Game system

• US 20070155486A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Toshihisa, Futa, Yuichi, Ohmori, Motoji, Yokota, Kaoru
• Application Number:
  US10/575,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20070155486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• 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 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character

Abstract

Provided is a game system in which a plurality of game execution apparatuses, having internal structures different from each other, are capable of proceeding with a game while sharing characteristics of a character appearing in the game. A stationary game apparatus 100 obtains character data from a server apparatus 600, and writes the character data to a memory card 300. The stationary game apparatus 100 executes a stationary game software program stored in a DVD 500, using the character data stored in the memory card 300. A portable game apparatus 200 executes a portable game software program stored in a cartridge 400, using the character data stored in the memory card 300.

Claims

1. A game system comprising a first game execution apparatus and a second game execution apparatus that have a different internal structure from each other, wherein

the first game execution apparatus includes:

a first program reading unit operable to read, from a first game recording medium, a first game program that indicates a procedure of a game;

a first character reading unit operable to read, from a portable recording medium, character data that indicates a characteristic of a character that appears in the game;

a first input unit operable to receive an inputting operation from a user; and

a first game execution unit operable to proceed with the game according to the inputting operation received at the first input unit and the procedure indicated by the first game program, and make the character appear in the game in accordance with the character data read by the first character reading unit, and

the second game execution apparatus includes;

a second program reading unit operable to read, from a second game recording medium, a second game

program that indicates the procedure of the game;

a second character reading unit operable to read the character data from the portable recording medium;

a second input unit operable to receive an inputting operation from the user; and

a second game execution unit operable to proceed with the game according to the inputting operation received at the second input unit and the procedure indicated by the second game program, and make the character appear in the game in accordance with the character data read by the second character reading unit.

2. A game execution apparatus that proceeds with a game according to a game program, comprising:

a program reading unit operable to read, from a game recording medium, a game program that indicates a procedure of a game;

a character reading unit operable to read, from a portable recording medium, character data that indicates a characteristic of a character that appears in the game;

an input unit operable to receive an inputting operation from a user; and

a game execution unit operable to proceed with the game according to the inputting operation and the procedure, and make the character appear in the game in accordance with the character data.

3. The game execution apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a request unit operable to request the character data from a server apparatus;

an obtaining unit operable to obtain the character data from the server apparatus via a network; and

a writing unit operable to write the obtained character data to the portable recording medium.

4. The game execution apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

an authentication unit operable to check authenticity of the portable recording medium, wherein

the character reading unit reads the character data when the authenticity has been ensured.

5. The game execution apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the game recording medium further stores therein permission information that indicates whether change is permissible on the character'"'"'s characteristic,

the character reading unit further reads the permission information from the game recording medium, and

the game execution unit, when the read permission information indicates affirmatively, changes the character'"'"'s characteristic as the game proceeds, and prohibits the character'"'"'s characteristic from being changed when the read permission information indicates negatively.

6. The game execution apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a character writing unit operable to, when the game execution unit changes the character'"'"'s characteristic, overwrite the character data in the portable recording medium with after-change character data that indicates a characteristic of the character after changed, wherein

the character reading unit further reads the after-change character data from the portable recording medium, and

the game execution unit changes the character'"'"'s characteristic as the game proceeds, in accordance with the read after-change character data.

7. The game execution apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a writing unit operable to write the read permission information to the portable recording medium.

8. The game execution apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the game recording medium further stores therein a degree of change allowed on the character, in association with the permission information, and

the game execution unit changes the character'"'"'s characteristic as the game proceeds, in accordance with the degree of change stored in the game recording medium.

9. A portable recording medium comprising:

a storage unit that stores therein character data that indicates a characteristic of a character that appears in a game;

an authentication unit operable to check authenticity of a game execution apparatus; and

an output unit operable to, when the authenticity has been ensured, read the character data from the storage unit and output the read character data to the game execution apparatus.

10. A game execution method used by a game execution apparatus that proceeds with a game according to a game program that indicates a procedure of the game, the game execution method comprising:

a program reading step of reading, from a game recording medium, a game program that indicates a procedure of a game;

a character reading step of reading, from a portable recording medium, character data that indicates a characteristic of a character that appears in the game;

an input step of receiving an inputting operation from a user; and

a game execution step of proceeding with the game according to the inputting operation and the procedure, and making the character appear in the game in accordance with the character data.

11. A game execution program used by a game execution apparatus that proceeds with a game according to a game program that indicates a procedure of the game, the game execution program have the game execution apparatus to execute:

a program reading step of reading, from a game recording medium, a game program that indicates a procedure of a game;

a character reading step of reading, from a portable recording medium, character data that indicates a characteristic of a character that appears in the game;

an input step of receiving an inputting operation from a user; and

a game execution step of proceeding with the game recording to the inputting operation and the procedure, and making the character appear in the game in accordance with the character data.

12. The game execution program of claim 11, further having the game execution apparatus to execute:

a request step of requesting the character data from server apparatus;

an obtaining step of obtaining the character data from the server apparatus via a network; and

a writing step of writing the obtained character data to the portable recording medium.

13. The game execution program of claim 12, being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium.

14. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a game execution program used by a game execution apparatus that proceeds with a game according to a game program, the game program indicating a procedure of the game, wherein

the game execution program has the game execution apparatus to execute:

a program reading step of reading, from a game recording medium, a game program that indicates a procedure of a game;

a character reading step of reading, from a portable recording medium, character data that indicates a characteristic of a character that appears in the game;

an input step of receiving an inputting operation from a user; and

a game execution step of proceeding with the game according to the inputting operation and the procedure, and making the character appear in the game in accordance with the character data.