Game server device, game management method, recording medium storing game management program and game device

• US 20030104868A1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wada, Hiroyuki, Shibamiya, Masakazu, Harano, Yuuki, Kubota, Kazutaka, Okita, Katsunori, Makiishi, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US10/274,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20030104868A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• 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: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited

Abstract

The present invention enables selection of appropriate opponent players for a player of a game. The CPU 361 of the controller of the center server device comprises a receiving unit 361a that receives a request for game participation from each player when a game begins on each respective client terminal device 1, a selection unit 361b that selects according to prescribed rules a number of players to play in a shared game space from among the players from whom game participation requests have been received by the receiving unit 361a, the number being no more than a prescribed maximum number and no less than a prescribed minimum number, and a first execution unit 161d that allows players selected by the selection unit 361b to play a game against one another in a shared game space.

Claims

1. A game server device that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices in a data-communicable fashion and that manages a game played by a plurality of players using said terminal devices, said game server device comprising:

receiving means that receives requests for participation in a game from players at commencement of a game at each terminal device;

selection means that selects from among the players whom game participation requests have been received from, in accordance with prescribed rules, a number of players who are to play in a shared game space, the number being no more than a prescribed maximum number and no less than a prescribed minimum number; and

first execution means that allows the selected players to play a game against one another in a shared game space.

2. The game server device according to claim 1, further comprising rank storage means that stores rank information indicating the level of each player'"'"'s skill in the game in association with the player'"'"'s identification information, and wherein said selection means selects players based on players'"'"' rank information.

3. The game server device according to claim 1, further comprising title storage means that stores title information that indicates the characteristics of each player in playing the game and in association with the player'"'"'s identification information, and wherein said selection means selects players based on the players'"'"' title information.

4. The game server device according to claim 1, further comprising standby means that, where a player is not selected by said selection means, places the player on standby status and causes said selection means to perform player selection, and wherein said selection means includes the players placed on standby status by said standby means, among players to be selected from.

5. The game server device according to claim 4, further comprising second execution means that allows the players placed on standby status by the standby means to play a game with CPU players in a shared game space.

6. The game server device according to claim 4, wherein when a player who has been placed on standby status by said standby means is selected by said selection means, said selection means notifies the terminal device used by the player of such selection.

7. The game server device according to claim 1, wherein so long as the number of selected players has not reached said prescribed maximum number, said selection means performs player selection at least one additional time.

8. A game management method by which a game server device that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices in a data-communicable fashion manages a game that is played by a plurality of players using the plurality of terminal devices, wherein the game server device executes the following steps:

a receiving process for receiving requests for participation in a game from players at beginning of a game at the various terminal devices;

a selection process for selecting, in accordance with prescribed rules, a number of players who are to play in a shared game space from among the players whom game participation requests have been received from, the number being no more than a prescribed maximum number and no less than a prescribed minimum number; and

a first execution process for allowing the selected players to play a game against one another in a shared game space.

9. A recording medium which stores a game management program that causes a game server device, that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices in a data-communicable fashion and manages a game played by a plurality of players using the terminal devices, to function as:

receiving means that receives players'"'"' requests for participation in a game at the beginning of a game at the various terminal devices;

selection means that selects, in accordance with prescribed rules, from among the players whom game participation requests have been received from, a number of players who are allowed to play in a shared game space, the number being no more than a prescribed maximum number and no less than a prescribed minimum number; and

first execution means that allows the selected players to play a game against one another in a shared game space.

10. A game device which permits the player to join the game subject to a prescribed condition, comprising:

game execution means for executing a competition-type game via operations of a player;

game achievement evaluation means that determines game achievement at the completion of a game by evaluating the operations performed by the player during the game;

play continuation condition setting means that sets a play continuation condition for the player for the next game based on the player'"'"'s game achievement; and

continuous participation permission means that, in response to the receipt of a request for continuous participation in the next game, permits the participation in the next game subject to the set play continuation condition.

11. The game device according to claim 10, wherein the continuous participation permission means allows a player to begin the next game without regard to said prescribed condition when the next game is begun if said game achievement evaluation indicates that the player'"'"'s game achievement was at a high level.

12. A recording medium which stores a game management program that causes a game device which comprises game execution means for executing a competition-type game via operation of a player and permits a player to join a game subject to a prescribed condition to function as:

game achievement evaluation means that determines game achievement at the completion of a game by evaluating the operations performed by the player during the game;

play continuation condition setting means that sets a play continuation condition for the player for the next game based on said game achievement; and

continuous participation permission means that, in response to the receipt of a request for continuous participation in the next game, permits participation in the next game subject to the set play continuation condition.

13. A game management method that is executed using a game device that comprises game execution means for executing a competition-type game via operation of a player and permits the player to join a game subject to a prescribed condition, wherein the game device executes the following steps:

a game achievement evaluation process in which game achievement is determined at the completion of a game by evaluating the player operations during the game;

a continuous condition setting process in which a play continuation condition that must be met by the player in order to play the next game is set based on the player'"'"'s game achievement; and

a continuous participation permission process in which participation in the next game is permitted in response to the receipt of a request for continuous participation in the next game.