Method of branching flow of game

• US 20020086724A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyaki, Kazuhito, Fujisaku, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,966,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit

Abstract

Without making such a matter that, for example, a branching point where the flow of a game story is branched is notified to the user, the user is let so as to detect a timing for a hidden branching point to be present, and in dependence on whether the detection of the branching point is right or wrong, the story has a varied subsequent development.

Claims

1. A story branching control method for a video game whose content of the story is branched in accordance with a player'"'"'s instruction, comprising the steps of:

providing a branching point on a way of a flow of the story;

receiving a search instructing input;

searching for the branching point for a predetermined period of time from the search instructing input;

comparing the branching point with the point of the search instructing input; and

determining a branch destination in accordance with the result of the comparing.

2. The story branching control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

setting a predetermined variant value for use in a determination of the branch destination in accordance with the result of the comparing.

3. The story branching control method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

counting the number of the comparing; and

setting a value of the counting as the predetermined variant value.

4. The story branching control method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

determining the branch destination in accordance with the predetermined variant value.

5. The story branching control method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

determining the branch destination in accordance with the variant value set by an initial value of a predetermined variant or by the result of the comparing, when the branching point to have been reached is detected by the flow of story within a period excluding the predetermined period of time.

6. The story branching control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

setting a predetermined flag in accordance with the result of the comparing.

7. The story branching control method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

determining the branch destination in accordance with the predetermined flag.

8. The story branching control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a predetermined search notification signal for notifying the search being made, simply within the predetermined period of time from the search instructing input.

9. The story branching control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating, when the branching point to have been passed is detected by the flow of information within a period excluding the predetermined period of time, a predetermined pass notification signal for notifying the branching point to have been passed.

10. The story branching control method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

generating the predetermined pass notification signal, simply when the branching point to have been passed is a predetermined one of whole branching points set on the way of the flow of story.

11. A story branching control method for a video game whose content of the story is branched in accordance with a player'"'"'s instruction, comprising the steps of:

providing a branching point in a flow of story; and

determining a branch destination in accordance with a predetermined variant value, when having reached the branching point by the flow of story.

13. The notification signal generating method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

generating the predetermined pass notification signal, simply when the branching point to have been passed is a predetermined one of whole branching points set on a way of the flow of story.

12. A notification signal generating method for a video game whose content of the story is branched in accordance with a player'"'"'s instruction, comprising the steps of:

providing a branching point in a flow of story; and

generating, when having passed the branching point by the flow of story, a predetermined pass notification signal notifying the branching point to have been passed.

14. A program executing apparatus for executing processing program whose content of the story is branched in accordance with a player'"'"'s instruction, comprising:

search instructing input detecting means for detecting an input of an search instructing input by a user;

searching means for searching for a branching point provided on a way of a flow of story, for a predetermined period of time from the search instructing input;

comparing means for comparing the branching point with the point of the search instructing input; and

branch destination determining means for determining a branch destination in accordance with the result of the comparing.

15. A recording medium having recorded therein a processing program whose content of the story is branched in accordance with a player'"'"'s instruction, the video program comprising and making a computer execute the steps of:

detecting an input of an search instructing input by a user;

searching for a branching point provided on a way of a flow of story, for a predetermined period of time from the search instructing input;

comparing the branching point with the point of the search instructing input; and

determining a branch destination in accordance with the result of the comparing.

16. A processing program whose content of the story is branched in accordance with a player'"'"'s instruction, comprising and making a computer execute the steps of:

detecting an input of a search instructing input by a user;

searching for a branching point provided on a way of a flow of story, for a predetermined period of time from the search instructing input;

comparing the branching point with the point of the search instructing input; and

determining a branch destination in accordance with the result of the comparing.