Program, game control device, game system, and control method

Abstract

To reduce a user's burden for executing a growing game.SOLUTION: A game system for executing control of a game for growing a growing object by changing or setting parameters of the growing object on the basis of a user's operation includes a first parameter management section and a game execution section. The first parameter management section manages a first parameter required for executing the game for growing a growing object related to a user's user identification information. The game execution section executes a game for growing a growing object on condition of consumption of a required amount of first parameter at least at one consumption timing provided after starting to grow the growing object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, games in which a user trains a character have been known (for example, Patent Document 1). In some such training games, the game is executed by consuming a predetermined amount of points at the timing when training of one character starts. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-058809 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The points required to start training a character may be recovered over time even if consumed, or may be recovered immediately by the user using a paid item. If the required points are recovered over time, the user must wait until the missing points are recovered. This may take a long time before the game can be started, which may be a burden to the user. This may discourage the user from wanting to start the game, which may cause the user to abandon the game. Furthermore, even if the points required to start training are recovered using a paid item, the user must pay enough to cover the missing points, which may be a heavy burden on the user. This may also discourage the user from wanting to start the game.

[0005] Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to reduce the burden on the user to play a game. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a program that causes a computer that controls a game in which a training object is trained to function as a first parameter management unit that manages first parameters associated with the user's user identification information and required to execute the game in which the training object is trained, by changing or setting parameters of the training object based on user operation, and a game execution unit that executes the game in which the training object is trained, provided that the required amount of the first parameters is consumed at at least one consumption timing set after the start of training of the training object.

[0007] A game control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a game control device that controls a game in which a training object is trained by changing or setting parameters of the training object based on user operation, and includes: a first parameter management unit that manages first parameters associated with the user's user identification information and required to execute the game in which the training object is trained; and a game execution unit that executes the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that a required amount of the first parameters is consumed at at least one consumption timing set after the start of training for the training object.

[0008] A game system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a server and a terminal device capable of communicating with the server, and controls a game in which a user trains a target for training by changing or setting parameters of the target for training based on user operation.The game system includes: a first parameter management unit that manages first parameters associated with the user's user identification information and required to execute the game in which the user trains the target for training; and a game execution unit that executes the game in which the user trains the target for training, provided that the required amount of the first parameters is consumed at at least one consumption timing set after the start of training for the target for training.

[0009] A control method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a control method for controlling a computer that executes control of a game in which a training object is trained by changing or setting parameters of the training object based on user operation, and includes a first parameter management step for managing first parameters required for executing the game in which the training object is trained, which are associated with the user's user identification information, and a game execution step for executing the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that a required amount of the first parameters is consumed at at least one consumption timing set after the start of training for the training object. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a new member screen. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scholarship student selection screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a general enrollment student selection screen. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a progress screen. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a panel information table. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an information table. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an individual practice instruction screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a practice selection screen. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an individual practice instruction screen. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a practice selection screen for a selected group of players. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scout destination selection screen. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scout player selection screen. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a lack of activity notification window. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the game system. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user information table. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a character information table. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of team data. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a schematic functional block diagram showing another example of the functional configuration of the game system. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 21] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 22] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 23] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 24] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 25] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 26] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a home screen. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character lottery screen. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character screen of a scholarship student owned by a user. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character screen of a storage facility. [Figure 30] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an enhancement type selection screen. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an upper limit release screen. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a crown power release material selection screen. [Figure 33] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a possessed character table. [Figure 34]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information such as a profile. [Figure 35] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information about player abilities. [Figure 36] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information about fielder abilities. [Figure 37] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information about pitcher abilities. [Figure 38] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays bonus information. [Figure 39] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between a character's personality and abilities that are likely to improve through individual training. [Figure 40] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a practice selection screen. [Figure 41] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between a character's personality and a unique tactic. [Figure 42] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information about the player abilities of a character. [Figure 43] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a super-unique tactic explanation screen. [Figure 44] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information on the player abilities of general recruits. [Figure 45] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a manager details screen that displays information such as a profile of a specially appointed manager. [Figure 46] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information about an event related to a special manager. [Figure 47] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen that displays information about a special manager bonus. [Figure 48] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a map on which a manager panel is displayed. [Figure 49] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a map 1 on which a scout panel is displayed. [Figure 50] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a menu screen. [Figure 51]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user profile screen. [Figure 52] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a friend screen. [Figure 53] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a practice match application destination selection screen. [Figure 54] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an expedition destination selection screen. [Figure 55] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a rival school setting screen. [Figure 56] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scout destination selection screen. [Figure 57] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scout player selection screen. [Figure 58] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a possession item screen. [Figure 59] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a charm screen. [Figure 60] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a charm details screen. [Figure 61] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charm information table. [Figure 62] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a new member screen. [Figure 63] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scholarship student selection screen. [Figure 64] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a general enrollment student selection screen. [Figure 65] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of display of information related to a team. [Figure 66] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of display of information relating to equipment icons of the entire team. [Figure 67] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of display of information relating to the special ability icons of the entire team. [Figure 68] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of displaying information about the personalities of the entire team. [Figure 69] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a manager selection screen. [Figure 70] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a charm setting screen. [Figure 71] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a charm setting screen. [Figure 72]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a charm selection and setting screen. [Figure 73] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a team setting screen. [Figure 74] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cultivation start confirmation screen. [Figure 75] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a progress screen of Eikan Nine. [Figure 76] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a provisional selection progress icon and a practice participating player display area. [Figure 77] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a training tag event can occur. [Figure 78] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a progress screen on which a practice result screen is displayed. [Figure 79] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an event screen. [Figure 80] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a log screen. [Figure 81] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a menu screen of the Eikan Nine mode. [Figure 82] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a growth plate selection screen. [Figure 83] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a growth plate screen. [Figure 84] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a growth plate screen in which a growth plate is displayed in an enlarged manner. [Figure 85] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining an example of a change in display state depending on the acquisition status of a normal panel. [Figure 86] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a change in display state depending on the acquisition status of a theme panel. [Figure 87] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a detailed screen of a growth plate panel. [Figure 88] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a grade selection screen for synthesis / decomposition targets. [Figure 89] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a material synthesis screen for growth plate materials. [Figure 90] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for decomposing a growth plate material. [Figure 91] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a growth plate table. [Figure 92]FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a list of all growth plate effects. [Figure 93] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a carry-on item selection screen. [Figure 94] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an belongings screen. [Figure 95] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an item purchase screen. [Figure 96] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an item purchase screen. [Figure 97] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a player selection screen. [Figure 98] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a crown power addition screen. [Figure 99] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a combo power addition screen. [Figure 100] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen. [Figure 101] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a time menu screen. [Figure 102] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a messenger player selection screen. [Figure 103] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between messengers and character personalities. [Figure 104] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a team top screen. [Figure 105] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a stadium top screen. [Figure 106] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a crown tower screen. [Figure 107] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a remuneration details screen. [Figure 108] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a main part of an order confirmation screen displayed before the start of a Koshien League game. [Figure 109] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a main part of an order confirmation screen displayed before the start of a match in the Tower of Glory. [Figure 110] FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the game system. [Figure 111] 3 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a first progress management unit. FIG. [Figure 112]10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 113] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 114] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 115] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 116] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the game system. [Figure 117] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a scenario selection screen. [Figure 118] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a new member screen. [Figure 119] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a progress screen. [Figure 120] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a progress icon display area including a global icon. [Figure 121] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a progress icon display area when two global icons are used simultaneously. [Figure 122] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an effect added when one global icon is used. [Figure 123] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an effect added when two global icons are used simultaneously. [Figure 124] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a growth plate selection screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] [1. Game system configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example configuration of a game system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This game system 1 includes a plurality of game terminals 10-n (n is a positive integer, 10-1, 10-2, ...) and a server 30. The game terminals 10-n and the server 30 in the game system 1 are connected to each other so that data can be communicated via a network N such as the Internet. Here, since the multiple game terminals 10-n have the same configuration, when no particular distinction is required, they will be simply referred to as "game terminal 10" in the following description.

[0013] The network N in this embodiment is not limited to the Internet, but may be, for example, a dedicated line, a public line (telephone line, mobile communication line, etc.), a wired LAN (Local Area Network), a wireless LAN, etc., as long as it can connect the game terminals 10-n and the server 30 in the game system 1 to each other so that they can communicate with each other, or it may be a combination of these with the Internet.

[0014] A game terminal 10 operated by a user is a computer used by the user to play a game. Examples of game terminals 10 include home game consoles (stationary or portable), personal computers, smartphones, mobile phone terminals, PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) terminals, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, multi-function television receivers (so-called smart TVs), and commercial game consoles installed in gaming facilities, etc.

[0015] The server 30 is, for example, a server computer. The server 30 associates information about the user's game with a user ID for uniquely identifying each user, and stores and manages the information in, for example, a database DB. The database DB may be built within the server 30, or may be built in a server computer separate from the server 30.

[0016] The game system 1 allows for computer battles (also referred to as CPU battles) and online battles. In online battles, for example, user A operating game terminal 10-1 and user B operating game terminal 10-2 can play a competitive game via network N. In the case of online battles, for example, game terminals 10-1 and 10-2 matched by server 30 can directly communicate with each other via a P2P (Peer to Peer) connection or the like to play a competitive game. Alternatively, data exchange between game terminals 10-1 and 10-2 can be performed via server 30. Either method may be used to play a competitive game.

[0017] Communication between game terminal 10-n and server 30 can be realized, for example, by using HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), which runs on TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), as the base protocol, and implementing the application protocol specified by this system at a higher level.

[0018] On the other hand, communication between game terminal 10-1 and game terminal 10-2 connected by P2P or the like can be realized by, for example, UDP (User Datagram Protocol), a communication protocol on the transport layer of the OSI reference model that is mainly implemented on the IP protocol. The above-mentioned UDP is a communication method in which data is sent to the other game terminal without any data delivery confirmation or error correction, so it has the advantage of low data reliability but high data transfer speed. Of course, it is also possible to use existing protocols other than UDP for communication between game terminal 10-1 and game terminal 10-2, or to use new protocols that will be newly defined in the future.

[0019] Furthermore, for example, in a game terminal 10-n having a short-range wireless communication function using a predetermined frequency band (for example, the 2.4 GHz frequency band), multiple game terminals 10-n can communicate directly with each other to play competitive games, etc.

[0020] (Game device hardware configuration) Game terminal 10 mainly comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, auxiliary storage device 14, communication unit 15, operation unit 16, display unit 17, and audio output unit 18, which are interconnected via bus lines including an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. Note that interface circuits, image processing units, sound processing units, etc. are interposed between the bus lines and each component as needed, but are not shown here.

[0021] The CPU 11 interprets and executes the commands of the game program, and controls the entire game terminal 10. The ROM 12 stores programs and data necessary for basic operational control of the game terminal 10. The RAM 13 stores various programs and data, and ensures a working area for the CPU 11.

[0022] The auxiliary storage device 14 is a storage device that stores game programs, various data, etc. As the auxiliary storage device 14, for example, a non-volatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, etc. can be used.

[0023] Communication unit 15 includes a communication interface (not shown) and has a communication control function for communicating data when a game is being played. Here, the communication control function for data communication includes, for example, an Internet connection function, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) connection function, and a short-range wireless communication function using a predetermined frequency band (e.g., the 2.4 GHz frequency band). Communication unit 15 transmits a connection signal for connecting game terminal 10 to network N based on a command from CPU 11, and also receives information transmitted from the other party and supplies the information to CPU 11.

[0024] The operation unit 16 is used by the user to input various operation commands to the game terminal 10. Examples of the operation unit 16 include a position input unit (a component of a touch panel) equipped with a touch interface, physical buttons, a controller, an analog stick, a keyboard, a pointing device, etc. The operation unit 16 may also be configured to accept voice input by identifying voice input from a voice input unit such as a microphone.

[0025] The display unit 17 is driven based on an image display command from the CPU 11 and displays a game screen or the like. Various known display devices, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, can be used for the display unit 17. The display unit 17 can also be a touch panel that combines a display device, such as a liquid crystal display, with a position input unit having a touch interface. When the display unit 17 is configured as a touch panel, the game terminal 10 includes a touch input detection unit (not shown). When a pointer, such as a finger or a pen, touches the screen, the touch input detection unit detects the coordinates of the contact position on the screen and supplies a coordinate signal to the CPU 11. This allows the CPU 11 to recognize the contact position on the screen of the display unit 17. The display unit 17 does not need to be integrated with the game terminal 10 and may be, for example, a television monitor externally connected to the game terminal 10. In this way, when the display unit 17 is an externally connected television monitor or the like, the display unit 17 is not included in the configuration of the game terminal 10. The audio output unit 18 generates an analog audio signal based on a sound generation instruction from the CPU 11 and outputs audio and the like from a speaker.

[0026] Game terminal 10 may also be equipped with a recording medium drive. Examples of recording medium drives include DVD-ROM drives, CD-ROM drives, hard disk drives, optical disk drives, flexible disk drives, silicon disk drives, and cassette media readers. In this case, recording media include DVD-ROMs, CD-ROMs, hard disks, optical disks, flexible disks, and semiconductor memories. The recording medium drive reads image data, audio data, and program data from the recording medium and supplies the read data to RAM 13 or the like via a decoder.

[0027] (Server hardware configuration) The server 30 mainly comprises a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, an auxiliary storage device 34, and a communication unit 35, which are interconnected via bus lines including an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. Note that interface circuits are interposed between the bus lines and each component as needed, but are not shown here.

[0028] The CPU 31 interprets and executes commands from the system software and application software, and controls the entire server 30. The ROM 32 stores programs and the like necessary for basic operational control of the server 30. The RAM 33 stores various programs and data, and ensures a working area for the CPU 31. The auxiliary storage device 34 is a storage device that stores programs, various data, and the like. For example, a hard disk drive or a solid state drive can be used as the auxiliary storage device 34.

[0029] The communication unit 35 includes a communication interface (not shown) and controls communication with each game terminal 10-n via the network N. The communication unit 35 also controls communication with other servers (not shown) connected to the network N. For example, if the server 30 is configured as a system incorporated into a social networking service (SNS), the communication unit 35 of the server 30 controls communication with the SNS server. Furthermore, for example, the server 30 controls communication with a video distribution server that distributes game videos played by users to spectators. The server 30 may also be provided with a video distribution function.

[0030] The server 30 can be configured as a single computer, or can be configured as a function-distributed type in which the functions of the server 30 are distributed among multiple servers. Alternatively, a load-distributed type configuration can be achieved by providing multiple servers 30 on the network N for redundancy (multiplexing). The server 30 can also be configured as a cloud server that uses cloud computing technology.

[0031] The programs and data are supplied to game terminal 10 or server 30 from a remote location via network N and stored in RAM 13, auxiliary storage device 14, RAM 33, or auxiliary storage device 34. Game terminal 10 or server 30 may be provided with a component (such as an optical disk drive or a memory card slot) for reading programs and data stored in an information storage medium (such as an optical disk or a memory card). Then, the programs and data may be supplied to game terminal 10 or server 30 via the information storage medium.

[0032] [2. Overview of an example game] An example of a game is outlined below. The game system 1 can run a variety of games. For example, a variety of games can be run regardless of game format or genre, such as sports (games based on baseball, soccer, or other sports), racing, fighting, and combat. Note that the game may be run by the game terminal 10 communicating data with the server 30 or another game terminal 10, or may be run by the game terminal 10 alone. Below, a baseball game based on baseball will be described as an example of a game run by the game system 1, and other games will also be mentioned as necessary.

[0033] The baseball game of this embodiment has a game mode called a training mode in which a baseball team (an example of a group) made up of a plurality of player characters (hereinafter simply referred to as "players") as an example of a plurality of belonging objects is trained on a team-by-team basis. In this training mode, practice, games, and various other events are carried out. In this baseball game, as an example, the user becomes the manager of a high school baseball team and basically develops multiple players on a team basis by instructing the players (baseball club members) on the team on how to practice, etc. For example, in the role of manager, the user develops multiple players on the team while aiming for the team to win the national championship (winning the national high school tournament) and for the players to enter professional baseball.

[0034] The user (or the manager character representing the user's avatar) can give instructions on practice and the like not only to the team as a whole, but also to each individual player belonging to the team.

[0035] After training begins, at a predetermined timing in the virtual time within the game (hereinafter referred to as "in-game time") (for example, after the end of a specific event that occurs on September 6th in the game time), training of the team for that year is completed, and the team at that time can be saved in association with the user identification information. In other words, the user can register the team that has been trained for each year in the game time. Details of this will be described later. In the following, when dates are mentioned, they will be in-game time unless there is an explanation that they are real-world time. Similarly, at a predetermined timing for each in-game year (for example, after a specific event that occurs on October 26th) at least some of the third-year players on the team at that time can be individually associated with user identification information and saved. Details of this will be described later.

[0036] Usually, when starting a training game for a training target (1), a certain amount of points is required as compensation (cost) for playing the game. Therefore, if you do not have a certain amount of points, you cannot start the game. In contrast, in the training mode of this embodiment, points etc. are not required at the timing when training starts, and points etc. are consumed as compensation at a consumption timing provided after training starts. This allows points etc. to at least start the training game at the timing when training starts, making it possible to progress the game to at least a certain extent. This reduces the burden on the user to play the game (particularly to start the game). The consumption timing provided after training starts may be at least one timing provided midway between the start and completion of training, at the timing when training is completed, or at least one timing provided after training is completed.

[0037] As an example, a mode will be described in which multiple consumption timings are provided for the team and / or individual player to be trained from the start to the completion of training, and a required amount of energy points (an example of the first parameter) is consumed at each consumption timing. In this mode, the game for training the training target progresses each time, subject to the consumption of energy at each consumption timing. In other words, rather than consuming a large amount of points or other compensation at once when starting to train one character or one team, the player can progress through the training game by consuming energy at each of the multiple consumption timings after starting training. In this way, the total cost required from the start of training to completion is consumed in small increments at each consumption timing, thereby reducing the amount of energy required at one time. This reduces the burden on the user when playing the training game. An example of this game will be described in more detail below.

[0038] [2-1. Initial settings before starting the game] Before starting the game, the user can set information such as the region, high school name, team design, school song, cheering song, rival school, etc. This information is set only the first time the game is started, but the user may be allowed to change the settings after the game has started, if necessary. Each piece of set information is stored in association with user identification information.

[0039] The region is information about the region in the game where the user's high school is located. For example, the user can select any one of the 47 prefectures. Depending on the selected prefecture, the difficulty of the matches (for example, whether or not the opposing team is a strong school) or the number of matches in the prefectural tournaments (tournaments, etc.) held as appropriate in the game will differ. Selecting a region with a higher level of difficulty or a region with a higher number of matches has the advantage of being able to expect the team to grow, but also carries the risk of early defeat in the matches, so the user must weigh these factors when selecting a region.

[0040] Furthermore, depending on the region selected by the user, the possibility that a player corresponding to a professional baseball player who actually exists or who actually existed in the real world (hereinafter referred to as a "reincarnated player") will join the user's team increases. For example, if the region selected by the user is the reincarnated player's hometown, the possibility that the reincarnated player will join the user's team increases compared to selecting another region. In addition, the user may be allowed to select the decade in which to start (e.g., 1990), thereby increasing the likelihood that a reincarnated player corresponding to a professional baseball player who enrolled in a high school in the area selected by the user during that decade will join the user's team.

[0041] The rival schools are high schools that appear as opposing teams in tournaments held as appropriate within the game, and can be selected from, for example, the high schools (teams) of the user's friends. Here, the user's friends are other users associated with the user, and may be other users the user follows, other users who are followed by the user, or other users who mutually follow each other.

[0042] [2-2. Multiple players on the team] The multiple players who join the user's team to be trained include scholarship students (an example of a first belonging object) and regular joining students (a second belonging object).

[0043] (Special scholarship student) The "scholarship students" are players that the user can choose to recruit from characters called scholarship students (an example of a owned object associated with user identification information) that the user owns (possesses). In this embodiment, up to three scholarship students can be recruited at each entrance ceremony event (April 8th every year). Therefore, up to nine scholarship students can be recruited for the entire team. Scholarship students have effects that are advantageous to their development that regular students do not have (for example, effects such as making special ability icons or equipment icons appear, as described below). In addition, scholarship students may have higher initial abilities than regular students.

[0044] A user can acquire a scholarship character, for example, in a lottery mode. In this lottery mode, a lottery (so-called gacha) is held to select a character to be awarded to the user from among all scholarship characters in the game. In order for a user to enter the lottery mode, for example, a predetermined amount of in-game points, paid items, etc. may be required. In addition, users can acquire scholarship students as a reward by fulfilling a predetermined condition in the game (for example, by winning a match). Additionally, users may receive scholarship students from other users or by exchanging them with other users.

[0045] Scholarship students are assigned parameters for fielder abilities, including trajectory, hitting, power, running ability, defensive ability, arm strength, and catching. Scholarship students are assigned parameters for pitcher abilities, including ball speed, control, stamina, pitch type, and total ball movement. Scholarship students may also be assigned parameters called special abilities. Scholarship students also have a rarity parameter. Rarity indicates how difficult it is to obtain. In this game, there are four types of rarity: R, PR, SR, and PSR, and even scholarship students with the same name can have different rarities. Rarity increases in the order of R, PR, SR, and PSR, and even scholarship students with the same name have higher initial abilities as their rarity increases. Here, initial abilities refer to the ability parameters initially set for each player. As the training game progresses, as described below, the parameters of the training target will change from their initial abilities.

[0046] [General enrollment students] The "general recruits" are players not owned by the user and are mob characters generated by the game system 1 (CPU 31, etc.). In this embodiment, up to seven general recruits can be recruited at each entrance ceremony event. Therefore, up to 21 general recruits can be recruited to the team as a whole. General admission students have the effect (function) of enhancing the effect of scholarship students, as described below.

[0047] General recruits also have fielder ability parameters such as trajectory, hitting, power, running ability, defensive ability, arm strength, and catching, and pitcher ability parameters such as pitch speed, control, stamina, pitch type, and total ball movement. General recruits may also have special abilities. The initial abilities of general enrollment students are determined based on probability during the entrance ceremony event. Each user belongs to one of multiple classes, and the higher the class of the user, the higher the probability that the initial abilities of general enrollment students will be set.

[0048] To explain the classes, each user starts at the lowest "Rookie" class and can be promoted to a higher class by fulfilling certain in-game conditions for class upgrade. Each class has five reputation levels, increasing in order from weak, average, mid-level, strong, and prestigious, and the reputation increases each time certain in-game conditions for reputation upgrade are met. For example, reputation increases by winning in-game matches or participating in certain events. A user can be promoted to a higher class by achieving the highest reputation level of that class, "Prestigious," and fulfilling certain in-game conditions for class upgrade. For example, there may be a stage associated with a class, and multiple tasks may be set within that stage according to the growth of the target to be trained. A reward may be obtained each time the user clears a task, and the reputation within the class may increase each time a task that meets a reputation-up condition is cleared. Alternatively, a higher stage may be unlocked by clearing all tasks in a stage associated with the current class to fulfill the class-up condition and being promoted to a higher class.

[0049] In addition, each player (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) has a defensive aptitude parameter set for each defensive position. For example, there are five levels of defensive aptitude for each defensive position (e.g., main, sub ◎, sub ○, sub, no aptitude). A player's defensive aptitude changes depending on defensive training, etc. In addition, each player (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) has a pitching aptitude parameter set. For example, pitching aptitude is set for each of the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, and closer positions. A player's pitching aptitude changes depending on pitching practice, etc.

[0050] Furthermore, each player (including scholarship students and regular students) is individually assigned an academic ability (deviation score) parameter. The initial value of academic ability is determined, for example, based on probability. In the case of scholarship students, the higher the rarity, the more likely the initial value of academic ability will be. Each player's academic ability increases or decreases through in-game events or the use of academic ability-changing items (for example, textbook items). This academic ability affects the probability of a certain event occurring, the number of times a certain item is used, the player's career path after graduation, and so on.

[0051] Additionally, each player (including scholarship students and regular students) is individually assigned personality parameters. There are multiple personality types, such as "normal," "genius," and "cool," and one of these is assigned to each player. The personality of scholarship students is predetermined for each scholarship student, but may also be determined by lottery. The personality of regular students is determined by lottery at the time of creation. This personality affects the experience points gained in individual training, the types of events that occur, and tactics during matches, as described below.

[0052] In addition, each player (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) is also assigned parameters such as reliability, scout rating, condition, and stamina. Trust or scout rating increases or decreases based on game performance (batting average, etc.) and designated events. Trust is affected by in-game tactics and the results of ongoing events. Scout rating affects the registration of individual players, as described below. Condition is determined by lottery, for example, from one of five levels, but fluctuates depending on the results of events and the use of designated items. Condition affects in-game tactics and the rate at which stamina is lost. Stamina increases or decreases through designated events, items, practice, etc. Stamina affects the amount of experience points earned through practice; the higher the stamina level, the more experience points can be earned.

