Game program and game system

Abstract

To provide a user with a comfortable game environment for improving one's skill of game play.SOLUTION: A game program allows a computer to function as determination means for determining whether input information for showing a user's operation contents to an operation part satisfies an activation condition for activating a predetermined action of an object disposed in a game space, object control means for controlling an object so as to activate a predetermined action corresponding to input information when it is determined that the input information satisfies an activation condition, and output control means for outputting factor information for showing a factor that is a factor for activating a predetermined action or a factor for preventing activation of a predetermined action and is related to a user's operation to the operation part to an output part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a game program and a game system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in fighting games and other competitive games, honing the skill of performing accurate and rapid operations has been an important factor in determining the outcome of the match. Some of these types of games provide a game environment that supports users in honing their skills of performing accurate and rapid operations. For example, in the training mode of the game disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, a history of operation inputs made by the user to the operation device is displayed on the game screen. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] CAPCOM,Introducing the modes of "Street Fighter V", "Training Mode", [online], [Searched on May 19, 2021], Internet<URL:https: / / www.capcom.co.jp / sfv / 160201_gamemode.html> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is desirable to provide users with a comfortable gaming environment in which they can hone their skills in performing precise and rapid operations.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a game program and a game system that can provide a user with a comfortable game environment for honing game playing skills. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a game program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a game program executed in a game system including an operation unit operated by a user, an output unit, and a computer, and causes the computer to function as: a determination means for determining whether input information indicating the user's operation on the operation unit satisfies an activation condition for invoking a predetermined behavior of an object placed in a game space; an object control means for controlling the object to invoke the predetermined behavior corresponding to the input information when it is determined that the input information satisfies the activation condition; and an output control means for outputting factor information related to the user's operation on the operation unit to the output unit, the factor being the factor that caused the predetermined behavior to be invoked or the factor that caused the predetermined behavior not to be invoked.

[0007] By outputting the factor information relating to the factor that caused the predetermined behavior to be activated to the output unit, for example, if the predetermined behavior is activated by chance while the user is operating an object, the user can immediately understand why the predetermined behavior was activated. Also, by outputting the factor information relating to the factor that did not cause the predetermined behavior to be activated to the output unit, for example, if the predetermined behavior is not activated despite the user attempting an operation to activate the predetermined behavior, the user can immediately understand why the predetermined behavior was not activated.

[0008] There may be a plurality of types of factors that cause the predetermined action to be taken or the factors that cause the predetermined action not to be taken.

[0009] The output control means may cause the output unit to simultaneously output a plurality of pieces of factor information respectively relating to the plurality of types of factors.

[0010] The activation condition may include a condition that the input information is input within a predetermined input acceptance time.

[0011] The input acceptance time may be between the start and end of a predetermined starting action of the object, and the predetermined action may include stopping the starting action midway and taking an action corresponding to the input information that satisfies the activation condition.

[0012] The triggering condition may include a condition that the input information is input within a predetermined input reception time between the start and end of a predetermined triggering action of the object, the determination means may determine whether or not the action of the object is the triggering action, and the output control means may cause the output unit to output information about the triggering action when the action of the object is determined to be the triggering action, thereby allowing a user to immediately know whether the action of the object is a triggering action for triggering the predetermined action.

[0013] The activation condition varies depending on the type of the specified action, and a first activation condition for activating a first action, which is a certain type of the specified action, may include a condition that the input information is input within a predetermined first input acceptance time that is between the start and end of a predetermined first starting action of the object, and a second activation condition for activating a second action, which is a different type of the specified action from the first action, may include a condition that the input information is input within a predetermined second input acceptance time after the end of a predetermined second starting action of the object.

[0014] The output unit may include a display unit on which the object is displayed, the display control means may cause the display unit to display the factor information and a history area showing a history of user operation contents on the display unit, and the output control means may cause the display unit to display the history area and the factor information such that the factor information is included in or associated with information showing operation contents related to the predetermined behavior in the history area. This allows the user to immediately know which operation contents shown in the history area are related to the predetermined behavior.

[0015] The operation unit may include a first operator and a second operator, and the input information may be a combination of information indicating a user's operation on the first operator and information indicating a user's operation on the second operator.

[0016] The input information indicating the content of a user's operation on the first controller may correspond to a movement of the object in the game space.

[0017] The operation unit may include a button, and the input information may be information indicating that the button has been pressed repeatedly.

[0018] The action corresponding to the input information may include an action that consumes a predetermined parameter.

[0019] The action corresponding to the input information may include an action other than an attack action by the object.

[0020] A game system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a program storage unit that stores the above-mentioned game program, and a computer that executes the program stored in the program storage unit.

[0021] The program storage unit storing the game program is a readable / writable or readable storage device or storage medium that is built into or external to a device included in the game system, and may be, for example, a hard disk, a flash memory, an optical disk, etc. The program stored in the program storage unit may be executed in a device to which the program storage unit is directly connected, or may be downloaded and executed in a device connected to the program storage unit via a network (for example, the Internet). Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, a user can be provided with a comfortable gaming environment for honing his / her game playing skills. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a game system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an external view showing a controller of the game device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen in a training mode. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a flow from the start to the end of an attacking action of an object. [Diagram 5] 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control unit of the game device. FIG. [Figure 6] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a specific action initiation process. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of commands input over time. [Figure 8] 8 is a game screen showing an example of the cause information displayed when the command shown in FIG. 7 is input. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing another example of commands input over time. [Figure 10] 10 is a game screen showing an example of the cause information displayed when the command shown in FIG. 9 is input. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing yet another example of commands input over time. [Figure 12] 12 is a game screen showing an example of the cause information displayed when the command shown in FIG. 11 is input. [Figure 13] 13 is a game screen showing another example of displaying cause information. [Figure 14] 11 is a game screen showing an example of displaying factor information relating to whether or not a special move will be activated. [Figure 15] 13 is a game screen showing an example of displaying factor information regarding whether or not a pressing technique is activated. [Figure 16] 13 is a game screen showing an example of displaying factor information regarding whether or not a pressing technique is activated. [Figure 17]13 is a game screen showing an example of displaying factor information relating to whether or not a turning attack will be performed. [Figure 18] 13 is a game screen showing an example of displaying factor information relating to whether or not a turning attack will be performed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, a game system and a game program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0025] [Hardware configuration] First, a configuration of a game system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the game system 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the game system 1 includes a plurality of game devices 2, and a server device 4 that can be communicatively connected to each of the plurality of game devices 2 via a communication network NW.

[0026] The game device 2 includes a game device main body 20, one or more controllers 31 (corresponding to an operation unit) connected to the game device main body 20 by wire or wirelessly, a display 32 (corresponding to a display unit, an output unit), and a speaker 33 (corresponding to an audio output unit, an output unit).

[0027] The game device main body 20 includes a control unit 21, which is a computer that controls the operation of the game device main body 20. The control unit 21 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). A media I / F unit 22, a storage unit 23, a network I / F unit 24 (communication unit), a wireless communication control unit 25, a graphics processing unit 26, and an audio processing unit 27 are each connected to the control unit 21 via a bus 21a.

[0028] The media I / F unit 22 is an interface into which game media 34 for executing a game can be loaded. The game media 34 is a disk-type recording medium such as a DVD-ROM, and stores a game program 34a and game data 34b necessary for executing the game. The game data 34b includes various data necessary for executing the game.

[0029] The storage unit 23 is composed of, for example, an HDD which is a large-capacity recording medium, a ROM which is a semiconductor memory such as a mask ROM or PROM, and a RAM which is a DRAM or SRAM. The storage unit 23 records the game program 34a and game data 34b read from the game media 34, as well as save data, etc. In this embodiment, not all game data 34b in the game media 34 is read at the start of the game, but only game data that is required as appropriate according to the progress of the game (for example, at the change of game scene, etc.).

[0030] The network I / F unit 24 is an interface that connects the game device 2 to a communication network NW such as the Internet or a LAN. The game device 2 is capable of communicating with other game devices 2 and the server device 4 via the communication network NW. For example, when the game device 2 progresses a game while communicating with the outside, it transmits and receives data between the other game devices 2 and / or the server device 4 via the communication network NW.

[0031] The wireless communication control unit 25 is wirelessly connected to a controller 31 attached to the game device main body 20, and is capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the controller 31. The controller 31 is an operation device that accepts operations by a user. When the controller 31 is operated by a user, input information corresponding to the operation is sent from the controller 31 to the control unit 21 of the game device 2 via the wireless communication control unit 25. The control unit 21 progresses the game based on the input information from the controller 31.

[0032] FIG. 2 is an external view showing the controller 31 shown in FIG. 1. The controller 31 is substantially U-shaped, and the user operates it by holding the handles 201L, 201R on both wings with both hands. The controller 31 has a plurality of operators. For example, operation button groups 210, 220 and analog sticks 212, 222 are provided on the left and right upper surfaces of the controller 31, a right shoulder button 211 is provided on the right front surface of the controller 31, and a left shoulder button 221 is provided on the left front surface of the controller 31. The operation button group 210 and the analog stick 212 are operated by the thumb of the user's right hand, and the operation button group 220 and the analog stick 222 are operated by the thumb of the user's left hand. The right shoulder button 211 and the left shoulder button 221 are operated by the index finger of the user's right hand and the index finger of the left hand, respectively.

[0033] Furthermore, the controller 31 includes a touchpad 230 between the operation button group 210 and the operation button group 220. The touchpad 230 has a horizontally long rectangular shape, and as is well known, when a user touches or brings a fingertip or the like close to the surface of the touchpad 230, position information (coordinates) of the contact or close point (input point) is output to the control unit 21 in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the touchpad 230 also functions as an operation button when the entire touchpad 230 is pressed. In this specification, a series of operations by the user on the controller 31 may be referred to as a "command."

[0034] Returning to Fig. 1, the graphics processing unit 26 draws game images in a moving image format in accordance with instructions from the control unit 21. The game images drawn by the graphics processing unit 26 are displayed as a game screen on the display 32. The display 32 is a display device that displays the game images. The display 32 is, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0035] The audio processing unit 27 reproduces and synthesizes digital game sounds according to instructions from the control unit 21. The audio processing unit 27 is also connected to an external speaker 33. The game sounds reproduced and synthesized by the audio processing unit 27 are output to the outside from the speaker 33, which serves as an audio output unit. For example, the speaker 33 may be a stationary speaker or a wearable speaker such as headphones.

[0036] The server device 4 includes a control unit 41, which is a computer that controls the operation of the server device 4. The control unit 41 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). A storage unit 42 and a network I / F unit 43 are connected to the control unit 41 via a bus 41a. The server device 4 may include an input device such as a keyboard and an output device such as a liquid crystal display, as necessary.

