Net game system, processing method for playing net game, and computer-readable storage medium for storing program for playing net game

• US 20020055386A1
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka Inc (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Naito, Satoko, Nakayama, Norio, Yamaoka, Masatoshi, Namba, Kazuhiro, Yotsugi, Hirotomo, Goto, Katsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,881,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Members are increased efficiently by providing a referring mode for recruitment of non-members as one of means to achieve a game goal. The present invention provides a net game system for playing a game with the aim of achieving a predetermined goal, said game being played, via data terminals 3 operated by member players, in a game space provided on a game server 1, while communicating with the net server on the network 2. The game server 1 comprises a recruiting information generating section 106 for generating, upon receipt from a member player of referral information specifying the mail address of the data terminal 3 of a non-member player, recruiting information including information specifying the member player, an enrollment processing section 107 for performing enrollment processing upon receiving application information in response to recruiting information sent to the mail address of the non-member, and an advantage conferring section 108 for conferring to the referring member player advantages useful in achieving the goal of the game.

Claims

1. A net game system for playing a game with the aim of achieving a predetermined goal of the game, said game being played, via monitor-equipped data terminals operated by member players, in a game space provided on a game server, while in communication with the game server on a network, said system comprising:

recruiting information generating means for generating, upon receipt from a member player of referral information specifying a mail address of a data terminal of a non-member player, recruiting information including information specifying the member player;

enrollment processing means for performing enrollment processing upon receiving application information from said non-member player in response to recruiting information sent to the mail address of said non-member; and

advantage conferring means for conferring to the referring member player advantages useful in achieving the goal in the game.

2. The net game system according to claim 1, wherein said referral information includes the mail address of the data terminal of the non-member.

3. The net game system according to claim 1, further comprising report generating means for generating a report informing the referring member player that the non-member referred by him or her has enrolled.

4. The net game system according to claim 1, wherein the goal of said game is for a score accumulated in the course of game play to reach a predetermined value, and said advantage conferring means gives addition of a predetermined score to the member player.

5. The net game system according to claim 1, wherein the game space created on said game server is interior of a virtual company, and said game is a character-training game in which virtual employees associated with data terminals are trained, aiming at becoming president of said virtual company.

6. The net game system according to claim 5, wherein said game server comprises:

question generating means for generating a predetermined number of question sessions, said sessions being shown at predetermined intervals on data terminal monitors;

transmitting/receiving means for transmitting a generated question to a data terminal and for receiving from a data terminal response data in response to the question shown on the data terminal monitor;

a parameter storage portion for storing said response data in association with increment/decrement parameter value required for character-training;

a personal data storage portion for storing at least a parameter value updatable with reference to information that identifies an employee; and

character-training processing means for adding to a current parameter value said increment/decrement parameter value determined from the content of response data to a question, storing the result in said personal data storage portion for each virtual employee, and on the basis of this parameter value, performing a process to promote or demote within the virtual company the virtual employee associated with said data terminal.

7. The net game system according to claim 6, further comprising game play processing means allowing a player to select any of a plurality of game modes, wherein said parameter storage portion has increment/decrement parameter values set for the respective different game modes.

8. The net game system according to claim 5, wherein said question generating means poses a predetermined question when accessed from a data terminal.

9. A net game play processing method for proceeding a game with the aim of achieving a predetermined goal of the game, said game being played, via monitor-equipped data terminals operated by member players, in a game space provided on a game server, while in communication with said game server on a network, said method comprising the steps of:

generating recruiting information including information specifying a member player, in the event that said game server receives from said member player referral information specifying a mail address of a data terminal of a non-member player;

performing enrollment processing upon receiving application information from said non-member player in response to the recruiting information sent to the mail address of said non-member; and

conferring to the referring member player advantages useful in achieving the goal in the game.

10. The net game play processing method according to claim 9, wherein said referral information includes the mail address of the data terminal of the non-member.

11. The net game play processing method according to claim 9, wherein a report informing the referring member player that a non-member referred by him or her has enrolled is generated and sent to the referring member player.

12. The net game play processing method according to claim 9, wherein the goal of said game is for a score accumulated in the course of game play to reach a predetermined value, and said useful advantage is addition of a predetermined score to the member player.

14. The computer-readable storage medium for storing a net game play program according to claim 13, wherein said referral information includes the mail address of the data terminal of the non-member.

15. The computer-readable storage medium for storing a net game play program according to claim 13, wherein a report informing the referring member player that a non-member referred by him or her has enrolled is generated and sent to the referring member player.

16. The computer-readable storage medium for storing a net game play program according to claim 13, wherein the goal of said game is for a score accumulated in the course of game play to reach a predetermined value, and said useful advantage is addition of a predetermined score to the member player.

13. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a net game play processing program for playing a game with the aim of achieving a predetermined goal of the game, said game being played, via monitor-equipped data terminals operated by member players, in a game space provided on a game server, while in communication with said game server on a network, said net game play processing program comprising the steps of:

generating recruiting information including information specifying a member player, in the event that said game server receives from said member player referral information specifying the mail address of the data terminal of a non-member player;

performing enrollment processing upon receiving application information from said non-member player in response to recruiting information sent to the mail address of said non-member; and

conferring to the referring member player advantages useful in achieving the goal in the game.