Program and game device

Abstract

To provide a program and a game device capable of avoiding an occurrence of a confusion in a game and maintaining amusement properties of a game.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: There is provided a program for causing a computer to execute a game. The program causes the computer to function as game execution means for executing a game using a character associated with an article, and registration means for registering the character used in the game using the article. The article includes an article of a first type and an article of a second type, and the article of the first type and the article of the second type are associated with the same character. On condition that the character associated with the article is registered using the article of either one type of the article of the first type and the article of the second type, the registration means executes control so as to make the registration of the same character using the article of the other type impossible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is a game in which a player causes a game device to read a game card held by the player and the players play against each other (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] By registering a game card used in the game, the player makes a character embodied in the card appear in the game and plays a game using the character.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In addition to the basic regular cards, there are variation cards derived from the regular cards in the card. One of these variation cards is a card (referred to as a parallel card) whose appearance is different from that of the regular card. The parallel card has the same character as the regular card, but the appearance of the card is different. For example, some have different characters or patterns drawn on them than the regular card.

[0006] Due to the property that the parallel card has the same character as the regular card, it can be used in the game in the same way as the regular card. However, if both the regular card and the parallel card can be used in the game, there is a risk of confusion in the game. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a program and a game device that can avoid confusion in the game and maintain the enjoyment of the game. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute a game, wherein the computer functions as a game execution means for executing a game using game elements to which articles are associated, and a registration means for registering game elements used in the game, wherein the articles include a first type of article to which the game elements are associated, and a second type of article to which the game elements are associated, and the registration means controls the registration of a game element to which an article of one of the first type of article and a game element to which an article of the second type is associated, on the condition that a game element to which an article of the other type is registered.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a game device comprising: a game execution means for executing a game using game elements to which articles are associated; and a registration means for registering game elements used in the game, wherein the articles include a first type of article associated with a game element and a second type of article associated with the game element, and the registration means makes it impossible to register a game element associated with an article of the other type, provided that a game element associated with an article of either the first type or the second type is registered. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the enjoyment of the game can be maintained. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the game system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the external appearance of the game device 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates the appearance of a regular card and a parallel card. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the overview of a game played by the game device 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a game device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of conversion table 180. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of the game element database 190. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of registration information for game elements used. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a detailed information screen. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of server 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an example of the player database 210. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is an operation flowchart of game device 1. [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows an example of the main menu screen. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is an operation flowchart of the registration process (Step 106). [Figure 15] Figure 15 shows an example of an error display screen. [Figure 16] Figure 16 shows an example of a game results screen. [Figure 17] Figure 17 shows an example of a game ending screen. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a flowchart of the operation of the game card distribution process (Step 108). [Figure 19] Figure 19 is an operation flowchart of the continuous game card distribution process (Step 109). [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a diagram showing an example of a continuous provision screen. [Figure 21] Figure 21 is an operation flowchart of the registration process of Modification 1 of the present embodiment. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a diagram showing an example of an error display screen of Modification 1 of the present embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] <Embodiment of the Present Invention> <Overall Configuration> [Overall Configuration] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the game system in the present embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the game system includes one or more game devices 1 and a game server 2. The game device 1 and the game server 2 can be connected to the communication line N and can communicate with each other.

[0012] The communication line N means a communication path capable of data communication. That is, the communication line N includes a dedicated line (dedicated cable) for direct connection or a LAN such as Ethernet (registered trademark), as well as communication networks such as a telephone communication network, a cable network, and the Internet, and the communication method may be wired / wireless.

[0013] The game device 1 is a device that executes a game, can be connected to the communication line N, and can perform data communication with the game server 2. The game device 1 is, for example, a business game device (arcade game device), a smartphone, a mobile phone, a portable game device, a stationary home game device, a personal computer, a tablet computer, a controller of a stationary home game device, etc. Basically, there are a plurality of game devices 1, which are operated by each player.

[0014] Figure 2 shows an example of the appearance of the game device 1. As shown in Figure 2, the game device 1 includes a display panel 11 on which game-related screens are displayed, an operation touch panel 12 integrated with the display panel 11, operation buttons 13, a first reading unit 14 for acquiring information about the player, a second reading unit 15 configured to allow items to be placed and to read information from the placed items, a coin slot 16 into which coins are inserted, and a coin outlet 17 from which items are discharged.

[0015] Game Server 2 is a server system comprising one or more server devices, storage devices, etc. Game Server 2 provides various services for operating the game of this embodiment, and can manage data necessary for game operation, distribute game programs and data necessary for running the game on Game Device 1, etc.

[0016] In this embodiment, this system configuration enables competitive games between multiple players using multiple game devices 1 via the game server 2 and communication line N. Player-versus-player games include not only games against other players but also games against computer-controlled non-player characters. Furthermore, the games provided by game device 1 are not limited to player-versus-player games but may include games configured for single-player use.

[0017] One embodiment described below illustrates an example of applying the present invention to a game device configured to run games including competitive play (competitive games), as an example of a game device. However, the present invention is applicable to any device capable of running competitive games.

[0018] [Game Overview] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, an overview of the game played by the game device 1 will be described.

[0019] The competitive game according to this embodiment features multiple types of game elements. The game elements are characters (characters, vehicles, items, etc.) and are represented as images, virtual or physical objects, etc. Images include still images and videos. An example of a virtual or physical object is a game card, which is an object with physical volume (a real object). However, the object is not limited to a game card; it is any object configured in a way that allows the game element associated with the object to be identified. The object may be, for example, a figure or other sculpted object that has the appearance of a game element.

[0020] In this embodiment, the multiple types of items are all tangible game cards, and each is described as being associated with one game element that appears in a competitive game provided by the game device 1. The game element to which a game card is associated can be determined by the card reader unit, described later, acquiring item identification information (card ID) attached to the game card, and then acquiring identification information (game element ID) for identifying the game element corresponding to the acquired card ID. The attachment of item identification information (card ID) to a game card may be achieved, for example, by printing a one-dimensional or multi-dimensional code obtained by converting the item identification information onto the game card, or by other methods such as recording it on a tag or IC chip for near-field communication (NFC) embedded in the game card.