[0037] The storage unit 42 is composed of, for example, an HDD which is a large-capacity recording medium, a ROM which is a semiconductor memory such as a mask ROM or a PROM, and a RAM which is a DRAM or an SRAM. A game program 42a and game data 42b are stored in the storage unit 42. The network I / F unit 43 is an interface which connects the server device 4 to a communication network NW such as the Internet or a LAN. The server device 4 is capable of communicating with the multiple game devices 2 via the communication network NW.

[0038] [Game Overview] Next, an overview of a game realized by the game system 1 in this embodiment will be described. The game described in this embodiment realizes a battle game in which users who access the server device 4 from the game device 2 via the communication network NW can battle each other.

[0039] Specifically, this fighting game is a fighting game in which a user operates an object selected from a plurality of objects to fight one-on-one with an opponent object in a virtual space. For ease of explanation, the player object operated by the user will be referred to as a user object, and an object that fights against the user object will be referred to as an opponent object. Any of the user objects and opponent objects will be referred to simply as an object.

[0040] A hit determination area is arranged on each object. Furthermore, when an object performs an attack, an attack determination area is arranged on a predetermined portion of the object during the attacking action. Note that the hit determination area and the attack determination area are usually not visible to the user on the game screen. When the attack determination area of ​​one of two competing objects comes into contact with the hit determination area of ​​the other object, it is determined that the attack of one object has hit the other object. When it is determined that a hit has occurred, the physical strength of the object that has been attacked is reduced by the amount of damage corresponding to the attack.

[0041] The position, size, shape, etc. of the hit detection area change depending on the posture (standing posture, crouching posture, etc.) and action (for example, jumping or performing a technique) of the object. Furthermore, when a predetermined condition is met, the hit detection area may not be located on the object for a certain period of time. For example, when an object is knocked down by an attack, the hit detection area may disappear from the object from the time it is knocked down until it gets up. Furthermore, the hit detection area may disappear from the object while the object is performing a predetermined technique. The state in which the hit detection area has disappeared can be called an invincible state, since the object is not subject to attacks.

[0042] The game also has several game modes, and the user plays the game in a game mode selected from among these game modes. The game modes of the game include an online battle mode, a CPU battle mode, and a training mode.

[0043] The online battle mode is a game mode in which a user plays against other users online. When a user selects the online battle mode as the game mode, the game device 2 is synchronized with the other game devices 2 by a well-known matching process, and a user object operated by the user and an opponent object as a player object operated by the other user fight each other.

[0044] The CPU battle mode is a game mode in which the user plays against the computer. In the CPU battle mode, the user can select one of a number of predetermined difficulty levels. When the user selects the CPU battle mode as the game mode and further selects a difficulty level, a user object operated by the user and an opponent object as a non-player object automatically controlled by the computer fight each other. The action of the opponent object is controlled based on a predetermined game program corresponding to the difficulty level selected by the user.

[0045] The training mode is a game mode in which the user practices the operation of a player object, i.e., a user object. In the training mode, as in the other game modes, an opponent object is placed in the game space together with a user object operated by the user. In the training mode, the opponent object is a non-player object that is automatically controlled based on a predetermined game program.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an example of a game screen D1 including a user object PA and an opponent object PB in the training mode. The game screen D1 includes an image of the game space S captured by a virtual camera. The virtual camera is disposed in the game space S, and moves or zooms in the game space S depending on the positions of the two objects PA and PB, for example, so that the captured image includes the two objects PA and PB. Basically, the virtual camera captures images of the two objects PA and PB from the sides of the two objects PA and PB facing each other and fighting. Therefore, in the game screen D1, one of the two objects PA and PB is located on the right side of the screen, and the other is located on the left side of the screen.

[0047] The game screen D1 includes various game elements. For example, two vitality gauges 61, 62 are arranged at an interval in the left-right direction at the top of the game screen D1. The two vitality gauges 61, 62 indicate the vitality values ​​of the two objects PA, PB, respectively. In addition, a time display area 63 that indicates the remaining time of the battle, for example, is arranged between the two vitality gauges 61, 62 in the game screen D1. In addition, first technique gauges 64a, 65a and second technique gauges 64b, 65b are arranged at the bottom of the game screen D1. In this example, the first technique gauge 64a and the second technique gauge 64b corresponding to the user object PA are arranged at the bottom left of the game screen D1, and the first technique gauge 65a and the second technique gauge 65b corresponding to the opponent object PB are arranged.

[0048] Each of the technique gauges 64a, 64b, 65a, and 65b indicates technique points consumed when a predetermined technique, action, or the like is activated. For example, the first technique gauge 64a is consumed when strengthening the normal special technique of the user object PA. A special technique is generated by the user operating each of the controls of the controller 31 in a predetermined order within a time period. Among the special techniques of the user object PA, the normal special technique is a technique that can be activated without consuming various gauges. For example, when inputting a command for a normal special technique, if the user performs a predetermined operation on the controller (for example, simultaneously pressing multiple buttons among the operation button group 210 corresponding to the attacking action of the object), the first technique gauge 64a consumes a predetermined point and strengthens the normal special technique of the user object PA. In addition, the user object PA has a super special technique that cannot be used unless the first technique gauge 64a is sufficiently filled (for example, unless the first gauge is filled to the maximum value), and there is also a technique that can be canceled, as described below, only with the super special technique.

[0049] The second skill gauge 64b is consumed when the user object PA is caused to perform, for example, the following actions (a), (b), and (c). (a) Action A: By inputting a specified command while the user object PA is guarding against an attack from the opponent object PB, a specified point is consumed in the second technique gauge 64b, and the user object PA's guard is released midway, causing the user object PA to launch a specified attack against the opponent object PB. (b) Action B: By inputting a predetermined command when the second technique gauge 64b is at its maximum, the second technique gauge 64b is entirely consumed and an effect specific to the type of user object PA is activated. This effect differs depending on the type of object, such as strengthening the normal attack action of the user object PA or teleporting the user object PA. Action B is an example of a cancel action, which will be described later. (c) Action C: By inputting a specified command, the user object PA becomes invincible, and when the user object PA is attacked by the opponent object PB while in the invincible state, by inputting a further specified command, the user object PA is caused to perform a counterattack against the opponent object PB.

[0050] The first technique gauge 65a and the second technique gauge 65b are gauges for the opponent object PB, and their roles are similar to those of the first technique gauge 64a and the second technique gauge 64b, so a description thereof will be omitted. Even in the online battle mode and the CPU battle mode, the game screen in which the user object and the opponent object battle each other includes the above-mentioned game elements 61, 62, 63, 64, 64a, 64b, 65a, and 65b.

[0051] Unlike the other game modes, the game screen D1 in the training mode includes a history area 66 that shows the history of the user's operations. In the history area 66, the history of the user's operations is displayed in chronological order from bottom to top. That is, the most recent operation by the user is displayed at the top position in the history area 66. By looking at the history area 66, the user can check what operations the user has performed on the controller 31.

[0052] For example, six of the operation button group 210, the right shoulder button 211, and the left shoulder button 221 correspond to attack actions of an object in the game space S. Specifically, the six buttons (which may also be referred to as "attack buttons" or "attack buttons") are assigned attack actions of punches or kicks of the user object PA, such as "weak punch", "medium punch", "strong punch", "weak kick", "medium kick", and "strong kick", respectively. For example, when a button corresponding to "weak punch", "medium punch", "strong punch", "weak kick", "medium kick", or "strong kick" is pressed, a notation corresponding to each button, such as "weak P", "medium P", "strong P", "weak K", "medium K", or "strong K" is displayed in the history area 66.

[0053] For example, the four buttons included in the operation button group 220 correspond to the movement of an object in the game space S. Specifically, the right button, left button, up button, and down button (which may also be called "directional buttons") included in the operation button group 220 are assigned actions of the user object PA, such as "move to the right of the screen," "move to the left of the screen," "jump," and "crouch." When the right button, left button, up button, or down button is pressed, a notation corresponding to each button, for example, an arrow symbol such as a right arrow, a left arrow, an up arrow, or a down arrow, is displayed in the history area 66. Also, for example, when the right button and the down button are pressed simultaneously, an arrow symbol indicating an arrow pointing diagonally downward to the right is displayed.

[0054] 3, an input image 71 indicating an input indicated by a down arrow symbol and an input image 72 indicating an input corresponding to a "medium K" are displayed at the top of the history area 66, and an input image 70 indicating an input corresponding to a "weak P" is displayed below them. This means that, by operating the controller 31 by the user, the weak punch button corresponding to a "weak P" was pressed, and then the down button corresponding to the down arrow and the medium kick button corresponding to a "medium K" were pressed.

[0055] In addition, in this game, the user object PA performs a predetermined action when the user's operation on the controller 31 satisfies a certain activation condition. Hereinafter, a predetermined action that is activated when the user's operation input (e.g., a command) on the controller 31 satisfies the activation condition will be referred to as a specific action. For example, a command for performing a specific action is a series of operations in which a plurality of operators on the controller 31 are operated in a specific order.

[0056] One of the specific actions is an action of canceling an action of a user object PA operated by a user. Hereinafter, this action will be called "cancel", and the user's operation input for initiating "cancel" will be called "cancel input". In order to explain "cancel", which is one of the specific actions, the flow from the start to the end of the action of the user object PA will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.

[0057] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the flow from the start to the end of an attacking motion of a user object PA. Specifically, Fig. 4 shows the flow from the start to the end of an attacking motion (e.g., a crouching middle kick) of a user object PA corresponding to an operational input when the down button and the middle kick button on the controller 31 are pressed. In Fig. 4, time passes from the beginning to the end of the attacking motion (e.g., a crouching middle kick) corresponding to the operational input when the down button and the middle kick button on the controller 31 are pressed. In Fig. 4, time passes from the beginning to the end of the attacking motion.

[0058] In addition, in Fig. 4, two blocks 71, 72, a block 71 including a down arrow symbol and a block 72 including the notation "middle K", are shown lined up vertically. These blocks 71, 72 indicate the operation contents of the user on the controller 31, and indicate that the down button and the middle kick button are pressed simultaneously. The two blocks 71, 72 in Fig. 4 indicate the same operation contents of the user as the input images 71, 72 in the history area 66 shown in Fig. 3, respectively, and therefore will be described with the same reference numerals. The same applies to Figs. 7 to 12 described later.

[0059] 4 shows that an attack judgment area (hereinafter also referred to as "attack judgment") is generated for the user object PA a short time after the down button and the middle kick button are input. In this specification, the time from the time the operation input for the attack action is accepted to the time the attack judgment is generated is referred to as the "generation time."

