Program and game device

Abstract

The present invention aims to properly guide a player to a repeated game competition. The program of the present invention is a program enabling a computer that provides a game competition experience to perform the following processes: a providing process that provides a game element to a player; and a control process that controls the game element provided in the providing process in accordance with a provision condition achieved in the provision of the game competition experience; and the program controls the providing process as follows: the provision condition includes a first condition for providing a first game element and a second condition for providing a second game element different from the first game element; the control process provides the first game element to the player in the provision of the game competition experience to the player in a case where the first condition and the second condition are achieved in the provision of the game competition experience; and provides the second game element to the player when providing the player with a next game competition experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a program and a game device, and more particularly to an electronic game that includes providing game elements to the player. Background Technology

[0002] There are video games that provide game content (game elements) to players based on the game's outcome (Patent Document 1). Such provision of game elements is effective from the perspective of guiding players towards repetitive game competition, and by setting up various provision conditions in video games, the fun is increased.

[0003] [Previous Technical Documents]

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-057830 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in order to guide players to engage in repeated gameplay in commercial gaming devices such as arcade cabinets—that is, to utilize the gaming device repeatedly—it is preferable to use the game elements provided to the player in subsequent uses of the gaming device. On the other hand, in the form of setting multiple provision conditions as described above, if multiple provision conditions are met in a single use of the gaming device, the chances of guiding the player to use the gaming device repeatedly are reduced.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a program and gaming device that appropriately guides players into repetitive gaming competitions.

[0009] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0010] The program of the present invention is a program that enables a computer providing a competitive gaming experience to perform the following processes: a provision process that provides game elements to a player; and a control process that controls the game elements provided in the provision process according to the provision conditions achieved in the provision of the competitive gaming experience; and the program controls the provision process as follows: the provision conditions include a first condition for providing a first game element and a second condition for providing a second game element different from the first game element; the control process provides the first game element to the player in the provision of the competitive gaming experience if the first and second conditions are achieved in the provision of the competitive gaming experience; and provides the second game element to the player when providing the player with a subsequent competitive gaming experience.

[0011] [The effects of the invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, players can be appropriately guided into repetitive game competitions. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the system configuration of a game system that demonstrates embodiments and variations of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a game device 100, which is an example of embodiments and variations of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a server 200 according to embodiments and variations of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the service provision process performed by the game device 100 according to embodiments and variations of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the second game element provision process performed by the game device 100 according to embodiments and variations of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 6 (a) to (d) are diagrams illustrating the data structure of various information used in the game system of the embodiments and variations of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] [Implementation Method]

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following embodiments do not limit the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the plurality of features described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In addition, the same or identical components are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0021] The following description illustrates an embodiment of the invention, demonstrating its application to a gaming device that provides game elements while offering a competitive gaming experience to a player. However, the invention can be applied to any machine capable of providing game elements.

[0022] <The Composition of the Game System>

[0023] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the system configuration of the game system according to this embodiment. As shown, the game system is configured such that the server 200 can communicate with one or more game devices 100 via the network 300.

[0024] In this embodiment, the system is configured such that, via server 200 and network 300, player-versus-player games using multiple gaming devices 100 can be realized. Furthermore, the games providing a competitive experience on the gaming devices 100 are not limited to player-versus-player games; they may also include games designed for single-player use.

[0025] The gaming device 100 of this embodiment has the appearance shown in the figure. The gaming device 100 is configured to detect payment when in a usable state, and upon detection of payment, to provide the user (player) with a competitive gaming experience including at least one game element. Payment is detected, for example, by inserting a specific amount of material into an input slot (not shown).

[0026] Furthermore, the gaming device 100 has a mounting section 130 on its exterior, which includes a player card for identifying the player and can hold a specific card. Details will be described later. By placing the player card in the mounting section 130 when using the gaming device 100, players can compete in the game while their progress is reflected. The player's progress is managed in the server 200, and when a player is identified while using the gaming device 100—that is, when the server identifies which player's progress is being used to provide the competitive gaming experience—the server updates the information managed for each player.

[0027] <Functional Composition of Game Devices>

[0028] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the game device 100 in this embodiment.

