Game program, game processing method, and game system

Abstract

To provide a game system, a game processing method, and a game program that can offer new ways of adding variations within a single course.SOLUTION: Within a course where a first object is disposed, an operation object is moved. A plurality of types of objects, other than the operation object, within the course are controlled by a first behavior preset for each course. In response to the operation object having acted on the first object, any type of in-course object preset for each course is controlled by a second behavior preset for each course. Thereafter, in response to the operation object having acted on the second object, the in-course object being currently controlled by the second behavior is transitioned to be controlled by the first behavior.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the processing of an action game having multiple courses, each of which includes at least one goal. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Goal-clear type action games have been disclosed in the past, in which a course is considered to have been cleared when a player character reaches a preset goal point (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-101754 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such action games, multiple courses can be prepared. By giving each course its own characteristics, it is possible to create interest based on the various changes between courses. However, there is room for improvement in the way changes are made within a single course. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the following configuration examples are given.

[0006] (Configuration 1) Configuration 1 is a game program that causes a computer of a game system to execute an action game having a plurality of courses each including at least one goal. The game program causes the computer to move a control object within a course in which a first object is placed in response to a player's operation. The game program also causes the computer to control a plurality of types of objects within the course other than the control object with a first behavior that is preset for each course. The game program also causes the computer to control any of the types of in-course objects, among the plurality of types of in-course objects, that are preset for each course, with a second behavior that is preset for each course, in response to the control object acting on the first object. The game program also causes a second object to appear within the course in response to the control object acting on the first object. The game program also causes the computer to control the in-course object controlled with the second behavior with the first behavior in response to the control object acting on the second object.

[0007] According to the above configuration, in the course, changes occur in the objects in the course as the course progresses from the start to the goal, so that the interest of the game can be improved. In addition, in each course, changes occur as the controlled character acts on the common first object, but since the changes differ depending on the course, it is difficult for the player to predict what will happen, so that the interest of the game can be further improved. In addition, by acquiring the second object, the changed state ends and the original state is restored, so that a new interest not seen in the past can be provided, as if there were a start and a goal of another course between the start and goal of the original course.

[0008] (Configuration 2) In configuration 2, in configuration 1, a first behavior and a second behavior may be set in advance for each of a plurality of types of in-course objects.

[0009] According to the above configuration, while using common in-course objects within a course or between courses, it is possible to set individually for each course whether a behavior changes from a first behavior to a second behavior and the content of the second behavior, thereby providing the player with completely different changes depending on the course. (Configuration 3) In configuration 3, in configuration 1 or 2, the control object may be changed from a first state to a second state in response to the control object acting on a first object in at least one course of the multiple courses, and the control object may be returned to the first state in response to the control object acting on a second object.

[0010] According to the above configuration, changes may occur in the operation object that is the object of operation by the player, which increases the player's sense of excitement about what changes will occur and enhances the entertainment value of the game.

[0011] (Configuration 4) In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, in at least one of the multiple courses, a virtual camera controlled by a first camera control parameter preset for each course may be controlled by a second camera control parameter preset for each course in response to an action of the control object on a first object. Then, in response to an action of the control object on the second object, the virtual camera controlled by the second camera control parameter may be controlled by the first camera control parameter.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the way the screen is displayed and the appearance of the screen can be changed in accordance with the change from the control of the first behavior to the control of the second behavior, thereby making the game more entertaining.

[0013] (Configuration 5) Configuration 5 may be such that, in any of configurations 1 to 4, a predetermined effect is displayed on the game screen when the controlled object acts on a first object, regardless of the course, and the display of the predetermined effect is terminated when the controlled object acts on a second object.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the player can recognize that the object in the course is being controlled by the second control. Specifically, since the player does not know what kind of second behavior will occur for each course, there is a possibility that the player cannot grasp whether or not a change to the second behavior has actually occurred. In this regard, by displaying the above effect, the player can recognize that a change to the second behavior has occurred.

[0015] (Configuration 6) Configuration 6 is any of configurations 1 to 5, and in at least one course among the multiple courses, when the control object acts on a first object and then on a second object, the object in the course that is controlled with the second behavior may be controlled with the first behavior without changing the position of the control object when it acts on the second object.

[0016] According to the above configuration, not only can the player enjoy the change to the course after the controlled object acts on the first object, but also, for example, if the controlled object acts on a second object after proceeding along a course that is changing, the player can go back the distance traveled along the course, thereby enjoying the state of the course when no change has occurred.

[0017] (Configuration 7) In a seventh aspect of any one of the first to sixth aspects, the game system may be capable of playing a multiplayer game with a plurality of players using the same display unit in a single game system. When a first control object operated by a first player among the plurality of players acts on a first object, all control objects including the first control object may be gathered at a predetermined position.

[0018] According to the above configuration, when a multiplayer game is being played by multiple players, depending on the positions of control objects other than the first control object controlled by the first player, depending on the content of the second behavior, a specific control object may be unable to proceed, thereby preventing a situation from occurring in which play through a course becomes impossible.

[0019] (Configuration 8) Configuration 8 is the same as configuration 7, in that when a first control object is changed from a first state to a second state in response to an action of the first control object on a first object, all control objects including the first control object may be changed to the second state.

[0020] According to the above configuration, for example, when a course includes a route that requires the control object to be controlled in the second state, it is possible to prevent a situation from occurring in which a specific control object is unable to proceed through the course.

[0021] (Configuration 9) Configuration 9 is such that in configurations 7 or 8, when a first control object acts on a first object and then any control object acts on a second object, the objects in the course that are controlled with the second behavior may be controlled with the first behavior without changing the positions of the control objects when they acted on the second object.

[0022] According to the above configuration, the control object other than the control object that acted on the second object may be put in a disadvantageous situation when the in-course object returns to the first behavior, which can increase the interest of the game. Also, the player can be motivated to act on the second object as quickly as possible with the control object that he or she operates.

[0023] (Configuration 10) In a tenth aspect of the invention, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, a predetermined reward may be given to the player in response to the operation object acting on the second object.

[0024] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide the player with a motivation to cause the control object to act on the first object and on the second object.

[0025] (Configuration 11) In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the tenth aspect, the total number of the rewards may be finite in the game. And, the reward may be awarded when the course is cleared.

[0026] According to the above configuration, the player can receive a reward when he or she clears the course by reaching the goal, but can receive a larger amount of the finite reward if he or she reaches the goal after making the control object act on the second object. This can motivate the player to make the control object act on the first object and to make the control object act on the second object.

[0027] (Configuration 12) Configuration 12 is configured as in configuration 1, and the multiple courses may include a course having multiple goals including at least a first goal that the control object can reach without acting on the first object with the control object, and a second goal that requires the control object to act on the first object in order to reach the first goal.

[0028] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide the player with motivation to play again a course that he or she has already cleared once.

