Game device and control program

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a game device and a control program having a highly amusing element. [Solution] A game device 100 includes a communication interface 106 and a control unit 101. The communication interface 106 is capable of communication with a server 200. Also, the game device 100 is a game device capable of executing a game in which a first character appears. The control unit 101 acquires information of a second character that is different from the first character from the server 200 via the communication interface 106, and performs processing of imparting a game element relating to the second character in accordance with the first character and the second character coming to be in a predetermined relation.

Description

Game device and control program

[0001] The present invention relates to a game device and a control program.

[0002] There is a game system that allows users to play an interactive game on their smartphone that brings together characters raised by various users, including users from a wide range of regions, by sending information about characters raised on the game device to a server via a smartphone (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-006264

[0004] However, in the game system of Patent Document 1, the experience of playing the social game is only provided on smartphones, so there is a possibility that the fun element may not be provided appropriately to users who do not own smartphones or younger users.

[0005] Furthermore, the game system of Patent Document 1 also provides an element of excitement related to communication by directly communicating information between two game devices, for example, with a game device owned by a friend, and then running an event on one game device in which characters developed on both game devices appear. However, because these communication elements are provided independently in the above game system, it is necessary to communicate with friends directly and with other users through a communication game, which is cumbersome.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a game device and a control program that are equipped with highly entertaining elements.

[0007] One aspect of the toy according to the technology of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0008] (1) A game device comprising a communication unit capable of communicating with a server and a processor, and capable of executing a game in which a first character appears, wherein the processor acquires information about a second character different from the first character from the server via the communication unit, and performs a process of imparting a game element related to the second character in response to the first character and the second character entering a predetermined relationship.

[0009] (2) The game device according to (1), wherein there are a plurality of second characters, and each of the second characters has one of a plurality of attributes.

[0010] (3) The game device according to (2), wherein the attribute of the second character is information set by a player.

[0011] (4) The game device according to (2) or (3), wherein the attribute of the second character is area information set for the second character.

[0012] (5) The game device according to any one of (2) to (4), wherein the processor is capable of outputting information indicating the attribute of the second character to a player of the game device.

[0013] (6) The game device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the second character is a character raised in another game device.

[0014] (7) A game device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the processor performs an effect in which a third character that appears in the game is born in response to the first character and the second character entering the predetermined relationship.

[0015] (8) The game device according to (7), wherein the processor performs a process of adding the game element in a state in which the third character appears in the game.

[0016] (9) The game device according to (7) or (8), wherein the game is a development game in which the first character and the third character are developed.

[0017] (10) The game device according to (9), wherein the first character and the third character have a plurality of stages of development.

[0018] (11) The game device according to (10), wherein the processor performs a process of imparting the game element when the third character reaches the second or subsequent stage among the plurality of development stages.

[0019] (12) A game device according to (10) or (11), wherein the processor performs a process of imparting the game element when the third character reaches one of the plurality of development stages in which the game element can be associated and used.

[0020] (13) A game device according to any one of (10) to (12), wherein the processor enables the first character and the second character to have the predetermined relationship when the first character reaches a specific stage among the plurality of development stages or later.

[0021] (14) A game device according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the processor performs a process of presenting a plurality of candidate characters for the second character to a player of the game device and accepting a selection of the second character from the plurality of candidate characters from the player of the game device.

[0022] (15) The game device according to any one of (1) to (14), further comprising a storage unit that stores data of the game elements in advance.

[0023] (16) The game device according to any one of (1) to (15), wherein the processor performs a process of imparting a game element according to an attribute of the first character set in the game device.

[0024] (17) A game device according to any one of (1) to (16), wherein the processor performs processing to limit the number of occurrences of an event that can cause the first character and the second character to have the predetermined relationship per predetermined period to a predetermined number of times.

[0025] (18) A control program for a game device that has a communication unit capable of communicating with a server and a processor and is capable of executing a game in which a first character appears, the control program causing the processor to execute a process of acquiring information about a second character different from the first character from the server via the communication unit, and, in response to the first character and the second character entering a predetermined relationship, granting a game element related to the second character.

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a game device and a control program that are equipped with highly entertaining elements.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a game device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a server 200 according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a social game using the game device 100. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a first example of social game processing. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of various information used in the game system according to the embodiment and modified examples of the present invention. FIG. 7 is another diagram for explaining the social game according to the embodiment and modified examples of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an item that can be obtained in a social game using the game device 100. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a second example of social game processing.

[0028] [Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiment does not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiment are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiment may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar configurations, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0029] In the embodiment described below, the present invention is applied to a game device capable of executing a game in which characters are trained (hereinafter referred to as a training game), as an example of a game device. However, the present invention can be applied to any device that has a communication function and is capable of executing a game in which characters appear.

[0030] <Configuration of Game System> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, in the game system, a game device 100 is configured to be capable of wireless communication with other game devices 100 and a server 200. As will be described in detail below, the game device 100 is configured to be capable of communication using two types of communication methods, and transmits and receives information using different communication methods when communicating with other game devices 100 and when communicating with the server 200. As shown in the figure, communication between the game device 100 and the server 200 is performed via an access point (AP) 300 and a network 400, which differs from communication performed directly between game devices 100. In this embodiment, the network 400 is described as a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet to enable interaction between users located in various regions. However, in another embodiment, the network 400 may be a local area network (LAN).

[0031] <Hardware Configuration of Game Device> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the game device 100 according to this embodiment.

[0032] The control unit 101 is a processor such as a CPU, and performs various controls including operational control of each piece of hardware included in the game device 100. For example, the control unit 101 performs various controls by reading out necessary programs stored in the storage device 102, expanding them into the memory 103, and executing them.

[0033] The storage device 102 is a device capable of permanently storing information, such as a non-volatile memory. The storage device 102 stores programs related to the operation of the game device 100, programs for the training game executed on the game device 100, and information on parameters required for implementing various controls. The storage device 102 also functions as a database of various data related to the training game (character DB 121 and item DB 122). The storage device 102 is an example of a "storage unit" of the present invention. The memory 103 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as a volatile memory. The memory 103 may be used not only as a development area for each program, but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of various hardware and various controls.

