Game control method, game server, and program

• US 10,076,708 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2013
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GREE Inc.
• Original Assignee: GREE Inc.
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Tsuyoshi, Tsukihara, Tomohiro, Kato, Norikazu, Yasuhara, Tomoki
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US14/409,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20150165318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels

Abstract

A game control method, game server, and program can increase variations on methods for acquiring items, increase the predictability of acquisition of an item with a high rarity value or the like, and heighten interest in the game. Included are the steps of presenting a communication terminal, connected over a communication line, with acquirable item information that, for each item type, includes a total count and an acquisition count or a non-acquisition count of items when receiving, from the communication terminal, a request to present information related to items acquirable by the communication terminal, determining an item to provide to the communication terminal when receiving an item acquisition request from the communication terminal, and changing the acquirable item information when receiving a reset request from the communication terminal.

Claims

1. A game control method comprising the steps of:

(a) initializing a virtual game;

(b) displaying, during the virtual game, a plurality of cells and acquirable item information that is received from a server over a communication line, the plurality of cells being displayed in the same size, wherein each of a plurality of items extracted from an item information table pertaining to a user is associated with each of the plurality of cells, the plurality of items being selected randomly only from items in the item information table, and at least one of the cells including a character which indicates a rarity value of an item associated with the at least one of the cells;

(c) receiving, during the virtual game, a selection request selecting one of the plurality of cells and sending the selection request to the server; and

(d) displaying, during the virtual game, an item associated with the selected cell, which is determined by the server based on the selection request.

2. A computer comprising:

a controller configured to initialize a virtual game; and

a display configured to display, during the virtual game, a plurality of cells and acquirable item information that is received from a server over a communication line, the plurality of cells being displayed in the same size, wherein each of a plurality of items extracted from an item information table pertaining to a user is associated with each of the plurality of cells, the plurality of items being selected randomly only from items in the item information table, and at least one of the cells including a character which indicates a rarity value of an item associated with the at least one of the cells, wherein

the controller is configured to (i) receive, during the virtual game, a selection request selecting one of the plurality of cells, and (ii) send, during the virtual game, the selection request to the server, wherein the display displays an item associated with the selected cell, which is determined by the server based on the selection request.

3. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having stored thereon instructions to be executed on a computer, the instructions causing the computer to perform the steps of:

(a) initializing a virtual game;

(b) displaying, during the virtual game, a plurality of cells and acquirable item information that is received from a server over a communication line, the plurality of cells being displayed in the same size, wherein each of a plurality of items extracted from an item information table pertaining to a user is associated with each of the plurality of cells, the plurality of items being selected randomly only from items in the item information table, and at least one of the cells including a character which indicates a rarity value of an item associated with the at least one of the cells;

(c) receiving, during the virtual game, a selection request selecting one of the plurality of cells and sending the selection request to the server; and

(d) displaying, during the virtual game, an item associated with the selected cell, which is determined by the server based on the selection request.