Gaming machine, server, and program with virtual player

• US 7,306,521 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Co., LTD
• Inventors: Toyoda, Hirobumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pandya; Sunit
• Application Number:
  US10/619,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20040092312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/31, 463/32, 463/34, 273/85, 273/161
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A gaming machine, with which a plurality of players play a game against each other, is provided so as to enable the players to perform realistic tactical interactions with each other. In such player-versus-player type gaming machine, a virtual player is prepared in advance. Each virtual player is provided with an individual personality data and/or response data so that an image of the virtual player is arranged to be displayed in accordance with the data.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for a plurality of players to play a game against each other, comprising:

a display for displaying a state of a game;

a response image data store for storing individual response image data for each of at least one virtual player, the stored response image data for each virtual player representing different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player;

a game history data store for storing game history data representing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player;

a fortune data store for storing fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling; and

a game controller for (i) determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game, (ii), if the number is determined to be insufficient, selecting the stored response image data for a virtual player representing one of the different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player and corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played, for presentation as an image to a real player of the game being played with the gaming machine, and (iii) controlling the play of the virtual player according to an individual personality of that virtual player which is determined based on at least the stored game history data and the stored fortune data.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a response audio data store for storing response audio data for each of the different expressions associated with the different reactions of the at least one virtual player, the stored response audio data for each expression representing a different voice communication associated with that expression;

wherein if the number of real players is determined to be insufficient to play the game, said game controller also selects the stored response audio data representing the one of the different voice communications that is associated with the one expression represented by the selected response image data, for audible communication to the real player in association with the presentation of the image.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data change controller for changing the correspondence between an expression for a virtual player and a circumstance of the game being played with the gaming machine based on the stored game history data.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said display is an individual display associated with only a real player playing the game with said gaming machine.

5. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communications link for transmitting a message from a real player to another real player included in the plurality of players.

26. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a basic-personality data store for storing basic-personality data for each of the at least one virtual player; and

wherein the game controller controls the play of the virtual player according to the individual personality of that virtual player by (i) selecting the stored basic-personality data for that virtual player, and (ii) setting the individual personality of that virtual player based on the selected basic-personality data by referencing of the stored game history data and the stored fortune data.

6. A method of controlling the play of a game by a plurality of players against each other, comprising:

determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game;

if the number is determined to be insufficient, selecting, from response image data that respectively represents different expressions associated with different reactions of each of at least one virtual player, the response image data for a virtual player representing one of the different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player and corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played, for presentation as an image to a real player of the game being played with the gaming machine;

determining an individual personality of the virtual player based on at least game history data representing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player and fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling;

controlling the play of the virtual player against other of the plurality of players according to the determined individual personality of that virtual player; and

displaying a state of the game.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

if the number of real players is determined to be insufficient to play the game, selecting, from response audio data representing a different voice communication for each of the different expressions associated with the different reactions of the at least one virtual player, the response audio data representing the one of the different voice communications that is associated with the one expression represented by the selected response image data, for audible communication to the real player in association with the presentation of the image.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

changing the correspondence between an expression for a virtual player and a circumstance of the game being played with the gaming machine based on the game history data.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said state of the game is displayed individually to each real player playing the game.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting a message from one real player to another real player included in the plurality of players.

27. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

determining the individual personality of the virtual player includes (i) selecting basic-personality data for that virtual player from basic-personality data for each of the at least one virtual player, and (ii) setting the individual personality of that virtual player based on the selected basic-personality data and with reference to the game history data and to the fortune data.

11. A server for controlling play a game by a plurality of players against each other on multiple gaming machines, each gaming machine including a display for displaying a state of the game and a game controller for controlling the state of the game in accordance with input of a real player, the server comprising:

a response image data store for storing individual response image data for each of at least one virtual player, the stored response image data for each virtual player representing different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player;

a game history data store for storing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player;

a fortune data store for storing fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling; and

a server controller for (i) determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game, (ii) if the number is determined to be insufficient, selecting the stored response image data for a virtual player representing one of the different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player and corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played, and (iii) controlling the play of the game by the virtual player according to an individual personality of that virtual player which is determined based on at least the stored game history data and the stored fortune data;

wherein the game controller of a first of the multiple gaming machines, which is associated with a real player of the game, directs an image of the virtual player with the expression represented by the selected response image data to be presented on the display of the first game machine.