[0029] (Configuration 13) Configuration 13 is any of configurations 10 to 12, in which, after a reward is granted in response to an operation object acting on a second object, play of the course is restarted based on the operation object being unable to reach the goal, and the play may be restarted from a predetermined point within the course with the reward granted.

[0030] According to the above configuration, even if the player makes a mistake and restarts before clearing the course after a reward has been granted in response to an action on the second object, the player is spared the trouble of having to go and get the reward again, thereby improving convenience for the player. Effect of the Invention

[0031] According to the present disclosure, by changing the behavior of objects of the same type within a course as one progresses from the start to the finish line, it is possible to add variety to the gameplay of a single course and increase the entertainment value of the game. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the game system 1 [Diagram 2] An example of a game screen [Diagram 3] An example of a game screen [Figure 4] An example of a game screen [Diagram 5] An example of a game screen [Figure 6] An example of a game screen [Figure 7] A memory map showing an example of various data stored in the storage unit 32 of the game device 3. [Figure 8] An example of the data structure of course data 307 [Figure 9] An example of the data structure of the course object data 313 [Figure 10] A flowchart showing details of the course play process executed by the game device 3. [Figure 11] Flowchart showing details of normal state game processing [Figure 12] Flowchart showing details of special state game processing [Figure 13] Flowchart showing details of special state game processing DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] [Game system hardware configuration]

[0034] A gaming system according to an example of this embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a gaming system 1 according to this embodiment. The gaming system 1 in this embodiment includes a gaming device 3, a controller 4, and a display unit 5. In this embodiment, the gaming device will be described as a stationary gaming device. In other embodiments, the gaming device 3 may be an information processing device such as a portable gaming device, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a mobile phone, a personal computer, or a wearable terminal.

[0035] 1, the game device 3 includes a processor 31. The processor 31 is an information processing unit that executes various information processes executed in the game device 3, and may be composed of only a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or may be composed of a SoC (System-on-a-chip) including a plurality of functions such as a CPU function and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) function. The processor 31 executes various information processes by executing an information processing program (e.g., a game program) stored in a storage unit 32. The storage unit 32 may be an internal storage medium such as a flash memory or a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), or may be configured to use an external storage medium or the like that is inserted into a slot not shown.

[0036] The game device 3 also includes a wireless communication unit 33 for wirelessly communicating with other game devices 3 and a predetermined server. As the wireless communication, for example, Internet communication or short-distance wireless communication is used.

[0037] The game device 3 also includes a controller communication unit 34 for allowing the game device 3 to communicate with the controller 4 in a wired or wireless manner.

[0038] Furthermore, a display unit 5 (e.g., a television or the like) is connected to the game device 3 via an image / audio output unit 35. The processor 31 outputs images and sounds generated (for example, by executing the above-mentioned information processing) to the display unit 5 via the image / audio output unit 35.

[0039] Next, the controller 4 will be described. The controller 4 includes at least one analog stick 42, which is an example of a direction input device. The analog stick 42 can be used as a direction input unit capable of inputting a direction. By tilting the analog stick 42, the player can input a direction according to the tilt direction (and input a magnitude according to the tilt angle). The controller 4 also includes a button unit 43 including various operation buttons. For example, the controller 4 may include a plurality of operation buttons on the main surface of the housing.

[0040] The controller 4 also includes an inertial sensor 44. Specifically, the controller 4 includes an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor as the inertial sensor 44. In this embodiment, the acceleration sensor detects the magnitude of acceleration along predetermined three axial directions. Furthermore, the angular velocity sensor detects angular velocity around the predetermined three axes.

[0041] The controller 4 also includes a communication unit 41 for performing wired or wireless communication with the controller communication unit 34. The directional input contents to the analog stick 42, information indicating the pressed state of the button unit 43, and various detection results by the inertial sensor 44 are repeatedly output to the communication unit 41 at appropriate timing and transmitted to the game device 3.

[0042] [Overview of information processing in this embodiment] Next, an overview of information processing according to this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, as an example of information processing, a game processing in which a player operates a player character object (hereinafter referred to as a player character) existing in a virtual space to play will be assumed and described. More specifically, in this embodiment, a side-scrolling action game (hereinafter referred to as this game) will be assumed and described. In this game, a virtual space called a "course" that is the main stage for play is prepared. Note that the course may be called a "stage" or a "round" depending on the game. Also, a plurality of such courses are prepared. A start point and a goal point are set for each of the courses. This game is a game in which the objective is to make the player character reach the goal point on each course.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows an example of a game screen during the course. In the example of FIG. 2, a part of the course configured as a horizontally long virtual space is displayed. FIG. 2 also shows an example of a screen near the start point of the course, that is, a screen immediately after starting to play the course. In this course, the start point is set near the left end of the course, and the goal point is set near the right end of the course. Therefore, the course is configured such that the player character advances toward the right direction of the screen as the overall game progresses. In such a game screen, the player operates the player character to move toward the goal point. As the player character moves, another part of the course is displayed. When the player character reaches the goal point, the course is cleared. The player may be able to freely select a course to play from among multiple courses, or may be able to play another course by clearing a certain course.

[0044] In addition, various objects within the course are arranged between the start point and the goal point. An example of the objects within the course will be described below.

[0045] In this example, enemy characters are placed in the course. The enemy characters are objects controlled by the processor 31, act autonomously to a certain extent, and can be damaged when they come into contact with each other. For example, the enemy characters move within a predetermined range in the course based on a predefined behavior pattern, and attack when the player character approaches. The player character may be able to damage the enemy characters by performing a predetermined attack, or may be able to disappear when the amount of damage exceeds a certain value. Here, various types of enemy characters with different character designs and behavior patterns may appear. In the following description, enemy characters with the same design and controlled by the same behavior pattern are treated as enemy characters of the same "type." For example, there is an "enemy character A" with a behavior pattern that charges and attacks the player character, and an "enemy character B" with a behavior pattern that shoots fireballs at the player character, and multiple enemy characters A and multiple enemy characters B may appear at the same time.

[0046] In this example, course part objects are placed within the course. The course part objects are objects that the player character rides on or bumps into, thereby defining the route of the player character within the course, and supporting or hindering the progress of the player character. The course part objects may be fixed within the course, may move in a predetermined movement pattern, or may move when acted upon by the player character. The course part objects may be constantly present, or may disappear when a predetermined condition is met. Examples of course part objects include blocks, trees, sand, snow, and scaffolding. Another example is a ladder or rope that the player character can ascend and descend. The course part objects may have some kind of gimmick. For example, a course part object may cause another course part object to appear or move when acted upon by the player character. A course part object may cause the player character to move faster or jump higher when acted upon by the player character. As with the case of enemy characters, course part objects with the same behavior are treated as the same "type."

[0047] Due to the presence of such in-course objects, the player is required to control the player character to defeat, avoid, or utilize these various in-course objects in order to guide the player character to the goal.

