Target time setting game system considering network game

• US 20050255923A1
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Jun
• Application Number:
  US10/517,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20050255923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

The invention can finish a game comprising a plurality of stages in a desired time for which a player wishes to play the game. A game machine or a game distributing system has stage storage means (109) for storing the a plurality of stages, model time storage means (108) for storing model times as standard times required to clear each of stages, desired time setting means (104) for setting the time the player wishes to play the game for, and stage selecting means (106). The stage selecting means (106) selects a combination of the a plurality of stages so as to finish the game in a time corresponding to the desired time set by the player with reference to the model time of each stage.

Claims

1. A game machine having stage storage means for storing a plurality of stages and providing a game comprising said plurality of stages to a player, and characterized in that the game machine comprises:

model time storage means for storing model times as standard times required to clear each of said stages;

desired time setting means for setting a desired time at which the player wants to play the game; and

stage selecting means for selecting one or more stages such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages stored in said model time storage means is closest to the desired time set by said desired time setting means, wherein

the game comprising said one or more stages selected by said stage selecting means is provided to the player.

2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein said stage selecting means assigns a flag showing importance to each stage and preferentially selects one or more stages of higher importance.

3. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein a playing order of said plurality of stages is determined in the game, and the game machine further comprises:

supplementary stage storage means for storing a supplementary stage which corresponds to one or more continuous stages among said plurality of stages causing the inappropriateness in the game connection in a stage omitting case, and has a standard time required for clearing that is shorter than that of this one or more continuous stages; and

supplementary stage insertion means for reading the supplementary stage for dissolving the inappropriateness in this connection from said supplementary stage storage means, and inserting the supplementary stage between pertinent stages when the inappropriateness is caused in the game connection between the respective stages selected by said stage selecting means.

4. The game machine according to claim 3, wherein the game machine further comprises play history storage means for storing a predetermined history among plays of the player, and said supplementary stage insertion means changes the contents of the supplementary stage according to the play history performed by the player till then.

5. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein said desired time setting means can set the desired time before the game beginning and when playing the game, and can set the desired time a plurality of times when playing the game.

6. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein, when a difference of a predetermined time or more is caused between an elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage, one or more stages after said present stage are again selected by said stage selecting means such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from the desired time set by the player using the desired time setting means.

7. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the game machine further comprises:

model time correcting means for calculating the ratio of a elapsed playing time of the player to the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage after the game beginning, and changing the model time of each stage to a time according to said ratio when the ratio reaches a predetermined ratio; and

stage reselecting means for again selecting one or more stages after said present stage by said stage selecting means such that the total of the model times changed by said model time correcting means of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from the desired time set by said desired time setting means.

8. The game machine according to claim 6, wherein the game machine further comprises notifying means for notifying the player when a difference of a predetermined time or more is caused between the elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage.

9. The game machine according to claim 8, wherein display for urging resetting of the desired time is performed after the notification by said notifying means.

10. A game machine having storage means for storing a plurality of stages and providing a game comprising said plurality of stages to a player, and characterized in that the game machine comprises:

model time storage means for storing model times as standard times required to clear each of said stages;

play time setting means for setting a time for playing the game according to the amount of a play fee inserted by the player; and

stage selecting means for selecting one or more stages after the present stage such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining play time obtained by subtracting an elapsed playing time of the player from the play time set by said play time setting means when a difference of a predetermined time or more is caused between said elapsed playing time and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage after the game beginning, wherein

the game comprising said one or more stages selected by said stage selecting means is provided to the player.

11. A computer program for executing data of a plurality of stages and providing a game comprising said plurality of stages to a player, wherein

the game includes a desired time setting step for setting a desired time at which the player wants to play the game, and

the game includes a stage selecting step for storing model times as standard times required to clear each of said stages, and selecting one or more stages such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages is closest to the desired time set by said desired time setting step, and

the game comprising said one or more stages selected by said stage selecting step is provided to the player.

12. The computer program according to claim 11, wherein a flag showing importance is assigned to data of each stage and one or more stages of higher importance are preferentially selected in said stage selecting step.

