Rearing simulation apparatus

• US 6,609,968 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bandai Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Bandai Company Limited
• Inventors: Okada, Hiroshi, Kondo, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/603,963
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/473, 345/672, 345/501, 345/952, 463/1-2, 463/30-32, 463/7, 463/40-42, 463/37, 703/11, 273/461
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/281 for pregnancy, birth or obstetrics G09B23/286 takes precedence

Abstract

Rearing simulation game apparatus for a virtual living thing (VLT), as an interactive electronic game with categories of a VLT at every rearing stage increased to variegate game development. A state parameter processor A increases and decreases a “care” parameter representative of a degree of “care” in response to completeness of an operation responsive to a player request, and calculates a “metamorphosis” parameter based on the “care” parameter. Rearing stage processor D selects one category out of a plurality of categories of the VLT lodged in the succeeding rearing stage in accordance with the metamorphosis requirements depending on the “metamorphosis” parameter calculated and the metamorphosis reference value set peculiarly to the “category” of the VLT in the present rearing stage. Rearing state display is provided in terms of a numerical value or figure based on a parameter or a category of the VLT designated by the request operation for the display.

Claims

1. A rearing simulation apparatus, comprising:

state parameter processing means A for increasing and decreasing a state parameter based on variables fluctuating chronometrically in connection with the state parameter representative of a virtual living thing and variables fluctuating in operation properties in connection with said state parameter responsive to an operation responsive to a request by a player, state parameter processing means A further carrying our “

care” and

“

character”

parameter processing which increases and decreases a “

care”

parameter representative of a degree of “

care”

with respect to the virtual living thing according to completeness of an operation responsive to a request by the player and increases and decreases a “

character”

parameter influencing requirements for an operation request of the virtual living thing based on said “

care”

parameter and a “

basic value of a category”

set peculiar to the category of the virtual living thing at every rearing stage,

operation request processing means B for carrying out the operation request in predetermined items when said state parameters meet predetermined requirements for the operation request which arc influenced by the “

character”

parameter,

operation request display means C for displaying the operation request in the predetermined items for the player,

rearing stage processing means D for metamorphosing the virtual living thing to a next rearing stage based on metamorphosis requirements depending on the state parameters, when a category promoting ace representative of a period of life set peculiarly to the category of the virtual living thing at every rearing stage has elapsed, said metamorphosis requirements being connected with the category at the present rearing stage,

rearing state display means E for displaying said state parameter or said category which is designated by a request operation for displaying the rearing stare in response to the request operation for the rearing state, and

egg data receiving means F for receiving data on an egg of a virtual living thing via a communication network, wherein said rearing stage processing means D replaces a whole or a part of a plurality of categories lodged in one or plural rearing stages with other categories based on the data on the egg of the virtual living thing received, and selects based on metamorphosis requirements one category oat of a plurality of categories including said other categories replaced which are lodged in the next rearing stage to promote the virtual living thing to the next rearing stage.

2. A rearing simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said state parameter processing means A calculates a “

metamorphosis”

parameter influencing the metamorphosis requirements based on the “

care”

parameter; and

said rearing stage processing means D comprises selecting means for selecting one category out of a plurality of categories applicable to a subsequent rearing stage with a basis in said “

metamorphosis”

parameter.

3. A rearing simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rearing stage processing means D selects one category out of a plurality of categories associated with a next rearing stage based on the metamorphosis requirements depending on the state parameters, which metamorphosis requirements characterize the selected category in the next rearing stage.

4. A rearing simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising living thing data transmitting and receiving means G for transmitting and receiving, via the communication network, data on the virtual living thing including data representative of the state parameters as well as data representative of die category of the virtual living thing, said data on the virtual living thing including player identification data for identifying a player'"'"'s apparatus, a table identification data for identifying a rearing stage table and an address of the rearing stage table for identifying the category of the virtual living thing, further being converted at another rearing simulation apparatus on the communication network to the data on tie virtual living thing, representative of another category of the virtual living thing to be sent back to said living thing data transmitting and receiving means G.

5. A rearing simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said state parameter processing means A increases and decreases the “ care”

parameter representative of a degree of “

care”

with respect to the virtual living thing according to the completeness of an operation by the player in response to an operation request from the virtual living thing, and calculates based on the “

care”

parameter a metamorphosis parameter influencing metamorphosis requirements to metamorphose the virtual living thing; and

rearing stage processing means D causes the virtual living thing to metamorphose to a next rearing stage based on the metamorphosis requirements depending on the metamorphosis parameter and a metamorphosis reference value set peculiarly to a category of a present rearing stage.

6. A rearing simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

rearing stage processing means D selects a veiled category out of a plurality of categories lodged in the next raring stage to promote the virtual living thing to the next rearing stage, when state parameters meet requirements for a veiled rearing stage, the requirements for the veiled rearing stage being met less often in comparison with the metamorphosis requirements.

7. A rearing simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising living thing data transmitting and receiving means G for transmitting and receiving, via the communication network, data on the virtual living thing including data representative of the state parameters as well as data representative of the category.