[0053] In addition, each player (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) has a parameter called their grade (1st, 2nd, or 3rd year). A player's grade is generally 1st year when they enroll in high school, and they are added to the grade by one every time April 1st comes around. At the start of the game, some of the players on the user's team may be second- or third-year students.

[0054] [2-3. Setting up training targets (multiple players)] An entrance ceremony event takes place at a predetermined time each year (for example, April 8th), and users can recruit new student players (including scholarship students and regular students) to join their team. It should be noted that multiple scenarios may be prepared in the training mode, and the user may be allowed to select any scenario from the multiple scenarios at the entrance ceremony event each year. Details of the scenario selection by the user will be described later. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a new member screen G10 for the user to set new student players to join the team.

[0055] [Special scholarship student enrollment] The area A11 of the new member screen G10 is an area for setting a predetermined number of scholarship students who will join the club as new students. In the example of FIG. 2, three setting frames 11a are provided in which a maximum of three scholarship students can be set. Note that the number of scholarship students that can be set (upper limit) may vary depending on the user's class, etc.

[0056] When the user performs an operation to select the setting frame 11a (such as a touch operation on the touch panel or an operation using a controller), the screen transitions to a scholarship student selection screen G20, as shown in FIG. 3. This scholarship student selection screen G20 is a screen on which the user can select or change a scholarship student to join as a new student. Area A21 of the scholarship student selection screen G20 displays a list of multiple scholarship students 21a owned by the user who wish to join. The user can set the scholarship student to join by performing an operation to select at least one scholarship student (such as an operation to touch the scholarship student) and operating the confirm button B23. The scholarship students selected by the user are marked as selected. Also, scholarship students who are second or third year students and already enrolled in the club are labeled as "currently enrolled" and cannot be selected. Area A22 of the scholarship student selection screen G20 is an area that displays the individual abilities of the selected scholarship student, information about the team that includes the selected scholarship student, etc. The user can select a scholarship student while checking the various information displayed in area A22.

[0057] It is also possible to allow a predetermined number (for example, only one) of scholarship students owned by other users (for example, the user's friends) to join the club as new students, in addition to the scholarship students owned by the user. For example, based on a predetermined probability, scholarship students of the user's friends (or other users who are not friends) may be selected as those wishing to join (potential new members). Scholarship students of friends selected as those wishing to join are displayed in a list on the scholarship student selection screen G20 along with scholarship students owned by the user, and the user can select them. Alternatively, it is also possible to allow a predetermined number (for example, one) of scholarship students of friends to join the club as new students at each entrance ceremony event.

[0058] If the user selects a scholarship student and operates the confirm button B23, the screen returns to the new member screen G10 in FIG. 2, and the selected scholarship student is set in the setting frame 11a. When a scholarship student is set in the setting frame 11a, information about the scholarship student is displayed, such as an image (thumbnail), position, rarity, and name of the scholarship student.

[0059] Note that, by default, the CPU 31 may automatically select a settable number of scholarship students from among the scholarship students owned by the user based on predetermined selection criteria and set them in each setting frame 11a of the area A11. For example, scholarship students are automatically selected in descending order of priority, based on rarity, player ability value, player ID, etc.

[0060] [Registration for general students] Area A12 of the new member screen G10 is an area for setting a predetermined number of general students who will join the club as new students. In the example of FIG. 2, there are seven setting frames 12a in which a maximum of seven general students can be set. Note that the number of general students that can be set (upper limit) may vary depending on the user's class, etc. In FIG. 2, an example is shown in which the settable number is six, and one of the seven setting frames is in an open state.

[0061] When the user selects the setting frame 12a, the screen transitions to a general student selection screen G30, as shown in FIG. 4. This general student selection screen G30 is a screen for the user to select or change a general student to join as a new student. A list of multiple general students 31a who wish to join, generated by the game system, is displayed in area A31 of the general student selection screen G30. For example, a predetermined number of general students selected by lottery from all general students managed by the game system 1 in the game may be displayed in the list of those who wish to join. The user can set the general student to join by selecting at least one of the general students of their choice and operating the confirm button B33. Area A32 of the general enrollment student selection screen G30 is an area that displays the individual abilities of the selected general enrollment student, information about the team that includes the selected general enrollment student, etc. The user can select a general enrollment student while checking the various information displayed in area A32. In addition, in the new student scouting event described below, players who have been scouted in advance by the user may be included in the general admissions applicants based on probability.

[0062] If the user selects a general joining student and operates the confirm button B33, the screen returns to the new member screen G10 in FIG. 2, and the selected general joining student is set in the setting frame 12a. When a general joining student is set in the setting frame 12a, information about the general joining student is displayed, such as an image (thumbnail), position, name, etc. of the general joining student.

[0063] Note that, as a default, the CPU 31 may automatically select a predetermined number (a settable number) of general joining students from the generated plurality of general joining students based on a predetermined selection criterion and set them in each setting frame 12a of the area A12. For example, the general joining students are automatically selected in descending order of priority based on pitchers, positions with zero aptitude, the level of player ability values, player IDs, etc.

[0064] As mentioned above, scholarship students have effects that are advantageous for development, while regular students have effects that enhance the effects of scholarship students. As a specific example, scholarship students are associated with the effect of making special ability icons or equipment icons appear (an effect that regular students do not have), and regular students are associated with the effect of improving the effect of the special ability icons or equipment icons that appear (an effect that scholarship students do not have). As a variation, scholarship students may also have the effect of improving the effect of the special ability icons or equipment icons that appear. Here, there are multiple types of special ability icons (for example, power hitter, artist, infield hit, etc.), and multiple types of equipment icons (for example, hitting, strength, base running, etc.). The type of special ability icon or equipment icon that an effect has varies depending on the scholarship student. Furthermore, the type of special ability icon or equipment icon that an effect has to enhance varies depending on the general student. For example, if a general student is associated with an effect that enhances the effect of a striking equipment icon, the effect of the general student is meaningless if the striking equipment icon does not appear. Therefore, in this case, in order to make the most of the effect of the general student, it is important that the scholarship student associated with the effect that causes the striking equipment icon to appear and the general student belong to the same team. Therefore, when a user recruits a new student into a team, the user must consider which scholarship student or general student to recruit, taking into account the effective combination of scholarship students and general students, balancing the effect of scholarship students with the effect of general students (the effect of enhancing the effect of scholarship status). In this case, it is important to consider which new students (including scholarship students and general admission students) to recruit, taking into account the effects of second- and third-year players (including scholarship students and general admission students) already on the team. For example, if a team already has a second- or third-year scholarship student who is associated with the effect of making striking equipment icons appear, and the user wants to strengthen the team's striking power, they should consider recruiting one or more general admission students who are associated with the effect of improving the effects of striking equipment icons. As described above, the user must choose which scholarship students or general students to add to their team, balancing the effects of scholarship students and the effects of general students (the effect of enhancing the effects of scholarship), making for a highly entertaining game.

[0065] [Manager Joins] The area A13 of the new member screen G10 is an area for setting a predetermined number of managers who will join the club as new students. In the example of FIG. 2, there is a setting frame 13a in which one manager can be set. Note that the number of managers that can be set (upper limit) may vary depending on the user's class, etc.

[0066] Here, there are two types of managers: "special manager" and "general manager." A "Special Offer Manager" is a character owned by a user. A user can acquire a "Special Offer Manager" character, for example, through a lottery mode, or as a reward for meeting certain conditions in the game (for example, winning a match). Special Offer Managers have a rarity parameter set, and even if a special offer manager has the same name, there are different rarities. The higher the rarity of a special offer manager, the greater the effect of training on the target, such as the greater the number of events that can occur. A "general manager" is a character not owned by the user, and is a mob character generated by the game system (CPU 31, etc.). During the entrance ceremony event, the game system generates at least one general manager.

[0067] Having a manager join a team will affect the development of the target. For example, events will occur depending on the manager, and the manager may participate in practice in conjunction with the progress icon described below, which will have effects such as reducing the stamina consumption of players participating in that practice or increasing their reliability. A special manager has a greater effect on the development of the target than a regular manager. An upper limit is set for the number of special managers that can be enrolled in a team (for example, a maximum of 1 person). This upper limit may vary depending on the user's class, etc. When the user performs an operation to select the setting frame 13a, the screen transitions to a manager selection screen (not shown), where the user can select or change the manager to join as a new student. When a manager is set in the setting frame 13a, information about the manager (thumbnail, rarity, name, etc.) is displayed.

[0068] Note that, as a default, the CPU 31 may automatically select a predetermined number (a settable number) of managers from among the selectable managers based on a predetermined selection criterion, and set the managers in the setting frame 13a of the area A13.

[0069] The new member screen G10 is provided with an automatic button B14, a player list button B15, a manager list button B16, a team details button B17, an edit button B18, and a confirm button B19.

[0070] When the user operates the automatic button B14, the CPU 31 automatically selects and sets the settable number of scholarship students, regular enrolled students, and managers based on the above-mentioned predetermined selection criteria. By operating the Player List button B15, you can check a list of players belonging to the team. By operating the Manager List button B16, you can check a list of managers belonging to the team. By operating the Team Details button B17, you can check detailed data about the team. By operating the Edit button B18, you can edit the appearance (hair, eyebrows, eyes, beard, body shape, etc.) and glove color of the specified general joining student. By operating the Confirm button B19, the joining of the set scholarship student, general joining student, or manager is confirmed.

[0071] [2-4. Implementation of training] FIG. 5 shows an example of the main progress screen G40 on which the training of the training object is carried out. Display area A41 displays user information such as the user's class, reputation (number of stars), overall team strength, and team rank. Overall team strength is the overall team strength calculated from the abilities of the team's 18 players, including the starting members and those on the bench. Team rank is divided into multiple levels (e.g., G to A, S) according to the numerical value of overall team strength.

[0072] Display area A42 displays information about points for playing the training game, called action power (an example of a first parameter). An upper limit is set for action power. Display area A42 displays the upper limit value of action power, the current value (current remaining amount), and a gauge showing the current remaining amount. Details about action power will be described later.

[0073] [map] The progress screen G40 displays a map A43 that represents the progress of the game. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the schedule progresses at least in in-game day units. At least one panel P44 (square) is displayed on the map A43 for each in-game day. The number of panels P44 (number of days) displayed on the map A43 can be set arbitrarily. For example, 10 days' worth of panels may always be displayed, or the number of displayed panels may vary. For example, the panel P44 in the map A43 is updated each time the game progresses so that the leftmost panel in the map A43 is the current panel P44 (today). The timing of updating the panel P44 is not limited to this, and the panel P44 in the map A43 may be updated, for example, when the game has progressed for a predetermined period of time or more (e.g., five days or more).

[0074] There are several types of panels P44 displayed within the map A43. Each type has a different color, shape, and text or illustrations displayed on the panel, allowing the user to recognize the type of panel. Furthermore, each type of panel P44 produces different effects.

[0075] FIG. 6 shows an example of the panel information table TBL101. The panel information table TBL101 includes fields for "Panel ID," "Panel Type," "Panel Image," "Forced Stop Panel," and "Effect." "Panel ID" is information that uniquely identifies each panel P44. "Panel Type" is a name that distinguishes each panel P44. "Panel Image" is image information for the panel. "Forced Stop Panel" is information that indicates that the panel will definitely stop (for example, "1" indicates a forced stop panel). "Effect" is information about the effect that occurs when stopping on that panel P44.

[0076] For example, panel P44 includes various types such as a "white panel" where an event occurs randomly, a "blue panel" where an event with a good effect (causing a benefit) occurs, a "red panel" where an event with a bad effect (causing a disadvantage) occurs, a "yellow panel" where the experience points for the practice selected using the progress icon described below increase by a certain multiplier, a "green panel" where stamina is restored, a "schedule panel" where you can choose from three progression routes, a "scholarship student panel" where an event occurs depending on the scholarship student who has joined the club, and a "manager panel" where an event occurs depending on the scholarship manager who has joined the club.

[0077] Furthermore, in the "character panel" that displays the townspeople characters (graduates) or scout characters 44c (described later), an event occurs according to the character 44c displayed on panel P44. For example, if the character 44c displayed on panel P44 is a "scout," an event occurs in which the scout evaluation of the team's players increases; if the character 44c is a "craftsman," a baseball equipment item can be obtained; and if the character is a "butcher," power experience points increase by a predetermined multiplier. For example, there may be multiple types of scouts, and different types may have different effects (such as the rate at which the scout evaluation increases).

[0078] In addition, forced stop panels include, for example, an "Entrance Ceremony Panel" where an entrance ceremony event occurs, a "Graduation Ceremony Panel" where a graduation ceremony event occurs, a "Draft Panel" where a draft meeting event occurs, a "Farewell Party Panel" where a farewell party event occurs, an "Official Match Panel" where a match is held, and a "Practice Match Panel" where a practice match is held. There is also a panel P44 whose route changes depending on the outcome of the event. For example, the "official match panel" and "practice match panel" have routes for winning and losing depending on the outcome of the match (win or loss).

[0079] Furthermore, panel P44 may select at least one target player from the team randomly or based on predetermined selection criteria, and an event may occur according to the parameters of the target player. Examples include a "training panel" in which the target player can acquire a special ability with a predetermined probability, an "exam panel" in which an event occurs according to the target player's academic ability, a "cultural festival panel" in which an event occurs according to the target player's personality, and a "sports festival panel" in which an event occurs according to the target player's ability. For example, in the "training panel," three players are randomly selected from the team, and the user can choose the player they want to acquire a special ability.

[0080] In addition, panel P44 includes a "Training Camp Panel" where at least one target player can acquire a special ability based on probability, an "Expedition Panel" where the user can hold joint training and practice matches with other users' teams at an expedition location selected by the user, and a "? Panel" where the content of the panel is undecided and will be determined after stopping.

[0081] Two or more events may be associated with one panel P44. For example, if an additional event (two or more events) is associated with a specific panel P44 (such as the "Special Student Panel," "Special Manager Panel," or "Forced Stop Panel"), an additional event label 44a is displayed. FIG. 5 shows an example in which an additional event label 44a with a "+" mark is displayed. The user can recognize that multiple events will occur on the specific panel P44 on which this additional event label 44a is displayed.

[0082] [Progress icon] The progress screen G40 has a progress icon display area A45. This progress icon display area A45 displays a predetermined number of progress icons P46 that the user can select in each turn. The number of progress icons P46 to be displayed can be set arbitrarily. The number of progress icons P46 may always be constant, or may vary. In this embodiment, a minimum of four to a maximum of eight progress icons P46 are displayed, and the higher the user's class, the greater the number of progress icons P46 displayed. Until the user's class changes, the number of progress icons P46 displayed in each turn remains constant. As a variation, the number of progress icons P46 displayed may be changed randomly every predetermined number of turns (for example, every 1 turn, every 5 turns, etc.), or irregularly.

[0083] The progress icons P46 are basically commands for giving instructions such as practice to a team (multiple players included in the team). In other words, they are commands for giving instructions to the team as a whole, rather than to individual players. Note that progress icons P46 other than commands for giving instructions to the team as a whole (for example, the new student scout described below) may also be included.

[0084] The multiple progression icons P46 displayed in the progression icon display area A45 are determined by lottery based on a predetermined appearance probability. The user selects one of the multiple progression icons P46 displayed each turn and progresses through the game by executing a command (or event), such as practice, associated with the selected progression icon P46. For example, a user can select any progression icon P46 by tapping one of the multiple displayed progression icons P46 with a finger (setting it in a provisionally selected state), and then confirm the selection of the selected progression icon P46 by tapping the selected progression icon P46 again. This executes a command, such as practice, associated with the progression icon P46. Figure 5 shows an example in which the "tee batting" icon P46e is provisionally selected.

[0085] Each progress icon P46 displays a number indicating the number of days for which the practice, etc. will be performed as progress day number information P47 (progress amount information). In the present embodiment, any number from 1 to 5 is associated with each currently displayed progress icon P46 as progress day number information P47. The panel P44 in the map A43 progresses for the number of days displayed on the progress icon P46 selected and executed by the user, and an event or the like occurs in accordance with the panel P44 at which the user stopped. In other words, in the game of this embodiment, when the user selects and executes a progress icon P46, a command (or event) such as practice associated with the progress icon P46 is executed, and further, an event or the like associated with the panel P44 at which the user stopped after progressing for the number of days displayed on the progress icon P46 is also executed. In this way, the time in the game progresses by the number of days displayed on the progress icon P46 selected and executed by the user.

[0086] Basically, an event associated with the panel P44 that was stopped occurs, and no event occurs for the panel P44 that was passed without stopping. However, if the passed panels P44 include a forced stop panel, the player will stop at that forced stop panel before proceeding to the panel P44 where the player was supposed to stop, and an event associated with the forced stop panel will always occur. In this case, after the event for the forced stop panel is executed, the player will proceed to the panel P44 where the player was supposed to stop, and an event associated with that panel P44 will also occur. As a variation, if a forced stop panel is encountered during the progress of the number of days displayed on the progress icon P46 to which the user has progressed, the game may be stopped at the forced stop panel, and the game progress for that turn may come to a halt there.

[0087] It should be noted that a progress icon P46 that does not display progress date information P47 may be included, such as the "Freshman Scout" icon P46d, which will be described in detail later. When a progress icon P46 that does not display progress date information P47 is selected and executed, there is no scheduled progress and the event is executed as a day's event.

[0088] There are multiple types of progress icons P46, and each type has a different effect. 7 shows an example of the progress icon information table TBL 102. The progress icon information table TBL 102 includes fields for "progress icon ID," "name," "rarity," "image," "system," "equipment," "command content," and "effect." "Progression icon ID" is information that uniquely identifies each progress icon P46. "Name" is a name that distinguishes each progress icon P46. "Rarity" indicates the rarity (how rarely it appears) of the progress icon P46. In this embodiment, four levels of rarity are set, from 1 to 4, and the higher the rarity of the progress icon P46, the greater the effect of practice. Figure 5 shows an example in which the rarity of each progress icon P46 displayed on the progress screen G40 is indicated by the number of stars. "Progress icon image" is image information of the progress icon P46. "System" is information that divides the content of practice etc. associated with the progress icon P46 into multiple systems such as "batting system," "strength system," "base running system," "shoulder strength system," "defense system," "mental system," "pitch speed system," "control system," "stamina system," "curve ball system," "special ability system," and "other." "Equipment" is information indicating the type of equipment used in the practice associated with the progress icon P46. Examples of equipment include a "tee," a "batting machine," a "dumbbell," and a "stopwatch." "Command content" is information indicating the content of a command (or event) such as practice associated with the progress icon P46. "Effect" is information indicating the effect that occurs when the command (or event) associated with the progress icon P46 is executed. This effect is applied to each player on the team, and includes information on the type of ability that will improve the experience points and the base amount of improvement in experience points.

[0089] The "Power Hitter" icon among the progress icons P46a and the "Artist" icon among the progress icons P46b in Figure 5 are examples of special ability progress icons P46. The special ability progress icons P46 are referred to as "special ability icons." By selecting a special ability icon and executing a command, the experience points required to acquire the corresponding special ability for the players on the team are increased. The experience points may be increased only for players participating in practice, or for all players on the team. When the experience points reach a certain standard, the player can acquire the special ability.

[0090] A "special ability icon" can appear as a progress icon P46 by recruiting a specific scholarship student who is associated with an effect that increases the appearance rate of the special ability icon. In other words, if the specific scholarship student is not included in the team, the corresponding special ability icon will not appear. There are multiple types of special ability icons, such as a "power hitter" icon, an "artist" icon, and an "infield hit circle" icon. For example, if a scholarship student who is associated with an effect that increases the appearance rate of the "artist" icon is included in the team, the "artist" icon can appear, but if not, the "artist" icon will not appear.

[0091] Furthermore, the progress icon P46 associated with the equipment is referred to as an "equipment icon." This "equipment icon" can appear as a progress icon P46 by having a specific scholarship student, who is associated with an effect that increases the appearance rate of the equipment icon, join the team. In other words, if the specific scholarship student is not included in the team, the corresponding equipment icon will not appear. There are multiple types of equipment icons, such as batting icons (tees, batting machines), strength icons (dumbbells, bench presses), and base running icons (stopwatches, mini hurdles). Each scholarship student is associated with an effect that increases the appearance rate of at least one of multiple types of special ability icons or equipment icons. Note that there may be scholarship students who are not associated with an effect that increases the appearance rate.

[0092] In addition to the "special ability icon" or "equipment icon," a progression icon P46 may be provided that is associated with a player (including a scholarship student or a regular student) and that may appear when the player is included in a team.

[0093] As a variation, even if the specific scholarship student is not included in the team, there may be a possibility that a special ability icon or equipment icon will appear with a predetermined probability.

[0094] The "Volunteer" icon P46c and the "New Student Scout" icon P46d in Figure 5 are examples of other progression icons P46. Selecting the "Volunteer" icon P46c triggers an event that increases the trust level of all participating players by a predetermined amount. Selecting the "New Student Scout" icon P46d triggers an event that allows you to scout new club members for next year. The "Other" category also includes progression icons P46 for commands other than practice, such as "Review Practice Menu," "Career Advice," and "Dinner Party." The "Review Practice Menu" icon allows you to replace all currently displayed progression icons. The "Career Advice" icon triggers an event in which you receive career advice from players on your team. The "Dinner Party" icon triggers an event in which you hold a dinner party. In addition to these, various other progression icons P46 can be provided.

[0095] [Players participating in practice] The practice participating player display area A48 of the progress screen G40 displays the players 48a or managers 48b participating in practice, linked to the currently displayed progress icon P46. The players displayed in the practice participating player display area A48 are referred to as "practice participating players." The maximum number of participants (upper limit) of practice participating players 48a or managers 48b displayed in the practice participating player display area A48 varies depending on the user's class. In this embodiment, the maximum number of participants varies between 3 and 5, and the higher the user's class, the larger the maximum number of participants. The maximum number of participants is not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily. The maximum number of participants may also be fixed.

[0096] The information about the practice participating players 48a displayed in the practice participating player display area A48 includes information such as the player's image (thumbnail), nameplate (name), condition (condition mark), ability value, ability gauge, and lines. Regarding lines, lines appropriate to the player's current condition are displayed. The same applies to the manager's lines.

[0097] In addition, in the case of a manager 48b displayed in the practice participating player display area A48, information such as an image (thumbnail), manager effects, lines, etc. Manager effects include "trust increase" and "stamina consumption reduction," and the manager effects possessed by the manager participating in practice are displayed.

[0098] The practice participating players 48a can acquire more experience points than other players on the team. Basically, even players on the team who are not displayed in the practice participating player display area A48 can acquire experience points according to the practice of the progress icon P46. It should be noted that the progress icon P46 may be included, which provides an effect such as the acquisition of experience points only to the practice participating players 48a.

[0099] The practice participating players 48a or managers 48b are selected by lottery from among all players and managers included in the team for each turn. If a team includes a player (including a scholarship student or a regular student) who has the effect of increasing the practice rate for a specific practice, the probability that the player will be selected as a practice participating player 48a increases. In other words, if the progress icon P46 corresponding to the specific practice is included among the multiple progress icons P46 displayed in the current turn, the player who has the effect of increasing the practice rate for the specific practice will be more likely to be selected as a practice participating player 48a than other players.

[0100] For example, as will be described later, a user can give individual practice instructions to each player on a team, separate from the team-wide practice instructions. These individual practice instructions allow the effect of increasing the practice rate for a specific practice to be set for each player. For example, for a player who has been instructed by a user to do individual practice to improve their running ability, the effect of increasing the practice rate for "running ability" practice is set. Also, for a player who has been instructed by a user to do individual practice to improve their pitching speed, the effect of increasing the practice rate for "pitching speed" practice is set.

[0101] Furthermore, if the practice participant players 48a include at least one scholarship student who meets a predetermined condition, and that scholarship student participates in a predetermined practice (the command of the progress icon P46 associated with that practice is executed), a coaching tag event occurs. When this coaching tag event occurs, the scholarship student who triggered the event has a higher experience point gain than usual. The greater the number of scholarship students who trigger the coaching tag event, the greater the effect. The predetermined condition can be set to any condition, such as the reliability of the scholarship student who is a practice participant player 48a being above a predetermined value. Furthermore, if there is a progress icon P46 that can trigger a training tag event among the multiple progress icons P46 displayed in the progress icon display area A45, that progress icon P46 is highlighted (displayed in a different state from the other progress icons P46). Figure 5 shows an example in which the frame of the "tee batting" icon P46e is highlighted by shining light. As a variation, when a training tag event occurs, the experience points acquired by all of the practice participating players 48a or all players in the team (including scholarship students and regular students) may be increased more than usual.