12. The server according to claim 11, wherein each of the multiple gaming machines further includes an audio output device, the server further comprising:

a response audio data store for storing response audio data for each of the different expressions associated with the different reactions of the at least one virtual player, the stored response audio data for each expression representing a different voice communication associated with that expression;

wherein if the number of real players is determined to be insufficient to play the game, said server controller also selects the stored response audio data representing one of the different voice communications that is associated with the expression represented by the selected response image data;

wherein the game controller of the first gaming machine directs an audible sound, corresponding to the voice communication represented by the selected response audio data, to be output from the audio output device of the first game machine in association with the presentation of the image of the virtual player on the display of the first game machine.

13. The server according to claim 12, further comprising:

a data change controller for changing the correspondence between an expression for a virtual player and a circumstance of the game being played with the gaming machine based on the stored game history data.

14. The server according to claim 11, wherein each of the multiple gaming machines includes a communications link for communicating a message from one real player to another real player included in the plurality of players, and the server further comprises:

a communication controller for controlling communication of messages between the multiple gaming machines.

28. The server according to claim 11, further comprising:

a basic-personality data store for storing basic-personality data for each of the at least one virtual player;

wherein the server controller controls the play by the virtual player according to the individual personality of that virtual player by (i) selecting the stored basic-personality data for that virtual player, and (ii) setting the individual personality of that virtual player based on the selected basic-personality data and with reference to the stored game history data and the stored fortune data.

15. A gaming machine for a plurality of players to play a game against each other, comprising:

an image data store for storing image data representing an image of each of at least one virtual player;

a game history data store for storing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player;

a fortune data store for storing fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling;

a game controller for (i) determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game, (ii) if the number is determined to be insufficient, directing the presentation of the image of one of the at least one virtual player represented by the stored image data in association with an expression corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played with the gaming machine, and (iii) controlling progress of the game in accordance with information input by a player, and the play of the game by the one virtual player according to an individual personality of that virtual player corresponding to at least the stored game history data and the stored fortune data; and

a display screen for presenting the image of the one virtual player with the expression in accordance with the game controller directive.

16. The gaming machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

an audio data store for storing audio data representing audible sounds for a plurality of different expressions for each of the at least one virtual player, wherein if the number of real players is determined to be insufficient to play the game, the game controller directs the audible sound represented by the stored audio data for the one virtual player for the expression to be presented, to also be presented in association with the directed presentation of the image of the one virtual player; and

an audio output device for presenting the audible sound in accordance with the game controller directive.

17. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 15, further comprising:

a data change controller for changing the correspondence between an expression and a circumstance of the game being played with the gaming machine for a virtual player based on the stored game history data.

18. The gaming machine according to claim 15, wherein said display screen is an individual display screen associated with only one real player playing the game with said gaming machine.

19. The gaming machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

a communications link for transmitting a message from one real player to another real player included in the plurality of players.

29. The gaming machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

a basic-personality data store for storing basic-personality data for each of the at least one virtual player;

wherein the game controller controls the play by the one virtual player according to the individual personality of that virtual player by (i) selecting the stored basic-personality data for that virtual player, and (ii) setting the individual personality of that virtual player based on the selected basic-personality data and by referencing the stored game history data and the stored fortune data.

20. A method of controlling the play of a game by a plurality of players against each other, comprising:

determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game;

displaying a virtual player, only if the number of real players is determined to be insufficient to play the game;

controlling play of the game by the displayed virtual player against the other of the plurality of players according to an individual personality of that virtual player which is determined based on at least game history data representing results of play of the game by that virtual player and fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling; and

displaying a state of the play of the game by the plurality of players.