[0048] As described above, when the player character reaches the goal point, the course is cleared. In this game, a course that has been cleared once can be played repeatedly, but when the course is cleared for the first time, a "reward item" is given to the player as a first-time clear reward. The more reward items possessed, the more advantageous the player is in progressing through the game. For example, a condition that a predetermined number or more of the reward items are possessed may be set as a prerequisite for playing a certain course. In addition, the more the number of reward items possessed, the better the performance of the player character may be, and other effects may be obtained. From this point of view, one of the objectives of this game is to clear as many courses as possible and collect the reward items.

[0049] In this game, only one item object called a "change occurrence item" appears in each course. Then, by acting on the change occurrence item with the player character, the course change occurrence condition is satisfied, and the course being played can be put into a state in which various changes are occurring. The action is, for example, making the player character come into contact with the change occurrence item. Another example of the action is, for example, throwing an item and making the item come into contact with the change occurrence item. Another example of the action is, for example, a case in which a change occurrence item is hidden in an item box, and the change occurrence item is made to appear by impacting the item box. After the change is generated in this way, the change that has occurred is canceled and the original state is restored by satisfying the change cancellation condition described later. The content of the change is set for each course. In other words, the change that occurs is different for each course. For example, at least one of the following three types of changes occurs for the content of the change. Of course, two or more types of changes may occur simultaneously. (A) Changes in enemy character behavior (B) Changes in the behavior of course part objects (C) Changes to player characters Note that the above-mentioned change example is just an example, and other changes may occur.

[0050] In the following description, the state of the course where a change is occurring due to a change-causing item is referred to as a "special state." In contrast, the state of the course where no change is occurring due to a change-causing item is referred to as a "normal state." In this game, the behavior of the objects in the course and the behavior of the player character may change between the "normal state" and the "special state," but the basic terrain of the course and the basic layout of the course do not change. In addition, as a result of the behavior of the objects in the course changing in the "special state," the gameplay may be significantly different from that in the "normal state." Therefore, it is possible to provide the player with different game experiences while using the same course.

[0051] In addition, a predetermined screen effect may be added to the game screen in the "special state" to indicate that it is a "special state" rather than a "normal state". For example, as an example of a screen effect, the color of the entire game screen or a partial area may be changed or an effect image may be superimposed. As another example, the background color of the course may be expressed in different colors for the "normal state" and the "special state". This makes it easier for the player to understand that it is a "special state" rather than a "normal state". However, the screen effect is not essential, and in other embodiments, the above-mentioned screen effect may not be added even in the "special state".

[0052] 3 to 6 show examples of screens when the "normal state" changes to the "special state". FIG. 3 shows a game screen in the "normal state". In FIG. 3, a change occurrence item is displayed. When the player character is moved from the state of FIG. 3 and touches the change occurrence item as shown in FIG. 4, the change occurrence item is erased and a change occurrence effect as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. The change occurrence effect is, for example, an effect in which a circle expands from the position of the change occurrence item. After that, a game screen in the "special state" is displayed as shown in FIG. 6. In the screen, the colors of the background and the ground are expressed in colors different from those in the "normal state". Also, FIG. 6 shows an example in which a change occurs in the behavior of an enemy character due to a change occurrence item. First, FIG. 6 shows a state in which an enemy character A is jumping. This is an example in which the behavior of the enemy character A, which is "not jumping" in the normal state, changes to the behavior of "jumping" as a result of changing to the special state. Furthermore, in FIG. 6, it is also shown that enemy character B, which was not displayed in the "normal state", has appeared near the left end of the screen. This shows an example in which the enemy character B has changed from a behavior of "not appearing" to a behavior of "appearing". From another perspective, it can be said that the enemy character B has changed from a behavior of "not being displayed and having no hit detection" to a behavior of "being displayed and having a hit detection". As described above, since the content of the change that occurs differs for each course, if a change-generating item is obtained in another course, another change may occur. Also, the way in which the display mode is changed to indicate a "special state" may differ for each course. Also, the "special state" continues until a change release condition, which will be described later, is satisfied.

[0053] Here, some examples of changes that occur in the above "special states" are given.

[0054] [Examples of changes in enemy character behavior] First, an example of the behavior change of the enemy character will be shown. In this game, for example, the following changes may occur in the behavior of the enemy character during the "special state". First, there is a change in which an enemy character that does not appear in the "normal state" appears. That is, the behavior of a certain enemy character that does not appear in the "normal state" changes to the behavior of appearing during the "special state". For example, when the "special state" is entered, an enemy character that does not appear in the "normal state" and cannot be defeated by the player character may appear at the left edge of the screen and chase the player character. In this case, if the player character is caught up, it becomes a "miss". This allows the player to enjoy playing the game in which the player advances while escaping from the enemy character so as not to be caught up during the "special state". Also, as an example, an enemy character that appears in the "normal state" may not appear in the "special state", but a giant version of that enemy character may appear. In this way, the player can feel as if the enemy character that was on the course in the "normal state" had become giant in the "special state".

[0055] Also, the behavior pattern of the same enemy character may change between the "normal state" and the "special state". For example, the enemy character may move in both the "normal state" and the "special state", but the pattern of movement may change only during the "special state". One example is that the movement speed may increase, the movement range may expand, etc. Also, for example, the pattern of attacks may change only during the "special state". One example is that an enemy character that attacks by spewing water in the "normal state" may attack by spewing fire in the "special state", or the frequency of attacks may increase in the "special state" compared to the "normal state".

[0056] Also, for example, assume that there are multiple enemy characters A and some of the enemy characters A are defeated in a normal state. In this case, when a special state is subsequently entered, the behavior of only the enemy characters A that remain undefeated may change.

[0057] [Example of changing the behavior of course part objects] Next, some examples of behavioral changes of the course part objects are shown. Basically, as in the case of the enemy characters, there is a change in which a course part object that does not appear in the "normal state" appears. For example, in the "special state", a change may occur in which an iron ball object (a type of course part object) rolls from the left edge of the screen. Also, for example, in the "special state", a "wall" that did not appear in the "normal state" appears at a predetermined position, obstructing the player character's progress route or forming a maze-like course. Also, for example, a cannon object that does not move in the "normal state" may be placed, and a change may occur in which a cannonball is fired from this cannon object only during the "special state". This may increase the difficulty of the game in the "special state". Also, a tree that does not move and serves as a foothold in the "normal state" may move only during the "special state". This may allow a player to reach a certain area in the course only during the "special state" by moving on a moving tree.

[0058] As with the enemy characters, the appearance and behavior patterns of course part objects that appear even in the "normal state" may be changed. For example, a block may be placed in the "normal state" that temporarily projects a short platform when acted upon by the player character, and a long platform may be automatically projected from the block only during the "special state."