[0034] The character DB 121 is a database that manages, as records, information (character information) about characters that can be trained in a training game. In the training game executed on the game device 100 of this embodiment, a user can train a character that grows through multiple growth stages. The character is configured so that its appearance changes with each growth stage. The character DB 121 manages, as records, various information about each possible appearance that a character can have at each growth stage. As shown in FIG. 6A , for example, the character information for one record is associated with a character ID 601 that uniquely identifies the character (its appearance), and includes graphics information 602 for drawing the character's appearance, a growth stage 603 indicating the growth stage at which the character will have that appearance, and growth destination information 604 indicating the possible appearance of the character from that appearance. The growth destination information 604 may store information about the corresponding character ID 601.

[0035] The item DB 122 is a database that manages, as records, information (item information) about items that can be worn by characters in a character training game. In the character training game executed on the game device 100 of this embodiment, characters being trained can be equipped with items. The items may be, for example, items that can be acquired within the character training game or may be acquired as downloadable content (DLC) by purchasing a specific product. As described above, the appearance of a character changes with each growth stage, and the number of items that can be worn increases as the character progresses through the growth stages. As shown in FIG. 6B , for example, the item information for one record in the item DB 122 includes, in association with an item ID 611 that uniquely identifies the item, graphics information 612 for depicting the appearance of the item, an attachment location 613 indicating the part of the character on which the item can be worn, an attachment stage 614 indicating the growth stage at which the item can be worn, and item attributes 615 indicating the attributes attached to the item.

[0036] The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 104 is a drawing device that executes various drawing processes related to the generation of display screens for the game device 100. The GPU 104 includes a GPU memory (not shown), expands various graphics data read from the storage device 102, and performs predetermined calculations to generate various images (screens) related to the training game. The screens and images generated by the GPU 104 are presented to the user by being displayed on, for example, a display 110 provided in the game device 100. The display 110 is a device provided in the game device 100 that displays information, such as a liquid crystal display.

[0037] Operation I / F 105 is a user interface provided in game device 100 that accepts operation input. When operation I / F 105 detects that an operation input has been made, it outputs a control signal corresponding to the operation input to control unit 101. In one aspect, operation I / F 105 includes, for example, operation members such as buttons provided on the exterior of game device 100, various sensors, etc. Furthermore, in an aspect in which display 110 is configured to be able to detect touch input, operation I / F 105 includes a touch input detection sensor provided on display 110.

[0038] The communication I / F 106 is a communication interface provided in the game device 100 for communication with external devices. As described above, the game device 100 of this embodiment performs wireless information communication with other devices using two communication methods. One communication method is ad-hoc mode communication (hereinafter referred to as ad-hoc communication) as a first communication method according to the present invention, in which the game device 100 and another game device 100 act as a host and the other game device 100 connects to it, without the need for the game device 100 to be connected to an AP 300, and direct information transmission and reception is performed between the devices. The other communication method is infrastructure mode communication (hereinafter referred to as infrastructure communication) as a second communication method according to the present invention, in which each game device 100 connects to an associated AP 300, and information transmission and reception is performed between the game device 100 and the server 200 via the AP 300 and the network 400. The communication I / F 106 is an example of a "communication unit" according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the two types of communication methods that can be used by the communication I / F 106 are described as ad hoc communication and infrastructure communication, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this and may include other types of communication.

[0039] 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 200 according to this embodiment. In the following description, the hardware configuration that realizes the same functions as the game device 100 will be prefixed with the letter "server" to clearly distinguish it from the configuration of the game device 100.

[0040] The server control unit 201 is a processor such as a CPU, and controls the operation of each piece of hardware included in the server 200, and performs control related to the realization of various functions including user management and interaction functions related to the training game. For example, the server control unit 201 performs the relevant control by reading out necessary programs stored in the server storage device 202, expanding them into the server memory 203, and executing them.

[0041] The server storage device 202 is a device capable of permanently storing information, such as a non-volatile memory or HDD. The server storage device 202 stores an operating system for operating the server 200 and programs related to matching, as well as parameter information and various necessary data required to realize various controls. The server storage device 202 also functions as a database for various data related to users of the game device 100. The server memory 203 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as a volatile memory. The server memory 203 may be used not only as a development area for each program, but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of various hardware and various controls.

[0042] The user DB 211 is a database that manages information about users (user information) using the game devices 100 as records. In the game system of this embodiment, the server 200 manages the progress of the game development game on each user's game device 100, and the progress can be shared with other game devices 100, so that an element of character interaction can be provided even when the game devices 100 are not directly connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 6( c), for example, the user information for one record in the user DB 211 includes a user ID 621 that uniquely identifies the user, a language setting 622 set on the game device 100 used by the user, ghost information 623 related to the character being developed by the user on the game device 100, and a virtual residence setting 624 indicating the character's in-game residence. Here, the user ID 621 can be unique information such as the individual identification number of the game device 100 used by the user. The user information may also include a "user name" indicating the nickname set by the user.

[0043] Furthermore, information about characters being developed on each game device 100 managed in user DB 211 indicates the state of the character being developed on game device 100 at the time the information is received, and it is possible that the character being developed on that game device 100 may differ in a strict sense at the time the information is used on server 200, etc. For this reason, in this embodiment, information about characters managed in user DB 211 is referred to as a "ghost," meaning a vestige of the character being developed at a certain point in time, and is managed as ghost information 623. The ghost information 623 may include, for the character being developed, a character ID 631 indicating the appearance of the character, equipment information 632 indicating the equipment status of items on the character, and gender information 633 indicating the gender of the character.

[0044] The server communication I / F 204 is a communication interface with an external device provided in the server 200. Information communication between the server communication I / F 204 and the external device may be performed via a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or via a LAN or the like. Information communication performed by the server communication I / F 204 may be performed either wired or wirelessly.

