Program, method, and system

Abstract

To provide a program, method, and system capable of progressively becoming amusing.SOLUTION: A computer to provide virtual spaces to a user is configured to display, in generated virtual spaces, images in accordance with operations by the user. On a scheduled date, the computer provides event content in a predetermined type of virtual space among the virtual spaces. Even in a preceding period, which is a period before the scheduled date, the computer can display an image in the predetermined type of virtual space in accordance with an operation by the user. In accordance with a degree of images displayed in the predetermined type of virtual space in the preceding period, the computer performs processing associated with the event content.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 38

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] As a system for distributing content etc. via a network, for example, a distribution system is known in which performers hold events such as live performances in a virtual space on the web while providing content that enables viewers to participate in the event by controlling viewer avatars (moving, giving gifts, tipping, etc.) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-120098 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the distribution system described in Patent Document 1, during an event, the performers, viewers, etc. can liven up the event and increase the sense of participation in the event in response to events that may occur, thereby increasing interest in the event. However, before the event starts, no measures are taken to increase viewers' interest in the event. This creates a problem in that interest in the event cannot be increased step by step.

[0005] The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and provides a program, method, and system that can gradually increase interest. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A program according to an aspect of the present invention (e.g., a virtual space generation program 120, a program for viewers) controls a computer for providing a virtual space to a user (e.g., a distribution server computer 100, a viewer terminal 300, etc.) to: A means for displaying an image in the virtual space that is generated in response to an operation by the user (for example, a virtual space update data delivery process, a viewer viewpoint video output process, etc.); functioning as a means for providing event content on a scheduled date within a predetermined type of virtual space (e.g., within the spatial area ER5) among the virtual spaces (e.g., a virtual space update data distribution process using the event data 111, a viewer viewpoint video output process, etc.); Even during a period before the scheduled date (for example, a period until the day before the scheduled date of the event), the display means can display an image in the predetermined type of virtual space in response to an operation by the user (for example, an image in the virtual space in the spatial area ER5 can be displayed when the user enters the spatial area ER5); The computer, The means for displaying functions as a means for performing processing related to the event content (for example, a process of changing the live event presentation to the presentation content of Figure 37 in step S403 of Figure 38, or a process of granting the user an item object of Figure 37 that can be used at the live event in step S402 of Figure 38) depending on the degree to which the image in the specified type of virtual space was displayed during the period before the scheduled date (for example, the number of times (number of days) of entry into spatial area ER5, the length of stay, the display time of spatial area ER5, the number of times spatial area ER5 is displayed, etc.).

[0007] According to this configuration, during the period before the scheduled date, a predetermined type of virtual space in which the event content is provided can be shared with the user, and a process related to the event content is performed according to the degree to which images in the predetermined type of virtual space in which the event content is provided are displayed during the period before the scheduled date. This can increase the user's motivation to display images in the predetermined type of virtual space, and gradually increase the user's interest in the event content before the event content is provided.

[0008] (2) In (1) above, the processing related to the event content includes processing for changing the display mode within the predetermined type of virtual space while the event content is being provided in accordance with the degree (for example, in step S403 of FIG. 38, the live event presentation is changed to the presentation content of FIG. 37 in accordance with the number of times the user enters the virtual space).

[0009] According to this configuration, the display mode of the predetermined type of virtual space during the provision of the event content is changed according to the degree to which images in the predetermined type of virtual space were displayed during the period before the scheduled date, which increases the user's motivation to display images in the predetermined type of virtual space and draws the user's attention to how the display mode of the predetermined type of virtual space changes.

[0010] (3) In (2) above, the display mode within the predetermined type of virtual space while the event content is being provided, which changes depending on the degree through processing related to the event content, may be a display mode different from the display mode displayed to other users depending on the degree (for example, as different presentation contents are associated with the number of times of entry as shown in FIG. 37, the presentation contents for users who have entered the room a different number of times may be different).

[0011] According to this configuration, the display mode within a predetermined type of virtual space while event content is being provided can be customized for each user, making each user feel special.

[0012] (4) In (2) above, the display mode within the predetermined type of virtual space while the event content is being provided, which is changed by the means for performing processing related to the event content, includes the display mode of a specific object (e.g., the flower star FS held by the performer avatars 1a to 1d and the operator avatar in FIG. 34, a costume object that is the costume of the performer avatar in the performance content for the 7th day of entry in FIG. 37, etc.) that is displayed and can move within the predetermined type of virtual space while the event content is being provided and that is displayed corresponding to the progressing character progressing through the event content (e.g., the flower star FS held by the performer avatars 1a to 1d and the operator avatar in FIG. 34, etc.).

[0013] According to such a configuration, the display mode of a specific object that may be displayed corresponding to a progressing character while the event content is being provided can change depending on the degree to which an image within a specified type of virtual space is displayed during the period before the scheduled date, thereby increasing the user's motivation to display images within a specified type of virtual space and increasing interest.

[0014] (5) In the above (2), the computer is functioning as a means for storing information enabling the event content provided by the providing means to be provided again (for example, storing in a storage 103 event data 111 enabling the event provided on a scheduled date to be played back); the providing means provides the event content provided on the scheduled date based on the information stored by the storing means in response to a request from the user even after the event content has been provided (e.g., even on a day after the scheduled date) (e.g., when the user purchases replay data of the event content, delivers the replay data of the event content to the user); The processing related to the event content includes processing for varying the display mode of the event content provided by the providing means after the event content is provided, depending on the degree (for example, the presentation mode of the virtual space delivered in the re-play data will differ for each user or for each event content, depending on the number of times the user entered the space during the period before the scheduled date. See the modified example (related to re-play data)).

[0015] With this configuration, even after the event content is provided on the scheduled date, the event content can be provided in a display mode that corresponds to the degree to which images within a specified type of virtual space were displayed in the period prior to the scheduled date, thereby improving user convenience and interest.

[0016] (6) In (1) above, the processing related to the event content includes processing for making available to the user objects corresponding to the degree from among the objects available during the provision of the event content (for example, processing for granting (making available to the user) items in FIG. 37 that can be used at a live event to the user in step S402 in FIG. 38 depending on the number of times the user has entered the event).

[0017] According to this configuration, objects that can be used during the provision of the event content are granted according to the degree to which images in a predetermined type of virtual space are displayed during the period before the scheduled date, which increases the user's motivation to display images in a predetermined type of virtual space and draws the user's attention to the objects that can be used.

[0018] (7) In (6) above, the object made available to the user by the processing related to the event content may be a different object from the objects granted to other users depending on the degree (for example, since different item objects are associated with the number of times the user enters the room as shown in FIG. 37, a different item object may be granted to a user who enters the room in a different way).

[0019] According to this configuration, the object given to the user may be different from the object given to other users depending on the degree to which the image in the virtual space of the predetermined type is displayed during the period before the scheduled date. Therefore, various objects are used during the provision of the event content, which can increase the interest of the event content.

[0020] (8) In the above (6), the computer functioning as a means for storing information enabling the event content provided by the providing means to be provided again (for example, storing in a storage 103 event data 111 enabling the event provided on a scheduled date to be played back); the providing means provides the event content provided on the scheduled date based on the information stored by the storing means in response to a request from the user even after the event content has been provided (e.g., even on a day after the scheduled date) (e.g., when the user purchases replay data of the event content, delivers the replay data of the event content to the user); The processing related to the event content includes processing for allowing a user to use an object corresponding to the degree from among the objects available in the event content provided by the providing means after the event content is provided (for example, processing for allowing a limited glow stick of Figure 37, which is granted according to the number of times the user entered the event room before the scheduled date, to be used when re-performance data is distributed; see the modified example (related to re-performance data)).

[0021] With this configuration, even after the event content is provided on the scheduled date, the user can use the objects that are assigned according to the degree to which images within a specified type of virtual space were displayed during the period before the scheduled date, thereby improving user convenience and interest.

[0022] (9) In the above (1), the predetermined type of virtual space includes a first area (e.g., area ER53' in FIG. 24 which is a second virtual space) used to provide event content on the scheduled date, and a second area (e.g., area ER53 in FIG. 24 which is a part of the first virtual space and has a display mode in common with area ER53') that is provided; The means for displaying restricts entry into the first area (e.g., the user avatar U cannot enter area ER53' in FIG. 24) while permitting entry into the second area and allows an image of the second area to be displayed in response to an operation by the user (e.g., the user avatar U can enter area ER53), until a release condition is satisfied during the period before the scheduled date (e.g., the day before the scheduled date of the event), and after the release condition is satisfied, entry into the second area is restricted while entry into the first area is permitted and an image of the first area can be displayed in response to an operation by the user (e.g., the user avatar U cannot enter area ER53, but can enter area ER53').

[0023] According to this configuration, by switching the area to be used depending on whether the release condition is met, it is possible to provide the virtual space using an area suitable for providing event content at least after the release condition is met.

[0024] (10) In the above (9), a third area (e.g., an area ER51 and an area ER52 that are part of the first virtual space) is provided in the predetermined type of virtual space, The second area and the third area are areas that are formed in a connected state and can be entered seamlessly (for example, it is possible for the user avatar U to move seamlessly between areas ER51, ER52, and ER53 in Figure 24(A), which is the first virtual space), while the first area and the third area are areas that are formed separately (for example, areas in different virtual spaces) and it is possible to enter from one area to the other area via the display of a specified screen (for example, as shown in Figure 24(B), it is possible to move between the first virtual space and the second virtual space from portals P in area ER53' and area ER52 via a blackout display).

[0025] With this configuration, it is possible to improve the convenience of travel between the second area and the third area before the release conditions are met, and after the release conditions are met, a predetermined screen can be displayed when moving to the first area, giving the user a sense of exclusivity and tension, thereby increasing interest.

[0026] (11) In the above (9), the release condition may be met a specific period prior to the scheduled date on which the event content is to be provided (for example, the day before the scheduled date of the event).

[0027] According to such a configuration, a period before the release condition is satisfied, a period after the release condition is satisfied but before the event content is provided, and a period during which the event content is being provided can be created, thereby making it possible to increase interest in a more step-by-step manner.

[0028] (12) In the above (1), the providing means provides the event content on a scheduled date to a user who satisfies a predetermined condition (e.g., a user who has purchased a ticket to participate in the event content); The means for displaying allows users who satisfy the specified conditions to display images within the specified type of virtual space during the period before the scheduled date (for example, a user who has purchased a ticket to participate in event content will be able to enter spatial area ER5).

[0029] According to this configuration, it is possible to improve and encourage the user's motivation to satisfy the predetermined condition.

[0030] (13) In the above (1), the providing means provides the event content on a scheduled date to a user who satisfies a predetermined condition (e.g., who has purchased a ticket to participate in the event content); The means for displaying allows the display of images within the specified type of virtual space during the period before the scheduled date, regardless of whether the user satisfies the specified conditions (for example, a user can enter spatial area ER5 regardless of whether they have purchased a ticket to participate in event content; see the modified example (Right to enter spatial area ER5)).

[0031] According to this configuration, even if a user does not satisfy the predetermined conditions, it is possible to display images in a predetermined type of virtual space. This makes it possible to increase interest in the event content by visually viewing images in the predetermined type of virtual space, thereby increasing motivation to satisfy the predetermined conditions.

[0032] (14) A computer control method according to an aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling a computer (e.g., a distribution server computer 100, a viewer terminal 300, etc.) for providing a virtual space to a user, the method comprising: A step of displaying an image in the virtual space that is generated in response to an operation by the user (for example, a virtual space update data delivery process, a viewer viewpoint video output process, etc.); A step of providing event content on a scheduled date in a predetermined type of virtual space (e.g., in a spatial area ER5) among the virtual spaces (e.g., a virtual space update data distribution process using the event data 111, a viewer viewpoint video output process), Even during a period before the scheduled date (for example, a period until the day before the scheduled date of the event), the step of displaying can display an image in the predetermined type of virtual space in response to an operation by the user (for example, an image in the virtual space in the spatial area ER5 can be displayed when the user enters the spatial area ER5), The computer, The step for displaying functions as a step for performing processing related to the event content (for example, a process for changing the performance of the live event to the performance content of Figure 37 in step S403 of Figure 38, or a process for granting the user an item object of Figure 37 that can be used in the live event in step S402 of Figure 38) depending on the degree to which the image in the specified type of virtual space was displayed during the period before the scheduled date (for example, the number of times (number of days) of entry into spatial area ER5, the length of stay, the display time of spatial area ER5, the number of times spatial area ER5 is displayed, etc.).

[0033] According to this configuration, during the period before the scheduled date, a predetermined type of virtual space in which the event content is provided can be shared with the user, and a process related to the event content is performed according to the degree to which images in the predetermined type of virtual space in which the event content is provided are displayed during the period before the scheduled date. This can increase the user's motivation to display images in the predetermined type of virtual space, and gradually increase the user's interest in the event content before the event content is provided.

[0034] (15) A system according to an aspect of the present invention (a virtual space content delivery system) is a system having a computer (e.g., a delivery server computer 100, a viewer terminal 300, etc.) that performs processing for providing a virtual space to a user, A means for displaying an image in the virtual space that is generated in response to an operation by the user (for example, a virtual space update data delivery process, a viewer viewpoint video output process, etc.); A means for providing event content on a scheduled date within a predetermined type of virtual space (e.g., within a spatial area ER5) among the virtual spaces (e.g., a virtual space update data distribution process using the event data 111, a viewer viewpoint video output process), Even during a period before the scheduled date (for example, a period until the day before the scheduled date of the event), the display means can display an image in the predetermined type of virtual space in response to an operation by the user (for example, an image in the virtual space in the spatial area ER5 can be displayed when the user enters the spatial area ER5); The device is equipped with a means for performing processing related to the event content (for example, a process for changing the live event presentation to the presentation content of FIG. 37 in step S403 of FIG. 38, or a process for granting to the user an item object of FIG. 37 that can be used in the live event in step S402 of FIG. 38) depending on the degree to which the image in the specified type of virtual space was displayed by the display means during the period before the scheduled date (for example, the number of times (number of days) of entry into spatial area ER5, the duration of stay, the display time of spatial area ER5, the number of times spatial area ER5 is displayed, etc.).

[0035] According to this configuration, during the period before the scheduled date, a predetermined type of virtual space in which the event content is provided can be shared with the user, and a process related to the event content is performed according to the degree to which images in the predetermined type of virtual space in which the event content is provided are displayed during the period before the scheduled date. This can increase the user's motivation to display images in the predetermined type of virtual space, and gradually increase the user's interest in the event content before the event content is provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration of a virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a delivery server computer in a virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is a diagram showing various data stored in a storage device of a delivery server computer according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a performer terminal in the virtual space content distribution system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a viewer terminal in the virtual space content delivery system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an administrator terminal in the virtual space content delivery system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of event data in the virtual space content delivery system according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of performer user data in the virtual space content distribution system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of viewer user data in the virtual space content delivery system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing data exchanged between each terminal and a server computer constituting the virtual space content distribution system according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram showing studio facilities used by performer users in a virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall image of a virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1 is a diagram showing a virtual live venue, which is a virtual space used in a virtual space content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating examples of displays on a viewer terminal constituting a virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15]1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating examples of displays on a viewer terminal constituting a virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating examples of displays on a performer terminal constituting a virtual space content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display by a zoom operation on a viewer terminal constituting the virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display by a zoom operation on a viewer terminal constituting the virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating examples of displays on a viewer terminal constituting a virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] A figure showing an example of the display of a flying performance period on a viewer terminal constituting a virtual space content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] 11 is a flow diagram showing an example of a viewer viewpoint video control process executed in a viewer terminal constituting the virtual space content delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a virtual live concert venue in a modified example. [Figure 23] FIG. 13 shows a participation position selection screen for a virtual live concert venue in a modified example. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an overhead view of a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 25] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display aspect of a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode during a purchase process of an object displayed in a virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] 11 is a table showing an example of object types and user-related information used in a purchasing process for an object displayed in a virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28]FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing an example of a purchasing process for an object displayed in a virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 29] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a transition of a display mode of an object displayed in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 30] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating another example of a transition of a display mode of an object displayed in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 31] 11 is a table showing an example of an association between an object displayed in a virtual space of a predetermined type and a predetermined area according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 32] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching process of an object displayed in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 33] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating another example of a transition of a display mode of an object displayed in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 34] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of event content provided in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 35] 11 is a diagram showing an example of a table relating to objects displayed in event content provided in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 36] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a process for determining an object to be displayed in event content provided in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 37] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table used in processing related to event content provided in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 38] 11 is a flow diagram showing an example of processing related to event content provided in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 39] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for performing an action on an object displayed in a predetermined type of virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] A description will be given below of an embodiment of a virtual space content distribution system for distributing various contents in a virtual space according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or similar components in the drawings are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. The distribution program executed in the virtual space content distribution system according to the present invention may be a program used in the entire system consisting of a server computer and each terminal that constitute the virtual space content distribution system, which will be described later, or may be a program that operates only on a part of the devices that constitute the virtual space content distribution system, such as the server computer or each terminal. EXAMPLES

[0038] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a virtual space content distribution system in an embodiment which is one embodiment of the present invention. In the system of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a performer avatar 1 corresponding to a performer user is distributed as virtual space content that carries out events such as live performances, games, social gatherings, and movie screenings within the virtual space.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the virtual space content distribution system of this embodiment is mainly composed of a distribution server computer 100 capable of executing various processes related to the virtual space and various processes related to the provision and distribution of the virtual space, an administrator terminal 150 used by an event manager K of an event management organization that operates and manages events in the virtual space to manage the distribution of events in the virtual space, a performer terminal 200 used by performer users, and a viewer terminal 300 that can be used by viewer users who enter and participate in the virtual space (e.g., log in to the virtual space) and view the event content in the virtual space, and the distribution server computer 100, administrator terminal 150, performer terminal 200 and viewer terminal 300 are connected to each other so that they can communicate data with each other via the Internet N, which is an open computer network.

[0040] In this embodiment, the administrator terminal 150 and the performer terminal 200 are also shown as being connected to the distribution server computer 100 via the Internet network N, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a case where an event management organization provides studios to performer users and the distribution server computer 100 is installed in these studios, the administrator terminal 150 and the performer terminal 200 may be locally connected to the distribution server computer 100 for data communication, or may be connected for communication via a local area network LAN within the studio facility.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, there are multiple viewer users, such as viewer user A, viewer user B, viewer user C, etc., and viewer terminals 300 include viewer terminals 300a, 300b, 300c, etc. that can be used by each of viewer users A, B, C, etc. Although there are usually multiple viewer users, there may be one or four or more, and the number may be appropriately determined depending on the type of event content provided in the virtual space. Hereinafter, viewer user A, viewer user B, viewer user C, etc. may be collectively referred to as viewer users, and viewer terminals 300a, 300b, 300c, etc. may be collectively referred to as viewer terminals 300.

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which there is one performer user, but the present invention is not limited to this. The event content provided in the virtual space may be a joint event in which multiple performer users who are acting alone participate, or a group event in which multiple groups of people who are acting together participate. In this way, when multiple performers appear, performer terminal 200a, performer terminal 200b, performer terminal 200c, etc. may be provided for each performer user, or when a group of multiple people appears, one performer terminal 200 may be used by multiple people. Note that a performer user (also called a talent user) is a user who serves as a speaker, a host, a facilitator, a leading role, etc. in the event content. The event content is advanced by avatars who act as facilitators, such as a performer avatar corresponding to the actions of the performer user and an operator avatar corresponding to the operations of an operator (also called an operator user) who manages the event.

[0043] In addition, while FIG. 1 illustrates the distribution server computer 100 as a single unit, the present invention is not limited to this, and these distribution server computers 100 may be configured with multiple server computers, such as a first server computer that mainly performs virtual space processing and a second server computer that mainly performs distribution processing, or may be configured as a cloud server, etc., and the number of server computers may be changed appropriately depending on the scale of the event, the number of participating viewer users, etc.

[0044] Similarly, while the administrator terminal 150 is illustrated as a single unit in FIG. 1, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that there may be multiple administrator terminals 150 depending on the number of performer users and viewer users participating in event content such as a live performance.

[0045] <Distribution server computer> Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a distribution server computer 100 used in this embodiment. As described above, the distribution server computer 100 used in this embodiment is a normal server computer with relatively excellent processing power installed in a studio operated by an event management organization, and as shown in Fig. 2, it has a processor (CPU) 101 connected to a data bus 108, a memory (RAM) 102, a storage 103 such as a hard disk, a communication interface (I / F) 104 capable of two-way communication by TCP / IP protocol via the Internet, which is an open computer network, and an input / output interface (I / F) 105 to which an input device such as a keyboard can be connected.

[0046] In this embodiment, an input / output interface (I / F) 105 is provided to enable local operation, but if remote operation is possible via a communication interface (I / F) 104, the input / output interface (I / F) 105 may not be provided.

[0047] In addition to an operation system (server OS) for providing server functions (not shown), various data and programs are stored in storage 103 of distribution server computer 100 as shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, mainly stored are an event management program 110 for providing an event management function for managing various events, a virtual space generation program 120 for providing a virtual space for an event venue, a performer user management program 130 for providing a performer user management function for managing performer users, and a viewer user management program 132 for providing a viewer user management function for managing viewer users.

[0048] The event management program 110 is a program for managing events held at an event venue in cooperation with the administrator terminal 150, and is capable of managing the progress of the event by using event data 111 (see FIG. 7), time schedule data (TS data) 112, music data 113, etc., which are stored in the storage 103 together with the event management program 110.

[0049] The event data 111 used in this embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 7. The event data 111 stores information such as an event name, a file name of time schedule (TS) data, a performer ID uniquely assigned to a performer user who is a performer, a file name of a music list, etc., a file name of a participating viewer list in which information of special viewer users permitted to participate in virtual participation is registered in a third area of ​​a virtual audience area described later, and a file name of a participating viewer list in which information of viewer users who have reserved virtual participation is registered in a fourth area of ​​a virtual audience area described later. The event data also includes information for specifying the date and time when the event is held, and the event content is distributed at the date and time. The event data also includes information for specifying the date and time when the virtual space in which the event is held is released for content that users can enter by releasing the virtual space before the scheduled date of the event.

[0050] The time schedule data (TS data) 112 is data in which the order of progress of the virtual space live event to be held and the programs such as songs are described in chronological order, and the virtual space live event is managed so that it progresses based on the time schedule described in the time schedule data (TS data) 112. Moreover, the time schedule data (TS data) 112, event data 111, etc. can be changed, updated, or added by the event manager K operating the manager terminal 150.

[0051] Furthermore, the song data 113 is data for the performance parts (so-called karaoke) of each song sung by the performer user, and is played by the audio control program 124 (described later) based on the time schedule data (TS data) 112 by the event management program 110, and transmitted to the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300 (see FIG. 11).

[0052] The virtual space generation program 120 is a program for providing an event venue which is a virtual space, and has the function of providing an event venue in which performer avatars and viewer avatars are virtually participating, using virtual space data 121 describing the structure of the event venue etc. which is stored in storage 103 together with the virtual space generation program 120, object data 122 for placing various objects to be placed in the event venue (including star decorations 43 on the stage and star objects 50-52 in the sky) within the virtual space, and performer avatar data contained in performer user data 131 described below and viewer avatar data contained in viewer user data 133.