[0021] In this embodiment, the items (game cards) include a first type of item and a second type of item. The first type of item is a regular game card. The second type of item is a parallel card derived from a regular game card. In this embodiment, a parallel card is a type of variation card derived from a regular card. The game elements associated with the second type of item (parallel card) and the game elements associated with the first type of item (the original regular card) are identical. Identical game elements include identical characters. Furthermore, it may also include identical characters AND identical game-related parameter information for the game elements. The game-related parameter information for the game elements includes the game-related parameter information for the characters. The game-related parameter information for the characters includes various parameters related to the characters' abilities (e.g., attack power, defense power, HP, experience points, level, etc.).

[0022] The first type of item (regular card) and the second type of item (parallel card), which are associated with the same game element, have different appearances. Figure 3 illustrates the appearances of a regular card and a parallel card. (A) is a regular card, and (B) is a parallel card. Both are game cards associated with the same character "AAA," but the card's illustration, the character's pose, the card's decorations, etc., differ between the cards. The appearance of a parallel card may be more decorated than that of a regular card (luxurious, ornate, flashy, etc.). Alternatively, the degree of decoration may be the same, but the card's illustration may differ. In this embodiment, parallel cards have a lower probability of being provided than regular cards and are therefore rarer. For this reason, parallel cards have value as special cards. However, the character's abilities (parameter information) on a parallel card are the same as those on a regular card. Cards that are difficult to obtain and therefore rare are generally called rare cards. Parallel cards in this embodiment can be considered a type of rare card. Among rare cards, some are associated with special characters whose ability scores are set higher than those of regular characters. In terms of the level of character ability scores, parallel cards differ from game cards associated with such special characters.

[0023] In competitive games, each player can use multiple game elements. Prior to the start of the game (before the sequence in which the game elements are actually manipulated begins), the game device's second reading unit 15 retrieves information from multiple game cards set by the player, allowing the game elements associated with those game cards to be registered as game elements to appear in the game (used by the player). In this embodiment, it is not possible to register both a game element associated with a first type of item (regular card) and a game element associated with a second type of item (parallel card) that corresponds to it (having the same game element) as game elements used in the game. This is because if two identical characters appear in the game, it would create a sense of incongruity. This embodiment aims to eliminate the registration of game elements for the same character within a single game; however, game elements for different characters can be registered regardless of the type of item. For example, if the game element associated with a regular card is character "AAA" and the game element associated with a parallel card is character "BBB", then both game elements associated with both items can be registered.

[0024] Next, I will explain the overview of the series of games. The game played by game device 1 consists of a series of plays, including a match, as shown in Figure 4. The game played by game device 1 is initiated upon detection of payment of the game fee (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the first fee).

[0025] (1) Obtaining player information Game device 1 acquires information about the players using game device 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as player information). For example, game device 1 acquires player identification information from a recording medium (e.g., a player card) on which the player's identification information is recorded using the first reading unit 14, communicates with game server 2, and acquires player information managed by game server 2. Player information is updated according to the progress of the game.

[0026] (2) Main menu presentation Game device 1 displays the main menu on the display panel 11 and presents it to the player. Game device 1 accepts selections from the player via the operation touch panel 12. The options presented in the main menu include, for example, "Start match" and "Abandon match". If "Start match" is selected, the process proceeds to the match. Here, "Abandon match" means that the player abandons the match without actually playing it. If "Abandon match" is selected, the match is skipped (abandoned) without being played.

[0027] (3) Match Game device 1 executes a battle using game elements. While a battle may include multiple battles, in this embodiment, the battle associated with the payment of the first price is referred to as the main battle. The game elements used in the battle are characters (people, vehicles, etc.) and are associated with tangible items. In this embodiment, the items are game cards. Each game card has identification information (card ID) attached to it to identify the item. Prior to the battle, the second reading unit 15 reads the card IDs from a group of game cards placed on it by the player, and obtains the game element ID associated with each card ID. A determination process is performed to determine whether the obtained game element IDs can be registered, and a group of game elements corresponding to the game element IDs determined to be registrable are registered as game elements usable in the battle. The battle progresses with the registered group of game elements performing battle actions within a predetermined game field. At this time, the battle is controlled based on the operation inputs made to the registered game elements and the character information of the game elements. The match ends when a winner is determined between the players.

[0028] (4) Provision of game cards (items) Game device 1, upon payment of the first game fee, enables the main match to be played and provides the player with one game card (an item associated with a game element). After the main match ends, or if "Abandon Match" is selected in the main menu and the match is skipped, game device 1 dispenses the game card (item) from the dispenser 17 and provides it to the player. It is thought that players' desire to acquire a game card is highest immediately after the match ends. On the other hand, there are also players whose goal is to acquire a game card rather than to play a match. Therefore, in order to satisfy both players who wish to play a match and players who do not wish to play a match and whose goal is to acquire a game card, the game card is provided at the time after the match ends.

[0029] (5) Continuous provision of game cards (items) In this embodiment, one game card is provided in exchange for the payment of the first game price. In addition to providing this one game card, further game cards (items) are provided upon the player's request, on the condition of further payment. The reason for providing further game cards (items) after a match is that, following the results of the main match, players may desire game cards that better compensate for their weaknesses or that are of higher value. Furthermore, even if a player aims to acquire game cards without playing a match, it is beneficial for such players if they can acquire additional game cards immediately after acquiring a game card in exchange for the first payment.