[0045] <Game Overview> The following provides an overview of a game that provides a play experience on the game device 100 of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the game is described as a character development game that provides, as entertainment elements, character development elements, communication elements between the user and the character, and interaction elements between the characters. However, a character development game is merely one type of game featuring characters, and the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is applicable to any game featuring characters whose behavior is controlled in response to operational inputs made by the user. Here, "control of behavior" does not necessarily mean that the user directly controls the character, but also includes indirect changes in the character's actions and movements in response to changes in parameters or the environment as a result of an evaluation of the user's operational inputs.

[0046] In the breeding game, the user can breed a character by performing operational inputs related to the character's care. The breeding game starts, for example, by hatching an egg, and by sequentially performing operational inputs related to the necessary care, the character progresses through the growth stages, and the character's growth is presented as it changes appearance.

[0047] Characters are configured to be able to wear items, and users can decorate their characters' appearances by wearing items acquired in the training game. The number of parts on which items can be worn increases as the character progresses through the growth stages, and only a limited number of parts can wear items until a certain growth stage is reached. The wearable parts may include, for example, the character's head, face, torso, legs, and hands, each of which may be configured to be able to wear hats, eyeglasses, clothing, shoes, accessories (belongings), etc.

[0048] <Communication Elements> The training game is configured to allow characters trained by other users to appear by communicating with an external device. Therefore, the game device 100 acquires information about characters being trained by other users via the communication I / F 106. As described above, the communication I / F 106 is capable of communicating information using two types of communication methods and can acquire information about characters using each communication method. More specifically, the communication I / F 106 acquires information about characters being trained on other game devices 100 via ad hoc communication from other game devices 100. Furthermore, the communication I / F 106 acquires information about characters being trained on any game device 100 that has been connected to the server 200 via infrastructure communication from the server 200.

[0049] Hereinafter, a character being developed in the game device 100 is referred to as a "own character," a character being developed in another game device 100 about which information is acquired from the other game device 100 via ad hoc communication is referred to as a "friend character," and a character being developed in one of the game devices 100 connected to the server 200 about which information is acquired from the server 200 via infrastructure communication is referred to as an "other user character," and these are clearly distinguished. That is, the own character is a character whose movement is controlled in response to operational inputs by the user of the game device 100 in a development game executed on the game device 100. The friend character is a character whose movement is controlled in response to operational inputs by the user of the game device 100 in a development game executed on another game device 100 connected via ad hoc communication. The other user character is a character whose movement is controlled in response to operational inputs by the user of the game device 100 in a development game executed on one of the game devices 100 connected to the server 200 via communication. The "own character" is an example of a "first character" in the present invention. The "other user's character" is an example of the "second character" of the present invention.

[0050] To enable character information to be acquired via infrastructure communication, each game device 100 is configured to periodically connect to the server 200 via infrastructure communication, for example, at a predetermined time, and upload information about the player's character being developed. The uploaded player's character information is used to update the ghost information 623 in the user information managed for the user. Therefore, the game device 100 is configured to periodically upload to the server 200 the user information as well as the user ID, language setting, virtual residence setting, and information about the player's character (character ID, equipment information, gender information). The uploaded information may also include the user name.

[0051] These pieces of information are constructed by acquiring necessary information from owner information managed for the user in the game device 100. The owner information may be configured, for example as shown in Fig. 6(d), to include a user name 642 indicating the nickname set by the user in association with a user ID 641 that uniquely identifies the user, a language setting 643 indicating the display language set in the game device 100, a virtual residence setting 644 indicating the residence of the player character in the game, and training character information 645 indicating information about the player character, and may be stored in the storage device 102. The training character information 645 includes a character ID 651 indicating the appearance of the player character, equipment information 652 indicating items equipped to the player character, gender information 653 indicating the gender of the player character, and parameters 654 of the player character that may change depending on the training status.

[0052] Furthermore, when uploading information about the player's character, each game device 100 acquires information about other users' characters from the server 200 for use in the social game described below. When the server 200 receives the information about the player's character from each game device 100, the server 200 randomly selects a predetermined number (e.g., a fixed number equal to or greater than 10) of pieces of user information for users other than the user of that game device 100 that are managed in the user DB 211. The server 200 then transmits the language settings 622, ghost information 623, and virtual residence settings 624 of the selected number of pieces of user information to that game device 100 as information about the other users' characters. The transmitted information may include a user name.

[0053] When information about a predetermined number of other user characters is received via infrastructure communication, the control unit 101 registers the information in an other user list, which serves as a second list according to the present invention. The other user list is a list that manages information for displaying other user characters in the social game, and is stored in the storage device 102, for example.

[0054] On the other hand, information about the friend character is acquired from the other game device 100 on the condition that the user has performed an operation input on the game device 100 to communicate with the other game device 100. At this time, the game device 100 similarly transmits information about the player's character to the other game device 100 with which it is communicating.

[0055] Because users with whom ghost information is shared via infrastructure communication are not necessarily acquaintances or friends of the user who is developing the character associated with that ghost information, sharing information that could lead to the identification of individual users, such as nicknames, is undesirable. For this reason, as described above, information about other users' characters transmitted from the server 200 does not include information that could lead to the identification of individual users (user ID 641, username 642). On the other hand, ad hoc communication essentially involves direct transmission and reception of information between game devices 100 that are simultaneously capable of communicating with each other. Therefore, it is assumed that the user of a game device 100 and the users of other game devices 100 are acquaintances or friends. Therefore, character-related information (information about friend characters / information about the user's own character) transmitted between game devices 100 via ad hoc communication is configured differently from the information about other users' characters acquired by each game device 100 via infrastructure communication. In other words, to provide an element of enjoyment that can be enjoyed between acquaintances and friends, information exchanged via ad hoc communication includes information such as user nicknames. More specifically, the information regarding the characters sent and received via ad hoc communication includes, for example, the owner information managed by each game device 100, such as a user ID 641, a user name 642, a language setting 643, a virtual residence setting 644, and character development information 645.