[0060] 4 also shows that the attack judgment disappears a short time after the attack judgment occurs. In this specification, the time from the attack judgment occurrence to the attack judgment disappearance is referred to as the "duration time." If the attack judgment comes into contact with the opponent object's hit judgment area during the duration time, the attack is determined to be a hit.

[0061] 4 also shows that the user object PA can start the next action after a certain time has elapsed since the attack determination is eliminated. In this specification, the time from the attack determination is eliminated to the time the user object PA can start the next action is referred to as the "rigidity time."

[0062] In this way, when an object performs one attack action, the occurrence time, duration, and stiffness time occur in this order. The occurrence time, duration, and stiffness time differ depending on the type of object and the type of attack action. The occurrence time, duration, and stiffness time are managed, for example, by the frame rate, which is the period for generating game images for drawing a game screen. In this embodiment, the frame rate is 60 fps (frames per second), and one frame is 1 / 60th of a second (that is, about 0.017 seconds). For example, when the occurrence time for a certain attack action is 7 frames, the duration is 2 frames, and the stiffness time is 14 frames, an attack judgment is not made from the start of the attack action until the 6th game image, an attack judgment is made from the 7th game image generated, and the attack judgment continues until the 8th game image. Then, the 9th to 23rd game images are images when no attack judgment is made. Note that the occurrence time and the duration overlap by only one frame, so when the occurrence time is 7 frames, the duration is 2 frames, and the stiffness time is 14 frames, the total number of frames is 22. In addition, for example, in FIG. 4, and FIGS. 7, 9, and 11, the occurrence time and the duration time are shown as not overlapping in order to simplify the drawings.

[0063] When an object starts an attack action, the attacking object cannot start the next action from the start of the activation time until the end of the stabilization time. During the stabilization time, the attacking object cannot start other actions such as guarding, so if the object's attack does not hit the opposing object, the stabilization time becomes a disadvantageous time for the attacking object, making it vulnerable to attacks from the opposing object. Also, since the attacking object cannot move on to other actions such as guarding during the activation time or duration, it may be counterattacked depending on the actions of the opposing object.

[0064] Conversely, if the attacking action of the object can be cancelled midway, the object can be operated to switch to the next attack or to guard against the attack of the opponent object. The above-mentioned "cancel" refers to the user inputting a predetermined command to the controller 31 during the attacking action of the object to stop the attacking action midway before the end of the stiffening time. By cancelling the attacking action of the object midway, it is possible to avoid the disadvantageous time when the object is vulnerable to an attack from the opponent object, and it is also possible to connect attacks consecutively. In other words, by cancelling the attacking action after hitting the opponent object with an attack, it is possible to attack consecutively without giving the opponent object time to guard.

[0065] Another specific action is an attack in which, when an object hits an opponent object with an attack, the object launches a next attack while the opponent object is recoiled from the attack, thereby ensuring successive hits. In order to make this successive hit successful, it is necessary to generate an attack determination area for the next attack after the stiffness time of the first attack has ended and in a very short time before the time during which the opponent object is recoiled from the first attack ends. The action of the user object PA that starts an attack action so that an attack determination is made while the opponent object is recoiled from the attack is called a "timed press," and the user's operation input for realizing the timed press is called a "timed input."

[0066] The above-mentioned "cancel input" and "eye-pressing input" require accurate and rapid operation input, so users often practice command input in training mode to be able to perform this type of specific action. There are various conditions for invoking a specific action. In conventional games, for example, when a user attempts an operation to invoke a specific action but the specific action does not occur, it is difficult for the user to understand why the specific action did not occur. In addition, for example, when a specific action occurs by chance while the user is operating the user object PA, it is difficult for the user to immediately understand why the specific action occurred. In the game system of this embodiment, the user is allowed to understand the reason why the specific action did not occur or was invoked. This will be described in detail later.

[0067] [Functional configuration] Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the game system 1 in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, a control unit 5 (computer) of the game system 1, which is configured by the control unit 21 of the game device 2 and the control unit 41 of the server device 4 working together, executes the game programs 34a and 42a, thereby functioning as a game space generating means 51, an object control means 52, an output control means 53, and a determination means 54.

[0068] The game space generation means 51 generates a three-dimensional virtual game space S. However, the game space generation means 51 may generate a two-dimensional virtual game space S. In the game space S, the above-mentioned user object PA and opponent object PB are placed.

[0069] The object control means 52 controls the user object PA to perform an action corresponding to the input information, based on the input information indicating the content of the user's operation on the controller 31. For example, the user can operate the controller 31 to move the user object PA within the game space S or to cause the user object PA to attack the opponent object PB.

[0070] Also, when the game mode is the online battle mode, the object control means 52 controls the behavior of the opponent object PB based on input information indicating the operation content of the opponent user received from the game device 2 of the opponent user. Also, when the game mode is a CPU battle mode or the like, the object control means 52 controls the behavior of the opponent object PB based on a predetermined game program. When the game mode is a training mode, the object control means 52 can control the behavior of the opponent object PB based on an action program generated by the user setting through a predetermined setting screen. That is, in the training mode, the user can also specify the action content and action procedure of the opponent object in advance. For example, by setting the action content of the opponent object through a predetermined setting screen, the user can make the opponent object repeat the specified action such as guarding or jumping, or make the opponent object perform the actions specified by the user in the order specified by the user.

[0071] The output control means 53 causes the display 32 to display the game space S and the objects PA, PB arranged in the game space S. The output control means 53 also causes the display 32 to display vitality gauges 61, 62, the remaining time of the match, skill gauges 64, 65, and the like, so as to be superimposed on the game space S. When the game mode is the training mode, the output control means 53 also causes the display 32 to display a history area 66 indicating the history of the user's operation contents, so as to be superimposed on the game space S.

[0072] The determination means 54 determines whether or not the input information satisfies an activation condition for invoking a specific behavior, which is a predetermined behavior of the user object PA. When the determination means 54 determines that the input information satisfies the activation condition, the object control means 52 controls the user object PA to invoke the predetermined behavior corresponding to the input information.

[0073] The activation condition is, for example, a condition imposed on the user's operation on the controller 31, which is an operation unit (i.e., input information indicating the user's operation content), for activating a specific action, which is a predetermined action of the user object PA. In other words, the specific action in this specification is an action that is activated when the activation condition is satisfied and is not activated when the activation condition is not satisfied. In other words, the specific action varies depending on the activation condition. For example, the specific action may be a special move of the user object PA. In addition, the specific action does not have to be an action specific to the user object PA. For example, the specific action may include a normal single attack issued by the user object PA in a predetermined game situation. For example, if the activation condition includes a condition to further attack the opponent object PB that is in a state of being knocked back by being attacked by the user object PA, the user object PA issuing a single punch while the opponent object PB is knocked back may be a specific action. The above-mentioned cancel and eye-pressing are examples of the specific action.

[0074] For example, the activation condition may relate to the timing of a user's operation on the controller 31. For example, the activation condition may relate to the timing of a user's operation with respect to a state of an object arranged in the game space S. For example, the activation condition may relate to the timing of a user's operation with respect to an action of the user object PA performed with respect to the opponent object PB, or may relate to the timing of a user's operation with respect to an action or state of the opponent object PB.

[0075] The user may perform an input to initiate a specific action when an object (e.g., a user object PA or an opponent object PB) placed in the game space S performs a certain action. In this case, the certain action of the object is an action that serves as a starting point for initiating the specific action. Such an action that serves as a starting point is referred to as a "starting action." For example, the initiation condition may include a condition that a starting action of an object (e.g., a user object PA or an opponent object PB) has occurred.

[0076] For example, the activation condition may include an input time condition that the input information (command) is input within a predetermined input acceptance time. In this case, for example, the input acceptance time may be set between the start and end of a predetermined starting action of the user object PA. For example, the start timing of the input acceptance time may be set according to the start timing of the predetermined starting action of the user object PA. For example, the activation condition of the specific action "cancel" described above includes an input time condition, and the input acceptance time of the input time condition starts at the same timing as the start timing of the duration of the predetermined attack that is the starting action. However, the input acceptance time is not limited to this. For example, the input acceptance time may start from the start time of the occurrence time of the predetermined attack that is the starting action or from the middle of the occurrence time. Note that the activation condition may also differ depending on the type of the starting action.

[0077] Also, for example, the activation condition may include an input speed condition that the input speed of the input information (command) is equal to or faster than a predetermined speed. For example, if a command for initiating a certain specific action is to operate a first operator among a plurality of operators of the controller 31 and then operate a second operator, the input speed condition may include a condition that the time between the operation input for the first operator and the operation input for the second operator is within a predetermined set time. For example, if a command for initiating a certain specific action is to operate a plurality of operators of the controller 31 in a predetermined order, the input speed condition may include a condition that the time until the operation input for the last operator of the command is within a predetermined set time. For example, an input speed condition included in the activation condition of a certain special move may be a condition that the time interval between some of the multiple inputs constituting the command input for initiating the special move is within a set time. For example, a special move command input for executing a certain special move may impose an input speed condition on the input of a directional button such as the operation button group 220 of the special move command input, but may not impose an input speed condition on the input of an attack button such as the operation button group 210 corresponding to an attack action of an object of the special move command input. Also, for example, a special move command input for executing a certain special move may impose an input speed condition on the input of a directional button of the special move command input, and may impose an input speed condition on the input of an attack button made within a predetermined time after the input of a directional button of the special move command input is completed.

[0078] Also, for example, the activation condition may include an accuracy condition that the input information includes or matches predetermined information (such as information indicating a command for a special move) indicating operation contents corresponding to a specific action. For example, a special move of an object is generated when the user operates multiple operators of the controller 31 in a predetermined order within a predetermined time. The activation condition of this special move includes an accuracy condition that multiple operators are input in a predetermined order, and an input time condition that the operators are operated within a predetermined time. The predetermined information indicating operation contents corresponding to a specific action does not have to be one, and may be multiple. For example, the command for performing a certain special move may include, in addition to one regular command, an abbreviated command in which some operations are removed from the regular command. In other words, a specific action can be activated even with an abbreviated command.

[0079] For example, a first activation condition for invoking a first action (e.g., cancel) that is a certain type of specific action may include a condition that input information is input within a predetermined input acceptance time between the start and end of a predetermined first starting action of the user object PA. For example, the input acceptance time is a time that is stored in advance in the storage unit 23 and is preset for the starting action.