[0029] The control unit 101, for example, is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the operation of each functional block of the game device 100. Specifically, the control unit 101 reads the operation program related to each functional block stored in the storage device 102, expands it in the memory 103 and executes it, thereby realizing the operation of each functional block.

[0030] Storage device 102 is a device that can permanently store data, such as non-volatile memory or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). In addition to storing the operation programs related to each function block of the game device 100, storage device 102 also stores information such as parameters necessary for the operation of each function block, or various graphics data used in the game executed by the game device 100. Memory 103 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as volatile memory. Memory 103 serves not only as an expansion area for the operation programs of each block, but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of each block.

[0031] The payment detection unit 104 detects payment made in the gaming device 100. Payment can be determined, for example, by inserting a specific amount of physical goods or equivalent game currency into an input slot on the gaming device 100, or by detecting the completion of settlement processing based on communication via a chip associated with a specific electronic currency. In this embodiment, the gaming device 100 is described as initiating a service offering that includes a competitive gaming experience based on payment made in connection with the commencement of service provision.

[0032] The acquisition unit 105 is an interface provided in the game device 100 of this embodiment for obtaining information from a card. Specifically, the acquisition unit 105 includes a reader configured to obtain information about a card attached to the mounting unit 130. The cards usable in the game device 100 (for which the acquisition unit 105 can obtain information) include player cards that identify information about the player related to the use of the game device 100. In the game device 100 of this embodiment, the player's game progress is saved, and the progress can be restarted from the saved progress upon next use. Therefore, the player card is at least attached with identification information unique to a specific player (player ID: player identification information). By placing a player card in the mounting unit 130 and having the acquisition unit 105 obtain the information, the player can receive service in a state reflecting past usage-related progress. Here, the progress status includes information on player evaluation values ​​related to the game, such as experience points, level, and ranking, or the status of function release and the provision of game elements, which are fun elements provided to the player at different stages and increase and expand with repeated use of the game device 100. In addition, the progress status also includes information on game elements (items or techniques) that can be used in future game competitions, which are fun elements temporarily provided to the player.

[0033] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes player identification by obtaining information from a player card, the method of player identification is not limited to this. For example, the acquisition unit 105 can obtain information from an item other than a player card, or it can be replaced by player identification processing via other devices.

[0034] The provision control unit 106 utilizes the game device 100 to control the provision of game elements to the player. The game elements provided in the game device 100 of this embodiment are described as intangible entities that directly reflect the progress of the game. The provision control unit 106 provides one type of game element to the player each time the game device 100 is used. There are multiple types of game elements provided by the provision control unit 106, and various information is managed in the provision element DB (Database) 107, which will be described later.

[0035] DB107 provides a database for managing information (element information) related to various game elements that can be offered to players. Element information for managing a single game element is, for example... Figure 6 As shown in (a), associated with an element ID 601 that uniquely identifies the game element, the element ID includes a rarity 602 representing the value of the game element and effect information 603 describing the effects produced when the game element is used.

[0036] Details will be described later. In the game system of this embodiment, when specific conditions are met using the game device 100, one of the game elements managed in the element provision DB107 is provided to the user. The specific game element provided depends on the conditions met. In this embodiment, two conditions are set, and game elements of different rarity 602 are provided for each condition being met. Each game element is configured to be usable in a game that provides a competitive experience on the game device 100, and the effects produced when used are recorded in effect information 603. Here, the effects produced when used vary according to rarity 602; the higher the rarity, the higher the value of the rarity, and the more useful the effect. In other words, the higher the rarity, the higher the value of the game element in the game.

[0037] The prompting control unit 108 controls the prompting unit 120 in the game device 100 to provide various information to the player. In this embodiment, the prompting unit 120, which provides the information prompts, is described as a display device capable of providing visual information prompts, such as a liquid crystal display, that displays images (game screen, menu screen, etc.). However, the information prompting mechanism is not limited to this, and alternatives or additions can be made. The prompting unit 120 may, for example, include a speaker that provides auditory information prompts.

[0038] In the form of a display device, where the prompt unit 120 is the display unit, the prompt control unit 108 includes a drawing device such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) to perform specific drawing processing to generate the image displayed on the prompt unit 120. Specifically, during the startup of the game device 100 (in service provision or standby mode), the prompt control unit 108 performs necessary calculations on the necessary drawing objects (graphics data) based on the processing or commands performed by the control unit 101 to draw the image. The generated image is output to the prompt unit 120 and displayed to the player in a specific display area.