[0056] When information about a friend character is received via ad-hoc communication, the control unit 101 registers the information together with information about the date and time of reception in a friend list, which serves as a first list according to the present invention. The friend list is a list that manages information for displaying friend characters in a social game, and is stored in the storage device 102, for example.

[0057] Furthermore, the friend list and the other user list have different update conditions. In this embodiment, the friend list is configured to manage information about friend characters associated with up to eight users who have communicated via ad hoc communication. When the control unit 101 receives information about a friend character via ad hoc communication, it determines whether information about the same friend character is already registered in the friend list. This determination can be made, for example, by checking whether information having the same user ID is registered in the friend list based on the user ID included in the received information. If information about the same friend character is already registered, the control unit 101 updates the information about the same friend character registered in the friend list with the newly received information. This allows users who have previously engaged in ad hoc communication to update their information about characters (friend characters) they are developing to the latest information. Furthermore, if information about the same friend character is not registered, the control unit 101 additionally registers the newly received information in the friend list. At this time, if information about up to eight friend characters is already registered in the friend list, the control unit 101 replaces the oldest information registered in the friend list with the newly received information, thereby registering the new friend character in the friend list.

[0058] On the other hand, the other user list is configured to be able to manage information about a predetermined number of other user characters received from the server 200. When the control unit 101 receives information about a predetermined number of other user characters through infrastructure communication, it registers the information in the other user list by replacing all information currently registered in the other user list with that information. That is, in the game device 100 of this embodiment, all information in the other user list is updated every time infrastructure communication is performed. This is because, unlike friend characters, other user characters are not characters related to acquaintances or friends, and therefore do not need to be retained for a long period of time, and frequent updates can provide the user with the excitement of playing a game with many other users.

[0059] The other user list is also referenced when a social game (described later) is played, and the information is used to display other user characters in the social game. In other words, the information registered in the other user list does not need to be updated if the social game is not played. Therefore, in one aspect, in order to reduce the amount of information transmitted and received via infrastructure communication and to reduce the amount of power consumed in the communication, information about other user characters may be acquired from the server 200 only when other user characters are displayed in the social game based on the information registered in the other user list. This control may be achieved by not making a request from the game device 100 to transmit information about other user characters.

[0060] <Interaction Game> The training game of this embodiment allows the player to continue training one character, but also includes an element that allows the player to train a new generation of characters born, for example, by marrying another character. This element keeps the user from getting bored and keeps them highly interested in the training game.

[0061] When ad hoc communication is performed, the game device 100 of this embodiment can execute a communication game in which a friend character being developed on the other game device 100 is displayed and the friend character interacts with the player's character. Therefore, this communication game can be used to marry the player's "friend character" and the "player character," unlocking the ability to develop a new generation of characters. However, the interest factor associated with such a communication game requires that the owner of the other game device 100 with whom the player is communicating is nearby. Furthermore, if the characters available for marriage are limited to characters developed by close acquaintances or friends, the types of characters that can be born may be limited.

[0062] Therefore, the game device 100 of this embodiment has a function for executing an interaction game to provide elements of interaction with various characters, including marriage with "other user characters" (e.g., international marriage). The interaction game is configured to feature characters (friend characters, other user characters) whose information is registered in a pre-stored friend list and other user list so that it can be played even in offline situations. Furthermore, to provide interest through the display of characters with various personalities (characters decorated with various items) and interest related to the above-mentioned marriage, the friend characters and other user characters displayed in the interaction game are limited to characters that have reached a predetermined stage of growth. Similarly, the interaction game is configured to be playable only if the player's own character has reached that predetermined stage of growth.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a social game using the game device 100. The social game is played using a social area consisting of five areas as shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the social area is configured so that different areas are displayed sequentially by inputting an operation related to area movement (area 401 → area 402 → area 403 → area 404 → area 405 → area 401 → ...). In a predetermined area, characters selected from friend characters whose information is registered in the friend list and other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list are placed separately in each area. The selected character is placed in one of the areas and is configured to be able to interact with the player's character in that area.

[0064] At the start of the social game, for example, after all areas are displayed, an effect is displayed in which the player's character moves into the social area. One of the five areas, area 401, is provided with an entrance gate to the social area, and control is exercised to display area 401 at the start of the social game. Then, as shown in FIG. 7 , player's character 701 is first displayed in area 401 together with friend characters and other user characters placed in that area. If the user wishes to move player's character 701 to another area, the user can move and display player's character 701 in the next area in the display order (area 402 after area 401) by performing an operation input related to area movement.

[0065] The actions of friend characters and other user characters placed in the interaction area are controlled without being based on operation input by the user using the game device 100. In the interaction game of this embodiment, the actions performed by friend characters and other user characters placed in the interaction area include actions accompanied by a greeting effect toward the player's character. The greeting effect is displayed differently based on the language setting information associated with the friend character or other user character to convey to the user the excitement of interacting with users from various countries. For example, for other user characters associated with an English language setting, a greeting effect including a speech bubble displaying "Hi!" is displayed, and for other user characters associated with a French language setting, a greeting effect including a speech bubble displaying "Salut!" is displayed.

[0066] <Selection Control of Displayed Characters> The number of characters to be placed in the interaction area is predetermined, and in this embodiment, one friend character and ten other user characters are placed. Therefore, when playing the interaction game, the control unit 101 may, for example, randomly select one piece of information from the information registered in the friend list, and place one friend character corresponding to that information in a predetermined area. Furthermore, when playing the interaction game, the control unit 101 may, for example, randomly select ten pieces of information from the information registered in the other user list, and place ten other user characters corresponding to that information in a predetermined area.

[0067] <First Example of Social Game Processing> The following describes the social game processing executed in the gaming device 100 of this embodiment for the social game. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a first example of the social game processing. The processing corresponding to this flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading a corresponding processing program stored in, for example, the storage device 102, expanding it into the memory 103, and executing it. This social game processing will be described as being initiated, for example, when an operation input related to menu selection for the social game is detected in the gaming device 100. During this social game processing, the GPU 104, under the control of the control unit 101, sequentially generates corresponding screens related to the social game, and the control unit 101 controls the display 110 to display these screens.