[0053] 13, viewpoint image control program 123 is a program for providing a function to generate viewpoint images from virtual cameras C1-C4 virtually set in the event venue and a virtual camera moving in the air (not shown), as well as a function to display images from the viewpoints of viewer avatars 11-14 virtually participating in the third area of ​​the event venue and viewer avatars 21-32 virtually participating in the fourth area on performer terminal 200 in cooperation with viewer terminal 300. Virtual camera C2 is a virtual camera set to provide an image from the viewpoint of performer avatar 1 on the stage of the event venue, and the viewpoint image from virtual camera C2 is projected onto a screen S installed in the studio by projector 211 (described later) connected to viewer terminal 300.

[0054] The audio control program 124 is a program for controlling the audio (including music) distributed during events in virtual space, and specifically provides a function for playing music data 113 and a function for synthesizing audio produced by a performer user with the played music and distributing it to the administrator terminal 150 and the viewer terminal 300.

[0055] The comment control program 125, in cooperation with a viewer comment control program stored in the viewer terminal 300 described below, provides a function for displaying in chronological order on the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300 various comments entered by each viewer user in the viewer terminal 300 during an event in a virtual space.

[0056] The gift control program 126 is a program for controlling gifts given from viewer users to performer users in cooperation with a viewer program stored in the viewer terminal 300 described below, and specifically provides a function for the viewer user to purchase gifts (e.g., purchase of objects, etc.) based on purchase price information set for various gifts stored in the gift data 134, a processing function for the viewer user to give to the performer user a gift purchased using the gift object data included in the gift data 134 (including processing of the presentation when giving the gift, etc.), and a processing function for changing the owner of a gift given from the viewer user to the performer user, etc.

[0057] The performer user management program 130 provides a management function for information relating to performer users, an authentication function, and the like, based on performer user data 131 shown in FIG. 8, which is stored in the storage 103 together with the performer user management program 130 .

[0058] The performer user data 131 used in this embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 8. The performer user data 131 stores various information, such as the performer user's account (email address), name, authentication information, the file name of the avatar data of the avatar used in the virtual space, and the file name of the item list in which the items owned are registered, in association with a performer user ID uniquely assigned to the performer user. Although not shown in Fig. 8, information on virtual value such as points owned by each performer user may also be stored as the performer user data 131.

[0059] Performer users can be authenticated by matching their performer user ID, account, and authentication information, and each performer user can identify from an item list the items (gifts) that they own as a result of being given to them by viewers.

[0060] The viewer / user management program 132 provides functions such as management of information relating to viewer / users and authentication based on viewer / user data 133 shown in FIG. 9 stored in the storage 103 together with the program.

[0061] The viewer user data 133 used in this embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 9. The viewer user data 133 stores various information, such as the viewer user's account (email address), authentication information, the file name of the avatar data of the avatar to be used in the virtual space, owned points which are the number of points that can be used in the virtual space, the file name of an item list in which items (gifts) purchased using points are registered, and personal information such as name, date of birth, and telephone number, in association with a viewer user ID uniquely assigned to the viewer user. Although not shown in Fig. 9, a nickname (comment name) to be displayed together with a comment is also registered in the viewer user data 133, and the nickname (comment name) is displayed together with the comment. In addition, points can be increased by purchasing points, for example, from a predetermined operating company.

[0062] <Performer terminal> Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a performer terminal 200 in the virtual space content delivery system of this embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 11, the performer terminal 200 is installed in a control room adjacent to a studio where a performer user performs his / her acting motion, and uses a normal computer with relatively excellent processing power, and as shown in Fig. 4, has a processor (CPU) 201 connected to a data bus 208, a memory (RAM) 202, a storage 203 such as a hard disk, a communication interface (I / F) 204 capable of two-way communication by the TCP / IP protocol via the Internet, which is an open computer network, an image processing unit 206 including a graphics processing unit (GPU) to which display devices A210 to C212 are connected, and an input / output interface (I / F) 205 to which various input / output devices are connected.

[0063] The input / output interface (I / F) 205 is connected with input devices such as a motion sensor 220 including multiple wearable sensors 220C1-220C5 (see FIG. 11) worn by the performer user on the left and right limbs and waist, a facial expression input device 221 consisting of an imaging camera for inputting the performer's facial expressions, a voice input device 222 consisting of a sound collecting microphone worn on the performer user's head, and an operation input device 224 such as a keyboard or touch panel operable by an assistant operator O who assists the performer user. Note that by providing a controller that can be held by the performer user to perform various operations as these input devices, the performer himself may be able to perform various operations without the assistance of the assistant operator O.

[0064] In this embodiment, since the performer user performs performance actions (music actions) in accordance with the music, an assistant operator O assists with operations during the performance. However, it is also possible to have multiple assistant operators O, or to set the operation content in advance in the performer terminal 200, for example, in a sequence program, thereby eliminating the need for an assistant operator O.

[0065] An audio output device 223 including high-performance earphones (in-ear monitors) worn by the performer user and speakers placed in the control room is connected to the input / output interface (I / F) 205 as an output device, so that the sound of the played music transmitted from the distribution server computer 100 is output to the performer user via the high-performance earphones (in-ear monitors), and the music audio is output from the speakers along with the performer's voice, allowing an assistant operator O, etc. to check the status of the music, including the voice produced by the performer user, in the control room.

[0066] In this embodiment, high-performance earphones (in-ear monitors) are used to avoid the inconvenience caused by the played music audio being input from the sound collection microphone worn by the performer user, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the music audio may be output from speakers in the studio, etc., as long as the inconvenience caused by the input of the music audio can be avoided.

[0067] In this embodiment, the sound collecting microphones are worn by the performers, but these sound collecting microphones may be fixed to the floor, wall, or ceiling of the studio.

[0068] Here, the motion sensor 220 used in the performer terminal 300 of this embodiment will be described. Any motion sensor can be used as long as it can properly detect (measure) the body movements (movements) of the performer user. In this embodiment, in order to enable more accurate and shorter periodic detection of the performer's movements, a number of wearable sensors 220C1 to 220C5 are used that are worn by the performer user on the body. Note that the motion sensor 220 may be of a type that does not require the performer to wear any equipment, such as LiDAR that uses laser light or the like.

[0069] In this embodiment, in order to reduce the burden on the performer user's head, particularly the burden on the performer user's head, caused by wearing sensors when performing movements, as described below, the performer user's head movements are detected by image recognition using images captured by the imaging camera constituting the facial expression input device 221, and movements other than the head are detected using five wearable sensors 220C1 to 220C5. However, for example, wearable sensors may also be provided on the performer user's head, or more wearable sensors (seven or more) may be worn to detect more detailed movements.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 11, the mounting sensors 220C1 to 220C5 detect their own positions and orientations in cooperation with base stations 220a and 220b installed in a studio room separated from the adjacent control room by a glass window.

[0071] Base station 220a and base station 220b may use, for example, a multi-axis laser emitter. Base station 220a may emit a flashing light for synchronization, and then scan the laser light around, for example, a vertical axis. Base station 220b may scan the laser light around, for example, a horizontal axis.

[0072] Each of the mounting sensors 220C1 to 220C5 may include a plurality of optical sensors that detect the incidence of blinking light and laser light from the base station 220a and the base station 220b.

[0073] Each of the wearing sensors 220C1 to 220C5 is capable of detecting its own position and orientation based on the time difference between the timing of the incidence of the flashing light and the timing of the incidence of the laser light, the light reception time at each optical sensor, the incidence angle of the laser light detected by each optical sensor, and other information as necessary. For example, the ViveTracker or base station provided by HTC CORPORATION can be suitably used.

[0074] Base station 220a and base station 220b emit blinking light and perform laser light scanning at regular intervals, so that the detection information of each of worn sensors 220C1-220C5 is updated at each interval. Detection information indicating the position and orientation of each motion sensor calculated in each of these worn sensors 220C1-220C5 is input to performer terminal 200 by short-range wireless communication and transmitted to distribution server computer 100 as performer avatar information together with facial motion information (see FIG. 10).

[0075] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which two base stations, base station 220a and base station 220b, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of base stations may be three or more.

[0076] In addition, the motion sensor 220 may be configured such that each of multiple motion sensors worn by the performer user is equipped with a number of infrared LEDs or visible light LEDs, and the position and orientation of each of the motion sensors is detected by detecting the light from these LEDs with an infrared camera installed on the floor or wall of the studio.

[0077] Also, in order to reduce the burden on the performer user, the motion sensor 220 may be replaced with a motion sensor using a lighter reflective marker instead of the wearable sensors 220C1-220C5. That is, the motion sensor may detect the motion of the performer user by capturing images of reflective markers attached to various parts of the performer user's body with adhesive tape or the like to generate image data, and then processing the captured image data to detect the positions and orientations of the reflective markers. In this case, a cameraman who captures the performer user may be placed in the studio to capture the performer user's motion from a direction suitable for detection, so that the motion of the performer user can be detected well.

[0078] In addition, the motion sensor 220 may be a suit with a built-in inertial sensor, such as a suit with a built-in inertial sensor for the MVN motion capture system marketed by Xsens.com, and the movements of the performer user may be detected by analyzing the sensor signal output from the inertial sensor.

[0079] Any facial expression input device 221 can be used as long as it can appropriately detect the movement of the head including the face of the performer user. In this embodiment, specifically, it is configured with an imaging camera (digital camera) arranged so as to be able to continuously capture head images including the face of the performer user, and the head movement and facial movement (facial expression) of the performer user captured by the imaging camera are detected by image recognition, and the facial motion information, which is the detected head movement and facial movement (facial expression), is transmitted to the delivery server computer 100 as performer avatar information together with body motion information, as shown in Fig. 10.

[0080] The facial expression input device 221 is not limited to the imaging camera (digital camera) used in this embodiment, and may be, for example, a 3D camera capable of detecting the depth of a person's face, or may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone equipped with a LiDER device. In this case, the performer user may wear such a mobile terminal.

[0081] As described above, the performer terminal 200 of this embodiment has three display devices A210 to C212. Display device A210 is an LCD monitor or the like installed in a control room as shown in FIG. 11, display device B211 is a projector that projects images onto a screen S installed in the studio, and display device C212 is a large vertical display installed adjacent to the screen S in the studio.

[0082] Display device A210, which is placed in the adjustment room of the studio, displays images from each viewpoint of virtual cameras C1 to C4, viewpoint images from a virtual camera moving in the air during the flying performance period described below, the contents of comments, and a message input window into which assistant operator O inputs any message he or she wishes to convey to the performer user.

[0083] Meanwhile, on the screen S projected from a projector, which is a display device B211 installed in the studio, an image from the viewpoint of the virtual camera C2 (see Figure 13), which is the viewpoint of the performer, is displayed, for example, as shown in Figure 16, including avatars of viewers who are virtually participating in the live broadcast in the third and fourth areas, thereby enabling the performer user to check the status of the viewer users who are virtually participating in the virtual space live broadcast through the image.

[0084] In addition, comments from viewer users, as well as comments and messages entered by the assistant operator O, are displayed on a display device C212 installed in the studio, allowing the performer user to check the comments from viewer users and messages from the assistant operator O even during the performance.

[0085] In addition to an operating system (OS) for operating the computer that is the performer terminal 200, the storage 203 also stores performer programs that, when executed by the processor (CPU) 201 etc., work in cooperation with the distribution server computer 100 to provide various functions, including the function of allowing the performer user to control the movement of the performer avatar 1 in the virtual space live, which is the virtual space content.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 4, the performer programs include a performer avatar control program, a performer viewpoint image control program, a performer viewpoint image control program, a performer voice control program, a performer comment control program, performer authentication data, etc.

[0087] The performer avatar control program is a program that mainly provides the function of scanning the body motion of the performer user using the motion sensor 220 and scanning the facial motion (facial expression) of the performer user using the facial expression input device 221, generating performer avatar information for operating the performer avatar, and transmitting it to the distribution server computer 100.

[0088] The performer's viewpoint image control program is a program that provides a function for generating and outputting a viewpoint image of virtual camera C2, which is the performer's viewpoint, based on the virtual space update data distributed from distribution server computer 100.

[0089] The performer's audio control program is a program that provides the function of outputting the playback sound of a song based on the playback music data distributed from the distribution server computer 100 via the audio output device 223, converting the audio input from the audio input device 222 into data and transmitting it to the distribution server computer 100 as performer audio data, and generating and outputting monitor audio consisting of the playback sound of the song and the performer's audio.

[0090] The performer's comment control program is a program that provides a function for displaying each comment by an audience user that is distributed from the distribution server computer 100 .

[0091] The performer authentication data is data for authenticating the identity of the performer user in a communication connection with the distribution server computer 100 .

[0092] In addition, the performer avatar control program includes a motion parameter generation program capable of generating parameter information for the position and rotation angle of the bones that make up the rig data (sometimes called "skeleton data") that indicates the skeleton of the performer avatar contained in the performer avatar data, as well as an image recognition processing program for image-recognizing the position of the performer user's head and facial expression from images captured by an imaging camera.

[0093] In addition, in this embodiment, the performer terminal 200 is illustrated as a form in which a computer serving as performer terminal 200 installed in a studio operated by an event management organization is used jointly by multiple performer users to hold a live event, and each performer user can use the computer as their own performer terminal 200 by inputting performer authentication data; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and the performer terminal 200 may be used only by the performer user who owns it, such as when a performer user appears in a virtual space live event from their home or the like, and the performer terminal 200 is a computer installed in the performer user's home and dedicated to the performer user's own use, and in such cases, it is not necessarily necessary to store performer authentication data.

[0094] In this way, by having a performer user or the like use the performer terminal 200 that constitutes the virtual space content distribution system of this embodiment, the performer user can cause the performer avatar 1 placed on the virtual stage G at the event venue to move in conjunction with the performer user's own movements, can reflect his or her own facial expressions in the facial expressions of the performer avatar 1, and can distribute his or her own voice as the voice of the performer avatar 1 to viewers via the distribution server computer 100.

[0095] <Viewer device> Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a viewer terminal 300 in the virtual space content delivery system of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the viewer terminal 300 is a smartphone P carried by a viewer user or a regular desktop computer (PC) installed at a viewer user's home or the like, and as shown in Fig. 5, has a processor (CPU) 301 connected to a data bus 308, a memory (RAM) 302, a storage 303 such as a hard disk or non-volatile memory, a communication interface (I / F) 304 capable of two-way communication by TCP / IP protocol via the Internet, which is an open computer network, an image processing unit 306 including a graphics processing unit (GPU) to which a display device 310 is connected, and an input / output interface (I / F) 305 to which various input / output devices are connected.

[0096] The display device 310 may display each viewpoint video generated based on the virtual space data of the event venue, which is a virtual space updated by the virtual space update data (see FIG. 10) distributed from the distribution server computer 100, by the viewer viewpoint video control program included in the viewer program stored in the storage 303, as described later, and the flying viewpoint video distributed from the distribution server computer 100 during the flying performance period described later. If the viewer terminal 300 is a smartphone P, the display device 310 corresponds to the display device of the smartphone P, and if the viewer terminal 300 is a normal computer (PC), the display device 310 corresponds to the display device of the stationary type constituting the computer (PC). Note that these displays are not limited to those that display planar images (2D images), and may be, for example, those that can display stereoscopic images (3D images) by displaying right-eye images and left-eye images, such as a head-mounted display (HMD) that can be worn by the viewer.

[0097] The input / output interface (I / F) 305 is connected to an operation input device 321 consisting of one or more devices that allow the viewer to perform various operations as input devices, and an audio output device 322 such as earphones or speakers that can output live audio, etc., distributed from the distribution server computer 100.

[0098] It goes without saying that the audio output device 322 need not be an independent device, but may be integrated with the display device 310 like the above-mentioned head mounted display (HMD).

[0099] The operation input device 321 may be any device that allows the viewer to perform various operations such as motion operations including moving the viewer avatar, zoom operations, operations related to comments, operations related to gifts, etc., and may be composed of at least one of, for example, a transparent touch panel formed on the display surface of a smartphone, a keyboard constituting a computer, a game controller, etc.

[0100] In this embodiment, as described below, the virtual audience area at the event venue is divided into a third area near the virtual stage G in which only viewer users who have been specially permitted by the performer user can virtually participate, and a fourth area around the third area in which general viewer users can virtually participate, as shown in FIG. 13, and a viewer user who virtually participates in the fourth area may have an operation input device 321 such as a touch panel, keyboard, game controller, etc., as described above, but a viewer user who virtually participates in the third area possesses an operation input device 321 such as an MVN motion capture suit equipped with the above-mentioned inertial sensor, and is a viewer user who, like a performer user, can precisely move the viewer avatar with their own movements.

[0101] However, even viewer users who are permitted to virtually participate in the third area cannot change the facial expression of the viewer avatar, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the facial expressions of these viewer avatars may be changed, for example, as described above, by the viewer user using the camera function of a smartphone or a camera connected to a computer to recognize the facial expression of the viewer user, even if it is to a different level than the level of change made by the performer user.

[0102] The various input / output devices connected to the input / output interface (I / F) 305 may be built-in or external, and in the case of external devices, the connection form may be either wired or wireless.

[0103] In addition to an operating system (OS) for operating the viewer terminal 300, which is a smartphone or computer, the storage 303 also stores a viewer program as a viewing application that, when executed by a processor (CPU) 301 or the like, works in cooperation with the distribution server computer 100 to provide various functions, including a live viewing function for viewer users in the virtual space live content, which is virtual space content.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 5, the viewer program includes a viewer viewpoint image control program which provides the function of generating each viewpoint image of the virtual space live to be displayed on the display device 310, a viewer audio control program which provides the function of outputting live audio from the audio output device 322 based on the live audio (data) of the virtual space live distributed from the distribution server computer 100, a viewer comment control program which displays comments based on comment data distributed from the distribution server computer 100 and provides functions related to comments such as comments entered by the viewer and sending them to the distribution server computer 100, and viewer authentication data for authenticating the identity of the viewer user in a communication connection with the distribution server computer 100.

[0105] In addition to the above-mentioned programs, although not shown in Figure 5, the virtual space may include a gift control program that controls gifts and the placement of objects in the virtual space, a program for purchasing tickets for a viewer avatar to virtually participate in an event, and an area designation program for reserving an area (position) at the event venue where a viewer avatar will virtually participate in the event in advance, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, before the event starts, but other programs may also be included.

[0106] In this embodiment, the comments input by the viewer are short messages in text format, but are not limited to these short messages in text format and may be, for example, still image messages, video messages, or any other electronic message format. The comments are displayed on the display device 310, superimposed on each viewpoint video.

[0107] In this way, by using the viewer terminal 300 that constitutes the virtual space content distribution system of this embodiment, a viewer user can move and operate the viewer avatar that is virtually participating in the event venue, and by changing the viewpoint of the viewer avatar, the viewpoint image displayed on the display device 310 can be changed, and the zoom state (viewpoint state) can also be changed, allowing the viewer user to operate the viewer avatar to cheer on the performer avatar 1.

[0108] It should be noted that a viewer avatar who has virtually participated in the third area is only allowed to move within the third area, and cannot move to the fourth area. On the other hand, a viewer avatar who has virtually participated in the fourth area is only allowed to move within the fourth area, and cannot move to the third area. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a viewer avatar who has virtually participated in three areas may be allowed to move to the fourth area. It should be noted that a viewer avatar cannot naturally move to the virtual stage G, etc., so the visibility of the performer avatar 1 is not obstructed by the viewer avatar moving onto the virtual stage G.

[0109] In addition, by displaying viewpoint images on these display devices 310 and outputting live audio, the user can enjoy a virtual space live event with the feeling that he or she is actually present at the event venue.

[0110] Although detailed explanations are omitted, the comment function provided by the viewer comment control program allows viewers to enjoy the virtual space live show while checking comments entered by themselves and other viewer users, and the gift function provided by the gift control program allows viewers to liven up the virtual space live show by giving items they own to the performer avatar 1.

[0111] <Administrator terminal> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an administrator terminal 150 in the virtual space content delivery system of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the administrator terminal 150 uses a normal computer installed in a control room adjacent to the studio together with the performer terminal 200, and as shown in Fig. 6, has a processor (CPU) 151 connected to a data bus 158, a memory (RAM) 152, a storage 153 such as a hard disk, a communication interface (I / F) 154 capable of two-way communication by the TCP / IP protocol via the Internet, which is an open computer network, an image processing unit 156 including a graphics processing unit (GPU) to which a display device 160 is connected, and an input / output interface (I / F) 155 to which various input / output devices are connected.

[0112] As described below, the display device 150 is capable of individually displaying each viewpoint image of each of the virtual cameras C1 to C4 described below and each viewpoint image of the virtual camera moving in the air during the flying performance period, which are generated based on virtual space data of the event venue, which is a virtual space updated by virtual space update data (see Figure 10) distributed from the distribution server computer 100, by an administrator viewpoint image control program included in the administrator program stored in storage 153, and is also capable of displaying comments based on comment data distributed from the distribution server computer 100, and is composed of one or more stationary displays.

[0113] The input / output interface (I / F) 155 is connected to an operation input device 161 consisting of one or more devices that enable the administrator K to perform various operations as input devices, and an audio output device 162 such as earphones, headphones, or speakers that can output live audio, etc., distributed from the distribution server computer 100.

[0114] The operation input device 161 may be any device that allows the administrator K to execute various operations such as input and settings related to the virtual space live event, and may be composed of at least one of, for example, a keyboard constituting a computer, a transparent touch panel formed on the surface of a display, a viewpoint switching controller, etc.

[0115] The various input / output devices connected to the input / output interface (I / F) 155 may be connected in either a wired or wireless manner.

[0116] In addition to an operating system (OS) for operating the computer that is the administrator terminal 150, the storage 153 also stores an administrator program that, when executed by a processor (CPU) 151 or the like, works in cooperation with the distribution server computer 100 to provide various functions, including a distribution management function for the distribution of virtual space live content, which is virtual space content.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 6, the administrator programs include an administrator viewpoint video control program, an administrator audio control program, an administrator comment control program, an audience management program, a performer management program, and the like.

[0118] The viewpoint video control program for administrator is a program that provides a function for generating viewpoint videos from each virtual camera to be displayed on the display device 160, as well as a function for changing and switching each viewpoint.

[0119] The administrator audio control program is a program that provides a function for outputting live audio from the audio output device 162 based on the virtual space live audio data distributed from the distribution server computer 100 .

[0120] The administrator's comment control program is a program that displays comments based on comment data distributed from the distribution server computer 100, and provides comment-related functions such as prohibiting comments from being distributed and selecting viewers to prevent them from being distributed.

[0121] The viewer management program is a program for managing viewer users who virtually participate in the virtual space live, and the performer management program is a program for managing performer users who virtually participate in the virtual space live.

[0122] Although not shown in FIG. 6, the system includes an authentication program for authenticating whether the operator, that is, the administrator, is the actual person, and a schedule program for editing the time schedule and song order of the virtual space live performance, but may also include other programs.

[0123] In this way, by having administrator K operate administrator terminal 150 which constitutes the virtual space content distribution system of this embodiment, various settings for executing the event can be implemented, such as settings related to the program, order of songs, and performance, as well as the time schedule and the trajectory of the virtual camera moving in the air during the flying performance period, and the virtual space live performance can be managed based on the settings thus made.