[0102] The execution results of the practice of the progress icon P46, the instruction tag event, or the event of the stopped panel P44 are displayed, for example, on a result display screen superimposed on the progress screen G40. The progress screen G40 may also display a fast-forward button, a log button, a menu button, a hint button, and the like. The fast-forward button is a button for adjusting the display speed of text displayed on the result display screen, etc. The log button is a button for checking the log of execution results of practice, etc. The menu button is a button for displaying various menus. For example, it includes a menu in which the user sets the team order and team policy. Team policies include emphasis on balance, emphasis on batting power, emphasis on mobility, emphasis on pitching and defensive ability, etc. The hint button is a button that displays hints useful for training the training target when pressed.

[0103] [Individual training instructions for each player on the team] In addition to the team-wide practice instructions given by the progress icon P46, the user can give individual practice instructions to each player on the team. Individual practice for an individual player is called "individual practice." The user may instruct individual practice at a predetermined timing (for example, every week, month, or every two months in the game time, or every 12 hours, day, or week in the real world). In this embodiment, individual practice can be instructed at the beginning of each month in the game time (i.e., at timing spanning across months).

[0104] As a variation, individual training instructions may be made available at irregular times determined based on probability, for example. As a specific example, a lottery for individual training may be held each turn based on a predetermined probability, and individual training instructions may be made available if the lottery is won.

[0105] In this embodiment, if the game progresses across months on the schedule within map A43 based on the progress days information P47 displayed on the progress icon P46 selected by the user, instructions for individual practice will be given after all events have ended. 8 shows an example of an individual practice instruction screen G50. The individual practice instruction screen G50 has an "Individual" tab T51 for instructing each player on the team to practice individually, and a "Group" tab T52 for instructing a group of players on the team to practice collectively, and the user can select either one.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 8, when the "One by One" tab T51 is selected, the individual practice instruction screen G50 displays multiple player plates P53 for all players on the team. Player plates P53 that are not displayed on the individual practice instruction screen G50 can be displayed by scrolling. Each player's player plate P53 displays player information 53a such as the player's image, name, position, grade, and ability, as well as information 53b about the practice currently being carried out. When the user selects (e.g., taps) any player plate P53, the screen transitions to a practice selection screen for selecting the practice to instruct the player of that player plate P53.

[0107] FIG. 9 shows an example of a practice selection screen G60. The practice selection screen G60 displays a player plate P53 of the player selected by the user as the target of practice instructions. The practice selection screen G60 also displays a plurality of practice item buttons B61 for selecting practice items to instruct the target player. The practice item buttons B61 include, for example, practice items such as pitch speed increase, control increase, stamina increase, trajectory increase, meet increase, power increase, running ability increase, shoulder strength increase, defensive ability increase, and catching increase. Below these practice item buttons B61 (or elsewhere), a progress gauge 61a for the corresponding ability is displayed. For example, below the practice item button B61 for running ability increase, a progress gauge 61a for the target player's running ability is displayed. This allows the user to select a practice item while referring to the progress gauge 61a.

[0108] The practice item button B61 includes practice items such as learning a curveball, honing a curveball, learning a sub-position, and changing turn at bat. When these practice item buttons B61 are selected, the screen transitions to a practice detail setting screen (not shown). Then, on the practice detail setting screen, the user can set which curveball to learn, which curveball to hone, which sub-position to select, and which turn at bat (right-handed, left-handed, or switch-handed).

[0109] It should be noted that the player does not only practice the practice item corresponding to the practice item button B61 selected by the user. For example, if the user instructs the player to improve his / her running ability, the user instructs the player to practice in a way that prioritizes improving his / her running ability over other abilities.

[0110] The practice selection screen G60 also displays an automatic button B62 and an all-purpose button B63. By selecting the automatic button B62, the user can delegate the practice policy for the target player to the game system 1. For a player who has been instructed to perform this "automatic" individual practice, the game system 1 automatically determines the practice items based on predetermined criteria. Furthermore, by selecting the all-around button B63, the user can instruct the player on a training strategy to improve each of the player's abilities in a balanced manner. For a player instructed to perform this "all-around" individual training, the game system 1 automatically determines the training items so that each of the player's abilities improves approximately equally. Specifically, training for abilities with fewer experience points is preferentially selected.

[0111] As illustrated in FIG. 10, at least one group plate P71 is displayed on the individual practice instruction screen G70 when the "All" tab T52 is selected. In this embodiment, five types of group plates P71 are displayed for instructing individual practice to each of the player groups: all pitchers, all fielders, all catchers, all infielders, or all outfielders. Here, "all fielders" includes all catchers, infielders, and outfielders. The group plate P71 displays the number of players of each grade included in the target player group. When the user performs an operation to select (e.g., tap) any group plate P71, the screen transitions to a practice selection screen for selecting the practice to instruct for the player group corresponding to that group plate P71.

[0112] FIG. 11 shows an example of a practice selection screen G80 for a selected group of players. The practice selection screen G80 displays a group plate P71 for the group of players selected by the user. The practice selection screen G80 also displays a plurality of practice item buttons B81, an automatic button B82, and an all-purpose button B83 for selecting practice items to be instructed collectively to the target group of players. The practice item button B81 includes practice items for increasing pitch speed, control, stamina, trajectory, contact, power, running ability, shoulder strength, fielding ability, and catching. The practice item button B61, automatic button B62, and all-purpose button B63 in FIG. 9 and the practice item button B81, automatic button B82, and all-purpose button B83 in FIG. 11 are similar, except that the scope of individual practice instructions is determined by whether the instruction is directed to an individual player or a group of players.

[0113] In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which individual training is instructed collectively for a group of players, such as all pitchers, all fielders, all catchers, all infielders, or all outfielders. However, this is not limiting. For example, individual training may be instructed collectively for various groups of players, such as all first-year players, all second-year players, all third-year players, all regular players, or all bench players.

[0114] After individual training instructions have been set for each player as described above, the individual training instructions will continue until the settings are changed.

[0115] The progress icons P46 also include a "practice instruction" icon that can be used to instruct individual practice. If the "practice instruction" icon is selected during a turn in which the "practice instruction" icon is displayed, the screen will transition to the individual practice instruction screen G50 in Figure 8, where individual practice can be instructed for each player.

[0116] [2-5. Registering a team whose training has been completed] Every year (after the farewell party event on September 6th), the user's team at that time can be registered (saved) as a team whose development has been completed. In this embodiment, the number of players that can be registered as a team is 18 in total, including 9 starting players and 9 bench players. After the "farewell party" event ends, the screen transitions to a registration team organization screen, where the user selects nine starting players and nine bench players from the multiple players on the team to organize the team and register the team. In this case, additional information set by the user, such as the high school name, uniform, school emblem, and team policy, may also be registered. The registered team is associated with user identification information and stored in a database (DB) or the like of the game system 1.

[0117] The timing of team registration is not limited to September 6th every year, but can be set to any timing. For example, the timing of a graduation ceremony event in March every year may be set as the timing of team registration. As a variation, the number of players that can be registered as a team may not be limited, and all players in the team at the time of completion of training may be registered as a team.

[0118] [2-6. Registering individual players whose training has been completed] Every year (after the draft event on October 26th), players from the team's third-year class who meet certain conditions can be registered (saved) as individual characters. The conditions for registration can be, for example, a certain ability score or a certain scout evaluation. In this embodiment, up to six draft-nominated players are selected in a draft conference event based on the abilities and scout evaluations of third-year players. One or more third-year players who have been drafted are then registered as professional players. This registration of professional players corresponds to the registration of individual players whose development has been completed. The registered individual players are associated with user identification information and stored in a database (DB) or the like of the game system 1.

[0119] The timing for registering individual players whose training has been completed is not limited to October 26th of each year, but can be set at any time. For example, the timing for registering individual players may be set to the timing of a graduation ceremony event in March of each year. As a variation, all third-year players included in a team whose training has been completed may be registered as individual players whose training has been completed without setting any registration conditions. Alternatively, at least one player selected by the user from among all third-year players included in a team whose training has been completed may be registered as an individual player whose training has been completed.

[0120] [2-7. Using a registered team or individual player in another mode] Once training is complete, the registered team or individual player can be used in a game mode different from the training mode. In this embodiment, the registered team or individual player can be used in a battle mode (an example of a second game). Battle modes include CPU battles and real-time battles. CPU battles are also referred to as computer battles. For example, a battle mode in which CPU battles are conducted may be given a name such as "stadium." In this CPU battle, the user selects a team to use in the battle from the teams registered by the user, and competes against an opponent team automatically controlled by the CPU. For example, the opponent team automatically controlled by the CPU is a team trained by another user in the training mode. Real-time battle is a mode in which a user can compete online against other users in remote locations via network N.

[0121] The battle modes include the first league mode, in which teams can compete using only registered teams, and the second league mode, in which teams can be formed using only registered individual players.

[0122] It should be noted that the registered teams or individual players may be made available for use in game modes other than the battle mode. For example, the registered teams or individual players may be made available for use in a game mode in which baseball equipment or the like is created.

[0123] There is a limit to the number of teams or individual players that a user can register. If the limit is reached or exceeded, a warning to that effect will be displayed at the time of the Entrance Ceremony event (April 8th every year). In this case, the user must delete one or more of their registered teams or players to make room for a team that can be registered after the next farewell party event or for an individual player that can be registered after the draft meeting event. As a variation, there may be no upper limit on the number of teams or players that can be registered.

[0124] [Graduates not registered as individual players] Every year on March 7th, a graduation ceremony event is held, where the graduating students (third-year players) on the team decide what occupations they will have after graduating from high school. The third-year students who are registered as individual players are destined to become professional baseball players. The occupations (post-graduation paths) of the remaining graduates are determined by lottery from among several occupations, and after graduation they are registered as town residents. In other words, the graduates who are not registered as individual players are associated with user identification information and stored as town residents with various occupations.

[0125] Occupations include, for example, craftsman, shop clerk, butcher, office worker, scout, etc. After graduates are registered as townspeople, they may appear in the aforementioned character panel for a certain period of time (for example, three years in game time).

[0126] [2-8. Freshman Scouting] A "Freshman Scout" icon P46d may be displayed in the progress icon display area A45 of the progress screen G40 in FIG. 5. For example, during the period from November to February, the "Freshman Scout" icon P46d is displayed by lottery based on a predetermined appearance probability. When the user selects and executes the "Freshman Scout" icon P46d, a Freshman Scout event occurs. The Freshman Scout event is an event that allows the user to scout (recruit) candidates for new students who will be enrolling in the next academic year in advance. In this embodiment, scouting is not permitted more than 10 times per year. The number of times scouting or the number of people who can be scouted can be set arbitrarily. "Arbitrarily settable" means that the game operator (game provider) can set it arbitrarily (the same applies hereinafter).

[0127] When the user selects and executes the "Scout New Student" icon P46d, the screen transitions to a scout destination selection screen. Figure 12 shows an example of the scout destination selection screen G90. The scout destination selection screen G90 displays a map M91 for selecting a prefecture as the destination region P92. Each prefecture in the destination region P92 displays player tendency information indicating the player tendencies of scout candidates popular in that region. Player tendencies include "pitcher," "batting," "defense," "balance," "special talent," and "none in particular." Here, "pitcher" indicates a region where pitcher development is popular and there is a high probability that pitchers are included as scout candidates. Similarly, "batting," "defense," and "balance" indicate a region where batting-focused development, defensive-focused development, and well-balanced player development are popular, respectively, and indicate a high probability that scout candidates with strong batting abilities, strong defensive abilities, and well-balanced abilities are included. "Special talent" indicates a high probability that the region contains scout candidates who excel in one skill over others. "None in particular" indicates that the region is one in which various types of player development are taking place and there is no particular bias in player tendencies.

[0128] For example, the player tendency information is information in which each destination area P92 is color-coded according to the player's tendency. Each destination area P92 is assigned a color according to the player's tendency. For example, the colors corresponding to player tendencies are "pitcher (red)," "batting (green)," "defense (yellow)," "balance (blue)," "special skill (purple)," and "none in particular (white)." The player tendency information is not limited to colors corresponding to the player's tendencies, but may be symbols, figures, letters, etc. corresponding to the player's tendencies, for example.

[0129] Furthermore, when the scouted player button B93 provided on the scout destination selection screen G90 is selected, a list of information on players who have been scouted so far is displayed.

[0130] The user considers the tendencies of the new students they would like to recruit at the next entrance ceremony event based on the current team situation (for example, weak pitching).The user can then select a destination region P92 by referring to the player tendency information displayed on the scout destination selection screen G90.

[0131] When the user selects the destination region P92, the screen transitions to the scout player selection screen. FIG. 13 is an example of a scout player selection screen G100. The scout player selection screen G100 displays a list of selectable scout player candidates P101. The scout player candidates P101 display information such as the player's image, name, position, track record, comment, and abilities. Track records include, for example, participation in the prefectural tournament, top four in the prefectural tournament, participation in the regional tournament, participation in the national tournament, runner-up in the national tournament, and national tournament champion. The better the track record, the higher the ability tends to be. The comment is information suggesting special abilities that the player may possess. For example, a comment such as "strong on high balls" may indicate that the player has the special ability "high ball hitter."

[0132] Previous scouting reaction information P102 is displayed for scout player candidates P101 who have been scouted by the user in the past. Previous scouting reaction information P102 is information that indicates the results of the previous scouting (the reaction of the scouted player). In this embodiment, information on figures (for example, facial expressions) corresponding to each of "good," "average," and "poor" is displayed as previous scouting reaction information P102.

[0133] The user can select one player they wish to scout from among the multiple scout player candidates P101 displayed on the scout player selection screen G100, and then scout the selected scout player candidate P101. A player scouted by the user is referred to as a "scout player." In this case, the game system 1 determines the scout player's response as either "good," "average," or "poor." The scout player's response may be determined by random lottery, or the lottery probability may be changed based on the scout player's parameters. For example, the lottery probability is changed so that the higher the ability of the scout player, the less likely it is that "good" will be selected and the more likely it is that "poor" will be selected (i.e., the higher the ability of a player, the more difficult it is to successfully scout a player).

[0134] The scout's reaction may also vary based on parameters associated with the user, such as changing the lottery probability so that the higher the user's class or reputation parameter, the more likely they are to select "good" and the less likely they are to select "bad." Also, when the same player is scouted multiple times, the judgement may not be worse than the previous one.

[0135] Information about scouted players scouted by a user (including information about the scouted players' reactions) is associated with the user identification information and stored in a database DB or the like of the game system 1.

[0136] Depending on the scout player's reaction, the probability that the scout player will enroll in the user's high school at the next entrance ceremony event (i.e., the probability that the scout player will join the user's team as a new member) varies. The order of enrollment probability is "Good (e.g., 100%)", "Average (e.g., 50%)", and "Bad (e.g., 5%)". For example, if the probability of admission in the case of "good" is 100%, when an entrance ceremony event occurs, a scouted player with a "good" rating will always be displayed as one of the general students wishing to join the club in area A31 of the general student selection screen G30 shown in Figure 4. Also, if the probability of admission in the case of "good" is 50%, when an entrance ceremony event occurs, a scouted player with a "normal" rating will be displayed with a 50% probability as one of the general students wishing to join the club in area A31 of the general student selection screen G30 shown in Figure 4.

[0137] Please note that there is a discrepancy between the ability parameters displayed when scouting a scout player and the ability of the scouted player when he actually joins a team, and the two are not necessarily the same (although they may be the same).

[0138] After the new students for that year have joined the team at the entrance ceremony event, the information about scouted players stored in association with the user identification information is reset. As a variation, even after a new student has joined a team, the information of at least one scouted player may not be reset, so that the scouted player may join the user's team at the entrance ceremony event in the following year or later.

[0139] [2-9. Continuing development through team rotation] As mentioned above, after the farewell party event on September 6th ends and a team is registered with its training completed, the third-year players on that team will not participate in practice and their abilities will not change. Meanwhile, even after the team is registered, the first- and second-year players on that team will remain on the team and continue practicing. In other words, in training mode, the team will not be disbanded upon registration, but rather team training will begin in preparation for the team registration on September 6th of next year. When the team is registered on September 6th of next year, the current first- and second-year students will become second- and third-year students, respectively, and the team will be composed of first-year players who will join after the entrance ceremony event.

[0140] Every year, third-year players graduate, and then new students (including scholarship students and general admission students) enroll and join the user's team, resulting in a change in team members. In this way, the training mode game of this embodiment does not have a unit of one game (for example, training of one character is completed in a certain number of turns), and when some of the characters in a team graduate, other characters enroll, and the training of the target of training (the team or individual characters included in that team) continues forever.

[0141] In the training mode game of this embodiment, a first-year player (Player A) included in a training-completed team registered in a certain year can join the training-completed team registered in the following year as a second-year player (having improved since the previous registration). Furthermore, Player A can join the training-completed team registered in the following year as a third-year player (having improved since the previous or previous registration).

[0142] [2-10. Consumption of Energy] The "Action Power" displayed in the display area A42 of the progression screen G40 shown in Fig. 5 has an initial upper limit of "30", for example, and this upper limit varies depending on the manager level (described later), with the upper limit increasing as the manager level increases. Alternatively, the upper limit of action power may be fixed (unchanged) as a variation.

[0143] In the training mode of this embodiment, in order to progress through the game, the required amount of energy is consumed at the timing of the change of month in game time. The required amount of energy at the consumption timing can be set arbitrarily, but in this embodiment the required amount is "10". In the example of Fig. 5, today is the turn of "December 28th," and if a progress icon P46 whose progress day number information P47 is "3" or less is selected in that turn, the month will not be crossed. On the other hand, if a progress icon P46 whose progress day number information P47 is "4" or more is selected in that turn, the month will be crossed. In this way, the number of in-game days that progress in one turn differs depending on the progress days information P47 of the selected progress icon P46. Therefore, even in the same turn, depending on the progress days information P47 of the selected progress icon P46, it may or may not be a turn that spans a month, i.e., a consumption timing.

[0144] For example, assume that in the turn illustrated in FIG. 5, the user confirms the selection of the progress icon P46 whose progress days information P47 is "5." In this case, executing the command of the selected progress icon P46 will result in a transition to a new month in that turn. That is, the turn in which the transition to a new month occurs is the timing for consuming energy, so before executing the command of the progress icon P46, it is determined whether or not the required amount of energy remains, "10" or more. If it is determined that the required amount of energy remains, the command of the selected progress icon P46 is executed, provided that "10" of energy is consumed. Note that, in that turn, the required amount of energy may be reduced (consumed) before executing the command of the progress icon P46, or the required amount of energy may be reduced after executing the command of the progress icon P46 (or after all events occurring in that turn have ended).

[0145] On the other hand, if it is determined that the amount of energy is less than the required amount of "10" on a turn when energy should be consumed, an energy shortage notification window G110, such as that shown in FIG. 14, will pop up on the progress screen G40. The energy shortage notification window G110 displays, for example, an explanatory text P111 such as "You do not have enough energy to continue training. Would you like to recover?", a "Return to Home" button B112, and a "Recover" button B113. If the user selects the "Return to Home" button B112, the training mode will be interrupted and the screen will return to the home screen. If the user selects the "Recover" button B113, a screen will be displayed for selecting an item (including paid items) to recover energy.

[0146] [2-11. Recovery of Motivation] Even if you consume energy, it will naturally recover over time. For example, it will recover 1 energy every 6 minutes. Energy can also be recovered up to a set amount or a maximum by using recovery items or paid items (it will not recover beyond the maximum). Furthermore, the action points are restored to the upper limit (maximum value) each time the manager level increases (levels up). As a variation, the action points may be increased by a predetermined amount (preferably more than the required amount) when the manager level increases.

[0147] [2-12. Manager Level] The manager level is the level of the manager character that represents the user, or in other words, the user's game level. The initial manager level at the start of the game is "1." As the user plays the game and gains experience points as a manager (hereinafter referred to as "manager experience points"), the manager level increases by one each time the gained manager experience points reach the required experience points. The higher the manager level, the greater the amount of experience points required to increase the manager level. For example, the amount of experience points required to increase the manager level from "1" to "2" is "30," and the amount of experience points required to increase the manager level from "2" to "3" is "70." As a variation, the amount of experience points required to increase the manager level may be constant regardless of the manager level.

[0148] Manager experience points can be earned by consuming action points in training mode (or by progressing through the game by consuming action points in training mode). In this embodiment, 5 manager experience points can be earned each time action points are consumed. Action points are consumed on turns that cross over into the next month, so manager experience points are earned when action points are consumed on turns that cross over into the next month. Note that manager experience points may be acquired by fulfilling a predetermined acquisition condition in a game mode other than the training mode. For example, a user may acquire a predetermined amount of manager experience points each time a match is played in the match mode using a registered team or a team made up of registered individual players.

[0149] [2-13. Early recovery of motivation in terms of consumption timing] As described above, manager experience points can be earned by consuming energy on a turn when a month crosses over. Therefore, there are limited, specific cases in which, if energy is consumed on a turn when a month crosses over, the manager experience points reach the required level and the manager level rises. In these specific cases, energy points are restored to their upper limit as the manager level rises. In these specific cases, if a user does not have enough energy on a turn when a month crosses over, and uses a paid item or the like to recover energy and execute that turn, and the manager level subsequently rises and energy points are restored to their upper limit, there is a concern that the user may feel as if the amount recovered using the paid item or the like was wasted.

[0150] Therefore, in the specific case where consuming energy on a turn where a month crosses over (an example of a consumption timing) would increase the manager level, a process is executed to recover energy to its upper limit by increasing the manager level before consuming energy on that turn. As a result, even if energy is insufficient on a turn where a month crosses over, energy is automatically recovered to the upper limit without the user having to use a paid item, etc., and the game can proceed in that turn.

[0151] If the above-mentioned advance processing occurs, the following adjustment of action points will be made after the game progresses by executing the turn in which the month crosses. In other words, if the amount of energy before recovery by the early recovery process was insufficient (i.e., less than 10) compared to the required amount of "10," then after the turn in which the month crosses over, the shortfall will be consumed from the energy recovered by the early recovery process (i.e., the maximum energy value). For example, if the amount of energy before recovery by the early recovery process was "3," the shortfall will be "7," so after the turn in which the month crosses over, the maximum energy value will be reduced by "7." In this case, the automatic recovery of energy in advance by the early recovery process essentially means that energy has been borrowed in advance.

[0152] On the other hand, if the action points before being recovered by the early processing were not insufficient for the required amount of "10" (i.e., were 10 or more), the action points will be fully recovered to the upper limit after the turn in which the month crosses is executed.

[0153] As a variation, regardless of the amount of action power before it was recovered by the early recovery process, action power may be fully recovered to its maximum value after the turn in which the month crosses over is executed. As another variation, regardless of the amount of action points before they are recovered by the advance processing, the required amount of action points, "10", may be consumed after the turn in which the month crosses over is executed.

[0154] When the above-mentioned advance processing occurs, it is desirable to notify the user that their action points have been restored by the advance processing before or after the execution of the advance processing. This allows the user to recognize that they have benefited from the advance processing. For example, when notifying before the execution of the advance processing, a cut-in effect for the notification may be performed before the execution of the turn in which the month crosses over. Furthermore, for example, when notifying after the execution of the advance processing, after the execution of the turn in which the month crosses over (for example, after all events occurring in that turn have ended), the user may be notified that their action points have been restored in advance by the advance processing together with a report on the execution results of that turn.

[0155] [3. Functional configuration of the game system] Fig. 15 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the game system 1. As shown in Fig. 15, the game system 1 includes a data storage unit 100. For example, the data storage unit 100 is realized by at least one of a database DB, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, an auxiliary storage device 14, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, and an auxiliary storage device 34. The data storage unit 100 stores data necessary to provide a game.

[0156] For example, various data for executing a game stored in data storage unit 100 may be stored in database DB or auxiliary storage device 34 of server 30, and when game terminal 10 accesses server 30, the necessary data may be downloaded to RAM 13 or auxiliary storage device 14 of game terminal 10. Information regarding the results of a game executed on game terminal 10 or changes to the data may be transmitted from game terminal 10 to server 30 in real time or at a predetermined timing, and the data stored in database DB or auxiliary storage device 34 of server 30 may be updated as appropriate. Furthermore, necessary data may be stored in auxiliary storage device 14 of game terminal 10 so that at least a portion of the game can be executed offline on each user's game terminal 10 without logging in to server 30.