[0068] The control unit 101 selects characters to be placed in the interaction area (step S501). Specifically, the control unit 101 selects one friend character whose information is registered in the friend list and ten other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list as characters to be placed in the interaction area (hereinafter referred to as visiting characters).

[0069] Next, the control unit 101 places the visiting character selected in step S501 in the interaction area, and displays a performance that displays the entire area of ​​the interaction area (step S502).

[0070] Next, the control unit 101 displays an effect in which the player's character moves in the area 401 of the interaction area (step S503).

[0071] Next, the control unit 101 determines whether the greeting display conditions are satisfied for the visiting character placed in the currently displayed area (step S504).

[0072] If it is determined that the conditions for displaying the greeting effect are met (step S504: Yes), the control unit 101 displays the greeting effect of the visiting character for which the conditions for displaying the greeting effect are met based on the language setting information registered in the friend list or other user list (step S505), and then proceeds to step S506. On the other hand, if it is determined that the conditions for displaying the greeting effect are not met (step S504: No), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S506 without displaying the greeting effect.

[0073] Next, in step S506, the control unit 101 determines whether or not an operation input relating to area movement has been performed.

[0074] If it is determined that an operation input related to area movement has been made (step S506: Yes), the control unit 101 displays an effect in which the player's character moves to the area next in order to the currently displayed interaction area in the area display order, and returns the process to step S504. On the other hand, if it is determined that an operation input related to area movement has not been made (step S506: No), the control unit 101 returns the process to step S504.

[0075] As described above, the game device of this embodiment can provide highly entertaining elements.

[0076] <Items Acquirable in Social Game> FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of items that can be acquired in a social game using the game device 100. Actions in the social game in this embodiment include actions associated with a matchmaking party, for example, that are performed between the player's character and a friend character or another user character placed in the social area. Item 800b shown in FIG. 8 is an item 800b in a list 800 of marriage acquisition items that the player's character can acquire if the player's character marries a character they met at the matchmaking party. Items that can be acquired in the social game may include accessories and clothing items that can be equipped by the character, as well as tool items used by the character, food items eaten by the character, and furniture items placed in the character's room, which can be associated with the character and used in the game.

[0077] The items 800b that can be acquired vary depending on the virtual residence setting 800a of the spouse character, i.e., the area (area attribute) in which the spouse character lives. For example, if the spouse character lives in "Japan," the user of the player's character can acquire a "mikoshi" (portable shrine) as an item acquired upon marriage for the spouse character. Similarly, if the spouse character lives in "Northern America," the user can acquire a "baseball set," if the spouse character lives in "Latin America," a "maracas," if the spouse character lives in "Europe," a "road bike," if the spouse character lives in "Asia," a "tuk-tuk," if the spouse character lives in "Middle East," a "magic lamp," if the spouse character lives in "Oceania," a "boomerang," if the spouse character lives in "Africa," a "djembe," if the spouse character lives in "Space," a "planetarium," and if the spouse character lives in "Under the Ocean," a "dolphin float." Each virtual residence setting 800a is associated with an item ID 800c that uniquely identifies the item 800b. Item 800b is an item that becomes available when the player's character marries another user's character in a virtual residence setting 800a other than the player's own country, that is, when the player enters into an international marriage.

[0078] The list 800 of items acquired at marriage is stored in advance in the storage device 102. "In advance" means before the game device 100 processes the granting of items 800b to the user of the player's character. "In advance" refers to, for example, when the game device 100 is shipped or when the software of the game device 100 is updated. The "granting process" refers to the process of making available (releasing) items 800b stored in the storage device 102 in advance. Information on items 800b granted at the matchmaking party is information that the game device 100 itself originally has as the list 800 of items acquired at marriage, and is not information received from the server 200.

[0079] As described above, when uploading information about the player's character, the game device 100 acquires information, including the virtual residence setting 624, about the other user's character from the server 200. The game device 100 detects the virtual residence setting 800a that corresponds to the virtual residence setting 624 of the married character from the list 800 of items acquired at marriage, and grants the user the items 800b associated with that virtual residence setting 800a. Therefore, the game device 100 does not need to receive data about the items acquired at marriage from the server 200 each time a marriage is established, and the amount of data received by the game device 100 from the server 200 can be reduced.

[0080] At the matchmaking party, the game device 100 acquires information about other user characters, different from the player's own character, from the server 200 via the communication I / F 106. When the player's own character and the other user character establish a predetermined relationship, the game device 100 grants the other user character an item 800b related to the other user character's virtual residence setting 800a. The predetermined relationship includes, for example, marriage and becoming husband and wife. The item 800b is an example of a "game element" of the present invention. There are multiple other user characters, and each of the other user characters has one of multiple area attributes (virtual residence settings 800a). The area attribute of the other user character is information set by the user of the other game device 100 on the other game device 100. The area attribute of the other user character is information about the residential area set for the other user character. The user of the game device is an example of a "player" of the game device of the present invention. Note that the attribute is not limited to area information (virtual residence setting) and may be information that can set the character type, such as race information or ethnicity information.

[0081] Furthermore, the game device 100 can output information indicating the virtual residence setting 800a of the other user's character to the user of that game device 100. For example, the game device 100 displays on the display 110 profile information including area information of the other user's character.

[0082] Furthermore, the game device 100 performs an effect in which a next-generation character that appears in the game is born when a predetermined relationship is established between the player's character and another user's character. The next-generation character is a character of the next generation of the player's character and the other user's character. For example, it is a child character born between the player's character and the other user's character. The next-generation character is an example of a "third character" in the present invention. The game device 100 grants an item 800b when a next-generation character has appeared (born) in the game. In addition to raising the player's character, the game includes a raising game in which a next-generation character is raised. The player's character and the next-generation character have multiple raising stages. The raising stages refer to the evolutionary stages of the character, and include, for example, a baby stage, a kid stage, a young stage, and a friend stage.