[0124] <Overall image of virtual space> In the following, as an example of content, a content in which a performer holds a live event in a virtual live venue will be described. FIG. 12 shows an overall image of the virtual space provided by the system of this embodiment. The virtual space ER of this embodiment includes multiple types of space areas ER (spatial area ER1, spatial area ER2, etc.). Each spatial area ER can provide content of different genres and types. As the multiple types of space areas ER, for example, an entrance that functions as a lobby when a user logs into the virtual space ER, and areas corresponding to various contents such as a live venue, game content, and exhibition hall are provided. An event venue, which will be described later using FIG. 13, FIG. 24, and FIG. 25, etc., is constructed in the entirety of a predetermined space area ER or in a part of a predetermined space area ER.

[0125] The movement between each spatial area ER may be such that the user cannot move to another spatial area ER without passing through a spatial area ER that is defined as an area (for example, an entrance) that provides specific content after logging in to the virtual space, or may be such that the user can move between the spatial areas. For example, the user may not be able to move from the spatial area ER2 to the spatial area ER3 without passing through the spatial area ER1, or may be able to move directly between the spatial area ER2 and the spatial area ER3 without passing through the spatial area ER1. In addition, when moving between spatial areas ER, a switching performance may be performed. For example, when moving to another spatial area ER, the display screen may be switched to black (for example, a screen in which a message such as "Loading..." is displayed on a black screen). In addition, the user's access to each spatial area ER may be such that the user first enters the entrance area after logging in, or the user can select and enter a spatial area ER of his / her choice without passing through the entrance area, or the user may transition to a spatial area ER that is randomly determined by lottery. As for each room, the user may select a room of his / her choice and enter it, or may enter a room that is randomly determined by lottery.

[0126] <Virtual live venue> A virtual live venue, which is the virtual space used in this embodiment, is shown in Fig. 13. The virtual live venue shown in Fig. 13 is constructed in a predetermined spatial area ER of the spatial area ER shown in Fig. 12. As shown in Fig. 13, the virtual live venue, like a live venue in real space, is a virtual space having a virtual stage G where performer users appear as performer avatars 1, and a virtual audience area where viewer users who will be in the audience virtually participate as viewer avatars.

[0127] 13, virtual stage G has a relatively large trapezoidal floor surface, and performer avatar 1 can move on virtual stage G in the same way as in a live venue in real space. On the side of virtual stage G opposite the virtual audience seats, as shown in Fig. 13, a virtual stage wall is formed that is divided into three parts, a center part, a right part, and a left part, and virtual displays 40, 41, and 42 are provided in front of these virtual stage walls, and images and videos for performance are virtually displayed on these virtual displays 40, 41, and 42.

[0128] A star-shaped virtual arrangement object 43 related to the performer user is placed between the virtual displays 40, 41, 42, and large star-shaped virtual aerial objects 50-52 are placed in a second area, which is an area on the virtual stage G and is above a first area surrounded by the virtual stage walls, as shown in Fig. 13. The virtual aerial objects 50-52 are movable within the second area.

[0129] A virtual audience area where viewer users can virtually participate in the virtual live venue as viewer avatars is provided in front of the virtual stage G. As shown in Fig. 13, this virtual audience area is made up of a third area, which is a special area close to the center of the virtual stage G where the performer avatar 1 appears, and a fourth area, which is formed to surround the third area and is farther away from the center of the virtual stage G than the third area.

[0130] These third areas are available for virtual participation by special viewer users who are permitted to participate virtually, up to a predetermined upper limit. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, for example, viewer avatars 11 to 14 of four viewer users who have met a predetermined virtual participation record and have been permitted to participate virtually by the performer user are arranged.

[0131] In addition, the fourth area includes viewer avatars 21-32 of general viewer users who have reserved virtual participation before the start of the virtual space live. Note that, in Fig. 13, the viewer avatars 21-32 are shown in a simplified manner for the sake of convenience, but are the same avatars as the viewer avatars 11-14.

[0132] Furthermore, each viewer avatar 11-14 placed in the third area can be moved within the third area by the viewer user operating the viewer terminal, and each viewer avatar 21-32 placed in the fourth area can be moved within the fourth area by the viewer user operating the viewer terminal.

[0133] Four virtual cameras C1 to C4 are virtually arranged (set) in the virtual live performance venue, as shown in Fig. 13. Virtual camera C1 is virtually arranged in front of performer avatar 1 so as to face the performer avatar 1, and the viewpoint image captured by virtual camera C1 is a viewpoint image viewed from a position close to the front of the performer avatar 1, as shown in Fig. 14(a).

[0134] Virtual camera C2 is a camera virtually placed (set) above the head of performer avatar 1, and the viewpoint image captured by virtual camera C2 is a performer viewpoint image captured by viewing the virtual audience area from performer avatar 1, as shown in FIG.

[0135] Virtual camera C3 is a virtual camera virtually placed on the virtual display 41 diagonally behind the performer avatar 1, and the viewpoint image from virtual camera C3 is a viewpoint image looking at the virtual audience area from diagonally behind the performer avatar 1, as shown in Figure 14(c).

[0136] Virtual camera C4 is a virtual camera virtually placed on the virtual display 42 diagonally behind the performer avatar 1, and the viewpoint image from virtual camera C4 is a viewpoint image looking at the virtual audience area from diagonally behind the performer avatar 1, as shown in Figure 14(b).

[0137] In this embodiment, in addition to the fixedly placed (set) virtual cameras C1 to C4, an air-moving virtual camera (not shown) is virtually placed so as to be movable in the air within the virtual live venue space, which is a virtual space. The air trajectories along which these air-moving virtual cameras move and the viewpoint directions (angles) at each position on the air trajectory are preset by the administrator terminal 150, and during the flying performance period described later, the performer avatar 1 virtually flies so as to follow the air trajectory of the air-moving virtual camera, thereby generating a viewpoint image of the virtually flying performer avatar 1 captured by the air-moving virtual camera.

[0138] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, an example is given in which four virtual cameras C1 to C4 are virtually arranged as fixedly arranged (set) virtual cameras, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of these fixedly arranged (set) virtual cameras may be five or more, or conversely, without providing fixedly arranged (set) virtual cameras, only the viewpoint images seen from the viewpoints corresponding to each avatar virtually participating in the virtual live venue may be displayed on the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300.

[0139] In addition, while this embodiment illustrates an example in which there is one virtual camera moving through the air, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may also be possible to have a configuration in which there are multiple virtual cameras moving through the air, or conversely, a configuration in which no virtual camera moving through the air is virtually positioned.

[0140] <Studio> 11 is a diagram showing the studio used in this embodiment, and as described above, the studio is adjacent to the control room separated by a glass window, and the performer user performs each movement corresponding to singing in the studio, while the assistant operator O assists with the operation of the performer terminal 300 installed in the control room. Around the performer user wearing the wearable sensors 220C1 to 220C5, base stations 220a and 220b are mounted on a stand, and an imaging camera constituting the facial expression input device 221 is mounted on a stand in a position almost in front of the performer user.

[0141] A screen S is provided on the wall facing the performer user in the studio, and a projector (display device B211) installed on the ceiling of the studio projects the viewpoint image of virtual camera C2 onto screen S, so that the viewpoint image seen from performer avatar 1 as looking at the virtual audience area is displayed on screen S, as shown in Figure 16. This allows the performer user to proceed with the live performance while constantly keeping track of the behavior of the viewer avatars virtually participating in the virtual audience area (the viewer's reaction to the live performance).

[0142] A vertical large display is arranged to the side of the screen S as the display device C212, and comments from the audience and messages that the assistant operator O wants to convey to the performer users are displayed on the large display. The display device C212 may be configured to display information (performer support information) such as the lyrics of the song sung by the performer during the live performance and lines.

[0143] <Operation of virtual space content delivery system> FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the virtual space content delivery system of this embodiment, specifically, the flow of delivery of video and audio of a virtual live performance.

[0144] First, the video system will be described. As described above, the distribution server computer 100 is capable of providing a virtual space of a virtual live venue based on the virtual space generation program 120 and the avatar data of the performer users and the viewer users, and the actions of the avatars of the performer users and the viewer users are reflected in the actions of the performer avatar 1 and the viewer avatar 1 actions (operations) of the viewer users are reflected in the actions of the viewer avatar by updating the virtual space data in which the state of the virtual space is described based on the performer avatar information transmitted from the performer terminal 200 and the viewer avatar information transmitted from the viewer terminal 300.

[0145] Although not shown in Figure 10, when the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300 communicate with the distribution server computer 100 to virtually participate in the virtual space live performance, virtual space data of the virtual live venue is delivered to and stored in advance from the distribution server computer 100.As will be described later, the virtual space data stored in advance in this manner is successively updated by virtual space update data delivered successively from the distribution server computer 100, allowing the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300 to identify the latest state of the virtual live venue.

[0146] Specifically, the movements and facial expressions of the performer user in the studio are scanned at predetermined time intervals by the body motion scan and face motion scan functions of the performer avatar control program described above, and performer avatar information is generated and transmitted to the distribution server computer 100.

[0147] On the other hand, viewer users who are permitted to virtually participate in the third area use motion sensors, just like the performers, and are scanned at specified intervals using the body motion scan and face motion scan functions, and viewer avatar information is generated and transmitted to the distribution server computer 100.

[0148] Furthermore, a viewer user permitted to virtually participate in the fourth area can use the touch panel, keyboard, or controller of the viewer terminal 300 to perform various operations such as movement, changing the viewpoint direction, changing the viewpoint state (zoom), raising hands, clapping hands, jumping, etc., to make the viewer avatar perform the corresponding action. Then, of these operations, viewer avatar information is generated based on the operation related to the viewer avatar's action and transmitted to the delivery server computer 100.

[0149] In this way, based on the performer avatar information transmitted from the performer terminal 200 and the viewer avatar information transmitted from the viewer terminal 300, the distribution server computer 100 executes a virtual space update process that updates the virtual space data, thereby reflecting the actions (operations) of the performer user and the viewer user in each avatar virtually participating in the virtual live venue.

[0150] Then, after executing a virtual space update data generation process for generating virtual space update data based on the virtual space data before the update and the virtual space data after the update, the generated virtual space update data is distributed to the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300.

[0151] At the performer terminal 200 and viewer terminal 300 to which the virtual space update data has been delivered, as shown in FIG. 10, the pre-stored virtual space data is updated based on the delivered virtual space update data, and a performer perspective video generation process and a viewer perspective video generation process are executed using the updated virtual space data, thereby generating performer perspective video and viewer perspective video based on the updated virtual space data, and the generated performer perspective video and viewer perspective video are displayed on the performer terminal 200 and the viewer terminal 300 (viewer perspective video output process).

[0152] In this manner, in this embodiment, the viewpoint video of each viewer user who is virtually participating in the virtual live venue through a viewer avatar is generated and displayed on the viewer terminal 300 of each viewer user, and by generating the viewer avatar viewpoint video of each viewer user on the distribution server computer 100, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the processing load on the distribution server computer 100 becomes significantly large, which would result in many viewer users being unable to participate in the virtual space live, and it is also possible to avoid a situation in which distribution becomes difficult due to an increased processing load.

[0153] In this embodiment, a viewpoint image is generated and displayed on the display device 310 of the viewer terminal 300 of the viewer user of the viewer avatar 13 who is virtually participating in the third area close to the performer avatar 1 on the virtual stage G, in which a viewpoint image of almost the front of the performer avatar 1 is displayed large, as shown in Figure 14(d), which is a viewpoint image seen from the viewer avatar 13 close to the performer avatar 1, while a viewpoint image is generated and displayed on the display device 310 of the viewer terminal 300 of the viewer user of the viewer avatar 28 who is virtually participating in the fourth area far from the performer avatar 1 on the virtual stage G, for example, at a position behind the viewer avatar 13, in which a viewpoint image of almost the front of the performer avatar 1 appears relatively small through the viewer avatar 13 and viewer avatar 14 who are virtually participating in the third area, as shown in Figure 14(e).

[0154] In addition, the display device 310 of the viewer terminal 300 of the viewer user of the viewer avatar 32 who is virtually participating at the edge position of the virtual stage G in the fourth area, which is set up as a U-shape when viewed from above, displays a viewpoint image seen from the viewer avatar 32 positioned diagonally forward of the performer avatar 1, as shown in Figure 14(f), in which the performer avatar 1 appears relatively small through the viewer avatar 14 who is virtually participating in the third area.

[0155] Note that all of the display examples shown in Figure 14 are examples in which the viewer terminal 300 is a stationary computer (PC) and the display device 310 is a stationary display. However, for example, if the viewer terminal 300 is a smartphone P, tablet, etc., the viewpoint image of the virtual camera C1 is displayed as shown in Figure 15(a), and if the viewer terminal 300 is the viewer terminal 300 of the viewer avatar 13, it is displayed as shown in Figure 15(b).

[0156] Next, the audio system will be described. In the distribution server computer 100, music data 113 is played back by audio control program 124 based on time schedule data (TS data) 112, and transmitted to the performer terminal 200 as played music (data) (music playback process).

[0157] In the performer terminal 200, the music audio from the played music (data) transmitted from the distribution server computer 100 is output to the performer user through high-performance earphones (in-ear monitors) worn by the performer user (played music output process), and when the performer user sings along with the output played music, the performer voice input from the sound collection microphone (audio input device 222) is digitized and transmitted to the distribution server computer 100 as the performer voice (data).

[0158] The distribution server computer 100 generates distribution audio (data) from the performer audio (data) received from the performer terminal 200 and the played music played in the music playback process described above (distribution audio generation process), and distributes the generated distribution audio (data) to the viewer terminal 300 (generated audio distribution process).

[0159] In the viewer terminal 300, the distribution audio (data) distributed from the distribution server computer 100 is output from an audio output device 322 such as earphones or speakers, allowing the viewer to hear the live audio as if the performer avatar 1 were singing in the virtual live venue.

[0160] Furthermore, in the performer terminal 200, as described above, the performer's voice (data) is transmitted to the distribution server computer 100, and as shown in Figure 10, a monitor audio generation process and a monitor audio output process are executed, so that the music audio of the played music and the performer's voice are output from speakers placed in the control room, allowing an assistant operator O, etc. to check the singing status of the performer user in the control room.

[0161] <Viewer's viewpoint video control processing> Next, a viewer's viewpoint video control process executed in the viewer terminal 300 based on a viewer's viewpoint video control program included in the viewer's program will be described with reference to FIG.

[0162] In the viewer viewpoint video control process, first, it is determined whether or not the performer avatar 1 is in a flying performance period in which the performer avatar 1 is virtually flying, as shown in Fig. 20 (step S1). Whether or not the performer avatar 1 is in a flying performance period can be identified by performance status data indicating that the performer avatar 1 is in a flying performance period, which is sent from the delivery server computer 100. The delivery server computer 100 transmits performance status data indicating that the performer avatar 1 is in a flying performance period to the viewer terminal 300 when the performer avatar 1 is in a flying performance period based on the time schedule data.

[0163] If it is during the flying performance period (Y in step S1), proceed to step S21, whereas if it is not during the flying performance period (N in step S1), it is determined whether viewpoint-related operations including viewpoint movement operations (including changing the viewpoint by avatar movement operations and motion operations) and zoom operations are disabled (step S2).

[0164] If the viewpoint-related operation is invalid (Y in step S2), the process proceeds to step S7. If the viewpoint-related operation is not invalid (N in step S2), the process determines whether or not there is an operation that changes the viewpoint, such as an operation of moving an avatar or an operation of moving an avatar (step S3), and if there is an operation (Y in step S3), the viewer viewpoint is changed according to the operation, and if there is no operation (N in step S3), the process proceeds to step S5, and determines whether or not there is a zoom operation (step S5).

[0165] If a zoom operation is performed (Y in step S5), the image area displayed on the display device 310 is changed to an image area corresponding to the operation, and if a zoom operation is not performed (N in step S5), it is determined whether or not a motion tracking setting is present (step S7).

[0166] This motion tracking setting can be arbitrarily set by the viewer user on the viewer terminal 300, for example, before the start of a live performance or during a live performance, depending on the type of device used by the viewer user and his / her level of proficiency in the operation. Specifically, the motion tracking setting is set in cases where, for example, the viewer user is not familiar with operating the operation input device 321 such as a touch panel, keyboard, or game controller, or is not familiar with changing the viewpoint by operating the avatar to move or move, or, as will be described later, the virtual participation position of the viewer user's avatar is far from the performer avatar 1 and the viewer user is zoomed in and displayed in an enlarged manner, so that even a slight movement of the performer avatar 1 prevents the performer avatar 1 from being displayed appropriately, and so on, and the viewer user is unable to change the viewpoint in response to the movement or movement of the performer avatar 1.

[0167] If there is no motion following setting (N in step S7), the process proceeds to step S11. If there is a motion following setting (Y in step S7), it is further determined whether or not the motion following condition is satisfied (step S8).

[0168] In this embodiment, the motion tracking condition is a condition under which it is almost certain that the performer avatar 1 will no longer be displayed clearly on the display device 310. Specifically, when the head (or face) of the performer avatar 1 is within a specified range around the display area of ​​the display device 310, it is highly likely that the movement or motion of the performer avatar 1 will cause the head (face) to move outside the display area, causing it to no longer be displayed clearly, and therefore it is determined that the motion tracking condition is met.

[0169] In this way, in this embodiment, by determining that the motion tracking condition is met before the head (face) of the performer avatar 1 disappears from the display area, it is possible to significantly reduce the occurrence of the head (face) of the performer avatar 1 disappearing from the display area, but the present invention is not limited to this, and these motion tracking conditions may be the condition that the head (face) moves out of the display area, or other conditions may be used as the motion tracking conditions. In other words, any condition may be used as the motion tracking condition as long as it can prevent the performer avatar 1 from disappearing from the display area in a good manner.

[0170] If the action tracking condition is met (Y in step S8), after disabling the viewpoint-related operations (step S12), the viewpoint image displayed in the display area of ​​display device 310 is automatically changed to a motion tracking viewpoint in which the head (face) of performer avatar 1 is within a non-metable range surrounded by a predetermined range around the display area, and the viewpoint image seen from the motion tracking viewpoint is displayed in the display area of ​​display device 310 (step S13).

[0171] On the other hand, if the action tracking condition is not met (N in step S8), it is further determined whether or not the viewpoint-related operation is disabled (step S9). If the viewpoint-related operation is disabled (Y in step S9), the disabled viewpoint-related operation is enabled (step S10) and then the process proceeds to step S11. If the viewpoint-related operation is not disabled (N in step S9), the process proceeds to step S11 without going through step S10.

[0172] In step 11, since the motion tracking setting is not set or the motion tracking condition is not satisfied, the viewpoint video of the viewer avatar is continuously displayed in the display area of ​​display device 310 (step S11).

[0173] Also, as mentioned above, if the flying performance period in which the performer avatar 1 virtually flies during a live performance has begun, the answer in step S1 is determined to be Y, and the process proceeds to step S21, where it is determined whether or not it is the start timing of the flying performance period (step S21).

[0174] If it is the start timing of the flying performance period (Y in step S21), the flying viewpoint image distributed from the distribution server computer 100 is displayed (step S22) in place of the viewer avatar's viewpoint image or action-tracking viewpoint image that was displayed in the display area of ​​the display device 310 before the start of the flying performance period, and then viewpoint-related operations are disabled (step S23) and the process returns to step S1.

[0175] In this embodiment, during the flying performance period, the same flying viewpoint video is displayed on the viewer terminals 300 of all viewer users. Instead of generating the flying viewpoint video on each viewer terminal 300 side, as is the case with viewer avatar viewpoint videos which are different for each viewer user, the flying viewpoint video is generated on the distribution server computer 100 side and distributed to the viewer terminals 300. This allows the flying viewpoint video, which involves movement of the viewpoint in the air and therefore imposes a large rendering load on the viewer terminals 300, to be displayed well even on viewer terminals 300 with low processing capabilities. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and these flying viewpoint videos may be generated on the individual viewer terminals 300 side, in the same way as viewer avatar viewpoint videos.

[0176] On the other hand, if it is not the start timing of the flying effect period (N in step S21), it is further determined whether it is the end timing of the flying effect period (step S24).

[0177] Whether or not it is the end timing of the flying performance period may be determined based on data indicating the end contained in the flying viewpoint video data transmitted from the distribution server computer 100, or may be determined based on the aforementioned performance status data that is different from the flying viewpoint video.

[0178] If it is not the end of the flying performance period (N in step S24), that is, if it is during the flying performance period, proceed to step S26, update the flying viewpoint video, and then return to step 1; on the other hand, if it is the end of the flying performance period (Y in step S24), enable viewpoint-related operations (step S25), proceed to step S11, display the viewer avatar's viewpoint video in the display area of ​​display device 310 in place of the flying viewpoint video that was displayed in the display area of ​​display device 310 during the flying performance period, and then return to step S1.

[0179] Thus, each viewpoint video displayed on the viewer terminal 300 by executing the viewer viewpoint video control process shown in FIG. 21 in the viewer terminal 300 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 to 20. FIG.

[0180] Fig. 17 is a diagram showing the display contents of the display device 310 when a zoom operation is performed on the viewer terminal 300 of this embodiment, and in the default state where no zoom operation is performed, as shown in Fig. 17(a), a viewpoint video of the video area centered on the upper body of the performer avatar 1 is displayed. In this default state, when the viewer user performs a zoom-up operation, for example, by touching the "+" display (not shown) if the viewer terminal 300 is a smartphone P, or by operating the "+" key on the keyboard if the viewer terminal 300 is a computer (PC), for example, a viewpoint video of the video area centered on the head (face) of the performer avatar 1 is displayed as shown in Fig. 17(b).

[0181] On the other hand, if the viewer user performs a zoom-down operation, for example, by touching the "- " display (not shown) if the viewer terminal 300 is a smartphone P, or by operating the "- " key on the keyboard if the viewer terminal 300 is a computer (PC), a viewpoint image of the image area including the entire body of the performer avatar 1 will be displayed, as shown in Figure 17(c), for example.

[0182] In Figure 17, in order to make the zoom function easier to understand, the explanation was given using the viewpoint image of virtual camera C1 rather than the viewpoint of the viewer avatar, but as shown in Figure 18, zooming up and down can also be performed in the same way on the viewpoint of the viewer avatar.

[0183] Also, although not described in detail in the viewer viewpoint image control process of Figure 21, for example, when performer avatar 1 appears on virtual stage G for the first time when a live performance begins, the viewpoint of the viewer avatar will not be directed toward performer avatar 1, and there is a possibility that the appearing performer avatar 1 will not be displayed on the viewer terminal 300 for a long period of time. Therefore, the period when performer avatar 1 first appears may be designated as an appearance performance period, and during this performance period, the viewpoint image displayed on the viewer terminal 300 may be automatically switched to the viewpoint image of virtual camera C1, etc., instead of the viewpoint image of the viewer avatar, and individual viewer users may be allowed to perform zooming in, etc. on the viewpoint images of virtual camera C1.

[0184] 18 shows, as an example of a viewpoint image of a viewer avatar, the viewpoint image of viewer avatar 28 who is virtually participating in the fourth area. As shown in Fig. 18, the viewpoint image of viewer avatar 28 includes the heads of viewer avatar 13 and viewer avatar 14 who are virtually participating in the third area, and the image shows performer avatar 1 seen through the heads of viewer avatar 13 and viewer avatar 14.