[0157] The data necessary to provide the baseball game described above will be described as a specific example of data stored in the data storage unit 100. The data storage unit 100 stores a panel information table TBL101, a progress icon information table TBL102, a user information table TBL103, a character information table TBL104, team data DT105, game progress data DT106, etc. The panel information table TBL101 (see FIG. 6) and the progress icon information table TBL102 (see FIG. 7) have already been explained, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0158] Fig. 16 shows an example of the user information table TBL103. The example in Fig. 16 shows the user information table TBL103 in which information for one user with the user ID "U1" is stored, but the user information table TBL103 for all users registered in the game system 1 is stored in the data storage unit 100 of the game system 1 (for example, the database DB or the auxiliary storage device 34).

[0159] The user information table TBL103 stores, in association with each user's user ID, the user name, manager level (user's game level), information on scholarship students possessed, information on scholarship managers possessed, information on teams registered after training is completed, information on individual players registered after training is completed, information on scouted players, information on possessed items, information on possessed points, information on other users (friends) associated with the user's user ID, and information on arranged teams described below.

[0160] FIG. 17 shows an example of the character information table TBL104. The character information table TBL104 is master data for managing all characters of scholarship students used in the game provided by the game system 1. The character information table TBL104 stores initial value data for all scholarship students. For example, the character information table TBL104 is stored and managed in the respective storage devices (e.g., RAM 13, auxiliary storage device 14, RAM 33, auxiliary storage device 34, database DB, etc.) of the server 30 and the game terminal 10. The character information tables TBL104 stored in the server 30 and the game terminal 10 are basically the same, and for example, when the game operator changes the character information table TBL104 in the server 30, the changed information is distributed from the server 30 to the game terminal 10 via the network N.

[0161] The character information table TBL104 includes fields for each scholarship student, such as "character ID," "name," "rarity," "defensive aptitude," "pitching aptitude," "ability," and "possession effect." The character ID is identification information that uniquely identifies a character in the game. Although omitted in FIG. 17, the character information table TBL104 also stores information on characters other than the scholarship students (such as a scholarship manager) used in the game.

[0162] FIG. 18 shows an example of the team data DT105. The team data DT105 is information about a team to be developed in the development mode. The team data DT105 is stored for each user (associated with a user ID). The team data DT105 includes information such as the team's rank, reputation, and overall team strength. The team data DT105 also includes information about the character IDs of the scholarship students, regular students, scholarship managers, and regular managers included in the team, as well as parameters such as the abilities of each character. The team data DT105 also includes information about the individual training that the user has instructed each player on the team to do. The team data DT105 also includes team order information (information distinguishing between starting members, bench members, and off-bench members, positions, batting order, etc.).

[0163] The game progress data DT106 stores, for example, information about the current turn (today's date in the game time, multiple progress icons P46 displayed on the screen, information about players participating in practice, etc.), information about multiple panels P44 displayed on the screen, etc.

[0164] The game system 1, the server 30, or the game terminal 10 of this embodiment controls the game in which the object to be trained is trained by changing or setting parameters of the object to be trained based on the user's operation. Here, a "user" refers to, for example, a person who operates a game terminal to play a game. For example, user identification information is set for each user or the game terminal operated by each user, and each user is identified (specified) by the user identification information. "User identification information" is information for uniquely identifying each user. For example, a user ID, a unique user name, or an email address is an example of "user identification information." A "training target" is an object or a group including multiple objects whose parameters are changed or set as the game progresses based on user operations. A "training target" may be at least one object, at least one group, or both at least one object and at least one group.

[0165] Here, an "object" is something that can be used in a game. For example, a game character, a game card, etc. are examples of an "object." For example, a game character or a game card representing a person such as a baseball player, soccer player, or other athlete, an animal such as a racehorse, a plant such as a tree or flower, a fictional creature such as a monster, or an inanimate object such as a robot are examples of an "object." For example, an "object" may be a game character or a game card that corresponds to a real person or animal, etc., or it does not have to correspond to a real person or animal, etc. In the baseball game example mentioned above, each player on the team (including scholarship students, regular students, scholarship managers, and regular managers) corresponds to an example of an "object."

[0166] "Changing a parameter" means changing a parameter set in an object. For example, improving or lowering a parameter set in an object is an example of "changing a parameter." "Setting a parameter" means, for example, setting a parameter that has not yet been set to an object to that object. For example, adding a special ability that the object did not have to that object (for example, associating information about the special ability with the object) is an example of "setting a parameter." Note that "setting a parameter" includes not only setting a parameter that produces an advantageous effect, but also setting a parameter that produces an unfavorable effect. In the baseball game example mentioned above, changing the ability parameters of multiple players on a team to be developed through commands such as practice or events is an example of "changing parameters." Also, imparting special abilities (special abilities with advantageous or disadvantageous effects) to multiple players on a team through commands such as practice or events is an example of "setting parameters."

[0167] 15, the game system 1 includes a control unit 110. The control unit 110 is realized by the CPU 11 of the game terminal 10 or the CPU 31 of the server 30 executing a game program stored in a storage device (such as ROM 12, RAM 13, auxiliary storage device 14, ROM 32, RAM 33, or auxiliary storage device 34). Some of the functions of the control unit 110 may be realized by the CPU 11 of the game terminal 10, and the remaining functions may be realized by the CPU 31 of the server 30. Alternatively, all of the functions of the control unit 110 may be realized by the CPU 31 of the server 30, or all of the functions of the control unit 110 may be realized by the CPU 11 of the game terminal 10.

[0168] The control unit 110 includes a first parameter management unit 111 and a game execution unit 112. The first parameter management unit 111 has a function of managing first parameters that are associated with the user identification information of the user and are necessary for executing the game in which the training object is trained.

[0169] Here, the "first parameter" refers to a game parameter required to execute a game in which a training target is trained. The "first parameter" may be, for example, a cost, a compensation, an action force, stamina, physical strength, AP, EP, or any other name. The first parameter managing unit 111 can be configured to have a function of gradually restoring the first parameter to an upper limit over time when the first parameter is consumed. Note that the "first parameter" does not have to be restored over time. Furthermore, the "first parameter" may be fully restored to an upper limit or a predetermined amount restored by using paid items, recovery items, points, in-game currency, etc., or may not be restored by paid items, etc. Furthermore, the "first parameter" may be fully restored to an upper limit or a predetermined amount restored when a predetermined recovery condition in the game is met (for example, the user's game level exceeds a predetermined standard, etc.). In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, the action power that is managed in association with the user ID and is required to execute a command such as practice for the user's team is an example of a "first parameter."

[0170] The game execution unit 112 has a function of executing a game for raising a training object on the condition that a required amount of the first parameter is consumed at at least one consumption timing provided after the start of training of the training object.

[0171] Here, the "consumption timing" refers to the timing at which the first parameter is consumed. Regarding "at least one consumption timing provided after the start of the development of the development target," the consumption timing is provided after the start of the development of the development target. Furthermore, the consumption timing may be provided multiple times or only once after the start of the development of the development target. For example, consumption timings that are set multiple times between the start and completion of training, or consumption timings that are set only once between the start and completion of training, are examples of "at least one consumption timing set after the start of training for the training target."

[0172] Furthermore, for example, setting the timing when the training of the training target is completed as the timing for consuming the first parameter corresponds to an example of "at least one timing for consumption established after the start of training of the training target." In this case, the first parameter is paid for in arrears. For example, a limit may be set on the number of times that deferred payment is possible, such as once a day in the real world or three times a week. Alternatively, conditions for deferred payment may be set (for example, the user's game level reaches a predetermined standard, or a predetermined game result is achieved in a game mode other than the training mode, etc.). Furthermore, for example, a consumption timing that is set only once or multiple times after the completion of training of a training target corresponds to an example of "at least one consumption timing set after the start of training of the training target." In this case, too, it is a form of deferred payment of the first parameter. The aforementioned limit on the number of times deferred payment is possible or conditions for deferred payment may be set. In this form of deferred payment of the first parameter, for example, while the user is taking a break from the game (for example, while sleeping), the first parameter that has naturally recovered over time may be automatically consumed at a consumption timing set at predetermined intervals (i.e., an automatic deduction form).

[0173] Regarding the "first parameter of required amount," the required amount can be set arbitrarily and may be constant (fixed) or variable. For example, the required amount may be constant no matter how many times a training game for one training target is played (no matter how many times new training is performed after training is completed), or the required amount may increase or decrease as the number of times the training game is played increases. Furthermore, if multiple consumption timings are set after training begins, the required amount of the first parameter for each time may be constant, or the required amount may increase or decrease with each time.

[0174] With regard to "executing a game for raising a training target on the condition that the required amount of the first parameter is consumed," if there is at least one consumption timing between the start of training and the completion of training, the game can be progressed by executing the game for raising a training target from the start of training until the consumption timing, but after the consumption timing, the game cannot be progressed by executing the game for raising a training target unless the required amount of the first parameter is consumed at the consumption timing.If there are multiple consumption timings until the completion of training, the game cannot be progressed thereafter unless the required amount of the first parameter is consumed at each consumption timing. On the other hand, if the consumption timing is set to the timing of completion of training of the training target or the timing after completion of training (i.e., if deferred payment is allowed), the game can be progressed by executing the game in which the training target is trained from the start of training to the completion of training. However, since consumption of the required amount of the first parameter is a condition for executing the game, the required amount of the first parameter is consumed at the consumption timing at the completion of training or after completion of training. For example, if the required amount of the first parameter is insufficient at the consumption timing at the completion of training or after completion of training, a restriction may be imposed such that the training target whose training has been completed cannot be registered or used until the required amount of the first parameter can be consumed. Alternatively, for example, a restriction may be imposed such that the game in which the next training target is trained cannot be started until the required amount of the first parameter can be consumed.

[0175] In the baseball game example described above, the game execution unit 112 has a function of executing a game in which a user develops a team, on the condition that a required amount of energy is consumed at at least one consumption timing provided after the start of development of the user's team. This allows the development game to begin when there is at least enough energy at the development start timing, making it possible to progress the game to at least a certain extent. This reduces the burden on the user to execute the development game (particularly to start the game). For example, in the case of energy that recovers over time or by paying, the waiting time and fees required to recover energy can be reduced, thereby reducing the burden on the user. This allows the user to start the development game without feeling too burdened, which can prevent the user from losing interest in starting the game.

[0176] In addition, the game execution unit 112 can be configured to have the function of progressing the game in which the training object is trained, provided that the required amount of the first parameter is consumed at each of multiple consumption timings set between the start and completion of training of the training object.

[0177] Here, the period from the start of training to the completion of training (hereinafter referred to as the "training period") may be constant (for example, one year in-game time), or the training period may vary depending on the training object. For example, if the training object is a group such as a baseball team, the training period may be one year, and if the training object is an individual object (for example, a player character belonging to a baseball team), the training period may be three years. Furthermore, the training period may vary depending on the attributes of the object (or the attributes of the team), such as one year for a player character who is a third-year high school student, two years for a second-year student, and three years for a first-year student.

[0178] Regarding "multiple consumption timings set between the start and end of training," the number of consumption timings can be set arbitrarily. For example, consumption timings can be set for each day, week, month, year, etc. in-game time (or real-world time). For example, if consumption timings are set for each month in-game time, timings that cross over into the next month may be consumption timings. Alternatively, timings that include the first or last day of a month in-game time, or a middle day of a month (for example, the 15th) may be consumption timings. The consumption timings may be provided at regular intervals, such as once a month in-game time (or real-world time). Alternatively, the intervals may not always be constant, but the consumption timings may be provided according to a certain rule, such as once a week for the first three months after the start of development, every two weeks for the next three months, and then once a month thereafter. The intervals between the consumption timings may become longer or shorter as the game progresses. Alternatively, the consumption timings may be provided at irregular intervals. For example, the interval from one consumption timing to the next may be determined each time based on probability (for example, randomly).

[0179] The timing of consumption may be determined based on in-game time or real-world time. In the baseball game example described above, the timing of consumption is defined as the timing when the in-game month changes. In this example, the timing of consumption of the first parameter is set for each "month" in the in-game time. As an example of defining the consumption timing based on real-world time, the consumption timing may be defined as a timing spanning a "month" in the real world. As a specific example, the consumption timing may be set to midnight on the first day of each month in real-world time, and the first parameter must be consumed when the game is played after midnight on the first day of each month. In this case, the consumption timing of the first parameter is set for each "month" in the real world. This example can be considered a subscription mode in which a user can play one game or one game mode for a predetermined period of time (one month in the above example, but it may also be one day, one week, etc.).

[0180] "Game progression" refers to the game being executed and progressing based on user operations to progress the game. "Game progression in raising a training target" refers to the game being executed and progressing based on user operations to raise a training target. For example, in a turn-based game in which turns progress according to user operations, an example of "game progression" is the execution of turn processing in response to user operations. Note that the game may also be one in which a fixed period of in-game time, such as one day or one week, progresses with each turn. In other words, the game may have a set number of turns required from the start of training to the completion of training. Furthermore, the amount of progress per turn may vary from turn to turn. For example, the game may be one in which the in-game time progresses by one day, or by multiple days, such as three or five days, depending on the command selected by the user. In the example of the baseball game described above, by selecting a command option (progress icon P46) such as practice at each turn, the selected process such as practice is executed and the game progresses.

[0181] In the baseball game example described above, the game execution unit 112 progresses the game in the training mode under the condition that a required amount of energy is consumed at each of the set monthly timings (an example of multiple consumption timings) from the start of training to the completion of training for the training target team. This configuration allows the training game to progress each time by consuming energy at each of the multiple consumption timings after the start of training, rather than consuming a large amount of energy at once as payment at the start of training for the training target. In this way, the total energy required from the start of training to the completion is consumed in small increments at each consumption timing, thereby minimizing the amount of energy required at one time. This reduces the burden on the user when playing the training game.

[0182] The object to be developed can be a group including a plurality of belonging objects. Here, a "belonging object" is an object that belongs to a group (is included in a group). Furthermore, a "group" is a group consisting of two or more belonging objects. A "group" can also be referred to as, for example, a team, a group, a squad, a party, a guild, etc. For example, in a game simulating baseball, soccer, or other sports, a team including multiple player characters as "belonging objects" is an example of a "group." In addition, in a game using objects such as animals such as racehorses, plants such as trees and flowers, fictional creatures such as monsters, or non-living objects such as robots, a party including multiple objects as "belonging objects" is an example of a "group."

[0183] In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, the object of development is a team including a plurality of players, and the plurality of players can be developed in groups.

[0184] The group may include a first belonging object selected by the user from among the owned objects associated with the user identification information, and a second belonging object other than the owned object. Here, a "owned object" refers to an object that is stored in association with user identification information and that the user owns in the game. Examples of "owned objects" include an object that the user acquires by lottery in a lottery mode (so-called gacha), an object that the user acquires as a reward for fulfilling a predetermined condition in the game (for example, winning a match), and an object that the user receives as a gift from another user or in exchange with another user. A user can selectively use any of their owned objects in the game. The "first belonging object" is at least one owned object selected by the user from among the owned objects, which is included in a group to be developed (for example, a baseball team). A "second belonging object" is an object other than the owned object that is included in the group to be developed. For example, an object such as a mob character generated by the game system is an example of a second belonging object. Also, for example, an object selected by lottery from among the objects managed in the game by the game system is an example of a second belonging object.

[0185] In the example of the baseball game described above, the user's team (an example of a group) includes scholarship students (an example of a first belonging object) selected by the user from among the scholarship students associated with the user ID, and regular recruits (an example of a second belonging object) who are mob characters generated by the game system 1. This allows some of the players making up the user's team to include objects arbitrarily selected by the user from among the objects (scholarship students) owned by the user. This allows the user to acquire various objects in advance, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in the composition of the team to be developed.

[0186] Furthermore, the target of development can be both a group and an individual object included in the group. In the baseball game example mentioned above, the targets for development are both a team consisting of multiple players (including scholarship students and regular students) and the individual players (scholarship students or regular students) included in that team. This allows for development of the team as a whole, while also allowing for development of the individual players included in that group.

[0187] In addition, the game execution unit 112 can be configured to have the function of accepting a collective instruction operation for raising multiple belonging objects included in a group, as well as accepting individual instruction operations for raising each of the multiple belonging objects.

[0188] Here, the "collective instruction operation for training" refers to an instruction operation for training that the user can issue collectively to multiple belonging objects included in a group. It may be a collective instruction to all of the belonging objects included in the group, or a collective instruction to some of the belonging objects included in the group (for example, a collective instruction to all pitchers or all fielders on a baseball team). The "individual instruction operation for development" is an instruction operation for development that the user can individually perform on each of the multiple belonging objects included in the group. The collective instruction operation or individual instruction operation for development can include, for example, instructions for practice and games, as well as instruction operations such as studying (to gain knowledge), taking a break (to relieve fatigue), going out and playing (to change one's mood), etc. Furthermore, the collective instruction operation or individual instruction operation for training may be an operation for instructing a training policy (practice policy, etc.) For example, in the case of a baseball game, it may be possible to instruct practice policies such as "improving batting ability," "improving running ability," and "improving defensive ability" at a predetermined timing or at any timing, or to change the practice policy.

[0189] In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, the game execution unit 112 accepts an operation to give instructions to practice, etc. to multiple players included in a team all at once (an operation to select and execute the progress icon P46 mentioned above), and also accepts an operation to give instructions to practice, etc. individually to each of the multiple players (the operation to give instructions to individual practice mentioned above). This makes it possible to develop multiple players as a team all at once, while also enabling individual development that brings out the individuality of each player on the team, thereby increasing the game-like quality and entertainment value of the development game.

[0190] Furthermore, the plurality of belonging objects included in the group may include belonging objects with different remaining periods until the completion of their development. Here, "belonging objects having different remaining periods until the completion of training" includes any of the following cases (1) to (3). (1) When the timing of starting training is the same, but the training periods are different, and the remaining time until the completion of training is different. For example, in a high school baseball team, in the first year of the game, the training periods are different for first-year students (approximately three years until graduation), second-year students (approximately two years until graduation), and third-year students (approximately one year until graduation). (2) The training period is the same, but the remaining time until the training is completed is different because the timing of the training start is different. For example, in a high school baseball team, new students (whose training period is about three years from enrollment to graduation) join the team every year, but there are first-year students, second-year students (who join one year earlier than first-year students), and third-year students (who join two years earlier than first-year students) who join the team at different times (training start timing). (3) When the remaining time until the completion of training is different due to differences in the training period and training start timing. For example, in a high school baseball team, this applies to a variation in which a transfer student or a character joining mid-season (any of first-year to third-year students) can join the team in a month other than the month of enrollment (for example, April).

[0191] In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, there are players on the team who have different remaining periods until their training is completed (such as (1) to (3) above), so it becomes necessary to instruct the training of the entire team or the training of individual players while taking into account the remaining periods of each player. This increases the gameplay and interest of the training game.

[0192] As shown in FIG. 19, the control unit 110 can be configured to include a group registration unit 113 and an object registration unit 114. The group registration unit 113 has a function of registering, after the training of a group is completed, the group in association with the user identification information as a group that can be used in a second game different from the game in which the training target is trained. The object registration unit 114 has a function of registering, after the development of at least one of the plurality of belonging objects included in the group is completed, the belonging object whose development has been completed as an object that can be used in the second game, in association with user identification information.

[0193] Here, the "second game" may be of any genre or type as long as it is a game different from the game in which a training target is trained (referred to as the "training game"). The training game and the second game may each be a part of a single game, or may be separate games. For example, one game mode among multiple game modes included in a game executed by a single game program corresponds to an example of the "training game," and the other game modes among the multiple game modes correspond to examples of the "second game." Furthermore, the game executed by the first game program may be the training game, and the game executed by the second game program may be the second game.

[0194] In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, after completing the training of a team, which is an example of a group (after the farewell party event that occurred on September 6th ends), the group registration unit 113 registers the team, which is an example of a group, in association with a user ID as a team that can be used in a battle mode (an example of a second game) that is different from the training game. Also, after completing the training of third-year players included in the team (after the draft conference event that occurred on October 26th ends), the object registration unit 114 registers some of the third-year players (players who meet predetermined registration conditions) in association with a user ID as individual players that can be used in a battle mode that is different from the training game. This allows the second game to be enjoyed using the registered team or individual players even after the training is completed. In particular, since registration on a team basis and registration on an individual player basis are possible and the second game can be enjoyed using either or both, the variety of the game is expanded.

[0195] Furthermore, the timing at which a group whose development has been completed is registered by the group registration unit 113 and the timing at which each of the belonging objects whose development has been completed is registered by the object registration unit 114 can be configured to be different.

[0196] In the example of the baseball game described above, the timing at which the team whose training has been completed is registered by the group registration unit 113 is after the end of the farewell party event that occurs on September 6th. On the other hand, the timing at which the individual players whose training has been completed are registered by the object registration unit 114 is after the end of the draft meeting event that occurs on October 26th, which is different from the timing at which the teams are registered. This allows the player to enjoy playing the second game, which is different from the training game, without getting bored, for example, by using the team after registering the team and using the individual players after registering them.

[0197] 19, the control unit 110 can be configured to include a management unit 115. This management unit 115 has a function of excluding only a portion of the belonging objects from the group and adding new belonging objects to the group each time the development of a group including multiple belonging objects is completed, thereby enabling repeated development of the group while partially replacing the belonging objects.

[0198] In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, each time the training of a team including multiple players (first-year to third-year players) is completed, the management unit 115 removes only the third-year players from the team and adds new first-year players to the team, thereby making it possible to repeatedly train the team while partially replacing the multiple players that make up the team. This makes it possible to realize a training game with high gameplay and entertainment value, in which the training of the team can be repeated without interruption and indefinitely.

[0199] 19, the control unit 110 can be configured to include a joining candidate processing unit 116. This joining candidate processing unit 116 has a function of presenting a plurality of candidate objects that can be candidates for a new belonging object to the user before the new belonging object is added, and determining the probability that a candidate object selected by the user from the plurality of candidate objects can become the new belonging object.

[0200] In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, in the freshman scouting event, before a freshman player (an example of a new belonging object) joins the team, the joining candidate processing unit 116 presents to the user a plurality of scout player candidates P101 (an example of candidate objects) who could be candidates for the freshman player (see FIG. 13), and determines the probability that the scout player candidate P101 selected by the user from among them will become a freshman player. This allows the user to select and scout candidates for freshman players that the user wants to join the team in advance, before the freshman player joins, thereby enhancing the gameplay of the training game.

[0201] 19, the control unit 110 can be configured to include a second parameter management unit 117. The second parameter management unit 117 has a function of managing a second parameter that can be improved as the game progresses by consuming a first parameter. The first parameter management unit 111 can be configured to have a function of restoring the first parameter to a predetermined amount or an upper limit when the second parameter improves beyond a predetermined standard.

[0202] Here, the "second parameter" is a game parameter associated with the user's user identification information, and improves as the user consumes the first parameter to progress through the game. For example, the user's experience points, which improve each time the user consumes the first parameter to progress through the game, or the user level, which improves each time the experience points meet a predetermined standard, are examples of the "second parameter." Also, if the experience points of the user's alter-ego character (the so-called player character) improve each time the user consumes the first parameter to progress through the game, and the character level improves each time the experience points meet a predetermined standard, the experience points or character level of the character are examples of the "second parameter." In the example of the baseball game mentioned above, the manager level or the manager's experience points for improving the manager level corresponds to an example of the "second parameter."

[0203] In the baseball game example mentioned above, the second parameter management unit 117 manages the manager level (or manager experience value) that can improve as the game progresses by consuming action points. The first parameter management unit 111 then restores the action points to a predetermined amount or to an upper limit when the manager level (or manager experience value) improves beyond a predetermined standard. This reduces the burden on the user because, when the manager level (or manager experience value) improves by consuming action points and the manager level improves beyond the predetermined standard, the action points are restored to the predetermined amount or to the upper limit.

[0204] 19, the control unit 110 can be configured to include an advance processing unit 118. When the advance processing unit 118 determines that the second parameter will be improved beyond the standard if the first parameter is consumed at the consumption timing and the game progresses, the advance processing unit 118 has a function of executing advance processing to restore the first parameter to a predetermined amount or an upper limit by improving the second parameter beyond the standard before the first parameter is consumed at the consumption timing.

[0205] Here, with regard to "the game progresses by consuming the first parameter," it does not matter which comes first, the consumption of the first parameter or the progression of the game by playing the game, or they may occur approximately simultaneously. For example, the first parameter may be consumed before the game is played, or the game may be played before the first parameter is consumed.