[0083] Furthermore, the game device 100 grants the item 800b when the next-generation character reaches the second stage or later among the multiple development stages. In other words, the item 800b is not granted until the child has been developed to a certain extent. The second stage refers to, for example, the kids' stage of development. The game device 100 grants the item 800b when the next-generation character reaches, for example, the kids' stage of development, when the next-generation character reaches a development stage among the multiple development stages at which the item 800b can be associated and used. For example, play tools are granted to be used from the kids' stage onwards. However, special tools such as pacifiers used by babies are excluded.

[0084] Furthermore, the game device 100 allows the player's character and another user's character to have a predetermined relationship when the player's character reaches a specific stage among multiple development stages. That is, in this social game, the characters cannot marry each other unless the user has developed the character to a certain level. The specific stage is, for example, the friend stage of the development stage. Therefore, a character cannot participate in a matchmaking party unless it has developed to the friend stage.

[0085] Furthermore, the game device 100 presents a plurality of candidate characters for other user characters to the user of the game device 100 and accepts a selection of another user character from the plurality of candidate characters from the user of the game device 100. The user can select a favorite partner character from the plurality of other user characters attending the matchmaking party. The game device 100 can output information indicating the attributes of the other user characters to the user of the game device 100, and therefore the user can select a other user character from the plurality of candidate characters in response to an operation by the user, display profile information including information indicating the attributes of the other user character on the display 110 of the game device 100, and select a character having desired attributes as a favorite partner character.

[0086] Furthermore, the game device 100 limits the number of times a matchmaking party, an event that allows the player's character and another user's character to have a predetermined relationship, to occur per predetermined period. "Limiting the number of times a matchmaking party occurs per predetermined period" means limiting the number of times a matchmaking party is held to, for example, once per day. This makes it possible to reduce the number of times data is transmitted and received between the game device 100 and the server 200 and the amount of data transmitted and received.

[0087] Furthermore, the game device 100 can grant an item according to the attributes of the player's character set in the game device 100. The "item" here may be an item different from the "item 800b" according to the area information of the spouse. Specifically, an item related to the attributes of the player's character set in the game device 100 is granted when the game device 100 is used alone. "When the game device is used alone" refers to, for example, each user's achievements in developing the player's character. As a form of granting, for example, only the item related to the area set as the player's character's attribute may be sent as a gift from the server 200, or the item may be purchased in an in-game shop using in-game currency or the like. Information about this item is also stored in advance in the storage device 102 of the game device 100 itself.

[0088] 9 is a flowchart showing a second example of the social game processing. This social game processing will be explained as being started when, for example, the player character 701 moves to a predetermined area (area 401 to area 405) and an operation input related to participation in a matchmaking party is detected.

[0089] When the "Participate in Matchmaking Party" button is tapped, the control unit 101 selects a predetermined other user character corresponding to the player's character from among the 10 other user characters selected from the other user list as a candidate character for a matchmaking partner, and displays the selected other user character on the display 110. The predetermined other user character is, for example, a character that corresponds to whether the player's character is a male or female character and that has grown into the friend stage. Multiple other user characters (for example, four) are displayed. The user of the player's character first selects a favorite character from the displayed other user characters as a date partner. The selected other user character may be a character of the same sex, depending on the player's character's wishes.

[0090] The control unit 101 accepts the selection of a date partner character (step S901). The control unit 101, for example, causes the display 110 to display the profile of the selected date partner character. The profile includes, for example, area information (virtual residence setting) of the date partner character and information on items that are granted as items that can be acquired upon marriage. The profile information regarding the date partner character may also include a "user name." The user can decide on a date partner by referring to the profile information (information on items that can be acquired).

[0091] Next, the control unit 101 performs a date presentation of a date enjoyed by the player's character and the other user's character selected in step S901 (step S902). For example, the date presentation is displayed on the display 110 in accordance with the residential area of ​​the selected date partner. Specifically, if the selected date partner is a resident of "Northern America," a presentation of a date to watch a Major League Baseball baseball game is performed. Furthermore, if the selected date partner is a resident of "Space," a presentation of a date to view a planetarium is performed.

[0092] Next, the control unit 101 receives an instruction as to whether or not the player's character will propose to the other user's character (step S903). The instruction to propose can be given, for example, by tapping a proposal button displayed on the display 110. After the user designates a favorite other user's character, the user taps the proposal button to give an instruction to propose.

[0093] Next, the control unit 101 determines whether or not an instruction to propose has been received (step S904). If an instruction to propose has been received in step S904 (step S904: Yes), the control unit 101 performs a proposal effect of the player's character to the instructed other user character (step S905). The proposal effect may be, for example, an effect in which the player's character proposes to the other user character and then the other user character rejoices at the successful proposal, which is displayed on the display 110. On the other hand, if an instruction to propose has not been received in step S904 (step S904: No), the control unit 101 ends this matchmaking party processing.

[0094] Next, the control unit 101 performs a marriage presentation between the player's character and the other user's character to whom the player's character proposed (step S906). The marriage presentation is displayed on the display 110, for example, as a presentation in which the player's character and the other user's character who is the marriage partner ride in a car and parade.

[0095] Next, the control unit 101 performs a child birth effect to celebrate the birth of a child (next generation character) between the player's character and the other user's character with whom he or she is married (step S907). The child birth effect is displayed on the display 110 as an effect in which the player's character rejoices as he or she embraces the next generation character born between the player's character and the other user's character with whom he or she is married.

[0096] Next, the control unit 101 stores an item (item ID) corresponding to the virtual residence setting of the other user's character who is the player's character's spouse in the storage device 102 as a future-acquirable item that can be acquired in the future (step S908). The item corresponding to the spouse's virtual residence setting is item 800b shown in FIG. 8. For example, if the spouse's virtual residence setting 800a is "Latin America," "maracas" is stored in the storage device 102, and if the spouse's virtual residence setting 800a is "middle town," "magic lamp" is stored in the storage device 102 as a future-acquirable item. As described above, a future-acquirable item is an item that can be acquired when the child reaches the childhood stage. When the child reaches the childhood stage, the item 800b with the stored item ID 800c is granted to the child.