[0185] Therefore, the viewer user of viewer avatar 28 can enjoy the live performance by, for example, performing a zoom-in operation to change the image area so that the upper body of performer avatar 1 is displayed primarily, as shown in Figure 18(b), thereby preventing viewer avatar 13 and viewer avatar 14 from being displayed.

[0186] However, in the zoomed-in state as shown in Figure 18(b), for example, as the live performance progresses and the performer avatar 1 begins to move and make large movements, if the viewer user is unable to properly change the viewpoint of the viewer avatar 28 to match the movements of the performer avatar 1, the performer avatar 1 may not be displayed properly, as shown in Figures 19(d)-(f).If the viewer user has to pay attention to adjusting the viewpoint, it may become difficult to concentrate on the live performance and they may not be able to enjoy it well.

[0187] However, in this embodiment, when the viewer user sets the motion tracking setting as described above, as shown in Figures 19(a) to (c), the head of the performer avatar 1 enters within a specified area surrounding the display area, the motion tracking condition is met, the viewpoint is automatically changed to the motion tracking viewpoint, and the viewpoint image of the motion tracking viewpoint is displayed. Therefore, the viewer user does not need to pay attention to operating the viewpoint, and can concentrate on the live performance and enjoy it to the fullest.

[0188] Then, as the live performance progresses and the flying performance period begins, as shown in Figure 20, the viewpoint images of the individual viewer avatars are automatically changed to flying viewpoint images seen from a virtual camera moving in the air, without any operation by the viewer user.

[0189] Specifically, before the performer avatar 1 takes off in virtual flight, an image is displayed in which a wing object grows on the back of the performer avatar 1. Then, the performer avatar 1 looks up at a virtual aerial star object 50 virtually placed in the second area of ​​the virtual live venue, and the viewpoint of the viewer avatar moves in the same way. At this time, light effects 61 appear around the performer avatar 1.

[0190] Thereafter, when the performer avatar 1 enters virtual flight, the viewpoint image displayed on the display device 310 automatically switches from the viewpoint image of the viewer avatar in FIG. 20(b) to a flying viewpoint image seen from a virtual camera moving in the air, as shown in FIG. 20(c).

[0191] During the flying performance period, the aerial moving virtual cameras move within the second area based on a pre-set aerial trajectory as described above, and the flying viewpoint images seen from these aerial moving virtual cameras moving in the air are displayed on the display device 310 as shown in Figure 20(d).

[0192] The specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the present invention includes modifications and additions that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

[0193] For example, in the above embodiment, a viewer avatar is shown to be able to move freely within the third or fourth area in which it is virtually participating. However, doing so may result in problems such as errors in the virtual space data due to different viewer avatars participating in the fourth area colliding virtually with each other or overlapping in the same virtual position.

[0194] In order to solve such problems, for example, the modified examples shown in Figures 22 and 23 may be used. Specifically, the third and fourth areas are divided into smaller areas as shown in Figure 22, and the viewer user is asked in advance before the start of the live performance which of these areas he or she will participate in, as shown in Figure 23. When the viewer user virtually participates with a viewer avatar, he or she is only able to participate in the area selected in advance, and movement is restricted to within the selected area, thereby preventing virtual collisions between viewer avatars or overlapping in the same virtual position, which can cause errors in the virtual space data.

[0195] In addition, in the case where each viewer user is allowed to select the virtual participation position of the viewer avatar in advance as described above, for example, for a viewer user who selects areas A1 to C6 on the right side facing the virtual stage G in the fourth area, a viewpoint image from the right front position of the virtually flying performer avatar 1 is generated and displayed as the viewpoint image during the flying performance period, for a viewer user who selects areas D4 to H6 on the center facing the virtual stage G in the fourth area, a viewpoint image from the central front position of the virtually flying performer avatar 1 is generated and displayed as the viewpoint image during the flying performance period, and for a viewer user who selects areas I1 to K6 on the left side facing the virtual stage G in the fourth area, a viewpoint image from the left front position of the virtually flying performer avatar 1 is generated and displayed as the viewpoint image during the flying performance period. In this way, depending on the position selected by the viewer user, the viewpoint image during the virtual flight, which is a special action, may be a viewpoint image corresponding to the position (area) selected by each viewer user.

[0196] In the above embodiment, the viewpoint video from the viewer avatar is generated and displayed on the viewer terminal 200 side, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, in the case of a live event with few virtual participants, the viewpoint video from the viewer avatar may also be generated and distributed on the delivery server computer 100 side. Also, the viewer user may be allowed to select whether to generate the video on the viewer terminal 200 side or the delivery server computer 100 side depending on the processing capacity of the terminal he or she owns and the data communication environment, or the delivery server computer 100 may specify the processing capacity of the viewer terminal 200 with which it is connected for communication, and determine whether to generate the video on the viewer terminal 200 side or the delivery server computer 100 side based on the specified processing capacity.

[0197] In addition, in the above embodiment, the distribution server computer 100 is installed in a studio operated by an event management organization that hosts the virtual space live event, but the present invention is not limited to this. As the distribution server computer 100, a server computer owned in a data center or the like by a company that rents out the server computer may be used, or as described above, a server computer provided by a cloud service may be used. The installation form of these server computers may be any form that provides the functions of the distribution server computer 100.

[0198] In the above embodiment, a form in which a single performer user sings and performs is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the performer users may be a group of multiple people, and when a virtual space live performance is performed by a group of multiple people, the multiple people may share one performer terminal 200, or a performer terminal 200 may be provided for each member of the group. When the performer users are a group of multiple members, for example, a viewpoint tracking target designation process may be executed by at least one of the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300, so that the viewer user can select a member to be the target of the viewpoint tracking.

[0199] In addition, in the above embodiment, the singer who sings and the actor who performs the performance may be separate persons, in which case the singer's performer terminal and the actor's performer terminal may be separate, and the singer may sing in a location other than the studio where the actor performs the performance.

[0200] In addition, in the above embodiment, the Internet network is used as an example of the computer communication network connecting the distribution server computer 100, the administrator terminal 150, the performer terminal 200, and the viewer terminal 300, but the present invention is not limited to this, and these communication networks may be composed of local area networks that are capable of data communication only within a specific area, or may include a local area network and local data communication as part of them.

[0201] In addition, in the above embodiment, the performer user sings or performs singing actions (performance actions) in real time during the distribution of the virtual space live performance, allowing the performer user to proceed with the live performance while checking the reactions of the viewer users who are virtually participating in the virtual space live performance, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the performer user's singing or singing actions (performance actions) do not have to be done in real time, but may be performed in advance, and the singing audio and singing actions (performance actions) may be recorded in the distribution server computer 100 as performer avatar information, and the recorded singing audio and singing actions (performance actions) may be played back as the live performance progresses, thereby holding a virtual space live performance.

[0202] In addition, instead of the singing and singing actions (performance) of a performer user, the singing and singing actions (performance actions) of a virtual performer created using computer graphics, etc., can be recorded as performer avatar information on a distribution server computer, and the recorded singing audio and singing actions (performance actions) can be played back as the live performance progresses, thereby holding a virtual space live performance.

[0203] In this way, when singing or singing actions (performance actions) are performed in advance to record and play back performer avatar information on the distribution server computer 100 and distribute a virtual space live performance, the configuration of the virtual space content distribution system at the time of distribution will be composed of the distribution server computer 100, administrator terminal 150, and viewer terminal 200, and will not include the performer terminal 200, which is a performer user terminal that can be used by a performer user to perform operations to move the performer avatar 1 in the virtual space.

[0204] In addition, in the above embodiments, the viewer terminal 300 is exemplified as a smartphone P or a computer (PC), however, the present invention is not limited to this, and these computers may be portable notebook computers, tablet terminals, e-book readers, wearable computers, game consoles, and various other information processing devices capable of outputting at least 2D video and audio.

[0205] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was given of a form in which a performer user performs in a studio, including singing, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a performer user may use a performer terminal 200 installed in a home or the like to appear in a virtual space live performance from a home or the like.

[0206] In the above-described embodiment, a virtual space live performance was given as an example of virtual space content, but the present invention is not limited to this, and such virtual space content may be any content that is beneficial to viewer users, such as a fan meeting where performer users gather with their fans, or a talk session, and that is related to a virtual space in which performer avatar 1 and viewer avatars virtually participate.

[0207] In the above embodiment, the general action (first action) is an action of the performer avatar 1 standing on the virtual stage G without moving, the special action (second action) is an action of the performer avatar 1 flying virtually, and the specific action (third action) is an action of the performer avatar 1 moving quickly sideways. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the actions may be actions according to the content to be distributed. For example, the general action (first action) may be an action (normal action) that the performer avatar performs for the longest period in the content to be distributed, the special action (second action) may be an action that is performed in a special period that is the shortest period in the content to be distributed or an action that is performed least frequently, and the specific action (third action) may be an action that is performed for a shorter period than the general action (first action) but longer than the special action, or an operation that is performed less frequently than the general action (first action) but more frequently than the special action. The special action (second action) may include the specific action (third action).

[0208] In the above embodiment, an example was given of a form having both a function of switching the viewpoint corresponding to a special action (second action) and a function of following a specific action (third action), but the present invention is not limited to this, and the virtual space content distribution system may have only one of these functions.

[0209] In the above-described embodiment, an example is given of a form in which viewpoint switching of the four virtual cameras C1 to C4 as fixedly positioned (set) virtual cameras and the airborne moving virtual camera can be performed in advance by settings and operations on the administrator terminal 150, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, these viewpoint switching may be performed in real time by the administrator K on the administrator terminal 150 using a viewpoint switching controller or the like constituting the operation input device 161.

[0210] In the above-described embodiment, an example is given of a form in which virtual cameras C1 to C4 are fixedly placed (set) in the virtual space as virtual cameras, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to or instead of the virtual cameras C1 to C4, a movable virtual moving camera may be placed in the virtual live venue, and the position and imaging direction of the virtual moving camera in the virtual space may be controlled by an administrator K or a cameraman, etc., via operation of the administrator terminal 150, to produce the viewpoint image of the virtual moving camera.

[0211] In the above embodiment, a viewpoint image of the virtual camera C2 is displayed on the screen S so that the facial expression of the performer user can be detected and reflected in the facial expression of the performer avatar, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, if the performer user has a high-performance head-mounted display with a sensor function to detect the facial expression of the performer user, the performer user may wear such a high-performance head-mounted display to perform the performance, which may improve the performer user's immersive feeling in the virtual live performance. Also, if the facial expression of the performer user does not need to be reflected in detail in the facial expression of the performer avatar, the performer user may wear a normal head-mounted display to perform the performance.

[0212] In the above-described embodiment, an example was given of the viewer user's viewpoint being changed and following the movements of the performer avatar, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, these viewpoint changes and following may be performed in response to specific effects such as smoke or fireworks (pillars of fire) devices, special lighting, or deformation of stage G, which are props on stage G.

[0213] <Event content related> (Event content summary) With reference to Figs. 13 to 23, an example of content has been described in which a live event is held by performers in a virtual live venue. The event content is distributed at a predetermined date and time (scheduled time on a scheduled date) according to the event data, for example, and a spatial area ER in which the event content is to be provided may be provided (distribution start, opening) before the start of the event so that viewer users can enter and participate in the virtual space in which the event is to be held. In this case, the event data may include information for specifying the date and time when the spatial area ER in which the event content is to be provided is provided (distribution start, opening) before the scheduled date.

[0214] In the following, an example will be described in which a virtual space in which the virtual live venue (event venue) shown in Fig. 13 is constructed as a predetermined type of virtual space is opened before the start of event content of a virtual live performance as shown in Fig. 13, and viewer users can enter and participate in the space, thereby gradually increasing the viewer user's interest in the event before the event starts. The predetermined type of virtual space is, for example, any of the virtual spaces in the space area ER in Fig. 12. In the following, an example of a predetermined type of virtual space will be described using the space area ER5 shown in Fig. 24.

[0215] FIG. 24 is an overall bird's-eye view of an event venue constructed in the spatial area ER5. In the spatial area ER5 in this embodiment, a virtual space is provided in which objects such as buildings imitating a shrine and a town in front of the shrine are arranged, for example. Note that the objects arranged in the spatial area ER5 are not limited to buildings imitating a shrine, and may be objects according to various themes such as the sea, a lake, a mountain, a school, etc. In addition, the spatial area ER5 is composed of a plurality of areas. For example, as shown in FIG. 24(A), the spatial area ER5 is composed of an area ER51 corresponding to a town area, an area ER52 corresponding to a temple grounds area, an area ER53 corresponding to a worship hall area, etc.

[0216] In the town area, for example, a plurality of house objects resembling private homes are arranged, and along the approach to the shrine grounds area, a plurality of exhibition areas are provided for displaying (setting up) lantern objects purchased by viewer users, etc. Lantern objects can be purchased, for example, in a lantern shop area in the town area. In the shrine grounds area, a plurality of objects corresponding to torii gates, gates, ornaments, etc. arranged in the grounds of a shrine are arranged, a game area where a predetermined game can be played, a fortune-telling area where fortune-telling can be performed, and a plurality of exhibition areas are provided. In the worship hall area, for example, a plurality of objects corresponding to a shrine worship hall and a stage object serving as a virtual live venue (event venue) are arranged, an offering area for offering money is provided, and a plurality of exhibition areas are provided.

[0217] In the exhibition area, lantern objects purchased by users, lantern objects associated with the management (administrator) (including initially set lantern objects), lantern objects associated with special users, etc. are placed. Special users include performer users, management users, sponsor users who are sponsoring the event, and other celebrities, and users who are authenticated as special users by the management (administrator). Information on these sponsor users and other celebrities is stored in the event data 111.

[0218] In addition, as described below, the lantern object displayed in the exhibition area is determined in advance by random drawing or the like as a default lantern object to be displayed commonly to all users on the distribution server computer 100 side each time a switching condition is met, and is transmitted to and positioned on the viewer terminal 300 of the user who has entered the spatial area ER5.By bringing the viewer avatar close to one of the exhibition areas, the lantern object displayed in that exhibition area can be displayed on the viewer terminal 300.

[0219] Various processes related to such spatial area ER5 (predetermined type of virtual space) and various processes related to the provision and distribution of the spatial area ER5 are performed by the distribution server computer 100, and a viewer user can enter and participate in the spatial area ER5 using a viewer terminal 300 and move a viewer avatar to display an image within the spatial area ER5 on the viewer terminal 300. Hereinafter, viewer users and viewer avatars (as well as performer avatars, etc.) are also simply referred to as users and user avatars (as well as performer avatars, etc.).

[0220] Fig. 25 is an example of an image of the spatial area ER5 displayed on the display unit 310 of the viewer terminal 300. Fig. 25(A) is an example of a display image when the area ER52 (temple grounds area) in Fig. 24 is viewed obliquely from within the area ER51 (town area). Fig. 25(B) is an example of a display image when the user avatar U operated by the user is moved to the vicinity of the boundary of the area ER53 in the area ER52 in Fig. 24, as viewed from behind the user avatar U, and a daimon object 53c corresponding to the daimon leading from the area ER52 to the area ER53 is shown. Fig. 25(C) is an example of a display image when the user avatar U is moved under a large torii object 52t corresponding to a large torii in the area ER52 in Fig. 24, as viewed from behind the user avatar U, and the foot of the large torii object 52t and the daimon object 53c are shown. Fig. 25(D) is an example of a display image when the user avatar U is moved backward from the position shown in Fig. 25(C), as viewed from behind the user avatar U, and shows a large torii gate object 52a and a private house object 51d corresponding to a private house. In this way, by entering and participating in the spatial area ER5, the user can move within the spatial area ER5 in response to operations from the user, view objects and scenery within the spatial area ER5, purchase objects, make offerings, and participate in a live event held in the worship hall area on a scheduled date.

[0221] 25(A) may be an image that can be displayed on the display device 310 by a user operation, or may be an image that corresponds to the line of sight of a user avatar U as in Figures 25(B) to (D). Even if an image that shows a bird's-eye view of a user avatar U by a user operation is displayed as in Figures 25(B) to (D), an image seen from the viewpoint of the user avatar U may be displayed without displaying the user avatar U operated by the user.

[0222] In this embodiment, even during the period before the scheduled date, which is the period before the scheduled date on which the event content is provided in the spatial area ER5, the user can enter and participate (also simply referred to as entering) in the spatial area ER5. For example, even during the period before the scheduled date, when the user logs in to the virtual space ER and enters and participates in the spatial area ER5, the virtual space generation program 120 transmits data to the viewer terminal 300 for displaying an image of the generated spatial area ER5 on the display device 310 of the viewer terminal 300. The period before the scheduled date is the day before the scheduled date on which the event content is provided, and may be a predetermined period (for example, one week) before the scheduled date, or may be all days before the scheduled date. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the user can enter the spatial area ER5 from one week before the scheduled date.

[0223] Only users who have the right (e.g., a ticket) to participate in the event content provided on the scheduled date are permitted to enter and participate in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date and on the scheduled date. The right to participate is granted to users by, for example, purchasing a ticket for participation by paying a fee, or by completing a specified game or mission.

[0224] The spatial area ER5, which is a predetermined type of virtual space, includes, for example, a first virtual space formed by connecting a plurality of areas, in which a viewer user can seamlessly move and enter from one area to another among the plurality of areas, and a second virtual space consisting only of areas that have the same display mode as the other areas. The virtual space corresponding to the spatial area ER5 in this embodiment includes, as shown in Fig. 24(A), a first virtual space formed by connecting areas ER51 to ER53, in which a user can seamlessly move and enter between areas ER51 and ER52 and between areas ER52 and ER53, and a second virtual space consisting only of area ER53' that has the same display mode as area ER53, as shown on the right side of Fig. 24(B).

[0225] Furthermore, for example, until a specific period (e.g., the day before) before the scheduled date of the event content, the first virtual space shown in FIG. 24(A) is provided, and after the specific period before the scheduled date of the event content and the release condition is met, the second virtual space shown in FIG. 24(B) is provided in addition to the first virtual space, and movement from some of the areas (areas ER51, ER52) among the multiple areas (areas ER51 to ER53) in the first virtual space to other areas (area ER53) is impossible (for example, the gate of the daimon object 53c leading to area ER53 is closed), and a portal P is provided at a predetermined position in some of the areas (a position in front of the daimon object 53c in area ER52), and by moving the user avatar U to the portal P, it becomes possible to transition to the second virtual space consisting of only area ER53', for example, via the display of a predetermined screen (for example, a blackout screen).

[0226] In this embodiment, the event content is provided in an area ER53' that has the same display form as the area ER53. The area ER53' is an area that cannot be entered until, for example, a release condition is met. A venue similar to the virtual live venue shown in Fig. 13 is constructed in the area ER53', and objects corresponding to a virtual stage for a live event and audience seats are placed therein. During the live event, performer avatars operate on the virtual stage, and the user watches from the audience seats via the user avatar U.

[0227] On the other hand, a specific period before the scheduled date, for example, objects corresponding to spectator seats for a live event are gradually arranged in the area ER53 in the first virtual space, and objects under construction are arranged on the virtual stage, thereby reflecting the gradual construction of the virtual live venue, which the user can confirm through the user avatar U. For example, a virtual space update data distribution process is performed to update the displayed objects every predetermined time (e.g., every 24 hours). This makes it possible to inform the user that the event is approaching and to enhance the sense of realism and interest.

[0228] Furthermore, the user who was in the area ER53 when the release condition was met is moved out of the area ER53. For example, the user avatar U is forcibly moved to a predetermined position outside the area ER53 (for example, in front of the gate object 53c in the area ER52). After that, the user is no longer able to enter the area ER53, but can enter the area ER53' via the portal P described above.

[0229] The area ER53 and the area ER53' have the same display mode, but the space in which the user avatar U can move is limited. For example, in the area ER53, the user avatar U can move freely within the area, whereas in the area ER53', the user avatar U can move only within the audience area 53'k. This can reduce the burden on the server to the minimum processing load required for providing the event content. Also, the area ER53 and the area ER53' can be managed by different servers that perform processing for constructing and generating each area. This can allow, for example, management by a server that can handle a heavy load when the event content is provided. Note that users who can enter the area ER53' may be limited to users who meet a predetermined condition for providing the event content.

[0230] (Changes in display mode in virtual space) In this embodiment, the display mode in the space area ER5 may change depending on an event that occurs in the space area ER5 in the period before the scheduled date. Events that occur in the space area ER5 in the period before the scheduled date include, for example, the user's behavior in the period before the scheduled date, the behavior of other users, a lottery in the space area ER5, and setting changes to the virtual space performed by the operation of the administrator. The user's behavior (or the behavior of other users) includes, for example, an operation of purchasing and placing a specific object (item, lantern object, etc.), playing a game such as completing a specific mission, etc. The display mode in the space area ER5 that may change depending on an event that occurs in the space area ER5 in the period before the scheduled date includes, for example, a change in the display mode of a specific object (for example, a lantern object, an exhibition area in which a lantern object is placed, etc.) placed in the space area ER5, and a change in the display mode of a performance during the provision of event content.

[0231] (Changes in display mode during the period before the scheduled date due to specific object placement) 26 to 32, examples will be described below in which the display mode in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date can be changed in response to an event in which a user purchases and places a lantern object in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, for example, a lantern object purchased in the spatial area ER5 is placed in the exhibition area, or a lantern object purchased by another user and placed in the exhibition area is switched to another lantern object when a switching condition is met. Note that the lantern object can also be a type of tipping item (for example, a flower stand) from a user when providing event content, and is therefore also referred to as a flower stand FS below.

[0232] A flower stand FS can be purchased, for example, at a lantern shop 51s located along the approach to the shrine in the area ER51 shown in Fig. 24. The user moves the user avatar U to the lantern shop 51s or selects the lantern shop 51s, and the image displayed on the viewer terminal 300 changes from a screen displaying an image in the area ER51 to a screen for purchasing a flower stand FS. Fig. 26(A) is an example of the screen displayed when purchasing a flower stand FS.

[0233] As shown in Fig. 27(A) and (B), there are multiple types of purchasable flower stands FS. Fig. 27(A) shows a table of flower stand FS by attribute (motif). The attributes (motifs) are "plain", "cherry blossom", "demon", "white fox", "black fox", "gorgeous", etc. Each attribute has a motif color, and the flower stand FS for each attribute uses the corresponding color and has a design related to the attribute. Among the attributes, "cherry blossom", "demon", "white fox", and "black fox" are attribute colors related to the performer avatars that appear as progression characters when the event content is provided. In other words, the purchasable flower stand FS are prepared to match the image motif and image color defined for the performer avatars that appear when the event content is provided.

[0234] Also, multiple sizes of flower stand FS are available. The types of sizes and prices of flower stand FS are different depending on the attribute. For example, for the attribute "plain", only the size "small" is available and the price is set at 500 coins. For the attribute "cherry blossom", two sizes, "large" and "small", are available and the price of the "large" size is set at 2500 coins and the price of the "small" size is set at 500 coins. The user selects one of the motifs and sizes to purchase the desired flower stand FS. For example, it is possible to provide a way to enjoy the event content by purchasing a flower stand FS that matches the attribute color, image motif, and image color related to the performer avatar that the user supports (advocates) among the performer avatars that appear in the event content.