[0030] Game device 1 accepts a selection operation from the player regarding whether they wish to be provided with further game cards. If the player selects to wish to be provided with further game cards, game device 1 requests payment of an additional fee (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the second fee) from the player. Subject to detection of payment of the second fee, game device 1 dispenses one game card from the dispenser 17 and provides it to the player. The second fee is lower than the first fee paid for playing the game. This is because when the first fee is paid, the player is provided with the right to play the main game and one game card, but even if the second fee is paid, the player is not provided with the right to play the main game, only one game card.

[0031] Further game cards can be provided a predetermined number of times. Hereinafter, the act of repeatedly providing game cards will be referred to as continuous game card provision. For example, after providing a game card in exchange for one payment of the second price, the player is asked to choose whether they wish to receive further game cards. If the player wishes to receive further game cards, one more game card is provided on the condition that they pay another second price. If the player does not wish to receive further game cards, or if the predetermined number of continuous game card provision sessions is reached, this process is terminated.

[0032] (6) Display of game results Game device 1 displays the game results. The information displayed includes, for example, the results of the match, and the updated levels of the players and game elements based on the match results. If a player selects "abandon the match," i.e., abandons the match, a message indicating that the match has been abandoned will be displayed. (7) Display of the end screen Game device 1 displays a predetermined ending screen and terminates a game consisting of a series of gameplay associated with the first price.

[0033] Next, we will explain the configuration of each device. [Configuration of Game Device 1] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the game device 1.

[0034] The game device 1 comprises a processing unit 20, a display unit 21, an operation input unit 22, a user information reading unit 23, a card information reading unit 24, a price detection unit 25, a sound output unit 26, a first card supply unit 27, a second card supply unit 28, a communication unit 29, a storage unit 30, a first reading unit 14, and a second reading unit 15.

[0035] The processing unit 20 comprehensively controls the operation of the game device 1 based on programs and data stored in the memory unit 30, input signals from the user information reading unit 23, the card reading unit 24, and the operation input unit 22. The functions of the processing unit 20 can be realized by electronic components such as a microprocessor such as a CPU or GPU, an ASIC, or an IC memory. The processing unit 20 mainly comprises a game execution unit 61, a game element registration unit 62, a first card provision control unit 63, and a second card provision control unit 64. These units will be described later.

[0036] The display unit 21 displays various game screens based on image signals output from the processing unit 20. The functions of the display unit 21 can be realized by a display device such as a flat panel display like an LCD, a projector, or a head-mounted display. In Figure 2, the display panel 11 corresponds to this.

[0037] The operation input unit 22 is for the player to input various game-related operations and outputs an operation input signal to the processing unit 20 according to the input. The functions of the operation input unit 22 can be realized not only by elements that the player directly operates with their fingers, such as a touch panel, touch operation pad, home button, button switch, joystick, and trackball, but also by elements that detect movement and posture, such as an accelerometer, angular velocity sensor, tilt sensor, and geomagnetic sensor. In Figure 2, the operation touch panel 12 and operation button 13 are examples of this.

[0038] The user information reading unit 23 controls a reader (first reading unit 14) that reads a recording medium on which player identification information (player ID) is recorded, and obtains the player ID from the recording medium on which the player ID is recorded. In this embodiment, the recording medium on which the player ID is recorded is a tag or IC chip embedded in the game card. The first reading unit 14 and the user information reading unit 23 constitute a player ID acquisition means that obtains the player ID from the player card.

[0039] The card reader 24 controls a reader (second reader 15) that reads game cards held by the player and obtains a card ID from each game card set by the player. For example, if a one-dimensional or multi-dimensional code encoding the card ID is printed on the game card, the card reader reads that code to obtain the card ID. Also, if a short-range communication tag or IC chip containing the card ID is embedded in the game card, the card ID is obtained from the tag or IC chip. The second reader 15 and the game card reader 24 constitute a card ID acquisition means for obtaining the card ID from a game card.

[0040] The payment detection unit 25 detects that payment has been made in the game device 1. Payment of payment may be determined, for example, by detecting that a predetermined amount of coins or equivalent coins have been inserted into the input slot 16 of the game device 1, or by detecting the completion of settlement processing based on communication with a chip related to a predetermined electronic money. The game device 1 in this embodiment will be described as starting a series of processes related to the game, including a match, based on the payment of the first payment related to the game. Furthermore, payment of payment is configured to be detectable even after the start of the series of processes related to the game.

[0041] The sound output unit 26 is a speaker or the like that outputs sound effects related to the game based on the sound signal output from the processing unit 20.

[0042] The first card dispensing unit 27 and the second card dispensing unit 28 consist of card dispensers configured to dispense game cards one at a time from the storage unit. The game device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with two types of card dispensers (first card dispensing unit 27 and second card dispensing unit 28) inside the housing of the game device 1, and the first card dispensing control unit 63 and the second card dispensing control unit 64 control which of the two card dispensing units will dispense the cards. One card dispenser has a storage unit configured to accommodate game cards stacked vertically, and is equipped with a mechanism to dispense one game card held in the bottom layer in response to a dispensing command made by the first card dispensing control unit 63 or the second card dispensing control unit 64. The dispensed game card is guided to an accessible space via the dispensing opening 17 and provided to the player.

[0043] In this embodiment, the items (game cards) provided include a first type of item (regular cards) and a second type of item (parallel cards). Of these, the second type of item is rarer and is provided less frequently than the first type of item. Therefore, the first card providing unit 27 provides the first type of game cards (regular cards), and the second card providing unit 28 provides the second type of game cards (parallel cards), thereby enabling the provision of game cards according to their frequency of provision (probability of provision). The first card providing unit 27 or the second card providing unit 28 is driven based on a provision command issued by the first card providing control unit 63 or the second card providing control unit 64, thereby enabling the provision of game cards based on their rarity. For this reason, when replenishing game cards, the first card providing unit 27 is configured to store the first type of item (regular cards) in its storage compartment, and the second card providing unit 28 is configured to store the second type of item (parallel cards) in its storage compartment. Furthermore, the game device 1 of this embodiment is configured to provide a regular card when the first card providing unit 27 is driven, and to provide a parallel card when the second card providing unit 28 is driven.

