GAME PROGRAM, GAME DEVICE, AND GAME METHOD

• US 20080254888A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: OKAMOTO, Ryuichiro, MORIO, Manabu, ISAKA, Toshikazu
• Application Number:
  US11/845,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254888A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• 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 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• 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: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

When a first event has occurred, a first character display process is performed based on first operation data, first non-operation data, and second non-operation data. This first character display process, which corresponds to a first game control section, is a display process for displaying the action of a first character on a first display unit of a first terminal device. When the first event has not begun, a second character display process is performed based on first operation data, second operation data, first non-operation data, and second non-operation data. This second character display process, which corresponds to a second game control section, is a display process for displaying the action of a second character and the action of the first character on the first display unit of the first terminal device.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for executing a game over a network game system, the computer program instructing the game system to perform the steps comprising:

receiving first operation data pertaining to an operation of a first operating unit of a first terminal device;

sending the first operation data to a second terminal device and receiving second operation data pertaining to an operation of a second operating unit of the second terminal device;

determining whether or not a specific event has occurred;

controlling the game on the basis of the first operation data when the specific event has occurred; and

controlling the game on the basis of the first operation data and the second operation data when the specific event has not occurred.

2. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein

the first terminal device has a first display unit for providing an image based on the first and second operation data.

3. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 2, wherein

the first display unit displays a display screen different from a display screen of a second display unit of the second terminal device when the specific event has occurred;

and

the first display section displays the same display screen as the display screen of the second display unit when the specific event has not occurred.

4. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 further comprising

receiving first non-operation data that pertains to various game controls and does not include the first operation data;

sending the first non-operation data to the second terminal device and for receiving second non-operation data that pertains to various game controls and does not include the second operation data; and

controlling the game at the first terminal device identically to controlling the game at the second terminal device on the basis of the first non-operation data and the second non-operation data.

5. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein

controlling the game at the first terminal device does not include display processes performed in the first display unit.

6. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein

the specific event begins when either a first operating unit of the first terminal device or a second operating unit of the second terminal device performs a specific operation.

7. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 6, wherein

the specific event ends when either the first operating unit or the second operating unit performs a specific operation.

8. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 6, wherein

the specific event ends when a specific game time has elapsed when neither the first operating unit nor the second operating unit has performed a specific operation.

9. A network game system comprising:

a first operation data receiving section for receiving first operation data pertaining to an operation of a first operating unit of a first terminal device;

a first communication section for sending the first operation data to a second terminal device and for receiving second operation data pertaining to an operation of a second operating unit of the second terminal device;

a second operation data receiving section for receiving the second operation data received by the first communication section;

a first event-determining section for determining whether or not a specific event has occurred;

a first game control section for controlling a game on the basis of the first operation data when the first event-determining section has determined that the specific event has occurred; and

a second game control section for controlling the game different from the first game control section on the basis of the first operation data and the second operation data when the first event-determining section has determined that the specific event has not occurred.

10. A network gaming method comprising:

receiving first operation data pertaining to an operation of a first operating unit of a first terminal device;

sending the first operation data to a second terminal device and receiving second operation data pertaining to an operation of a second operating unit of the second terminal device;

determining whether or not a specific event has occurred;

controlling the game on the basis of the first operation data when the specific event has occurred; and

controlling the game on the basis of the first operation data and the second operation data when the specific event has not occurred.