[0039] The operation input unit 109 is, for example, a user interface of the game device 100, such as an operation component for determining input or various sensors. When the operation input unit 109 detects an operation input to the operation component, it outputs a control signal corresponding to the operation input to the control unit 101. Furthermore, in a configuration where the prompting unit 120 is capable of detecting touch input performed on the display screen, the operation input unit 109 may include a touch input detection sensor, etc.

[0040] The communication unit 110 serves as a communication interface with external devices of the game device 100. The communication unit 110 can connect to external devices via a network 300 (wired or wireless), and can transmit and receive data. The network 300 can be a communication network such as the Internet or a cable connecting machines. For example, the communication unit 110 converts input information intended for transmission into a specific form of data and transmits it to external devices such as a server 200 via the network 300. Furthermore, when the communication unit 110 receives information from an external device via the network 300, it decodes the information and stores it in the memory 103. In this embodiment, the game device 100 transmits and receives information via the communication unit 110 at least when providing a service reflecting the player's progress.

[0041] <Server Structure>

[0042] Secondly, use Figure 3 The block diagram below describes the functional configuration of the server 200 in this embodiment. Furthermore, in the description of the functional configuration of the server 200, to strictly distinguish it from the configuration of the game device 100, configurations that implement the same functions as those of the game device 100 are indicated by the prefix "server".

[0043] The server control unit 201, for example, is a CPU, which controls the operation of each functional block of the server 200. Specifically, the server control unit 201 reads the operation program related to each functional block recorded in the server storage device 202, expands and executes it in the server memory 203, thereby controlling the operation of each functional block.

[0044] Server storage device 202 is a recording device that can permanently store data, such as non-volatile memory or HDD. In addition to recording the operation procedures related to each function block of server 200, server storage device 202 also records information such as parameters necessary for the operation of each function block. Server memory 203 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as volatile memory. Server memory 203 serves not only as an expansion area for the operation procedures related to each function block, but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of each function block.

[0045] Player DB204 is a database that manages various information (player information) about each user (player) in the game device 100 of the game system of this embodiment, which provides a competitive experience for the game. The player information is referenced in the game device 100 when information is obtained from the player card to provide a competitive experience for the game, and can be changed sequentially according to the competitive experience provided.

[0046] Player information, for example Figure 6 As shown in (b), the player ID 611, which can be associated with a unique player, includes setting information 612 containing individual player settings such as the player's display name, date of birth, and online avatar composition; progress information 613 indicating the player's game progress; usable element information 614 indicating the game elements available to the player; and accumulated points 615 indicating the accumulated points awarded to the player. Player information associated with one player can be logged in when the player first uses the game device 100 with the player's player card. Furthermore, the information contained in setting information 612 is entered into the game device 100 during use, sent to the server 200, and stored.

[0047] The server communication unit 205 serves as a communication interface with external devices connected to the server 200. The server communication unit 205 can connect to external devices via a network 300 (wired or wireless), and can send and receive data. The network 300 can be a communication network such as the Internet or a cable connecting machines. For example, the server communication unit 205 converts input information intended for transmission into a specific form of data and sends it to external devices such as the game device 100 via the network 300. Furthermore, when the server communication unit 205 receives information from an external device via the network 300, it decodes the information and stores it in the server memory 203.

[0048] <Summary of Game Elements Provided>

[0049] Hereinafter, an outline will be described regarding the provision of game elements in the game device 100 of this embodiment, which are provided to the player to achieve specific conditions.

[0050] In the game device 100 of this embodiment, game elements are provided that can be used in subsequent uses by the player, provided that certain conditions are met during the player's use. These provided game elements enhance the player's enjoyment experience by producing effects that are beneficial to the game when used, thereby appropriately guiding the player to use the game device 100 in subsequent uses. In other words, in order to use the provided game elements, the player needs to use the game device 100 again; therefore, by configuring it to provide game elements that are useful to the player, active reuse by the player can be encouraged.