[0044] The communication unit 29 is a communication interface with an external device. The communication unit 29 can connect to an external device via a communication line N (whether wired or wireless) and enable the transmission and reception of data. For example, the communication unit 29 converts information input as data to be transmitted into a predetermined format and transmits it to an external device such as a game server 2 via the communication line N. The communication unit 29 also receives information from an external device via the communication line N.

[0045] The storage unit 30 is a data-retaining recording device, such as a non-volatile memory or an HDD. The storage unit 30 stores not only the operation programs for each part of the game device 1, but also information on parameters necessary for the operation of each part, and various graphics data used in the game executed by the game device 1.

[0046] The memory unit 30 stores a conversion table 180 for obtaining game element identification information (game element ID) from item identification information (card ID). In the conversion table 180, as shown in Figure 6 for example, card IDs and game element IDs are associated, and in particular, for first-type items (regular cards) and second-type items (parallel cards) that are associated with the same game element, both card IDs are associated with the same game element ID. In this embodiment, the only game card groups (groups) that have different card IDs associated with the same game element ID in the conversion table in Figure 6 are combinations of parallel cards and regular cards. In Figure 6, card ID "BBB111R" and card ID "BBB111P" are associated with the same game element ID "BBB111", so game cards with these card IDs are combinations of regular cards and parallel cards. In the game device 1 of this embodiment, the player places the game card in the second reading unit 15 when playing the game to obtain the card ID. Then, the game element ID corresponding to the acquired card ID is obtained using conversion table 180.

[0047] The memory unit 30 stores the game element database 190 (game element DB190). The game element DB190 is a database that manages information (game element information) about each of the game elements that appear in the game. The game element information managed for a single game element, as shown in Figure 7, for example, is associated with a game element ID that uniquely identifies the game element and includes rendering information such as graphics data used to generate the screen when the game element appears in the game, as well as character information that describes the name and attributes of the game element, parameters related to the game element's abilities (attack power, HP, experience points, level, etc.) and effects that are activated by using the game element. The character information is referenced in the game in which the game element appears and is involved in controlling the progress of the game.

[0048] In this embodiment, the game element DB190 stores graphics data, character information, etc., and the game element information is described as including this data. However, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The game element information may also include information indicating the storage location of the data for each piece of information.

[0049] Next, we will describe the main functional units of the processing unit 20: the game execution unit 61, the game element registration unit 62, the first card provision control unit 63, and the second card provision control unit 64.

[0050] The game execution unit 61 works in cooperation with the game element registration unit 62, the first card provision control unit 63, and the second game card provision unit 64 to execute the game. When the payment of the first price is detected by the price detection unit 25, the game execution unit 61 transmits the player identification information obtained by the first reading unit 14 and the user information reading unit 23 to the game server 2, and receives the player information managed by the game server 2 and stores it in the storage unit 30. In the case of a new player, the game device 1 communicates with the game server 2 and registers the player information.

[0051] After acquiring player information, the game execution unit 61 displays the main menu on the display unit 21 and accepts selection input from the player. The options presented in the main menu include, for example, "Execute a match" and "Abandon the match". If "Execute a match" is selected, the game execution unit 61 notifies the game element registration unit 62 of this. Once the game element registration unit 62 completes the registration process of the game elements that the player will use in the match, the game execution unit 61 communicates with the game server 2 to execute a match against another player or a non-player character. Then, when the match by the player ends, the game execution unit 61 notifies the first card provision control unit 63 of the end of the match. On the other hand, if "Abandon the match" is selected in the main menu, the game execution unit 61 notifies the first card provision control unit 63 of the abandonment of the match.

[0052] The game execution unit 61 performs the process of displaying the game results. The displayed game results include, for example, information such as the match results, player evaluations, and updates to the experience points and levels of game elements. The game execution unit 61 communicates with the game server 2 at predetermined timings during the game and obtains information related to the game results.

[0053] When the game element registration unit 62 receives notification from the game execution unit 61 that "Execute Battle" has been selected from the main menu, it performs a registration process to register the game elements to be used in the game. In the registration process, the game element registration unit 62 uses the card ID of the game card read by the card reading unit 24 to determine whether the game element associated with the game card can be registered as a game element to be used in the game (used game element), and registers the used game element based on the determination result. The information of the registered used game element (used game element registration information) includes the card ID of the read game card and the game element ID associated with that card ID. An example of used game element registration information is shown in Figure 8. The determination of whether a card ID can be registered as a game element is made by checking whether there are other card IDs in the same group that are associated with the same game element ID as the read card ID in the conversion table (Figure 6). If no other card IDs in the same group exist in the conversion table, the game element associated with the read card ID is determined to be registrable. If there are other card IDs, it is determined whether any of the other card IDs belonging to the same group as the read card ID match any of the card IDs in the game element registration information (Figure 8). If there is a match, the game element associated with the read card ID is determined to be unregistrable. If there is no match, the game element associated with the read card ID is determined to be registrable. For game elements determined to be registrable, the card ID and game element ID are registered in the game element registration information (Figure 8) as game elements.

[0054] Furthermore, if the card reader 24 reads any of the game cards and determines that the game element associated with that card cannot be registered, the display unit 21 will display a message indicating that the game element associated with the game card cannot be registered. Upon seeing this message, the player places a replacement game card in the second reader 15. The game element registration unit 62 then uses the card ID of the game card read by the card reader 24 again to determine whether the game element associated with the game card can be registered as a playable game element, and registers it based on the determination result. When the game element registration unit 62 has completed the registration of a predetermined number of game elements to be used, it notifies the game execution unit 61 that the registration of the game elements to be used is complete.

