Video game apparatus, data obtaining method, and recording medium

• US 20030013529A1
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SEGA Corporation (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SEGA Corporation (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Sata, Takenao, Miura, Masakazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,147,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A video game apparatus, which generates, based on data obtained by a communication part via a server on a network, game data for causing a game to proceed, includes a control part converting the data obtained from the server on the network into one of a numeric value and a character code string and changing the game data based on the one of the numeric value and the character code string.

Claims

1. A video game apparatus generating, based on data obtained by a communication part via a server on a network, game data for causing a game to proceed, the video game apparatus comprising:

a control part converting the data obtained from the server on the network into one of a numeric value and a character code string and changing the game data based on the one of the numeric value and the character code string.

2. The video game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control part converts at least one item of the data obtained from the server into the one of the numeric value and the character code string, the data including address data of the server and a URL, a file name, a file format, a number of files, a file size, a total number of characters in a file, a given character or word included in a file, and a number of given characters or words included in a file of accessed data.

3. The video game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data obtained from the server is one of HTML, text, image, and speech data.

4. The video game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game data relates to at least one of a type, an ability, an external appearance, belongings, equipment, a condition, and a number of appearances of a character appearing in the game, a background image, a color thereof, music, and sound effects.

5. The video game apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the character appearing in the game is operated based on a signal input from a controller operated by a player.

6. A method of obtaining game data for causing a game to proceed based on data obtained by a communication part via a server on a network, the method comprising the step of:

converting the data obtained from the server on the network into one of a numeric value and a character code string and changing the game data based on the one of the numeric value and the character code string.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step converts at least one item of the data obtained from the server into the one of the numeric value and the character code string, the data including address data of the server and a URL, a file name, a file format, a number of files, a file size, a total number of characters in a file, a given character or word included in a file, and a number of given characters or words included in a file of accessed data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the data obtained from the server is one of HTML, text, image, and speech data.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the game data relates to at least one of a type, an ability, an external appearance, belongings, equipment, a condition, and a number of appearances of a character appearing in the game, a background image, a color thereof, music, and sound effects.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the character appearing in the game is operated based on a signal input from a controller operated by a player.

11. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the step of:

converting data obtained from a server on a network into one of a numeric value and a character code string and changing game data for causing a game to proceed based on the one of the numeric value and the character code string.

12. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the steps of:

(a) converting data obtained from a server on a network into one of a numeric value and a character code string;

(b) updating a parameter for changing game data for causing a game to proceed based on the one of the numeric value and the character code string generated in said step (a); and

(c) generating the game data based on the parameter updated in said step (b).