GAME DELIVERY DEVICE, GAME DELIVERY METHOD, AND GAME DELIVERY PROGRAM

• US 20170113139A1
• Filed: 04/15/2015
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hasama, Shinkichi, Ikenaga, Toshiya, Sayano, Toshiharu, Watari, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,279,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/51 Server architecture
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics

Abstract

A game delivery device and so on are implemented which enable an operable object to be operated with increased ease, in the case where game images designed to be executed in a dedicated game device are delivered to a terminal. The game delivery device includes execution means for executing a plurality of game programs designed to be executed in a dedicated game device in accordance with operation information; game program selection means for selecting one of the game programs on the basis of a selection instruction from a terminal; delivery means for delivering, to the terminal, image information based on execution of the selected game program; play mode acquisition means for acquiring a play mode selection instruction indicating whether the selected game program is to be played in a normal mode or an auxiliary mode; and auxiliary means for, when the auxiliary mode is selected, providing an auxiliary function that makes an operation of an operable object of the selected game program easier than the operation of the operable object designed to be performed in the dedicated game device.

Claims

1. A game delivery device comprising:

execution unit operating to execute a plurality of game programs designed to be executed in a dedicated game device in accordance with operation information;

game program selection unit operating to select one of the plurality of game programs on a basis of a selection instruction from a terminal;

delivery unit operating to deliver, to the terminal, image information based on execution of the selected game program;

play mode acquisition unit operating to acquire a play mode selection instruction indicating whether the selected game program is to be played in a normal mode or an auxiliary mode; and

auxiliary unit operating to provide, when the auxiliary mode is selected, an auxiliary function that makes an operation of an operable object of the selected game program easier than the operation of the operable object designed to be performed in the dedicated game device.

2. The game delivery device according to claim 1, wherein

the auxiliary unit further includes:

state acquisition unit operating to acquire an execution state of the execution means; and

state determination unit operating to determine whether or not the acquired execution state satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the auxiliary unit provides the auxiliary function when the state determination means has determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied.

3. The game delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary unit further includes:

auxiliary information acquisition unit operating to acquire auxiliary information including, in a correlated manner, game program identification information that identifies the selected game program, execution state identification information related to the predetermined condition, output timing information that represents an output timing of predetermined operation information, and operation information identification information that identifies the predetermined operation information;

timing determination unit operating to determine, when the state determination means has determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, whether or not a timing of acquisition of the operation information identified by the operation information identification information included in the auxiliary information is in a timing range represented by the output timing information; and

operation information output unit operating to output the operation information to the execution unit at the output timing represented by the output timing information in accordance with a result of a determination by the timing determination unit.

4. The game delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary function is a function of causing operation information acquired at a timing earlier than a previously set timing to be inputted to the execution unit at the previously set timing.

5. The game delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary unit further includes:

auxiliary information acquisition unit operating to acquire auxiliary information including, in a correlated manner, game program identification information that identifies the selected game program, execution state identification information that represents a predetermined execution state of the execution means, operation series information identification information that identifies information as to a series of operations, and operation information identification information that identifies predetermined operation information; and

operation information output unit operating to output the operation series information identification information to the execution unit when the state determination unit has determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, and the predetermined operation information has been acquired.

6. The game delivery device according to claim 5, wherein

the auxiliary unit further includes

position information acquisition unit operating to acquire position information representing a position of the operable object, and

the information as to the series of operations is modified in accordance with the position information.

7. The game delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary unit further includes:

auxiliary information acquisition unit operating to acquire auxiliary information including, in a correlated manner, game program identification information that identifies the selected game program, execution state identification information related to the predetermined condition, output timing information that represents an output timing of predetermined operation information, and operation information identification information that identifies the predetermined operation information;

timing determination unit operating to determine, when the state determination means has determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, whether or not a timing of acquisition of any operation information including the operation information identified by the operation information identification information is in a timing range represented by the output timing information; and

operation information output unit operating to output the operation information identified by the operation information identification information to the execution unit at the output timing represented by the output timing information in accordance with a result of a determination by the timing determination unit.

8. The game delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary function includes a function of making ineffective a predetermined attack against the operable object in the game program designed to be executed in the dedicated game device.

9. The game delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary function includes a function of causing an acquisition of an item prepared in the game program designed to be executed in the dedicated game device.

10. The game delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the execution unit operates on a basis of the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition means when the normal mode is selected.

11. A game delivery method comprising:

executing a plurality of game programs designed to be executed in a dedicated game device in accordance with operation information;

selecting one of the plurality of game programs on a basis of a selection instruction from a terminal;

delivering, to the terminal, image information based on execution of the selected game program;

acquiring a play mode selection instruction indicating whether the selected game program is to be played in a normal mode or an auxiliary mode; and

when the auxiliary mode is selected, providing an auxiliary function that makes an operation of an operable object of the selected game program easier than the operation of the operable object designed to be performed in the dedicated game device.

12. A non-transitory, computer readable recording medium containing a game delivery program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out actions, comprising:

executing a plurality of game programs designed to be executed in a dedicated game device in accordance with operation information;

selecting one of the plurality of game programs on a basis of a selection instruction from a terminal;

delivering, to the terminal, image information based on execution of the selected game program;

acquiring a play mode selection instruction indicating whether the selected game program is to be played in a normal mode or an auxiliary mode; and

providing, when the auxiliary mode is selected, an auxiliary function that makes an operation of an operable object of the selected game program easier than the operation of the operable object designed to be performed in the dedicated game device.