[0235] FIG. 27(B) is a table of different sizes of flower star FS. Users can decorate their flower star FS (generate the display mode of the flower star FS), for example by adding text. The type of font and the color of the font are determined for each size of flower star FS, and the user can select at the time of purchase. Also, an upper limit on the number of characters that can be displayed is determined for each size of flower star FS. For example, for the "large" size, characters can be entered in two columns, with a character limit of 15 characters for each. For the "small" size, there is a character limit of 10 characters.

[0236] The area in which the flower stand FS can be displayed (placed) is determined for each size. When the user wants to display the purchased flower stand FS in the spatial area ER5, the user can select (designate) and place the flower stand FS from among the multiple display areas provided in the spatial area ER5 in which the flower stand FS can be displayed. For example, for the size "large", the display area can be selected from the main street (west) area 51a, the main street (east) area 51b, and the large torii area 52a (the area in which the large torii object 52t is placed). For the size "small", the display area can be selected from the temple grounds (west) area 52b, the temple grounds (east) area 52c, the front of the worship hall (west) area 53a, and the front of the worship hall (east) area 53b.

[0237] The purchase screen shown in FIG. 26(A) displays an image 411 of a flower stand FS selected by the user. Detailed information 412 of the selected flower stand FS is displayed below the image 411 of the flower stand FS. The detailed information 412 includes information on the size and attributes (motif). The user can also decorate the flower stand FS to be purchased with text and customize it to a desired design. In the text input area 413, it is possible to input text to be displayed on the flower stand FS. The input text is reflected in the image 411 of the flower stand FS, and it is possible to check the image when the flower stand FS is arranged. In addition, NG words that are restricted from being input are set for the text that can be displayed on the flower stand FS. The NG words are, for example, violent words and words that violate public order and morals. When an NG word is input, the purchase icon 417 is displayed in gray, and the purchase operation cannot be performed.

[0238] As shown in the example purchase screen in Fig. 26(A), the user selects the display area for the flower star FS by operating the placement selection area 414. The number of coins the user possesses, the number of coins to be consumed as the purchase price of the flower star FS, and the number of coins remaining after the purchase are displayed in the coin-related area 415. The user confirms the purchase by operating the purchase icon 417, and the billing process is carried out. To cancel the purchase, the user operates the close icon 416.

[0239] After the flower stand FS is purchased, the display of the flower stand FS is performed as shown in Fig. 26(B). For example, in Fig. 26(A), if a user purchases a flower stand FS1 with the attribute "cherry blossom", the size "small", and the text decoration "the best", FS1 is displayed in the display area in which the flower stand FS1 is placed, and the flower stand FS1 is surrounded by light (displayed and highlighted in a specific manner different from other flower stands). When a user purchases a flower stand FS and specifies the display area on the viewer terminal 300 side, for example, the delivery server computer 100 determines the display position within the specified display area by lottery or the like, stores information including the display position of the flower stand FS, and transmits information for specifying the display position to the viewer terminal 300 of the user who specified it. The viewer terminal 300 performs a process of replacing the flower stand displayed at the display position specified from the received information with the flower stand purchased by the user and displaying it. This makes it possible to encourage a user who has entered or participated in spatial area ER5 to move to the exhibition area of ​​the flower stand FS that the user himself / herself has placed, and to be motivated to go and see the user's own flower stand FS. It also provides an interesting experience for the user, for example, to check the text on other users' flower stands FS. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 24(A), the exhibition area is provided in each of areas ER51 to ER53 that constitute spatial area ER5. This makes it possible to encourage a user who has entered or participated in spatial area ER5 to move to all of areas ER51 to ER53, allowing the user to enjoy the entire spatial area ER5.

[0240] Next, the process of purchasing a flower cluster FS executed by the delivery server computer 100 will be described with reference to the flow of FIG.

[0241] In step S101, it is determined whether or not it is a purchase-available period before the scheduled date. The purchase-available period before the scheduled date may be a period that coincides with the period before the scheduled date, or may be a part of the period before the scheduled date. If it is not determined that it is a purchase-available period before the scheduled date, the process ends since a purchase is not possible. For example, on the scheduled date itself, the result in step S101 is NO, and therefore the flower stand FS cannot be purchased. For this reason, it is possible to motivate the user to purchase a flower stand FS by having them enter the spatial area ER5 at least once before the day of the event.

[0242] When it is determined in step S101 that the purchase is possible during the period before the scheduled date, it is determined in step S102 whether or not a shop selection operation has been performed. The shop selection operation is, for example, an operation (such as performing an action such as approaching a store clerk character or performing a selection operation on a predetermined icon of a shop) on a flower shop in the spatial area ER5 (such as the lantern shops 51s and 53s in FIG. 24). Specifically, in step S102, it is determined whether or not information transmitted when a shop selection operation is performed on the viewer terminal 300 has been received.

[0243] If it is determined in step S102 that a shop selection operation has been performed, then in step S103, information for displaying a shop screen on the display device 310 is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 that originated the shop selection operation. The shop screen may be, for example, a screen that displays a product list for selecting a flower stand FS to purchase, or a purchase screen for a flower stand FS as shown in FIG. 26(A). This allows the viewer terminal 300 to display the shop screen and select a desired flower stand FS. After outputting information for displaying the shop screen in step S103, the process ends. Note that the purchase operation for a flower stand FS is not limited to within the spatial area ER5, but may be an operation from a shop displayed in another space within the virtual space ER, and a purchase operation may be performed on a website separate from the virtual space so that it is reflected (available / displayable) in the virtual space.

[0244] On the other hand, if it is not determined in step S102 that a shop selection operation has been performed, it is determined in step S104 whether or not a content editing operation has been performed. The content editing operation is a decoration operation such as inserting text into the flower star FS. In step S104, specifically, after the flower star FS to be purchased is selected in the viewer terminal 300, it is determined whether or not information for identifying the text entered in the flower star FS by performing a decoration operation on the screen shown in FIG. 26(A) is received from the viewer terminal 300. If it is determined that a content editing operation has been performed, it is determined in step S105 whether or not an NG word is included. If it is not determined that an NG word is included, the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S105 that an NG word is included, information to notify that fact (that an NG word is included) and that the purchase is not possible is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 that performed the content editing operation in step S106, and the process ends. As a result, in the viewer terminal 300, for example, a pop-up display of "NG word is included" or a process to make the purchase icon 417 unselectable is performed.

[0245] If it is not determined in step S104 that a content editing operation has been performed, then it is determined in step 107 whether or not a purchase confirmation operation has been performed. The purchase confirmation operation is, for example, an operation on the purchase icon 417 shown in Fig. 26(A). Specifically, in step 107, it is determined whether or not information has been received that is transmitted when an operation is performed on the purchase icon 417 in the viewer terminal 300, and that specifies the type of flower stand FS purchased, the characters entered, the selected display area, and the like. If it is not determined that a purchase confirmation operation has been performed, then the process ends.

[0246] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S107 that the purchase confirmation operation has been performed, a purchase process (billing process) is performed in step S108. After the purchase process has been performed, a flower stand display presentation process is performed in step S109, and the process ends. For example, based on the information received when the purchase confirmation operation has been performed, a display position within the selected display area is determined by lottery or the like, and the user-related information (contained in the viewer user data 133) regarding the flower stand FS is updated, and information for identifying the display position is sent to the viewer terminal 300 of the purchasing user, and the display presentation shown in FIG. 26(B) is performed in the viewer terminal 300 of the purchasing user.

[0247] FIG. 27(C) is an example of a table that stores information about a flower stand FS purchased by a user, among the user-related information stored in the viewer user data 133. For example, information for identifying the purchased flower stand FS and information about the display location of the flower stand FS in the display area designated by the user are associated with each user ID. As an example, information such as a "flower stand ID" for individually identifying a flower stand FS, "purchased flower stand" which is information about the attributes and size of the purchased flower stand FS, "characters" which is information about the decoration (inputted characters) performed by the user, a "user-designated area" as information about the display area designated by the user, "position" which is information about the display position in the display area, and "purchase date and time" which is the date and time when the user purchased the flower stand are stored. During the flower stand display and presentation process in step S109, information about the purchased flower stand FS corresponding to the purchasing user is newly stored. Furthermore, information about the purchased flower stand FS is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of the purchasing user, and the viewer terminal 300 performs a display and presentation process for displaying (displaying) the purchased flower stand FS in place of the flower stand FS already displayed in the display location. It should be noted that when a flower stand FS is purchased, it is not limited to an exhibition presentation being carried out; instead, or in addition, a notification may simply be displayed that the purchased flower stand FS has been displayed in the selected exhibition area.

[0248] Furthermore, when a user purchases a flower stand FS, the flower stand FS already on display in the display location is replaced with the purchased flower stand FS on that user's viewer terminal 300, as described above, but the purchase does not affect the flower stand FS in the display area of ​​the other users' viewer terminals 300, and the same flower stand FS as before the purchase continues to be displayed. Therefore, the flower stand FS displayed in the display area can be different between the user who purchased the flower stand FS and other users.

[0249] In step S101, it is determined whether or not the period before the scheduled date is available for purchase, but the period may be any time, not limited to before the scheduled date. For example, depending on the timing of the provision of event content related to the flower stand FS to be purchased, the flower stand FS may be available for purchase on or after the scheduled date when the event content is provided, but if the period before the scheduled date is not available in step S101, the flower stand FS may not be used in the presentation of the event content.

[0250] Furthermore, editing operations (text insertion operations, content editing operations) of the display mode of the flower star FS are not limited to being performed at the time of purchase, but instead or in addition to this, it may be possible to edit after purchase. For example, after a purchase operation, the flower star FS may be saved in the user's item box, and the user may be able to take it out of the item box and display it or perform editing operations at a time of their choosing. Furthermore, the font type and color may be operable after purchase, not limited to being performed at the time of purchase. It may also be possible to edit not only the text, but also the color, and to add decorations, for example, to make the display mode more luxurious as an option.

[0251] In the above example, the display position (for example, display positions "A1", "A2", etc. in display area A described below) within the display area selected by the user is determined by lottery or the like based on the information received when the purchase confirmation operation is performed in step S107 in Fig. 28. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the display position may be determined when the flower stand FS is displayed, allowing the display to be made at a time separate from the time the flower stand FS is purchased.

[0252] (Changes in display format during the period before the scheduled date due to the establishment of switching conditions) Next, the transition of lantern objects arranged in the exhibition areas (display mode of the exhibition areas) will be described with reference to Fig. 29 to Fig. 32. In this embodiment, lantern objects are displayed in a plurality of exhibition areas provided in the area ER5 (for example, the main street (west) area 51a, the main street (east) area 51b, the large torii gate area 52a, etc.). An upper limit on the number of lantern objects that can be displayed in each exhibition area is set.

[0253] As mentioned above, the exhibition area will display not only flower arrangement FS purchased by the user himself (associated with the user himself) as described above with reference to Figures 26 to 28, but also flower arrangement FS purchased by other users (associated with other users), flower arrangement FS associated with the management (administrator), and flower arrangement FS associated with special users.

[0254] In this embodiment, the display area A corresponds to, for example, the shrine grounds (west) area 52b of the area ER52 in FIG. 24 which corresponds to the shrine grounds area, and is an area in which, for example, a flower stand FS of size "small" shown in FIG. 27(B) can be displayed, which is a lantern object. FIG. 29(A) is a part of the display area A which corresponds to the shrine grounds (west) area 52b, and as shown in FIG. 29(A), a plurality of flower stands FS which are lantern objects are displayed in a row and columns in the display area A. FIG. 31(A) is a table included in the object data 122, and is an example of a data table relating to information for identifying the flower stand FS and the display position to be displayed in the display area A. In FIG. 31(A), for example, a flower stand ID and displayed text information are associated with each display position (A1, A2, A3, . . .) in the display area A as information for identifying the flower stand FS. 29(A), and is associated with a flower stand FS with a flower stand ID of "a1", an attribute of "cherry blossom" and displaying the "letter A". Display position A2 corresponds to the position immediately to the right of display position A1 in the same row, and is associated with a flower stand FS with a flower stand ID of "b1", an attribute of "demon" and displaying the "letter B".

[0255] FIG. 31(B) is a table included in the object data 122, and is an example of a data table relating to information for identifying a flower stand FS to be placed in the exhibition area B and the display position. The exhibition area B is an area in which a flower stand FS of size "large" shown in FIG. 27(B) can be displayed, and corresponds, for example, to the location of the large torii object 52t in the area ER52 (large torii area 52a). In FIG. 31(B), as in FIG. 31(A), each exhibition position (B1, B2, B3, ...) in the exhibition area B is associated with information for identifying the flower stand FS, such as a flower stand ID and displayed character information. For example, a flower stand FS with a flower stand ID of "a1" and displaying the "letter A" is associated with the position corresponding to the exhibition position B1. A flower stand FS with a flower stand ID of "b1" and displaying the "letter B" is associated with the position corresponding to the exhibition position B2.

[0256] As shown in Fig. 31(A) and Fig. 31(B), the information of the flower star FS associated with each exhibition area is switched to information of another flower star FS determined by random drawing or the like whenever a switching condition is met. The switching condition of the flower star FS information for each exhibition area may include conditions that are met, for example, when a predetermined time has passed (e.g., every 30 minutes or 2 hours), when a user performs an operation of entering or leaving the virtual space (logging in, re-logging in, etc.), or when the user reloads the display data (e.g., a reload operation, or when the viewpoint of the user avatar U returns to a predetermined exhibition area after the viewpoint of the user avatar U has left the exhibition area). The probability of winning an exhibition by random drawing is set to a uniform probability for each flower star FS, but is not limited to this, and may be varied according to the characteristics of each flower star FS, as described later.

[0257] The delivery server computer 100 determines the flower stand FS to be displayed for each exhibition area each time the switching condition is met, updates the table for each exhibition area (see, for example, Figures 31(A) and (B)) stored in the object data 122 (sets it as a default common to all users), and transmits information for identifying the flower stand FS for each exhibition area to the viewer terminal 300 of the user who has entered the spatial area ER5. This makes it possible for the viewer terminal 300 to switch and display the flower stand FS for each exhibition area (flower stands FS of other users, etc., excluding the user's own flower stand FS) to another flower stand FS. The flower stand FS is switched to within the range of the upper limit number that can be displayed for each exhibition area. For example, if the upper limit number of flower stands FS that can be displayed in the exhibition area A is 100, the information on the flower stand FS for the exhibition area A stored in the object data 122 shown in Figure 31(A) is updated by switching 100 flower stands FS to the data of the determined flower stand FS each time the switching condition is met. Also, for example, when the display area is opened, 10 flower stands FS may be initially placed in display area A, which can display 100 flower stands FS, and as users purchase and display them, the number may gradually increase to 100. When the display area is opened, for example, it is when a user is able to purchase a flower stand FS and display it in the display area. In this case, the random drawing may be performed after the upper limit has been reached.

[0258] As described above, the information on the flower stand FS arranged in the virtual space is switched every time the switching condition is met, but the flower stand FS purchased by the user himself can continue to be displayed in the exhibition area in the virtual space based on the information managed in FIG. 27(C). For example, FIG. 29 shows an example of the transition of the display mode of the flower stand FS in exhibition area A displayed on the display device 310 of user 1 when user 1 purchases a new flower stand FS. FIG. 30 shows an example of the transition of the display mode of the flower stand FS in exhibition area A (at the same display position as shown in FIG. 29) displayed on the display device 310 of user 2 when user 1 purchases a new flower stand FS. FIGS. 29(A) and 30(A) show display examples in which a flower stand FS determined as a default corresponding to exhibition area A and identified from the flower stand arrangement information in FIG. 31(A) is arranged. It is assumed that at the timing of FIG. 29(A) and FIG. 30(A), the flower stand FS purchased by neither user 1 nor user 2 is displayed in the display area A.

[0259] Figures 29(B) and 30(B) are display examples at the time when user 1 newly purchases flower stand FS1. The flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1 has the attribute "cherry blossoms" of flower stand ID "a3" shown in Figure 27(C), the size is "small", and the input characters are "the best". Furthermore, user 1 selected "A" as the display area when purchasing, and it is associated with a location "A1" within the display area.

[0260] When user 1 purchases flower stand FS1, information about the purchased flower stand is distributed to user 1, and on user 1's viewer terminal 300, the flower stand FS placed in exhibition position A1 in exhibition area A is switched to the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1. Meanwhile, on user 2's display device 301, as shown in Fig. 30(B), the same flower stand FS as in Fig. 30(A) is still displayed.

[0261] 29(C) and 30(C) are display examples when a switching condition is met a predetermined time after the previous switching. On user 1's display device 301, as shown in FIG. 29(C), the flower stand FS1 that user 1 himself purchased and that is displayed in exhibition area A1 continues to be displayed in the same position as in FIG. 29(B), but the other flower stands FS have been switched to flower stands FS determined by lottery in response to the establishment of the switching condition. The other flower stands FS are flower stands FS that are not associated with user 1, but are associated with other users, etc. It should be noted that the other flower stands FS may include flower stands FS prepared by the management that are not associated with any other users.

[0262] On the other hand, on user 2's display device 310, the display has been switched to a flower stand FS determined by lottery in response to the establishment of the switching condition, as shown in Fig. 30(C). Fig. 30(C) differs from Fig. 29(C) for user 1 in that a flower stand FS different from the flower stand FS1 associated with user 1 is displayed at exhibition position A1 in exhibition area A, and a common flower stand FS based on default data stored in object data 122 is displayed at all exhibition positions within exhibition area A, including exhibition position A1.

[0263] Figures 29(D) and 30(D) show examples of the display when the switching conditions are met again after a predetermined time has passed and the flower stand FS in exhibition area A is switched. At this switching timing, the object data 122 for exhibition area A determined by lottery and stored happens to include a flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1, and its display position is A6 (the second position from the left in the bottom row in Figures 29(D) and 30(D)). In this case, for user 2, user 1's flower stand FS1 is displayed in A6 based on the default data, as shown in Figure 30(D).

[0264] On the other hand, in the display device 310 of user 1, as shown in FIG. 29(D), the flower stand FS1 continues to be displayed in place A1 based on FIG. 27(C). That is, even if the object data 122 for the same exhibition area includes the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1, the viewer terminal 300 of user 1 switches to place the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1 in the exhibition position based on FIG. 27(C). Furthermore, the viewer terminal 300 of user 1 performs a process of replacing the flower stand FS (default flower stand FS) based on the object data 122 that was placed in the exhibition position (A1) of the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1 with the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1 based on the object data 122 and displaying it. As a result, in place of the flower stand FS1, the flower stand FS (flower stand FS with the "letter O") that was associated with A1 by the default data is displayed in A6 of user 1. This makes it possible to prevent the same flower stand from being placed multiple times in the same exhibition area.

[0265] Even if the object data 122 for the same display area includes a flower stand FS purchased by user 1, only the switching process is performed to place the flower stand FS purchased by user 1 in the display position based on Fig. 27(C), and the flower stand FS purchased by user 1 based on the object data 122 may be displayed as is. In this case, a sense of exclusivity can be given to the user since multiple identical flower stands FS for user 1 are displayed.

[0266] Also, in Fig. 29, an example has been described in which the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1 is displayed fixed at position A1 within the exhibition area A. However, this is not limiting, and the display position of the purchased flower stand FS may be switched within the exhibition area A arranged by the user each time a switching condition is met. For example, at the timing of Fig. 29(C), the flower stand FS1 purchased by user 1 is displayed at position A1, but at the next switching timing, it may be displayed at position A4, which corresponds to the upper right of the exhibition area A, and default data (data of the flower stand FS associated with A1 in Fig. 31(A)) may be displayed in A1.

[0267] Next, the switching process of the flower FS displayed in the exhibition area in the virtual space executed by the virtual space generating program 120 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0268] In step S201, it is determined whether or not it is a displayable period before the scheduled date. The displayable period may be a period that matches the period before the scheduled date, or may be a part of the period before the scheduled date. If it is not determined that it is a displayable period before the scheduled date, the switching process is terminated.

[0269] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S201 that the display period is before the scheduled date, it is determined in step S202 whether or not the switching condition is satisfied. When it is determined in step S202 that the switching condition is satisfied, in step S203, a flower stand to be displayed for each exhibition area is randomly selected from all the flower stands FS that are the subject of the selection, the flower stand arrangement information for each exhibition area in the object data 122 (FIGS. 31(A), (B), etc.) is updated, and the updated flower stand arrangement information is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of the user who has entered and participated in the spatial area ER5. For example, in the case of the exhibition area A, the flower stand arrangement information for the exhibition area A illustrated in FIG. 31(A) is updated to the information of the randomly selected flower stand FS and stored, and the information is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of the user. As a result, the information of the default flower stand FS for each exhibition area is updated, and it becomes possible to switch and display the flower stands for each exhibition area on the viewer terminal 300 of the user who has entered and participated in the spatial area ER5.

[0270] On the other hand, when it is not determined in step S202 that the switching condition is satisfied, it is determined in step S204 whether or not a new user has entered the spatial area ER5.

[0271] If it is not determined in step S204 that a new user has entered the room, the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S204 that a new user has entered the room, then in step S205, flower arrangement information for each exhibition area is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of that user. This allows the user to receive information on the default flower arrangement FS determined for each exhibition area. For example, the flower arrangement information for all exhibition areas, including exhibition area A, which was updated in step S203, is transmitted.

[0272] In step S206, it is determined whether or not the newly entered user has a purchased flower stand FS based on the information related to the purchased flower stand shown in FIG. 27(C). When it is determined that the newly entered user has a purchased flower stand FS, in step S207, purchased flower stand information for identifying the purchased flower stand FS, display position information determined at the time of purchase, and the like are transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of the user. The purchased flower stand information is information related to the purchased flower stand FS for each user, as exemplified in FIG. 27(C). For example, when processing is performed for user 1, if the timing for display area A is as shown in FIG. 29(C), default data for display area A at the time of FIG. 29(C) is transmitted in step S205. In addition, the purchased flower stand information for user 1 shown in FIG. 27(C) (flower stand ID "a3") and display position information determined at the time of purchase ("A1", which is the arrangement information for "a3") are transmitted in step S207. As a result, as shown in FIG. 29(C), a flower stand FS1 with a flower stand ID "a3" is displayed at the display position A1, and a default flower stand FS is displayed at the other display positions within the display area A.

[0273] In step S201, an example of judging whether or not it is a displayable period before the scheduled date has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may not be necessary to judge whether or not it is a displayable period before the scheduled date. For example, the present invention may be applied to a spatial area ER in which a specific object can be placed, regardless of the date on which the event content is provided (for example, the date of a live performance).

[0274] Also, in step S203, an example has been described in which the flower arrangement information is updated when the switching condition is satisfied, and the updated flower arrangement information is sent to the user who has entered and participated in the spatial area ER5. However, in step S203, the present invention is not limited to this, and only the process of updating the flower arrangement information when the switching condition is satisfied may be performed, and the process of sending the updated flower arrangement information to the user who has entered and participated in the spatial area ER5 may not be performed. In other words, the flower arrangement may not be switched when the switching condition is satisfied in the viewer terminal 300 of the user who has already entered and participated. Also, in step S203, the flower arrangement information may be updated when the switching condition is satisfied, and the updated flower arrangement information may be sent only to the user who has entered and participated in the spatial area ER5 and satisfies a predetermined requirement. The predetermined requirement may be satisfied, for example, when a time longer than the time for satisfying the switching condition has elapsed since entering and participating, or when the user's individual settings allow switching when the switching condition is satisfied. In addition, even if a user does not receive the updated flower arrangement information in step S203, when re-entering the room, the processing from step S205 onwards is performed and the latest flower arrangement information (updated in step S203) is transmitted.

