Communication game system, communication game apparatus, and program

• US 8,998,724 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Inventors: Tabata, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, JEFFREY KEITH
• Application Number:
  US13/548,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

A game system which enables a host player to progress a game in collaboration with guest players is provided. The host player progresses the game by moving a party, including a plurality of player characters, on a field. When the party arrives at a predetermined point on a predetermined field, a battle with an enemy character is started. When a player character of the party becomes inoperative in the battle, a player character of a guest player may be substituted for the inoperative player character by sending a support request to the guest player. Although there is a time limit that the player character of the guest player may participate in the battle, the time limit may be extended when the corresponding player character achieves a predetermined condition in the battle.

Claims

1. A communication game system comprising:

a host terminal apparatus used by a host player; and

at least one guest terminal apparatus used by at least one guest player,

wherein the host terminal apparatus and the at least one guest terminal apparatus are communication-connected to allow the at least one guest player to participate in a game executed by the host player,

the game is progressed by operating a plurality of host characters by the host player, the plurality of host characters including at least one character operating according to a guidance from the host player, by operation of the host player,

the host terminal apparatus includes a host guidance imputer that inputs the guidance of the host player for progressing the game,

each of the at least one guest terminal apparatus includes;

a guest guidance inputer that inputs a guidance from a guest player for progressing the game by operating a guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, by the operation of the guest player; and

a game participater that allows the guest character to temporarily participate in the game executed by the host player,

the communication game system includes a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the plurality of host characters according to the guidance from the host guidance inputer, causes the guest character to temporarily participate by substituting the guest character for any host character of the plurality of host characters when the host character is inoperative, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest guidance inputter, and

the game progresser causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being extended by a predetermined amount of time when the guest character achieves a predetermined condition.

2. The communication game system according to claim 1, wherein

the host terminal apparatus further includes a support requestor that requests a support by the guest character in the game, with respect to at least one of the at least one guest terminal apparatus, when the host character is inoperative while the game is progressed, and

when receiving the support request by the support requestor, the game participater causes the guest character to participate in the game by substituting the guest character for the host character that is inoperative.

3. The communication game system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of host characters include an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter,

the host terminal apparatus further includes a participation mode setuper that sets a guest participation mode which allows the guest player to participate by substituting the guest player for the autonomous working character in the game, and

when the guest participation mode is set in the host terminal apparatus, the game participater causes the guest character to participate in the game by substituting the guest character for the autonomous working character.

4. The communication game system according to claim 1, wherein a participation time of the guest character in the game is variable according to an operation result of the guest character in the game after participation in the game.

5. The communication game system according to claim 4, wherein a task, which is necessary for the guest character participating in the game to achieve, is set as the predetermined condition in the game, and

the participation time of the guest character is extended whenever the task is achieved.

6. The communication game system according to claim 1, wherein the game progresser further causes a next guest character to temporarily participate in the game by substituting the next guest character for the guest character when the guest character is inoperative.

7. A communication game system, comprising:

a host mediation apparatus used by a host player;

a host terminal apparatus that is communication-connectable to the host mediation apparatus and executes a game by operation of the host player;

a guest mediation apparatus used by a guest player; and

a guest terminal apparatus that is communication-connectable to the guest mediation apparatus and executes the game by operation of the guest player,

wherein the host terminal apparatus and the guest terminal apparatus are communication- connected through the host mediation apparatus and the guest mediation apparatus to allow the guest player to participate in the game executed by the operation of the host player, the game is progressed by operating a plurality of host characters by the host player, the plurality of host characters including at least one character operating according to a guidance from the host player, by the operation of the host player,

the host terminal apparatus includes a host guidance inputter that inputs the guidance of the host player for progressing the game,

the guest terminal apparatus includes;

a guest guidance inputter that inputs a guidance of the guest player for progressing the game by operating a guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, by operation of the guest player using the guest terminal apparatus; and

a game participater that allows the guest character to temporarily participate in the game executed by the operation of the host player,

the communication game system includes a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the plurality of host characters according to the guidance from the host guidance inputter, causes the guest character to temporarily participate by substituting the guest character for any host character of the plurality of host characters when the host character is inoperative, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest guidance inputter, and

the game progresser causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being extended by a predetermined amount of time when the guest character achieves a predetermined condition.

8. The communication game system according to claim 7, wherein the game is a battle with the plurality of host characters and enemy characters, and

the game participater causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the battle.