[0206] In the baseball game example mentioned above, if the advance processing unit 118 determines that consuming energy (an example of a first parameter) in a turn where a transition to a new month occurs and the new month is reached (as the game progresses) will result in an increase in the manager level (an example of the second parameter improving beyond the standard), the advance processing unit 118 increases the manager level to restore the energy to a predetermined amount or upper limit before consuming energy in the turn where the transition occurs. This allows the user to progress through the game without paying any fees at the specific timing where the manager level increases and energy is restored by consuming energy at the timing. This prevents the user from feeling like they have made unnecessary payments.

[0207] Furthermore, if the first parameter is insufficient for the required amount before the second parameter is improved by the advance processing unit 118, the first parameter management unit 111 may be configured so that, after the game progresses, the insufficient amount is consumed from the first parameter recovered by the advance processing unit 118.

[0208] In the baseball game example mentioned above, if the amount of action points before the advance processing unit 118 raises the manager level is insufficient (e.g., a shortfall of "7") compared to the required amount, the first parameter management unit 111 causes the shortfall to be consumed (in this example, "7" is subtracted from the maximum value) from the action points recovered (e.g., restored to the maximum value) by the advance processing unit 118 as the game progresses. With this configuration, the advance processing unit 118 essentially borrows the shortfall of action points (recovers action points), allowing the user to progress in the game without paying any fees, and the shortfall of the borrowed action points can be offset after the game progresses. This makes it possible to realize a game that gives the user a sense of satisfaction.

[0209] Furthermore, if the first parameter was not short of the required amount before the second parameter was improved by the advance processing unit 118, the first parameter management unit 111 may, after the game progresses, set the state of the first parameter to the state after it has been restored by the advance processing unit 118. In the example of the baseball game described above, if the action points were not short before the advance processing, the action points will be fully restored to the maximum value after the new month.

[0210] As a variation, the first parameter management unit 111 may be configured to restore the first parameter to its maximum value after the game has progressed, regardless of the first parameter before the advance processing unit 118 improved the second parameter (i.e., regardless of whether it is insufficient compared to the required amount). Alternatively, as another variation, the first parameter management unit 111 may be configured to consume the required amount (e.g., 10) of the first parameter after the game has progressed, regardless of the first parameter before the advance processing unit 118 improved the second parameter.

[0211] [4. Processing] Next, an example of the processing executed by the game system 1 of this embodiment will be described below. Here, an example of the processing executed by the game system 1 when executing the baseball game described above will be described.

[0212] 20 to 25 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing of the game system 1 that executes the training mode. The processing described below is realized, for example, by the control unit 110 (CPU 11 of the game terminal 10 or CPU 31 of the server 30) executing a game program stored in a storage device (ROM 12, RAM 13, auxiliary storage device 14, ROM 32, RAM 33, auxiliary storage device 34, etc.).

[0213] In the training mode of this embodiment, after training begins, the required amount of energy is consumed by "10" each time the month changes. Also, at the start of the game (the first year of training begins in April (for example, April 1st or April 8th), the game can be played without consuming energy at the start of the game.

[0214] 20, before starting the game in the training mode, the user initially sets information such as the region and the name of the high school (S100). The control unit 110 stores the information initially set by the user ID in the user information table TBL103 in association with the user ID.

[0215] Furthermore, in the first year of the game, the control unit 110 generates a plurality of general recruits who are first-, second-, and third-year students who are mob characters, and has them join the user's team (S102). Here, the user may be able to select a general recruit from among the plurality of generated general recruit candidate students. Alternatively, in the first year of the game, the general recruits generated by the control unit 110 may join the user's team without the user having to perform a selection operation.

[0216] Furthermore, the control unit 110 allows a predetermined number of scholarship students selected by the user from among the scholarship students owned by the user to join the user's team (S104). Although not shown in FIG. 20, the control unit 110 allows a manager (a general manager or a special manager) to join the user's team. Then, the control unit 110 stores information on the players and managers who joined the user's team in the team data DT105. Although not shown in Fig. 20, the user can set the team order. Team order information is also stored in the team data DT105.

[0217] Thereafter, the control unit 110 causes the display unit 17 to display a progression screen G40 (see FIG. 5) (S106). Here, the control unit 110 displays a plurality of progression icons P46 on the progression screen G40 and arranges a plurality of panels P44 on the map A43. The control unit 110 also determines a practice participating player 48a from among a plurality of players on the team in accordance with the plurality of progression icons P46 to be displayed, and displays the practice participating player in the practice participating player display area A48. The control unit 110 then stores information on the plurality of progression icons P46, the plurality of panels P44, and the practice participating player displayed on the progression screen G40 in the game progression data DT106.

[0218] The user selects one of the multiple progress icons P46 displayed on the progress screen G40 and confirms the selection (S108). Thereafter, the control unit 110 determines whether a progress icon spanning a month has been selected (S110). If the answer is NO in step S110, the process proceeds to step S116, where the control unit 110 executes the game. Immediately after the start of the game, the month will not change for a while until May, and the game can be progressed without consuming energy.

[0219] On the other hand, if a progress icon spanning months is selected (YES in S110), the control unit 110 determines whether the action point is 10 or more (S112). If the answer is YES in this step S112, the control unit 110 consumes 10 action points (S114) and executes the game (S116).

[0220] If the action power is less than "10" (NO in S112), the control unit 110 displays an action power shortage notification window G110 (see FIG. 14) on the display unit 17 to notify the user of the lack of action power (S118). If the user recovers the action power using a paid item or the like (YES in S120), the process proceeds to step S114. On the other hand, if the user does not recover the action power (NO in S120), the control unit 110 suspends the training and saves the game data. If the training is to be resumed thereafter, it is resumed from the progress screen display in step S106.

[0221] An example of the "game execution" process in step S116 will now be described with reference to FIG. In step S200, the control unit 110 determines whether the progress icon P46 selected by the user is the Freshman Scout. If the answer is YES in step S200, a Freshman Scout event occurs (S210). The processing of this Freshman Scout event will be described in detail later.

[0222] On the other hand, if the progress icon P46 selected by the user is a progress icon P46 for practice or the like that is not for freshman scouting (NO in S200), the control unit 110 executes a command for practice or the like associated with the progress icon P46 (S202). This instructs multiple players included in the user's team to practice or the like all at once. In this case, the number of days of practice or the like indicated by the progress day number information P47 (see FIG. 5) displayed (associated) with the progress icon P46 selected by the user is instructed. Therefore, the greater the number of days indicated by the progress day number information P47, the greater the experience points of abilities that multiple players on the team can acquire through practice or the like. Furthermore, among the multiple players on the team, the practice participating player 48a displayed in the practice participating player display area A48 of the progress screen G40 can acquire more experience points of abilities than the other players.

[0223] The control unit 110 advances the in-game time schedule by the number of days indicated by the progress days information P47 displayed on the progress icon P46 selected by the user (S204). As a result, panels P44 (squares) corresponding to the number of days advance within the map A43 of the progress screen G40. The control unit 110 then generates an event associated with the panel P44 on which the player stopped (S206). Thereafter, the control unit 110 updates parameters such as the abilities of multiple players on the team according to the results of the game execution for this turn (results of team practice, events, etc.), and stores the updated parameters in the team data DT105 (S208). Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S122 in FIG. 21.

[0224] In step S122, the control unit 110 determines whether it is the right time to give individual practice instructions to each player on the team. In this game, individual practice instructions are possible at the beginning of each month (at the beginning of the next month), and the control unit 110 determines whether the current turn is a turn that ends in the next month. If the answer is YES in step S122, the control unit 110 displays the individual practice instruction screen G70 (see FIG. 10) on the display unit 17 and accepts the user's operation for giving individual practice instructions (S124). The control unit 110 stores information about the individual practice instructions to each player on the team in the team data DT105. After step S124, or if the answer is NO in step S122, the process proceeds to step S126.

[0225] In step S126, the control unit 110 determines whether a farewell party event has occurred in the current turn (i.e., whether it is time to complete the training of the training target). If the answer is YES in step S126, the control unit 110 registers 18 players (9 starting players and 9 bench players) selected by the user from multiple players in the team as a team whose training has been completed (S128). For example, the control unit 110 associates information about the team whose training has been completed with the user ID and stores it in the user information table TBL103. The team registered here can then be used in modes such as a battle mode that are different from the training mode.

[0226] Furthermore, the control unit 110 causes the third-year player to leave the current team at the timing of completing the training, and thereafter the player does not participate in team practice, so that the ability does not change (S130). This essentially completes the training of each third-year player.

[0227] In addition, once the training is completed, third-year players will leave their current teams, and training will begin with teams excluding the current third-year players.

[0228] In this game, individual players are registered after the draft event. Alternatively, the team and individual players may be registered at approximately the same time. Furthermore, even after a third-year player leaves a team, parameters such as the player's abilities may be allowed to change, providing an opportunity to develop the third-year player individually until the time of individual player registration. For example, after a farewell party event, a national team may be formed to compete in an international tournament, and third-year players may join the team, thereby improving the parameters of the participating players, such as their abilities.

[0229] After step S130, or if the answer is NO in step S126, the process proceeds to step S132. In step S132, the control unit 110 determines whether a draft conference event has occurred in the current turn (i.e., whether it is time to register individual players). If the answer is YES in step S132, the control unit 110 registers the third-year players on the team who have become drafted players (who have met predetermined registration conditions) as individual players whose training has been completed (S134). For example, the control unit 110 associates information about the individual players whose training has been completed with their user IDs and stores them in the user information table TBL103. The individual players registered here can then be used in modes such as a battle mode that are different from the training mode. After step S134, or if the answer is NO in step S132, the process proceeds to step S136.

[0230] In step S136, the control unit 110 determines whether a graduation ceremony event has occurred in the current turn (i.e., whether it is time to graduate third-year players). If the answer is YES in step S136, the control unit 110 graduates the third-year players (S138). Note that graduates who are not registered as individual players are stored in association with the user ID as town people with various occupations, and may appear in the game in the training mode from this point on.

[0231] In this game, the townspeople are the regular students or graduates of the regular managers, and the scholarship students or scholarship managers are not the townspeople. As a variation, the scholarship students or scholarship manager graduates may also appear in the game as townspeople. After step S138, or if the answer is NO in step S136, the process proceeds to step S140.

[0232] In step S140, the control unit 110 determines whether an entrance ceremony event has occurred in the current turn (i.e., whether it is time to have a freshman player join the team). If the result of step S140 is YES, the control unit 110 displays the new member screen G10 (see FIG. 2) on the display unit 17, accepts an operation by the user to select and set a player to join the team as a freshman, and has the freshman player join the user's team (S142). The control unit 110 stores information about the player who joined the team as a freshman in the team data DT105. Although omitted in FIG. 21, the control unit 110 can also have a freshman manager (a regular manager or a special manager) join the user's team. As a result, new freshmen players will join the development team from which the previous year's third-year players were excluded, resulting in a change in the team.

[0233] After step S142, or if step S140 is NO, the process returns to step S106 in FIG. 20, where the control unit 110 updates the multiple progression icons P46, the panel P44, or the practice participating players 48a, etc., displayed on the progression screen G40, and displays the progression screen G40 for the next turn. For example, the progress icon P46 selected in the previous turn is deleted, and a new progress icon P46 is instead selected by lottery and included in the multiple progress icons P46 to be displayed. The control unit 110 then updates the game progress data DT106.

[0234] In this way, every year, third-year players graduate and new freshmen enroll and join the development team, resulting in a change in team members and the development of the development target (the team or the individual players on that team) continuing forever.

[0235] Next, an example of the "freshman scout event" process in step S210 of FIG. 22 will be described with reference to FIG. In step S300, the control unit 110 (recruitment candidate processing unit 116) displays a scout destination selection screen G90 (see FIG. 12) on the display unit 17 and accepts an operation by the user to select a scout destination area. The control unit 110 then displays a list of scout player candidates P101 (see FIG. 13) that can be scouted in the scout destination area selected by the user on the display unit 17 (S302). The user then selects one of the scout player candidates P101 that the user wants to scout (S304), allowing the player of the selected scout player candidate P101 (scouted player) to be scouted. The control unit 110 determines the response of the scout player scouted by the user as either "good (e.g., 100% probability of admission)," "average (e.g., 50% probability of admission)," or "bad (e.g., 5% probability of admission)" (S306). Then, the control unit 110 stores the information of the scouted player in association with the user ID in the user information table TBL103 (S308).

[0236] Next, as a modification of the flowcharts illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, an example of a flowchart capable of executing the forward processing is shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 24, if S110 in FIG. 20 is YES (if a progress icon spanning a month is selected), the control unit 110 (advancement processing unit 118) determines whether the manager level will increase if the month changes (S400). If the answer is NO in step S400, the process proceeds to step S112 in FIG. 20. On the other hand, if the control unit 110 determines that a specific case exists in which the manager level will increase if the month changes (YES in S400), it executes advancement processing to increase the manager level ahead of time before consuming energy (S402). This fully restores energy to its maximum value (upper limit) (S404), allowing the user to progress through the game without using paid items, etc., regardless of how much energy was remaining in the current turn in which the progress icon spanning a month was selected.

[0237] Thereafter, the control unit 110 consumes "10" of the action points (S406) and executes the game (S408). The game execution process of S408 is the same as the game execution process exemplified in Fig. 22. Note that S406 and S408 may be executed in the reverse order, or may be executed substantially simultaneously.

[0238] The control unit 110 then determines whether the remaining amount of action points before the advance processing was less than 10 (S410), and if YES, restores the amount of action points by the amount remaining before the advance processing (S412). As a specific example, assume that the remaining amount of action points before the advance processing was "3" and the deficit of the required amount of "10" was "7". In this case, after the advance processing in S404 restores the action points to the maximum value, "10" is consumed in S406, the game is executed (S410), and the remaining amount before the advance processing, "3", is restored in S412. As a result, the action points after the game is executed will be in a state where "7" (= the deficit before the advance processing) has been consumed from the maximum value.

[0239] On the other hand, if the remaining amount of action points before the early processing was 10 or more (NO in S410), the control unit 110 will fully restore the action points to the maximum value (S414). After step S412 or S414, the process proceeds to step S122 in FIG.

[0240] [5.Another example of a game] Another example of the game of this embodiment will be described below. The games exemplified below have the same basic specifications as the games described above, and will mainly explain configurations not described in the games described above, or more detailed configuration examples and variations that have been described. Also, because the games exemplified below have the same basic specifications as the games described above, the same or corresponding configurations will be assigned the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations may be omitted. In the following description, for convenience, the user's operation on game terminal 10 will be described as a touch operation on the touch panel.

[0241] In the baseball game of this embodiment, the above-mentioned training mode (an example of the first game) is called the "Eikan Nine" mode. The aforementioned battle mode (an example of the second game) is referred to as a "stadium" mode. The above-mentioned lottery mode is called the "special scholarship student scout" mode. The aforementioned motivation (an example of the first parameter) is referred to as "EP." The aforementioned "team whose development has been completed" is called the "glorious team." The aforementioned "professional player registration" is referred to as "registration in the player box."

[0242] As mentioned above, characters with the same name but different rarities (including scholarship students and scholarship managers) may exist, but in the baseball game of this embodiment, characters with the same name but different rarities do not exist. In other words, each scholarship student and scholarship manager is associated with one of multiple rarities, and characters with the same name but different rarities do not exist.

[0243] FIG. 26 shows an example of a home screen G1000 for a baseball game according to this embodiment. The home screen G1000 has a display area A1011 that displays information about the manager level, and a display area A1012 that displays information about the "crown team." Display area A1011 displays a gauge that indicates the current manager level and the amount of manager experience points required to increase the manager level. Each time the user earns manager experience points while playing "Eikan Nine" mode or "Stadium" mode, the gauge increases, and when the gauge is full, the manager level increases by one. After the manager level increases, the gauge is reset. For example, in "Eikan Nine" mode, manager experience points increase by "5" for every "10" EP consumed. Also, for example, in "Stadium" mode, manager experience points increase by "5" for every "match ticket" (described below) consumed. Alternatively, a predetermined amount of manager experience points may be earned by meeting certain conditions in the game. Display area A1012 displays information about the "crown team" currently selected as the team to be used in the "Koshien League" in the "stadium" mode, which will be described later. The information about the "crown team" includes the name of the high school, the overall team strength, and the team rank.

[0244] Furthermore, the home screen G1000 is provided with a display area A42, a display area A1030, and a display area A1040. The display area A42 displays information such as the upper limit of EP, the current value (current remaining amount), the time required to recover to the upper limit, and a gauge indicating the current remaining amount of EP. Information about match tickets is displayed in display area A1030. Match tickets are items required to play matches in "Stadium" mode, and one match ticket is consumed per match. Consumed match tickets are naturally recovered over time. For example, one match ticket is recovered every two hours. A maximum number of match tickets is set (for example, a maximum of five tickets). The information about match tickets displayed in display area A1030 displays the maximum number of match tickets, the number of match tickets currently available, and the time remaining until one match ticket is recovered. Note that match tickets may be recovered without waiting for the passage of time by using a specified item (for example, a match ticket supplementary ticket).

[0245] The display area A1040 displays the number of "Power Diamonds" owned by the user. Power Diamonds are game items required to enter a lottery (gacha) to obtain a scholarship student or a scholarship manager in the "Scholarship Student Scout." Power Diamonds are also game items used to exceptionally restore all or a predetermined amount of parameters or items (e.g., the aforementioned EP or match tickets) that are normally restored over time. Power Diamonds are also items (or points) that function as in-game currency (virtual currency within the game). There are two types of Power Diamonds: paid and free. The total number of both is displayed in the display area A1040. Alternatively, the free number and the paid number may be displayed separately in the display area A1040. Paid Power Diamonds are paid items purchased by the user through a predetermined purchasing method. Free Power Diamonds are non-paid items acquired by the user through methods other than charging, such as rewards in the "Challenge" mode described below or login rewards.

[0246] Furthermore, a plurality of processing objects P1051 to P1060 are displayed on the home screen G1000. Here, a "processing object" is, for example, an image, symbol, or text associated with a process. For example, a button, icon, or hyperlink associated with a process corresponds to an example of a processing object. When a processing object is selected by the user, the process associated with the processing object is executed.

[0247] The processing object P1051 is associated with a process for transitioning to the "Eikan Nine" mode. The processing object P1052 is associated with a process for transitioning to the "stadium" mode. The processing object P1053 is associated with a process for transitioning to the "scholarship student scout" mode. The processing object P1054 is associated with a process for transitioning to the "team management" mode for checking or organizing the user's team that can be used in the "stadium" mode. The processing object P1055 is associated with a process for transitioning to a game mode (hereinafter referred to as "character strengthening mode") for checking and strengthening the characters (scholarship students, scholarship managers) owned by the user.

[0248] The processing object P1056 is associated with a process for transitioning to the "Challenge" mode (hereinafter simply referred to as "Challenge"). In the Challenge, multiple game tasks are preset, such as "Consume 30 EP," "Recruit a scholarship student to join the team," and "Win 100 times at the stadium." The game tasks are conditions for obtaining a reward. By completing the game tasks, the user can obtain a reward corresponding to the game task. Rewards that can be obtained in the Challenge include various items, various points, and characters (scholarship student, scholarship manager). The rewards that can be obtained vary depending on the game task. Game tasks include those that can be completed by playing the "Eikan Nine" mode, those that can be completed by playing the "Stadium" mode, those that can be completed in the character strengthening mode, and those that can be completed by forming a team. In the Challenge, the user can check the progress of each game task and perform operations to obtain rewards associated with the game tasks they have completed. The above game tasks may be set daily, weekly, or monthly. For example, a game task set for each day is valid only for that day and is updated the next day. The same applies to game tasks set for each week or month. The game tasks in the challenge and information on the user's progress are associated with user identification information and stored in user information table TBL103.

[0249] One or more "Challenge" game tasks that the user has not yet completed are displayed as recommended tasks in display area A1080. For example, if the user has not completed the game tasks set for each day, those game tasks are displayed in display area A1080.

[0250] The processing object P1057 is associated with processing for transitioning to a screen for a limited-time event that is currently being held or is scheduled to be held in the future. An example of a limited-time event will be described later. The processing object P1058 is associated with processing for transitioning to a screen that displays various game-related notification information that the game provider should notify the user about. Notification information includes, for example, information about game program updates, campaigns, and bugs.

[0251] The processing object P1059 is associated with a process for transitioning to a "present box" for receiving rewards such as items and points granted to the user in the game. In this game, rewards granted to the user are either temporarily stored until the user performs a receiving operation, or are directly granted to the user without being stored (associated with user identification information as a game element owned by the user). The user can obtain the stored, unreceived reward by performing a receiving operation in the present box by the receiving deadline. If the receiving deadline passes, the stored, unreceived reward will disappear.

[0252] [Character lottery] The game mode "Special Scholarship Student Scout" will be described below. When the user selects the processing object P1053, an image of a character lottery screen is displayed on the display unit 17. In "Special Scholarship Student Scout," either a special scholarship student or a special scholarship manager can be acquired by lottery.

[0253] FIG. 27 shows an example of a character lottery screen G200. Display area A201 displays the number of paid power diamonds owned, and display area A202 displays the number of free power diamonds owned. Display area A211 displays multiple options P211 for selecting the content of the character lottery. The user can switch between options P211 by swiping display area A211 up or down. The content of the character lottery differs depending on the option P211. For example, the options P211 may vary the characters that can be acquired, the characters that are easier to acquire, the type of power diamonds that are consumed (e.g., paid only, or both paid and free), the amount of power diamonds consumed, or the period during which the lottery is available. Display area A220 displays information about the character lottery that corresponds to the currently selected option P211.

[0254] Additionally, the display area A220 displays a plurality of processing objects P221 to P225 corresponding to the character lottery for the currently selected option P211 (hereinafter referred to as the "selected character lottery"). Tapping the processing object P221 displays a detailed explanation of the selected character lottery. This detailed explanation includes information such as characters that can be acquired, characters that are easy to acquire, and the lottery probability for each rarity. Tapping the processing object P222 displays information about the featured characters that can be acquired in the selected character lottery. A "featured character" is a character that appears more frequently than other characters of the same rarity. The user can check the featured characters and consider which option P211 to select for the character lottery.

[0255] The processing object P223 is associated with a process for executing a single lottery for the selected character. In the example of FIG. 27, one lottery is executed by consuming 150 power diamonds (paid or free). In this game, executing a character lottery allows a player to acquire a character (a scholarship student or a scholarship manager) as well as a predetermined reward (e.g., one gold medal and 30 silver medals). Note that, for example, an opportunity to execute a character lottery without consuming power diamonds (e.g., once per day in the real world) may be provided. The processing object P224 is associated with a process for executing 10 consecutive lotteries for the selected character. In the example of FIG. 27, 1,500 power diamonds are consumed to execute 10 consecutive lotteries. The processing object P225 is associated with a process for executing a lottery for the selected character using a lottery ticket. A lottery ticket is an item that can be acquired as a reward in other game modes (e.g., limited-time events), a login bonus, etc.

[0256] Display area A226 displays information guaranteeing the appearance of a character of a predetermined rarity or higher in the currently selected character lottery. FIG. 27 shows an example in which display area A226 displays "SR or higher guaranteed within 10 tries 5 / 10." In this example, if no character of SR or higher has appeared in nine consecutive draws, game system 1 controls the lottery so that a character of SR or higher will always appear in the tenth draw. The display of "5 / 10" in display area A226 indicates that currently, no character of SR or higher has appeared in five consecutive draws.

[0257] Additionally, this game counts all lottery attempts in the "Special Student Scout" game mode, regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid, and guarantees that a character of the highest rarity (PSR) (or a character of a specified rarity or higher) will appear within a specified number of attempts (e.g., 99 attempts). This is known as a gacha ceiling. Specifically, the game system 1 counts the number of "Character Lottery for All Options P211" attempts in the "Special Student Scout" game mode and controls the lottery so that a PSR character will not fail to appear 100 or more times in a row. For example, the probability of a PSR appearing is set to 2% for the first 50 attempts, and increases by 2% for each subsequent attempt. As a result, the probability of a PSR appearing at the 99th attempt is 100%. The display area A231 displays a count of the total number of character lotteries in the "Special Student Scout" game mode, regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid. Note that the count of the total number of attempts is reset when a PSR character appears.

[0258] As a variation, it is also possible to count only the total number of times that a paid character lottery is performed, and to guarantee that a character of a predetermined rarity or higher will appear within a predetermined number of times. In other variations, the total number of times the character lottery is performed is counted regardless of whether it is paid or free, and the above guarantee is made. However, the count of the number of times the character lottery is performed can be weighted depending on whether it is paid or free. In this case, paid lottery is weighted more heavily than free lottery.

[0259] Also, if you tap the processing object P232, you will be taken to a lottery history screen that displays the history of characters acquired in the "Special Student Scout" game mode. This lottery history screen displays a list of up to 100 characters (special student and special manager) acquired by lottery in the past 30 days in the real world, for example.