[0275] In the embodiment with reference to Figures 29 to 32, even if the switching condition is met, the flower star FS purchased by the user himself continues to be displayed, while the flower star FS associated with another user is switched and displayed. However, even if the flower star FS is associated with another user, if the other user is a special user, the flower star FS associated with the special user may continue to be displayed. As described above, special users include performer users, sponsor users who sponsor events, and other celebrities, and users who are authenticated as special users by the management (administrator) side.

[0276] FIG. 33 is an example in which a flower stand FST associated with a special user is arranged in the exhibition area A in addition to the display example of the display screen 310 of user 1 in FIG. 29. The flower stand FST is a flower stand FS associated with a talent user related to the attribute "black fox", and is, for example, a special flower stand FST prepared or purchased by the special user. At the timing of FIG. 33(A), the flower stand FST of the special user is displayed by default in the exhibition position A4 in the upper right corner of the exhibition area A. The flower stand FST prepared or purchased by the special user is displayed in the exhibition area, and even if the switching condition is met, the flower stand arrangement information of that flower stand FST will not be switched to another flower stand.

[0277] Next, in Figure 33(B), when user 1 purchases a flower stand FS1, the flower stand FS1 that user 1 purchased is displayed in display position A1 in display area A. When a user purchases a flower stand FS, as described above, a display area is selected and the display position within that display area is determined, but display positions where flower stands of special users are displayed as described above are excluded from the display positions to be determined. This makes it possible to prevent a flower stand from being determined as a display position for a special user's flower stand, even if the user purchases a flower stand.

[0278] After that, even after the switching timing when the switching condition in Fig. 33(C) is met, the special user's flower star FST continues to be displayed in display position A4 in addition to the flower star FS1 purchased by user 1 himself. Similarly, at the next switching timing in Fig. 33(D), the flower star FS1 and the flower star FST continue to be displayed.

[0279] In the spatial area ER5, an exhibition area (special exhibition area) may be provided in which all the flower stands FS are those of special users, or a single area may be provided in which the flower stands FS of special users are displayed individually as objects or photo spots. Also, the flower stands displayed in the special exhibition area or single area may be switched from among the flower stands FS associated with a special user to those associated with another special user when a switching condition is met.

[0280] In this embodiment, a user can purchase and own multiple flower stands FS (specific objects). Therefore, the more flower stands FS a user purchases, the higher the probability that the flower stand FS will be determined as the default flower stand FS when the switching condition is met, and the higher the possibility that the flower stand FS will be displayed in the spatial area ER5 of the viewer terminal 300 of another user. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 27(C), user 1 owns three flower stands FS, whereas user 2 owns one. Therefore, when a lottery is drawn with a uniform probability, the probability that any of the flower stands FS of user 1 will be determined as the default flower stand FS is three times higher than the probability that the flower stand FS of user 2 will be determined. This makes it possible to motivate users to purchase more flower stands FS in order to appeal to other users.

[0281] On the other hand, even if a user owns a huge number of flower stands FS (for example, 10,000), if the greater the number owned, as described above, the more likely it is to be determined as the default flower stand FS, the more likely it is that the flower stand FS of that user who owns a huge number of flowers will be determined as the default flower stand FS and displayed, which may result in the display state of the flower stands FS displayed in the display area of ​​other users becoming less appealing, or being misused, or causing other users to feel uncomfortable. To prevent these, in this embodiment, for users who have purchased and owned a predetermined number of flower stands FS (for example, 100), the number of flower stands FS they have purchased and owned is considered to be the predetermined number, regardless of whether the user is more than the predetermined number, and a default flower stand FS is determined at the same rate (probability) as a user who has purchased and owned the predetermined number of flower stands FS. For example, if the predetermined number is 100, the percentage of a user who has purchased and owns 100 or more that is determined to be the default flower stand FS will be the same as the percentage of a user who has purchased and owns 100 that is determined to be the default flower stand FS, even if the actual number owned is a thousand, ten thousand, etc. This makes it possible to prevent too many flower stands FS of a particular user from being displayed in the display area of ​​the display device 300 of other users.

[0282] (Changes in display mode during event content provision) In this embodiment, while the event content to be provided on the scheduled date is being provided, the flower stand FS purchased by the user during the period before the scheduled date is displayed in the virtual space. Also, the image (display mode) in the live area ER53', which is the event content, changes depending on the event that occurs within the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date. An example of an event that occurs within the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date is when a user purchases a flower stand FS and displays / places it in the display area within the spatial area ER5. Hereinafter, the change in the display mode of the virtual space while the event content is being provided will be described with reference to Figs. 34 to 36.

[0283] FIG. 34 shows an example of a scene from an event content (such as a live performance in which the same types of performances as those in FIGS. 13 to 24 are performed) provided in the worship hall in the area ER53' in FIG. 24 that functions as a virtual stage G. The virtual stage G in FIG. 34 will hereafter be referred to as virtual stage G2. Performer avatars 1a to 1d are on the virtual stage G2. The performer avatars 1a to 1d are associated with the attributes "cherry blossom," "demon," "white fox," and "black fox," respectively. These attributes correspond to the attributes associated with the flower stand FS shown in FIG. 27(A).

[0284] During the provision of the event content, as shown in Fig. 34, a performance is given in which the performer avatars 1a to 1d introduce a flower stand FS while holding it in their hands. In this embodiment, if a viewing user has purchased a flower stand FS during the period before the scheduled date, a performance is given in which the performer avatars 1a to 1d hold the flower stand FS purchased by the user. Fig. 35 is an example of a data table for identifying a flower stand FS used in the performance of the event content in Fig. 34. Fig. 35(A) is default event flower stand information common to all users, which is managed in the delivery server computer 100 (e.g., gift data 134, etc.). The flower stand FS displayed on the display device 310 for each user during the provision of the event content is identified based on the event flower stand information in Fig. 35(A) and the purchased flower stand related information for each user in Fig. 27(C).

[0285] In the present embodiment, a total of nine flower stands FS are used for the presentation of the event content, including flower stands FS of the attributes "cherry blossom", "demon", "white fox", and "black fox" with sizes "large" and "small", and a flower stand FS with the attribute "gorgeous". The default flower stand FS in FIG. 35(A) is determined by random drawing for each attribute and size from among the flower stands FS purchased by any user during the period before the scheduled date from the end of the period before the scheduled date to the start of the event content. As shown in FIG. 35(A), information specifying the default flower stand FS to be used for the presentation is associated with each attribute and size of the flower stand FS. For example, a flower stand FS with a flower stand ID "a4" and characters "character A4" is associated with a flower stand FS with a size "large" of the attribute "cherry blossom". Note that not all types of flower stands FS purchasable before the scheduled date illustrated in FIG. 27(A) may be used for the presentation of the event content, but only a part of them may be used. For example, in this embodiment, the attribute "plain" is not used for the presentation of the event content.

[0286] The distribution server computer 100 transmits the event flower information of FIG. 35(A) and purchased flower-list related information for each user of FIG. 27(C) to the viewer terminals 300 of participating users at the start of the event content (at login) or at a specified timing during the content provision.

[0287] In the viewer terminal 300 of each user, among the flowers identified from the received event flower information, a flower that has the same attribute and size as a flower identified from the purchased flower information of the user is replaced with the flower identified from the purchased flower information of the user, and the event flower data shown in FIG. 35(B) is updated. In this embodiment, if a user has purchased and owns a plurality of flower FSs with the same attribute and size, the last (most recently) purchased flower FS is set as the event flower information (associated with the table). As shown in FIG. 27(C), the number of flower FSs owned by user 1 with the attribute "cherry blossom" and size "small" is one, which is the flower ID "a3". Therefore, while the flower FS with the attribute "cherry blossom" and size "small" was associated with the flower ID "b4" in the default of FIG. 35(A), "a3" is associated with the event flower information of user 1 as shown in FIG. 35(B). Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 27(C), user 1 owns two flower stands FS with the attribute "luxury" with flower stand IDs "b3" and "c3." Since "c3" was purchased later than "b3" and "c3," "c3" is associated with the attribute "luxury" in Fig. 35(B). As a result, for users who did not purchase a flower stand in the period before the scheduled date, the default event flower stand information is maintained, and for users who purchased a flower stand in the period before the scheduled date, the default event flower stand information is updated to event flower stand information in which a flower stand with the same attribute and size is replaced with the purchased flower stand.

[0288] Based on the set event flower arrangement information, the viewer terminal 300 of each user performs a production during the provision of the event content as shown in FIG. 34. FIG. 34 shows an example of a display mode displayed on the display device 310 of the user 1, and is displayed based on the event flower arrangement information stored in FIG. 35(B). FIG. 34(A) shows an example in which the performer avatars 1a to 1d have a flower arrangement FS of size "small" with an attribute corresponding to each of their attributes. As the flower arrangement FS held by the performer avatar 1a, a flower arrangement FS1 with a flower arrangement ID "a3" purchased by the user 1 is displayed. In addition, in the center of FIG. 34(A), a flower arrangement FS with an attribute "splendor" is displayed, and a flower arrangement FS2 with a flower arrangement ID "c3" last purchased by the user 1 is displayed. In addition, in FIG. 34(B), the performer avatars 1b and 1c have a flower arrangement FS of size "large" with an attribute "demon". Since user 1 has not purchased a flower stand FS with the attribute "demon" and size "large", the flower stand FS with the default flower stand ID "g4" in Fig. 35(A) is displayed. Note that the display mode of the virtual live venue is not limited to the set exemplified in Fig. 34, and various objects may be displayed.

[0289] The production shown in Fig. 34 is performed by transmitting production information including, for example, information for controlling the display operation of the performer avatars 1a-1d and information for specifying the attributes and size of a flower stand to be held in the hand of each of the performer avatars 1a-1d or displayed at a predetermined position in the virtual space (hanging from the ceiling) from the distribution server computer 100. The viewer terminal 300 of each user controls the display mode in the virtual space including the performer avatars 1a-1d based on the production information, and arranges a flower stand that matches the information for specifying the attributes and size of the flower stand among the flower stands FS specified from the event flower stand information (see Fig. 35(B)) updated in each viewer terminal 300, thereby making it possible to perform the production shown in Fig. 34.

[0290] Next, with reference to Fig. 36(A), the event flower arrangement determination process executed in the distribution server computer 100 will be described. In step S301, the flower arrangement to be used in the presentation of the event content is determined by random drawing for each attribute and size of the flower arrangement described above. In step S302, event display flower arrangement information (see Fig. 35(A)) capable of identifying the determination result is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300. For example, as shown in Fig. 35(A), event flower arrangement information stored in association with information identifying the flower arrangement FS determined by drawing for each attribute and size is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of a user who is planning to participate or is currently participating in the event content.

[0291] In step S303, based on the purchased flower star related information for each user shown in Figure 27 (C), for users who have purchased flower stars, the purchased flower star related information for each user is transmitted to the viewer terminal 300 of each user, and the event flower star determination process is terminated.

[0292] Next, the event flag specification process executed in the viewer terminal 300 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0293] In step S311, the event flower stand information (see FIG. 35(A)) transmitted and received from the delivery server computer 100 in step S302 of FIG. 36(A) is stored as default data for identifying a default flower stand FS to be used in the performance. In step S312, it is determined whether or not purchased flower stand related information (the information of the user in FIG. 27(C) transmitted from the delivery server computer 100 in step S303 of FIG. 36(A)) has been received. If it is not determined in step S312 that purchased flower stand related information has been received, the event flower stand determination process ends.

[0294] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S312 that purchased flower stem related information has been received, in step S313, information for identifying the flower stem FS purchased by the user for each attribute and size based on the received purchased flower stem related information is stored as update data. At this time, if multiple flowers with the same attribute and size have been identified, the last (most recently) purchased flower stem with that attribute and size is identified and stored based on the purchase date and time.

[0295] In step S314, for those flowers identified from the default data that have the same attributes and size as those identified from the update data, the information of the flowers to be used in the presentation is rewritten to the flowers identified from the update data.

[0296] As described above, for a user who has already purchased a flower stand FS, the flower stand purchased by the user himself can be displayed in association with the performer avatar for the event display flower stand. Furthermore, in this embodiment, if there are multiple flower stands with the same attributes and size as the purchased flower stand, the most recently purchased flower stand FS is displayed, making it possible to display a flower stand FS that has been created with a more elaborate design by the scheduled date for the provision of the event content. Note that the flower stand FS to be used is not limited to the one that replaces the most recently purchased flower stand FS, and a flower stand with the same attributes and size may be selected by lottery for use in the presentation.

[0297] In addition, the event flower star determination process in Fig. 36(A) has been described as an example in which the event flower star is determined and stored in advance before the event content is provided, but is not limited thereto, and may be executed, for example, every predetermined time (for example, every 10 minutes) during the provision of the event content to update the event flower star information. Alternatively, if a singing part and an MC part are repeated during the provision of the event content, the event flower star information for each part may be updated before the start of the next part. During the provision of the event content, the display mode of the presentation may be changed based on the event flower star information updated during the provision of the event content.

[0298] Note that the flower stand FS to be selected by lottery determined as the event flower stand information shown in Fig. 35(A) may exclude flower stand FS associated with special users. This allows the flower stand FS to be selected by lottery from those associated with fan users (general users) of the performer avatar, for example, and increases the consistency of the displayed flower stand FS and messages to fans, such as "Thank you for your support with the flower stand!", in the presentation of the event content.

[0299] (Regarding processing related to event content) In the above, an example has been described in which the display mode in the spatial area ER5 may change depending on an event that occurs in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date on which the event content is to be provided. However, instead of or in addition to this, in this embodiment, processing related to the event content may be performed depending on the degree to which an image in the spatial area ER5 is displayed on the display device 310 of the viewer terminal 300 by entering or participating in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date on which the event content is to be provided in the virtual space ER.

[0300] The process related to the event content includes, for example, a process of changing the display mode of the presentation during the provision of the event content, and a process of giving the user an object that the user can use during the provision of the event content. The degree of display is, for example, the number of times the user entered the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date. The number of times the user entered the spatial area ER5 may be the number of days so that multiple entries on the same day are counted as one entry, or may be the number of times that the user entered the spatial area ER5 for a predetermined period (for example, 10 minutes) or more. The degree of display is not limited to this, and may be the duration of stay in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, or the degree to which a specific area in the spatial area ER5 is displayed (the number of times displayed, the time displayed, etc.). The specific area may be, for example, an area that is predetermined in the spatial area ER5, such as an exhibition area or an offering area.

[0301] Below, we will explain an example in which the "degree" of displaying an image within the spatial area ER5 is "the number of times entered into the spatial area ER5 where the event content may be held on the scheduled date (hereinafter simply referred to as the number of entries)" and the "processing related to the event content" is "processing to change the content of the presentation while the event content is being provided" and "processing to grant the user an object that the user can use while the event content is being provided."

[0302] The delivery server computer 100 (for example, the event data 111 and the gift data 134) counts and stores the number of times each user enters the room during the period before the scheduled date. Fig. 37 shows an example of a data table for specifying the "item" given according to the number of times the user enters the room and the "performance content" that is changed during the provision of the event content according to the number of times the user enters the room.

[0303] The "items" granted (made available) according to the number of times of entry are objects that can be used by the user while the event content is being provided. For example, they may be limited items that can only be used in the event content (e.g., live) held after the end of the period before the scheduled date, or they may be items that can be used not only in the event content held after the end of the period before the scheduled date, but also in content other than the event content. When used in content other than the event content held after the end of the period before the scheduled date, for example, the item may be limited in terms of performance such as its function and effectiveness (for example, a certain function may not be available, or the effect may be reduced), or instead of or in addition to these, they may be limited items related to, for example, the image theme of the event content held after the end of the period before the scheduled date.

[0304] As shown in FIG. 37, the "item" is, for example, an item that can be used during the provision of the event content to liven up the event. For example, if the number of times of entry during the period before the scheduled date is 1, a limited cracker A that can be used in the event content is given, if the number of times is 2, a limited cracker B is given, and if the number of times is 3, a limited cracker C is given. If the number of times is 4, a limited firework is given, if the number of times is 5, a limited glow stick is given, if the number of times is 6, a limited stamp is given, and if the number of times is 7, a limited item set is given. The stamp is a stamp that can be used for chatting in the virtual space and sending and receiving messages. The item set is an assortment set that includes a plurality of items. Note that the items shown in FIG. 37 are not limited to these, and may be so-called tip items, etc., as long as they can be used during the provision of the event content and liven up the event. In addition to the items that are given to the user, items that correspond to the actual number of times of entry may also be given corresponding to the number of times that is less than the actual number of times of entry.

[0305] As shown in FIG. 37, for example, if the number of times of entry during the period before the scheduled date is 1 to 3, the "production contents" are normal, and the production contents do not change. If the number of times of entry is 4 or more, the production contents can change, and special room A is provided for 4 times, special room B for 5 times, and special room S for 6 times. The provision of a special room means that a user can obtain the right to participate in the event content in a different virtual live venue animation (display mode) than in the normal production. For example, an area ER53' that can be accessed only by target users who have obtained the right to participate in a live performance in a special room may be prepared, and the event content may be provided in the special room. Alternatively, an image of the live venue set distributed when the event content is provided may be replaced with an image distributed to the target user.

[0306] In addition, in the seventh episode, a performance in a secret costume will be provided. The secret costume is a costume (costume object) of the performer avatar that is displayed in correspondence with the performer avatar when the event content is provided. For the target users who have obtained the right to be subjected to the performance in the secret costume, costume data of the performer avatar will be delivered in place of the data normally delivered to other users.

[0307] An example of event content-related processing executed in the distribution server computer 100 according to the number of entries shown in Fig. 37 will be described with reference to Fig. 38. The event content-related processing is executed, for example, for each user who is scheduled to participate in the event content (for example, in ascending order of user ID), from the end of the period before the scheduled date to the start of the event content.

[0308] In step S401, it is determined whether the user has entered the room one or more times during the period before the scheduled date. If it is not determined that the user has entered the room one or more times during the period before the scheduled date, the process ends. For a user determined in step S401 not to have entered the room one or more times during the period before the scheduled date, event content is delivered based on the data stored by default in event data 111.

[0309] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S401 that the user has entered the room one or more times during the period before the scheduled date, an item is given to the user in step S402 according to the number of times the user has entered the room. As a result, for example, the given items are displayed in an item box owned by the user in the virtual space ER. The items may be placed in the box before the start time of the event content provision, may be displayed in gray until the start time of the provision and may not be usable until the start time of the provision, or may be usable in the virtual live venue that is open from the start time of the provision.

[0310] In step S403, the content of the performance according to the number of times of entry is set for the user, and the process ends. For example, if the user has entered the room four times, limited fireworks will be displayed in the item box, and information for making the design of the virtual live venue into special room A is stored in association with the target user.

[0311] <Examples of specific configurations and effects>

[0312] (1-1) In the above-mentioned embodiment, as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 25, the delivery server computer 100 performs processing for generating a virtual space ER and transmitting information for displaying an image in the virtual space ER according to a user's operation, based on a stored program or a method for controlling a computer by the program (hereinafter simply referred to as a program), and the viewer terminal 300 performs processing for displaying an image according to a user's operation according to information from the delivery server computer 100, based on the stored program. Also, as described with reference to Figs. 26 to 28, the delivery server computer 100 performs processing for updating the arrangement in the virtual space ER, such as a flower stand FS, purchased according to a user's purchase operation, based on the stored program, and the viewer terminal 300 performs processing for updating the arrangement in the delivery server computer 100 and displaying the object purchased according to the user's purchase operation, based on the stored program, in the virtual space ER. Furthermore, as explained with reference to Figures 13 to 23 and Figure 34, the distribution server computer 100 performs processing to construct a space in a spatial area ER5 within the virtual space ER for providing the event content on the scheduled date based on a stored program, and the viewer terminal 300 enables the event content to be provided on the scheduled date in the spatial area ER5 constructed by the distribution server computer 100 based on the stored program.

[0313] In this embodiment, even during the period before the scheduled date of the event, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on the stored program to enter the spatial area ER5 in response to a user's operation and to display an image in the spatial area ER5, and to display an object purchased in response to a purchase operation in the spatial area ER5. Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 26, 29, 30, 33, and 34, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on the stored program to change the display mode in the spatial area ER5 in response to displaying an object such as a flower star FS in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date. This allows the spatial area ER5 in which the event content is provided and events that can change the display mode in the spatial area ER5 to be shared and provided to the user during the period before the scheduled date, so that interest in the event content can be gradually increased before the event content is provided.

[0314] (1-2) Based on the programs stored therein, the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each carry out processing to change the display mode of each exhibition area within the spatial area ER5 from purchase to the end of the period before the scheduled date, as shown in Figures 26, 28, and 29, etc., in accordance with the user's purchase status of flower stands FS during the period before the scheduled date as shown in Figure 27(C) etc. This allows the user to focus on whether a flower stand FS will be purchased by the user during the period before the scheduled date, what attributes the purchased flower stand FS will have, what decorations it will have, where it will be displayed, and how the display mode of each exhibition area within the spatial area ER5 will change as a result.

[0315] (1-3) The display mode of each display area in spatial area ER5 that may change during the period before the scheduled date may be different from the display mode displayed to other users depending on the user's purchase and placement of a flower stand FS during the period before the scheduled date, as explained by comparing Figures 29 and 30. This makes it possible to customize the display mode of each display area in spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date for each user, giving each user a sense of exclusivity.

[0316] (1-4) As shown in Fig. 34 etc., the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on a stored program for changing the display mode of the production of the live event taking place in the spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided in response to the user purchasing and arranging a flower stand FS during the period before the scheduled date. This allows the user to pay attention to whether a flower stand FS will be purchased by the user during the period before the scheduled date, what attributes and what decoration will be applied to the purchased flower stand FS, and as a result, how the display mode of the production of the live event taking place in the spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided will change.

[0317] (1-5) The presentation of the live event held in spatial area ER5, which can change while the event content is being provided, can be displayed in a different manner from that displayed to other users, depending on whether the user purchased and placed a flower stand FS during the period before the scheduled date, as explained in Figures 27(C), 34, and 35. This makes it possible to customize the display manner of the live event presentation held in spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided for each user, making each user feel special.

[0318] (1-6) As an event that changes the display mode within the spatial area ER5, an action in response to a user's purchase operation of a flower stand FS, which reflects the purchased flower stand FS by displaying and arranging it in an exhibition area within the spatial area ER5, is exemplified, for example, an action in which a user purchases a flower stand FS in step S107 of Fig. 28 and the flower stand FS is arranged in a specified exhibition area A of the spatial area ER5 in step S109. This makes it possible to cause an event that changes the display mode within the spatial area ER5 by the user's own operation, thereby encouraging the user to operate and improving the user's sense of participation.