[0097] As described above, the game device of this embodiment can provide highly entertaining elements.

[0098] [Variation 1] In the above-described embodiment, when a social game is executed, one friend character whose information is registered in the friend list and ten other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list are selected as visiting characters, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. If no information is registered in the friend list, the control unit 101 may perform control so that the friend character is not included in the visiting characters. Furthermore, if information about ten or more other user characters is not registered in the other user list, the control unit 101 may select default characters that are the missing number of characters and have different appearances that have been registered in the storage device 102 in advance, and display them as visiting characters.

[0099] [Embodiment 2] In the above-described embodiment, one friend character is always placed in the interaction area, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if only one friend character is registered in the friend list, the same friend character will be placed in the interaction area every time, which may cause the user to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, whether or not to place a friend character in the interaction area may be determined randomly by a lottery process each time the interaction game is played.

[0100] In addition, in a case where there is only one friend character whose information is registered in the friend list, even if the lottery process randomly determines whether or not the friend character will be placed in the interaction area, the same friend character will often be placed, so the lottery process may be executed on the condition that new information about the friend character has been obtained via ad hoc communication after the previous lottery process was executed.

[0101] [Variant 2] In the above-described embodiment and variant, a situation has been described in which one friend character is selected as the visiting character from among the friend characters whose information is registered in the friend list, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0102] Because opportunities for ad hoc communication with other game devices 100 may be limited to when acquaintances or friends own game devices 100, some users may not update the information registered in their friend list frequently. Therefore, if a friend character is randomly selected from the friend list as a visiting character, a friend character that has not made an impression on the user because a long time has passed since the information was received may be placed in the communication area. Furthermore, because the visiting character is drawn using the information registered in the friend list, a friend character whose appearance has not changed despite the passage of time since the information was received or whose appearance is inappropriate for the time of the social game (e.g., wearing items from a different season) may be placed in the communication area. In such cases, even if a friend character is placed and displayed in the communication area, it may not contribute to improving the enjoyment of the social game.

[0103] Therefore, in this variation, to increase the interest of the social game, one friend character selected from the friend list as a visiting character is controlled to be the friend character whose information was most recently acquired from another game device 100 using ad hoc communication. In other words, when a friend character is placed in the social area, that friend character is the character whose information was acquired in the most recent ad hoc communication and registered on the friend list. Therefore, a friend character that is likely to impress the user (a character being developed by a friend with whom the user has recently played) and that has an appearance appropriate for the time of the social game can be displayed in the social game.

[0104] In particular, in the second embodiment, in which the lottery process determines whether to select a friend character as a visiting character on the condition that new information about the friend character has been acquired through ad hoc communication since the previous lottery process was executed, the friend character whose information was registered closer to the time the social game is to be played is selected as the visiting character. In other words, the friend character is more likely to have an appearance that is appropriate for the time the social game is to be played, which can improve the entertainment value of the social game.

[0105] [Embodiment 3] In the above-described embodiment and modified example, 10 characters selected by lottery from among the characters of other users whose information is registered in the other user list are set as visiting characters, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The characters of other users selected as visiting characters may be characters related to the interaction area.

[0106] In an aspect in which an area attribute (theme park, sports stadium, etc.) is set for an interaction area or each region of an interaction area according to, for example, a building object or background object to be placed, a character associated with that area attribute from among other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list may be selected as a visiting character. For example, in an aspect in which the area attribute of a theme park is set for a certain region, control may be exercised so that other user characters equipped with items related to that theme park (items with the same theme, items of related characters, items with a theme color scheme, etc.) are preferentially selected as other user characters to be placed in that region.

[0107] In addition, in a case where an event is held in the interaction area or in a region of the interaction area, an area attribute related to the event may be set. In this case, for example, control may be performed so that characters of other users equipped with items related to the event or items distributed / sold at the event are preferentially selected as visiting characters.

[0108] Alternatively, the control may be such that when selecting visiting characters, other user characters that are not limited to those wearing items related to the area attribute, but have a language setting that corresponds to the area attribute (characters raised by users in a region that corresponds to a specific region) or other user characters with a gender that corresponds to the area attribute, are preferentially selected.

[0109] [Embodiment 4] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, a predetermined number of characters selected from friend characters and other user characters are placed in the interaction area of ​​the interaction game being executed, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, characters (hereinafter referred to as special characters) that are not based on the training game being executed on a specific game device 100, such as characters generated by the operator of the game system, may also be placed in the interaction area. In one aspect, the special character may be a so-called collaboration character that is generated to have the appearance of a character that appears in other content, for example, in a collaboration event with other content.

[0110] Such information about special characters may be provided to the game device 100 from the server 200 separately from information about other user characters, and may be referenced when an interaction game is executed on the game device 100. The special character may be selected as a visiting character when an interaction game is executed within a predetermined period, for example, or may be controlled to be selected as a visiting character when a specific area in which an area attribute related to the special character is set is included in the interaction area.

[0111] [Variation 3] In the above-described embodiment and variation, a character selected by lottery from among other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list is determined as a visiting character. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As described above, in a mode in which an interest element related to marriage with a character of the opposite sex is provided in a social game, in order for a user to utilize that interest element, characters of a different gender from the player's character must be placed in the social area. In other words, in a mode in which other user characters to be visiting characters are randomly selected by lottery, that interest element may not be provided in the executed social game. On the other hand, a mode in which all visiting characters are characters of the same gender as the player's character may give the user an unnatural impression. Therefore, when selecting other user characters to be visiting characters, control may be exercised to include an equal number of other user characters of each gender. Alternatively, control may be exercised to include other user characters of each gender in a predetermined ratio.

[0112] Note that such control of the proportion of other user characters included in visiting characters may be performed not only based on the gender of the character, but also on the number of characters included in visiting characters, for example, the number of characters included in visiting characters may be controlled based on various attributes defined for the character, such as the character's blood type, personality, appearance, items worn, and association with events held in the interaction area.

