APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING PLAYER CHARACTER SHOWING SPECIAL MOVEMENT STATE IN NETWORK GAME

• US 20150174483A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: FUJISAWA, Jin, ANZAI, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,731,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• 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 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

In a network game, player characters manipulated by individual players of video game apparatuses belong to the same party to battle with an opponent character. When a player character making a special move is not present in the party, the display screen of each video game apparatus becomes a screen focusing on the player character of the player who uses this video game apparatus. When one of the player characters makes a special move, not only the display screen of the video game apparatus corresponding to this player, but also the display screens of the video game apparatuses corresponding to the other player characters in the party become screens focusing on the player character which makes the special move.

Claims

1. A network game system in which a plurality of players participates, each of the players who respectively use a plurality of terminal apparatuses manipulating player characters to participate in a game, the network game system comprising:

a movement information receiver that receives movement information transmitted from each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

a game processor that progresses with the game on the basis of the movement information received by the movement information receiver;

a special character determiner that determines whether a presence of a special player character showing a predetermined special movement state is identified on the basis of the movement information received by the movement information receiver;

a game information transmitter that transmits game information according to a progress state of the game progressed by the game processor to at least one of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

a display;

an input;

a game information receiver that receives the game information;

a graphics processor that causes the display to display an image based on the game information received by the game information receiver; and

a movement information transmitter that transmits movement information on the movement of a player character according to an input by a player from the input to the server apparatus,

wherein the graphics processor includes;

a normal-mode image display that causes the display to display a normal image based on the player character of the player who uses the terminal apparatus and a progress state of the game when the special character determiner determines that there is no special player character showing the special movement state; and

a special-mode image display that causes the display to display an image based on the special player character showing the special movement state and the progress state of the game when the special character determiner determines that there is the special player character showing the special movement state.

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

an input disabler that disables the input by the player from the input for a predetermined period of time when the special character determiner determines that there is the special player character showing the special movement state.

3. The network game system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined period of time is when the graphics processor causes the display to display the special image basing on the special player character showing the special movement state.

4. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein, when the special character determiner determines that there is the special player character showing the special movement state, the game processor progresses with the game so as not to put the player characters other than the special player character showing the special movement state at a disadvantage in the game.

5. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein the special character determiner applies different standards to at least two player characters to determine whether the presence of the special player character showing the special movement state is identified.

6. The network game system according to claim 1, wherein, when the game information receiver does not receive the game information for a predetermined period of time, the graphics processor causes the display to display the image basing on the game information that has been received before a specific time of period.

7. The network game system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller that controls at least one player character other than the special player character showing the special movement state to become a movement state according to the special movement state when the special character determiner determines that there is the special player character showing the special movement state.

8. A method for progressing a game in which a plurality of players participate, each of the players who respectively use a plurality of terminal apparatuses manipulating player characters to participate in the game, the method comprising:

receiving, by a movement information receiver, movement information transmitted from each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

progressing, by a game processor, the game on the basis of the movement information received by the movement information receiver;

determining, by a special character determiner, whether a presence of a special player character showing a predetermined special movement state is identified on the basis of the movement information received by the movement information receiver;

transmitting, by a game information transmitter, game information according to a progress state of the game progressed by the game processor to at least one of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

receiving, by a game information receiver of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, the game information;

causing, by a graphics processor of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, a display to display an image based on the game information received by the game information receiver; and

transmitting, by a movement information transmitter of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, the movement information on a movement of a player character according to an input by a player from an input to the server apparatus,

wherein the graphics processor of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses causes the display to display;

a normal image based on the player character of the player who uses the terminal apparatus and a progress state of the game when the special character determiner determines that there is no special player character showing the special movement state; and

a special image based on the special player character showing the special movement state and the progress state of the game when the special character determiner determines that there is the special player character showing the special movement state.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program for progressing a game in which a plurality of players participate, each of the players who respectively use a plurality of terminal apparatuses manipulating player characters to participate in the game, the program being executable by a computer and causing the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a movement information receiver, movement information transmitted from each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

progressing, by a game processor, the game on the basis of the movement information received by the movement information receiver;

determining, by a special character determiner, whether a presence of a special player character showing a predetermined special movement state is identified on the basis of the movement information received by the movement information receiver;

transmitting, by a game information transmitter, game information according to a progress state of the game progressed by the game processor to at least one of the plurality of terminal apparatuses;

receiving, by a game information receiver of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, the game information;

causing, by a graphics processor of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, a display to display an image based on the game information received by the game information receiver; and

transmitting, by a movement information transmitter of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, the movement information on a movement of a player character according to an input by a player from an input to the server apparatus,

wherein the graphics processor of each of the plurality of terminal apparatuses causes the display to display;

a normal image based on the player character of the player who uses the terminal apparatus and a progress state of the game when the special character determiner determines that there is no special player character showing the special movement state; and

a special image based on the special player character showing the special movement state and the progress state of the game when the special character determiner determines that there is the special player character showing the special movement state.