Game machine with extendible play criteria and information storage medium

• US 6,558,259 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Isao, Maruyama, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/499,639
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-9, 463/14, 463/16-23, 463/25, 463/43-44, 463/58-59, 463/30-32, 463/37-38, 463/49, 463/60, 473/27, 273/440-442, 273/440.1, 273/445-446, 273/460-461, 327/392-393
• US Class Current: 463/59
• 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 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

A game machine and information storage medium which can change at least one of game termination numbers specified for items including a lap number, life, time limit, player'"'"'s vehicles, game points and game stages, for player'"'"'s benefit, in comparison with the normal game termination number to be set by reception of a game charge for a normal one play of the game. This game machine comprises: an additional charge processing section for receiving an additional charge before game termination; a game termination number setting section for setting the game termination number for player'"'"'s benefit in comparison with the normal game termination number set by reception of a game charge for a normal one play of the game; and a game termination processing section for processing for terminating the game when a specific number of laps or a time limit reaches the changed game termination number.

Claims

1. A game machine for a game which is terminated when at least one of given items including a lap number, life, a play time, player'"'"'s vehicles, game points and game stages, reaches a given game termination number specified for each item, said game machine comprising:

means for receiving a normal one play game charge before receiving an additional game charge;

means for outputting an additional charge reception screen before starting the game;

means for receiving the additional game charge and a decision that is input by a player to change the game termination number for a player'"'"'s benefit within a given time during which the additional charge reception screen is displayed;

means for changing the game termination number for the player'"'"'s benefit, in response to reception of the additional game charge and the decision within the given time, in comparison with a normal game termination number to be set by reception of the normal one play game charge for a normal one play of the game; and

means for terminating the game when at least one of said items reaches the changed game termination number.

2. A game machine for a game which is terminated when a play time reaches a given time limit, said game machine comprising:

means for receiving a normal one play game charge before receiving an additional game charge;

means for outputting an additional charge reception screen before starting the game;

means for receiving the additional game charge and a decision that is input by a player to change the time limit for a player'"'"'s benefit within a given time during which the additional charge reception screen is displayed;

means for changing the time limit for the player'"'"'s benefit, in response to reception of the additional game charge and the decision within the given time, in comparison with a normal time limit to be set by reception of the normal one play game charge for a normal one play of the game; and

means for terminating the game when the play time reaches the changed time limit.

3. A game machine for a game which is terminated when a moving body operated by a player has moved a specific number of laps on a game course, said game machine comprising:

means for receiving a normal one play game charge before receiving an additional game charge;

means for outputting an additional charge reception screen before starting the game;

means for receiving the additional game charge within a given time before starting the game;

means for changing the specific number of laps for the player'"'"'s benefit, in response to reception of the additional game charge within the given time before starting the game, in comparison with a normal specific number of laps to be set by reception of the normal one play game charge for a normal one play of the game; and

means for terminating the game when the moving body operated by the player has moved the changed specific number of laps on the game course.

4. A computer-readable information storage medium for playing a game which is terminated when at least one of given items including a lap number, life, time limit, player'"'"'s vehicles, game points and game stages, reaches a given game termination number specified for each item, said information storage medium comprising information for implementing:

means for receiving a normal one play game charge before receiving an additional game charge;

means for outputting an additional charge reception screen before starting the game;

means for receiving the additional game charge and a decision that is input by a player to change the game termination number for a player'"'"'s benefit within a given time during which the additional charge reception screen is displayed;

means for changing the game termination number for the player'"'"'s benefit, in response to reception of the additional game charge and the decision within the given time, in comparison with a normal game termination number to be set by reception of the normal one play game charge for a normal one play of the game; and

means for terminating the game when at least one of said items reaches the changed game termination number.

5. A computer-readable information storage medium for playing a game which is terminated when a play time reaches a given time limit, said information storage medium comprising information for implementing:

means for receiving a normal one play game charge before receiving an additional game charge;

means for outputting an additional charge reception screen before starting the game;

means for receiving the additional game charge and a decision that is input by a player to change the time limit for a player'"'"'s benefit within a given time during which the additional charge reception screen is displayed;

means for changing the time limit for the player'"'"'s benefit, in response to reception of the additional game charge and the decision within the given time, in comparison with a normal time limit to be set by reception of the normal one play game charge for a normal one play of the game; and

means for terminating the game when the play time reaches the changed time limit.

6. A computer-readable information storage medium for playing game which is terminated when a moving body operated by a player has moved a specific number of laps on a game course, said information storage medium comprising information for implementing:

means for receiving a normal one play game charge before receiving an additional game charge;

means for outputting an additional charge reception screen before starting the game;

means for receiving the additional game charge within a given time before starting the game;

means for changing the specific number of laps for a player'"'"'s benefit, in response to reception of the additional game charge within the given time before starting the game, in comparison with a normal specific number of laps to be set by reception of the normal one play game charge for a normal one play of the game; and

means for terminating the game when the moving body operated by the player has moved the changed specific number of laps on the game course.