[0059] In this embodiment, the behavior of the change-causing item in the "special state" cannot be set, but it may be possible to set it. That is, the change-causing item may be treated as an object that appears in the "normal state" (until the player character comes into contact with it) but does not appear in the "special state."

[0060] Also, for example, suppose that the course part objects include objects that can be destroyed or moved. In this case, objects that are destroyed or moved during the normal state may be configured to continue to have the state they had in the normal state even after the special state is entered. In other words, destroyed objects may remain destroyed, and moved objects may not change their position even after the special state is entered.

[0061] [Examples of changes to player characters] Next, an example of a change in the player character will be shown. In this example, the state (appearance, performance, etc.) of the player character may change depending on the course. For example, the size of the player character may increase, and the hit detection may increase accordingly.

[0062] Also, the method of controlling the movement of the player character may be changed. For example, during the "special state", the player character may be able to move in the air. More specifically, when the "special state" is entered, the player character may first jump high, and the screen may scroll upward accordingly. When the player character reaches the sky, the movement of the player character may be controlled so that the character swims in the air.

[0063] Also, for example, the damage floor may be changed so that it can be moved on without receiving damage. More specifically, when the "special state" is entered, the appearance of the player character may change (transform), and the state (control contents) of the player character may be changed so that the player character will not receive damage even if the player touches the damage floor. In this case, when the "special state" ends, the appearance returns to normal, and the player character returns to a state in which the player character can receive damage on the damage floor.

[0064] Furthermore, during the "special state", changes may occur such as a faster movement speed or the ability to jump higher than in the "normal state".

[0065] Also, for example, during the "special state", the player character may be controlled to be able to move with the depth direction of the screen downward. As an example, the player character may be controlled to be able to move using a wall displayed in the depth direction of the screen as a foothold. At this time, the player character on the display screen may change from a display mode in which the entire body is seen from the side to a display mode in which the player character is seen from the top of the head. At this time, the control of the gravity direction may actually be changed. In other words, gravity may be controlled to be generated in the depth direction of the screen. In this case, for example, when the player character jumps, the player character is controlled to jump from the depth direction of the screen toward the player character and then fall toward the depth direction.

[0066] Also, while the direction of gravity itself is not changed, for example, the appearance of the player character may be changed to a slime-like form, and the movement control may be changed so that the character can move by sticking to walls and ceilings.

[0067] [Example of multiple changes occurring in two or more objects] As an example of two or more types of object changes occurring simultaneously, the following changes may occur. For example, a change may be generated in which the player character, enemy characters, and course part objects all move slower. In other words, a change may be generated to slow down the movement speed and animation playback speed of each object.

[0068] Also, for example, when a "special state" occurs, background music different from that in the "normal state" may be played, and enemy characters and course part objects may perform specific movements in time with the rhythm of the background music. For example, enemy characters may be controlled to jump all at once at a certain position where background music is being played. Furthermore, the player character may be controlled to incorporate elements of a rhythm game, for example, by making it possible to score points by making the player character jump in time with the rhythm.

[0069] [Changes in virtual camera control] In addition, the behavior and control method of the virtual camera may be made different between the "normal state" and the "special state" according to the various changes described above. In other words, various parameters for controlling the virtual camera may be made different between the "normal state" and the "special state". For example, in the "normal state", when the player character jumps at the top of the screen and moves upward off the screen, the virtual camera does not move to follow (the screen does not scroll vertically), but in the "special state", the virtual camera may be made to follow the movement of the player character (the screen scrolls vertically) even in such a case, thereby expanding the movable range of the virtual camera. In addition, in the "special state", the virtual camera may be rotated slightly to the left and the display on the screen may be rotated slightly to the right, so that it appears as if the virtual world is tilted to the right. In this case, gravity may be applied slightly to the right (downward on the display screen) to the player character and enemy character to create a stronger illusion that the virtual world is tilted.

[0070] [Regarding the end of the "special state"] Next, the end of the "special state" will be described. In this game, the condition for releasing the "special state" and returning to the "normal state" is set to the condition of obtaining the reward item placed in the course. More specifically, the condition for the occurrence of the "special state" is satisfied by contacting the change-generating item, and one of the reward items is placed at a predetermined position in the course, in addition to the reward for clearing the course. Then, the condition for releasing the "special state" is satisfied by contacting the reward item with the player character. This can be said to be a configuration in which another course is included in a certain course. In other words, this other course is a course in which the position of the change-generating item is the starting point, and the position of the reward item placed in response to the change to the "special state" is the goal point. Then, when the "special state" is released, the various changes that have occurred to the objects in the course and the player character are also released, and the state of the course returns to the "normal state."

[0071] In addition, the above reward item is given to the player when the "special state" is released. In terms of the number of reward items that can be obtained, a maximum of two items can be obtained for one course, including the first-time clear reward and the items that can be obtained in the "special state". Note that only the first-time reward item is given for the "special state". For example, even if a player plays a cleared course again after obtaining a reward item for the "special state" and causes the "special state" again to release the "special state", the reward item is not given. In addition, if a reward item for the "special state" has already been obtained, the display mode of the above change-generating item and reward item may be changed. For example, both items may be displayed semi-transparently to inform the player that the reward item has already been obtained.

[0072] In this embodiment, the reward item in the "special state" may be treated as a type of course part object. Specifically, the behavior may be defined so that the reward item does not appear in the "normal state" but appears in the "special state."

[0073] Here, a supplementary explanation will be given for the case where, after acquiring a reward item in the above-mentioned "special state" in an uncleared course, a player makes a "mistake" before reaching the goal and loses the remaining number of player characters. For example, if a player plays a course with three remaining player characters and makes a "mistake" after acquiring a reward item in the "special state", the remaining number of player characters will decrease by one to two, and the game will resume from a specified restart point. In this case, the reward item in the "special state" is provisionally treated as having been "acquired". However, if the remaining number of player characters becomes 0 without reaching the goal point, that is, if the course is not cleared after all, the reward item acquired in the above-mentioned "special state" is also treated as not having been acquired. In other words, the acquisition of the reward item in the "special state" is confirmed when the course is cleared.

[0074] A supplementary explanation will also be given regarding the placement position of the change-causing item. Basically, the placement position of the change-causing item may be any position, but depending on the course, the change-causing item may be placed after the midpoint of the course (for example, a point where, if reached, the player can resume from that point even if a "mistake" is made after that point). By placing the change-causing item in this way, the player can come into contact with the change-causing item after playing the course to a certain extent and grasping the atmosphere of the course (the behavior patterns of enemy characters, the presence of various course part objects, etc.). As a result, the play up to that point can be used as a "prelude (introduction)" and the atmosphere that the player has grasped can be exaggerated or made the exact opposite, giving the player a surprise.

