Game device

• US 20040063479A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, Inc. (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimura, Seitaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,677,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8052 Ball team management

Abstract

In order to output event content of a related match during execution of a main match, there is provided a virtual start time decider for deciding virtual start times for a plurality of matches, a related match selector for selecting, from the plurality of matches, at least one match, taking place at least partially at the same time as a main match a player'"'"'s team is taking part in, as one or more matches related to the main match based on virtual start times for each match, a related match simulator for simulating the related matches, event storage unit for storing event time and event content for prescribed types of events occurring in the related matches, a main match executor for executing the main match, an event time arrival monitor for monitoring for arrival of the event time stored by the event storage unit during execution of the main match, and an event content output unit for outputting event content corresponding to the event time when it is determined that the event time has arrived during execution of the main match.

Claims

1. A game device comprising:

virtual start time deciding means for deciding virtual start times for a plurality of matches;

related match selection means for selecting at least one match, from the plurality of matches, taking place at least partially at the same time as a main match a player'"'"'s team is taking part in as one or more matches related to the main match based on virtual start times for each match decided by the virtual start time deciding means;

related match simulation means for simulating the one or more related matches;

event storage means for storing event time and event content for prescribed types of events occurring in the one or more related matches;

main match execution means for executing the main match;

event time arrival monitoring means for monitoring for arrival of the event time stored by the event storage means during execution of the main match; and

event content output means for outputting event content corresponding to the event time when it is determined by the event time arrival monitoring means that the event time has arrived during execution of the main match.

2. The game device of claim 1, wherein

the event storage means stores replay data for reproducing and displaying prescribed types of events occurring in the one or more related matches as the event content;

and

the event content output means reproduces and displays prescribed types of events occurring in the one or more related matches based on the replay data.

3. An information storage medium for storing a program enabling a computer to function as:

virtual start time deciding means for deciding virtual start times for a plurality of matches;

related match selection means for selecting at least one match, from the plurality of matches, taking place at least partially at the same time as a main match a player'"'"'s team is taking part in as one or more matches related to the main match based on virtual start times for each match decided by the virtual start time deciding means;

related match simulation means for simulating the one or more;

event storage means for storing event time and event content for prescribed types of events occurring in the one or more;

main match execution means for executing the main match;

event time arrival monitoring means for monitoring for arrival of the event time stored by the event storage means during execution of the main match; and

event content output means for outputting event content corresponding to the event time when it is determined by the event time arrival monitoring means that the event time has arrived during execution of the main match.

4. A program distribution device for reading and distributing a program, comprising an information storage medium for storing the program enabling a computer to function as:

virtual start time deciding means for deciding virtual start times for a plurality of matches;

related match selection means for selecting at least one match, from the plurality of matches, taking place at least partially at the same time as a main match a player'"'"'s team is taking part in as one or more matches related to the main match based on virtual start times for each match decided by the virtual start time deciding means;

related match simulation means for simulating the one or more;

event storage means for storing event time and event content for prescribed types of events occurring in the one or more;

main match execution means for executing the main match;

event time arrival monitoring means for monitoring for arrival of the event time stored by the event storage means during execution of the main match; and

event content output means for outputting event content corresponding to the event time when it is determined by the event time arrival monitoring means that the event time has arrived during execution of the main match.