13. The computer program according to claim 11, wherein a playing order of said plurality of stages is determined in the game, and

the game holds a supplementary stage which corresponds to one or more continuous stages among said plurality of stages causing the inappropriateness in the game connection in a stage omitting case, and includes a standard time required for clearing that is shorter than that of this one or more continuous stages, and

the game includes a supplementary stage insertion step for reading-out the data of said supplementary stage for dissolving the inappropriateness of this connection, and inserting the data between pertinent stages when the inappropriateness is caused in the game connection between the respective stages selected in said stage selecting step.

14. The computer program according to claim 11, wherein the desired time can be set before the game beginning and when playing the game and can be set a plurality of times when playing the game by said desired time setting step.

15. The computer program according to claim 11, wherein, when the game includes a step for calculating the difference between an elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage, and again selecting one or more stages after said present stage such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from the desired time set by the player in the desired time setting step when the difference is a predetermined time or more.

16. The computer program according to claim 11, wherein the game further includes:

a model time correcting step for calculating the ratio of an elapsed playing time of the player to the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage after the game beginning, and changing the standard time of each stage to a time according to said ratio when the ratio reaches a predetermined ratio; and

a stage reselecting step for again selecting one or more stages after said present stage using said stage selecting step such that the total of the model times changed by said model time correcting step of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from the desired time set in said desired time setting step.

17. The computer program according to claim 15, wherein the game further includes a notifying step for notifying the player when a difference of a predetermined time or more is caused between the elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage.

18. The computer program according to claim 17, wherein display for urging resetting of the desired time is performed after the notification by said notifying step.

35. An information recording medium readable by the computer and recording the computer program according to claim 11.

19. A game method of a game machine for storing a plurality of stages and providing a game comprising said plurality of stages to a player, and characterized in that

standard times required to clear each of said stages are stored in advance;

the player sets a desired time it is wished to play the game for;

one or more stages are then selected such that the total of model times of said one or more stages is closest to said desired time; and

the game comprising said one or more selected stages is provided to the player.

20. The game method according to claim 19, wherein a flag showing an importance is assigned to each of said plurality of stages and is stored and one or more stages of higher importance are preferentially selected in the selection of the stage.

21. The game method according to claim 19, wherein the game having a determined playing order of said plurality of stages is provided to the player, and

a supplementary stage is stored such that the supplementary stage corresponds to one or more continuous stages among said plurality of stages causing the inappropriateness in the game connection in a stage omitting case, and has a standard time required for clearing that is shorter than that of this one or more continuous stages,

the supplementary stage for dissolving the inappropriateness in this connection is read out when the inappropriateness is caused in the game connection between the respective stages selected in the selection of said stage, and

the read-out supplementary stage is inserted between pertinent stages.

22. The game method according to claim 19, wherein the desired time can be set before the game beginning and when playing the game and can be set a plurality of times.

23. The game method according to claim 19, wherein the difference between an elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage is calculated, and one or more stages after said present stage are again selected such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from said desired time when the difference is a predetermined time or more.

24. The game method according to claim 19, wherein the ratio of an elapsed playing time of the player to the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage is calculated after the game beginning, and the standard time of each stage is corrected to a time according to said ratio when the ratio reaches a predetermined ratio;

and

one or more stages after said present stage are again selected such that the total of said corrected model times of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from said desired time.

25. The game method according to claim 23, wherein the difference between the elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage is calculated, and notification is given to the player when the difference is a predetermined time or more.

26. The game method according to claim 25, wherein display for urging resetting of the desired time is performed after said notification.

27. A game distributing system for storing a game comprising a plurality of stages in a server and providing said game to a client connected via a communication line, and characterized in that said server comprises:

model time storage means for storing model times as standard times required to clear each of said stages;

desired time setting means for setting a desired time at which a player wants to play the game; and

stage selecting means for selecting one or more stages such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages stored in said model time storage means is closest to the desired time set by said desired time setting means, wherein

said client receives the game comprising said one or more stages selected by said stage selecting means so that the game is provided to the player.

28. The game distributing system according to claim 27, wherein said stage selecting means assigns a flag showing an importance to each stage and preferentially selects one or more stages of higher importance.