[0080] For example, the second activation condition for activating the second action (e.g., a press of the button), which is a predetermined specific action of a different type from the first action, may include a condition that input information is input within a predetermined effective operation time after the end of the predetermined second starting action of the user object PA. For example, the effective operation time is a time that is pre-stored in the storage unit 23 and can change depending on the result of the starting action and the type of technique (such as the time when the technique is activated) possessed by the user object. For example, when the user object PA makes an attack and the attack hits the opponent object PB, the opponent object PB becomes defenseless for a certain period of time. This defenseless period of time may be called a hit stiffness time. Also, when the attack of the user object PA is guarded by the opponent object PB, the opponent object PB continues guarding for a certain period of time and cannot normally perform other actions during that time. This guard duration may be called a guard stiffness time. For example, the effective operation time is a time during which an operation input for generating a next attack determination is possible until the opponent object PB, which has received the attack of the user object PA as the second starting action, is able to take the next action (in other words, until the hit stiffness time ends). For example, if the time from the end of the stiffness time of the second starting action (attack) of the user object PA to the end of the stagger of the opponent object PB is 5 frames, if the user object PA has an attack technique that takes 2 frames to start, the effective operation time is 3 frames from the end of the stiffness time of the second starting action (attack).

[0081] In this embodiment, when the determination means 54 determines that the action of the user object PA is a starting action, the output control means 53 displays starting information, which is information related to the starting action, on the display 32. The starting information is information indicating whether or not the action of the object in the game space S is a starting action for initiating a specific action. For example, the starting information is information indicating which type of specific action the action of the object in the game space S is a starting action for (see, for example, FIG. 8 described later). For example, the starting information relates to whether or not cancellation is possible, whether or not a button press is possible, whether or not continuous tapping is possible, whether or not cancellation by consuming a gauge is possible, and the like. For example, the starting information includes information related to the contents of the corresponding activation condition (see, for example, FIG. 8 described later).

[0082] In this embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the history area 66 and the starting point information on the display 32 so that the starting point information is included in or associated with information indicating operation details related to the starting action in the history area 66. For example, the starting point information includes information indicating a specific action that can be activated after the start of the starting action. For example, the starting point information includes information indicating an activation condition according to the type of the starting action.

[0083] Furthermore, the output control means 53 causes the display 32 to display factor information relating to factors that caused the specific behavior to be activated or factors that caused the specific behavior not to be activated. The factor information indicates factors relating to the user's operation on the controller 31 (operation unit). When the activation condition for activating the specific behavior includes a plurality of conditions, the factor information may include information indicating which of the activation conditions was not satisfied. In this embodiment, the output control means 53 causes the display 32 to display the history area 66 and the factor information such that the factor information is included in or associated with information indicating the operation content related to the specific behavior in the history area 66.

[0084] [Specific action activation process] Next, a flow of a specific action invocation process, which is a game process related to the invocation of a specific action, will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In this embodiment, the specific action invocation process is executed by the object control means 52, the output control means 53, and the determination means 54. Note that in the specific action invocation process described with reference to Fig. 6, a specific action that can be invokated after the user object PA starts or performs a predetermined starting action will be described as an example of the specific action.

[0085] The specific action initiation process is executed at a preset frame rate while the battle is being performed. The determination means 54 determines whether the action of the user object PA is a starting action or not (step S1). If the determination means 54 determines that the action of the user object PA is not a starting action (step S1: No), the specific action initiation process ends.

[0086] When the determination means 54 determines that the behavior of the user object PA is the starting behavior (step S1: Yes), the output control means 53 executes a starting information output process (step S2). The starting information output process is a process of outputting starting information, which is information related to the starting behavior, to the display 32.

[0087] After the start information output process, the determination means 54 determines whether or not the input information after the start of the start action satisfies the activation condition for invoking the specific action of the user object PA (step S3).

[0088] When the determination means 54 determines that the input information satisfies the activation condition (step S3: Yes), the object control means 52 controls the user object PA to activate a specific behavior corresponding to the input information (step S4). When the determination means 54 determines that the input information does not satisfy the activation condition (step S3: No), the object control means 52 does not activate the specific behavior.

[0089] After determining whether the activation condition is satisfied, the output control means 53 executes a factor information output process (step S5). In the factor information output process, the output control means 53 displays, on the display 32, factor information related to factors that caused a specific behavior to be activated or factors that caused a specific behavior not to be activated. Hereinafter, factor information related to factors that caused a specific behavior to be activated may also be referred to as success factor information. Also, factor information related to factors that caused a specific behavior not to be activated may also be referred to as failure factor information.

[0090] When the determination means 54 determines that the input information satisfies the activation condition, the output control means 53 displays the success factor information on the display 32.

[0091] On the other hand, if the determination means 54 determines that the input information does not satisfy the activation condition, the output control means 53 displays failure cause information on the display 32. There are multiple types of causes for a specific behavior not being activated. For example, when the activation condition for activating a specific behavior includes multiple types of conditions, the cause for a specific behavior not being activated relates to which of the multiple types of conditions included in the activation condition was not satisfied. The output control means 53 identifies the cause for a specific behavior not being activated, and displays cause information corresponding to the identified cause on the display 32.

[0092] The output control means 53 may output only one of the success factor information and the failure factor information. When the output control means 53 outputs only the failure factor information, the factor information output process of step S5 is executed only when the determination means 54 does not determine that the input information satisfies the activation condition. When the output control means 53 outputs only the success factor information, the factor information output process of step S5 is executed only when the determination means 54 determines that the input information satisfies the activation condition.

[0093] If the determination means 54 does not determine that the input information satisfies the activation condition, displaying the failure cause information every time may be bothersome to the user. For this reason, the output control means 53 determines whether the input information satisfies a predetermined output limiting condition. If the output control means 53 determines that the input information does not satisfy the predetermined factor output limiting condition, it does not display the cause information. In other words, even if the determination means 54 does not determine that the input information satisfies the activation condition, the cause information may not be displayed. The output limiting condition may also be applied to the display of the starting point information. In addition, the output limiting condition may be set by the user.

[0094] [Example of cause information display] Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 13, a description will be given of an example of displaying cause information when the user inputs a command for initiating cancellation as a specific action.

[0095] (Example of success factor information display: Cancellation) A display example of success factor information when cancel is successfully activated will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a command input over time. Figure 8 is a game screen D2 showing a display example of factor information when the command shown in Figure 7 is input.

[0096] 7 shows a number of blocks 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75. These blocks 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 indicate the contents of the user's operations on the controller 31. As in FIG. 4, blocks 71 and 72 indicate that the down button and the middle kick button have been pressed simultaneously. Also, the dashed arrow extending to the right from block 71 indicates that the down button corresponding to block 71 is being held down. The same is true for the dashed arrow extending to the right from block 73.

[0097] In addition, in FIG. 7, multiple blocks 73, 74, and 75 are arranged at intervals from each other, starting from blocks 71 and 72 to the right. This indicates that the operations corresponding to multiple blocks 73, 74, and 75 were performed in this order. Block 73 including a diagonal right down arrow symbol corresponds to an operation input in which the down button and the right button are pressed simultaneously, block 74 including a right arrow symbol corresponds to an operation input in which the right button is pressed, and block 75 including the notation "strong K" corresponds to an operation input in which the strong kick button is pressed. Hereinafter, for convenience, the operation contents corresponding to blocks 71, 72, 73, and 74 or input information indicating the operation contents will be referred to as inputs 71, 72, 73, and 74, respectively, and the same applies in the following figures.

[0098] The cancel input is a series of operation inputs consisting of input 71, input 73, input 74, and input 75. The starting action of the user object PA, which is the action to be canceled midway, is pressing the middle kick button while the down button is pressed, that is, the attack corresponding to inputs 71 and 72. As shown in FIG. 3, the action corresponding to this input is an attack in which the user object PA performs a middle kick in a crouching state, that is, a so-called crouching middle kick. In other words, if the cancel input is successful, the user object PA stops the crouching middle kick midway and performs a special move corresponding to the series of operation inputs consisting of input 71, input 73, input 74, and input 75.

[0099] The cancellation activation condition includes an input time condition, an input speed condition, and an accuracy condition. In this example, the input time condition is a condition that the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 corresponding to the cancel input are input within the input acceptance time. As shown in FIG. 7, the input acceptance time starts at the same timing as the start of the duration of the attack that is the starting action. In other words, the input acceptance time is counted when the attack determination occurs. The input acceptance time continues for a predetermined time (e.g., several frames, tens of frames, etc.) from the start of the duration. In this example, the input speed condition is a condition that the time interval t of each of the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 corresponding to the cancel input is within a predetermined set time ts (see FIG. 11).

[0100] 7, when the control unit 5 receives the inputs 71 and 72, the output control means 53 displays the starting point information on the display 32. In this embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the history area 66 and the starting point information on the display 32 such that the starting point information is included in or associated with the inputs 71 and 72 corresponding to the starting behavior in the history area 66.

[0101] 8, the output control means 53 displays a frame 81 surrounding the inputs (input information) 71 and 72. The frame 81 is starting point information indicating that the actions of the user object PA corresponding to the inputs 71 and 72 are starting actions for initiating a specific action.

[0102] 8, for example, the output control means 53 displays a speech bubble 82 (i.e., a speech bubble image) as starting point information. The speech bubble 82 includes a protrusion or a leader line extending to the inputs 71, 72 or the frame 81. The speech bubble 82 includes a character string indicating a specific action that can be triggered by a starting action corresponding to the inputs 71, 72 and a trigger condition for the specific action.

[0103] Specifically, in the example of Figure 8, the text string "22F total (7 frames) / 2 frames hold / 14 frames hold)" is included in the speech bubble 82. The "22F total" in this text string indicates that the total number of frames from the start to the end of the starting action is 22 frames. The "7 frames" in this text string indicates that the starting action takes 7 frames, the "2 frames hold" in this text string indicates that the starting action lasts 2 frames, and the "14 frames hold" in this text string indicates that the starting action has a stiffness time of 14 frames.

[0104] Furthermore, the text "Cancel: 9~20F" is included in the speech bubble 82. This indicates that the input acceptance time for activating the cancel is from the 9th frame to the 20th frame from the start of the starting action.

[0105] 7, after the inputs 71 and 72 are accepted by the control unit 5, the inputs 73, 74, and 75 are accepted by the control unit 5 in this order. When the determination means 54 determines that the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 have been input within the input acceptance time, the output control means 53 displays cause information relating to the cause of the specific behavior being triggered on the display 32. In this embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the history area 66 and the cause information on the display 32 so that the cause information is included in or associated with the series of inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75, which are cancel inputs in the history area 66.

[0106] 8, the output control means 53 displays, as cause information, a frame 91 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75. The frame 91 as cause information indicates that the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 constitute a series of operation inputs for initiating a specific action.