[0319] (1-7) As an example of an event that changes the display mode within the spatial area ER5, a purchase operation of a flower stand FS, which is an action in response to an operation from another user (for example, user 1 who is another user for user 2 in Figs. 29 and 30), is illustrated as an action reflected by displaying and arranging it in the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5, for example, an action of purchase by other user 1. That is, as shown in an example in Fig. 30(D), on the display device 310 of user 2, a flower stand FS1 that would not be displayed unless purchased by other user 1 can be randomly selected as a default flower stand FS to be displayed and arranged in a predetermined exhibition area A due to the purchase action of other user 1. In this way, since operations and actions from other users can also become events that change the display mode within the spatial area ER5, the change in the display mode can be made interesting and interest can be increased.

[0320] (1-8) As an example of an event that changes the display mode in the spatial area ER5, the establishment of a switching condition is illustrated. Furthermore, the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform a process that enables the display of the flower star FS related to the special user in the spatial area ER5 to be maintained in accordance with the program stored therein, even if an event that changes the display mode in the spatial area ER5 occurs. For example, the display position of the flower star FS purchased by the user is determined by lottery from positions other than the display position of the flower star FS of the special user. Furthermore, even when the switching condition is established, the display and display of the flower star FST associated with the special user continues as shown in FIG. 33. This allows the display mode related to the special user to continue without changing, so that the convenience and advantage of the special user can be maintained and improved. Furthermore, since it becomes possible to use objects such as the flower star of the special user for advertising and PR, for example, the management side can easily solicit investments from sponsors who may be an example of a special user.

[0321] (1-9) As shown in FIG. 24, within the spatial area ER5, there are provided an area ER53' of the second virtual space used to provide event content on the scheduled date, and an area ER53 which is a part of the first virtual space and has a common display mode (the same or similar, for example) with the area ER53'. The distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on the programs stored therein such that during the period before the scheduled date, for example, until the day before the scheduled date of the event, the portal P is not displayed and entry into the area ER53' is restricted, while entry into the area ER53 is permitted and an image of the area ER53 can be displayed in response to a user operation, and after the day before the scheduled date of the event and the release conditions are met, entry into the area ER53 is restricted by closing the gate of the main gate object 53c leading to the area ER53, while the portal P is displayed and entry into the area ER53' of the second virtual space is permitted and an image of the area ER53' can be displayed in response to a user operation. This allows the area used to be switched depending on whether the release condition is met, so that before the release condition is met, a virtual space can be provided using an area suitable for the user's behavior before the event content is provided, and after the release condition is met, a virtual space can be provided using an area suitable for providing the event content.

[0322] (1-10) As shown in FIG. 24, areas ER51 and ER52, which are part of the first virtual space, are provided within spatial area ER5, and areas ER51, ER52, and ER53 in FIG. 24(A), which are the first virtual space, can be moved seamlessly between (by moving the user avatar from one area to the other by user operation), while area ER53' of the second virtual space is formed separately from areas ER51 and ER52, which are part of the first virtual space, and as shown in FIG. 24(B), it is possible to move between the first virtual space and the second virtual space via portals P in areas ER53' and ER52 via a blackout display. As a result, before the release conditions are met, it is possible to improve the convenience of movement between areas ER51, ER52, and ER53 in Figure 24(A), which is the first virtual space, and after the release conditions are met, the display is darkened when moving to area ER53' in the second virtual space, making it possible to give the user a sense of exclusivity and tension, thereby increasing interest.

[0323] (1-11) The release condition can be satisfied on the day before the event content is scheduled to be provided. This allows for a period before the release condition is satisfied, a period after the release condition is satisfied but before the event content is provided, and a period during which the event content is being provided, so that interest can be increased in stages.

[0324] (1-12) The display mode within spatial area ER5 that can change includes a flower stand FS displayed in an exhibition area within spatial area ER5, and events that change the display mode within spatial area ER5 include an event in which a user purchases a flower stand FS during the period before the scheduled date and associates the flower stand FS with the user and places the flower stand FS in an exhibition area selected by the user within spatial area ER5. In this way, by placing the flower stand FS purchased by the user in an exhibition area selected by the user during the period before the scheduled date, the display mode of the exhibition area can be changed and the user's interest can be increased.

[0325] (1-13) The events that change the display mode within the spatial area ER5 include events that generate the display mode (decoration such as text) of a flower star FS in response to an operation by the user when placing the flower star FS. This allows each user to change the display mode of the flower star FS to an original display mode, thereby increasing the interest of the users.

[0326] (1-14) The display modes within the spatial area ER5 that can change include a flower star FS held by a performer avatar that is displayed and operates within the spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided and can proceed with the event content, as shown in Fig. 34. This allows the flower star FS that can be displayed corresponding to the performer avatar to change depending on events that occur during the period before the scheduled date, thereby increasing interest due to events that occur during the period before the scheduled date.

[0327] (1-15) As shown in Fig. 38, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on a stored program to change the display mode within the spatial area ER5 according to the number of entries into the spatial area ER5, which is an example of the degree to which the image within the spatial area ER5 was displayed during the period before the scheduled date. This allows the display mode within the spatial area ER5 to change according to the number of entries into the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, thereby improving and encouraging the user to enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date.

[0328] (1-16) Based on the programs stored in them, the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing to provide the event content on the scheduled date to users who satisfy certain conditions, such as by purchasing a ticket to participate in the event content, and to allow users who satisfy the certain conditions to enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date and to display images within the spatial area ER5. This can improve and encourage users' motivation to satisfy the certain conditions.

[0329] (2-1) In this embodiment, even during the period before the scheduled date of the event, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on the stored program to allow the user to enter the spatial area ER5 and display the image in the spatial area ER5 in response to the user's operation. As shown in Figs. 37 and 38, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing related to the event content in the period before the scheduled date according to the number of entries (not including the number of entries into other spatial areas ER than the spatial area ER5 in the virtual space ER even if the user has logged into the virtual space ER) which is an example of the degree to which the user enters the spatial area ER5 in the virtual space ER where the event content is provided on the scheduled date and displays the image in the spatial area ER5 in the virtual space ER in accordance with the stored program. As a result, the spatial area ER5 in which the event content is provided can be shared and provided to users during the period before the scheduled date, and processing related to the event content is performed according to the number of entries into the spatial area ER5 in the period before the scheduled date. This can increase the user's motivation to enter spatial area ER5 rather than other spatial areas within the virtual space ER and display images within spatial area ER5, thereby gradually increasing the user's interest in the event content even before the event content is provided.

[0330] (2-2) The process related to the event content includes a process of changing the display mode in the spatial area ER5 during the provision of the event content in accordance with the number of times the user enters the space in the period before the scheduled date, as shown in the production content in Fig. 37. This increases the user's motivation to enter the spatial area ER5 in the period before the scheduled date, and draws the user's attention to how the display mode in the spatial area ER5 changes.

[0331] (2-3) The display mode in the spatial area ER5 during the provision of event content, which changes depending on the number of times the user enters the room due to processing related to the event content, can be different from the display mode displayed to other users depending on the number of times the user enters the room, as shown in the production content in Fig. 37. This makes it possible to customize the display mode in the spatial area ER5 during the provision of event content for each user, making each user feel special.

[0332] (2-4) The changing display mode in the spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided includes a secret costume, which is a costume of a performer avatar that is displayed in the spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided and that corresponds to the performer avatar who can be displayed and acted in the spatial area ER5 while the event content is being provided, and progress through the event content. In other words, the costume of the performer avatar while the event content is being provided can change depending on the number of times the user enters the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date. This can increase the user's motivation to enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, and can increase the user's interest.

[0333] (2-5) The process related to the event content includes a process for granting items, which are an example of objects that can be used while the event content is being provided, to the user according to the number of times the user has entered the space, as shown in step S402 of Fig. 38. This increases the user's motivation to enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, and draws the user's attention to the granted items.

[0334] (2-6) The items given to a user by a process related to the event content may be different from the items given to other users because different items are set according to the number of times the user enters the room, as shown in the items in Fig. 37. This allows a variety of items to be used during the provision of the event content, thereby increasing the interest of the event content.

[0335] (3-1) In this embodiment, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300, based on the programs stored therein, place in the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5 the flower star FS associated with the user through purchase, and among the flower stars FS shown in Fig. 29(A), those associated with other users (e.g., other than user 1) and placed in the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5 are switched to other flower stars FS in step S203 of Fig. 32 when a switching condition is met, while for the flower star FS associated with the user himself (e.g., user 1), processing is performed so that the flower star FS can continue to be displayed in the same exhibition area even if the switching condition is met, as explained with reference to Fig. 27(C). This allows the flower stars FS to be appropriately reflected in the spatial area ER5 even when there are many flower stars FS to be exhibited and the number of exhibition positions available in the exhibition area is limited. In addition, the flower arrangements FS associated with other users can be exhibited and displayed relatively evenly within the spatial area ER5, and the display mode of the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5 can be changed to increase interest, while the user can check the flower arrangements FS associated with themselves, thereby increasing satisfaction.

[0336] (3-2) The switching condition may be satisfied when a predetermined time has passed, or when a user logs in or enters or leaves the spatial area ER5, etc. This allows a flower star FS associated with another user to be switched to another flower star FS without the user needing prior knowledge (e.g., how to switch) and therefore increases the interest of any user in the flower star FS that may be exhibited and displayed in the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5.

[0337] (3-3) As shown in Fig. 27, multiple types of flower stands FS with different attributes and sizes are provided, and the exhibition areas in which they can be placed and displayed within the spatial area ER5 are determined according to their type. This allows the appropriate type of flower stand FS to be placed according to the exhibition area, in line with the design, taste, and worldview of the spatial area ER5. It is also possible to create a sense of unity in the types of flower stands FS placed in each exhibition area.

[0338] (3-4) Flower stems FS can be exhibited and displayed up to the upper limit number set in the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5, and the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 can, based on the programs stored therein, keep the number of exhibited flower stems FS within the range of the displayable upper limit number, as shown in Figures 29(C)-29(D), etc., and can switch to and display a flower stem FS associated with another user when a switching condition is met. This allows flower stems FS associated with other users to be evenly exhibited in the exhibition area within the upper limit number, and can increase interest by changing the display mode of the exhibition area and spatial area ER5.

[0339] (3-5) As shown in Fig. 24, the spatial area ER5 is provided with a plurality of display areas in which a flower stand FS can be arranged and displayed, and the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each perform processing based on a stored program for arranging and displaying the user's flower stand FS in an exhibition area designated by the user in response to operation from among the plurality of exhibition areas, as shown in Fig. 26. This allows the user to arrange and display their own flower stand FS in the exhibition area of ​​their choice, enhancing interest.

[0340] (3-6) The distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each carry out processing based on the stored programs to change the display mode of the displayed flower star FS by applying decoration such as characters in response to user operations as shown in Fig. 26. This allows the display mode of the displayed flower star FS to be customized to the user's unique display mode, enhancing the user's interest.

[0341] (3-7) Based on the programs stored in each of the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300, a user who has purchased a large number of flower stands FS (e.g., 11 rather than 10, 40 rather than 30) can have a higher proportion of default flower stands FS displayed than a user who has purchased fewer, but for users who have reached a predetermined number, default flower stands FS can be displayed and displayed at the same proportion (e.g., the same proportion as a predetermined number of users) determined by lottery, regardless of whether they have purchased more than the predetermined number of flower stands. This can encourage users to purchase an appropriate number of flower stands FS (less than the predetermined number), while preventing the proportion of default flower stands FS made up of flower stands of users who have purchased the predetermined number from increasing limitlessly.

[0342] <Modification> Modifications to the embodiment (including modifications and additions) described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 38 will be listed below.

[0343] (Replay data related) The delivery server computer 100 may store the data of the event content provided in this embodiment (event data 111) so that it can be provided to the user again, and may perform processing to enable the event content to be provided again in response to a request from the user (for example, an operation to purchase replay data, a second viewing operation, etc.) even after the event content has been provided. For example, while the delivery server computer 100 is providing the event content on the scheduled date, it stores in the storage 103 information for displaying an image in the area ER53' including performer information such as animation data including the motion data of the performer avatar and audio data (performer avatar information, performer audio, etc., distributed in FIG. 10) in response to an operation from the user, event flag information exemplified in FIG. 35, item / performance content information that can be set in FIG. 38, etc., as replay data of the event data, and transmits it to the viewer terminal 300 of the requesting user.

[0344] The event flower stand information includes the default information of Fig. 35(A) drawn for each event content, and the information of the flower stand FS purchased by the user who requested re-provision based on the user-related information of Fig. 27(C). Also, the item / presentation content information includes information for specifying the items to be granted and the presentation content to be set by the event content-related process of Fig. 38 according to the number of times the user who requested re-provision entered the room during the period before the scheduled date.

[0345] The viewer terminal 300 that has received the replay data reproduces the event content provided on the scheduled date based on the replay data at the user's arbitrary timing. When replaying the event content, for example, among the flower stands identified from the received event flower stand information, a flower stand having the same attributes and size as the flower stand purchased by the user is switched to the flower stand purchased by the user in order to provide the performance of the event content in a display mode corresponding to an event that occurred in the period before the scheduled date. In other words, the display mode of the flower stand FS that can be displayed based on the replay data may differ for each user depending on the flower stand FS purchased in the period before the scheduled date. This allows the event content to be provided in a display mode corresponding to an event that occurred in the period before the scheduled date even after the event content is provided on the scheduled date, thereby improving the convenience and interest of the user. Specifically, a user who was unable to participate in the event content on the scheduled date can participate in the event content even after the scheduled date, and if the user purchased a flower stand FS in the period before the scheduled date, a performance corresponding to the flower stand FS can be provided.

[0346] Also, when playing back the event content, in order to perform processing related to the event content according to the number of times of entry, which is an example of the degree to which the image in the spatial area ER5 was displayed during the period before the scheduled date, for example, the production content of the event content is set to be the production content specified from the received item / production content information, and an item specified from the received item / production content information is given and made available during the replay. In other words, the display mode of the event content based on the replay data can be made different for each user according to the number of times the user entered the room during the period before the scheduled date. As a result, even after the event content is provided on the scheduled date, the event content can be provided in a display mode according to the degree of the number of times the user entered the room during the period before the scheduled date, thereby improving the convenience and interest of the user. Also, processing is performed to allow the user to use items according to the number of times the user entered the room during the period before the scheduled date from among the items available in the event content based on the replay data. As a result, the convenience and interest of the user can be improved.

[0347] (Right to enter spatial area ER5) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which only users who have the right (such as a ticket) to participate in the event content provided on the scheduled date are permitted to enter and participate in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and even if a user does not have the right to participate in the event content provided on the scheduled date, the user may be permitted to enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date and may be able to freely act within the spatial area ER5, such as purchasing a flower stand FS or viewing the exhibition area. If the user does not have the right to participate in the event content itself, the user cannot participate (for example, entry into the area ER53' is restricted), but the user is permitted to enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, and can stroll around and experience the spatial area ER5, thereby increasing the user's interest in the event content provided on the scheduled date, and motivating the user to acquire the right and participate in the event content. Note that if a user does not have the right to participate in the event content and is able to participate in the virtual space ER, the user may be able to participate in the event content on the scheduled date and enter the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date.

[0348] (Regarding the display balance of flower stand attributes within the exhibition area) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the flower stand FS to be switched when the switching condition is satisfied in step S302 in FIG. 32 is determined by random drawing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the flower stand FS to be displayed may be determined by drawing so that the number of attributes associated with the flower stands FS displayed in the spatial area ER5 is approximately equal for each attribute. As described above, the attributes "cherry blossom", "demon", "white fox", and "black fox" are attribute colors associated with each of the performer avatars that appear as progression characters when the event content is provided. Also, for example, if 80,000 positions are provided in the spatial area ER5 where flower stands with the attributes "cherry blossom", "demon", "white fox", and "black fox" can be displayed, the number of positions that can be displayed for one attribute is calculated to be 20,000. For this reason, the flower stand FS to be switched when the switching condition is satisfied may be determined by drawing 20,000 for each attribute. That is, as shown in FIG. 27, the flower stand FS is associated with one of the motifs (attributes), and the distribution server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 may each perform a process for drawing and determining a default flower stand FS based on a stored program so that the number of attributes associated with the displayed flower stands FS is approximately equal among the attributes, thereby making it possible to make the flower stands of the four attributes approximately equal in the entire spatial area ER5. This allows the attributes of the flower stands displayed in the spatial area ER5 to be displayed in a balanced manner, and prevents any one attribute from being biased. Furthermore, even when focusing on each exhibition area, the number of attributes associated with the flower stands FS displayed in one exhibition area may be approximately equal among the attributes. That is, the flower stands of the four attributes may be approximately equal in each exhibition area.

[0349] Also, a number of display areas, each with a predetermined upper limit, may be provided for each attribute, and an attribute may be associated with each display area. For example, the first display area may be selected by lottery from among only flower stands with the attribute "sakura", the second display area may be selected by lottery from among only flower stands with the attribute "oni", the third display area may be selected by lottery from among only flower stands with the attribute "white fox", and the fourth display area may be selected by lottery from only flower stands with the attribute "black fox". This allows the flower stands FS associated with each attribute (particularly the attributes of the performer avatars appearing when providing event content) to be displayed in a well-balanced manner within the spatial area ER5. Also, by viewing the display area of ​​the flower stands related to the attributes of the performer avatar of the favorite, the flower stands related to the attributes of the performer avatar of the favorite can be viewed easily and efficiently. Also, in the above example, an example in which only specific attributes (attributes "sakura", "oni", "white fox", and "black fox") are approximately equal is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and all attributes including solid colors and gorgeousness may be approximately equal. By arranging the flower stand FS purchased by the user, the number of attributes associated with the flower stand FS purchased by the user may increase in the virtual space. However, taking into consideration the attributes of the flower stand FS purchased by the user, a lottery may be held for each user to determine the display balance between the attributes so that the display balance is approximately equal within the upper limit of the number of flower stands FS that can be displayed in the exhibition area (or spatial area ER).

[0350] Also, the ratio of each attribute to be displayed by lottery may be predetermined. For example, the ratio of the attribute "plain" shown in Fig. 27(A) to be displayed in the spatial area ER5 may be 5%, while the ratio of "gorgeous" may be 15%, and the ratios of "cherry blossom", "demon", "white fox", and "black fox" may be 20% each.

[0351] (About the probability of being selected as the default flagship) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the probability of being selected as the default flower star FS randomly drawn in step S203 of FIG. 32 when the switching condition is met is uniform among the flower stars FS. However, the probability of being selected as the default flower star FS is not limited to this, and may be varied according to a parameter specific to the flower star FS, or may not be selected as the default flower star FS when the switching condition is met (for example, may be excluded from the selection target). Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 39, an example will be described in which the probability of being selected as the default flower star FS is varied for each flower star FS. Each user may be allowed to perform a favorable impression action or a report action on a flower star FS associated with another user displayed in the spatial area ER5. The favorable impression action is an action for expressing favorable impressions, and is an action for indicating that one has a favorable impression of the flower star FS of another user by operating an icon such as "Like" (heart mark). The report action is an action for expressing the intention that it is inappropriate to display in the spatial area ER5, and is an action for reporting to the management, for example, when unpleasant characters (comments) are displayed on the flower star FS of another user.

[0352] FIG. 39 is an example of a close-up image 510 of a flower stand FS. The close-up image 510 is an image displayed on the display device 310 based on information transmitted from the distribution server computer 100, triggered, for example, by approaching or operating a flower stand FS displayed in the exhibition area at the viewer terminal 300, and is capable of displaying details of each flower stand FS. One of the flower stands FS arranged in the exhibition area is displayed in the close-up image 510 in FIG. 39, and other flower stands FS in the exhibition area can be displayed by operating the left and right buttons 511 (511L, 511R). The close-up image 510 displays a like button 513 for performing a favorable action, a report button 514 for performing a report action, and a close button 516 for closing the close-up image 510. In addition, the close-up image 510 displays creator information 512 (user information) as detailed information. This can motivate a user to perform a favorable action if the flower stand FS was purchased or created by the account of a celebrity or a friend, for example. It can also motivate users to take positive actions toward a FlowerStamp FS that contains an interesting or funny message.

[0353] When the like button 513 is operated, the viewer terminal 300 transmits favorable impression information for identifying the flower star FS that has been favored to the distribution server computer 100. When the favorable impression information is received, the distribution server computer 100 updates and stores the number of likes (favorable impression history) of the flower star FS that has been favored, among the flower star FS stored in the object data 122. In addition, when the number of likes is updated, the number of likes corresponding to the flower star FS displayed in the close-up image 510 is displayed in a manner that has been updated by adding one.

[0354] Furthermore, when the distribution server computer 100 holds a drawing for a default flower stand FS to be displayed when the switching condition is satisfied, it may refer to the number of likes for each flower stand FS and vary the probability that the flower stand FS will win the drawing in accordance with the number of likes. For example, if there are 1 million flower stands FS to be drawn, the probability of winning would normally be 1 / 1 million, but it may be increased in stages according to the number of likes. For example, the probability of winning may be increased to 10 / 1 million when the number of likes is 100-999, and increased to 100 / 1 million when the number of likes is 1000-2999, so that the probability of winning increases as the number of likes increases.

[0355] That is, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 each receive, based on the stored program, favorable impression information for identifying favorable actions taken by users on a flower stand FS, thereby updating the favorable impression history for that flower stand FS, and performing processing for controlling the display of the number of likes by adding 1 when displaying that flower stand FS based on the favorable impression history for that flower stand FS, and processing for making it easier to display it as a default flower stand. This provides users with the entertainment of having the display of a flower stand controlled based on the favorable impression history. Also, the entertainment of acquiring favorable impressions can be provided to users, and users can experience reactions from other users, thereby increasing their interest.

[0356] Furthermore, the delivery server computer 100 may exclude a flower star FS for which the restriction condition is met from the lottery targets in step S203 of FIG. 32, thereby restricting it from being selected and displayed as a default flower star FS (i.e., restricting it from being displayed to users other than the user who owns the flower star FS). The restriction condition is met, for example, when the management checks the number of report actions or the characters of the flower star to be reported and determines that it should be hidden, and the flower star FS is set to be hidden. When the report button 514 is operated, the viewer terminal 300 transmits report information for identifying the flower star FS that was the subject of the report to the delivery server computer 100. When the delivery server computer 100 receives the report information, it updates and stores the number of reports (report history) of the flower star FS that was the subject of the report among the flower star FS stored in the object data 122. The restriction condition may be met by the management setting the flower star FS to be hidden in response to the updated number of reports, or may be met by the delivery server computer 100 determining whether the number of reports has reached a predetermined number and automatically setting the flower star FS to be hidden if the predetermined number has been reached. This makes it possible to restrict the display of a flower stand FS associated with another user for whom the restrictive conditions are met from being determined as a default flower stand, thereby preventing it from being displayed in the exhibition area and providing a comfortable spatial area ER5 for the user.

[0357] In this case, even if the flower stand FS meets the restriction condition, it may be configured to continue to be displayed in the display device 310 of the user who purchased and owns the flower stand FS in the exhibition area within the spatial area ER5 (so-called "shadow ban"). This prevents the interest of the user who purchased the flower stand FS from being lost, while making it difficult for the user to identify that the restriction condition has been met. In addition to or instead of the notification, the flower stand may be "hidden" in the viewer terminal 300 of the user who made the notification even before the restriction condition is met. Even if the action is to hide the flower stand, the number of hidden flower stands may be accumulated in the delivery server computer 100, and when the number of hidden flower stands reaches a predetermined number or more, the flower stand is hidden from all users. In addition, when the action to hide the flower stand is performed, the delivery server computer 100 and the viewer terminal 300 may each determine by lottery a different flower stand to be displayed instead based on the programs stored therein.

