Game result evaluating method and device

• US 7,988,545 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takuya, Mito, Yasushi, Nakano, Hideyasu, Sakai, Toyokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, BACH V
• Application Number:
  US12/037,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 463/7, 463 59- 60, 463/30, 463/31, 700 91- 92
• US Class Current: 463/7
• 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 13/30 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• 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 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6036 for offering a minigame in combination with a main game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

Further interest after completion of a game and motivation to participate in the next game are given to players of any skill. Using the results (for example, skill points, maximum combo number) of players evaluated for each predetermined parameter in for example a music game, and players again compete against each other. In other words, after the music game a separate game (secondary game) is played. Winning or losing in the secondary game depends on the results of the players for each parameter in the primary game, and the skill of the player in the secondary game. Therefore, a player'"'"'s effort and skill in the primary game can be utilized in the result of the secondary game, and even if the result of the primary game is unsatisfactory, the player can seize the chance to win the secondary game, depending on the skill of the player in the secondary game. Therefore, players of various levels of skill in the primary game are given further interest after completion of the primary game, and moreover are given motivation to compete in the primary game.

Claims

1. A method for operating a gaming system that includes a central server and at least a first game device in communication with the central server, the first game devices having an electronic display the method comprising the steps of:

executing a game on the first game device played by a first player producing game result that includes a plurality of evaluation items based on the game playing performance of the first player;

providing from the central server a second player'"'"'s game results to the first game device, the second player'"'"'s game results including a plurality of evaluation items based on previous game playing performances of the second player;

comparing the evaluation items of the first player'"'"'s game results with corresponding ones of the evaluation items of the second player'"'"'s game results, and determining the superiority and inferiority of the first and second players for each of the evaluation items thereby producing a plurality of determined results;

displaying on the display of the first game device a reference mark and a plurality of images, each image representing a corresponding one of the plurality of determined results, the images being arranged along a predetermined direction on the display;

providing movement on the display by changing the position of the reference mark relative to the images representing the determined results, or by changing the position of the images representing the determined results relative to the reference mark, such that the reference mark points to only one image at any given time while the reference mark and the images are being displayed with the provided movement;

receiving from the first player an instruction indicating the first player has selected of the one of the images that the reference mark points to at the time the instruction is received; and

determining whether the first player has won or lost relative to the second player, in accordance with the image selected by the first player.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the displaying on the display includes positioning of the images representing the determined results in a circular arrangement and repeatedly shifting the position of the images of the determined results around the circular arrangement.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the displaying on the display includes displaying the images representing the determined results in a side-by-side linear arrangement and

the providing of movement includes moving the reference mark relative to the linear arrangement of the images representing the determined results.

4. The game result evaluating method according to claim 1, wherein

the displaying on the display includes displaying the images of the determined results as one of either a first value or a second value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the displaying on the display includes displaying the each image representing one of the determined results as one of either a first value or a second value, displaying the first value and the second value in equal numbers.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein

the displaying on the display includes displaying the first value in a first display format and displaying the second value in a second display format different from the first display format.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of

providing communication between the central server and a plurality of different game devices.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the plurality of different game devices include one or more game devices selected from the following:

personal computers, mobile telephones and game terminal devices.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the compared evaluation items include skill point, maximum combo number, level of difficulty, remaining amount of life, rank, number of Perfects and score.

10. The according to claim 4, wherein

the first value corresponds to a WIN for the first player and the second value corresponds to a LOSE for the first player.

11. A method for operating a gaming system that includes a central server and at least a first game device in communication with the central server, the first game devices having an electronic display, the method comprising the steps of:

executing a game on the first game device played by a first player producing game result that includes a plurality of evaluation items based on the game playing performance of the first player;

providing from the central server a second player'"'"'s game results to the first game device, the second player'"'"'s game results including a plurality of evaluation items based on previous game playing performances of the second player;

comparing the evaluation items of the first player'"'"'s game results with corresponding ones of the evaluation items of the second player'"'"'s game results, and determining the superiority and inferiority of the first and second players for each of the evaluation items thereby producing a plurality of determined results;

displaying on the display of the first game device a reference mark and a plurality of images, each image representing a corresponding one of the plurality of determined results, the images being arranged along a predetermined direction on the display;

providing movement on the display by changing the position of the reference mark relative to the images representing the determined results such that the reference mark points to only one image at any given time while the reference mark and the images are being displayed with the provided movement;

receiving from the first player an instruction indicating the first player has selected of the one of the images that the reference mark points to at the time the instruction is received; and

determining whether the first player has won or lost relative to the second player, in accordance with the image selected by the first player.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the displaying on the display includes positioning of the images representing the determined results in a circular arrangement.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the displaying on the display includes positioning of the images representing the determined results in a linear arrangement.

14. A method for operating a gaming system that includes a central server and at least a first game device in communication with the central server, the first game devices having an electronic display, the method comprising the steps of:

executing a game on the first game device played by a first player producing game result that includes a plurality of evaluation items based on the game playing performance of the first player;

providing from the central server a second player'"'"'s game results to the first game device, the second player'"'"'s game results including a plurality of evaluation items based on previous game playing performances of the second player;

comparing the evaluation items of the first player'"'"'s game results with corresponding ones of the evaluation items of the second player'"'"'s game results, and determining the superiority and inferiority of the first and second players for each of the evaluation items thereby producing a plurality of determined results;

displaying on the display of the first game device a reference mark and a plurality of images, each image representing a corresponding one of the plurality of determined results, the images being arranged along a predetermined direction on the display;

providing movement on the display by changing the position of the images representing the determined results relative to the reference mark such that the reference mark points to only one image at any given time while the reference mark and the images are being displayed with the provided movement;

receiving from the first player an instruction indicating the first player has selected of the one of the images that the reference mark points to at the time the instruction is received; and

determining whether the first player has won or lost relative to the second player, in accordance with the image selected by the first player.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein

the displaying on the display includes positioning of the images representing the determined results in a circular arrangement.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein

the displaying on the display includes positioning of the images representing the determined results in a linear arrangement.