[0075] In addition to touching the reward item, the condition for releasing the "special state" may be exceeding the time limit depending on the course. In this case, the "special state" is entered and a time limit counter is also displayed on the game screen. If the reward item cannot be touched within the time limit, the "special state" is released at that point. In this case, the reward item cannot be acquired. In other words, the game has a goal of touching the reward item within the time limit. In this case, the change-causing item may not reappear until it is released by clearing the course, etc. On the other hand, if a "mistake" is made during the "special state," the game may be restarted from before the "special state" was entered and the change-causing item may be allowed to reappear.

[0076] Next, the position of the player character when returning from the "special state" to the "normal state" will be described. In this embodiment, the player character is basically placed at the position where the "special state" was released (near the position where the reward item was placed), and play in the "normal state" is resumed. In other words, the amount of progress made on the course during the "special state" will be reflected when the "normal state" is returned to. For example, assume that the "special state" is changed to point A in the course, and the player character progresses to point B during the "special state." Then, when the "special state" is released at point B and the "normal state" is returned to, play in the "normal state" will be resumed with the player character at this point B. This allows the player character to move (return) toward the starting point depending on the course, providing a way of having fun by checking what the course was like in the "normal state."

[0077] Depending on the course, the player character may be returned to the position before the "special state" began, i.e., the position where the change-causing item was touched, and then play may be resumed in the "normal state." For example, if the "special state" is released at point B, the player character may be moved to point A, and then play in the "normal state" may be resumed.

[0078] Also, assume that when the "special state" is released, there is no foothold at the player character's position. In this case, the player character falls, and play resumes in the "normal state" from the point where the character lands. For example, assume that a change has occurred as a "special state" that allows the player character to "swimming in the air." In this case, if the "special state" is released while the player character is in the air, the course will return to the "normal state" and the player character will fall. Play will then resume from the point where the character lands.

[0079] In this way, in the game of this embodiment, the state of the course can be changed from a "normal state" to a "special state" by contacting a change-causing item arranged on the course. Therefore, the player can proceed to the goal in the "normal state" without contacting a change-causing item, or can enjoy playing the game with the changed gameplay caused by the "special state" on the way to the goal by contacting a change-causing item. Furthermore, as described above, the change content in the "special state" differs for each course. Therefore, in response to contacting the "same" item, which is a change-causing item that can appear in common on any course, various changes can be provided to the player, which can even greatly change the gameplay for each course.

[0080] The game processing in this embodiment will be described in more detail below.

[0081] [Data used in game processing] First, the data used in this game process will be described. Fig. 7 is a memory map showing an example of various data stored in the storage unit 32 of the game device 3. The storage unit 32 stores at least a game program 301, player character data 302, a course database 306, possessed item data 308, operation data 309, and a special state flag 310.

[0082] The game program 301 is a program for executing game processing including course play processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 10, which will be described later.

[0083] The player character data 302 is data related to the player character that is the object of operation by the player. The player character data 302 includes position data 303, posture data 304, normal state definition data 305, and the like. The position data 303 is data indicating the position of the player character on each course. The posture data 304 is data indicating the posture of the player character. The normal state definition data 305 includes various data that defines the state of the player character in a "normal state" that is common to each course, specifically, the appearance and the contents of the behavior based on the operation of the player. For example, the data includes model data and image data of the appearance in the normal state, data related to the moving speed, data related to the highest point reached and the falling speed when jumping, data defining the shape and size of the hit judgment, animation data of various behaviors performed by the player character such as jumping, and the like.

[0084] The course database 306 is a database that defines the contents of the above-mentioned courses. The course database 306 includes a plurality of course data 307, and each piece of course data 307 corresponds to one course. Fig. 8 shows an example of the data configuration of the course data 307. The course data 307 includes at least a course ID 311, course topography data 312, in-course object data 313, player character change definition data 314, normal state camera parameters 315, and special state camera parameters 316.

[0085] The course ID 311 is an ID for uniquely identifying each course. The course topography data 312 is data on the topography that constitutes each course, and includes polygon mesh data and texture data of the topography.

[0086] The in-course object data 313 is data that defines each of the in-course objects that may appear in the course. Fig. 9 shows an example of the data configuration of the in-course object data 313. The in-course object data 313 includes a plurality of object data 321. Each object data 321 includes at least an object ID 322, an object type 323, a state parameter 324, normal state control data 325, and special state control data 326.

[0087] The object ID 322 is an ID for identifying each object.

[0088] The object type 323 is data indicating the type of the object. For example, data such as "enemy character A", "enemy character B", "course part object A", and "course part object B" are set.

[0089] The state parameters 324 are parameters indicating the current state used to control the behavior of the object. For example, parameters indicating the current position and current posture are stored. In addition, various parameters indicating the current state of the object, such as moving, attacking, jumping, etc., are also stored. In addition, a parameter indicating whether or not the object is present on the course is also stored. For example, in the case of an enemy character, the parameter indicates whether or not the object has been defeated, and in the case of a course part object, the parameter indicates whether or not the object has been destroyed or acquired, etc.

[0090] The normal state control data 325 is, for example, data that defines the behavior of the object in the above-mentioned "normal state." The special state control data 326 is data that defines the behavior of the object in the above-mentioned "special state." Some examples of the definitions of these data are shown below. For example, for a certain enemy character, the normal state control data 325 includes data that specifies that the moving speed is 1.0, and the special state control data 326 includes data that specifies that the moving speed is 2.0. In another example, for a certain enemy character, the normal state control data 325 includes data that specifies that the enemy character "does not appear," and the special state control data 326 includes data that specifies that the enemy character "appears." As an example, it is assumed that, for an enemy character object having a certain appearance, data specifying "appear" is included as the normal state control data 325, data specifying "not appear" is included as the special state control data 326, and for an enemy character object corresponding to a different appearance of the enemy character (for example, size or detailed shape), data specifying "not appear" is included as the normal state control data 325, and data specifying "appear" is included as the special state control data 326. At this time, by changing from the "normal state" to the "special state", it is possible to produce an effect as if the enemy character that has appeared up until then has changed into an enemy character with a different appearance. Note that, in another example, for the same course part object, image data with different colors may be specified in the normal state control data 325 and the special state control data 326. In yet another example, different color information may be specified as the color information of the object in the normal state control data 325 and the special state control data 326. At this time, by changing from the "normal state" to the "special state", the color of the object in the course changes.

[0091] With regard to the objects in the course, the same contents are defined as the normal state control data 325 and the special state control data 326 for objects whose behavior does not change between the "normal state" and the "special state". In other words, for objects whose behavior does not change, the content "behavior does not change during the special state" is actively defined. By using such a data structure, it is possible to easily realize a setting in which enemy character A appears in a plurality of courses, while defining different behaviors between the "normal state" and the "special state" only in some courses, and defining the same behavior between the "normal state" and the "special state" in other courses, while reusing basic data regarding enemy character A, and changing the behavior of enemy character A in the "special state" only in some courses.

