Image-display game system and information storage medium used therefor

• US 6,764,402 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Creatures, Inc., Game Freak, Inc., Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Creatures, Inc., Game Freak, Inc., Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ishihara, Tsunekazu, Tajiri, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
• Application Number:
  US10/052,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/17, 463/43, 463/22, 463/23, 463/7, 463/8, 463/40, 463/31, 463/44, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/460, 273/461
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

An image-display game system which can attract players for a long time to play a game can be implemented by presenting helping data of a0 to a63, and b1 to b5 beneficial in the course of a game to friends, and accordingly communications accompanying therewith can be stimulated and activated thereamong, and the game can be effectively utilized as a communications tool. Such image-display game system is so structured that the players'"'"' ID data IDn is communicable or exchangeable therein. With the other player'"'"'s ID received, items beneficial in the course of the game or the helping data of 10 to 163, and b1 to b5 is generated based on the ID data, and is presented to the player. As a result, exchanging of the ID data IDn is activated among the players. The items presented based on the ID data IDn are determined by operating the ID data using an equation in FIG. 17 which is based on a predetermined rule, or in an operation processing by combining the ID data IDn and a random number R.

Claims

1. A method of operating a multiplayer video game system for playing a video game involving characters that may be captured by a player comprising the steps of:

establishing communication between a first player'"'"'s video game device and a second player'"'"'s video game device;

associating time related data with at least a first video game character that may be captured by a player;

controlling the display of said first video game character based upon said time related data;

receiving by said first player'"'"'s video game device identification information identifying said second player; and

storing data in said first player'"'"'s video game device relating to said at least one video game character associated with said second player including said time related data.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of storing property data associated with a character that may be captured during the course of said video game including help data for helping the player during video game play.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of changing the stored property data in response to user actuation of at least one control member associated with said first player'"'"'s video game device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of controlling the display of said first video game character based upon said time related data includes the steps of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed, and prohibiting the generation of help data until said predetermined length of time has passed.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of establishing communication includes the step of communicating via an infrared transmitter/receiver.

6. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of capturing a plurality of characters, each character associated with a distinct habitat.

7. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of controlling the display of at least one character that may be captured by a player such that said character is displayed only when said time related data has a predetermined relationship with the current time.

8. A method according to claim 7, further including the step of controlling the display of said at least one character such that the probability of display begins to increase as of a predetermined time of day.

9. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of associating virus related data with a character.

10. A method according to claim 9, further including the step of increasing the rate of assigning game scoring related values with characters that are virus infected.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of storing data in said first player'"'"'s video game device includes the step of storing a rival player'"'"'s ID data in a battle character data area of memory.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing data in said first player'"'"'s video game device includes the step of storing data relating to a plurality of characters in a battle area of memory.

13. A method of operating a multiplayer video game for playing a video game involving characters that may be captured by a player comprising the steps of:

establishing communication between a first player'"'"'s video game device having an associated program for storing a first game program for playing a game involving characters that may be captured by the player; and

at least a second player'"'"'s removable memory for storing a second video game program involving characters that may be captured by the second player;

wherein said first program includes at least one function that is not available in accordance with the second game program,

transferring data relating to a captured character from the second player to said first player; and

processing the captured character data received from the second player to create data relating to a function not available in accordance with said second game program.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said second game program does not process data relating to the sex of the character;

and

further including the step of processing the data received from the second player'"'"'s removable memory such that sex data is generated based upon data received from said second removable memory.

15. A method according to claim 13, further including the steps of associating time related data with at least a first video game character that may be captured by a player;

and

controlling the display of said first video game character based upon said time related data.

16. A method according to claim 15, further including the step of storing data in said first player'"'"'s video game device relating to said at least one video game character associated with said second player including said time related data.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the step of controlling the display of a first video game character based upon said time related data includes the steps of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed, and prohibiting the generation of data for helping a player during game play until said predetermined length of time has passed.

18. A method according to claim 15, further including the step of controlling the display of at least one character that may be captured by a player such that said character is displayed only when said time related data has a predetermined relationship with the current time.

19. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of

receiving by said first player'"'"'s video game device identification information identifying said second player.

20. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of storing property data associated with a character that may be captured during the course of said video game including help data for helping the player during video game play.

21. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of changing the stored data relating to a captured character in response to user actuation of at least one control member associated with said first player'"'"'s video game device.

22. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of establishing communication includes the step of communicating via an infrared transmitter/receiver.

23. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of capturing a plurality of characters, each character associated with a distinct habitat.

24. A method according to claim 13, further including the steps of associating time of day data with a character and controlling the display of said at least one character such that the probability of display begins to increase as of a predetermined time of day.

25. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of associating virus related data with a character.

26. A method according to claim 25, further including the step of increasing the rate of assigning game scoring related values with characters that are virus infected.

27. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of transferring data includes the step of storing a rival player'"'"'s ID data in a battle character data area of memory.

28. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of transferring data includes the step of storing data relating to a plurality of characters in a battle area of memory.