[0051] Furthermore, the game that provides a competitive experience to the player in the game device 100 of this embodiment is described as a battle game between other players using other game devices 100 connected via network 300 and server 200, or virtual players (NPCs: Non-Player Characters) implemented by executing specific thinking programs, etc.

[0052] In the game device 100 of this embodiment, two conditions, a first condition and a second condition, are determined as specific conditions. Upon fulfillment of each condition, the player is provided with one of the game elements from the element information management database 107. More specifically, the provision control is performed such that fulfilling the first condition provides the first game element, and fulfilling the second condition provides the second game element. Here, the first game element and the second game element are game elements of the same category, such as game elements that are beneficial to the progress of a battle game when used, but they differ in their use value in the battle game (the usefulness of the effect produced when used). The rarity 602 of the element information is selected from different game elements. In this embodiment, for example, the first game element is distinguished by a rarity of "normal" and the second game element by a rarity of "rare," and the second game element is assigned a game element with a higher use value than the first game element.

[0053] On the other hand, if high-value game elements (second game elements) are easily accessible, the fun of the battle game may be reduced. Therefore, in the player's use of the game device 100, each condition is set in such a way that the frequency of achieving the second condition is less than the frequency of achieving the first condition. The condition setting can be, for example, determined by the number of times the player should use the game device 100 before achieving the condition, thus configuring the achievement of the second condition to provide more competitive experience compared to achieving the first condition.

[0054] Therefore, in this embodiment, the first condition is defined as being achieved by defeating an opponent in the battle game, and the second condition is defined as being achieved by fulfilling the game's completion conditions, that is, achieving victory in the battle game when the accumulated points assigned to the player exceed a certain number. Furthermore, the provision of the second game element related to achieving the second condition is conditional upon the consumption of the assigned points. Here, points are assigned and accumulated by each player, and the element used to determine whether the second condition has been achieved is assigned using the game device 100 while the player is identified.

[0055] In other words, since the determination of whether the second condition has been met is based on the accumulated points awarded to the player, and the management of game elements provided to the player for future use, the provision of game elements in the game device 100 is described as providing a competitive experience only when the player's status has been identified. In other words, the determination of whether the various conditions related to the provision of such game elements have been met is conditional upon obtaining information from the player card. Therefore, the following explanation is based on the premise that the player uses the game device 100 using a player card.

[0056] When the conditions for providing game elements are met, the prompting unit 120 is prompted with the main theme and information about the game elements that can be provided. The game elements provided can be determined, for example, by selecting from game elements of rarity that meet the conditions. For example, when the first condition is met, the prompting unit 120 can be prompted with a game element of rarity 602 being "common," or a prompt indicating that a "common" game element is provided. When the second condition is met, the prompting unit 120 can be prompted with a game element of rarity 602 being "rare," or a prompt indicating that a "rare" game element is provided.

[0057] However, conditions 1 and 2 can be met simultaneously. That is, in providing a player with one competitive game experience, it is possible for the player to win in the battle game and accumulate a certain number of points through the points awarded for victories. In this case, if the first and second game elements are temporarily provided to the player, then the player's game device 100, which is expected to be used again in the future, becomes "one use for the next time." On the other hand, when both conditions are met, the game element corresponding to one of the conditions is provided only to the player during the competitive game experience provided under these conditions, and the game element corresponding to the other condition is provided during subsequent competitive experiences. Thus, in addition to "one use for the next time," "one use after another" can be expected. In other words, when both conditions are met, the game elements to be provided are divided into two uses of the game device 100: this time and the next time. This increases the player's chances of using the game device 100, increases the potential benefits of the game device 100, and can further increase the player's interest in the game content.

[0058] In the game device 100 of this embodiment, in order to appropriately promote the reuse of such a game device 100, when the first and second conditions are met in providing the player with a competitive game experience, control is performed in the following manner: During the provision of the competitive game experience, a first game element is provided to the player; when providing the player with a competitive game experience in subsequent games, the remaining second game element is provided. Furthermore, a notification of the provision mode is sent to the notification unit 120, that is, a notification indicating that the first game element was provided during the current competitive game experience, and that the second game element will be provided during the next competitive game experience. By doing so, the player can understand that multiple conditions have been met and that game elements with higher usage value can be obtained during future use of the game device 100.

