduced, when a game corresponding to said received message is executed.

25. The storage medium according to claim 22, wherein the game execution device comprises:

an operation instruction device showing a series of operations to said input device to the user through the screen of said display apparatus, based on operation instruction data prepared beforehand; and

an evaluation device for evaluating each one of said series of operations, based on the level of agreement of each one of the series of operations instructed by said operation instruction device, and individual operations actually performed by the user to said input apparatus,

a correspondence is established between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message, and

said display permission control device permits to display the character corresponding to the operation to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level is afforded by said evaluation device, and prohibits to display the character corresponding to the operation to which an evaluation inferior to said predetermined level is afforded by said evaluation device.

26. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein said reception device is capable of receiving said data designating the correspondence between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message from outside along with said message, and said display permission control device controls permission and prohibition of said display based on the data designating said correspondence.

27. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein said program is composed to make said computer function as a device for creating data designating the correspondence between each one of said series of operations and each character of said message, said device for creating data comprises:

a character extraction device for extracting automatically at least one character from said created message independently of the instruction by the user; and

an operation selection device for selecting automatically an operation to which said extracted character is to be allocated from each one of the series of operations defined by said operation instruction data independently of the instruction by the user.

28. The storage medium according to claim 22, wherein said program is composed to permit repetitive play of said game within a predetermined play range until said message becomes a predetermined display status.

29. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein said program is composed to permit repetitive play of said game within a predetermined play range until said message becomes a predetermined display status, and in the second game and thereafter, said operation instruction device instructs to the user those operations to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level was afforded in the past games and those operations to which an evaluation equal or superior to said predetermined level was not afforded in different forms.

30. A computer readable storage medium storing respectively a program for making a computer provided in a game apparatus function as a message transmission apparatus, and a program for making the computer function as a reception apparatus for receiving said external message, wherein said program for making said computer function as a transmission apparatus is composed to make the computer function as a message creation device and a device for transmitting the created message respectively, and said program for making said computer function as a receiving apparatus is composed to make said computer function as:

a reception device for receiving an external message;

a display control device for displaying the received message on the screen of a predetermined display apparatus;

a game execution device for making a user play a predetermined game through the screen of said display apparatus; and

a display permission control device for prohibiting to display at least a part of said message until a predetermined condition is met in said game, and permitting to display the prohibited part of said message when said condition is met.