Method of processing interactive game, program product and game system for the same

• US 6,299,535 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Motoharu
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US09/560,326
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-2, 463/5-7, 463/30-33, 463/43, 463/49, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A method of processing an interactive game, and a program product and game system for the same, which enables a character other than the player character to act separately from the player character in the game virtual space, sets an event which a character other than the player character can execute when a condition in the progress of the game is satisfied, displays on the screen the existence of that event for the character other than the player character acting separately from the player character when the condition in the progress of the game enabling execution of that event is satisfied, selectively accepts execution of the event displayed on the screen by an operation of the player in the screen display, and selectively executes and displays on the screen the event for the character other than the player character acting separately from the player character in accordance with the acceptance of the selection and execution of that event.

Claims

1. A method of executing an interactive game program giving a plurality of characters roles in a game and making each character play out an assigned role, comprising:

making at least one character among the plurality of characters play out a first assigned role and displaying the at least one character on a screen,

preparing in advance at least one event shared by the plurality of characters and judging if the at least one character playing out the first assigned role on the screen has reached the at least one event,

switching display of the role played out by the at least one character to another character in the plurality of characters when determining that the at least one event has been reached, and

making the other character play out a second assigned role and displaying the other character on the screen,

wherein when the display is switched, the other character playing out the second assigned role is displayed instead of the at least one character playing out the first assigned role.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising, after making said other character play out the second assigned role, switching the display back to the at least one character playing out the first assigned role.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising making said at least one character play out the first assigned role in response to an operation by a player.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising making said other character play out the second assigned role in response to an operation by a player.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising rendering a judgement that the at least one event has been reached when the at least one character reaches a point able to be reached in the at least one character'"'"'s range action.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising rendering a judgement that the at least one event has been reached when the other character is made to play out the second assigned role.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising, when the at least one event has been reached,selecting the other character in response to an operation by a player and making the selected character play out the second assigned role.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, in which the selecting further comprises, displaying a menu showing the selectable characters and selecting one of the selectable characters from the menu in response to the operation by the player.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising managing said plurality of characters on a single time axis and, when switching the display from the first assigned role played out from the at least one character to the other character, making the other character play out the second assigned role in accordance with the second assigned role to be played out on the same time axis.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising storing in advance the second assigned role to be played by the other character on the same time axis.

11. A computer readable program product storing an interactive game program giving a plurality of characters roles to be played out and making the characters play out their roles,

said program comprising:

making at least one character among the plurality of characters play out a first role and displaying the at least one character playing out the first role on a screen,

preparing in advance at least one event shared by the plurality of characters and judging when the at least one character playing out the first role on the screen has reached the at least one event,

switching display of the role played out by the at least one character on the screen to another character in the plurality of characters when obtaining a result of judgement that the event has been reached, and

making the other character play out a second role and displaying the other character on the screen,

where in when the display is swithched, the other character playing out the second assigned role is displayed instead of the at least one character playing out the first assigned role.

12. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising, after making said other character play out the second role, switching the display back to the at least one character playing out the first role.

13. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising making said at least one character play out the first role in response to an operation by a player.

14. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising making said other character play out the second role in response to an operation by a player.

15. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising rendering a judgement that the at least one event has been reached when the at least one character reaches a point able to be reached in the at least one character'"'"'s range of action.

16. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising rendering a judgement that the at least one event has been reached when the other character is made to play out the second role.

17. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising, when the at least one event is reached, selecting the other character in response to an operation by a player and making that selected character play out the second role.

18. A program product as set forth in claim 17, in which the selecting further comprises displaying a menu showing the selectable characters and selecting one of the selectable characters from the menu in response to the operation by a player.

19. A program product as set forth in claim 11, said program further comprising managing said plurality of characters on a single time axis and, when switching the display from the role played out from the at least one character to the other character, making the other character play out the second role in accordance with the second role to be played out on the same time axis.

20. A program product as set forth in claim 19, said program further comprising storing in advance the second role to be played by the other character on the same time axis.

21. A game system comprising:

a unit for execution of a game in accordance with an interactive program giving a plurality of characters roles in the game and making the characters play out their roles,

a memory for storing all or part of the program, and

a display screen for displaying the game being executed by the unit,

the unit,

in accordance with the program stored in the memory,

making at least one character among the plurality of characters play out a first assigned role and displaying the at least one character on a screen,

preparing in advance at least one event shared by the plurality of characters and judging if the at least one character playing out the first assigned role on the screen has reached the at least one event,

switching display of the role played out by the at least one character to another character in the plurality of characters when determining that the at least one event has been reached, and

making the other character play out a second assigned role and displaying the other character on the screen,

wherein when the display is swithched, the other character playing out the second assigned role is displayed instead of the at least one character playing out the first assigned role.

22. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further, after making said other character play out the second role, switching the display back to the at least one character playing out the first role.

23. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further making said at least one character play out the first role in response to an operation by a player.

24. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further making said other character play out the second role in response to an operation by a player.

25. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further rendering a judgement that the at least one event has been reached when the at least one character reaches a point able to be reached in the at least one character'"'"'s range of action.

26. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further rendering a judgement that the at least one event has been reached when the other character is made to play out the second role.

27. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further, when the at least one event is reached, selecting the other character in response to an operation by a player and making that selected character play out the second role.

28. A game system as set forth in claim 27, in which the selecting further comprises displaying a menu showing the selectable characters and selecting one of the selectable characters from the menu in response to the operation by a player.

29. A game system as set forth in claim 21, said unit further managing said plurality of characters on a single time axis and, when switching the display from the role played out from the at least one character to the other character, making the other character play out the second role in accordance with the second role to be played out on the same time axis.

30. A game system as set forth in claim 29, in which the memory stores in advance the second role to be played by the other character on the same time axis.