29. The game distributing system according to claim 27, wherein a playing order of said plurality of stages is determined in the game, and said server further comprises:

supplementary stage storage means for storing a supplementary stage which corresponds to one or more continuous stages among said plurality of stages causing the inappropriateness in the game connection in a stage omitting case, and has a standard time required for clearing that is shorter than that of this one or more continuous stages; and

supplementary stage insertion means for reading the supplementary stage for dissolving the inappropriateness in this connection from said supplementary stage storage means, and inserting the supplementary stage between pertinent stages when the inappropriateness is caused in the game connection between the respective stages selected by said stage selecting means.

30. The game distributing system according to claim 27, wherein said desired time setting means can set the desired time before the game beginning and when playing the game, and can set the desired time a plurality of times when playing the game.

31. The game distributing system according to claim 27, wherein, when a difference of a predetermined time or more is caused between an elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage, one or more stages after said present stage are again selected by said stage selecting means such that the total of the model times of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from the desired time set by said desired time setting means.

32. The game distributing system according to claim 27, wherein the game distributing system further comprises:

model time correcting means for calculating the ratio of an elapsed playing time of the player to the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage after the game beginning, and changing the standard time of each stage to a time according to said ratio when the ratio reaches a predetermined ratio; and

stage reselecting means for again selecting one or more stages after said present stage by said stage selecting means such that the total of the model times changed by said model time correcting means of said one or more stages is closest to the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from the desired time set by said desired time setting means.

33. The game distributing system according to claim 31, wherein the game distributing system further comprises notifying means for notifying the player when a difference of a predetermined time or more is caused between the elapsed playing time of the player and the total of the model times of stages cleared until the present stage.

34. The game distributing system according to claim 33, wherein display for urging resetting of the desired time is performed after the notification by said notifying means.

36. A game machine for providing a game comprising a plurality of stages to a player, comprising:

stage storage means for storing data of said plurality of stages;

standard time storage means for storing a standard time correspondingly to each of said plurality of stages;

desired time setting means for setting a desired time for which said player wishes to play the game;

stage selecting means for selecting at least one of said plurality of stages based on the desired time set by said player and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means correspondingly to each stage; and

game executing means for providing the game comprising at least one of said plurality of stages selected by said stage selecting means based on the data stored in said stage storage means.

37. The game machine according to claim 36, wherein

said stage storage means stores importance information showing an importance of each of said plurality of stages, and

said stage selecting means selects at least one of said plurality of stages further based on said importance information.

38. The game machine according to claim 36, wherein the game machine further comprises:

supplementary object stage storage means for storing information for specifying a supplementary object stage among said plurality of stages; and

supplementary stage storage means for storing data of the supplementary stage correspondingly to said supplementary object stage, wherein

said game executing means provides the game comprising the supplementary stage corresponding to the unselected supplementary object stage and at least one of said plurality of stages selected by said stage selecting means when said supplementary object stage is not selected by said stage selecting means.

39. The game machine according to claim 38, wherein the game machine further comprises play history storage means for storing a play history of said player,

the data of said supplementary stage include parameter information relating to the contents of the supplementary stage, and

said game executing means comprises means for providing the game of the supplementary stage corresponding to said supplementary object stage based on the parameter information included in the data of the supplementary stage, and means for controlling the parameter information based on the play history stored in said play history storage means.

40. The game machine according to claim 38, wherein the game machine further comprises play history storage means for storing a play history of said player, wherein

said supplementary stage storage means stores the data of a plurality of kinds of supplementary stages correspondingly to said supplementary object stage, and

said game executing means selects one of the a plurality of kinds of supplementary stages corresponding to the unselected supplementary object stage based on the play history stored in said play history storage means, and provides the game comprising the selected supplementary stage and at least one of said plurality of stages selected by said stage selecting means when said supplementary object stage is not selected by said stage selecting means.

41. The game machine according to claim 36, wherein the game machine further comprises:

judging means for judging whether it is necessary to reselect the stage or not based on a time required to clear a predetermined stage and the standard time of the predetermined stage when the predetermined stage is cleared by said player; and

stage reselecting means for selecting at least one of uncleared stages among said plurality of stages based on the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting an elapsed playing time till then from said desired time and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means correspondingly to each stage when it is judged by said judging means that reselection is required.