[0059] <Service Provision Processing>

[0060] In the game device 100 of this embodiment with such a configuration, service provisioning processing performed in relation to service provisioning in relation to the identified player's state is performed using... Figure 4 The flowchart illustrates the specific processing. The processing corresponding to the flowchart can be implemented by the control unit 101, for example, by reading the corresponding processing program stored in the storage device 102, expanding it in the memory 103, and executing it.

[0061] Furthermore, the service provision process begins, for example, by detecting payment of the relevant amount and obtaining player information (target player information) related to the player (target player) from server 200 by obtaining information from the player card. The target player information obtained from server 200 is stored in memory 103 and maintained during this service provision. Additionally, the service provision of the game device 100 may, for example, include a portion that accepts the target player's mode selection and a portion that provides the target player with a competitive experience of a battle game corresponding to the selected mode. Because this invention is limited to modes with the first and second conditions set, the following description of the processing related to the mode selection is omitted for ease of understanding. That is, using... Figure 4 The following processing described are all processing methods corresponding to the part that provides the target players with a competitive experience in the battle game.

[0062] In S401, the control unit 101 determines whether a game element (a second game element) is reserved for the target player. Details will be described later. In the game device 100 of this embodiment, when both the first and second conditions are met in providing a competitive experience in a battle game, the provision of a second game element (related to meeting the second condition) is reserved in the provision of the competitive experience. Information indicating this (information indicating reservation) is included in the target player information progress status information 613 and managed in the player DB204 of the server 200. Therefore, the control unit 101 performs this step based on whether the target player information progress status information 613, obtained from the server 200 based on information obtained from the player card, contains information indicating reservation. If the control unit 101 determines that a reserved game element exists, the process proceeds to S402; if it determines that it does not exist, the process proceeds to S403.

[0063] In S402, the control unit 101 performs the second game element provision process, which controls the provision of the second game element.

[0064] <Second Game Element Provision Processing>

[0065] The following provides processing for the second game element executed in this step, for reference. Figure 5 The flowchart illustrates the details.

[0066] In S501, under the control of the control unit 101, the prompting control unit 108 causes the prompting unit 120 to issue a notification indicating that the second game element can be provided by consuming a specific number (necessary points) of points determined to be necessary in the provision of the second game element. Upon this notification, the control unit 101 transitions to a state where it can accept requests for the provision of the second game element.

[0067] In S502, the control unit 101 determines whether an operation input related to the request for providing the second game element has been performed during the predetermined processing period. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation input related to the request for providing the second game element has been performed during the predetermined processing period, the processing is moved to S503. If the control unit determines that no operation input related to the request has been performed, the processing for providing the second game element is completed.

[0068] In S503, the control unit 101 performs a process of consuming the necessary number of points from the accumulated points assigned to the target player. Specifically, the control unit 101 consumes the necessary number of points by changing the value of the accumulated points 615 of the target player information stored in the memory 103 to the value after subtracting the necessary number of points.

[0069] In S504, the providing control unit 106, under the control of the control unit 101, provides a second game element to the target player. Specifically, the providing control unit 106 first decides on the second game element to be provided. The decision on the second game element to be provided can be achieved, for example, by performing a selection process to choose one game element from the target second game elements. Furthermore, the providing control unit 106 stores the element ID of the decided second game element in the memory 103 as information (providing confirmation information) for determining the game element to be provided during this competitive experience. In addition, at this time, the prompting control unit 108, under the control of the control unit 101, causes the prompting unit 120 to prompt a notification indicating that the second game element has been determined to be provided.

[0070] In S505, the control unit 101 deletes the information in the retention state from the object player information information 613 stored in the memory 103, and completes the second game element provision process.

[0071] Thus, when the execution of the second game element provision process is completed, the control unit 101 moves the service provision process to S403.

[0072] In S403, the control unit 101 performs processing related to the battle game. This processing includes determining the opponent, selecting game elements for the battle game, activating effects related to the selected game elements, and determining the content of the battle game based on player input, thereby implementing a game system to determine the winner of the battle game.

[0073] In step S404, the control unit 101 determines whether the end conditions of the battle game are met. In this embodiment, for ease of understanding, the end condition of the battle game is described as determining the winner or loser of the battle game. If the control unit 101 determines that the end conditions of the battle game are met, the process moves to step S405; if it determines that the conditions are not met, the process of this step is repeated.