[0055] The game element registration unit 62 may also display information about the game elements registered as game elements to be used on the display unit. Figure 9 is an example of a detailed information screen that displays information about the game elements registered as game elements to be used. On the detailed information screen, a virtual image of the item associated with the game element may be displayed, as illustrated in Figure 9. The displayed game element information may include the type of item (first type, second type) to which it is associated. In the example in Figure 9, "Parallel Card" is displayed as the type of item.

[0056] The first card provision control unit 63 controls either the first card provision unit 27 or the second card provision unit 28 to perform processing for providing game cards to the player. When the first card provision control unit 63 receives a match end notification or a match abandonment notification from the game execution unit 61, it starts a lottery process to select either the first card provision unit 27 or the second card provision unit 28, and notifies the winning card provision unit of a provision order. The lottery is performed using probability. For example, the lottery results in a 0.8 chance of selecting the first card provision unit 27 and a 0.2 chance of selecting the second card provision unit 28. That is, after the match ends, regular cards will be provided at a rate of 0.8, and parallel cards at a rate of 0.2. This is to increase the value of parallel cards. However, the above example is just one example, and the card provision ratios may be other values. When the provision of game cards is complete, the first card provision control unit 63 notifies the second card provision control unit 64 of the completion of provision, indicating that the provision of game cards has been completed.

[0057] The second card provision control unit 64 controls the first card provision unit 27 or the second card provision unit 28, and controls the continuous provision of game cards at the player's request after the provision of game cards after the end of a match, which is performed by the first card provision control unit 63. When the second card provision control unit 64 receives a notification of completion of provision from the first card provision control unit 63, it displays a menu screen on the display unit 21 asking whether the player wants to receive continuous provision of game cards and accepts the player's selection input. The second card provision control unit 64 continues to provide further game cards until an input operation is made indicating that the player does not want to receive continuous provision of game cards, or until the number of continuous provision of game cards that is a condition for payment of the second price is reached. The number of continuous provision times may be changed by the administrator of the game device 1, etc.

[0058] When the second card provision control unit 64 selects to receive game cards in succession and the second price is detected by the price detection unit 25, it starts a lottery process to determine whether to select the first card provision unit 27 or the second card provision unit 28, and notifies the winning card provision unit of the provision order. The lottery is conducted using probability, similar to the first card provision control unit 63, but the ratio of game cards provided is different.

[0059] For example, the second card distribution control unit 64 has a selection rate of 0.2 for the first card distribution unit 27 and a selection rate of 0.8 for the second card distribution unit 28. In other words, the main objective of a player who continuously receives game cards is to acquire rare game cards, and the distribution rate of parallel cards is set high to align with this objective. Alternatively, the distribution rate may be varied depending on the number of times game cards are purchased. For example, if the number of consecutive card distributions is set to four, then for the first game card distribution, the selection rate of the first card distribution unit 27 is set to 0.8 and the selection rate of the second card distribution unit 28 is set to 0.2. For the second game card distribution, the selection rate of the first card distribution unit 27 is set to 0.5 and the selection rate of the second card distribution unit 28 is set to 0.5. For the third game card distribution, the selection rate of the first card distribution unit 27 is set to 0.2 and the selection rate of the second card distribution unit 28 is set to 0.8. For the fourth game card distribution, the selection rate of the first card distribution unit 27 is set to 0 and the selection rate of the second card distribution unit 28 is set to 1. In other words, as the number of game card distributions increases, the proportion of parallel cards provided increases, and when the number of consecutive distributions is reached (the fourth time in this example), a parallel card is always provided. Furthermore, in the case of consecutive game card distributions, the second card distribution unit 28 may always be selected. However, the above example is just one example, and the card distribution ratios may be other values. When the second card provision control unit 64 completes the continuous provision of game cards, it notifies the game execution unit 61 of the completion of the continuous provision of game cards.

[0060] [Game Server 2 Configuration] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the game server 2. The game server 2 comprises a processing unit 200, a communication unit 220, and a storage unit 240.

[0061] The processing unit 200 is, for example, a CPU and controls the operation of each block in the server 2. Specifically, the processing unit 200 controls the operation of each block by, for example, reading the operation program of each block recorded in the recording unit 240, loading it into memory, and executing it. The processing unit 200 includes, as its main functional units, a matching processing unit 201 and a management unit 202.

[0062] The matching processing unit 201 performs matching processing for player-versus-player games (player vs. player) provided in the game system of this embodiment. Through the matching processing, sessions are established for, for example, two game devices 1 that sent matching requests at the same time among the game devices 1 connected to the server 2, and they transition to a state in which information communication related to the game is possible.

[0063] The management unit 202 manages player evaluations related to the game based on the gameplay content performed on the game device 1. More specifically, the management unit 202 evaluates the player based on the gameplay content for each game play and generates or updates player information related to the player, as described below, based on the evaluation results.

[0064] The recording unit 240 is a data storage device, such as a non-volatile memory or HDD. The recording unit 21 stores the operation programs for each block of the game server 2, as well as information such as parameters necessary for the operation of each block. The recording unit 240 also stores the player database 210 (player DB210).

[0065] The Player DB210 is a database in the game system of this embodiment that manages information (player information) indicating the usage status of games associated with each user (player) for games provided by the game device 1. The player information is information for managing the usage history of game play functions and various game elements that are available to each player. The player information is updated sequentially according to the results of games played using a player card on the game device 1, and is provided to the game device 1 when the player card is used again. This makes it possible for the game device 1 to provide game play that reflects the previous game play.

[0066] In this embodiment, player information may include, for example, progress information 212 indicating the progress of the player's gameplay, associated with a player ID 211 that identifies the player, as shown in Figure 11; ownership information 213 indicating game elements owned by the player and available for use in the game; enhancement status information 214 indicating the enhancement status of each game element available for use by the player; and provision information 215 indicating game elements that can be provided to the player.

