Storage medium storing game program for providing play-against-type game in which multiple players can participate, game device, and game system

• US 8,403,747 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanabe, Kensuke, Tabata, Risa, Suganuma, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKAARUP, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US12/553,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20100317432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 9- 13, 463 42- 44, 463/30, 273/241, 273/242, 273/292, 700 91- 93
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• 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 2300/61 Score computation

Abstract

When a game is started, at least two types of pieces obtained based on random extraction from prepared types of pieces are set in advance for each player as his/her own assigned pieces (assigned objects). When the game ends as a prescribed condition is satisfied, an evaluation value of each player is calculated based on a cumulative value at that time point of the assigned pieces set for that player. The assigned piece defines the type of the piece to be evaluated for each player. Here, as a difference between a cumulative value of one assigned piece and a cumulative value of the other assigned piece is greater, a higher evaluation value is calculated. Typically, the difference (absolute value) between the cumulative values of the respective assigned pieces is calculated as the evaluation value.

Claims

1. A game device providing a play-against-type game in which a plurality of players can participate, comprising:

an input portion;

a display;

a cumulative number display unit for displaying cumulative numbers for each type of respective three or more types of arranged objects;

an assigned object setting unit for setting, for each player, at least two types of arranged objects obtained by extracting a part of said three or more types of arranged objects as assigned objects of that player,

a cumulative number update unit for updating the cumulative number of the arranged object of a designated type, in accordance with at least one of an indication through said input portion and an indication from one or more of the plurality of players;

a game end determination unit for determining whether a condition for end of the game is satisfied; and

an evaluation unit for evaluating each player based on the respective cumulative numbers of said at least two types of arranged objects set as said assigned objects for each player when it is determined that said condition for end of the game is satisfied.

2. A game system providing a play-against-type game in which a plurality of players can participate, comprising:

a first terminal device associated with a first player and including a first input portion and a first display;

a second terminal device associated with a second player and including a second input portion and a second display;

a cumulative number display unit for causing said first and second displays to display cumulative numbers for each type of respective three or more types of arranged objects;

an assigned object setting unit for setting, for each of at least said first and second players, at least two types of arranged objects obtained by extracting a part of said three or more types of arranged objects as assigned objects of that player,

a cumulative number update unit for updating the cumulative number of a designated type of arranged object, in accordance with an indication through at least one of said first and second input portions;

a game end determination unit for determining whether a condition for end of the game is satisfied, and

an evaluation unit for evaluating each player based on the respective cumulative numbers of said at least two types of arranged objects set as said assigned objects for each player when it is determined that said condition for end of the game is satisfied.

3. The game system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first assigned object display control unit for causing said first display to display said assigned object set for said first player in an identifiable manner and to display said assigned object set for said second player in an unidentifiable manner;

a second assigned object display control unit for causing said second display to display said assigned object set for said second player in an identifiable manner and to display said assigned object set for said first player in an unidentifiable manner;

an assigned object type designation unit for accepting, through said first input portion, designation of the type of said assigned object set for said second player, from said first player; and

a matching determination unit for determining whether the designated type of the assigned object matches with the type of the assigned object set for said second player, wherein

said evaluation unit is configured to make evaluation also based on a result of determination by said matching determination unit.

4. The game system according to claim 2, wherein

the plurality of players who participate in said play-against-type game, including said first and second players, sequentially provide an indication for updating the cumulative number of said arranged object in accordance with a prescribed order, until it is determined that said condition for end of the game is satisfied.

5. A method implemented for providing a play-against-type game in which a plurality of players can participate, in a game device having an input portion, a display, and one or more processors, the method comprising:

displaying cumulative numbers for each type of respective three or more types of arranged objects;

setting, for each player, at least two types of arranged objects obtained by extracting a part of said three or more types of arranged objects as assigned objects of that player;

updating the cumulative number of the arranged object of a designated type, in accordance with at least one of an indication through said input portion and an indication from one or more of the plurality of players;

determining whether a condition for end of the game is satisfied; and

evaluating, via the one or more processors, each player based on the respective cumulative numbers of said at least two types of arranged objects set as said assigned objects for each player when it is determined that said condition for end of the game is satisfied.

6. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program for providing a play-against-type game in which a plurality of players can participate, in a game device having an input portion and a display, said game program including

cumulative number display instructions for displaying cumulative numbers for each type of respective three or more types of arranged objects,

assigned object setting instructions for setting, for each player, at least two types of arranged objects obtained by extracting a part of said three or more types of arranged objects as assigned objects of that player,

cumulative number update instructions for updating the cumulative number of the arranged object of a designated type, in accordance with at least one of an indication through said input portion and an indication from one or more of the plurality of players,

game end determination instructions for determining whether a condition for end of the game is satisfied, and

evaluation instructions for evaluating each player based on the respective cumulative numbers of said at least two types of arranged objects set as said assigned objects for each player when it is determined that said condition for end of the game is satisfied.

7. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

said condition for end of the game includes a condition that the cumulative number of at least one type of arranged object has attained a prescribed number.

8. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

said condition for end of the game includes a condition that the number of times of update in accordance with said cumulative number update instructions has attained a prescribed number.

9. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

said evaluation instructions include

evaluation value calculation instructions for calculating an evaluation value of each player, and

winner determination instructions for determining a winner among said plurality of players based on the evaluation value of each player,

each of said assigned objects set for each of the plurality of players includes first and second arranged objects, and

said evaluation value calculation instructions are adapted to calculate, for each player, a higher evaluation value as a difference between a cumulative number of corresponding said first arranged object and a cumulative number of corresponding said second arranged object is greater.

10. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 9, wherein

said evaluation value calculation instructions are adapted to set for each player, a corresponding evaluation value to a minimum value when at least one of the cumulative number of said corresponding first arranged object and the cumulative number of said corresponding second arranged object is equal to or lower than a prescribed threshold value.

11. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 9, wherein

said evaluation value calculation instructions are adapted to set for each player, a corresponding evaluation value to a lower value when at least one of the cumulative number of said corresponding first arranged object and the cumulative number of said corresponding second arranged object is equal to or lower than a prescribed threshold value.

12. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

any of said three or more types of arranged objects can be designated as an arranged object to be subjected to cumulative number update processing in accordance with said cumulative number update instructions.

13. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

said game program further includes distribution instructions for distributing at least one increment object and/or decrement object in which increment and/or decrement of the cumulative value of said arranged object is defined to each player, and

said cumulative number update instructions include

instructions for accepting selection of at least one of said increment objects and/or said decrement objects distributed to each player,

instructions for accepting selection of any one of said three or more types of arranged objects, and

instructions for increasing or decreasing the cumulative value of the selected arranged object by a number defined in the selected increment object or decrement object.

14. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 13, wherein

said plurality of players make selection of said arranged object and said increment object and/or decrement object in accordance with a prescribed order.

15. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 13, wherein

said distribution instructions include increment/decrement object display instructions for displaying contents of said increment object and/or decrement object distributed to each player in a manner identifiable by other players.

16. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 13, wherein

said distribution instructions include special object distribution instructions for distributing a special object defining contents of special processing for proceeding with the game in addition to said increment object and/or said decrement object to each player, and

said increment object and/or said decrement object and said special object are displayed in a manner freely selectable by the player.

17. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6, wherein

said assigned object setting instructions include assigned object display instructions for displaying, among said assigned objects set for respective players, only said assigned object set for the player in an identifiable manner and displaying said assigned object set for each of the other plurality of players in an unidentifiable manner.

18. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 17, wherein

said game program further includes

assigned object type designation instructions for accepting designation of a type of said assigned object set for a specific player of the plurality of players, and

matching determination instructions for determining whether the designated type of the assigned object matches with the type of the assigned object set for the specific player, and

said evaluation instructions are adapted for evaluation also based on a result of determination obtained by executing said matching determination instructions.

19. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 18, wherein

said evaluation instructions are adapted to evaluate the player who provided designation relatively higher than the specific player when it is determined that matching of the type of the object was achieved as a result of execution of said matching determination instructions.

20. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 18, wherein

said evaluation instructions are adapted to evaluate the specific player relatively higher than the player who provided designation when it is determined that matching of the type of the object was not achieved as a result of execution of said matching determination instructions.

21. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 18, wherein

said assigned object display instructions are adapted to vary a manner of display of the assigned object set for the specific player from a manner unidentifiable by other players to an identifiable manner when it is determined that matching of the type of the object was achieved as a result of execution of said matching determination instructions.

22. The non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 18, wherein

said game program further includes

number-of-times detection instructions for detecting the number of times of acceptance of designation of the type of the assigned object set for said specific player, for each player, and

disabling instructions for disabling acceptance of designation in accordance with said assigned object type designation instructions as to a user of which number of times of detection as a result of execution of said number-of-times detection instructions has attained to a prescribed number.