[0358] Note that only flower stands FS that pass the screening for whether or not they contain NG comments or inappropriate comments may be included in the lottery in step S203 of Fig. 32, and flower stands FS that are determined to contain them may be excluded from the lottery. The screening may be performed, for example, by visual inspection by an administrator, and an NG flag or the like may be set for flower stands FS that are determined to contain them, so that they are not included in the lottery, or text may be extracted and screened by an automatic judgment, and an NG flag or the like may be set for flower stands FS that are determined to be NG. Also, not limited to the lottery when the switching condition is met, the lottery in step S301 of Fig. 36(A) may also vary the probability of being selected as the default flower stand according to a parameter specific to the flower stand FS (for example, the number of likes), or may not be selected as the default flower stand FS according to the establishment of a restrictive condition.

[0359] (Events that change the display mode in the virtual space) In the above embodiment, the event that changes the display mode in the spatial area ER5 (the flower stand FS in the exhibition area during the period before the scheduled date, and the flower stand FS held by the performer avatar during the provision of the event content) is exemplified as an event in which a flower stand FS is purchased and placed in response to an operation by a user. However, the specific object that causes an event that changes the display mode in the virtual space is not limited to a flower stand FS, but may be an object that resembles a glow stick or a fan that emits light, or an object that can be placed (installed) in the spatial area ER5, such as an object that resembles a flower in a shrine, a clock, a fence, a tamagaki fence, a signboard, a signboard, etc. Note that the specific object is exemplified as an object that the performer avatar can hold in his / her hand during the provision of the event content, but is not limited thereto, and may be an object that a user avatar (viewer avatar) can use, or may be an object that can be placed (installed) in the spatial area (area ER53') where the event content is provided.

[0360] Moreover, the event that changes the display mode in the virtual space is not limited to one that can be generated by the arrangement of a specific object, etc., but may be generated instead or in addition to this, by preparing various activities in the spatial area ER5, and depending on the result of the activity played by the user in the period before the scheduled date. Such an activity may be playable only for a limited period before the scheduled date (or until the time when the event content is provided). The activity is, for example, a game, a mission, a test of luck, etc. executed in the spatial area ER5. For example, in the game area of ​​FIG. 24, it is a game that can be played in a short time such as a lottery game, a search mission to search for a specified item, etc., a test of luck such as a fortune-telling slip, or an offering. Depending on the result of the game, search mission, or test of luck in the period before the scheduled date, a predetermined right (privilege), such as the granting of the above-mentioned flower star FS or the item in FIG. 37, or a change in the presentation when the event content is provided, may be associated with the user who experienced the activity. Also, items obtained depending on the result of the activity may be saved in an item box, etc. For example, it may include not only objects but also voice data of the performer avatar. Furthermore, the display mode in the spatial area ER5 of the viewer terminal 300 of the user who experienced the activity may be changed according to the results of the game, exploration mission, or try your luck during the period before the scheduled date. In this way, by preparing the experience of various activities in a predetermined type of virtual space where the event content is provided during the period before the scheduled date, it is possible to generate an event in the virtual space during the period before the scheduled date and to improve the user's mood until the scheduled date when the event content is provided.

[0361] Furthermore, the event that changes the display mode in the virtual space is not limited to one that can occur in response to an operation from the user, but may instead or in addition be one that can occur when a user is in the virtual space and a generation condition is met, regardless of an operation from the user. For example, the event may occur when a user who has entered the spatial area ER5 is given a specific object and placed in the spatial area ER5 after a predetermined time has passed since the user entered the space area ER5, or when a predetermined time has passed since the user entered the space area ER5, or when an event occurs for a user who has been selected by a random lottery or the like at predetermined times among the users who have entered the spatial area ER5 (users who have not been selected are not considered to have had an event occur).

[0362] (Items for which the display format will be changed in the period before the scheduled date due to an event that occurred) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the display mode of the flower stand FS arranged in the exhibition area in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date is changed according to an event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date, but the object to be changed is not limited to this as long as it is within the spatial area ER5. The object to be changed according to an event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date may be, for example, the type and number of objects such as buildings and ornaments arranged in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, the arrangement positions of buildings and ornaments in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date, or the number of areas included in the spatial area ER5 during the period before the scheduled date (for example, an area ER54 connected to the area ER51 is added, making it possible to enter the area ER54). In this case, among the areas in the spatial area ER5, the areas that change are only the areas ER51 and ER52, and the display mode of the area ER53 related to the area where the event content is provided may not be changed according to the event. Even when configured in this manner, the only thing that will be changed in response to an event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date is the viewer terminal 300 of the user in which the event occurred, so the display mode displayed to other users may differ depending on the event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date.

[0363] (About items whose display mode changes during the event due to an event that has occurred) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the display mode of the flower star FS held by the performer avatar (an object associated with the performer avatar) was changed in the performance during the provision of the event content in response to an event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date. However, the object to be changed is not limited to this as long as it is within the spatial area ER5. The object to be changed in response to an event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date may be, for example, a costume object of the performer avatar, as exemplified by "secret costume" which is the performance content set at the seventh entry in FIG. 37. In addition, the object to be changed in response to an event that occurred during the period before the scheduled date may be a case in which the user names of users who purchased a flower star FS during the period before the scheduled date are displayed in the ending credits at the end of the event content. In this case, for example, the users who purchased the flower star FS may be displayed in order of the largest purchase amount or the largest number of purchases, and the size of the user name displayed in the ending credits may differ depending on the purchase amount or number of purchases (the larger the purchase amount or the number of purchases, the larger the size of the user name displayed in the ending credits). Furthermore, the object to be changed in response to an event occurring during the period before the scheduled date may be a performance in which a large number of flower stands FS are displayed in the virtual live venue, or, for example, a performance in which all flower stands FS purchased by users during the period before the scheduled date (default flower stands FS for users who have not purchased any) are doubled and floated in large numbers, such as jet balloons. This will create a more exciting performance of the event content. Even in this configuration, the object to be changed in response to an event occurring during the period before the scheduled date is only the viewer terminal 300 of the user in which the event occurred, so the display mode displayed to other users may be different depending on the event occurring during the period before the scheduled date.

[0364] (Regarding the degree to which images in a specified type of virtual space were displayed during the period prior to the scheduled date) In the above embodiment, the number of entries into spatial area ER5 where event content may be held on the scheduled date was shown as an example of the degree to which event content-related processing is performed, but it is not limited to this, and may also be the length of time spent in spatial area ER5, the percentage of the number of days spent in spatial area ER5 to the number of days in the period before the scheduled date, the percentage of time spent in spatial area ER5 to the total time in the period before the scheduled date, the number of entries or time spent in spatial area ER5 out of the number of entries or time spent in the virtual space ER in the period before the scheduled date, and even the percentage of the number of entries or time spent in spatial area ER5, the length of time taken from the last entry to the current entry during the period before the scheduled date, etc.

[0365] (Event content related processing according to the degree of display) In the above embodiment, as shown in the production contents of FIG. 37, the image of the live venue set and the costume of the performer avatar are exemplified as the target of the process of changing the display mode in the spatial area ER5 according to the degree. However, the target of the process of changing the display mode in the spatial area ER5 according to the degree is not limited to this, and may be a case where the user names of the users who entered the room during the period before the scheduled date are displayed in the ending credits when the event content ends, and in this case, for example, the users may be displayed in order of the number of times they have entered the room, or the size of the user name displayed in the ending credits may differ depending on the number of times they have entered the room (the larger the purchase amount / number of purchases, the larger the size). In addition, the production may be such that a large number of flower stands FS are displayed in the virtual live venue, and for example, the production may be such that a number of flower stands FS (purchased flower stands FS for users who have purchased, and default flower stands FS for users who have not purchased) are floated in the air like jet balloons according to the number of times they have entered the room. In addition, when the display mode of the performance contents or the jet balloons, etc. is changed, the display mode may differ for each user's viewer terminal 300 depending on the degree, and therefore the display mode displayed to other users may differ depending on the degree. In addition, as the performance contents, for example, a room with a different display mode may be associated with each number of times of entry, and the type of room set may be different depending on the number of times of entry (e.g., event content is provided in a special room corresponding to the number of times of entry out of multiple types of special rooms with different display modes), or a costume of a performer avatar with a different display mode may be associated with each number of times of entry, and the type of costume (display mode) set may be different depending on the number of times of entry.

[0366] In the above embodiment, as shown in the items in Fig. 37, a process of granting an item usable as an object during event content according to a degree is exemplified as a target of the process of changing the display mode in the spatial area ER5 according to a degree. However, the target of the object granted according to a degree is not limited to this, and may be an object imitating a glow stick or a fan that emits light, or an object that can be placed in the spatial area ER5, such as an object imitating flowers, a clock, a fence, a tamagaki fence, a signboard, a signboard, etc. in a shrine. Note that the object may be an object that a performer avatar can hold in the hand while the event content is being provided, an object that a user avatar or a viewer avatar can use, or an object that can be placed in the spatial area (area ER53') where the event content is provided.

[0367] (Regarding the transition of display modes of specific objects in virtual space) In the above embodiment, the flower chart switching process illustrated in Figs. 29 to 32 is not limited to being performed during a period related to the event content provided on the scheduled date, but may be applied to a case where a specific object associated with the user or a specific object associated with another user can be arranged in the virtual space regardless of the presence or absence of the event content provided on the scheduled date. For example, a virtual space is provided in which the user can share and exhibit creative content (e.g., art, derivative works, in-game works, links to original virtual spaces (e.g., buildings created by the user)) and creative content created by other users can be displayed (displayed and arranged in the virtual space) by switching the flower chart switching process illustrated in Figs. 29 to 32 to the virtual space when a switching condition is satisfied. This allows users to view and experience creative content created by various users without prior knowledge, improving the interest in the virtual space. Note that the objects arranged in the exhibition area by the operation from the user's viewer terminal 300 may include objects with a predetermined design that the user cannot edit (edit the contents). As a result, even if there is a limit to the number of specific objects that can be installed and displayed in the virtual space, the user can view his or her own specific objects at any time, thereby increasing satisfaction, while specific objects associated with other users can be displayed evenly within the virtual space and the display mode of the virtual space can be changed to increase interest, thereby allowing a large number of specific objects to be appropriately reflected.

[0368] (Regarding the placement area of ​​specific objects) In the above embodiment, Fig. 27 shows an example in which the placement area is determined to differ depending on the size of a flower star FS, which is an example of a specific object. However, in addition to the size, multiple types of attributes are also determined for the flower star FS. Therefore, the placement area may be determined to differ depending on the attribute of the flower star FS, instead of or in addition to the size of the flower star FS. This can further enhance the sense of unity for each placement area.

[0369] (About another form of data sent to the viewer terminal) In the above embodiment, in the flower star switching process of FIG. 32 and the event flower star determination process of FIG. 36, default flower star information (step S205 of FIG. 32, step S302 of FIG. 36(A)) and information for identifying a flower star FS associated with each user based on the user-related information of FIG. 27(C) (step S207 of FIG. 32, step S303 of FIG. 36(A)) are transmitted to the user, and the information of the flower star used in the presentation of the exhibition area and the event content is rewritten in the viewer terminal 300. However, without being limited to this, the delivery server computer 100 may transmit information updated for each user based on FIG. 27(C) from the default flower star information for each user. In other words, the delivery server computer 100 may generate and transmit different information for each user according to the user's flower star FS, and the viewer terminal 300 may display a flower star FS for the user based on the information.

[0370] (Items that can be used during the event content) In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 37, crackers, fireworks, glow sticks, stamps, etc. are given as examples of items (objects) that can be used while the event content is being provided. These may be displayed in the virtual space ER, for example, in a room of a house built by the user, regardless of whether they have been used or not. Alternatively, they may be displayed as mementos in an item box displayed in the virtual space ER, even after they have been used. This allows limited items corresponding to the event content being provided (held) to be kept as memories, increasing the user's attachment to the event content.

[0371] (Other impacts of events occurring during the pre-scheduled period on the Event Content) In the above embodiment, the change in the display mode of a specific object has been described as the display mode in the virtual space when the event content is provided, which changes according to an event that occurred in a predetermined type of virtual space in the period before the scheduled date. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a user who purchased a flower stand FS in the period before the scheduled date and placed it in the spatial area ER5 may be granted a predetermined right (privilege) according to, for example, the purchase amount or the number of purchases (number of placements). The predetermined right (privilege) may be, for example, a right to extend the time of the event content provided (for example, a right to participate in an after-talk), a right to be able to watch the event content live from a dedicated virtual camera that the user can operate, or a right to be able to participate from a special area.

[0372] (Example of due date) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the event content is distributed (provided) at a scheduled time (predetermined date and time) on a scheduled date according to the event data. The scheduled date may be, for example, the entire date on which a live event or the like is scheduled to be held (for example, from 0:00 to 23:59 on April 5), or a period of several days (for example, from 9:00 on May 1 to 21:00 on May 5). In addition, when the scheduled date of the event content is a period of several days and it is a comprehensive event content in which multiple contents (for example, a live event, a talk show, etc.) are provided (for example, a festival event that lasts for several days), the display mode in a predetermined type of virtual space when each of the multiple contents is provided may be changed according to an event that occurs during the period before the scheduled date for each of the multiple contents (individually) provided in the comprehensive event content.

[0373] (Pre-due date period) In the above embodiment, the period before the scheduled date is exemplified as a period up to the day before the scheduled date on which the event content is provided. However, the period before the scheduled date is not limited to this as long as it is a period until the event content is provided, and may be, for example, a period two days or a predetermined number of days before the scheduled date, or may be a period up to one hour, ten minutes, or one minute before the scheduled time on the scheduled date on which the event content is provided. For example, the display mode in the predetermined type of virtual space may be changed depending on an event that occurs in the predetermined type of virtual space up to several hours before the event content is provided. For example, a flower stand FS purchased by a user may be displayed in the space area ER5 up to two hours before the start of a live event in the space area ER5 (for example, 7 p.m.), and the purchased flower stand FS may be used in the production during the event shown in FIG. 34.

[0374] (About Portal P) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a transition to the area ER53' is possible via the portal P in FIG. 24(B) when a specific period before the scheduled date of the event content is reached and the release condition is satisfied. The portal P may appear in front of the gate object 53c in the area ER52 when the specific period is reached (the day before the period before the scheduled date) (when the release condition is satisfied). Alternatively, the portal P may be present from a specific period before, but may not function as a portal P for transitioning to another area until the specific period is reached. In addition, when returning to the area ER52 after transition to the area ER53', the user avatar U may be able to transition to the area ER52 via the portal P on the side of the area ER53' in FIG. 24(B), for example, so that the first virtual space and the second virtual space can come and go back and forth.

[0375] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which a user who has been in the area ER53 is moved out of the area ER53 (for example, the user avatar U is forcibly moved out of the area ER53) when it is a specific period before the scheduled date (the day before the scheduled date). However, it is not limited to being moved out of the area ER53 uniformly when it is a specific period before, and a user who is in a predetermined state may be controlled to be moved out of the area ER53 after an end condition is satisfied (an image of the virtual space other than the area ER53 is displayed). For example, a user who is displaying a flower star FS in the exhibition area in the area ER53 (for example, displaying the screen of FIG. 39) may be considered to be in a predetermined state, and when the display of the screen of FIG. 39 or the like ends, the end condition is considered to be satisfied and the user may be moved out of the area ER53.

[0376] (About release conditions and specific periods) In this embodiment, the release condition is satisfied when a specific period of time before the scheduled date on which the event content is provided occurs, and the specific period of time is exemplified as the day before the scheduled date of the event. However, the specific period of time before the scheduled date on which the release condition is satisfied is not limited to this, and may be a period of two days or a specific number of days before the scheduled date. In addition, the specific period of time is not limited to a period related to the number of days or time, and may be, for example, a period of time after the timing when the number of users who have entered the spatial area ER5 reaches a specific number, or a period of time after a timing set by the management in consideration of the situation, etc.

[0377] (Regarding the second virtual space after the event content ends) In the above embodiment, the event content is provided in the area ER53' having the same display mode as the area ER53. The area ER53' may be set in a state in which the user avatar U cannot enter after the event content ends or after a predetermined time has elapsed since the end. For example, a live event is held in the area ER53', and when 30 minutes have elapsed since the end of the live event, the user avatar U still staying in the area ER53' may be forcibly transitioned (moved) out of the area ER53' (for example, moved to the front of the gate object 53c of the area ER52 with a blackout effect). This can prevent the server from being used more than necessary, reducing costs, for example, when the area ER53' is managed by a server that can handle a heavy load when the event content is provided. In addition, by waiting until a predetermined time has elapsed (for example, until 30 minutes or one hour has elapsed) after the provision of the event content ends and then moving the user avatar U, it is possible to provide a time for the user to feel the afterglow of the event.

[0378] In addition, the area ER53 that has been inaccessible since a specific period before the scheduled date of the provision of the event content becomes accessible again after the provision of the event content ends. For example, when the area ER53' becomes inaccessible (for example, 30 minutes after the end of a live event), the portal P for transitioning to the area ER53' disappears, making it impossible to move to the area ER53', and the virtual space (areas ER51, ER52, and ER53) before the specific period may return to a state in which seamless movement is possible (the gate of the gate object 53c leading to the area ER53 is open). In addition, for a user who has once left the area ER53' before a specific time has elapsed since the end of the event content, the portal P may not be displayed in the area ER52, and for example, the gate of the gate object 53c leading to the area ER53 may be in an open state.

[0379] (Event venue after the event content has ended) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a stage (virtual stage G, G2, etc.) in the same form as the virtual live venue in FIG. 13 or FIG. 34 constructed in area ER53' is displayed in area ER53, and the gradual construction of the virtual live venue is reflected a specific period before the scheduled date. In addition to or instead of this, after the event content ends, the form of the stage in the completed state after the event content is provided may be displayed in the virtual live venue in area ER53. For example, although the form was incomplete before the event content is provided, after the event content ends, the objects of the venue when the live event such as FIG. 34 was held may be displayed as they are. This allows the user to feel the afterglow of the event content even after the event content ends. In addition, in area ER53, no virtual live venue objects are displayed in the period before the scheduled date, and data that displays a gradual increase in venue objects in area ER53' from a specific period before the event start time may be delivered to the user at specified time intervals (in other words, venue objects are not placed (displayed) in area ER53, and venue objects are placed (displayed) only in area ER53').

[0380] (Example of switching for specific objects in the exhibition area) In the above embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 29(D) and Fig. 30(D), when the default flower stand FS for the exhibition area A, which is determined by lottery and stored when the switching condition is established, happens to include the flower stand FS1 purchased by the user 1 at position A6 in the exhibition area A, the display device 310 of the user 1 continues to display the flower stand FS1 at position A1 as shown in Fig. 29(D) by prioritizing the user-related information in Fig. 27(C), and the flower stand FS at position A6 is switched to the flower stand FS determined as position A1 by default. However, this is not limited to this, and when the default flower stand FS includes the flower stand FS1 purchased by the user 1, the flower stand FS determined as the default may be displayed (i.e., the flower stand FS1 purchased by the user 1 may be displayed at position A6 determined by default). Also, while the flower stand FS1 continues to be displayed at position A1, the flower stand FS1 may also be displayed at position A6 determined by default. In this way, a plurality of flower stands FS purchased by the user himself are displayed, improving the user's satisfaction.

[0381] Also, in step S203 in Fig. 32, a default flower stand FS for each display area is determined by random drawing from among all the flower stands FS that are the subject of the drawing, and since the flower stands FS that were determined as the default flower stand FS before the switching and were on display are included in the drawing, an example has been described in which a flower stand FS with the letter G that was also included before the switching may by chance be included after the switching, as shown in Fig. 29(C) etc. However, if the same flower stand FS is drawn by chance before and after the switching in this way, a drawing may be performed again only for the corresponding flower stand FS, and the table of default flower stand information in the object data 122 in Fig. 31(A) or (B) may be updated so that the same flower stand FS is not displayed before and after the switching. Also, except for the flower stands FS that were determined as the default flower stand FS before the switching and were on display from the drawing targets, all the flower stands FS after the switching may be changed to different flower stands FS from those before the switching.

[0382] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which, at the time of purchasing a flower star FS, in step S101 of Fig. 28, it is determined whether or not it is a purchasing period before the scheduled date, and, in step S201 of Fig. 32, it is determined whether or not it is a display period before the scheduled date for the flower star FS. These purchasing periods and display periods may or may not be the same. For example, the purchasing period may be set to be from 7 days to 4 days before the scheduled date, and a flower star FS purchased during the purchasing period may be displayed from 3 days before to the day before the scheduled date.

[0383] [Software implementation example] The various control blocks of the control unit of a computer such as a server or a terminal in the above-mentioned embodiment may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like, or may be realized by software using a CPU (Central Processing Unit). In the case where the control block is realized by software using a CPU, the computer equipped with the control unit includes a CPU that executes instructions of a program, which is software that realizes each function, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a storage device (these are referred to as "recording medium") in which the program and various data are recorded so as to be readable by the computer (or CPU), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) in which the program is expanded. The object of the present invention is achieved by the computer (or CPU) reading and executing the program from the recording medium. As the recording medium, a "non-transient tangible medium", for example, a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, etc., can be used. The program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (such as a communication network or a broadcast wave) capable of transmitting the program. Note that one aspect of the present invention may also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

[0384] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0385] 1. Performer Avatar 100 Distribution server computer 150 Administrator terminal 200 Performer terminals 300 Viewer terminals

Claims

1. A computer for providing a virtual space to a user, a means for displaying an image in a virtual space that is generated in response to an operation by the user; functioning as a means for providing event content on a scheduled date within a predetermined type of virtual space among the virtual spaces; The display means can display an image of the predetermined type of virtual space in response to an operation by the user even during a period before the scheduled date, the period being a day before the scheduled date; The computer, A program that causes the display means to function as a means for performing processing related to the event content depending on the degree to which images within the specified type of virtual space are displayed during the period before the scheduled date.

2. A method for controlling a computer to provide a virtual space to a user, comprising: a step of displaying an image in the virtual space that is generated in response to an operation by the user; providing event content on a scheduled date within a predetermined type of virtual space among the virtual spaces; Even during a period before the scheduled date, which is a day before the scheduled date, the step of displaying can display an image in the predetermined type of virtual space in response to an operation by the user, The computer, A method in which the step of displaying functions as a step of performing processing related to the event content depending on the degree to which images within the specified type of virtual space were displayed during the period before the scheduled date.

3. A system having a computer that performs processing for providing a virtual space to a user, a means for displaying an image in a virtual space that is generated in response to an operation by the user; means for providing event content on a scheduled date within a predetermined type of virtual space among the virtual spaces; The display means can display an image of the predetermined type of virtual space in response to an operation by the user even during a period before the scheduled date, the period being a day before the scheduled date; A system comprising: a means for performing processing related to the event content according to a degree to which an image in the virtual space of the predetermined type is displayed by the means for displaying during the period before the scheduled date.

Images