[0067] Here, the progress information 212 may include progress information indicating which stage of a given story has been reached, performance information indicating the results of a competitive game, and evaluation information that assesses the player's performance. Ownership information 213 is composed of sequentially added identification information of game elements owned by the player.

[0068] The enhancement status information 214 may be configured to manage character information such as experience points and element levels as indicators showing parameters that have changed due to enhancement, associated with the game element ID of at least the game elements that have been enhanced (changed from their initial state). In this embodiment, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the enhancement status information 214 is described as being updated when the results of a game played on the game device 1 are obtained, but it may also be updated in response to information on training results obtained, for example, when a training function is used on the game device 1.

[0069] The provided information 215 records identification information of game elements that can be provided to the player. The provided information 215 may be updated when the results of a game played on the game device 1 are obtained, or when notification is received that a player has forfeited a match.

[0070] The communication unit 220 is a communication interface with an external device. The communication unit 220 can connect to an external device via a communication line N (whether wired or wireless) and enable the transmission and reception of data. For example, the communication unit 220 converts information input as data to be transmitted into a predetermined format and transmits it to an external device such as the game device 1 via the communication line N. The communication unit 220 also receives information from an external device via the communication line N.

[0071] [Operation of Game Device 1] The operation of game device 1 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 12.

[0072] To start the game, Player A inserts a predetermined amount of coins or equivalent coins, which will be the first payment for playing the game, into the input slot 16 of the game device 1. When the payment detection unit 25 detects the first payment (Step 100), the game execution unit 61 starts a game consisting of a series of plays (Step 101).

[0073] Next, Player A touches the Player Card to the first reader 14 of the game device 1. The first reader 14 reads the Player ID 211 from Player A's Player Card (Step 102). The User Information Reader 23 transmits the Player ID 211 read by the first reader 14 from Player A's Player Card to the Game Server 2, thereby receiving and acquiring player information associated with Player ID 211 (progress information 212, ownership information 213, enhancement status information 214, provided information 215, etc.) from the Game Server 2 (Step 103).

[0074] The game execution unit 61 displays the main menu (Step 104). Figure 13 shows an example of the main menu screen. In the main menu screen of Figure 13, options such as "Start a match" and "Forfeit match" are displayed for selection.

[0075] Player A selects their desired option from the displayed main menu. The game execution unit 61 determines the option selected from the main menu (Step 105).

[0076] If "Execute match" is selected, the game execution unit 61 notifies the game element registration unit 62 of this, and the game element registration unit 62 executes a registration process to accept the registration of game elements that the player will use in the match (Step 106).

[0077] The operation of the registration process will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 14. In the game of this embodiment, the number of game cards used is a predetermined number m, and the second reading unit 15 (reader) has a card placement area of ​​a predetermined number m. Player A places a game card on the second reading unit 15 (reader) of the game device 1. The card reading unit 24 reads the card ID from the game card placed in the i-th (i=1,···,m) card placement area via the second reading unit 15 (Step 201).

[0078] The game element registration unit 62 obtains the game element ID corresponding to the card ID read by the card reading unit 24 from the conversion table 180 (Step 202), and determines whether there are other card IDs in the conversion table that are associated with the same game element ID as the obtained game element ID (Step 203). For example, if the card ID obtained from the card placement area is "DDD113R", the game element registration unit 62 refers to the conversion table 180 (Figure 6) to obtain the game element ID "DDD113" for card ID "DDD113R", and determines whether there are any other card IDs in the conversion table that are associated with game element ID "DDD113". In the example in Figure 6, there are no other card IDs associated with game element ID "DDD113".

[0079] If no other card IDs associated with the game element ID corresponding to the read card ID exist in the conversion table 180 (Step 203: No), the game element registration unit 62 registers the read card ID and the game element ID obtained from the conversion table in Step 202 in the game registration information (Step 207).

[0080] Furthermore, if other card IDs associated with the game element ID corresponding to the read card ID exist in the conversion table 180 (Step 203: Yes), the game element registration unit 62 retrieves the other card IDs associated with the game element ID corresponding to the read card ID from the conversion table 180 (Step 204), and determines whether the retrieved card ID matches any of the card IDs registered in the game element registration information (Step 205). For example, if the read card ID is "BBB111R", the game element registration unit 62 retrieves another card ID "BBB111P" associated with the game element ID "BBB111" corresponding to card ID "BBB111R" from the conversion table 180 (Figure 6), and determines whether the retrieved card ID "BBB111P" matches any of the card IDs registered in the game element registration information (Step 205).

[0081] If the card ID obtained from the conversion table 180 in Step 204 does not match any of the card IDs in the game element registration information (Step 205: No), the game element registration unit 62 registers the read card ID and the game element ID obtained from the conversion table 180 in Step 202 in the game registration information (Step 207).

[0082] Furthermore, if the card ID obtained from the conversion table 180 in Step 204 matches any of the card IDs registered in the game element registration information (Step 205: Yes), the game element registration unit 62 determines that the game element associated with the game card whose card ID was read cannot be registered, and displays a predetermined error message (for example, a message indicating that the game element associated with the placed game card cannot be registered) on the display unit 21, prompting the player to place a new game card in the second reading unit 15. An example of the error display screen is shown in Figure 15. The content of the display specifying the game card that cannot be registered is arbitrary; for example, the character name of the game card that caused the error may be displayed, or the number assigned to the card placement area (for example, that the game card in the second placement area cannot be registered) may be displayed. Alternatively, the player may be notified by flashing an LED light installed in the corresponding card placement area among multiple card placement areas. Then, when the player places a new game card in place of the game card that had an error and presses the "Load" button on the screen, the game element registration unit 62 reads the card ID of the game card placed in the i-th card placement area (Step 201), and repeats the processes described in Steps 201 to 206 as needed until the read card ID and its corresponding game element ID are registered as game registration information (Step 207).

