NETWORK GAME SYSTEM, A NETWORK GAME TERMINAL, A METHOD OF DISPLAYING A GAME SCREEN, A COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT AND A STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20080254882A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: WATANABE, Noriaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A terminal apparatus is connected to a server apparatus via a network. Active character information capable of specifying an active character is transmitted to the server apparatus. A movement instruction used to move the active character in a virtual space is inputted. Movement information is transmitted to the server apparatus in accordance with the movement instruction. Visible range information capable of specifying all of the player characters each existing in a visible range is received. A display device displays the visible range in which all of the player characters specified by the visible range information are arranged so that the player character that one player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from other player character that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the player can distinguish the active character from non-active characters.

Claims

1. A network game system comprising a server apparatus and a plurality of terminal apparatuses connected to the server apparatus via a network, each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses allowing a plurality of player characters to participate in a network game, the player characters caused to participate in the network game existing in a common virtual space,

wherein each of the terminal apparatuses comprises:

an active character selector that selects one player character as an active character whose action is activated among the player characters in accordance with an operation of the player of the terminal apparatus, the player causing the player characters to participate in the network game;

an active character information transmitter that transmits active character information to the server apparatus via the network, the active character information being capable of specifying the active character selected by the active character selector and non-active characters other than the active character;

a movement instruction input controller that inputs a movement instruction in accordance with an operation of the player, the movement instruction being used to move the active character selected by the active character selector in the virtual space;

a movement information transmitter that transmits movement information to the server apparatus via the network, the movement information corresponding to the movement instruction inputted by the movement instruction input controller to the server apparatus via the network;

a visible range information receiver that receives visible range information transmitted from the server apparatus via the network, the visible range information being capable of specifying all of the player characters each existing in a visible range, the visible range being set to a predetermined range of the virtual space within a range displayed on a display device with which the terminal apparatus is provided, at least the active character currently selected being included in the predetermined range of the virtual space; and

a display controller that causes the display device to display the visible range, all of the player characters specified by the visible range information received by the visible range information receiver being arranged in the visible range, and

wherein the server apparatus comprises;

an active character information receiver that receives the active character information transmitted by the active character information transmitter of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

an active character manager that manages the player character selected as the active character among the player characters on the basis of the active character information received by the active character information receiver, the player characters being caused to participate in the network game for every player;

a movement information receiver that receives the movement information transmitted by the movement information transmitter;

a character position manager that manages a position of each of all of the player characters caused to participate in the network game in the virtual space on the basis of the movement information transmitted by the movement information transmitter;

a visible range specifier that specifies a visible range for every terminal apparatus, the visible range including the position managed by the character position manager for the active character managed by the active character manager; and

a visible range information transmitter that transmits the visible range information to each of the terminal apparatuses via the network, in the visible range information all of the player characters included in the visible range specified for every terminal apparatus by the visible range specifier being extracted in accordance with the positions managed by the character position manager and all of the player character thus extracted being capable of being specified, and

wherein the display controller causes the display device to display the visible range in which all of the player characters specified by the visible range information are arranged so that the player character that one player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from other player character that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the player of the terminal apparatus can distinguish the active character from the non-active characters among the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game.

2. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the display controller causes the display device to display the active character among the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game in the center of a display screen of the display device so that the active player character can be distinguished from the non-active characters on the basis of the difference of display positions on the display screen.

3. The network game system according to claim 2, wherein the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space,

wherein the display controller includes a perspective transformer that generates a two-dimensional image by projecting the player characters each existing in the virtual three-dimensional space onto a virtual screen by means of a virtual camera while directing a visual axis of the virtual camera to the active character selected by the active character selector, a viewpoint of the virtual, camera is positioned at a predetermined position of the virtual three-dimensional space, and the display controller causes the display device to display the two-dimensional image generated by the perspective transformer, and

wherein the visible range is a range projected onto the virtual screen in the virtual three-dimensional space by means of the perspective transformer.

4. The network game system according to claim 3, wherein the position of the viewpoint of the virtual camera is uniquely determined in accordance with the movement of the active character in the virtual three-dimensional space.

5. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space,

wherein the display controller includes a perspective transformer that generates a two-dimensional image by projecting the other player characters each existing in the virtual three-dimensional space onto a virtual screen by means of a virtual camera, a viewpoint of the virtual camera is positioned at a position of an eye of the active character in the virtual three-dimensional space, and the display controller causes the display device to display the two-dimensional image generated by the perspective transformer and to display a part of the active character in accordance with a direction of a visual axis, and

wherein the visible range is a range projected onto the virtual screen in the virtual three-dimensional space by means of the perspective transformer.

6. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein each of the player characters is configured by a combination of parts, and the parts are respectively selected for sites from a plurality of parts prepared for the sites.

7. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses further comprises a position map display controller that causes the display device to display a character position map, and the character position map indicates a position of each of the player characters, which the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game, in a range of the virtual, space wider than the visible range.

8. The network game system according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of terminal, apparatuses further comprises a position map display selector that selects whether the position map display controller causes the display device to display the character position map or not in accordance with an operation of the player.

9. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses further comprises a terminal character manager that manages the player characters, which the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game, so as to be capable of distinguishing the active character from the non-active characters, and

wherein the display controller specifies whether or not each of the player characters specified by the visible range information is the player character that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game or not on the basis of information managed by the terminal character manager, specifies whether each of the player characters is the active character or the non-active character, and causes the display device to display the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game so that the player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from the player characters that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the active player character can be distinguished from the non-active characters.

10. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein in the visible range information it is can be specified whether each of the player characters each existing in the visible range is the player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game or not, and, whether each of the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game is the active character or the non-active character, and

wherein the display controller specifies whether or not each of the player characters included in the visible range information is the player character that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game or not on the basis of the visible range information, specifies whether each of the player characters is the active character or the non-active character, and causes the display device to display the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game so that the player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from the player characters that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the active player character can be distinguished from the non-active characters.

11. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the active character selector includes a display position input controller that inputs the position on a display screen of the display device in accordance with an operation of the player, and selects the player character displayed at the inputted position as the active character when the player character that the player causes to participate in the network game exists at the position on the display screen inputted by the display position input controller.

12. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the character position manager includes a following movement controller that causes the non-active characters each having a predetermined relationship with the active character to move in the virtual space so as to follow the movement of the active character when the active character is caused to move in the virtual space in accordance with the movement information received by the movement information receiver.

13. The network game system according to claim 12, wherein the non-active characters that are caused to move so as to follow the movement of the active character by means of the following movement controller include non-active characters of other players than the player of the active character.

14. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses further comprises a participation character selector that selects a player character to be actually caused to participate in the network game from a plurality of player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus can cause to participate in the network game in accordance with an operation of the players

wherein the active character selector selects one active character from the player characters selected as ones to be caused to participate in the network game by the participation character selector, and

wherein the active character information transmitter transmits the active character information capable of specifying the active character and the non-active characters among the player characters selected as ones to be caused to participate in the network game by the participation character selector.

15. The network game system according to claim 14, wherein the participation character selector in turn selects a player character to be actually caused to participate in the network game one by one from the plurality of player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus can cause to participate in the network game in accordance with an operation of the player, and

wherein when a new player character is selected as a player character to be caused to participate in the network game by the participation character selector, the active character selector selects the player character newly caused to participate in the network game as the active character until another player character its further selected as the active character in accordance with an operation of the player.

16. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the server apparatus further comprises:

a non-active action controller that executes a predetermined action against the non-active characters not managed as an active character by the active character manager among the player characters managed by the character position manager;

an active character transformer that sets the non-active character subjected to the predetermined action as an active character when the predetermined action is executed against the non-active character by the non-active action controller, sets the active character that the player of the non-active character subjected to the predetermined act-ion causes to participate in the network game as a non-active character, and causes the active character manager to manage the set active character; and

an active character transforming information transmitter that transmits active character transforming information to the terminal apparatus of the player who causes the active character newly set to participate in the network game via the network, the active character transforming information being capable of specifying the active character newly set when the new active character is set by the active character transformer,

wherein each of the terminal apparatuses further comprises;

an active character transforming information receiver that receives the active character transforming information transmitted by the active character transforming transmitter, and

wherein the display controller causes the display device to distinguishably display the active character and the non-active character among the player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game in accordance with the received active character transforming information when the active character transforming information receiver receives the active character transforming information.

17. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined parameter is set to each of the player characters caused to participate in the network game, and a state of the predetermined parameter is changed in accordance with progress of the network game, and

wherein the display controller causes the display device to display the player character that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game so as to attach the predetermined parameter thereto, and to display the player character that other player causes to participate in the network game so as not to attach the predetermined parameter thereto.

18. The network game system according to claim 17, wherein the network game includes at least a process for executing a battle between the active character and an enemy character other than the active character, and a battle between a new active character and the enemy character is executed in the case where the new active character is newly selected by the active character selector during the battle, and

wherein the predetermined parameter is a parameter whose value is increased or decreased in accordance with progress of the battle.

19. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the display controller causes the display device to display the active character with a display state different from those of the other player characters among the player characters that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game.