30. The method according to claim 20, wherein:

controlling play of the game by the displayed virtual player includes determining the individual personality of the displayed virtual player by (i) selecting basic-personality data for that virtual player, and (ii) setting the individual personality of that virtual player based on the selected basic-personality data and with reference to the game history data and to the fortune data.

21. A gaming machine for a game in which a plurality of players participate, comprising:

a basic-personality data store for storing basic-personality data for each of at least one virtual player;

a game history data store for storing game history data representing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player;

a fortune data store for storing fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling; and

a game controller for (i) determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game, (ii) if the number is determined to be insufficient, selecting the stored basic-personality data for a virtual player, (iii) setting the personality of the virtual player based on the selected basic-personality data by referencing of the stored game history data and stored fortune data, (iv) controlling the play of the virtual player according to the set personality, and (v) changing the game history data in response to a result of the game being played.

22. The gaming machine according to claim 21, further comprising:

a display for displaying image data;

a speaker for outputting audio data;

a response image data store for storing individual response image data for each of the at least one virtual player, the stored response image data for each virtual player representing different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player; and

a response audio data store for storing response audio data for each of the different expressions associated with different reactions of the at least one virtual player, the stored response audio data for each expression representing a different voice communication associated with that expression;

wherein if the number is determined to be insufficient, the game controller also selects the stored response image data for the virtual player representing one of the different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player and corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played, for presentation as an image to a real player of the game being played with the gaming machine, and

wherein if the number is determined to be insufficient, the game controller also selects the stored response audio data for the virtual player representing one of the different voice communications that is associated with the one expression represented by the selected response image data, for audible communication to the real player in association with the presentation of the image.

23. A gaming machine for a game in which a plurality of players participate, comprising:

a basic-personality data store for storing basic-personality data for each of at least one virtual player;

a game history data store for storing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player;

a fortune data store for storing fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with a biorhythm of fortune telling; and

a game controller for (i) determining if a number of real player is insufficient to play the game, (ii) if the number is determined to be insufficient, selecting the stored basic-personality data for a virtual player, (iii) setting the personality of the virtual player based on at least the selected basic-personality, the stored game history data, and the stored fortune data, (iv) controlling the play of the virtual player according to the set personality, and (v) changing the game history data in response to a result of the game being played.

24. The gaming machine according to claim 23, further comprising:

a display for displaying image data;

a speaker for outputting audio data;

a response image data store for storing individual response image data for each of the at least one virtual player, the stored response image data for each virtual player representing different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player; and

a response audio data store for storing response audio data for each of the different expressions associated with different reactions of the at least one virtual player, the stored response audio data for each expression representing a different voice communication associated with that expression;

wherein if the number is determined to be insufficient, the game controller also selects the stored response image data for the virtual player representing one of the different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player and corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played, for presentation as an image to a real player of the game being played with the gaming machine, and

wherein if the number is determined to be insufficient, the game controller also selects the stored response audio data for the virtual player representing one of the different voice communications that is associated with the one expression represented by the selected response image data, for audible communication to the real player in association with the presentation of the image.

25. A gaming machine for a plurality of players to play a game against each other, comprising:

a display for displaying a state of a game;

response image data store for storing individual response image data for each of at least one virtual player, the stored response image data for each virtual player representing different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player;

a basic-personality data store for storing basic-personality data for each of the at least one virtual player;

a game history data store for storing game history data representing results of play of the game by each of the at least one virtual player;

a fortune data store for storing fortune data for each of the at least one virtual player, the fortune data changing according to the day in accordance with the biorhythm of fortune telling; and

a game controller for (i) determining if a number of real players is insufficient to play the game, (ii) if the number of real players is determined to be insufficient to play the game, selecting the stored response image data for a virtual player representing one of the different expressions associated with different reactions of that virtual player and corresponding to a circumstance of the game being played, for presentation as an image to a real player of the game being played with the gaming machine, and (iii) controlling the play of the game by the virtual player according to an individual personality which is determined based on the stored basic-personality data for that virtual player and with reference to the stored game history data and the stored fortune data.