[0260] [Strengthening your characters] The following describes the "character strengthening mode" for checking and strengthening the characters (scholarship students, scholarship managers) owned by the user. When the user selects the processing object P1055, an image of the character screen is displayed on the display unit 17. FIG. 28 shows an example of a character screen G300. The character screen G300 is provided with a display area A310 for displaying a list of characters owned by the user. Tabs T301 to T303 for switching the type of character displayed in the display area A310 are displayed on the left side of the character screen G300. As described above, characters that the user can own include scholarship students and scholarship managers. As shown in FIG. 28, when tab T301 is selected, a list of scholarship student TCs owned by the user is displayed in the display area A310. When tab T302 is selected, a list of scholarship managers owned by the user is displayed in the display area A310.

[0261] By tapping the sort setting part P320, you can set sorting or filtering conditions for multiple characters displayed in the display area A310. Figure 28 shows an example in which the characters are sorted in ascending order using the date and time the character was acquired as the sorting condition. Other sorting or filtering conditions can also be set, such as the character's rarity, name, number of unlocked characters, personality, overall player strength, crown power, progress icons (equipment icons, special ability icons) that provide advantageous effects associated with the character, abilities (such as hitting and power), or position. Each character displayed on the character screen G300 is displayed with its rarity RT, name CN, etc., but the information displayed for each character may be changed depending on the sorting conditions or narrowing conditions. For example, if the sorting condition is the player total strength, the player total strength information is displayed for each character instead of (or in addition to) the name CN.

[0262] As shown in FIG. 28, when tab T301 is selected, the same scholarship student TC is not displayed in the display area A310 in duplicate. Here, the same scholarship student TC is a scholarship student TC with the same character ID or the same name. When a user acquires a new scholarship student TC that is the same as a scholarship student TC that the user already owns, for example, in the character lottery mode, the newly acquired scholarship student TC is stored in the storage. FIG. 29 shows an example of a character screen G300 in which characters stored in the storage are displayed as a result of tab T303 being selected. Similarly, if a user acquires a new special offer manager MC in the character lottery mode or the like that is the same as a special offer manager MC that the user already possesses, the newly acquired special offer manager MC is stored in the storage. As shown in Fig. 29, on the character screen G300, information P340 indicating the number of characters (special offer student TCs or special offer manager MCs) held in the storage is displayed for each of the characters.

[0263] As described above, if a user acquires the same character multiple times, the character acquired for the first time and the same character acquired the second time or later are distinguished and stored in association with the user's user ID. FIG. 33 shows an example of a possessed character table TBL111 stored in the data storage unit 100. This table TBL111 may be included in the user information table TBL103 of FIG. 16. Table TBL111 is stored in association with a user ID and has information areas for scholarship students, scholarship managers, and storage. Table TBL111 also stores information such as possessed IDs, character IDs, possessed numbers, character parameters, upper limit unlock numbers (described below), and crown power unlock numbers (described below). The possessed ID is information that uniquely identifies each character in table TBL111.

[0264] The characters in the storage can be used as strengthening materials to strengthen characters outside the storage that the user owns (the scholarship student TC or scholarship manager MC displayed when tab T301 or tab T302 is selected). Strengthening a character here means improving the character's abilities or changing the character's parameters to enhance the character's effects. Please note that characters in the storage cannot be strengthened, and characters outside the storage cannot be used as strengthening materials. As a variation, characters in the storage may be strengthened, or characters outside the storage may be used as strengthening materials.

[0265] There are two ways to strengthen the scholarship student TC: "Limit Release" and "Crown Power Release". In addition, there is a "limit release" to strengthen the special manager MC. First, the "upper limit release" will be explained. "Limit Break" strengthens the character being strengthened by using the same character as the character being strengthened (Special Scholarship Student TC or Special Scholarship Manager MC) as material. "Limit Break" can also be performed by using a specified item (Knowledge Item, described below) on the character being strengthened. The limit can be broken up to five times per character. Note that the limit for limit breaks is not limited to five times and can be set as desired.

[0266] 28, for the scholarship student TC whose upper limit has been released, upper limit release information P331 is displayed with a star mark. The number of star marks indicates the number of times the upper limit has been released. Similarly, for the scholarship manager MC, upper limit release information P331 is displayed with a star mark indicating the number of times the upper limit has been released. The more times the upper limit of a character (special scholarship student TC or special scholarship manager MC) is released, the greater the effect of the release of the upper limit.

[0267] The effects of unlocking the scholarship TC's limit include, for example, an increase in the scholarship TC's initial abilities upon joining the club, an increase in initial trust upon joining, an increase in the appearance rate of equipment icons or special ability icons, an increase in the experience points earned through equipment icons or special ability icons, and the unlocking of various bonus effects. Examples of unlocking bonus effects include an increase in the probability of participating in specific training, an increase in the experience points earned through training tags, an increase in the experience points earned through individual training, an increase in the experience points earned through matches, or a decrease in the difficulty of acquiring special abilities. Unlocking the scholarship TC's limit can provide one or more of these effects. The content of the limit unlocking effect varies depending on the scholarship TC (although there may be scholarship TCs with the same limit unlocking effect). For example, the degree of increase in initial abilities may vary depending on the scholarship TC. Furthermore, for example, some scholarship TCs may have an increase in initial trust upon unlocking the limit, while others may not. Furthermore, the number of limit unlocking effects may vary depending on the scholarship TC.

[0268] The effects of unlocking the upper limit of a special promotion manager MC in the "Eikan Nine" mode include, for example, increasing the appearance rate of a specified panel, decreasing the appearance rate of a red panel, increasing the trust level of a training player, reducing the stamina consumption of a training player, increasing the occurrence rate of an individual training bonus for a specified personality, and increasing the admission rate of a general student with a specified personality. Unlocking the upper limit of a special promotion manager MC can provide one or more of these effects. The content of the effect of unlocking the upper limit varies depending on the special promotion manager MC (although some special promotion managers MCs may have the same effect). For example, the degree to which the trust level of a training player increases may vary depending on the special promotion manager MC. Furthermore, for example, some special promotion managers MCs may decrease the appearance rate of red panels by unlocking the upper limit, while others may not. Furthermore, the number of effects of unlocking the upper limit may vary depending on the special promotion manager MC.

[0269] Here, an example of the upper limit release operation will be described below. On the character screen G300 of Fig. 28, characters that can currently have their upper limit broken are displayed with an "!" icon P330, which is information notifying that fact. Here, a character that can have its upper limit broken is a character that meets the conditions that allow for the operation to break the upper limit of that character (for example, the user possesses the material character or item to break the upper limit of that character). By checking the characters with the icon P330, the user can easily recognize characters that can currently have their upper limit broken, improving operability when strengthening characters.

[0270] When the user performs an operation (e.g., tap) to select any scholarship student TC to be strengthened on the character screen G300 of FIG. 28, an strengthening type selection screen G400, as shown in FIG. 30, is displayed. The strengthening type selection screen G400 displays a processing object P410 associated with the strengthening process of upper limit release for the selected scholarship student TC, and a processing object P420 associated with the strengthening process of crown power release. With regard to the processing object P410, if upper limit release is currently possible for the selected scholarship student TC, an icon P411 is displayed as information notifying this fact, and if upper limit release is not possible, the icon P411 is not displayed. This improves operability when strengthening a character.

[0271] When the user selects (e.g., taps) the processing object P410, the upper limit release screen G500, as shown in FIG. 31, is displayed. The upper limit release screen G500 includes display areas A510, A520, and A530, which allow for three types of upper limit release processing. The display area A510 displays information about the scholarship student TC to be strengthened, the name of the scholarship student TC, the number of characters (strengthening materials) identical to the scholarship student TC in the storage, and the number of uses of the same character to be used in one upper limit release. When the user selects (e.g., taps) the Use button P512 in the display area A510, a process is executed to release the upper limit of the scholarship student TC to be strengthened using one character (a character in the storage) identical to the scholarship student TC to be strengthened as a strengthening material. The information in the possessed character table TBL111 is updated for the scholarship student TC whose upper limit has been released. In addition, the number of characters in the storage used as strengthening materials is reduced by one.

[0272] The upper limit of the scholarship student's TC can also be unlocked by using knowledge items. Here, knowledge items include "character knowledge" and "personality knowledge." The display area A520 of the upper limit unlocking screen G500 is an area for unlocking the upper limit of the scholarship student's TC using "character knowledge." Furthermore, the display area A530 is an area for unlocking the upper limit of the scholarship student's TC using "personality knowledge."

[0273] Display area A520 displays the "Character's Knowledge" item P521 corresponding to the scholarship student TC to be strengthened, the name and number of items P521 possessed, and the number of items P521 used per limit break. The "Character's Knowledge" is associated with a character (or the name of a character) that can be strengthened. Figure 31 shows an example in which the "Character's Knowledge" item P521 associated with "Player PW" is displayed as a character that can be strengthened. In this case, the name of the item P521 is "Player PW's Knowledge." The "Player PW's Knowledge" is only valid for "Player PW" and cannot be used to break the limit of characters other than "Player PW."

[0274] There are multiple types of "character rules" (for example, Player A's rules, Player B's rules, Player C's rules, etc.) that can be strengthened (for example, Player A's rules, Player B's rules, Player C's rules, etc.). For example, when a character is acquired in the character lottery mode, there is a chance that the character will acquire "character knowledge" that will enable the character to be strengthened. Note that the character knowledge may be acquired through challenges, an exchange, a login bonus, or the like.

[0275] When the Use button P522 in the display area A520 is selected (e.g., tapped), one "Character Knowledge" associated with the character to be strengthened is used as an strengthening material, and a process for unlocking the upper limit of the character to be strengthened is executed. In addition, the number of "Character Knowledge" possessed that was used as the strengthening material is reduced by one. Note that the number of uses is not limited to one and can be set arbitrarily.

[0276] The display area A530 displays the "personality knowledge" item P531 corresponding to the personality and rarity of the scholarship student TC to be strengthened, the name and number of the item P531 possessed, and the number of items P531 used per limit break. In Figure 31, the personality of the character to be strengthened is "Cool" and the rarity is "SR", so an example is shown in which the item P531 "[SR] Cool Knowledge" is displayed.

[0277] "Character Knowledge" is associated with a character's personality that can be strengthened. There are multiple types of "Character Knowledge" with different personalities (for example, Cool, Average, Shy, Mischievous, Hot-blooded, Joker, Cunning, Genius) (for example, Cool Knowledge, Average Knowledge, Shy Knowledge, etc.). In addition, "Character Knowledge" has a rarity (R, PR, SR, PSR), and there are different rarities for the same personality (for example, [R] Cool Knowledge, [PR] Cool Knowledge, etc.). "Personality Knowledge" is only valid for characters with the same personality and rarity as the character being strengthened, and cannot be used to unlock the upper limit of characters with different personalities or rarities. "Personality Knowledge" can be acquired through challenges, the exchange, or login bonuses.

[0278] When the user selects (e.g., taps) the Use button P532 in the display area A530, 60 "Personality Knowledge" of the same personality and rarity as the character to be strengthened are used as strengthening materials to unlock the character's upper limit. The number of "Personality Knowledge" used as strengthening materials is also reduced by 60. The number of "Personality Knowledge" used is not limited to 60 and can be set at will. 31, if the number of possessed strengthening materials is less than the number to be used, button P532 is disabled and the character's upper limit cannot be increased. The same applies to buttons P512 and P522.

[0279] As a variation, characters may be strengthened using strengthening materials targeted at other parameters (e.g., position, gender, etc.) instead of (or in addition to) personality. As one example, an item called a "position knowledge," which is associated with the position of the character that can be strengthened, may be used as a strengthening material. There are multiple "position knowledge" items for different positions, such as "pitcher knowledge," "catcher knowledge," "infielder knowledge," and "outfielder knowledge." In this case, only "position knowledge" for the same position as the character to be strengthened is valid, and it cannot be used to strengthen characters in different positions.

[0280] When an operation to select one of the aforementioned use buttons P512, P522, or P532 is performed, a final confirmation screen may be displayed before the upper limit release process is executed, allowing the user to select whether to execute the process or cancel. When the upper limit release process is executed, a screen showing the processing results (for example, a screen showing the character with the increased number of star marks) is displayed, and then the screen returns to the character screen G300 in Figure 28. For the scholarship student TC whose upper limit has been released, star mark upper limit release information P331 is displayed, and the number of star marks is updated according to the total number of times the upper limit has been released.

[0281] Next, I will explain about the "Glory Power Release" of the scholarship student TC. Scholarship TCs have a parameter called Glory Power. Glory Power is used as a buff during matches against opponents, and is a parameter that increases the team's momentum. During matches in "Glory Nine" mode or "Stadium" mode, the sum of the team's overall strength, Glory Power, and Combo Power (described below) is calculated as the team's momentum, which is compared with the opponent's team's momentum. The greater the team's momentum compared to the opponent's, the easier it is to advance in the match to an advantage. Details of the match will be explained later. Only scholarship TCs have the glory power, and it is not set for general students, scholarship managers, or general managers. If a scholarship TC is included in a team, the glory power of that scholarship TC is added to the momentum of that team, making it easier to advance in the game. "Crown Power Release" uses a character in the storage of the same rarity as the scholarship student TC to be strengthened (scholarship student TC or scholarship manager MC) as the strengthening material to strengthen the scholarship student TC to be strengthened. When a scholarship student TC is strengthened using "Crown Power Release", the effect of increasing the glory power of the scholarship student TC is produced. Furthermore, by increasing the glory power of the scholarship student TC through the release of glory power, the team including the scholarship student can more easily advance in the match with an advantage.

[0282] In this embodiment, the Crown Power increases by "4" for each Crown Power release. The degree of increase in the Crown Power due to the Crown Power release can be set arbitrarily. Also, for example, the higher the rarity of the scholarship student TC to be strengthened, the greater the degree of increase in the Crown Power due to the Crown Power release. A maximum of five Crown Power releases can be performed for each scholarship student TC. The upper limit for the Crown Power release is not limited to five, but can be set at will. 28, on the character screen G300, for the scholarship student TC whose crown of glory power has been released, flame mark crown of glory power release information P332 is displayed. The number inside the flame mark indicates the number of times the crown of glory power has been released.

[0283] Here, an example of the operation for releasing the crown power will be described below. When the user selects any scholarship student TC to be strengthened on the character screen G300 of Fig. 28, the strengthening type selection screen G400 shown in Fig. 30 is displayed. Regarding the processing object P420 associated with the strengthening process of the Crown of Glory Power Release, if the Crown of Glory Power Release is currently possible for the selected scholarship student TC, an icon P421 indicating this fact is displayed, and if the Crown of Glory Power Release is not possible, the icon P421 is not displayed. This improves operability when strengthening a character.

[0284] When the user selects (e.g., taps) the processing object P420, the Crown Power Release Material Selection Screen G600, as shown in FIG. 32, is displayed. A display area A610 of the Crown Power Release Material Selection Screen G600 displays characters in the storage that can be used as strengthening materials for the Crown Power Release. Specifically, the Crown Power Release Material Selection Screen G600 displays a list of characters in the storage (scholarship student TC and scholarship manager MC) that have the same rarity as the scholarship student TC to be strengthened. In the example of FIG. 32, the scholarship student TC to be strengthened has a rarity of "SR," so only the "scholarship student TC and scholarship manager MC" with a rarity of "SR" are displayed. Here, as long as the rarity of the strengthening target and the strengthening material are the same, the names of the characters do not need to be the same (they can be the same). A scholarship manager MC of the same rarity as the scholarship student TC to be strengthened can be used as an strengthening material to perform the Crown Power Release.

[0285] The user selects a character to be used as an enhancement material from the list of characters displayed on the Crown Power Release Material Selection Screen G600, and the process of releasing the Crown Power of the scholarship student TC to be enhanced is executed. Note that a final confirmation screen may be displayed before executing this process, allowing the user to select whether to execute or cancel the process. When the Crown Power Release process is executed, a screen showing the processing results (e.g., a screen displaying characters with increased flame marks) is displayed, and then the screen returns to the character screen G300 of FIG. 28. The flame-marked Crown Power Release Information P332 is displayed for the scholarship student TC whose Crown Power has been released, and the number inside the flame mark is updated according to the total number of times the Crown Power has been released. Furthermore, the information in the possessed character table TBL111 is updated for the scholarship student TC whose Crown Power has been released. Furthermore, the number of characters in the storage used as enhancement material is reduced by one.

[0286] 30, if the user selects the processing object P430 that displays "Close," the screen will close. In this case, the screen will return to the character screen G300 in FIG. 28 without executing the strengthening process such as releasing the upper limit.

[0287] When a user has a character (a scholarship student or a scholarship manager) join the user's high school team in "Eikan Nine" mode, the results of the strengthening of the character performed in character strengthening mode before joining (the character's parameters after strengthening) will be reflected in the character at the time of joining. In other words, for a character that a user has joined a team in "Eikan Nine" mode, the parameters at the time of joining (or the parameters after strengthening if strengthened) will become the initial parameters when training begins. Therefore, when a user has a character join a team in "Eikan Nine" mode, the user can advantageously develop the team and the characters within the team by strengthening the character in character strengthening mode before joining the team.

[0288] In particular, strengthening a character before joining a team in "Eikan Nine" mode not only increases the character's initial abilities, but also increases the effects (bonuses) that are beneficial to the development of all or some of the characters on the team. For example, scholarship students are associated with effect-related parameters such as increased appearance rate of equipment icons, increased appearance rate of special ability icons, increased training effect of equipment icons, increased training effect of special ability icons, individual training personality bonuses, and increased training tag effects, which provide an advantage in the development of other characters on the team. Therefore, in addition to the development of the scholarship student itself, these have a significant impact on the development of the team including the scholarship student and the development of other characters on the team.

[0289] In the "Eikan Nine" mode, if a user has a character that they own join their high school team, that character cannot join the team for three years until the character graduates from high school. However, even if a user has a character that they own join a team in the "Eikan Nine" mode, the character can still be strengthened in a character strengthening mode, a game mode different from the "Eikan Nine" mode. Therefore, a character that has joined the user's team in the "Eikan Nine" mode will not be deleted from the list of characters owned on the character screen G300 shown in FIG. 28. After a character that joined the user's team in the "Eikan Nine" mode graduates three years later, that character can rejoin the team. Therefore, if the character is strengthened in the character strengthening mode between the time of joining and the time of rejoining, the development of the team and the characters within the team will be even more advantageous when the character rejoins.

[0290] In this way, even if the "character owned by the user" that can be strengthened in the character strengthening mode and the "character currently joining the team in the Eikan Nine mode" are the same character (let's call them Character X here), the two are managed separately. For example, a character X possessed by a user that can be strengthened in the character strengthening mode is stored in a possessed character table TBL111 shown in Fig. 33, and parameter changes due to strengthening, etc. are managed. On the other hand, a character X that has joined a team in the training mode is stored in team data DT105 shown in Fig. 18, and parameter changes due to training, etc. are managed.

[0291] Furthermore, when a nth-year (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 1) training-completed team (crown team) trained in the "Eikan Nine" mode is registered, if character X is included as a member of the crown team, character X is managed as a member of the nth-year crown team in the "registered team" provided in the user information table TBL103 illustrated in FIG. 16. Furthermore, if character X trained in the "Eikan Nine" mode is selected as a professional player in a draft conference event and registered in the player box described below, character X is managed in the storage area for "registered individual players" provided in the user information table TBL103. Furthermore, if character X registered in the player box is selected by the user as a member of one or more arranged teams, character X is managed as a member of one or more arranged teams in the storage area for "arranged team" provided in the user information table TBL103.

[0292] [Character details] On the character screen G300 of Figure 28, when the user performs a predetermined operation (for example, a long press operation by continuing to touch for a predetermined period of time or more) on any of the scholarship students TC, a character details screen showing detailed information about the scholarship student TC is displayed on the display unit 17. 34 to 38 show an example of the character details screen G700 when the scholarship student in question is a fielder. At the top of the character details screen G700, tabs T701 to T705 are displayed for switching the content of the information displayed in the display area A710.

[0293] In the following explanation with reference to FIGS. 34 to 38, not only scholarship students but also regular enrollment students will be explained as necessary. In addition, when an image of a character (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) being trained in the "Eikan Nine" mode is pressed and held, a screen similar to the character detail screen G700 in Figures 34 to 38 is displayed. In addition, when an image of a character (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) in the Eikan team, a character in the arranged team, or a character in the player box is pressed and held after training is completed, a screen similar to the character detail screen G700 in Figures 34 to 38 is displayed. Therefore, in the following explanation with reference to Figures 34 to 38, not only will the characters possessed before training be described, but also characters being trained or after training has been completed will be described as necessary.

[0294] 34 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen G700 that displays information such as the scholarship student's profile, etc. When tab T701 is selected, information such as the scholarship student's profile is displayed in the display area A710. Display area A710 is provided with display areas A711 to A715. An image of the scholarship student in question is displayed in display area A711, and by tapping processing object P716, the image of the scholarship student is enlarged and displayed. The display area A712 displays the name of the scholarship student, their defensive aptitude, and their crown power value. Note that with regard to defensive aptitude, some characters may have defensive aptitude for multiple positions. Display area A715 displays profile information of the scholarship student.

[0295] Display area A713 displays the fielder's basic abilities: trajectory, hitting, power, running ability, fielding ability, arm strength, and catching. Trajectory-related basic abilities are expressed as a rating scale (1-4). The higher the rating, the higher the ball's trajectory and the more likely it is to hit a home run. A fielder's basic abilities other than trajectory are displayed as an ability score and a rating scale (e.g., S, A, B, C, D, E, F, G) corresponding to the ability score. For example, an ability score of 90 or above is S, 80-89 is A, 70-79 is B, 60-69 is C, 50-59 is D, 40-49 is E, 20-39 is F, and 19 or below is G. The higher the "hitting" ability, the easier it is to make contact with the ball and score a hit. The higher the "power" ability, the more likely it is to hit a long ball. The higher the "running" ability, the faster the player can run the bases. The higher the "shoulder strength" ability, the faster the player can throw the ball on defense. The higher the "defensive ability" ability, the wider the defensive range. The higher the "catching" ability, the easier it is to catch the ball on defense and the less likely it is to make an error.

[0296] Display area A714 displays information on the growth rate of each of the six basic abilities of a fielder, excluding trajectory. These growth rates indicate the percentage increase in experience points that are added when the player acquires experience points for each ability through training, etc., during training in the "Eikan Nine" mode. Figure 34 shows an example in which the growth rate of the target scholarship player's defensive ability is set to 3% and the growth rates of the other abilities are set to 0%. The growth rate setting may differ depending on the scholarship student (however, there may be scholarship students with the same setting). Also, even for the same scholarship student, the growth rate setting may change depending on the number of times the upper limit is unlocked.

[0297] If the scholarship student is a pitcher, the pitcher's basic ability parameters are displayed in display area A713, and information on the growth rate for each of the pitcher's basic abilities is displayed in display area A714. The pitcher's basic abilities include pitch speed, pitch power, control, stamina, and curveballs. The pitcher's basic abilities will be described later.

[0298] 35 is a diagram showing an example of a character detail screen G700 that displays information about the player abilities of a scholarship student. When tab T702 is selected, information about the player abilities of the scholarship student is displayed in display area A710. Display area A710 is provided with display areas A721 to A727. Display area A721 displays the icon (image) of the scholarship student, as well as information about the name, main position, personality, and dominant hand.

[0299] [Character's personality] Here, the personalities of the characters (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students) will be explained. In this embodiment, each character is associated with one of the following personalities: normal, genius, mischievous, playful, shy, cool, shrewd, or hot-blooded. The personalities of scholarship students are fixed and cannot be changed by events, etc. On the other hand, the personalities of regular students can be changed during the game in "Eikan Nine" mode by the occurrence of a specific event or the use of a specific item. Depending on the character's personality, the "easily improved abilities," "unique tactics" (described below), "potential events," and "messengers" (described below) will differ. An example is shown below.

[0300] In training in the "Eikan Nine" mode, in addition to the team-wide training instructions as described above, individual training (for example, daily individual training) can be instructed for each player belonging to a team (see Figures 8 to 11). In this individual training, practice of abilities that will give bonus experience points with a predetermined probability is set for each character's personality (scholarship students and regular students). In other words, practice items that the character is good at (practice items of abilities that are easy to improve) are set according to the character's personality. Furthermore, abilities that are easy to improve through individual training (or practice items corresponding to abilities) differ depending on the character's personality. Figure 39 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between a character's personality and abilities that are easy to improve through individual training. In Figure 39, abilities that are easy to improve through individual training are indicated by circles. In individual training, bonus experience points can be obtained with a predetermined probability for practicing abilities determined for each personality, which is called "personality correction."