[0074] In S405, the control unit 101 determines whether the first condition is met, that is, whether the target player has won in the implemented battle game. If the control unit 101 determines that the first condition is met, the process moves to S406; if it determines that the condition is not met, the process moves to S413.

[0075] In S406, under the control of the control unit 101, the prompting control unit 108 causes the prompting unit 120 to prompt a notification indicating that the conditions for providing the first game element have been met.

[0076] In S407, the control unit 101 assigns a predetermined number of points (assigned points) relative to the target player. Specifically, the control unit 101 assigns points by changing the value of the accumulated points 615 of the target player information stored in the memory 103 to the value after adding the assigned points. In the game device 100 of this embodiment, the assigned points are constant regardless of the content of the battle game, and a fixed number of points are assigned based on the player's victory in the battle game.

[0077] In S408, the control unit 101 determines whether the second condition is met, that is, whether the accumulated number of points given to the target player by the points assigned in S407 exceeds the number of points required for providing the second game element. If the control unit 101 determines that the second condition is met, the process moves to S409; if it determines that the condition is not met, the process moves to S412.

[0078] In S409, under the control of the control unit 101, the prompting control unit 108 causes the prompting unit 120 to prompt a notification indicating that the conditions for providing the second game element have been met.

[0079] In S410, under the control of the control unit 101, the prompting control unit 108 causes the prompting unit 120 to display a notification indicating the provided game elements. Specifically, the prompting control unit 108 causes the prompting unit 120 to display a notification indicating that a first game element is provided in the current competitive experience of the battle game, and that a second game element can be provided in the competitive experience of the next game.

[0080] In S411, the control unit 101 adds "reserved" information to the progress status information 613 of the target player information stored in the memory 103. At this time, if the progress status information 613 of the target player information already contains "reserved" information, the control unit 101 may not add new progress status information 613.

[0081] In step S412, the providing control unit 106, under the control of the control unit 101, provides the first game element to the target player. Specifically, the providing control unit 106 first decides which first game element to provide. This decision can be made, for example, by performing a selection process to choose one game element from the target first game elements. Furthermore, the providing control unit 106 stores the element ID of the decided first game element in the memory 103 as confirmation information. In other words, in this step, the providing of the first game element only considers the fulfillment of the first condition, regardless of whether the second condition is met. At this time, the prompting control unit 108, under the control of the control unit 101, causes the prompting unit 120 to display a notification indicating that the first game element has been confirmed for provision.

[0082] In S413, the control unit 101 performs various processes related to the end of service provision, completing the service provision process. Among these processes is the following: by adding an element ID stored as provision confirmation information to the usable element information 614 using player information stored in memory 103, a game element to be provided to the target player is determined. Through this process, if at least one of the second game element provided in S504 of the second game element provision process and the first game element provided in S412 of the service provision process exists, this information is reflected in the target player information, and provision is determined. Furthermore, among these processes is the following: the target player information, which reflects the state of the provided content of this competitive experience and is stored in memory 103, is transmitted to the communication unit 110 and sent to the server 200 along with a player information update request. Through this process, the provided content of this competitive game experience and the target player information reflecting the provided game element information are stored in the player DB204.

[0083] As explained above, the game device according to this embodiment can appropriately guide players into repeated game competitions by controlling the provision of game elements when the conditions for providing game elements are met.

[0084] [Variation Example 1]

[0085] In the described embodiment, although the management of points assigned to player units has been presented, the implementation of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in a configuration where multiple playable characters are set for each player, and any one of them can appear in the battle game, the points assigned to playable characters are managed, and the effects of the provided game elements occur for each playable character.

[0086] More specifically, the control unit 101 can also accept operation input related to selecting which character to assign points to when awarding points in a player's victory in a battle game, and assign points to the selected character. In this configuration, player information, for example, Figure 6As shown in (c), the system may include user character information 621 for each user character corresponding to the player. Within the user character information 621, for each user character, a character ID 631 uniquely associated with that user character is managed as a points accumulation count 632, representing the accumulated points assigned to that user character. Therefore, when the points assignment condition is met, the control unit 101 changes the points accumulation count 632 associated with the user character selected in the user character information 621 to a value that includes the assigned points. Furthermore, based on the points accumulation count for each user character, it determines whether the second condition has been met. Additionally, the user character to which points are assigned may be the user character selected to appear in a winning battle game.

