ONLINE GAME SERVER, ONLINE GAME PROGRAM PRODUCT AND GAME APPARATUS

• US 20080300060A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: TOMITA, Yosuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,480,496 B2
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers

Abstract

An online game server delivers an online game to a player terminal via a communication network. The online game is played in the player terminal operated by a player. The online game server receives object selection information indicating that an object selectably displayed on a game display screen of the online game is selected at the player terminal. The online game server then transmits related site specification information to the player terminal on the basis of the received object selection information. The related site specification information is used for the player terminal to access a related site related to the object. Game progress information necessary for progress of the online game is included in the related site. The related site specification information is a URL indicating an address of the related site or a search formula for searching for the related site using a search engine.

Claims

1. An online game server for delivering an online game to a player terminal via a communication network, the online game being played in the player terminal operated by a player, the online game server comprising:

a selection information receiver that receives object selection information, the object selection information indicating that an object selectably displayed on a game display screen of the online game is selected at the player terminal; and

a specification information transmitter that transmits related site specification information to the player terminal on the basis of the object selection information received by the selection information receiver, the related site specification information being used for the player terminal to access a related site related to the object, game progress information necessary for progress of the online game being included in the related site.

2. The online game server according to claim 1, wherein an advertisement for the object is placed in the related site.

3. The online game server according to claim 1, wherein the related site specification information is a URL indicating an address of the related site.

4. The online game server according to claim 1, wherein the related site specification information is a search formula for searching for the related site using a search engine.

5. The online game server according to claim 1, further comprising:

an access counter that counts up the number of times of access when the specification information transmitter transmits the related site specification information to the player terminal, the transmission of the related site specification information indicating that access to the related site is carried out by the player terminal; and

an accounting information accumulator that accumulates accounting information for an administrator of the related site in accordance with the number of times of access counted up by the access counter.

6. An online game program product for causing an online game server to execute an online game delivering process, the online game server delivering an online game to a player terminal via a communication network, the online game being played in the player terminal operated by a player, the online game program product causing the online game server to execute:

receiving object selection information, the object selection information indicating that an object selectably displayed on a game display screen of the online game is selected at the player terminal; and

transmitting related site specification information to the player terminal on the basis of the object selection information received by the selection information receiver, the related site specification information being used for the player terminal to access a related site related to the object, game progress information necessary for progress of the online game being included in the related site.

7. A game apparatus for executing a game, a player playing the game by operating the game apparatus, the game apparatus comprising:

an object selection receiver that receives selection of an object by the player, the object being selectably displayed on a game display screen of the game;

a related site searcher that searches for a related site, the related site being related to the object received by the object selection receiver, game progress information necessary for progress of the game being included in the related site; and

a related site access controller that causes the game apparatus to access the related site on the basis of a result of search searched for by the related site searcher.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the related site searcher searches for the related site using a search engine, and

wherein the related site access controller causes the game apparatus to access a related site that is placed on the highest rank by the search engine in the case where the result of search includes a plurality of related sites.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a display controller that causes a display device to display the related site accessed by the related site access controller on a display screen of the display device.