[0301] Characters with a "mischievous" personality are associated with the abilities of hitting, power, and pitching speed (or training items corresponding to the abilities) that are likely to improve through individual training (abilities that have a certain probability of giving bonus experience points).

[0302] FIG. 40 is a diagram showing an example of a practice selection screen G800 for giving individual practice instructions. The example in FIG. 40 shows the practice selection screen G800 for a pitcher with a "mischievous" personality. An upward arrow icon P801 is displayed on each practice item button B61 corresponding to the abilities that are likely to improve, such as batting average, power, and pitch speed. This icon P801 is notification information indicating that the displayed ability is likely to improve (or that it is an ability that is subject to personality correction). The notification information may be information such as letters or symbols instead of the icon P801. Alternatively, the notification information may be visual information that makes the color, brightness, shape, etc. of the practice item button B61 that is subject to personality correction different from those of the practice item button B61 that is not subject to personality correction.

[0303] In this way, the practice selection screen G800 for giving individual practice instructions displays an icon P801 indicating which practice items for abilities that are likely to improve depending on the personality, allowing the user to easily recognize which practice items to select to be effective, thereby improving the operability of giving individual practice instructions.

[0304] For example, in the case of a character with a "mischievous" personality, if individual practice is conducted on hitting, which is the subject of personality correction, a personality correction is applied that grants bonus experience points for hitting with a certain probability (for example, a 50% probability) in addition to the experience points for hitting that are normally granted. The same is true for a character with a "mischievous" personality if individual practice is conducted on power or pitch speed, which are the subject of personality correction. On the other hand, in the case of a character with a "mischievous" personality, if individual practice is conducted on anything other than "hitting, power, or pitch speed" (practice that is not subject to personality correction), the effect of the personality correction will not occur. Here, "practice of contact, power or ball speed, which are the subject of personality correction, was conducted in individual practice" includes, for example, cases where the user has set "contact up," "power up" or "ball speed up" as individual practice, as well as cases where contact, power or ball speed practice was conducted when "automatic" or "all-purpose" was set.

[0305] A progress gauge 61a for the corresponding ability is displayed below the practice item button B61, and the end of the progress gauge 61a extends to the right as the experience value of that ability increases. When the gauge end extends to the right end of the progress gauge 61a, the ability value of the target ability increases by one, and the end of the progress gauge 61a is reset to the left end.

[0306] As a variation, when individual training of an ability that is easy to improve according to personality is performed, the probability of bonus experience points being awarded may be higher than when individual training of other abilities is performed. As another variation, when individual training of an ability that is easy to improve according to personality is performed, the amount of bonus experience points awarded may be larger than when individual training of other abilities is performed. As another variation, abilities that are likely to improve may be set according to parameters of the character other than personality (for example, grade, gender, etc.).

[0307] As shown in the example of FIG. 39, a character with a "joking" personality is associated with abilities (or training items corresponding to the abilities) of running speed, arm strength, and pitching speed, which are abilities that are likely to improve through individual training. Furthermore, a character with a "shy" personality is associated with defensive ability, catching, and curveball abilities, which are abilities that can be easily improved through individual training. Here, the training items corresponding to curveballs include "learn new catches" and "polish curveballs" (see Figure 40). Additionally, characters with a "cool" personality are associated with the abilities of hitting, defense, and control, which are abilities that are easily improved through individual training. Furthermore, characters with a "tough" personality are associated with power, shoulder strength, and stamina, abilities that are easily improved through individual training. Furthermore, characters with a "hot-blooded" personality are associated with running ability, catching ability, and curveball ability, which are abilities that can be easily improved through individual training.

[0308] Furthermore, characters with a "normal" personality are associated with abilities that are easily improved through individual training, such as hitting, power, running ability, fielding ability, arm strength, catching, pitch speed, control, stamina, and curveballs. Thus, with a normal personality, there are more abilities (abilities that provide bonus experience points with a certain probability) that are easily improved through individual training than with other personalities (except for genius), making it easier to develop a well-balanced player. On the other hand, with a normal personality, the probability of providing bonus experience points through individual training is set lower than with other personalities. In other words, a character with a normal personality will provide bonus experience points with a certain probability regardless of the practice of any ability other than trajectory in individual training, but the probability of providing bonus experience points is set lower than with other personalities.

[0309] As a variation, for a normal personality, the probability of gaining bonus experience points through individual training is the same as for other personalities, but the amount of bonus experience points can be set to be less than for other personalities.

[0310] Furthermore, characters with a "genius" personality are associated with abilities that are easily improved through individual training, such as hitting, power, running ability, defensive ability, arm strength, catching, pitch speed, control, stamina, and curveballs. This is the same as for a "normal" personality. In this way, there may be personalities with the same abilities that are easily improved through individual training. However, a "genius" personality has a higher probability of gaining bonus experience points through individual training than a "normal" personality. Therefore, each ability is more easily improved through individual training for a "genius" personality than for a "normal" personality. This makes it easier to develop a character with a genius personality as a well-balanced player, as well as to develop all abilities other than trajectory, making it easier to develop a powerful player.

[0311] In addition, for the "normal" and "genius" personalities, the practice selection screen G800 for giving individual practice instructions may not display the upward arrow icon P801 (see Figure 40) that indicates which practice items for abilities are likely to improve depending on the personality.

[0312] In individual practice, the character may only practice the practice item corresponding to the practice item button B61 selected by the user (hereinafter referred to as "user-specified practice item"). Alternatively, in individual practice, the character may prioritize the practice of the user-specified practice item over other practice items. In this case, for example, the probability that the user-specified practice item will be selected in each character's daily individual practice may be set higher than that of other practice items.

[0313] Next, we will explain the differences in "unique tactics" depending on the character's personality (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students). Unique tactics are tactics that are associated with a character depending on their personality and can be used during a match. There are several types of unique tactics, and the advantageous effects that occur during a match vary depending on the type of unique tactic. The use of unique tactics will be discussed later.

[0314] FIG. 41 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between a character's personality and a unique tactic. In this embodiment, there are two unique tactics for each personality: a first unique tactic and a second unique tactic. The second unique tactic is a unique tactic superior to the first unique tactic, and the effect of the second unique tactic is greater than the effect of the first unique tactic. An example is shown below.

[0315] For example, a character with a "normal" personality will have "Fight" associated as their first unique tactic and "Super Fight" as their second unique tactic. "Fight" has the effect of raising their condition by one level for one turn at bat. "Super Fight" has the effect of raising their condition by two levels for one turn at bat. "Fight" and "Super Fight" are only effective on the player themselves (the player they are using), and can be used when attacking or defending.

[0316] For example, a character with the "Jolly" personality type will have "Festival Man" associated as their first unique tactic, and "Yellow Cheer" as their second unique tactic. "Festival Man" has the effect of giving all members of the team a special ability that makes it easier for them to hit the ball repeatedly for one inning. The effect of "Festival Man" applies to all members of the team, and can only be used when attacking. "Yellow Cheer" has the effect of raising a player's condition by one level for one inning. The effect of "Yellow Cheer" applies to all members of the team, and can only be used when attacking or defending.

[0317] For example, a character with a "Cool" personality will have "Pitching Thinking" associated as their first unique tactic, and "Precision Machinery" as their second unique tactic. "Pitching Thinking" has the effect of increasing all tactical levels for one turn at bat. Tactical levels will be explained later. "Precision Machinery" also has the effect of giving pitchers control-related special abilities, and batters batting-related special abilities for one inning. The effects of "Pitching Thinking" and "Precision Machinery" are targeted at the player (the player using them), and can be used during offense and defense. As these examples show, each unique tactic has different effects, such as the duration of the effect, the target of the effect, the timing at which it can be used, and the content of the effect.

[0318] During a match, the unique tactic that becomes available is determined by probability. Here, the probability that the first unique tactic or the second unique tactic will be selected varies depending on the parameters of the character's grade. The higher the character's grade, the more likely it is that the second unique tactic will be selected rather than the first unique tactic. For example, for a first-year character, the unique tactic that can be used during a match may be limited to the first unique tactic. Then, for second-year and later characters, both the first and second unique tactics may be selected, but third-year characters are more likely to select the second unique tactic than second-year characters. The first unique tactic may be referred to as a "unique tactic for lower grades," and the second unique tactic may be referred to as a "unique tactic for upper grades."

[0319] As a variation, the probability that the first or second unique tactic will be selected may be constant regardless of the character's grade.

[0320] As shown in Fig. 35, the "unique tactics" display area A726 displays the unique tactics possessed by the character, for example, as card-style tactical icons. In the case of Fig. 35, since the character has a "joker" personality, the tactical icons for the first unique tactic "Festival Man" and the second unique tactic "Yellow Cheers" are displayed in the display area A726. Pressing and holding the tactical icon displays a description screen for the unique tactic, allowing you to check the duration for which the effect occurs, the target of the effect, the timing when it can be used, the content of the effect, and so on.

[0321] Next, an example will be described in which different events occur depending on the character's personality. In the "Eikan Nine" mode, each team has one player who is the captain. The captain is the most senior player, and when the current player retires, the next captain is selected. The events that can occur vary depending on the captain's character's personality. An example is shown below.

[0322] When a third-year character leaves the team during the farewell party event, an event occurs to determine a new team captain. For example, the game system 1 selects a predetermined number (e.g., three) of second-year characters (including scholarship students and regular students) from the team as captain candidates and displays them on the screen. For example, three highly reliable, top-class students (second-year students) are selected as captain candidates. The user then performs an operation to select one of the captain candidates to be the captain, thereby determining the captain.

[0323] The reliability of a character designated by the user as a captain (a character associated with the captain's parameters) increases. Captain characters also gain the added effect of "messenger," which will be described later. Furthermore, when landing on the aforementioned "white panel," a "captain-only event" occurs with some probability, with effects that vary depending on the captain's personality. An example of a captain-only event is shown below.

[0324] For example, if the captain has a "shy" personality, a captain-only event that improves the academic ability of all team members will occur at random. Also, if the captain has a "mischievous" personality, a captain-only event that improves the practice efficiency of all team members will occur at random. Also, if the captain has a "cool" personality, a captain-only event that restores the stamina of some (or all) of the characters in the team will occur at random. Also, if the captain has a "cunning" personality, a captain-only event that improves the reliability of some (or all) of the characters in the team will occur at random. In this way, the effect of the captain-only event differs depending on which personality character the user selects as captain, creating a strategic element.

[0325] Incidentally, when a crown team is registered, the captain character's captain parameters are inherited within the crown team. Also, if a character who has become a professional and was registered in the player box at the draft conference event is the captain, the captain's parameters are inherited even after registration in the player box. Then, if a character associated with the captain's parameters is used in an arranged team (described later), the character will also have the captain's effects (for example, the added effect of a messenger) within the arranged team. Multiple captain characters can coexist within an arranged team. An example of how the "messenger" during a match differs depending on the character's personality will be described later.

[0326] Returning to FIG. 35, the display area A722 of the character detail screen G700 displays information on the target character's overall player strength, reliability, player title, scout evaluation, academic ability, hometown, and birthday.

[0327] The overall player strength is an index that represents the strength of a player (character) and is calculated by evaluating the player's ability values ​​and parameters such as acquired special abilities. Note that the calculation of the overall player strength may also include evaluation of other parameters such as unique tactics and super unique tactics. Trust affects the tactical level during a match. The higher a character's trust, the more likely they are to achieve a high tactical level. For scholarship students, trust is also used as one of the conditions for forming a coaching tag. For regular students, trust also affects the career paths of graduates who become townspeople. A player title is awarded to a player when his scout evaluation meets certain conditions. There are several types of player titles depending on the conditions that must be met. Scout evaluation and academic ability are as described above.

[0328] The place of origin is a parameter set for general enrollment students. The place of origin of general enrollment students is determined during the entrance ceremony event, and there are local general enrollment students who enroll from their hometown within the prefecture, and "cross-border enrollment" general enrollment students who enroll from their hometown outside the prefecture. Here, the higher the class, the higher the probability of cross-border enrollment. Furthermore, cross-border general enrollment students are set to have a higher probability of becoming players with higher abilities than general enrollment students who enroll from within the prefecture.

[0329] Birthday is a parameter set for general joining students. The birthday of a general joining student is determined, for example, randomly, during the entrance ceremony event. When the player stops on the birthday panel P44 of a player who has joined the team, a birthday event occurs. The birthday event may also occur when the player passes through the birthday panel P44 without stopping on it. A birthday event with different effects may also occur when the player stops on the birthday panel P44 and when the player passes through it. The birthday event may always occur, or may occur based on probability. There is no birthday setting for scholarship students. As a variation, birthdays may be set for scholarship students as well, and birthday events may occur.

[0330] In the display area A723, if the character is a fielder, the basic abilities of the fielder are displayed, and if the character is a pitcher, the basic abilities of the pitcher are displayed.

[0331] As mentioned above, scholarship students have the ability to make equipment icons and special ability icons appear, an effect not available to regular students. The "equipment icons and special ability icons that scholarship students can make appear" are associated with the scholarship student's character ID. The "appearance rate increase" display area A724 displays information about the scholarship student's "effect of making special ability icons or equipment icons appear." Specifically, the display area A724 displays the equipment icons and special ability icons that scholarship students can make appear, along with information about the increase in their respective appearance rates. Figure 35 shows an example in which the equipment icon that scholarship student FY can make appear is "hurdles," with an appearance rate increase of "+2%." Also shown is an example in which the special ability icon that scholarship student FY can make appear is "high-speed baserunning," with an appearance rate increase of "+1%."

[0332] Among the progress icons P46 (see Figure 5), the equipment icon is a special progress icon that allows team practice using the equipment associated with the equipment icon. Hereinafter, practice conducted by selecting an equipment icon will be referred to as "equipment practice." Equipment practice using an equipment icon can earn more experience points than practice using other progress icons that do not use equipment. For example, baserunning progress icons that can earn experience points for running ability include "sprints," "interval running," "base running," and "hurdles," in order of decreasing experience points earned. "Sprints" and "interval running" are progress icons for baserunning practice that does not use equipment, while "base running" and "hurdles" are baserunning equipment icons. Furthermore, "base running" is a lower-level baserunning equipment icon, and "hurdles" is a higher-level baserunning equipment icon.

[0333] For example, the batting progression icons that allow you to earn hitting experience points include, in order of decreasing experience points earned, "swing practice," "batting with a hit," and "tee batting" (lower-level batting equipment icons), and "machine hitting" (higher-level batting equipment icon).

[0334] The "equipment" associated with the equipment icon that a scholarship student can make appear is the practice equipment that the scholarship student brings to the team, and will be referred to as "brought-in equipment" below. For example, in the case of FIG. 35, the equipment icon that scholarship student FY can make appear is the "hurdle" displayed in display area A724, so scholarship student FY's brought-in equipment is the "hurdle." By having scholarship student FY join the team, the equipment icon "hurdle" can appear among the multiple progress icons P46 illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0335] There are multiple types of equipment icons, such as the aforementioned "base running," "hurdles," "tee batting," and "machine batting," and the equipment icons that can appear vary depending on the scholarship student. In other words, the equipment that each scholarship student can bring varies. Note that there are also scholarship students who can make the same equipment icons appear. For example, among the scholarship students managed by the game system 1, there may be two or more scholarship students who bring "hurdles" as their bring-on equipment. Therefore, for example, the more scholarship students on a team who bring "hurdles" as their bring-on equipment, the higher the probability that the equipment icon "hurdles" will appear.

[0336] In this game, each scholarship student can bring one piece of equipment, but there may be scholarship students associated with two or more pieces of equipment. For example, the higher the rarity of a scholarship student, the greater the number of pieces of equipment they may bring.

[0337] Among the progress icons P46, the special ability icon is a special progress icon that allows players on a team to earn experience points for special abilities. By practicing as a team that has selected a special ability icon, each player on the team will be granted experience points for the special ability corresponding to the special ability icon. Players who have earned a certain number of experience points for a special ability can then acquire that special ability.

[0338] As mentioned above, there are several types of special ability icons, such as power hitter, artist, infield hit (○), base running (◎), and fast base run, and the special ability icons that can be made to appear vary depending on the scholarship student. Note that there are also scholarship students who can make the same special ability icon appear. For example, among the scholarship students managed by the game system 1, there are two or more scholarship students who can make the "fast base run" appear. Therefore, for example, the more scholarship students who can make the special ability icon "fast base run" appear on a team, the higher the probability that "fast base run" will appear.

[0339] In this game, the number of "special ability icons that can be made to appear" associated with each scholarship student is one, but it may be two or more, and for example, the number may be greater the higher the rarity of the scholarship student.

[0340] The appearance rate of the equipment icon or special ability icon possessed by a scholarship student can sometimes be increased by unlocking the upper limit of that scholarship student. For example, in the case of the scholarship student FY in Figure 35, unlocking the upper limit five times increases the appearance rate of the equipment icon "Hurdle" by "+1%" (see Figure 38).

[0341] The "Effect Up" display area A725 displays information about the "effect of improving the effect of a progress icon (special ability icon or equipment icon)" possessed by a character (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students). Specifically, the display area A725 displays the progress icons (special ability icon / equipment icon) associated with the character that can increase the experience points earned through practice, along with information about the increase rate. Figure 35 shows an example in which the equipment icons that can increase the experience points earned through practice are "base running" and "hurdles," each with an effect of increasing the experience points earned by "+3%."

[0342] Display area A725 also displays "Baserunning ◎" and "Fast Baserun" as special ability icons that can increase the experience points earned through practice, but the increase rate for both is "+0%," indicating that the effect of increasing the experience points earned has not been unlocked. As in this example, progress icons for which the effect of increasing the experience points earned has not been unlocked are displayed in a different state (e.g., grayed out) than progress icons for which the effect has been unlocked. Even for progress icons for which the effect of increasing the experience points earned has not been unlocked, the effect can be unlocked by meeting certain effect unlocking conditions. For example, the effect unlocking condition is to unlock the upper limit of the scholarship student a certain number of times or more. As a variation, conditions other than unlocking the upper limit may be set as the effect unlocking condition.

[0343] For example, in the case of scholarship student FY in Figure 35, the effect release conditions are met by unlocking the upper limit at least once (see Figure 38). Figure 42 shows an example of the "effect increase" display area A725 when scholarship student FY meets the effect release conditions. By meeting the effect release conditions, the special ability icons "base running ◎" and "high-speed base running," which can increase the experience points earned through practice, are each set to have an effect of increasing the experience points earned by "+15%."

[0344] Here, Fig. 44 shows an example of a character detail screen G700 that displays information on the player abilities of regular new students. As shown in Fig. 44, for regular new students, there are no equipment icons or special ability icons that can be made to appear, so nothing is displayed in the "Increase Appearance Rate" display area A724.

[0345] On the other hand, regular students have the effect of improving the effect of a progress icon (special ability icon or equipment icon). Therefore, the "Effect Increase" display area A725 displays progress icons that can increase the experience points gained through practice, along with information on the increase rate. In the case of a regular student shown in Figure 44, the equipment icons that can increase the experience points gained through practice are "Grip Strengthening" and "Curveball Research," and the special ability icons are "Infield Hit 〇" and "Infield Hit King," each of which has an effect of increasing the experience points gained by "+23%."

[0346] As shown in Figure 35 (example of scholarship students) and Figure 44 (example of regular students), the effect of increasing experience points earned by regular students (the effect of improving the effect of special ability icons or equipment icons) is set higher than the effect of increasing experience points earned by scholarship students. Regular students do not have the effect of making equipment icons or special ability icons appear like scholarship students, but they have a higher effect of improving the effects of equipment icons and special ability icons than scholarship students. As a result, by forming a team taking into account the balance between the effects of scholarship students and the effects of regular students, and taking into account the effective combination of scholarship students and regular students, it is possible to advantageously develop the team and the players on the team.

[0347] In addition, the effect of increasing the experience points earned by regular enrolled students may be set to be equal to or lower than the effect of increasing the experience points earned by scholarship students.

[0348] In the case of the general enrollment student shown in Figure 44, by forming a team in which a scholarship student with the effect of making the equipment icon / special ability icon of "Grip Strengthening," "Curve Ball Research," "Infield Hit 〇," or "Infield Hit King" appears, it becomes possible to make good use of the effect of increasing the experience points acquired by the general enrollment student. On the other hand, if there is no scholarship student with the effect of making the equipment icon / special ability icon of "Grip Strengthening" appear on the team, even if the general enrollment student shown in Figure 44 joins the team, the effect of the general enrollment student will not be utilized.

[0349] As mentioned above, the type of special ability icon or equipment icon that can be displayed varies depending on the scholarship student. Furthermore, the type of special ability icon or equipment icon that can be enhanced varies depending on the regular student. Therefore, when a user recruits a new student into a team, the user must consider an effective combination of scholarship students and regular students, aiming for a synergistic effect between the effects of the scholarship student and the regular student. This increases the interest of the game.

[0350] In the "Super Unique Tactics" display area A727, the super unique tactics possessed by the scholarship student (i.e., associated with the scholarship student) are displayed, for example, as card-style tactical icons. Super unique tactics are powerful unique tactics that scholarship students can use during a match. Super unique tactics have more advantageous effects than unique tactics. There are multiple types of super unique tactics, and the super unique tactics associated with each scholarship student are different. As a variation, there may be two or more scholarship students associated with the same super-unique tactic.

[0351] In this embodiment, each scholarship student is associated with two super unique tactics: a first super unique tactic and a second super unique tactic. The second super unique tactic is a super unique tactic that is superior to the first super unique tactic, and the effect of the second super unique tactic is greater than that of the first super unique tactic. Figure 35 shows an example in which two tactic icons associated with a scholarship student, the first super unique tactic "Here we go!" and the second super unique tactic "We're giving it our all!", are displayed in display area A727.

[0352] Each super unique tactic has a predetermined unlocking condition, and when the unlocking condition is met, the super unique tactic becomes available instead of the unique tactic corresponding to the above-mentioned personality. In the case of Figure 35, the first super unique tactic "Here we go!" and the second super unique tactic "We're going all out!" have not yet been unlocked, and are displayed in a different state (e.g., grayed out) than when they are unlocked (see Figure 42).

[0353] Different unlocking conditions are set for the first super-unique tactic and the second super-unique tactic. For example, the unlocking conditions for the first super-unique tactic (referred to as the first unlocking condition) are set to be easier to achieve than the unlocking conditions for the second super-unique tactic (referred to as the second unlocking condition). The above-mentioned easier-to-achieve condition corresponds, for example, to a case where the ability value or ability level is lower in the first unlocking condition than in the second unlocking condition.

[0354] For example, if only the first unlocking condition is met but the second unlocking condition is not met, the first super-unique tactic will be available instead of the first unique tactic. In this case, the unique tactic that will be available during the match will be determined by probability from the first super-unique tactic and the second unique tactic. Also, for example, if both the first and second unlocking conditions are met, the first super-unique tactic and the second super-unique tactic will become available instead of the first unique tactic and the second unique tactic. In this case, the unique tactic that will be available during the match will be determined by probability from the first super-unique tactic and the second super-unique tactic.

[0355] Here, the probability that the first or second super unique tactic will be selected varies depending on the parameters of the character's grade. This is similar to the normal unique tactics mentioned above, and the higher the character's grade, the more likely the second super unique tactic will be selected than the first super unique tactic. The first super unique tactic may be referred to as the "super unique tactic for lower grades," and the second super unique tactic as the "super unique tactic for higher grades."

[0356] As a variation, for example, when the first unlocking condition and / or the second unlocking condition is met, the unique tactic that will become available during the match may be determined by probability from among the first unique tactic and second unique tactic, plus the first super unique tactic and second super unique tactic that have met the unlocking conditions.

[0357] Once the unlocking conditions are met, the super-unique tactic will not become unusable even if the unlocking conditions are no longer met. As a variation, the super-unique tactic may become unusable if the unlocking conditions are no longer met. In addition, there may be a scholarship student who meets the conditions for unlocking a super-unique tactic from the initial state (before strengthening or training is performed).

[0358] Pressing and holding the tactical icon of a super-unique tactic in the display area A727 displays a super-unique tactic explanation screen, where you can check the effect, the duration of the effect, the target of the effect, when it can be used, the conditions for unlocking it, and whether the conditions are met. Figure 43 shows an example of the super-unique tactic explanation screen G900. The super-unique tactic explanation screen G900 is an example of the screen that appears when you press and hold the first super-unique tactic "Let's go!". "Let's go!" has the effect of creating opportunities with all your might for one inning. The effect is targeted at you (the player you are using) and can only be used during an attack. The conditions for unlocking it are "batting D or higher" and "running ability C or higher," and Figure 43 shows an example of the display when the conditions are not met.