[0087] This allows players to activate the effects they want with their characters, making the competitive gaming experience more suitable.

[0088] [Variation Example 2]

[0089] In the described embodiment, although it is stated that the points awarded for victory in a battle game are constant regardless of the content of the battle game, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. Battle games, depending on the matchmaking of opponents, can result in differences in the players' gaming skills or the abilities of the characters they use, thus potentially favoring one player. Alternatively, even if the difficulty of defeating the virtual character serving as the opponent is determined by the difficulty level, an unbalanced outcome can still occur. For such battle games, setting a fixed number of points lacks fairness between players. Therefore, in this variation, the number of points awarded is not constant but varies based on differences in players' skills or basic parameters.

[0090] More specifically, the server control unit 201 obtains information about the battle results of the ongoing battle game, derives evaluation values ​​for each player participating in the battle game based on the battle results, and manages this as player information. Player information includes, for example,... Figure 6As shown in (d), the evaluation value 641 related to the player may also be included. Here, the evaluation value 641 can be, for example, derived from a higher level of skill in the battle game, meaning a higher skill level or a higher ability of the character used. Alternatively, the evaluation value 641 can be derived from a higher difficulty level for a virtual character. Furthermore, when each game device 100 executes a battle game, it obtains information about the opponent's evaluation value. If the player wins the battle game, the control unit 101 determines the number of points to be awarded based on the difference between the player's and the opponent's evaluation values. At this time, the number of points awarded is controlled so that the player defeats opponents with higher evaluation values ​​more often than opponents with lower evaluation values. Therefore, the more opponents a player defeats, the higher the probability of achieving the second condition, resulting in easier acquisition of the second game element.

[0091] In this way, from the perspective of providing game elements, it is possible to ensure the provision of game elements that guarantee fairness among players.

[0092] [Variation Example 3]

[0093] In the described embodiments and variations, although it is stated that the first condition is achieved through victory in a battle game, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first condition may also be determined to be achieved only when defeating a battle opponent whose evaluation value is more than a threshold higher than the player's.

[0094] [Variation Example 4]

[0095] In the described embodiments and variations, although the main example is a battle game with an opponent, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as a promotional activity for a game, in the form of a battle game with fixed content such as fighting against a specific boss character, the first condition may only be achieved upon the first victory in the battle game with fixed content.

[0096] [Variation Example 5]

[0097] In the described embodiment, although it is explained that points are awarded upon fulfilling the first condition, and whether the second condition is fulfilled varies depending on the points awarded—that is, the first condition must be fulfilled to fulfill the second condition—the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the conditions for awarding points may be different from the first condition, or the second condition may be fulfilled independently. In other words, although there may be a difference in the amount awarded based on winning or losing in a battle game, points may be awarded regardless of winning or losing.

[0098] [Variation Example 6]

[0099] In the described embodiment, although the game providing a competitive experience on the gaming device 100 is described as a battle game, and the player is awarded points based on winning in the battle game, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The game providing a competitive experience on the gaming device 100 is not limited to battle games and can be any type of game. In this case, if specific completion conditions are set in the game, the control unit 101 can also control the player to award points to the player in addition to processing the completion of the first condition, using the achievement of the completion conditions as a condition.

[0100] [Variation Example 7]

[0101] In the described embodiments and variations, although it is explained that the server 200 manages information on game elements provided to the player, information indicating the availability of a second game element (indicating it is currently reserved), and information on the accumulated points assigned, and this information is obtained by the game device 100 when the player uses it, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. This information can also be stored and managed on a storage medium used by the player, such as a player card. In this case, the control unit 101 obtains player information from the player card, etc., via the acquisition unit 105 and performs various processes.

[0102] [Other Implementation Methods]

[0103] The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive spirit.