[0083] In Step 207, when the read card ID and the game element ID associated with it are registered in the card usage game registration information, the game element registration unit 62 determines whether the number of registered game element IDs (or card IDs) has reached a predetermined number m (Step 208). If it has not reached this number, it adds 1 to i (Step 209), reads the card ID from the game card placed in the next card placement area (i-th) (Step 201), and executes the process described above.

[0084] Furthermore, in Step 208, if the number of game elements (or card IDs) registered in the game element information reaches a predetermined number m, the game element registration unit 62 terminates this process.

[0085] Returning to the flowchart in Figure 12, once the registration process completes the registration of the cards to be used in the match, the game execution unit 61 executes the match process and starts the match between the players (Step 107). The match ends when a winner is determined. Once the match is over, the game execution unit 61 notifies the first game card provision control unit 62 of this fact.

[0086] When the first game card supply control unit 62 receives notification from the game execution unit 61 that the match has ended, it controls the first game card supply unit 27 or the second game card supply unit 28 to eject one game card from the dispenser 17 (Step 108). This game card supply process (Step 108) will be described later.

[0087] On the other hand, if Player A does not wish to play and selects "Abandon Match" in the main menu, the game execution unit 61 notifies the game server 2 via communication that the match has been abandoned (Step 107). When the first game card provision control unit 62 receives notification of the abandonment of the match from the game execution unit 61, it controls the first game card provision unit 27 or the second game card provision unit 28 to eject one game card from the dispensing slot 17 (Step 108). This game card provision process (Step 108) will be described later.

[0088] Next, the second game card provision control unit 63 performs a continuous provision process for providing further game cards (Step 109). This continuous game card provision process will be described later.

[0089] The game execution unit 61 executes the match and, once the continuous game card provision process is complete, displays the game result (Step 110). Figure 16 shows an example of the game result screen. If a player forfeits the match, a screen indicating that the match has been forfeited will be displayed. Finally, the game execution unit 61 displays an end screen to notify the player that the game has ended (Step 111). Figure 17 shows an example of a game end screen. The display of the end screen marks the end of the game. In other words, for a single payment of the first price, a match and game cards are provided during one game, and a match is not offered for a price lower than the first price.

[0090] Next, the operation of the game card provision process (Step 108) will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 18.

[0091] When the first game card provision control unit 62 receives a match completion notification or a match abandonment notification from the game execution unit 61 (Steps 300, 301), it performs a lottery process to select a game card provision unit (Step 302). As described above, the lottery process is conducted with a predetermined probability so that normal cards or parallel cards are provided at a predetermined rate. Based on the results of the lottery, the first game card provision control unit 62 selects either the first game card provision unit 27 or the second game card provision unit 28 (Step 303) and notifies the selected card provision unit of a provision order (Step 304). The first game card provision unit 27 or the second game card provision unit 28, upon receiving the provision order, dispenses one game card from the dispensing slot 17.

[0092] Then, the first game card provision control unit 62 displays the game card provision screen (Step 305). The first game card provision control unit 62 notifies the second game card provision control unit 63 that the provision of one game card has been completed (Step 306). This concludes the explanation of how the game card distribution process works.

[0093] Next, the operation of the continuous game card distribution process (Step 109) will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 19.

[0094] When the second game card provision control unit 63 receives a notification of completion of provision from the first game card provision control unit 62, it displays an input screen (continuous provision screen) that accepts the player's selection input regarding whether to receive further game cards (Step 400). Figure 20 shows an example of the continuous provision screen. The continuous provision screen in Figure 20 is a screen for selecting continuous provision of game cards, and it displays that payment of the second price is required for each card provided.

[0095] The second game card provision control unit 63 determines the selection made by the player (Step 401), and if the player selects to receive further game cards (Step 401), and if the payment of the second price is detected by the price detection unit 25 (Step 402), it performs a lottery process (Step 403). As described above, the lottery process is conducted with a predetermined probability so that normal cards or parallel cards are provided at a predetermined rate. Based on the results of the lottery, the second game card provision control unit 63 selects either the first game card provision unit 27 or the second game card provision unit 28 (Step 404), and notifies the selected card provision unit of the provision order (Step 405). The first game card provision unit 27 or the second game card provision unit 28, upon receiving the provision order, dispenses one game card from the dispensing slot 17.

[0096] The second game card provision control unit 63 adds 1 to counter C (initial value = 0) for counting the number of times further game cards will be provided (Step 406), and determines whether counter C has reached the number of consecutive possible times (e.g., 4 times) (Step 407).

[0097] If the counter C has not reached the number of consecutive possible plays, the second game card provision control unit 63 returns to Step 400, displays the continuous provision screen, and continues processing from Step 400 onward.

[0098] On the other hand, the second game card provision control unit 63 terminates this process by notifying the game execution unit 61 that provision is complete if it selects not to acquire a game card, does not detect a second payment, or the counter C reaches the number of consecutive possible payments. This concludes the explanation of how the continuous game card distribution process works.

[0099] In this embodiment, for different types of game cards (first-type items and second-type items) associated with the same game element, if a game element associated with one type of item is registered as a game element to be used in the game, the game element associated with the other type of item is controlled to prevent it from being registered as a game element to be used in the game. This prevents confusion in the game caused by the same character appearing in the game, and as a result, the enjoyment of the game can be maintained.

[0100] <Modification 1 of this embodiment> In the registration process by the game element registration unit 62 in the above embodiment, a determination was made sequentially for each game card placed in the card placement unit 15 to determine whether or not the game element can be registered as a playable game element. In the first modified example of this embodiment, the game element registration unit 62 determines whether there are any combinations of game cards placed in the card placement unit 15 that cannot be registered as game elements to be used, and registers them based on the determination result. The registration process by the game element registration unit 62 in the first modified example of this embodiment will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 21.