[0092] In this embodiment, the behavior defined in the special state control data 326 is different for each course. However, it is not excluded that the behavior may be common to some courses. In this embodiment, the behavior defined in the special state control data 326 is set for each type of object. For example, if the object type 323 is the same object, the same content is set. For example, if multiple enemy characters whose object type 323 is "enemy character A" are made to appear in a course, the special state control data 326 of these multiple objects may be the same. In this regard, for example, among objects of the same type, at least some courses may have different behaviors defined between the "normal state" and the "special state" for only some objects. Also, for example, among objects of the same type that have different behaviors defined between the "normal state" and the "special state" for at least some courses, some objects may have different "special state" behaviors defined from other objects.

[0093] In this embodiment, a data configuration in which normal state control data 325 is provided for each course has been exemplified. In this regard, in other embodiments, for example, data that can be commonly used among a plurality of courses, such as data (model data, texture data) showing the appearance of objects within the course in the normal state and data showing behavior patterns, may be configured to be commonly used. Then, only data that is specific to each course, such as the placement positions of objects within the course in each course, may be set as normal state control data 325 to be provided for each course.

[0094] Returning to FIG. 8, next, the player character change definition data 314 is data that defines the change content of the player character when the course is in a "special state", that is, the state of the player character in a special state. For example, if the appearance of the player character is changed, the image data is included. Also, if the size of the hit detection or the like is changed, data that specifies the size after the change is included. Also, if the control content is changed, the moving speed and moving pattern of the player character after the change, animation data, etc. are included. Also, in the case of a course that does not particularly change the player character between the "normal state" and the "special state", the same content as the normal state definition data 305 is defined in the player character change definition data 314.

[0095] The player character change definition data 314 may define a change that can occur even in the "normal state", or may define a change that does not occur in the "normal state". For example, suppose there is an item that can appear on the course in the "normal state" and that makes the player character larger when acquired. For a certain course, the change to the player character in the "special state" may be defined to have the same effect as when the item is acquired. Also, a change that cannot occur in the "normal state", that is, a change that does not occur unless the player touches a change-generating item, may be defined.

[0096] Next, normal state camera parameters 315 are various parameters for controlling the virtual camera in the normal state, for example, initial values ​​of the position, imaging direction, angle of view, etc. of the virtual camera in the normal state are defined.

[0097] The special state camera parameters 316 are various parameters for controlling the virtual camera in a special state. For example, initial values ​​of the position, imaging direction, angle of view, etc. of the virtual camera in a special state are defined. In the case of a course in which the control of the virtual camera is not changed between the "normal state" and the "special state", the same contents as the above-mentioned normal state camera parameters 315 are defined.

[0098] 7, the possessed item data 308 is data indicating the in-game items acquired by the player in the game. The possessed item data 308 includes data indicating the number of possessed reward items, etc.

[0099] The operation data 309 is data obtained from the controller 4 operated by the player, that is, data indicating the content of the operation performed by the player.

[0100] The special state flag 310 is a flag for determining whether the state of the current course is a "special state." When it is on, it indicates a "special state," and when it is off, it indicates a "normal state."

[0101] [Details of Processing Executed by Processor 31 of Game Device 3] Next, the details of the course play process in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 13. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the details of the course play process executed by the processor 31 of the game device 3. In this embodiment, the process shown in Fig. 10 is started when the player performs an operation to play a predetermined course on, for example, a course selection screen (not shown) in the game device 3. In addition, in this embodiment, the flowchart shown below is realized by one or more processors reading and executing the above program stored in one or more memories. Note that the flowchart shown below is merely an example of the process. Therefore, the processing order of each step may be changed as long as the same result is obtained. In addition, the values ​​of the variables and the threshold values ​​used in the determination steps are merely examples, and other values ​​may be adopted as necessary.

[0102] When the course play process starts, first, in step S1, processor 31 reads course data 307 corresponding to the course selected by the player. Next, processor 31 builds a course in virtual space by arranging various terrain objects based on course data 307. Furthermore, processor 31 arranges various in-course objects and the above-mentioned change generating items on the course. Furthermore, processor 31 arranges the player character at the start point. Processor 31 also arranges the virtual camera at a predetermined position based on normal state camera parameters 315. Processor 31 also sets special state flag 310 to "off."

[0103] Next, in step S2, processor 31 determines whether or not special state flag 310 is on. If the result of this determination is that special state flag 310 is off, that is, in the “normal state” (NO in step S2), processor 31 executes normal state game processing in step S3.

[0104] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing details of the normal state game processing. In Fig. 11, first, in step S11, processor 31 acquires operation data 309. Next, in step S12, processor 31 controls the player character based on the operation data and normal state definition data 305.

[0105] Next, in step S13, processor 31 controls the behavior of each intra-course object that exists on the course at that time point, based on normal state control data 325 for each object. As a result, various enemy characters and course part objects are controlled to behave in the "normal state".

[0106] Next, in step S14, processor 31 performs hit determination (collision determination) processing, and performs various game processes based on the results of the hit determination (collision determination) processing.

[0107] Next, in step S15, the processor 31 controls the movement of the virtual camera based on the camera parameters 315 for the normal state.

[0108] Next, in step S16, processor 31 determines whether or not a course change occurrence condition is satisfied. In this example, the condition is that the player character has come into contact with the change occurrence item. In another embodiment, the condition may be, for example, that a hidden change occurrence item is made to appear (contact is not required). If the result of the determination is that the course change occurrence condition is satisfied (YES in step S16), processor 31 sets special state flag 310 to ON in step S17. Furthermore, processor 31 erases the change occurrence item from the course, regarding the player character as having acquired the change occurrence item. That is, processor 31 updates state parameter 324 so that the change occurrence item does not exist on the course. At this time, processor 31 also performs settings related to drawing such that the change occurrence effect is displayed for a predetermined time. At this time, processor 31 may move the position of the player character to a predetermined position. In particular, in other embodiments, when the course change occurrence condition is the appearance of a change occurrence item (not necessarily contact), the position of the player character is forcibly moved to the position of the change occurrence item, for example. This makes it possible to fix the starting point of the "special state" regardless of the position of the player character before the start of the "special state".

[0109] Next, in step S18, processor 31 causes a reward item, which is also used as a release condition for the special state, to appear at a predetermined position on the course. In this example, as described above, the reward item is also treated as one of the course part objects. The behavior of the reward item is defined so that it does not appear in the "normal state" but appears in the "special state". Therefore, the reward item is caused to appear by changing its behavior in the same way as other objects in the course. In this regard, in other embodiments, the reward item may be caused to appear by newly placing a reward item that did not previously exist on the course. Then, the process proceeds to step S19, which will be described later.

[0110] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S16 above is that the course change occurrence condition is not satisfied (NO in step S16), the processes in steps S17 and S18 above are skipped.

