Match game processing method, match game system, and storage medium thereof

• US 20060003825A1
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SEGA Corporation (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SEGA Corporation (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Wataru, Shimoda, Noriyuki, Iwasaki, Takeshi, Sato, Fuminori, Murayama, Tohru, Iizawa, Hitoshi, Tamura, Hiroyasu, Sudou, Yutaka, Yamanaka, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US11/126,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20060003825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• 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 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• 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 2300/61 : Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 : according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 : by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/646 : for calculating the trajectory of an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 : for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 : Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 : Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

A match game processing method performs a match game having a plurality of stages by a plurality of players. By communicating among game apparatuses, a control unit controls to synchronize among the plays by the players in a virtual space, on a stage-by-stage basis. The game can be completed with a reduced waiting time of each player. Also, in a ghost match, the game proceeds in such a way that the control unit in the game apparatus performs a simple playback of a ghost data, according to the execution result obtained through the operation inputs from the player. Thus, in response to the execution result by the player, the ghost match is performed and the game time can be shortened.

Claims

1. A match game processing method in which a game apparatus executes a game program sharing a common virtual space with other game apparatuses according to operation inputs from players, communicates the results of game program execution with the other game apparatuses, and outputs a match game result, said match game processing method comprising:

a step of instructing each player to perform the operation inputs on a stage-by-stage basis of the game program having a plurality of stages executed separately;

a step of executing the game program based on the operation inputs from the player, and communicating the game execution results with the other game apparatuses, on said stage-by-stage basis;

a step of advancing the game program by uniforming each game program stage among the plurality of game apparatuses, based on the game execution results obtained from the other game apparatuses through the communication; and

a step of performing simple display of the received game execution results of the other game apparatuses in the each stage.

2. The match game processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying at least a state at the time of starting each stage, and a state produced by the play at the time of completing each stage.

3. The match game processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of executing the game program further comprises:

a step of detecting whether the operation inputs of a certain stage are completed within a time limit of the operation inputs of the stage; and

a step of forcibly terminating the operation inputs of the stage, on detecting the operation inputs of the stage not being completed within the time limit of the operation inputs of the stage.

4. The match game processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of executing the game program further comprises:

a step of displaying a standby screen for performing chat communication with the game apparatuses of the other players, on the game apparatus of which player has completed the operation inputs of the stage early.

5. The match game processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of executing the game program comprises a step of executing a game program of moving a moving object on a predetermined course by hitting the moving object from a start position to an end position of the course,

and wherein the stage signifies a stage of moving the moving object by hitting the moving object.

6. The match game processing method according to claim 5, wherein the step of advancing the game program further comprises:

a step of forcibly terminating the game executed in the game apparatus of a player, of which scored number of strokes exceeds a stroke limit of the game which is determined based on the number of strokes scored by the operation of another player having moved to the end position of the course earlier.

7. The match game processing method according to claim 5, wherein the step of advancing the game further comprises:

a step of forcibly terminating the game executed in the game apparatus of a player of which scored number of strokes exceeds a stroke limit being set to the course.

8. The match game processing method according to claim 5, wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying a moving state of the moving object two-dimensionally on the course perspective.

9. A match game processing method in which a game apparatus executes a game program using a virtual space, having a plurality of players participating therein, according to operation inputs from the players, and outputs a match game result from the result of game program execution, said match game processing method comprising:

a step of acquiring ghost data representing past execution results of a plurality of stages of the game program in the game apparatus operated by the player;

a step of instructing said player to perform the operation inputs, on a stage-by-stage basis of the game program having the plurality of stages executed separately;

a step of executing the game program on said stage-by-stage basis, based on the operation inputs from the player; and

a step of performing simple display of the past execution results of each game stage based on the acquired ghost data, according to the result of the game program execution in the each stage.

10. The match game processing method according to claim 9, wherein the step for performing the simple display further comprises:

a step for displaying at least a state at the time of starting each stage, and a state produced by the play at the time of completing each stage.

11. The match game processing method according to claim 9, wherein the step of advancing the game program comprises a step of advancing a game program of moving a moving object on a predetermined course by hitting the moving object from a start position to an end position of the course,

and wherein the stage signifies a stage of moving the moving object by hitting the moving object.

12. The match game processing method according to claim 11, wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying a moving state of the moving object two-dimensionally on the course perspective.

13. The match game processing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a step of registering the execution result according to the operation inputs from the players, as the ghost data.

14. A storage medium stored match game processing program sharing a common virtual space with other game apparatuses, being executed in a game apparatus according to operation inputs from a player, communicating the results of game program execution with the other game apparatuses, and outputting a match game result,

wherein said match game processing program makes the game apparatuses to execute the steps comprising:

a step of instructing the player to perform the operation inputs, on a stage-by-stage basis of the game program having a plurality of stages executed separately;

a step of executing the game based on the operation inputs from the player, and communicating the game execution results with the other game apparatuses, on said stage-by-stage basis;

a step of executing the game program by uniforming each game program stage among the plurality of game apparatuses, based on the results of the game program execution obtained from the other game apparatuses through the communication; and

a step of performing simple display of the received game execution results of the other game apparatuses in the each stage.

15. The storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying at least a state at the time of starting each stage, and a state of the execution result at the time of completing each stage.

16. The storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the step of advancing the game further comprises:

a step of detecting whether the operation inputs of a certain stage are completed within a time limit of the operation inputs of the stage; and

a step of forcibly terminating the operation inputs of the stage, on detecting the operation inputs of the stage not being completed within the time limit of the operation inputs of the stage.

17. The storage medium according to claim 14,

wherein the step of advancing the game program further comprises:

a step of displaying a standby screen for performing chat communication with the game apparatuses of the other players, on the game apparatus of which player has completed the operation inputs of the stage early.

