GAME SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING BROWSE OF GAME-PLAY CONTENT THEREOF

• US 20130143672A1
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Azuma, Shinya, Imachi, Michiaki
• Application Number:
  US13/816,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143672A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data

Abstract

There is provided a game system where a game apparatus and a user terminal can use a storage area in the server apparatus in a rational manner. A game-machine storage area and a browse storage area are provided in a server. By a user of game machine, a game-play data is stored into the area. The game-play data stored in the area are presented to a user of user terminal, who is requested to select game-play data, and the selected game-play data is stored into the area. The game-play data stored in the area are presented to the user of user terminal, who is requested to select game-play data, and the selected game-play data is provided to the user terminal. Then, the user of user terminal is allowed to browse the selected game-play data.

Claims

1. A game system using a server apparatus connected to a game apparatus via a network, allowing a user to play a predetermined game, recording at least one part of game-play content of the game in a game-play data set to store the game-play data set in the server apparatus, and enabling the user to browse the game-play content corresponding to the game-play data set at a user terminal apparatus connected to the server apparatus via the network, the game system comprising:

a game-play storage device provided to the server apparatus, and adapted and configured to have a first storage area set as a writing area for the game apparatus and a second storage area set as a writing area for the user terminal apparatus;

a first game-play data storing device adapted and configured to store the game-play data set into the first storage area by following an indication from a user of the game apparatus;

a candidate for browse selecting device adapted and configured to present a list of game-play data sets stored in the first storage area to a user of the user terminal apparatus, and allow the user to select a game-play data set to be a candidate for browse from the game-play data sets stored in the first storage area;

a second game-play data storing device adapted and configured to store the game-play data set selected as the candidate for browse into the second storage area;

a browse target for terminal selecting device adapted and configured to present a list of game-play data sets stored in the second storage area to the user of the user terminal apparatus, and allow the user to select a game-play data set to be a browse target from the game-play data sets stored in the second storage area; and

a browse for terminal implementing device adapted and configured to provide the game-play data set selected as the browse target to the user terminal apparatus, and allow the user of the user terminal apparatus to browse the game-play content corresponding to the game-play data set provided.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the candidate for browse selecting device is adapted and configured to further present a list of game-play data sets stored in the second storage area to the user, and allow the user to select the game-play data set to be the candidate for browse.

3. The game system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

an identification information generating device adapted and configured to generate identification information for identifying the content of the game-play data set;

a first identification information storing device adapted and configured to, caused by storing the game-play data set into the first storage area, store the identification information corresponding to the game-play data set into the first storage area; and

a second identification information storing device adapted and configured to, caused by storing the game-play data set selected as the candidate for browse into the second storage area, store the identification information corresponding to the game-play data set into the second storage area.

4. The game system according to claim 3, wherein

the candidate for browse selecting device is adapted and configured to provide the identification information stored in the first storage area to the user terminal apparatus, and present the list of game-play data sets stored in the first storage area to the user of the user terminal apparatus.

5. The game system according to claim 4, wherein

the second identification information storage device is adapted and configured to obtain from the use terminal and store into the second storage area, the identification information corresponding to the game-play data set selected as the candidate for browse.

6. The game system according to claim 3, wherein

the candidate for browse selecting device is adapted and configured to further present to the user a list of game-play data sets stored in the second storage area by providing the identification information stored in the second storage area to the user terminal apparatus, and allow the user to select the game-play data set to be the candidate for browse.

7. The game system according to claim 3, wherein

the candidate for browse selecting device is adapted and configured to further present to the user, information for the user to specify a game-play data set which is stored in the first storage area and not stored in the second storage area, based on the identification information stored in the first storage area and the identification information stored in the second storage area.

8. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the candidate for browse selecting device is adapted and configured to provide the game-play data sets stored in the first storage area to the user terminal apparatus, and

the second game-play data storing device is adapted and configured to obtain from the user terminal apparatus and store into the second storage area the game-play data set selected as the candidate for browse.

9. The game system according to claim 3, further comprising a deletion data selecting device adapted and configured to present a list of game-play data sets stored in the first storage area to the user of the game apparatus, based on the identification information stored in the first storage area, and allow the user to select a game-play data set to be deleted from the first storage area in exchange of a storage of a new game-play data set by the first game-play data storing device, wherein

the first game-play data storing device is adapted and configured to store the new game-play data set into the first storage area in exchange of a deletion of the game-play data set selected by the deletion data selecting device.

10. The game system according to claim 9, wherein

the deletion data selecting device is adapted and configured to further present to the user, information for the user to specify a game-play data set which is stored in the first storage area and not stored in the second storage area, based on the identification information stored in the first storage area and the identification information stored in the second storage area.

11. The game system according to claim 1 wherein, the game-play data set is generated in the game apparatus, and the first game-play data storing device is adapted and configured to obtain the game-play data set from the game apparatus and store the game-play data set into the first storage area.

12. The game system according to claim 1, comprising:

a browse target for game apparatus selecting device adapted and configured to present a list of game-play data sets stored in the first storage area to the user of the game apparatus, and allow the user to select a game-play data set to be the browse target from the game-play data sets stored in the first storage area; and

a browse for game apparatus implementing device adapted and configured to allow the user of the game apparatus to browse the game-play content corresponding to the game-play data set selected as the browse target.

13. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the game apparatus is configured as a game machine for business use which allows game-play in exchange of a payment of game-play fee.

14. The game system according to claim 13, wherein

a storage capacity of the first storage area for the game-play data set is smaller than a storage capacity of the second storage area for the game-play data set.

15. The game system according to claim 13, further comprising:

an electronic fee collection device adapted and configured to collect a fee by exchange of electronic payment information; and

a storage controlling device adapted and configured to, for a storage of the game-play data set into the second storage area, request the user to pay a predetermined fee through the electronic fee collection device, and permit the storage of the game-play data set into the second storage area in a case that the predetermined fee is paid, and restrict the storage of the game-play data set into the second storage area in a case that the predetermined fee is not paid.

16. A method for controlling browse of game-play content being applied to a game system using a server apparatus connected to a game apparatus via a network, allowing a user to play a predetermined game, recording at least one part of game-play content of the game in a game-play data set to store the game-play data set in the server apparatus, and enabling the user to browse the game-play content corresponding to the game-play data set at a user terminal apparatus connected to the server apparatus via the network, the method including the following steps:

providing a game-play storage device to the server apparatus, and adapted and configured to have a first storage area set as a writing area for the game apparatus and a second storage area set as a writing area for the user terminal apparatus;

storing the game-play data set into the first storage area by following an indication from a user of the game apparatus;

presenting a list of game-play data sets stored in the first storage area to a user of the user terminal apparatus, and allowing the user to select a game-play data set to be a candidate for browse from the game-play data sets stored in the first storage area;

storing the game-play data set selected as the candidate for browse into the second storage area;

presenting a list of game-play data sets stored in the second storage area to the user of the user terminal apparatus, and allowing the user to select a game-play data set to be a browse target from the game-play data sets stored in the second storage area; and

providing the game-play data set selected as the browse target to the user terminal apparatus, and allowing the user of the user terminal apparatus to browse the game-play content corresponding to the game-play data set provided.