[0111] Next, in step S19, processor 31 generates a game image using the image of the virtual space captured by the virtual camera, and outputs it to display unit 5. This ends the normal state game processing.

[0112] 10, next, a case will be described where it is determined in step S2 that the special state flag is on (YES in step S2). In this case, in step S4, processor 31 executes a special state game process.

[0113] 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing details of the special state game processing. In FIG. 12, first, in step S31, processor 31 acquires operation data 309. Next, in step S32, processor 31 controls the player character based on operation data 309 and the content defined in player character change definition data 314. As a result, the player character is controlled by the content in the "special state". Therefore, if content different from the "normal state" is defined in player character change definition data 314, the state of the player character will change from the state in the "normal state".

[0114] Next, in step S33, processor 31 controls the behavior of each object in the course based on special state control data 326 for each object. As a result, various enemy characters and course part objects are controlled by the behavior of the "special state." Also, since special state control data 326 is set for each object type, it is possible that the behavior of only some types of objects in the course changes, such as enemy character A not changing from the "normal state" but enemy character B changing its behavior from the "normal state."

[0115] Next, in step S34, processor 31 performs various hit determination processes, and performs various game processes based on the results.

[0116] Next, in step S35, the processor 31 controls the movement of the virtual camera based on the special state camera parameters 316.

[0117] Next, in step S36 of FIG. 13, processor 31 determines whether or not the change cancellation condition is satisfied. In this example, it is assumed that the change cancellation condition is satisfied when either the player character comes into contact with the reward item that was made to appear in step S18 above, or when a predetermined time limit has elapsed. If the result of this determination is that either of the above two conditions is satisfied (YES in step S36), then in step S37, processor 31 determines whether or not the change cancellation condition is satisfied by the player character coming into contact with the reward item. If the result of this determination is that the change cancellation condition is satisfied by coming into contact with the reward item (YES in step S37), in step S38, processor 31 performs processing to provisionally grant the reward item to the player. Then, processor 31 erases the reward item from the course.

[0118] On the other hand, if the change cancellation condition is satisfied by the expiration of the time limit without contact with the reward item (NO in step S37), in step S39, processor 31 erases the reward item from the course without provisionally granting the reward item to the player.

[0119] Next, in step S40, processor 31 sets special state flag 310 to OFF. In addition, in conjunction with this, drawing settings may be made to display a predetermined effect image indicating that the "special state" has been released for a predetermined period of time. Then, the process proceeds to step S41.

[0120] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S36 above is that the change cancellation condition is not satisfied (NO in step S36), the processes in steps S37 to S40 above are skipped.

[0121] Next, in step S41, the processor 31 generates a game image using an image of the virtual space captured by the virtual camera, and outputs the image to the display unit 5. At this time, as described above, the course may be drawn using colors for the background, ground, etc. that are different from those in the "normal state". In addition, the course may be drawn with a predetermined screen effect that is not displayed in the "normal state". As a result, a game image that has the same topography as in the "normal state", but has a different appearance, such as an overall color scheme, may be displayed.

[0122] This is the end of the special state game processing.

[0123] Returning to FIG. 10, once the processing of step S3 or S4 is completed, processor 31 then determines in step S5 whether or not the clearing conditions for the currently played course have been met. That is, processor 31 determines whether or not the player character has reached the goal point. If the result of this determination is that the player character has not yet reached the goal point (NO in step S5), the process returns to step S2 and the process is repeated. On the other hand, if the clearing conditions for the course have been met (YES in step S5), then in step S6, processor 31 confirms the granting of a reward item if one has been provisionally granted in the "special state." That is, processor 31 updates possessed item data 308 so that the number of possessed reward items is increased by one.

[0124] Next, in step S7, if the current course has been cleared for the first time, processor 31 grants the player a reward item as a first-time clear reward. That is, processor 31 updates possessed item data 308 so that the possessed number of reward items is increased by one.

[0125] This is the end of the course play process.

[0126] In this way, in this embodiment, by satisfying the course change occurrence condition on the way of moving the player character from the start point to the goal point, the behavior of the objects in the course is changed, so that the interest of the game can be improved. In addition, although the behavior of the objects in the course is changed by contact with the change occurrence item, which is an object common to all courses, the content of the change differs depending on the course. In other words, the type of change can be made different for each course. For example, in a conventional game, when a predetermined switch-type object is acted on, a predetermined item appears at a predetermined position on the course. In this case, the position where the predetermined item appears can differ depending on the course, but the content of the change itself, that is, "a predetermined item appears" when acting on the switch object, is common to all courses. In this respect, in this embodiment, when acting on the switch object, in addition to "a predetermined item appears", a different change can be caused for each course. Therefore, although the player can expect that some change will occur due to the change occurrence item, he / she cannot predict (at least in the first play of each course) what kind of change will occur. This provides the player with a sense of expectation and excitement about what will happen, increasing the interest of the game. Also, by touching the reward item in the "special state", the change that has occurred is cancelled and the game returns to its original state. This provides a game experience in which the start and finish points of a pseudo-different course are located in the middle of the original course, providing the player with an interest never before seen.

[0127] [Variations] In the above embodiment, an example of processing assuming a single play is shown. In other embodiments, the above course play may be realized as a multi-play game. In this case, the multi-play mode may be a mode in which the same screen display is used as seen by any player. Specifically, in addition to a mode in which multiple players play using the display screen of one game device, there is also a mode in which the same screen is displayed on each player's game device when multiple players play using multiple game devices via communication such as the Internet.

[0128] In the case of the above multiplayer mode, in addition to the above controls, the following controls are also performed. For example, assume that four players are playing a multiplayer mode. In this case, when one of the player characters touches the above change-generating item, the positions of the player characters of the other players are forcibly moved to the position of the change-generating item. In other words, when the "normal state" changes to the "special state", all four players start playing in the "special state" from the same point (the four may be overlapping or close to each other). If the "special state" occurs without moving, depending on the relationship between the change and the position of each player character, for example, a player character may be blocked by a newly appeared wall object and be unable to proceed, which may result in an unexpected disadvantage. For this reason, when the "special state" changes, all the player characters are gathered in the same position. When the "special state" is released, such forced movement is not performed, and the "normal state" play is resumed from the position of each player character when the "special state" is released. This is because, in the case of a "special state," there is a competitive nature to the game, such as players competing for a reward item, which is the release condition, on a first-come, first-served basis, and therefore no forced movement is performed when the "special state" is released. In this regard, in other embodiments, all player characters may be forced to move to a predetermined position even when the "special state" is released. Note that, even in the case of single play, the player character may be forced to move to a predetermined position when it comes into contact with a change-causing item.

[0129] In addition, if the change in the "special state" is one that causes a change in the player character, the same change is caused not only in the player character that touched the change-causing item, but in all player characters. This is to prevent player characters that have not touched the change-causing item from being unable to proceed in a course structure in which the player character cannot proceed unless a change occurs in the "special state", for example.

