Communication game system and processing method thereof

• US 6,755,743 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Yamashita, Nobuyuki, Satou, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US09/653,947
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40-42, 463/1
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

This communication game system comprises a client system 1 and a game server system 2 for communicating with the client system 1. The game server system 2 comprises a database 21 for storing group information which relates a plurality of client systems to each other as a battle group. The game server system 2 is structured to decide a battle combination among the client systems 1 belonging to the same battle group, to perform a battle by managing the sending and receiving of data between the client systems determined by the above-mentioned combination, and to decide the next combination in accordance with the results of the battle. Each client system 1 has its own character select function and chat function when watching games.

Claims

1. A communication game system comprising:

a game server system; and

a plurality of client systems formed in a single group and communicatively coupled with the game server system, wherein each of the plurality of client systems is configured to selectively send and receive messages to any client system and further comprise;

communicating device for receiving chat information created by a first game watching player, which is sent by the game server system, and further for sending chat information, created by a second game watching player, to the game server system, wherein the received chat information and the sent chat information relate to a contemporaneously ongoing game being played by fighting players; and

display means for superposing the selectively sent and received messages on a game screen corresponding to the client systems, superposing the received chat information on a game screen corresponding to the game watching player, and superposing messages created by one or more fighting players on a game screen corresponding to the fighting players while not superposing the received chat information on the game screen corresponding to the fighting players.

2. The communication game system according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays the received chat information in a semitransparent window which is set up on the background of the game screen.

3. The communication game system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for exchanging dialog information only between the clients systems in a game watching state of a battle game.

4. A communication game system comprising:

a game server system; and

a plurality of client systems formed in a single group and communicatively coupled with the game server system, wherein each of the plurality of client systems is configured to selectively send and receive messages to any client system and further comprise;

a communicating device for receiving chat information created by a first game watching player, which is sent by the game server system, and further for sending chat information, created by a second game watching player, to the game server system, wherein the received chat information and the sent chat information relate to a contemporaneously ongoing game being played between fighting players;

display means for superposing the received chat information on a game screen corresponding to the same watching player, and superposing messages created by one or more fighting players on a game screen corresponding to the fighting players while not superposing the received chat information on the game screen corresponding to the fighting players; and

means for exchanging the selectively sent and received messages only between a client system in a game watching state of the game and a client system which is presently furthering the game.