Game system, game device, game device control method and information storage medium

• US 6,629,892 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Oe, Osamu, Tanimura, Akihide, Takehara, Kazuyoshi, Majima, Yasukazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US09/833,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

To provide a game system allowing two players to enjoy a game together toward a common goal. In a cooperation requiring event area, a giant rock blocks a path to be followed by a player character. The giant rock cannot be moved by the player character alone. Then, the game device of the player character is made connected for communication to other game device so that another player character is fetched from the connected game device. When the two player characters cooperate at their respective game devices, the giant rock is able to be moved by the two player characters.

Claims

1. A game system having a first game device and a second game device, the both devices being capable of communicating to each other, wherein

the second game device comprises operation signal transmission means for transmitting an operation signal from the second game device to the first game device, and

the first game device comprises

game screen image displaying means for displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

own device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from the first game device;

other device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from the second game device; and

event clearing means for clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the first game device and the operation signal received from the second game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, wherein said first game device further comprises;

means for requesting assistance from said second game device upon encountering a cooperation requiring event during execution of the game, and

means for receiving an acceptance of assistance from said second game device.

2. The game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for requesting further comprises means for checking whether the second game device is connected to the first game device and whether the second game device is executing a desired game program.

3. A game system having a first game device and a second game device, the both devices being capable of communicating to each other, wherein

the second game device comprises operation signal transmission means for transmitting an operation signal from the second game device to the first game device, and

the first game device comprises

game screen image displaying means for displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

own device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from the first game device;

other device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from the second game device; and

event clearing means for clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the first game device and the operation signal received from the second game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, wherein said second game device further comprises;

means for monitoring for requests from said first game device for assistance in executing a cooperation requesting event; and

means for selectively advising said first game device that assistance will be provided and for forwarding cooperation signals during a cooperation requiring event.

4. A game device, comprising:

game screen image displaying means for displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

own device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from its own game device;

other device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

event clearing means for clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, further comprising;

means for requesting assistance from said other game device upon encountering a cooperation requiring event during execution of the game, and

means for receiving an acceptance of assistance from said other game device.

5. The game device, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said means for requesting further comprises means for checking whether the other game device is connected to the game device and whether the other game device is executing a desired game program.

6. A game device, comprising:

game screen image displaying means for displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

own device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from its own game device;

other device operation signal receiving means for receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

event clearing means for clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, further comprising;

means for monitoring for requests from an other game device for assistance in executing a cooperation requesting event; and

means for selectively advising said other game device that assistance will be provided and for forwarding cooperation signals during a cooperation requiring event.

7. A game device control method, comprising:

a game screen image displaying step of displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

an own device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from its own game device;

an other device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

an event clearing step of clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, further comprising;

requesting assistance from said other game device upon encountering a cooperation requiring event during execution of the game event, and

receiving an acceptance of assistance from said other game device.

8. The game device control method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said step of requesting further comprises checking whether the other game device is connected to the own game device and whether the other game device is executing a desired game program.

9. A game device control method, comprising:

a game screen image displaying step of displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

an own device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from its own game device;

an other device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

an event clearing step of clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, further comprising;

monitoring requests from an other game device for assistance in executing a cooperation requesting event; and

selectively advising said other game device that assistance will be provided and forwarding cooperation signals during a cooperation requiring event.

10. An information storing medium storing a program for having a computer to execute:

a game screen image displaying step of displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

an own device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from its own game device;

an other device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

an event clearing step of clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, wherein said program has said computer further execute;

requesting assistance from said other game device upon encountering a cooperation requiring event during execution of the game, and

receiving an acceptance of assistance from said other game device.

11. The information storage medium, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said program has said computer executed step of requesting further comprises checking whether the other game device is connected to the game device and whether the other game device is executing a desired game program.

12. An information storing medium storing a program for having a computer to execute:

a game screen image displaying step of displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

an own device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from its own game device;

an other device operation signal receiving step of receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

an event clearing step of clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal received from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, wherein said program has said computer further execute;

monitoring for requests from an other game device for assistance in executing a cooperation requesting event; and

selectively advising said other game device that assistance will be provided and forwarding cooperation signals during a cooperation requiring event.

13. A game device, comprising:

a game screen image display for displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

own device operation signal obtainer for obtaining an operation signal from its own game device;

other device operation signal receiver for receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

event clearer for clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal obtained from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, further comprising;

means for requesting assistance from said other game device upon encountering a cooperation requiring event during execution of the game, and

means for receiving an acceptance of assistance from said other game device.

14. The game device, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said means for requesting further comprises means for checking whether the other game device is connected to the own game device and whether the other game device is executing a desired game program.

15. A game device, comprising:

a game screen image display for displaying a game screen image representing a predetermined cooperation requiring game event;

own device operation signal obtainer for obtaining an operation signal from its own game device;

other device operation signal receiver for receiving an operation signal from other game device connected to the own game device; and

event clearer for clearing the cooperation requiring game event when the operation signal obtained from the own game device and the operation signal received from the other game device correspond to a predetermined collaboration operation, further comprising;

means for monitoring for requests from an other game device for assistance in executing a cooperation requesting event; and

means for selectively advising said other game device that assistance will be provided and for forwarding cooperation signals during a cooperation requiring event.