20. A terminal apparatus for executing a network game, the terminal apparatus being connected to a server apparatus via a network, the terminal apparatus allowing a plurality of player characters to participate in the network game, the player characters caused to participate in the network game existing in a common virtual space, the terminal apparatus comprising:

an active character selector that selects one player character as an active character whose action is activated among the player characters in accordance with an operation of the player of the terminal apparatus, the player causing the player characters to participate in the network game;

an active character information transmitter that transmits active character information to the server apparatus via the network, the active character information being capable of specifying the active character selected by the active character selector and non-active characters other than the active character;

a movement instruction input controller that inputs a movement instruction in accordance with an operation of the player, the movement instruction being used to move the active character selected by the active character selector in the virtual space;

a movement information transmitter that transmits movement information to the server apparatus via the network, the movement information corresponding to the movement instruction inputted by the movement instruction input controller;

a visible range information receiver that receives visible range information transmitted by the server apparatus via the network in accordance with the information transmitted by each of the active character information transmitter and the movement information transmitter, the visible range information being capable of specifying all of the player characters each existing in a visible range, the visible range being set to a predetermined range of the virtual space within a range displayed on a display device with which the terminal apparatus is provided, at least the active character currently selected being included in the predetermined range of the virtual space; and

a display controller that causes the display device to display the visible range, all of the player characters specified by the visible range information received by the visible range information receiver being arranged in the visible range,

wherein the display controller causes the display device to display the visible range in which all of the player characters specified by the visible range information are arranged so that the player character that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from other player character that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the player of the terminal apparatus can distinguish the active character from the non-active characters among the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game.

21. A method of displaying a game screen of a display device of each of a plurality of terminal apparatuses to execute a network game in a network game system, in the network game system the plurality of terminal apparatuses being connected to a server apparatus via a network, each of the terminal apparatuses allowing a plurality of player characters to participate in the networks game, the player characters caused to participate in the network game existing in a common virtual space, the method comprising:

selecting one player character as an active character whose action is activated among the player characters in accordance with an operation of an input section of the terminal apparatus by the player, the player causing the player characters to participate in the network game;

transmitting active character information to the server apparatus via the network using a communication section of the terminal apparatus, the active character information being capable of specifying the selected active character and non-active characters other than the active character;

inputting a movement instruction in accordance with an operation of the input section by the player, the movement instruction being used to move the selected active character in the virtual space;

transmitting movement information to the server apparatus via the network using the communication section of the terminal apparatus, the movement information corresponding to the inputted movement instruction;

receiving visible range information transmitted by the server apparatus via the network in accordance with the active character information and the movement information, the visible range information being capable of specifying all of the player characters each existing in a visible range, the visible range being set to a predetermined range of the virtual space within a range displayed on the display device, at least the active character currently selected being included in the predetermined range of the virtual space; and

causing the display device to display the visible range in which all of the player characters specified by the received visible range information are arranged so that the player character that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from other player character that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the player of the terminal apparatus can distinguish the active character from the non-active characters among the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game.

22. A computer program product for displaying a game screen of a display device of each of a plurality of terminal apparatuses to execute a network game in a network game system, in the network game system the plurality of terminal apparatuses being connected to a server apparatus via a network, each of the terminal apparatuses allowing a plurality of player characters to participate in the network game, the player characters caused to participate in the network game existing in a common virtual space, the computer program product causing each of the terminal apparatuses to execute:

selecting one player character as an active character whose action is activated among the player characters in accordance with an operation of the player, the player causing the player characters to participate in the network game;

transmitting active character information to the server apparatus via the network using a communication section of the terminal apparatus, the active character information being capable of specifying the selected active character and non-active characters other than the active character;

inputting a movement instruction in accordance with an operation of the player, the movement instruction being used to move the selected active character in the virtual space;

transmitting movement information to the server apparatus via the network using the communication section of the terminal apparatus, the movement information corresponding to the inputted movement instruction;

receiving visible range information transmitted by the server apparatus via the network in accordance with the active character information and the movement information, the visible range information being capable of specifying all of the player characters each existing in a visible range, the visible range being set to a predetermined range of the virtual space within a range displayed on the display device, at least the active character currently selected being included in the predetermined range of the virtual space; and

causing the display device to display the visible range in which all of the player characters specified by the received visible range information are arranged so that the player character that the player of the terminal apparatus causes to participate in the network game can be distinguished from other player character that another player causes to participate in the network game and so that the player of the terminal apparatus can distinguish the active character from the non-active characters among the player characters that the player causes to participate in the network game.

23. A computer-readable storage medium comprising the computer program product according to claim 22.