42. The game machine according to claim 41, wherein said stage reselecting means comprises:

means for calculating the ratio of the time required to clear the predetermined stage to the standard time of said predetermined stage; and

means for calculating a correcting standard time according to said ratio based on said ratio and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means, wherein

said stage reselecting means selects at least one of uncleared stages among said plurality of stages based on the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting the elapsed playing time till then from said desired time, and the correcting standard time calculated with respect to each stage.

43. The game machine according to claim 36, wherein the game machine further comprises:

judging means for judging whether it is necessary to reselect the stage or not based on an elapsed playing time till then and the total of the standard times of stages cleared till then when a predetermined stage is cleared by said player; and

stage reselecting means for selecting at least one of uncleared stages among said plurality of stages based on the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from said desired time and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means correspondingly to each stage when it is judged by said judging means that reselection is required.

44. The game machine according to claim 43, wherein said stage reselecting means comprises:

means for calculating the ratio of the elapsed playing time till then to the total of the standard times of stages cleared till then; and

means for calculating a correcting standard time according to said ratio based on said ratio and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means, wherein

said stage reselecting means selects at least one of uncleared stages among said plurality of stages based on the remaining desired time obtained by subtracting said elapsed playing time from said desired time, and the correcting standard time calculated with respect to each stage.

45. The game machine according to claim 41, wherein the game machine comprises notifying means for notifying the contents of the reselection to said player when it is judged by said judging means that reselection is required.

46. The game machine according to claim 45, wherein

said notifying means makes said player reset said desired time, and

said stage reselecting means calculates said remaining desired time by subtracting the elapsed playing time till then from said desired time after the resetting.

47. The game machine according to claim 36, wherein

said desired time setting means comprises means for making said player insert a play fee, and

sets said desired time according to the amount of said play fee.

48. A control method of a game machine for providing a game comprising a plurality of stages to a player, and characterized in that the game method comprises:

a desired time setting step for setting a desired time for which said player wishes to play the game;

a stage selecting step for selecting at least one of said plurality of stages based on the desired time set by said player, and a standard time stored in standard time storage means storing the standard time thereto correspondingly to each of said plurality of stages; and

a game executing step for providing the game comprising at least one of said plurality of stages selected in said stage selecting step to said player based on data stored in stage storage means storing the data of said plurality of stages thereto.

49. A program for making a computer function as a game machine for providing a game comprising a plurality of stages to a player, wherein said computer functions as:

stage storage means for storing data of said plurality of stages;

standard time storage means for storing a standard time correspondingly to each of said plurality of stages;

desired time setting means for setting a desired time for which said player wishes to play the game;

stage selecting means for selecting at least one of said plurality of stages based on the desired time set by said player and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means correspondingly to each stage; and

game executing means for providing the game comprising at least one of said plurality of stages selected by said stage selecting means based on the data stored in said stage storage means.

50. An information recording medium readable by a computer and recording a program for making the computer function as a game machine for providing a game comprising a plurality of stages to a player, wherein said computer functions as:

stage storage means for storing data of said plurality of stages;

standard time storage means for storing a standard time correspondingly to each of said plurality of stages;

desired time setting means for setting a desired time for which said player wishes to play the game;

stage selecting means for selecting at least one of said plurality of stages based on the desired time set by said player and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means correspondingly to each stage; and

game executing means for providing the game comprising at least one of said plurality of stages selected by said stage selecting means based on the data stored in said stage storage means.

51. A game distributing device communicating with a client terminal and providing a game comprising a plurality of stages to a player relating to said client terminal, and characterized in that the game distributing device comprises:

stage storage means for storing data of said plurality of stages;

standard time storage means for storing a standard time correspondingly to each of said plurality of stages;

desired time setting means for setting a desired time for which said player wishes to play the game;

stage selecting means for selecting at least one of said plurality of stages based on the desired time set by said player and the standard time stored in said standard time storage means correspondingly to each stage; and

game executing means for making said client terminal execute the game comprising at least one of said plurality of stages selected by said stage selecting means based on the data stored in said stage storage means.