[0113] [Variation 4] In the above-described embodiment and variation, when a social game is played on the game device 100, all information registered in the other user list is replaced with information about a predetermined number of other user characters received via infrastructure communication. However, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The fun factor of being able to interact with different characters each time a social game is played can be provided without using such a method of updating the other user list. For example, this may be achieved by replacing information about at least the other user characters displayed as visiting characters in the other user list with information about the other user characters received next via infrastructure communication.

[0114] [Variation 5] In the above-described embodiment and variation, the information registered in the friend list and other user list is used only to display the character in the social game (to determine the character's appearance), but the present invention is not limited to this. Information other than the appearance registered in each list may be displayed on the display 110 in a manner that allows the user to confirm the content. Because the friend list and other user list have different roles, the display of the information registered in each list may be controlled, for example, as follows.

[0115] The friend list stores information acquired when a user intentionally uses the game device 100 for ad hoc communication between acquaintances, friends, etc. In other words, allowing users to view information registered in the friend list can be advantageous in terms of facilitating communication between the users. On the other hand, in a social game, the number of friend characters displayed is limited, with more characters from other users displayed. Therefore, the information registered in the friend list is controlled so that it can be displayed even when the social game is not being played. For example, various information about the friend characters may be controlled to be displayed on a screen accessible from a menu of a training game, etc. The various information about the friend characters displayed in the friend list includes, for example, the user name 642, language setting 643, virtual residence setting 644, and the wearing information 652, gender information 653, and parameters 654 included in the training character information 645, which are received from the other game device and managed as owner information in the other game device.

[0116] In contrast, the other user list stores information about characters developed by the user, who may not necessarily be acquaintances or friends. In other words, the information registered in the other user list is not information received / sent intentionally by the user. Furthermore, other user characters registered in the other user list are characters selected as visiting characters, and their appearances are not presented to the user unless they are displayed in the social game. Therefore, presenting information about characters whose appearances are not presented to the user may confuse the user. Furthermore, because the other user list is expected to be updated more frequently than the friend list, even if the information is available after the social game has ended, it may not be possible to display the information about the other user characters desired by the user. Therefore, the information registered in the other user list is controlled so that it can only be displayed while the social game is being played. For example, various information about other user characters positioned within an area of ​​the game screen of the social game may be displayed in response to a predetermined operation input made while the game screen of the social game is displayed on the display 110. The various information of other users' characters displayed in the other users' list includes, for example, only the language setting 643, the virtual residence setting 644, and the wearing information 652 and gender information 653 included in the development character information 645, from the information that was transmitted from one of the game devices 100 to the server 200 and that was managed as owner information in that game device 100. In other words, the information displayed in the other users' list includes fewer types of items than the information displayed in the friend list, and does not include information that could lead to the identification of individual users, as described above.

[0117] 100 Game device 101 Control unit 102 Storage device 103 Memory 104 GPU 105 Operation I / F 106 Communication I / F 110 Display 121 Character DB 122 Item DB 200 Server 201 Server control unit 202 Server storage device 203 Server memory 204 Server communication I / F 211 User DB 300 AP 400 Network 401 to 405 Area 601, 631, 651 Character ID 602, 612 Graphics information 603 Growth stage 604 Growth destination information 611, 800c Item ID 613 Wearing position 614 Wearable stage 615 Item attribute 621, 641 User ID 622, 643 Language setting 623 Ghost information 624, 644, 800a Virtual residence setting 632, 652 Wearing information 633, 653 Gender information 642 User name 645 Training character information 654 Parameters 701 Own character 800 List of items acquired at marriage 800b Items

Claims

1. A game device that is equipped with a communication unit capable of communicating with a server and a processor, and that is capable of executing a game in which a first character appears, wherein the processor acquires information about a second character different from the first character from the server via the communication unit, and performs a process of adding a game element related to the second character when a predetermined relationship is established between the first character and the second character.

2. A game device according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of second characters, and each of the second characters has one of a plurality of attributes.

3. A game device according to claim 2, wherein the attribute of the second character is information set by a player.

4. A game device according to claim 2, wherein the attribute of the second character is area information set for the second character.

5. A game device according to claim 2, wherein the processor is capable of outputting information indicating the attributes of the second character to a player of the game device.

6. A game device according to claim 1, wherein the second character is a character developed on another game device.

7. A game device according to claim 1, wherein the processor performs an effect in which a third character that appears in the game is born in response to the first character and the second character entering the predetermined relationship.

8. A game device according to claim 7, wherein the processor performs processing to impart the game element when the third character appears in the game.

9. A game device according to claim 7, wherein the game is a raising game in which the first character and the third character are raised.

10. A game device according to claim 9, wherein the first character and the third character have a plurality of stages of development.

11. A game device according to claim 10, wherein the processor performs processing to impart the game element when the third character reaches the second or subsequent stage of the plurality of development stages.

12. A game device according to claim 10, wherein the processor performs a process of granting the game element when the third character reaches one of the plurality of development stages in which the game element can be associated and used.

13. A game device as described in claim 10, wherein the processor enables the first character and the second character to have the predetermined relationship when the first character has reached a specific stage among the plurality of development stages or later.

14. A game device according to claim 1, wherein the processor performs processing to present a plurality of candidate characters for the second character to the player of the game device and to accept selection of the second character from among the plurality of candidate characters from the player of the game device.

15. A game device according to claim 1, comprising a storage unit for storing data of the game elements in advance.

16. A game device according to claim 1, wherein the processor performs processing to impart a game element according to an attribute of the first character set in the game device.

17. A game device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the processor performs processing to limit the number of occurrences per predetermined period of an event that can cause the first character and the second character to have the predetermined relationship to a predetermined number.

18. A control program for a game device that is equipped with a communication unit capable of communicating with a server and a processor and that is capable of executing a game in which a first character appears, the control program causing the processor to execute a process of obtaining information about a second character different from the first character from the server via the communication unit, and, when a predetermined relationship is established between the first character and the second character, granting a game element related to the second character.

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