18. The storage medium according to claim 14,

wherein the game signifies a game of moving a moving object on a predetermined course by hitting the moving object from a start position to an end position of the course, and wherein the stage signifies a stage of moving the moving object by hitting the moving object.

19. The storage medium according to claim 18,

wherein the step of advancing the game program further comprises:

a step of forcibly terminating the game executed in the game apparatus of a player of which scored number of strokes exceeds a stroke limit of the game which is determined based on the number of strokes scored by the operation of another player having moved to the end position of the course earlier.

20. The storage medium according to claim 18,

wherein the step of advancing the game further comprises:

a step of forcibly terminating the game executed in the game apparatus of a player of which scored number of strokes exceeds a stroke limit being set to the course.

21. The storage medium according to claim 18,

wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying a moving state of the moving object two-dimensionally on the course perspective.

22. A storage medium stored match game processing program being executed in a game apparatus using a virtual space, having a plurality of players participating therein, according to operation inputs from the players, and outputting a match game result from the result of game program execution,

wherein said match game processing program makes the game apparatuses to execute the steps comprising:

a step of acquiring ghost data representing past execution results of a plurality of stages of the game program;

a step of instructing the player to perform the operation inputs, on a stage-by-stage basis of the game program having the plurality of stages executed separately;

a step of executing the game program on said stage-by-stage basis, based on the operation inputs from the player; and

a step of performing simple display of the past execution results of each game stage based on the acquired ghost data, according to the result of the game program execution in the each stage.

23. The storage medium according to claim 22,

wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying at least a state at the time of starting each stage, and a state of the execution result at the time of completing each stage.

24. The storage medium according to claim 22,

wherein the game signifies a game of moving a moving object on a predetermined course by hitting the moving object from a start position to an end position of the course, and wherein the stage signifies a stage of moving the moving object by hitting the moving object.

25. The storage medium according to claim 24,

wherein the step of performing the simple display further comprises:

a step of displaying a moving state of the moving object two-dimensionally on the course perspective.

26. The storage medium according to claim 22,

wherein said match game processing program executes a step for registering the execution result obtained by the player of the game apparatus, as the ghost data.

27. A match game processing system in which a game apparatus executes a game program sharing a common virtual space with other game apparatuses according to the operation inputs from players, communicates the results of game program execution with the other game apparatuses, and outputs a match game result,

wherein said game apparatus comprises:

a communication unit communicating the execution results among the game apparatuses operated by the players;

a display unit instructing each player to perform the operation inputs, on a stage-by-stage basis of the game program having a plurality of stages executed separately, and outputting the execution results; and

a control unit executing the game program by uniforming each game program stage among the plurality of game apparatuses, based on the game execution results obtained from the other game apparatuses through the communication according to the execution results by the players,

wherein, in each stage, the control unit simply displays on the display unit the game execution results of the other game apparatuses obtained through the communication.

28. The match game processing system according to claim 27, wherein the control unit displays at least a state at the time of starting each stage, and a state of the execution result of the stage, so as to perform the simple display.

29. The match game processing system according to claim 27, wherein the control unit detects whether the operation inputs of a certain stage are completed within a time limit of the operation inputs of the stage, and on detecting the operation inputs of the stage not being completed within the time limit of the operation inputs of the stage, forcibly terminates the operation inputs of the stage.

30. The match game processing system according to claim 27, wherein the control unit displays a standby screen on the game apparatus of which player has completed the operation inputs of the stage early, so as to perform chat communication with the game apparatuses of the other players.

31. The match game processing system according to claim 27, wherein the game signifies a game of moving a moving object on a predetermined course by hitting the moving object from a start position to an end position of the course, and wherein the stage signifies a stage of moving the moving object by hitting the moving object.

32. The match game processing system according to claim 31, wherein the control unit forcibly terminates the game in the game apparatus of a player, of which scored number of strokes exceeds a stroke limit of the game which is determined based on the number of strokes scored by the execution of another player having moved to the end position of the course earlier.

33. The match game processing system according to claim 31, wherein the control unit forcibly terminates the game executed in the game apparatus of a player of which scored number of strokes exceeds a stroke limit being set to the course.

34. The match game processing system according to claim 31, wherein the control unit displays a moving state of the moving object two-dimensionally on the course perspective, so as to perform the simple display.

35. A match game processing system in which a game apparatus executes a game program using a virtual space, having a plurality of players participating therein, according to operation inputs from a player, and outputs a match game result from a result of the game program execution,

wherein said match game apparatus comprises:

a communication unit acquiring ghost data representing past execution results of a plurality of stages of the game program;

a display unit instructing each player to perform the operation inputs, on a stage-by-stage basis of the game program having the plurality of stages executed separately, and outputting the execution results; and

a control unit executing the game program on said stage-by-stage basis, based on the operation inputs from the player,

and wherein the control unit simply displays the past execution results of each game stage based on the acquired ghost data, according to the result of the game program execution in the each stage.

36. The match game processing system according to claim 35, wherein the control unit displays at least a state at the time of starting each stage, and a state of the execution result of the stage, so as to perform the simple display.

37. The match game processing system according to claim 35, wherein the game signifies a game of moving a moving object on a predetermined course by hitting the moving object from a start position to an end position of the course, and wherein the stage signifies a stage of moving the moving object by hitting the moving object.

38. The match game processing system according to claim 37, wherein the control unit displays a moving state of the moving object two-dimensionally on the course perspective, so as to perform the simple display.

39. The match game processing system according to claim 35, wherein the control unit externally registers a history of the execution result of the player obtained in the game apparatus, as the ghost data.