Game method for effecting aging of competing characters independent of game player participation

• US 6,884,163 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Studios, Inc. (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Norio, Namba, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US09/919,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/3, 463/23, 463/29, 463 40- 43, 345/121, 345/139, 273/317.1, 273/461, 709/203, 709/218
• US Class Current: 463/1
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• 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 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8052 Ball team management
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Using terminal apparatuses 1A to 1E connected to a server 3 by a network 2, original characters are trained by the game players executing a character training game, and data relating to those original characters are stored in a database 31 in the server 3. When two or more game players directly contest the same game in real time via the network 2, data relating to the original characters of the game players stored in the database 31 are downloaded to the terminal apparatuses 1A to 1E and used as character data.

Claims

1. A game procedure control method permitting at least two game players to engage in competition, using at least two terminal apparatuses having monitors connected to a server through a network, comprising the steps of:

storing data relating to original characters, each trained independently by each of said at least two game players, in a prescribed memory area in said server, wherein said data includes physical characteristic data based on age;

reading out said data relating to the original characters of each of said at least two game players from said memory area as character data to be used when a game program is executed;

transmitting control data input by at least first and second game players of said at least two game players, for causing corresponding ones of said original characters to move on the monitor screen of each of the terminal apparatuses, to a terminal apparatus of a competing game player of said first and second game players via said server;

moving said corresponding ones of said original characters on each of the monitors of said first and second same players in accordance with said control data input by corresponding ones of said first and second game players; and

monitoring passage of virtual time on said server, causing said original characters to age according to said passage of virtual time, and changing said physical characteristic data relating to ages of said original characters based on said passage of virtual time irrespective of whether or not the game players participate in games during a period of said monitoring.

2. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein said game program is stored in said server, and downloaded to terminal apparatuses of said game players and executed.

3. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein said game program is recorded in a memory medium, and installed in terminal apparatuses of said game players and executed.

4. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein said original characters trained independently by said game players are ranked according to levels based on said physical characteristic data thereof, and competition between said first and second game players is made possible only when said original characters of said first and second game players have attained a certain rank or above.

5. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein said original characters trained independently by said game players are ranked according to levels based on said physical characteristic data thereof, and wherein competition between said first and second game players is made possible only when said original characters of said first and second game players are ranked within a prescribed range of one another.

6. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second game players trains a plurality of original characters, and teams made up of these pluralities of original characters compete with each other.

7. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein a team is made up of a plurality of original characters trained by a corresponding plurality of said at least two game players, and said team competes with another team.

8. The same procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein said server is provided with a message board page capable of being accessed at will by said at least two game players, so that said at least two game players are able to at least record, in said message board page, either a request to compete in a game or consent to compete.

9. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein the same screen is displayed on monitor screens of said terminal apparatuses of said first and second game players.

10. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein game images from a camera perspective established in correspondence with the original character of each of said first and second game players are displayed on the monitor screen of the terminal apparatus of each of said first and second game players.

11. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein the speed of passage of virtual time is set faster than that of actual time.

12. The game procedure control method according to claim 11, wherein said passage of virtual time is set such that a transition between day and night occurs in accordance with said speed of the passage of the virtual time.

16. The game procedure control method according to claim 1, wherein said physical characteristic data includes a physical strength or an athletic ability of the original characters.

17. The game procedure control method according to claim 16, wherein said physical strength and the athletic ability increase as ages of the original characters increase when the original characters are younger than a peak age and the physical strength and the athletic ability decrease as the ages of the original characters increase past said peak age.

13. A game system comprising:

a server for storing data relating to original characters trained independently by game players, said data including physical characteristic data used for a game program which enables competition between at least first and second game players of said game players; and

a plurality of terminal apparatuses, each of which is capable of being connected to said server through a network, comprises a control unit manipulated by said game players, and is capable both of storing data relating to said original character of a corresponding one of said game players in said server, said data including physical characteristic data based on age, and of reading out said data relating to said original character of said corresponding one of said game players when said game program is executed; and

said serving including a monitoring device for monitoring passage of virtual time, causing said original characters to age according to said passage of virtual time, and changing said physical characteristic data relating to ages of said original characters based on said passage of virtual time irrespective of whether or not the game players participate in games during a period of said monitoring.

14. The game system according to claim 13, wherein said game program is stored in said server, and downloaded to the terminal apparatuses of said game players and executed.

15. The game system according to claim 13, wherein said game program is recorded in a memory medium, and installed in the terminal apparatuses of said game players to be executed thereby.

18. The game system according to claim 13, wherein said physical characteristic data includes a physical strength or an athletic ability of the original characters.

19. The game system according to claim 18, wherein said monitoring device increases said physical strength and the athletic ability as ages of the original characters increase when the original characters are younger than a peak age, and said monitoring device decreases the physical strength and the athletic ability as the ages of the original characters increase past said peak age.