[0107] Furthermore, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the output control means 53 displays a speech bubble 92 (i.e., a speech bubble image) as the cause information. The speech bubble 92 includes a character string indicating a detailed cause of the specific action being activated. Specifically, in the example of FIG. 8, the speech bubble 92 includes the character strings "Input accuracy: OK", "Input speed: OK", and "Input within time: OK (input 17F)" along with the character string "Cancel successful!". The character string "Input accuracy: OK" indicates that the accuracy condition is satisfied among the conditions included in the cancellation activation condition. The character string "Input speed: OK" indicates that the input speed condition is satisfied among the conditions included in the cancellation activation condition. The character string "Input within time: OK" indicates that the input time condition is satisfied among the conditions included in the cancellation activation condition, and the character string "(input 17F)" indicates that the command for canceling was completed in the 17th frame from the start of the starting action.

[0108] The user can immediately understand the cause of the cancellation by looking at the cause information on the game screen D2. Specifically, the user can immediately understand the command input corresponding to the cancellation that was activated from the frame 91 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75. The user can also immediately understand from the character string in the speech bubble 92 what condition the user's input satisfied to activate the cancellation, and furthermore, from the character string "(input 17F)" in the speech bubble 92, the user can immediately understand whether the cancellation input was completed just before the end of the input acceptance time or was an input with some time before the end of the input acceptance time.

[0109] (Failure cause information display example 1: Cancel) Next, a display example 1 of failure cause information when cancel activation fails will be described with reference to Figs. 9 and 10. More specifically, a display example of failure cause information when the input time condition among the activation conditions is not satisfied will be described. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a command input over time. Fig. 10 is a game screen D3 showing a display example of cause information when the command shown in Fig. 9 is input.

[0110] Fig. 9 shows blocks similar to the multiple blocks 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 shown in Fig. 7. However, in Fig. 9, the positions of blocks 73, 74, and 75 relative to blocks 71 and 72 are different from those in Fig. 7. In other words, the timing at which inputs 73, 74, and 75 are received is different from the timing at which inputs 71 and 72 are received.

[0111] 9, after inputs 71 and 72 are accepted by the control unit 5, inputs 73, 74, and 75 are accepted by the control unit 5 in this order. When the determination means 54 determines that the input time condition among the activation conditions is not satisfied (the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 were not entered within the input acceptance time), the output control means 53 displays on the display 32 failure cause information relating to the reason why the specific behavior was not activated.

[0112] 10, the output control means 53 displays a frame 93 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 as cause information. The frame 93 is displayed in a manner that makes it possible to identify the cause of the specific behavior not being triggered by the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75. In this example, the frame 93 is displayed in a color corresponding to the cause of the specific behavior not being triggered. For example, the frame 93 is displayed in a predetermined color (e.g., red) corresponding to the cause that the input time condition was not satisfied.

[0113] Furthermore, for example, as shown in Fig. 10, the output control means 53 displays a speech bubble 94 (i.e., a speech bubble image) as cause information. The speech bubble 94 differs from the speech bubble 92 in Fig. 8 in that it includes the character string "Input within time: NG (input 24F)". The character string "Input within time: NG" indicates that the input time condition, among the conditions included in the cancellation activation condition, was not satisfied, and the character string "(input 24F)" indicates that the command for cancellation was completed in the 24th frame from the start of the starting action.

[0114] The user can immediately understand the reason why the cancel was not activated by looking at the cause information on the game screen D3. Specifically, the user can immediately understand from the color of the frame 93 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 which of the conditions included in the activation condition the command input corresponding to the activated cancel did not satisfy. In addition, the user can immediately understand from the character string "(input 24F)" in the speech bubble 94 how much time has passed since the end of the input acceptance time by comparing it with, for example, the character string "cancel: 9-20F" in the starting point information.

[0115] The output mode of the cause information indicating that the input time condition was not satisfied is not particularly limited. For example, the speech bubble 94 may include only the character string "Input acceptance time exceeded!", and may not include information regarding the satisfied input speed condition or accuracy condition. Also, the speech bubble 94 may not include the character string "(input 24F)", and may instead include a character string such as "2F exceeded!" indicating how much later the time at which the cancel input was completed was from the end of the input acceptance time.

[0116] 9, in this example, the cause output condition includes a condition that the input 71, input 73, input 74, and input 75 corresponding to the cancel input are input within a predetermined time limit. Even if the determination means 54 determines that the activation condition is not satisfied, if the output control means 53 determines that the input 71, input 73, input 74, and input 75 corresponding to the cancel input are not within the predetermined time limit, the cause information is not displayed. For example, if the difference between the end of the time limit and the end of the input acceptance time is 5 frames, the cause information is displayed until 5 frames have passed since the end of the input acceptance time, but the cause information is not displayed after 5 frames have passed since the end of the input acceptance time.

[0117] (Failure cause information display example 2: Cancel) Next, another display example 2 of failure cause information when cancel activation fails will be described with reference to Figs. 11 and 12. More specifically, a display example of failure cause information when an input speed condition among activation conditions is not satisfied will be described. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a command input over time. Fig. 12 is a game screen D4 showing a display example of cause information when the command shown in Fig. 11 is input.

[0118] Fig. 11 shows blocks similar to the blocks 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 shown in Fig. 7 and 9. However, in Fig. 11, the positions of the blocks 73, 74, and 75 relative to the blocks 71 and 72 are different from those in Fig. 7 and 11. In other words, the timing at which the inputs 73, 74, and 75 are received is different from the timing at which the inputs 71 and 72 are received.

[0119] As shown in Fig. 11, after inputs 71 and 72 are received by the control unit 5, inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 are received by the control unit 5 in this order. When the determination means 54 determines that the input speed condition among the activation conditions is not satisfied (the time t between the input 74 and the input 75 exceeds the predetermined set time ts), the output control means 53 displays factor information related to the cause of the specific behavior not being activated on the display 32. Note that Fig. 11 and the above-mentioned Figs. 7 and 9 only show the time t between the input 74 and the input 75, which exceeded the set time ts, and omit the time t between the inputs 71, 73, and 74, which are within the set time ts.

[0120] 12, the output control means 53 displays, as cause information, a frame 95 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75. The frame 95 is displayed in a predetermined color (e.g., orange) corresponding to the cause that the input speed condition was not satisfied, so that the cause that the specific action was not triggered can be identified.

[0121] Furthermore, for example, as shown in Fig. 12, the output control means 53 displays a speech bubble 96 (i.e., a speech bubble image) as cause information. The speech bubble 96 differs from the speech bubble 92 in Fig. 8 in that it includes the character string "Input speed: NG (strong K slow)". The character string "Input speed: NG (strong K slow)" indicates that the input speed condition, which is one of the conditions included in the cancellation activation condition, was not satisfied, and the character string "(strong K slow)" indicates that the operation input of the button corresponding to "strong kick", one of the commands for canceling, was slow.

[0122] By looking at the cause information, the user can immediately understand the cause of the failure to activate the cancel. Specifically, the user can immediately understand from the color of the frame 95 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 which of the conditions included in the activation condition the command input corresponding to the activated cancel did not satisfy. Also, the user can immediately understand from the character string "(strong K slow)" in the speech bubble 96 which operation of the cancel input was slow.

[0123] The output mode of the cause information indicating that the input speed condition was not satisfied is not particularly limited. For example, the speech bubble 96 may include only the character string "Your input is slow!" and may not include information regarding the satisfied input time condition or accuracy condition. The speech bubble 96 may not include the character string "(Strong K slow)".

[0124] The output mode of the cause information indicating that the input speed condition was not satisfied is not particularly limited. For example, the speech bubble 96 may include only the character string "Your input is slow!" and may not include information regarding the satisfied input time condition or accuracy condition. The speech bubble 96 may not include the character string "(Strong K slow)".

[0125] For example, the output control means 53 may display the time interval t between two inputs in the user's command input (e.g., in the number of frames), or may display the set time ts imposed on each time interval t (e.g., in the number of frames). Also, when the time interval t is short of the set time ts, the output control means 53 may display the shortfall (e.g., in the number of frames).

[0126] (Another example of starting point information) FIG. 13 is another example of displaying information on factors that contribute to the success of a cancellation, different from that of FIG. 8. In FIG. 13(A), the starting point information is displayed in a different manner from that of FIG. 8. The character string "Cancelable" in the speech bubble 82a indicates that a cancellation can be initiated for the starting action corresponding to the inputs 71 and 72. The character string "Input accuracy" in the speech bubble 82a indicates that the conditions for initiating a cancellation include an accuracy condition, and the character string "Input within time" in the speech bubble 82a indicates that the conditions for initiating a cancellation include an input time condition. In addition, the character string "Input speed:-" in the speech bubble 82a indicates that the conditions for initiating a cancellation do not include an input speed condition. In this manner, the starting point information may indicate that the conditions for initiating a cancellation do not include a specified condition.

[0127] Fig. 13(B) shows a game screen D6 that displays cause information after the game screen D5 is displayed. In Fig. 13(B), the speech bubble 82a shown in Fig. 13(A) is updated to a speech bubble 92a to which cause information has been added after determining whether the activation condition is satisfied. Note that it is not necessary to display both the starting point information and the cause information, and the starting point information may not be displayed when the cause information is displayed or after a certain period of time has passed.

[0128] To summarize the above, the game program of this embodiment is a game program executed in a game system including a controller 31 (operation unit) operated by a user, a display 32 (output unit), and a control unit 5 (computer), and causes the control unit 5 to function as: a determination means 54 for determining whether input information indicating the user's operation content on the controller 31 satisfies an activation condition for activating a predetermined behavior of a user object PA placed in the game space S; an object control means 52 for controlling the user object PA to activate the predetermined behavior corresponding to the input information when it is determined that the input information satisfies the activation condition; and an output control means 53 for outputting, to the display 32, factor information regarding the factor that caused the predetermined behavior to be activated or the factor that caused the predetermined behavior not to be activated.

[0129] According to the game program of this embodiment, by displaying on the display 32 cause information on the cause of the predetermined action being triggered, for example, when the predetermined action is triggered by chance while the user is operating the user object PA, the user can immediately understand why the predetermined action was triggered. Also, by displaying on the display 32 cause information on the cause of the predetermined action not being triggered, the user can immediately understand why the predetermined action was not triggered, for example, when the user attempts to perform an operation to trigger the predetermined action but the predetermined action is not triggered.

[0130] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the action of the user object PA is determined to be a starting action, the output control means 53 displays information regarding the starting action, thereby allowing the user to immediately understand whether the action of the user object PA is a starting action for initiating a specific action.

