GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, A METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, A PROGRAM, AND A STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20150367238A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: PERRIN, Cyril, TAIT, Alex
• Application Number:
  US14/655,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/355 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 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players

Abstract

A game apparatus obtains in a case where a state saving request is received, information specifying a condition in a game corresponding to that request and state information for initiating a game in a same state as a game screen corresponding to that request and records state saving data associated with the condition information and the state information. The game apparatus provides, in a case where a state saving data sharing request is received, link information of the recorded state saving data and condition information for that data, to another device.

Claims

1. A game system for executing games for each of a plurality of client devices, and providing game screens for an executing game to a corresponding client device, the system comprising:

an executor which is able to execute processing for a game, and generate game screens;

a condition obtainer which is able to obtain, in a case where a state saving request is received, condition information specifying a condition in a game corresponding to that request;

a state obtainer which is able to obtain, in a case where the state saving request is received, state information for initiating a game in a same state as a game screen corresponding to that request;

a recorder which is able to record the condition information and the state information as state saving data; and

a provider which is able to provide, in a case where a state saving data sharing request is received, link information of the state saving data recorded by the recorder and condition information for that data, to a client device different from a client device to which a game screen corresponding to that state saving data was provided, wherein

in a case where an access request based on the link information of the state saving data is received from the client device to which the link information of that state saving data provided by the provider, the executor obtains that state saving data, and executes processing for the game from a same state as that of a game screen corresponding to that state saving data.

2. A game apparatus for executing a game, the apparatus comprising:

an executor which is able to execute processing for a game, and generate game screens;

a condition obtainer which is able to obtain, in a case where a state saving request is received, information specifying a condition in a game corresponding to that request;

a state obtainer which is able to obtain, in a case where the state saving request is received, state information for initiating a game in a same state as a game screen corresponding to that request;

a recorder which is able to record state saving data associated with the condition information and the state information; and

a provider which is able to provide, in a case where a state saving data sharing request is received, link information of the state saving data recorded by the recorder and condition information for that data, to an external device.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a receiver which is able to receive an access request based on the link information of the state saving data recorded by the recorder, or an access request based on link information of state saving data provided by an external apparatus, and wherein

the executor obtains the state saving data for which the access request was received by the receiver, and executes processing for the game from a same state as that of a game screen corresponding to that data.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the condition information is at least one of screen data for the game screen corresponding to the state saving request, moving image data, or text data indicating a state in the game.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the state information includes at least one of a progress status of the game, variables used for the game, or calculation results.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the executor performs generation of a game screen by using a resource loaded into a predetermined storage area, and

the state information includes data of the resource loaded into the predetermined storage area in order to generate a corresponding game screen.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the executor performs generation of a game screen by using a resource loaded into a predetermined storage area, and

the state information includes information for identifying the resource loaded into the predetermined storage area in order to generate a corresponding game screen.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sharing request includes information identifying a method for the provider provides the link information and the condition information, and

the provider provides, based on the information specifying the provision way, link information of state saving data, and screen data for that data to an external apparatus.

9. A method of controlling a game apparatus for executing a game, the method comprising:

executing processing for a game, and generating game screens;

obtaining, in a case where a state saving request is received, condition information specifying a condition in a game corresponding to that request;

obtaining, in a case where the state saving request is received, state information for initiating a game in a same state as a game screen corresponding to that request;

recording state saving data associated with the condition information and the state information; and

providing, in a case where a state saving data sharing request is received, link information of the state saving data recorded in the recording of the state saving data and condition information for that data, to an external device.

10. The method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving step of receiving an access request based on the link information of the state saving data recorded by in the recording of the state saving data, or an access request based on link information of state saving data provided by an external apparatus, and wherein

the state saving data for which the access request was received in the receiving is obtained, and processing for the game is executed from a same state as that of a game screen corresponding to that data in the executing of the processing for the game.

11. The method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the condition information is at least one of screen data for the game screen corresponding to the state saving request, moving image data, or text data indicating a state in the game.

12. The method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the state information includes at least one of a progress status of the game, variables used for the game, or calculation results.

13. The method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein generation of a game screen is performed by using a resource loaded into a predetermined storage area in the executing of the processing for the game, and

the state information includes data of the resource loaded into the predetermined storage area in order to generate a corresponding game screen.

14. The method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein generation of a game screen is performed by using a resource loaded into a predetermined storage area in the executing of the processing for the game, and

the state information includes information for identifying the resource loaded into the predetermined storage area in order to generate a corresponding game screen.

15. The method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sharing request includes information identifying a method for the providing of the link information and the condition information, and

in the providing, based on the information specifying the provision way, link information of state saving data, and screen data for that data is provided to an external apparatus.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing one or more computers to execute the method of controlling the game apparatus according to claim 9.

17. (canceled)