[0130] In still another embodiment, when a "special state" is entered, play in the "special state" may begin without forcibly moving the other player characters as described above. Furthermore, if the change in the "special state" causes a change in the player characters, the change may occur only in the player character that came into contact with the change-causing item. In this case, for example, the game may develop in such a way that the other player characters temporarily leave the progress of the game to the player character that came into contact with the change-causing item.

[0131] Furthermore, regarding the configuration of the above-mentioned course, the course may include a route that cannot be advanced unless a predetermined change is caused in the player character by contacting a change-causing item. In other words, the course may be configured in such a way that, although the route itself may exist in a "normal state," in order to advance along this route, it is necessary to cause a change in the player character by contacting a change-causing item.

[0132] Regarding the course configuration, the following courses may be used. For example, the course may be configured so that it is possible to reach the goal in a special state without obtaining the reward item. Conversely, the course may be configured so that it is impossible to reach the goal point unless the reward item is obtained.

[0133] Also, for example, the course may be configured so that it can be cleared without coming into contact with the change-causing item, or conversely, the course may be configured so that it is not possible to proceed further and reach the goal unless one comes into contact with a change-causing item and changes it into a special state.

[0134] In addition, the courses in the game may include courses that do not have a clear finish point. For example, there may be courses that are considered to be cleared by achieving a certain condition. In such courses, the above-mentioned change generating items and reward items may be placed.

[0135] Furthermore, among the courses on which a goal point is provided, some of the courses may be courses on which no change-causing items are placed.

[0136] In the above embodiment, the case where the course has only one goal point is exemplified. In other embodiments, depending on the course, two goal points may be set, and a reward item may be acquired as a first-time clear reward at each goal point. In this case, a maximum of three reward items can be acquired, including the reward item in the "special state". In addition, in this case, one of the goal points may be set at a position that cannot be reached unless the player is in the "special state". In other words, the configuration may be such that the release condition for the special state and the course clear condition are satisfied at the same time. With such a course configuration, a minimum of two course clears are required to collect all the reward items, and this can increase the player's motivation to play a course that has already been cleared once again.

[0137] In the above embodiment, a finite number of reward items are provided for each course. In other embodiments, the reward items may not be finite. For example, when in-game currency can be collected within a course, a large amount of in-game currency may be provided as the reward item.

[0138] The reward item in the special state and the reward item given for reaching the goal may be different. In this case, there may be a finite number of each reward item for each course.

[0139] In another embodiment, the reward item used as the release condition for the "special state" may not be made to appear. In this case, for example, the expiration of a time limit may be used as the release condition for the "special state." Alternatively, the release condition may be the arrival of a specified point.

[0140] In addition, in the above embodiment, a horizontally scrolling action game is exemplified, but the above process is not limited to such a game and can be applied to other games. For example, the above game may be a vertically scrolling game. Also, the above game may be a game in which the game screen scrolls automatically. Also, the above game may be a game in which the screen is displayed on a 3D screen from a first-person perspective or a third-person perspective. Also, the game is not limited to an action game, and may be a game of another genre, such as a shooting game.

[0141] In the above embodiment, the series of processes related to the game process are executed by a single game device 3. In another embodiment, the series of processes may be executed in an information processing system consisting of a plurality of information processing devices. For example, in an information processing system including a terminal device and a server device capable of communicating with the terminal device via a network, a part of the series of processes may be executed by the server device. Furthermore, in an information processing system including a terminal device and a server device capable of communicating with the terminal device via a network, a main part of the series of processes may be executed by the server device, and a part of the processes may be executed by the terminal device. In the above information processing system, the server system may be composed of a plurality of information processing devices, and the processes to be executed on the server side may be shared and executed by the plurality of information processing devices. Also, a so-called cloud gaming configuration may be used. For example, the game device 3 may be configured to send operation data indicating the operation of the player to a predetermined server, and various game processes may be executed in the server, and the execution results may be streamed to the game device 3 as video and audio. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 1. Game System 3. Gaming Devices 4. Controller 5 Display section 31 Processors 32 Storage section 33 Wireless Communication Department 34 Controller communication section 35 Video and audio output section

Claims

1. At least one goal, A player object controlled based on the player's actions, A first object whose state changes when the aforementioned player object acts upon it, The computer is made to execute an action game process that has multiple courses, each including a second object which appears when the player object acts on the first object, and when the player object acts on the second object, the state of the state change object returns to the state before the change. The aforementioned courses include: A first type of course in which the state change object is at least the player object, The state change object includes at least one of the following: a second type of course in which the state change object is at least a course part object and not the player object, or a third type of course in which the state change object is at least an enemy character object and not the player object. Game program.

2. The game program according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of courses include the first type course, the second type course, and the third type course.

3. The game program according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first type course, the second type course, and the third type course is a course that includes a virtual camera as the state change object.

4. The game program according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of courses include a course in which the player object can reach the goal without interacting with the first object.

5. The game program according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of courses include courses having both a goal that can be reached by the player object without acting on the first object, and a goal that can only be reached if the player object acts on the first object.

6. The game program according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of courses include a course having a goal that can be reached after the player object has acted on the first object but without acting on the second object.

7. Depending on the player object's action on the second object, a predetermined reward is granted to the player. The game program according to claim 1, wherein if the same course is restarted after the reward has been granted but before the goal is reached, the restart is performed with the reward already granted.

8. The game program according to claim 7, wherein if the course in which the reward was awarded is completed after the reward has been awarded but the goal has not been reached, the program returns to a state in which the reward has not been awarded.

9. The game program according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the total number of rewards within the action game is finite.

10. A game processing method to be executed by a computer in a game system, To the aforementioned computer, At least one goal, A player object controlled based on the player's actions, A first object whose state changes when the aforementioned player object acts upon it, A second object appears when the player object acts on the first object, and when the player object acts on the second object, the state of the state change object returns to the state before the change, This process executes an action game that has multiple courses including [this element]. The aforementioned courses include: A first type of course in which the state change object is at least the player object, A game processing method comprising at least one of the following: a second type of course in which the state change object is at least a course part object and not the player object, or a third type of course in which the state change object is at least an enemy character object and not the player object.

11. A game system comprising at least one computer, The aforementioned computer, At least one goal, A player object controlled based on the player's actions, A first object whose state changes when the aforementioned player object acts upon it, An action game process is executed that has multiple courses, each including a second object which appears when the player object acts on the first object, and when the player object acts on the second object, the state of the state change object returns to the state before the change. The aforementioned courses include: A first type of course in which the state change object is at least the player object, A game system comprising at least one of the following: a second type of course in which the state change object is at least a course part object and not the player object, or a third type of course in which the state change object is at least an enemy character object and not the player object.

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