[0131] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the history area 66 and the cause information on the display 32 so that the cause information is included (for example, frames 91, 93, 95, etc.) or is associated (for example, speech bubbles 92, 94, 96, etc.) with information indicating operation contents related to a specific behavior in the history area 66. This allows the user to immediately understand which operation contents are related to a specific behavior among the operation contents shown in the history area 66.

[0132] [Another example of displaying cause information] Next, with reference to Figs. 14 to 18, examples of display of cause information and starting point information when an operational input is made to initiate another type of specific action other than cancellation will be described.

[0133] (Example of failure cause information display: Special move) FIG. 14 is a game screen D7 showing an example of the display of failure cause information when a command corresponding to a special move of a user object PA is input.

[0134] Assume that the user object PA is located on the left side of the screen relative to the opponent object PB. In this case, the command input for the user object PA to perform a certain special move A is to maintain a predetermined operation, for example, to maintain a state in which the left button is pressed or a state in which the left button and the down button are pressed simultaneously (see input 101 in FIG. 14) for a certain period of time (hereinafter referred to as the "required charge time") or more, and then to press the right button and the weak punch button (see inputs 102 and 103 in FIG. 14). In this case, the activation condition for activating the special move A includes a condition that the actual charge time (hereinafter referred to as the "actual charge time") during which the predetermined operation is maintained is equal to or longer than the required charge time.

[0135] When the determination means 54 determines that the input information indicates that the actual charge time is not equal to or greater than the required charge time, the object control means 52 controls the user object PA to deliver a normal weak punch without activating the special move A. In addition, the output control means 53 displays a speech bubble 105 including the character string "Insufficient charge time!" on the display 32 as failure cause information. This allows the user to immediately understand that the special move A was not activated because the actual charge time was insufficient.

[0136] The output control means 53 may output, within the speech bubble 105, shortage time information indicating how much the actual accumulation time is short of the required accumulation time. The shortage time information may be a character string indicating the number of frames obtained by subtracting the actual accumulation time from the required accumulation time. Alternatively, the shortage time information may display a required accumulation time gauge having a length corresponding to the number of frames of the required accumulation time, and may identifiably indicate the area occupied by the shortage time within the required accumulation time gauge.

[0137] In addition, when the maintenance of a specified operation is started or the actual accumulated time has reached a specified time, the output control means 53 may display the number of frames of the required accumulated time before displaying the failure cause information, or alternatively or in addition, may count down and display the shortage time.

[0138] (Example of displaying success factor information: Eye-push) Fig. 15 shows an example of the display of the information on factors that contribute to success in the above-mentioned timing. Fig. 15(A) shows a game screen D8 that displays starting point information for timing. In this example, pressing the middle kick button while the down button is pressed, that is, an attack (crouching middle kick) corresponding to inputs 111 and 112, is set as the starting action for timing. As shown in Fig. 15(A), when the control unit 5 receives the inputs 111 and 112, the output control means 53 displays a frame 113 surrounding the inputs 111 and 112 and a speech bubble 114 on the display 32 as starting point information.

[0139] The text in the speech bubble 114 reads "Time-sensitive attack possible! (stiffness: 5F)." The text "Time-sensitive attack possible!" in this text indicates that time-sensitive attack can be activated for the starting action corresponding to the inputs 111 and 112. The text "(stiffness: 5F)" in this text indicates that the time difference between the end of the stiffness time of the attack (starting action) corresponding to the inputs 111 and 112 and the time the attacked opponent object PB can take the next action (in other words, the time until the opponent object PB's staggered state ends) is 5 frames.

[0140] Furthermore, a list 114a of attack actions that can cause an attack judgment within the stiffness difference is included in the speech bubble 114. In this example, the list 114a shows a weak punch, which has an activation time of 3 frames, and a crouching kick, which corresponds to pressing the down button and the weak kick button simultaneously and has an activation time of 4 frames.

[0141] FIG. 15(B) shows a game screen D9 that displays success factor information after the game screen D8 is displayed. In FIG. 15(B), a speech bubble 115 is shown as the success factor information. The speech bubble 115 includes a pattern 115a that indicates the operation timing of the user who achieved the hit-by-hit technique. Specifically, the pattern 115a includes a frame block that indicates a total of five frames of stiffness difference by connecting blocks that indicate one frame horizontally. The pattern 115a allows the user to know at what timing in this frame block the user operated and at what timing an attack judgment occurred.

[0142] (Example of failure cause information display: Eye-pressing) Fig. 16 shows an example of the display of the above-mentioned information on factors that influence success in hitting the target. Fig. 16(A) is the same as Fig. 15(A).

[0143] Fig. 16(B) shows a game screen D10 that displays failure cause information after the game screen D8 is displayed. In Fig. 16(B), a speech bubble 116 including the character string "cannot reach" is shown as the failure cause information. The character string "cannot reach" indicates that the opponent object PB received the crouching kick, which is the starting action, and moved to a position where the weak punch of the user object PA could not reach (e.g., leaned back or stepped back), and as a result, the consecutive attack by the timed button press was not successful.

[0144] The character string in the speech bubble 116 may be changed from "cannot reach" to "distance: NG." Also, the character string "operation timing: OK" may be included in the speech bubble 116 to indicate that the operation timing for the pressing the button satisfies the activation condition.

[0145] The output control means 53 may display information on whether or not an attack judgment generated within the stiffness difference will contact the hit judgment area of ​​the opponent object PB. In other words, the output control means 53 may include information on whether or not an attack judgment generated within the stiffness difference will result in a consecutive attack by pressing the opponent object PB. For example, the output control means 53 may include information indicating that an attack in the list 114a in the speech bubble 114 shown in Figs. 15(A) and 16(A) will not hit the opponent object PB because it is too far away. Alternatively, the list 114a in the speech bubble 114 may be a list of attacking actions that can generate an attack judgment within the stiffness difference and that will result in a consecutive attack by pressing the opponent object PB.

[0146] For example, after the user object PA hits an attack on the opponent object PB, it is possible to consecutively hit techniques that would normally be out of reach by walking a little toward the opponent object PB and then using a technique before the hit stiffness time ends. In this way, when the specific action is an action of hitting the opponent object PB with an attack, walking, and then consecutively hitting the next attack, the conditions for invoking the specific action may include the user object PA walking toward the opponent object PB during the hit stiffness time, using a predetermined special move within a predetermined time, not accidentally using another technique that does not lead to consecutive hits, etc.

[0147] (Example of failure cause information display: turning attack) Fig. 17 shows an example of display of information on success factors of a turning attack. Fig. 17(A) shows a game screen D11 displaying starting point information of a turning attack. A "turning attack" refers to an attack that the user object PA launches from behind the opponent object PB when the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA.

[0148] The turn attack will be explained in more detail. The positions of the user object PA and the opponent object PB on the game screen are swapped left and right, and the orientation of the user object PA changes from one side to the other. The same is true for the opponent object PB. However, when the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA, the opponent object PB does not change its orientation left and right during the jump, but changes its orientation after landing. In this game, when the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA, the opponent object PB cannot guard against an attack from behind during the jump, so the user has a desire to hit the opponent object PB from behind with the attack of the user object PA before the opponent object PB lands. However, there are cases where the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA and attacks the user object PA from behind, so-called "flip attack". For this reason, it is ideal for the user to have the user object PA perform an attack that overcomes the flip attack of the opponent object PB before the opponent object PB lands, and to hit the opponent object PB from behind. However, the attack will not hit unless the user object PA changes its direction, so the user must input a command to have the user object PA turn around before launching an attack, or input a special special move command that launches a special move when the user turns around, or change the command for launching a special move to a command input that is reversed left and right midway after the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA, so that the user object PA launches an attack in a direction different from that before the opponent object PB jumped. An attack or special move launched by such an input is a turn-around attack. Note that, depending on the type of attack of the user object PA, there are some that the opponent object PB can guard in the air regardless of the direction in the air. In that case, it is necessary to perform a move that cannot be guarded in the air.

[0149] The command input for performing a turn attack described in this example is to hold down the down button (see input 121 in Figs. 17(A) and 17(B)) for a certain period of time (charge time), and then press the up button and the weak punch button (see inputs 123 and 124 in Fig. 17(B)). The conditions for invoking a turn attack include a condition related to the charge time and a condition related to the positional relationship. The condition related to the charge time is that the actual charge time is equal to or greater than the required charge time. The condition related to the positional relationship is that the orientation of the user object PA has changed as the opponent object PB has jumped over the user object PA.

[0150] When the determination means 54 determines that the action of the opponent object PB is the starting action, more specifically, when it is determined that the opponent object PB has made a jump so as to jump over the user object PA as shown in Fig. 17(A), the output control means 53 displays the starting point information on the display 32. Whether or not the opponent object PB has made a jump so as to jump over the user object PA is determined from the jump action of the opponent object PB and the positional relationship between the opponent object PB and the user object PA.

[0151] The output control means 53 displays an image 122 including the character string "Turnaround attack possible" as starting point information on the display 32. The character string "Turnaround attack possible" indicates that the opponent object PB has started a jump to jump over the user object PA. The image 122 is placed at a predetermined position on the screen.

[0152] FIG. 17(B) shows a game screen D12 that displays cause information after the game screen D11 is displayed. In FIG. 17(B), a speech bubble 126 is shown as the failure cause information. The speech bubble 126 contains the character string "Turning attack failed!" as well as the character strings "Charge time: OK", "Positional relationship: NG", and "(1F early!)". The character string "Charge time: OK" indicates that the condition regarding the charge time is met. The character string "Positional relationship: NG" indicates that the condition regarding the positional relationship is not met. In other words, since the user object PA starts the attack before changing direction, in FIG. 17(B), the opponent object PB does not move behind the opponent object PB, but jumps out to the right side of the screen. The character string "(1F early!)" indicates that the command should have been input one frame later in order to satisfy the condition regarding the positional relationship.

[0153] (Example of success factor information display: turning attack) FIG. 18 shows an example of display of failure factor information of a turning attack. FIG. 18(A) is the same as FIG. 17(A). FIG. 18(B) shows a game screen D13 that displays success factor information after the game screen D11 is displayed. In FIG. 18(B), a speech bubble 127 is shown as the success factor information. In addition to the character string "Turning attack successful!", the character strings "Charge time: OK" and "Positional relationship: OK" are included in the speech bubble 127. In other words, since all of the conditions for invoking a turning attack are met, FIG. 17(B) shows a state in which the attack that moves the user object PA to the back of the opponent object PB has succeeded.