[0101] Player A places the game card in the card placement area of ​​the second reading unit 15 (reader) of the game device 1. The card reading unit 24 reads the card IDs from all the game cards placed in each card placement area (1,···,m) via the second reading unit 15 (Step 501).

[0102] The game element registration unit 62 obtains the corresponding game element ID from the conversion table 180 for each card ID read by the card reading unit 24 (Step 502). Then, it determines whether there is a duplicate among the obtained game element IDs (Step 503). If there are no identical game element IDs among those obtained (Step 503: No), the game element registration unit 62 determines that all game element IDs are eligible to be registered as game elements for use, registers all read card IDs and their corresponding game element IDs in the game registration information (Step 504), and terminates this process.

[0103] Furthermore, if there are identical game element IDs among those obtained from the conversion table 180 (Step 503: Yes), the game element registration unit 62 determines whether the card IDs associated with the identical game element IDs are the same (Step 505). If the card IDs are the same (Step 505: Yes), the game element registration unit 62 determines that all game element IDs can be registered as game elements to be used, and registers all the read card IDs and their corresponding game element IDs in the game registration information (Step 504). Furthermore, if the card IDs are different (Step 505: No), the game element registration unit 62 indicates that the placed game cards include both parallel cards and regular cards with the same game element ID (same character), and displays an error screen (Step 506) requesting the player to leave the game card they wish to register as is and replace the other game card with a new one. An example of the error screen is shown in Figure 22.

[0104] For example, if the card IDs obtained from each game card placed in the card placement area are "BBB113R", "CCC112R", "CCC112P", "DDD113R", and "FFF544R", the game element registration unit 62 obtains the corresponding game element IDs "BBB113", "CCC112", "CCC112", "DDD113", and "FFF544" from the conversion table 180. Since there is a game element ID "CCC112" among these game element IDs, and the card IDs corresponding to the same game element ID "CCC112" are different card IDs "CCC112R" and "CCC112P", the game element registration unit 62 displays an error screen and requests the player to keep the game card with the card ID "CCC112R" or the game card with the card ID "CCC112P" that they wish to register, and replace the other game card with a substitute game card.

[0105] Then, for example, if the reload button on the error display screen is pressed, the process returns to Step 501 and the above process (Steps 501 to 506) is repeated until all game elements of the game cards placed in each card placement area (1,···,m) are registered as game elements to be used. The registration process in Modification 1 of this embodiment has been described above.

[0106] In the above embodiment and modified example 1, a conversion table was used to obtain the game element ID from the card ID, but the invention is not limited to this. The card ID may be composed of a game element ID and a card type ID, and the game element ID may be obtained from the card ID itself without using a conversion table. For example, the last part of the card ID may be set to "P" for parallel cards and "R" for regular cards, and the remaining part may be used as the game element ID. For example, if the card ID is "BBB111R", the game element ID will be "BBB111".

[0107] <Modification 2 of this embodiment> In the above embodiment, only items of the first and second types are provided, but the system may also be configured to provide items of other types (items of the third type). The items of the third type are, for example, rare cards associated with special game elements (characters) that have high ability scores (parameter information) related to the game. In this case, the game device 1 further includes a third card supply unit, which is composed of a card dispenser capable of supplying game cards one at a time from a storage unit containing items of the third type (rare cards). The first card supply control unit 63 controls the first card supply unit 27, the second card supply unit 28, or the third card supply unit. The probability of supplying the first, second, and third types of cards may be set according to the rarity of the card of that type. Since rare cards are rare, the probability of them being dispensed is set to be at least lower than that of the first type of item (regular cards). Also, since they are advantageous in the progression of the game compared to parallel cards due to their high character ability scores, the probability of them being dispensed may be set to be even lower than that of parallel cards. Furthermore, in the second card provision control unit 64, when setting a high probability of providing rare game cards, the probability of providing third-type cards (rare cards), second-type cards, and first-type cards is set to increase in that order. Note that third-type items are not limited to rare cards and may include other items.

[0108] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments and can be modified and implemented in various ways within the scope of its technical concept. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0109] 1 Game device 2 Game Servers 11 Display Panel 12. Operation touch panel 13 Operation buttons 14. First Reading Section 15 Second Reading Section 16 Inlet 17 Outlet 20 Processing Units 21 Display section 22 Operation Input Section 23 User Information Reading Unit 24 Game element reading unit 25 Price detection unit 26. Sound output section 27. First Game Card Supply Department 28. Second Game Card Supply Department 29 Communications Department 30 Storage section 61 Game Execution Unit 62 Game Element Registration Section 63 First Game Card Provisioning Control Unit 64 Second Game Card Provisioning Control Unit

Claims

1. A program for causing a computer to execute a game, comprising: The computer, providing means for providing a first type of item and a second type of item associated with the same character; A registration means for registering the provided character; a game execution means for executing a game using the registered character; Function as a The provision means controls so that a probability of providing the first type of item is higher than a probability of providing the second type of item. program.

2. A character associated with the first type of item and a character associated with the second type of item have identical parameter information related to the game. The program according to claim 1.

3. The appearance of the first type of article is different from the appearance of the second type of article. The program according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The registration means controls so that, on condition that a character corresponding to the first type of article or the second type of article is registered using either one of the first type of article and the second type of article, the same character cannot be registered using the other type of article. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The provision means includes a first provision mode for providing the item once and a second provision mode for providing the item multiple times, The probability of providing the second type of item in the second provision mode is higher than the probability of providing the second type of item in the first provision mode. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. In the case of the second provision mode, the provision means increases the probability of providing the second type of item and decreases the probability of providing the first type of item each time the number of times the item is provided increases. The program according to claim 5.

7. A game device for executing a game, comprising: A providing means for providing a first type of item and a second type of item associated with the same character; A registration means for registering the provided character; a game execution means for executing a game using the registered character; Equipped with the provision means controls so that a probability of providing the first type of item is higher than a probability of providing the second type of item; Gaming device.

Images