[0104] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 100: Gaming Devices

[0106] 101: Control Department

[0107] 102: Storage device

[0108] 103: Memory

[0109] 104: Payment Testing Department

[0110] 105: Acquisition Department

[0111] 106: Provide control unit

[0112] 107: Provide element DB

[0113] 108: Prompt Control Department

[0114] 109: Operation Input Section

[0115] 110: Ministry of Communications

[0116] 120: Reminder Department

[0117] 130: Mounting section

[0118] 200: Server

[0119] 201: Server Control Department

[0120] 202: Server storage device

[0121] 203: Server Storage

[0122] 204: Player DB

[0123] 205: Server Communication Department

[0124] 300: Network.

Claims

1. A program that enables a computer capable of recognizing players and providing players with a competitive gaming experience to perform the following processes: Provide processing to offer game elements to players in a state where players have been identified; and The control process, based on the conditions achieved in providing the competitive experience of the game, controls the game elements provided in the provision process; and the procedure controls the provision process as follows: The conditions for providing the game elements include a first condition for providing the first game element and a second condition for providing a second game element that is different from the first game element. The control process, while providing players with a competitive gaming experience, simultaneously fulfills both the first and second conditions. In providing the competitive experience of the game, the first game element is provided to the player; When providing the player with a competitive experience in the game in future games, the second game element is provided to the player; and The game in question has conditions for completion. When the program provides players with a competitive gaming experience and fulfills the level completion requirements, it instructs the computer to further assign points to the players; and The second condition is met when the accumulated points assigned to the player exceed a specified number.

2. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the second condition is fulfilled less frequently than the first condition.

3. The procedure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number of times the competitive experience of the game is provided as required for the fulfillment of the second condition is greater than the number of times the competitive experience of the game is provided as required for the fulfillment of the first condition.

4. The procedure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second game element is a game element whose use value in the game is higher than that of the first game element.

5. The procedure of claim 4, wherein the first game element and the second game element are game elements of the same category that can be used in the game.

6. The procedure according to claim 1, wherein The game is a battle game where players achieve the goal of clearing a level by defeating their opponents. The program causes the computer to further perform processing to derive an evaluation value for each player corresponding to the battle result of the game; and When providing players with the competitive experience of the battle game, the scoring process assigns different amounts of points based on the difference between the player's and their opponent's ratings.

7. The procedure of claim 6, wherein the amount of points awarded for defeating an opponent with a higher rating than the player is greater than the amount awarded for defeating an opponent with a lower rating than the player.

8. The procedure of claim 6, wherein the first condition is achieved by defeating the opponent.

9. The procedure of claim 6, wherein the first condition is achieved by defeating an opponent whose evaluation value is more than a threshold higher than the player's.

10. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the control process controls the provisioning process in a manner that provides the second game element to the player, conditioned on the consumption of the points assigned to the player.

11. The procedure according to claim 10, wherein The computer further performs a selection process, choosing a character from among multiple characters corresponding to the player and applying that character to the game. The assignment process assigns the score to the role selected in the selection process. The program causes the computer to further process the points assigned to each of the multiple roles; and The second condition applies to whether each of the multiple roles has been satisfied.

12. The procedure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The computer is then instructed to further perform prompting processing, indicating that the conditions for providing game elements have been met; and The prompting process provides game elements that can be offered when either the first or second condition is met in providing the player with a competitive gaming experience.

13. The procedure of claim 12, wherein the prompting process provides the first game element in providing the competitive experience of the game to the player when the first condition and the second condition are met, and provides the second game element when providing the competitive experience of the game to the player in subsequent competitive experiences.

14. A gaming device capable of recognizing a player and providing the player with a competitive gaming experience, comprising: The provider offers game elements to players whose identities have been identified. and A control mechanism controls the game elements provided by the providing mechanism based on the conditions agreed upon in providing the competitive experience of the game; and the game device controls the providing mechanism as follows: The conditions for providing the game elements include a first condition for providing the first game element and a second condition for providing a second game element that is different from the first game element. When the control mechanism simultaneously fulfills both the first and second conditions while providing players with a competitive gaming experience, In providing the competitive experience of the game, the first game element is provided to the player; When providing the player with a competitive experience in the game in future games, the second game element is provided to the player; and The game in question has conditions for completion. The control mechanism assigns points to players who achieve the required completion conditions while providing them with a competitive gaming experience; and The second condition is met when the accumulated points assigned to the player exceed a specified number.

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