[0154] For example, even if the opponent object PB starts a jump so as to jump over the user object PA, if the user object PA finally changes direction just before the opponent object PB lands, there is no time to activate a turning attack. In such a case, the output control means 53 may display an image indicating that the specific action (turning attack) is impossible (hereinafter referred to as "unactivatable information"), instead of displaying the image 122 indicating that the specific action (turning attack in this example) is possible (hereinafter referred to as "activatable information"). Furthermore, when the unactivatable information is displayed, if the user object PA moves and it becomes possible to perform a turning attack (for example, the time to activate the turning attack becomes a certain time or more), the output control means 53 may change the displayed unactivatable information to activateable information. In this way, by outputting information on whether or not it is possible to activate, a better environment for honing the game skill can be provided to the user. For example, when an opponent object PB jumps toward a user object PA, the user is allowed to practice inputting commands by determining whether to move the user object PA backward and then launch a forward attack, or to move the user object PA forward and launch a turn-around attack.

[0155] 17 and 18 is activated by a command input that does not include the input of the left or right button, but it is more difficult to activate a turning attack with a special move that includes the input of the left or right button. This is because the button input is reversed between the command for activating the move when the user object PA faces right (in other words, when the user object PA is located to the left of the opponent object PB on the screen) (hereinafter, the right command) and the command for activating the move when the user object PA faces left (when the user object PA is located to the right of the opponent object PB on the screen) (hereinafter, the left command).

[0156] That is, when the opponent object PB jumps and the state of the user object PA changes from a right-facing state to a left-facing state, the state changes from one requiring a right-facing command to one requiring a left-facing command. For this reason, for example, when the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA facing right from right to left, after the user object PA changes from a right-facing state to a left-facing state while the user is inputting a right-facing command, the user needs to input the left-facing command from the middle to the end in order to realize a turn-around attack. Also, for example, if the right-facing command is completed at the moment the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA to the left, the user object PA automatically turns to the left and performs a turn-around attack. For this reason, a turn-around attack is realized with only a right-facing command. Also, for example, when a command input for a turn-around attack is performed after the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA to the left, the user needs to input a left-facing command from the beginning in order to realize a turn-around attack.

[0157] For example, consider a case where a right facing command for activating a certain special move is to operate the right button, the down button, the down button and the right button simultaneously, and the punch button in this order, or to operate the down button and the right button simultaneously, the down button, the down button and the right button simultaneously, and the punch button in this order. The right button, the down button, the down button and the right button are pressed simultaneously in this order, and after the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA facing right from right to left, the down button and the left button are pressed simultaneously, and the punch button is input in this order. Then, the user object PA turns left and performs a turn attack, which activates the special move corresponding to the right facing command. This is because the simultaneous pressing of the down button and the left button after the opponent object PB jumps over the user object PA from right to left corresponds to the simultaneous pressing of the down button and the right button in the right facing command. In addition, if the right button, the down button and the right button are pressed simultaneously, and the down button is pressed in that order, and the opponent object PB jumps from right to left over the user object PA facing right, and then the down button and the left button are pressed simultaneously, and the punch button is pressed in that order, the user object PA will similarly turn to the left and activate the special move corresponding to the right facing command.

[0158] Thus, in order to activate a turning attack with a special move command input including the input of the left button or the right button (including simultaneous pressing of the left button or the right button and the down button), the relationship between the timing of the user object PA changing direction and the timing of the command input is important. In this embodiment, the relationship between the timing of the user object PA changing direction and the timing of the command input can be displayed as factor information indicating the factor of whether or not a turning attack was activated. This makes it possible to provide the user with a comfortable game environment for practicing turning attacks.

[0159] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0160] For example, the game program 34a does not have to be recorded on the game media 34, and may be downloaded to the game device 2 from an external source via a communication network NW. For example, the game device 2 included in the game system of the present invention may be a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone, and the operation unit and the display unit may be a touch screen or the like. Furthermore, the display unit that displays the game screen may be a head-mounted display or the like.

[0161] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the game system 1 includes the game device 2 and the server device 4, but the game system of the present invention may not include a server device.

[0162] The game program of the present invention may be executed by at least one computer of the game device 2 and the server device 4. For example, a part of the game program of the present invention may be stored in the server device, and the rest of the game program of the present invention may be downloaded to the game device or recorded on a recording medium to be read by the game device. For example, the control unit 41 of the server device 4 may function as a part or all of the functional units 51 to 54 by executing the game program stored in the storage unit 42. In this case, the game program of the present invention is a program stored in the server device 4, or a program stored in a distributed manner in the game device 2 and the server device 4.

[0163] In addition, in the above embodiment, the control unit 21 of the game device 2 functions as a game space generating means 51, an object control means 52, an output control means 53, and a determination means 54 by executing the game program 34a, but some of these functional units 51 to 54 may not function.

[0164] For example, the present invention can be applied not only to online games but also to offline games. In the above embodiment, a fighting game is described as an example of a battle game, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied not only to battle-type fighting games but also to action games, role-playing games, shooting games, sports games, racing games, and the like.

[0165] In the above embodiment, the cause information is displayed on the game screen in the training mode, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the cause information may be displayed on the game screen in another game mode, such as a CPU battle mode. The present invention is also applicable to games that do not have a training mode.

[0166] The number and types of conditions included in the activation condition may vary for each specific action. In the above embodiment, the input time condition, the input speed condition, and the like are exemplified as the activation condition, but the activation condition is not limited to those described in the above embodiment. The activation condition may include a condition other than the input time condition and the input speed condition, may include only one of the input time condition and the input speed condition, or may include both the input time condition and the input speed condition. The activation condition may include an accuracy condition, or may exclude the accuracy condition.

[0167] The activation condition is not limited to those described in the above embodiment. The activation condition may include another condition instead of or in addition to one or both of the input time condition and the input speed condition. For example, the activation condition may include a condition that an attack as a starting action hits an opponent object. For example, the activation condition may include a condition that an attack of a user object hits an opponent object without being guarded by the opponent object. The activation condition may include a condition that an attack of a user object hits an opponent object regardless of whether it is guarded by the opponent object. The activation condition may include a condition that an attack of a user object is guarded by an opponent object. The activation condition may not include an attack of a user object PA hitting or guarding an opponent object PB, and may be cancelable even if the attack of a user object PA is neither hit nor guarded.

[0168] The activation condition may also include a condition that a predetermined parameter (for example, the technique gauge 64 shown in FIG. 3) reaches a predetermined value. In this case, the specific action may be an action that consumes the predetermined parameter. For example, the activation condition may also include an accuracy condition that the input information matches a predetermined command input. The output control means may visibly display whether the correct command or the omitted command satisfied the accuracy condition. Alternatively, the accuracy condition may be excluded from the activation condition.

[0169] The inputs for invoking specific actions described in the above embodiment are merely examples. For example, a cancel input may be to hold the down button pressed for a required charge time or longer, and then press the up button and the attack button. Since such a cancel input requires the input of holding the down button pressed for a certain period of time, it is easy for the user to cancel an attack that occurs by pressing the attack button while holding down the down button, that is, a crouching attack. It is also possible to cancel a standing attack, rather than a crouching attack, by using such a cancel input that includes an input of holding the down button for a certain period of time or longer.

[0170] For example, if the user operates the attack button that is the standing attack to be cancelled during a cancel input, and then performs the remaining input of the cancel input, the standing attack can be cancelled. Specifically, after performing the cancel input of holding down the down button for the required charge time or longer, the user presses only the attack button without immediately pressing the up button (for example, in a neutral state where no directional buttons are pressed). This causes the crouched character to stand up and then perform a standing attack. If the user then presses the up button and attack button, which are the remaining inputs of the cancel input, during the input acceptance time to complete the command for the special move, the standing attack will be cancelled midway and the special move corresponding to the cancel input will be activated.

[0171] In this case, the factor information displayed by the output control means 53 may include information as to whether the actual charge time is greater than or equal to the required charge time, information as to whether the input time condition has been met, information as to whether the input speed condition has been met, as well as information as to whether a standing attack that is subject to cancellation has been performed, and information as to whether the attack button to launch a standing attack has been pressed in the period between stopping the down button and pressing the up button.

[0172] In addition, the starting action for a cancel that is activated by a cancel input, including an input of holding the down button for a certain period of time as described above, may be the character's crouching, which corresponds to starting to press the down button for a certain period of time, or it may be a standing attack that is the target of the cancel.

[0173] The specific action is not limited to those described in the above embodiment. The specific action may be one that is activated without a predetermined starting action. For example, the specific action may be a special move of the object. The specific action may be a so-called "guard cancel" in which, at the moment when the object guards against an attack of an opponent object, a command input is made to guard against the attack, thereby stopping the guard midway (i.e., canceling the stiffness time of the guard) and enabling the next action. In addition, the specific action may be a jump cancel that cancels an action such as a technique with a jump, a rapid-fire cancel that cancels from a normal technique to another technique, a trigger combo that can cancel from a normal technique to a normal technique, a super cancel that can cancel into an action that consumes a gauge, a special move to special move cancel that stops a special move midway and moves to another special move, an empty cancel that cancels a technique without hitting the technique, and the like.

[0174] Depending on the type of action, it is possible to ignore the input acceptance time. In that case, the timing by which the cancel input is performed determines whether a combo will be successful or whether a counterattack due to a guard cancel will hit while the opponent is performing an action.

[0175] For example, the specific action may be an invincible move, so-called a reversal, that is performed just when the user object stands up. Here, the invincible move means a move that is not attacked by the opponent object from the start of the time when the move is performed until the end of the stiffening time. In other words, the invincible move is a move whose hit detection area disappears from the start to the end of the move. For example, when the user object stands up from a state where it has been downed due to an attack, a hit detection is generated at the same time as the user stands up in an invincible state while down. When the opponent object attacks in accordance with that timing, it is an effective strategy for the user to perform an action that performs an invincible move just at the time. Therefore, showing the user the cause of the failure of an input that attempts to perform an invincible move just at the time when the user object stands up is useful for improving the user's game skill. In addition, after guarding against the user object standing up or some other attack, the user may perform an attack with a slow start-up in anticipation of the opponent not counterattacking. In such a case, an action that causes the user object to perform a move with a fast start-up, so-called a rampage, may also be a specific action.

[0176] The specific action does not have to be a special action set in the game, and may be a simple action of the user object (for example, a simple punch or jump). The specific action may be any action that has an activation condition. For example, when an opponent object attacks with a projectile, the attack can be avoided if the user object jumps at a certain timing. In this case, a jump that can avoid the attack when the activation condition of jumping at a certain timing is satisfied is a specific action.