9. The communication game system according to claim 8, wherein, when the guest character is located relatively close to the plurality of host characters on a field formed in a virtual space of the game, the game participater causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the battle.

10. The communication game system according to claim 7, wherein the host terminal apparatus further includes:

a support requestor that requests a support by the guest character in the game, with respect to the guest terminal apparatus, when the host character is inoperative while the game is progressed, and

when receiving the support request by the support requestor, the game participater causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game by substituting the guest character for the host character that is inoperative.

11. The communication game system according to claim 10, wherein the guest terminal apparatus receives the support request when the guest payer is on standby without playing the game.

12. The communication game system according to claim 10, wherein the guest terminal apparatus receives the support request when the guest payer plays a different game.

13. The communication game system according to claim 12, wherein the guest terminal apparatus further includes:

a game stopper that stops the game, the game having been played by the guest player, when the guest terminal apparatus receives the support request and causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game executed by the operation of the host player.

14. The communication game system according to claim 10, wherein the guest terminal apparatus further includes:

a participation selection receiver that receives a selection of the guest player of whether the guest player temporarily participates in the game when the guest terminal receives the support request by the support requestor.

15. The communication game system according to claim 10, wherein a number of guest characters which are able to temporarily participate in the game is at most equal to a number of operative host characters.

16. The communication game system according to claim 7, wherein the host terminal apparatus further comprises:

a guest character ejector that ejects the guest character from the game when an elapsed time from a participation of the guest character in the game reaches the predetermined period of time,

wherein the game participator causes a waiting character to temporarily participate in the game as the guest character, waiting orders assigned to waiting characters in an order of intending to temporarily participate in the game.

17. A communication game apparatus for allowing any one of at least one guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by a communication connection with at least one guest terminal apparatus used by the at least one guest player,

wherein the game is progressed by operating a plurality of host characters by the host player, the plurality of host characters including at least one character operating according to a guidance from the host player, by operation of the host player,

the communication game apparatus comprises:

a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the plurality of host characters according to the guidance from the host player; and

a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from a guest player in the game executed by the game progresser,

when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character by substituting the guest character for any host character of the plurality of host characters when the host character is inoperative, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, and

the game progresser causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being extended by a predetermined amount of time when the guest character achieves a predetermined condition.

18. A communication game apparatus for allowing a guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by communication-connecting to a guest terminal apparatus executing the game by operation of the guest player, the guest terminal apparatus being communication-connectable to a guest mediation apparatus through a communication connection between the guest mediation apparatus used by the guest player and a host mediation apparatus used by a host player,

wherein the game is progressed by operating a plurality of host characters by the host player, the plurality of host characters including at least one character operating according to a guidance from the host player, by operation of the host player,

the communication game apparatus comprises:

a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the plurality of host characters according to the guidance from the host player; and

a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from the guest player in the game progressed by the game progresser,

when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character by substituting the guest character for any host character of the plurality of host characters when the host character is inoperative, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to guidance from the guest player, and

the game progresser causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being extended by a predetermined amount of time when the guest character achieves a predetermined condition.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program for executing a communication game allowing any one of at least one guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by a communication connection with at least one guest terminal apparatus used by at least one guest player,

wherein the game is progressed by operating a plurality of host characters by the host player, the plurality of host characters including at least one character operating according to a guidance from the host player, by operation of the host player,

the program causes a computer apparatus to function as:

a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the plurality of host characters according to the guidance from the host player, and

a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from a guest player in the game executed by the game progresser,

when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character by substituting the guest character for any host character of the plurality of host characters when the host character is inoperative, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, and

the game progresser causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being extended by a predetermined amount of time when the guest character achieves a predetermined condition.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program for executing a communication game allowing a guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by communication-connecting to a guest terminal apparatus executing the game by operation of the guest player, the guest terminal apparatus being communication- connectable to a guest mediation apparatus through a communication connection between the guest mediation apparatus used by the guest player and a host mediation apparatus used by a host player,

wherein the game is progressed by operating a plurality of host characters by the host player, the plurality of host characters including at least one character operating according to a guidance from the host player, by operation of the host player,

the program causes a computer apparatus to function as:

a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the plurality of host characters according to the guidance from the host player, and

a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from the guest player in the game progressed by the game progresser,

when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character by substituting the guest character for any host character of the plurality of host characters when the host character is inoperative, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, and

the game progresser causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being extended by a predetermined amount of time when the guest character achieves a predetermined condition.