[0177] In addition, when a user object hits an opponent object with a technique that has a multiple-frame attack judgment, the time from the hit to the end of the stiffness period is shorter if the attack judgment hits just before it disappears than if the attack judgment hits at the beginning of the attack judgment, and the user object can move on to the next action immediately. If such an attack is set as a specific action, the activation condition can be a condition that it hits in the latter half of the attack judgment duration.

[0178] The specific behavior activation process shown in FIG. 6 is merely one example. The specific behavior activation process shown in FIG. 6 is game processing related to the activation of a specific behavior that can be activated after an object performs a starting behavior. However, in the case of game processing related to the activation of a specific behavior that does not require a starting behavior, steps S1 and S2 in FIG. 6 are omitted. In this case, cases where the input information does not satisfy the activation condition will frequently occur, but by setting stricter factor output conditions, it is possible to prevent factor information related to the cause of the specific behavior not being activated from being displayed more than necessary.

[0179] The start timing of the input acceptance time and the duration from the start to the end of the input acceptance time may vary depending on the type of game and the type of starting action or cancel input.

[0180] The input information may be information indicating that a button has been pressed repeatedly.

[0181] In the above embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the frame 81 or the speech bubble 82 surrounding the inputs 71 and 72 in the history area 66 as the starting point information, but the display mode of the starting point information is not limited to this. For example, the output control means 53 may change the color or shape of the image corresponding to the inputs 71 and 72 in the history area 66 from other inputs that do not correspond to the starting action, highlight the notation corresponding to the inputs 71 and 72, or animate it, in order to indicate that the action of the object corresponding to the inputs 71 and 72 is the starting action. The starting point information may be displayed on the game screen regardless of the history area. In addition, the starting point information may be, for example, the lighting or blinking of an object displayed on the game screen, or a speech bubble or a telop displayed on the game screen.

[0182] For example, the character string in the speech bubble 82 can also be set appropriately depending on the aspect of the game. In the above embodiment, the character string "Cancel: 15F" was included in the speech bubble 82 as information indicating the activation condition, but only "Cancel" may be displayed in the speech bubble 82. In other words, the information indicating the activation condition may not be included in the speech bubble 82. The starting point information may not include information indicating the activation condition.

[0183] In the above embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the frames 91, 93, 95 and the speech bubbles 92, 94, 96 surrounding the inputs 71, 73, 74, 75 in the history area 66 as the cause information, but the display manner of the cause information is not limited to this. For example, the cause information may be displayed in a manner that makes it possible to identify the cause of the inputs 71, 73, 74, 75 not satisfying the activation condition. For example, the display control means 53 may change the color or shape of the image corresponding to the inputs 71, 73, 74, 75 in the history area 66, the notation method corresponding to the inputs 71, 72, animation, etc., according to the cause of the inputs not satisfying the activation condition so that the cause of the inputs 71, 73, 74, 75 not satisfying the activation condition can be identified. Note that the history (information) of the user's operation contents is displayed in the history area 66, but the history information itself does not actively indicate the cause of the predetermined behavior or the cause of the predetermined behavior not being activated. For example, the same input history is displayed in the history area 66 regardless of whether a command is input quickly or slowly. For example, consider a case where a command for initiating a specific action is to operate the down button, the down button and the right button simultaneously, the right button, and the weak punch button in this order. In this case, whether the series of inputs of the down button, the down button and the right button simultaneously, the right button, and the weak punch button are input slowly or quickly, the same history information is displayed in the history area 66. Specifically, whether the inputs are input slowly or quickly, the history area 66 displays, from bottom to top, a down arrow symbol corresponding to the down button, a diagonal right down arrow symbol corresponding to the simultaneous pressing of the down button and the right button, a right arrow symbol corresponding to the right button, and a notation "Weak P" corresponding to the weak punch button. The game realized by the present invention is different from a game that displays history information in that, in addition to the history information in the history area 66, factor information regarding the factors that caused the command input of operating the down button, the down button and the right button simultaneously, the right button, and the weak punch button in this order to succeed or fail in initiating the corresponding specific action is displayed.

[0184] For example, the character strings in the speech bubbles 92, 94, and 96 can be set appropriately according to the mode of the game. The output control means 53 may change the color or shape of the image corresponding to the speech bubbles 92, 94, and 96 according to the reason why the inputs 71, 73, 74, and 75 did not satisfy the activation condition so that the reason can be identified.

[0185] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the output control means 53 executes the starting point information output process, but the output control means does not have to execute the starting point information output process.

[0186] Although multiple types of factors have been described as factors that cause a specific behavior to be activated or factors that cause a specific behavior not to be activated, the factors that cause a specific behavior not to be activated do not have to be multiple. In addition, the output control means may cause the output unit to simultaneously output multiple pieces of factor information related to multiple types of factors.

[0187] In the above embodiment, arrows, "middle K" and the like are displayed in the history area 66 to indicate the user's operation, but the display method in the history area 66 is not particularly limited to this. As long as it is displayed in such a way that it is possible to know which operators the user operated and in what order, the display mode is not particularly limited.

[0188] In the above embodiment, the output control means 53 executes the factor information output process regardless of whether or not the specific behavior is initiated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the output control means 53 may display only one of the factor information related to the factor that initiated the specific behavior and the factor information related to the factor that did not initiate the specific behavior. For example, the output control means 53 may display the factor information only when the result of step S3 in the specific behavior initiation process shown in FIG. 6 is No.

[0189] In the above embodiment, the output control means 53 displays the history area 66 and the cause information on the display 32 so that the cause information is included in or associated with the information indicating the operation content related to the specific action in the history area 66, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cause information may be displayed on the game screen regardless of the history area. The present invention is also applicable to games that do not display the history area. The cause information may be, for example, the lighting or blinking of an object displayed on the game screen. The cause information may be, for example, a gauge displayed on the game screen. The cause information may be, for example, a speech bubble or a telop displayed on the game screen.

[0190] For example, in a game in which two objects fight, the attacks of each object may have different strengths, such as when a weak punch from one object overlaps with a medium punch from the other object, the medium punch will win, when a special move overlaps with a strong punch, the special move will win, etc. In such a game, the activation condition for invoking a specific action of hitting the opponent when attacks are generated simultaneously may include a condition that the attack is stronger than the strength of the attack currently being performed by the opponent object.

[0191] In addition, for example, in a game in which two objects fight against each other, there are games in which the attack times of each object are longer or shorter, such as when the weak punch of one object and the medium punch of the other object start to occur simultaneously, only the weak punch of the one object that has a shorter occurrence time hits the other object. In such a game, the activation condition for activating a specific action of hitting the opponent when attacks are generated simultaneously may include a condition that the attack is a technique with a shorter occurrence time than the occurrence time of the attack currently being used by the opponent object.

[0192] In the above embodiment, the cause information is output as part of a game image, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention also includes a device that outputs the cause information as game sound. That is, the "output unit" in the present invention does not have to be a display unit such as a monitor or a touch screen, and may be an audio output unit such as a stationary speaker or headphones. The present invention also includes a device that outputs the cause information as vibration of a device such as the controller 31. That is, the "output unit" in the present invention may be a device that is in contact with the user.

[0193] In the above embodiment, the starting action does not have to be the action of a user object that is an object operated by a user. For example, the starting action may be the action of an opponent object with which the user object competes. In this case, for example, when the user object attacks the opponent object during the opponent object's stiffening time, the factor information may be information on whether the attack button was pressed during the stiffening time, information on whether the attack was canceled after hitting, information on whether the reach (attack judgment) of the user object's attack reached the opponent object, and the like. In a game in which an object that is an ally of the user object appears, the starting action may be the action of the ally object.

[0194] The means for determining whether or not an action is a starting action may be an AI. For example, a plurality of game devices may send information about user operation contents to a server device, and combo data may be accumulated in the server device. The AI ​​of the server device may identify user object actions that tend to be starting actions from the data accumulated in the server device, such as techniques that are often starting actions or operation contents of users who are practicing, and determine the identified actions as starting actions.

[0195] When a starting action and a specific action are consecutive, the specific action may be the starting action. For example, an action of a user object by a timing input may be the starting action for a cancel action.

[0196] If the user performs operations continuously, multiple starting actions will occur. If starting information is displayed every time a starting action occurs, the game screen will become cluttered. For this reason, a starting action to be displayed or to be displayed in a manner that can be distinguished from other starting actions may be designated by a user's settings through an option screen or the like. In this case, when an undesignated starting action occurs, starting information regarding the undesignated starting action may not be displayed, or may be displayed in a manner that is less conspicuous than the designated starting action. Information on other starting actions may not be displayed until the determination of the starting action is completed. Each of the starting information or each of the factor information may be displayed individually.

[0197] The starting action may be set by the user. For example, if a user wants to practice using a certain special move when an opponent object performs a certain action, the user may set the certain action of the opponent object as a starting action accompanied by display of starting information.

[0198] In some cases, such as when two different special move commands overlap, two or more special moves may be executed simultaneously in response to the user's command input. In this case, the special move with the higher priority may be activated. In addition, in order to activate a special move with a lower priority, a different special operation input may be added to the input command of the special move with a lower priority, so that the special move with a lower priority is activated. The activation condition for activating the special move with a lower priority may include a condition that the command input of the special move and a different special operation input are performed. The special operation input may include an operation in which no directional button is operated (put in neutral) between a directional button operation in a certain direction and a directional button operation in another direction in the command input of the special move. In other words, the user's operation content also includes maintaining a state of no operation at all for a certain period of time between two inputs in the command input.

[0199] The effects of the present invention are achieved even when these other embodiments are adopted. In addition, this embodiment, the modified examples, and other embodiments can be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0200] 1: Game System 2: Game device 4: Server device 5: Control section 21: Control section 31: Controller 32: Display 33: Speaker 34a: Game program 41: Control section 42: Storage section 42a: Game program 42b: Game data 51: Game space generation means 52: Object control means 53: Output control means 54: Judgment means

Claims

1. A game program executed in a game system including an operation unit operated by a user, an output unit, and a computer, The computer a determination means for determining whether or not input information indicating the content of a user's operation performed on the operation unit during the execution of a predetermined starting action of an object placed in the game space satisfies a plurality of activation conditions for the execution of the predetermined specific action; an object control means for controlling the object to perform the specific action corresponding to the input information when it is determined that the input information satisfies the plurality of activation conditions; and A game program that functions as an output control means that causes the output unit to output factor information indicating whether the input information satisfies the multiple activation conditions and indicating factors related to the user's operation on the operation unit.

2. a program storage unit that stores the game program according to claim 1; A game system comprising: a computer that executes the program stored in the program storage unit.

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