[0359] 36 is a diagram showing an example of a character detail screen G700 that displays information about a character's fielding abilities. When tab T704 is selected, information about the target character's pitching abilities is displayed in display area A710. Display area A710 is provided with display areas A721, A723, A731, and A732. Display area A731 displays information on the character's overall strength, reliability, batting form, and detailed defensive ability. If the character has mastered a sub-position, the defensive ability value and ability level information for that sub-position are also displayed in the detailed defensive ability information.

[0360] Display area A731 displays a list of fielder special abilities that the character has acquired. A special ability is one of the ability parameters associated with a character and can produce a predetermined effect. For example, a special ability may be a parameter with an activation condition that is activated when an activation condition is met and produces a special effect. There may also be special abilities that do not have activation conditions. For example, a special ability such as "less likely to get injured" means that a character who has acquired this special ability will always be less likely to get injured. The effects of special abilities may include both advantageous and disadvantageous effects. For example, a special ability may have an effect that improves (or reduces) the abilities of the character possessing the special ability. Furthermore, a special ability may have an effect that affects game elements other than the character possessing the special ability. For example, when a character possessing the special ability gets on base, the special ability is activated, putting pressure on the opposing pitcher (thus disrupting the opposing pitcher's control). Another example is a special ability possessed by a catcher character that effectively brings out the abilities of the teammate pitcher (thus improving the teammate pitcher's abilities).

[0361] In this embodiment, special abilities are classified into blue special abilities, super special abilities, red special abilities, red-blue special abilities, and green special abilities, and each special ability is classified into one of these. Blue special abilities are special abilities that can produce advantageous effects. Super special abilities are superior to blue special abilities and can produce more advantageous effects than blue special abilities. Red special abilities are special abilities that can produce disadvantageous effects. Red and blue special abilities can produce both advantageous and disadvantageous effects, and are special abilities in which disadvantages and advantages are two sides of the same coin. Green special abilities are special abilities that are not classified as above. For example, green special abilities affect the behavior of characters during a game based on an AI program (Artificial Intelligence Program). For example, a pitcher with the green special ability "Tempo 0" will be controlled to pitch at a good tempo during the game.

[0362] Figure 36 shows an example of a character who has acquired four special abilities: "Chance △," "Stealing Bases 〇," "Base Running 〇," and "Head Sliding." "Chance △" is a red special ability that reduces hitting and power in chance situations (for example, when there is a runner on second base or higher). "Stealing Bases 〇" is a blue special ability that allows the player to make a faster start when stealing bases. "Base Running 〇" is a blue special ability that improves base running. "Head Sliding" is an ultra special ability that allows the player to slide headfirst into the base in close calls, making it easier to be safe.

[0363] Depending on the character (including scholarship students and regular enrolled students), they may already have acquired special abilities when training begins. After starting training in the "Eikan Nine" mode, as mentioned above, you can acquire a special ability by practicing with the special ability icon and gaining a certain standard amount of experience points for the special ability.

[0364] In addition, when special abilities are in a higher-level (super special ability) and lower-level (blue special ability) relationship with each other, the lower-level special ability must first be mastered before the higher-level special ability can be mastered. For example, the blue special ability "Baserunning ◎" is subordinate to the super special ability "Fast Baserunning." When practicing with the "Baserunning ◎" or "Fast Baserunning" special ability icon, a character who has not yet mastered the "Baserunning ◎" special ability is awarded experience points to acquire "Baserunning ◎." In this case, more experience points are awarded by practicing with the "Fast Baserunning" special ability icon than by practicing with the "Baserunning ◎" special ability icon. Once the experience points reach a certain threshold, the character can master the "Baserunning ◎" special ability. If a character who has mastered the "Baserunning ◎" (lower-level) special ability then practices with the "Baserunning ◎" or "Fast Baserunning" special ability icon, they will be awarded experience points to acquire "Fast Baserunning," allowing them to master the higher-level special ability.

[0365] In addition, during training in the "Eikan Nine" mode, characters can acquire special abilities in various ways. For example, characters may be able to acquire special abilities through events such as training events that occur on the training panel or training camp events that occur on the training camp panel. Also, as described below, characters can acquire special abilities by using "this item," which is an item that can acquire special abilities. Also, characters may be able to acquire special abilities depending on their performance (level of performance) in matches held during training. Note that, for example, characters who make errors during matches and do not perform well may be given a red special ability.

[0366] In the above-mentioned special training events, training camp events, and this item, characters may suddenly acquire a super special ability. In this way, a character who suddenly acquires a super special ability can also acquire the blue special ability that is subordinate to that super special ability. For example, if a character who has not yet acquired "Baserunning ◎" acquires "High-Speed ​​Baserunning" through a special training event, they will also have acquired the subordinate "Baserunning ◎" at the same time.

[0367] For example, each special ability that a character has acquired is displayed as a colored plate P733 according to its classification. For example, "Chance △" is a red special ability, so it is displayed on the red plate P733 corresponding to its classification. For example, "Stealing bases 〇" and "Base running 〇" are blue special abilities, so they are displayed on the blue plate P733 corresponding to their classification. For example, "Head sliding" is an ultra special ability, so it is displayed on the gold plate P733 corresponding to its classification. When you press and hold the plate P733 for each special ability, an explanation of that special ability is displayed.

[0368] 37 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen G700 that displays information about the pitching ability of a character. When tab T704 is selected, information about the pitching ability of the target character is displayed in display area A710. Display area A710 is provided with display areas A721 and A741 to A743.

[0369] In this embodiment, even if the character is a pitcher (whose main position is pitcher), the ability parameters of a fielder are set. Also, even if the character is a fielder (whose main position is other than pitcher), the ability parameters of a pitcher are set.

[0370] Display area A741 displays information such as the character's overall strength, maximum pitch speed, pitching form, and curveball details. The maximum pitch speed is the maximum straight pitch speed (upper limit of pitch speed) set for each character. The curveball details display the types of pitches the character can throw (their stock pitches) and the amount of change in that pitch. The five arrow gauges displayed in the curveball details indicate the direction of the change in trajectory of a curveball thrown by a right-handed pitcher as seen from the batter's side facing the pitcher. Curveballs are classified into six categories, each with an angle of approximately 45 degrees depending on the direction the ball's trajectory changes: straight pitches, sliders that change to the right, curveballs that change to the bottom right, forks that change to the bottom, sinkers that change to the bottom left, and shooters that change to the left. Each arrow gauge indicates the amount of change, for example, in seven stages, depending on its length. The example in FIG. 37 shows a case where the character only has straight pitches.

[0371] Display area A742 displays the pitcher's basic abilities, such as pitch speed, pitch power, control, stamina, and curveball parameters. "Pitch speed" represents the speed of a straight pitch. By training in Eiko Nine, it is possible to increase the pitch speed parameter up to the maximum pitch speed set for each character.

[0372] "Power" is a parameter that indicates how difficult it is for a hit ball to fly. In a game, the strength of a hit ball is determined by comparing the pitcher's power with the batter's power. The higher the power ability value, the greater the chance of striking out a batter with high power. Power naturally increases in conjunction with an increase in ball speed. In other words, if a character gains experience points for ball speed through practice, etc., and their ball speed increases, their power also increases. As mentioned above, each character has a maximum ball speed, so once their ball speed reaches the maximum, only their power will increase as they gain experience points for ball speed.

[0373] "Control" indicates the quality of control when pitching. "Stamina" indicates how resistant the pitcher is to fatigue. The higher the stamina ability, the less likely the pitcher is to tire, and the less likely their ability will decline in the latter half of the game. "Curveball" parameters include the character's balls and the parameters for the amount of curveball each ball has.

[0374] Display area A743 displays a list of pitcher special abilities that the character has acquired. In the example of Figure 37, the character has not acquired any pitcher special abilities, so no special ability information is displayed in display area A743. Fielder characters can also acquire pitcher special abilities through training, and the acquired special abilities are added to display area A743.

[0375] Figure 38 is a diagram showing an example of a character details screen G700 that displays information about a character's bonus. When tab T705 is selected, bonus information associated with the selected character is displayed in display area A710. For convenience, Figure 38 omits some of the tabs and information displayed on the character details screen G700, and shows only the essential parts.

[0376] 38 is provided with a display area A750-n for displaying information about bonuses that have been applied (released) to a character, and a display area A760-n for displaying information about bonuses that have not yet been released. The display areas A750-n and A760-n are displayed so as to be distinguishable from each other, for example, by differences in background color or the presence or absence of a key icon P761 (described later). The contents of the bonus are displayed in the upper part of the display area A750-n and the display area A760-n, and an explanation of the bonus is displayed in the lower part.

[0377] Display area A750-1 shows an example of an initial reliability bonus that increases the initial reliability of the character by +13 when training begins. This bonus applies to the character itself, and is only applied to the character itself. Display area A750-2 shows an example of a training effect bonus that increases the experience points earned through training tags by "+29%." This bonus applies to [Training Tags], and the bonus is applied to the effects of training tags. In this case, if the effects of the training tags are applied to all players participating in the training, the bonus also applies to all players participating in the training.

[0378] Display area A750-3 shows an example in which an appearance rate increase bonus is displayed, which increases the appearance rate of the progress icon "hurdle" by "+2%." This bonus is reflected in the display of "appearance rate increase" display area A724 shown in FIG. Display area A750-4 shows an example of an effect-boosting bonus that increases the experience points earned through "baserunning equipment practice" by "+3%." Baserunning equipment practice includes the aforementioned "base running" and "hurdles." This bonus is reflected in the display of the "effect-boosting" display area A725 shown in FIG. 35.

[0379] Display area A750-5 shows an example of an individual training personality bonus that increases the bonus experience points obtained through personality correction for "defensive ability" training in individual training by "+207%." This individual training personality bonus is only available to scholarship students; regular students do not receive this bonus. This individual training personality bonus is explained in more detail below.

[0380] As shown in FIG. 39, in individual practice, a practice item for an ability is set that will grant bonus experience points with a predetermined probability for each character's personality (including scholarship students and regular students) (the aforementioned personality correction). In the example of FIG. 39, personality correction is applied to only characters with personalities of "normal," "genius," "shy," or "cool" in individual practice of "defensive ability." Therefore, when a character with a personality such as "normal" practices individual practice of "defensive ability," which is subject to personality correction, bonus experience points will be granted with a predetermined probability. In addition, the bonus experience points will be increased by the effect of the "individual practice personality bonus for defensive ability" that scholarship students have.

[0381] The "individual defensive training personality bonus" that scholarship students have is available to all characters on the team with personalities of "normal," "genius," "shy," and "cool," who have undergone individual training in "defensive ability."

[0382] The above explanation uses the example of an "individual training personality bonus for defensive ability," but there are multiple individual training personality bonuses that target different abilities (or ability practice), such as an "individual training personality bonus for hitting" and an "individual training personality bonus for running ability." The abilities (or ability practice) that are the target of the individual training personality bonus vary depending on the scholarship student. It is also possible for scholarship students to have the same abilities that are the target of the individual training personality bonus.

[0383] Therefore, by effectively combining the personalities of the characters in the team (abilities that are subject to personality corrections according to their personalities) with the abilities that are subject to the individual training personality bonus possessed by the scholarship students, the characters in the team can be effectively developed.

[0384] In this embodiment, the display area A760-n for displaying information about the bonus that has not been unlocked is displayed only for scholarship students, and is not displayed for regular students. The display area A760-n displays a lock icon P761 indicating that the bonus has not been unlocked, and information P762 indicating the number of times the upper limit can be unlocked, using the number of stars, to unlock the bonus.

[0385] Display area A760-1 shows an example in which an effect-up bonus is displayed, which increases the experience points earned through practice of the progress icon "Fast base running, base running ◎" by "+15%," as a bonus that is unlocked when the scholarship student's limit has been unlocked "1" or more times. This bonus is reflected in the display of the "Effect Up" display area A725 shown in FIG. 35 or FIG. 42. When the scholarship student's limit has been unlocked "0," as shown in display area A725 of FIG. 35, the progress icon (special ability icon) for "Fast base running, base running ◎" is grayed out, and the increase rate is displayed as "+0%." On the other hand, when the scholarship student's limit has been unlocked "1" or more times, as shown in display area A725 of FIG. 42, the grayed-out progress icon for "Fast base running, base running ◎" is removed, and the increase rate is displayed as "+15%."

[0386] Display area A760-2 shows an example of a bonus that increases the growth rate of a scholarship student's "defensive ability" by "5%" as a bonus that is unlocked when the scholarship student's upper limit is unlocked two or more times. This bonus is reflected in the display of the "growth rate" display area A714 shown in FIG. 34. For example, if the growth rate of defensive ability before unlocking this bonus was "+3%," unlocking the bonus will increase the growth rate to "+8% (=3% + 5%)".

[0387] Display area A760-3 shows an example in which an appearance rate increase bonus is displayed, which increases the appearance rate of the progress icon "hurdle" by "+1%", as a bonus that is unlocked when the number of times the scholarship student's upper limit is unlocked is "5". This bonus is reflected in the display of the "appearance rate increase" display area A724 shown in FIG. 35. For example, if the appearance rate of "hurdle" before unlocking this bonus was "+2%," unlocking the bonus will increase the appearance rate to "+3% (= 2% + 1%)".

[0388] The bonuses described above are just examples, and there are many other bonuses available. In addition, there are other bonuses associated with scholarship students that are unlocked when the scholarship student's limit is unlocked for each of the numbers "1" to "5", but we will not go into detail here. The content and effects of the bonuses associated with each character (including scholarship students and regular students) vary, so there is a strategic element to choosing which characters to include on your team.

[0389] [Special Manager Details] Next, detailed information about the special manager will be explained. On the character screen G300 of FIG. 28, when the tab T302 is selected and one of the displayed specially-paid managers is pressed and held down, a manager details screen showing detailed information about the specially-paid manager is displayed on the display unit 17. 45 to 47 show an example of the manager details screen G1500. At the top of the manager details screen G1500, tabs T1501 to T1503 for switching the content of information displayed in the display area A1510 are displayed.

[0390] 45 is a diagram showing an example of a manager details screen G1500 that displays information such as the profile of a specially appointed manager. When tab T1501 is selected, information such as the profile of the specially appointed manager is displayed in display area A1510. Display area A1510 is provided with display areas A1511 to A1516. An image of the target special offer manager is displayed in display area A1511, and by tapping processing object P716, the image of the special offer manager is enlarged. Display area A1512 displays the name of the special offer manager. Display area A1513 displays profile information of the special offer manager.

[0391] The display area A1514 displays the personality of the special scholarship manager. Like scholarship students or regular students, the special scholarship manager is associated with one of the following personalities: normal, genius, mischievous, playful, shy, cool, shrewd, or passionate.

[0392] The display area A1515 displays the event type of the special manager. There are three types of event: "recovery," "experience points," and "motivation increase," and one of these event types is associated with the special manager. In Glory Nine, when a special manager participates in a practice session (see Figure 5), a post-practice event occurs with a certain probability. The effect of this post-practice event differs depending on the event type of the special manager who participated in the practice session.

[0393] For example, if the event type of the special manager who participated in the practice is "recovery," when a post-practice event occurs, the effect of recovering the stamina of a certain number of players on the team occurs. Here, the degree of recovery of stamina (recovery amount or recovery rate) may be greater the higher the rarity of the special manager who participated in the practice. For example, if the event type of the special manager who participated in the practice is "experience points," when a post-practice event occurs, the effect of increasing the experience points earned by a certain number of players on the team occurs. Here, the increased experience points are the experience points of the abilities that the target players are individually training. Furthermore, the degree of increase in experience points (amount of increase or rate of increase) may be greater the higher the rarity of the special manager who participated in the practice. For example, if the event type of the special manager who participated in the practice is "Motivation Up," when an event occurs after the practice, the effect of improving the condition of a certain number of players on the team will occur. Here, the higher the rarity of the special manager who participated in the practice, the greater the degree of improvement in condition may be.

[0394] The display area A1516 displays a charm frame P820 associated with the special manager. In this embodiment, when a special manager joins a team in Eiko Nine, a predetermined number of "charms" can be assigned to the special manager. Here, "charms" are manager-exclusive items that, when assigned to a special manager, can advantageously advance the development of characters (including special scholarship students and regular recruits). "Charms" can be possessed by the user, and when a special manager joins a team, the user can select a "charm" to assign to the special manager from among the "charms" possessed. There are multiple types of "charms," ​​and the effects they produce vary depending on the type of "charm." In addition, "charms" are associated with color parameters—yellow, red, blue, green, or purple—and when the "charm" is displayed on the screen, the associated color is also displayed (for example, the background color is the corresponding color).

[0395] In the example of Fig. 45, two charm frames P820 are displayed in the display area A1516, which indicates that a maximum of two "charms" can be set for the special manager. In this embodiment, the number of "charms" that can be set is determined by the rarity of the special manager, with "two" for rarity PSR and "one" for rarity SR or lower. As a variation, even if the special managers have the same rarity, the number of "charms" that can be set may differ.

[0396] Each charm frame P820 is associated with a color parameter of yellow, red, blue, green, or purple, and when each charm frame P820 is displayed on the screen, it is displayed in the associated color. If the color of the special manager's charm frame P820 matches the color of the "charm" to be set, the basic effect of that "charm" will be enhanced. Details of the "charm" will be described later.

[0397] 46 is a diagram showing an example of a manager details screen G1500 that displays information about events related to the specially appointed manager. When tab T1502 is selected, information about events associated with the selected specially appointed manager is displayed in display area A1510. For convenience, some of the tabs and information displayed on the manager details screen G1500 are omitted from FIG. 46.

[0398] By having a special manager join a team, it becomes possible to cause an event associated with the special manager to occur during the game in the "Eikan Nine" mode. Hereinafter, an event associated with a special manager will be referred to as a "manager event." An event associated with a special manager may also be referred to as a "manager event of a special manager."

[0399] Unlike the post-practice event described above, a manager event always occurs when a player stops on a specific panel P44 associated with the manager event in map A43. The specific panels P44 on which a manager event occurs include a manager panel P44M, exemplified in Fig. 48. The manager panel P44M displays, for example, an icon of a special manager belonging to the team in the form of a speech bubble Cm, so that the user can recognize which is the manager panel P44M.

[0400] A specific panel P44 on which a manager event occurs may have a so-called hidden panel in which the special manager's speech bubble Cm is not displayed. For example, a "Christmas" event, which is one of the manager events, occurs when stopping on the December 25th panel P44, but the special manager's speech bubble Cm may not be displayed on the December 25th panel P44.

[0401] Display area A1510 in Fig. 46 is provided with display area A1520-n for displaying information about manager events of the special manager. In the example of Fig. 46, nine manager events are associated with the special manager, and information about the manager events is displayed in display areas A1520-1 to A1520-9. For simplicity, display areas A1520-4 to A1520-7 are omitted. Each display area A1520-n displays the name of the manager event and information about special abilities that can be acquired by players on the team.

[0402] In the example of FIG. 46, the "Intense Training (3)" event displayed in display area A1520-3 is the only manager event in which players on the team can acquire special abilities. Display area A1520-3 shows that the "Intense Training (3)" event allows only one person to acquire a special ability, and that if the person is a pitcher, they can acquire the super special ability "Duel," and if the person is a fielder, they can acquire the super special ability "Smash." For example, the person who can acquire a special ability is randomly selected from the players on the team. In this way, each special manager has at least one manager event in which they can acquire a super special ability. Different special managers have different manager events in which they can acquire super special abilities, and the super special abilities that can be acquired also differ from special manager to special manager. This creates a strategic element because the manager events that can occur and the super special abilities that players on the team can acquire vary depending on which special manager is added to the team.

[0403] When the "Intense Training (3)" event occurs, the player on the team may have the effect of acquiring a super special ability, but in order to obtain this effect, it may be necessary to satisfy certain conditions. An example of this is described below.

[0404] The three manager events "Intense Training 1" to "Intense Training 3" displayed in display areas A1520-1 to A1520-3, respectively, are related as a series event. Furthermore, "Intense Training 1" to "Intense Training 3" can occur in this order on different dates (i.e., can occur on different turns).

[0405] For example, the Manager Event "Intense Training 1" occurs when the Manager Panel P44M stops on May 12 or a few days before or after that date, and produces a predetermined effect (e.g., improving the overall performance of the entire team), but this effect will not occur unless the Manager Panel P44M is stopped. Similarly, the Manager Event "Intense Training 2" occurs when the Manager Panel P44M stops on May 27 or a few days before or after that date, and produces a predetermined effect (e.g., improving the training efficiency of the entire team), but this effect will not occur unless the Manager Panel P44M is stopped. Similarly, the Manager Event "Intense Training 3" occurs when the Manager Panel P44M stops on June 11 or a few days before or after that date. When the "Intense Training 3" event occurs, it always produces a predetermined effect (e.g., improving the training efficiency of several members of the team). Furthermore, when the "Intense Training 3" event occurs, it produces the effect of allowing players on the aforementioned team to acquire super-special abilities, provided that both "Intense Training 1" and "Intense Training 2" have occurred. In other words, in order to obtain the special effect of being able to acquire the super special ability of the special manager, the user must complete all of "Intense Training 1" to "Intense Training 3."

[0406] In this embodiment, the panels P44 in the map A43 progress by the number of days indicated by the number of the selected progress icon P46 (progression days information P47). The numbers of each progress icon P46 displayed on the screen are determined randomly, for example, so luck plays a large role, and the user cannot freely land on a desired panel P44 in the map A43. Among the auxiliary items described below, there are an item that changes the numbers of all progress icons P46 to the minimum value of "1," an item that decreases the numbers of all progress icons P46 by one, an item that changes the numbers of all progress icons P46 to the maximum value of "5," and an item that allows all progress icons P46 to be redrawn (including the number being redrawn). By using these auxiliary items, the user can, to some extent, adjust the number of days of progress of the panels P44 in the map A43.

[0407] As described above, a configuration may be adopted in which multiple events that can occur in different turns are associated with each other, and causing all of the multiple events to occur results in a predetermined special effect (for example, a player on a team being able to acquire a super special ability) in addition to the effects that occur with each of the multiple events. In other words, a configuration may be adopted in which landing on multiple associated specific types of panels (for example, three manager panels P44M) results in a predetermined special effect in addition to the effects that occur with each of the multiple specific types of panels. Furthermore, at least one of the plurality of events (or a plurality of specific types of panels) may include an event that causes an adverse effect (for example, a player's condition dropping). In this case, the player must weigh whether to avoid the occurrence of the adverse effect or to allow the adverse effect to occur in order to obtain a special effect, which increases the interest of the game.

[0408] As a variation, the occurrence of multiple events may be managed as follows. For example, multiple events (e.g., a first event and a second event) that may occur in different turns may be associated. Then, if the first event (e.g., "Intense Training 1") is not caused to occur by stopping on a specific panel P44, the second event (e.g., "Intense Training 2") that may occur in a different turn thereafter may not occur (e.g., the manager panel P44M for "Intense Training 2" may not be displayed). Similarly, the second event may be associated with a third event, and if the second event is not caused to occur by stopping on a specific panel P44, the third event (e.g., "Intense Training 3") that may occur in a different turn may not occur.

[0409] Also, for example, only when stopping on panel P44 of February 14 and generating a "Valentine's" event (an example of a first event), a "White Day" event (an example of a second event associated with the first event) associated with panel P44 of March 14 may occur. Also, only when the "White Day" event occurs, a "Date" event (an example of a third event associated with the second event) associated with a specific panel P44 on or after March 15 may occur.

[0410] As another variation, landing on the manager panel P44M-n shown in Fig. 48 may improve the effect that would occur if landing on the next manager panel P44M-(n+1). That is, as the game progresses, multiple manager panels P44M-1, P44M-2, ..., P44M-n, ... (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) are displayed in sequence, and landing on the manager panel P44M-n increases the effect that would occur on the next displayed manager panel P44M-(n+1) compared to not landing on the manager panel P44M-n. An example is shown below.

[0411] For example, a manager panel P44M-(n+1) is associated with a manager event (n+1) whose basic effect is "recovers the stamina of three people on the team." If the effect of the manager event (n+1) stops on the manager panel P44M-n, the basic effect is changed to, for example, "recovers the stamina of five people on the team," but if it does not stop on the manager panel P44M-n, the basic effect remains the same.

[0412] Also, for example, the more times a player stops on a manager panel P44M-n in succession, the more improved the effect that occurs when the player stops on the next manager panel P44M-n. For example, if the player stops on two manager panels P44M-(n-1) and P44M-n in succession, the effect of the manager event (n+1) is changed, for example, to "restores the stamina of eight members of the team" instead of the basic effect. Also, if the player stops on a manager panel three times in succession, the effect is changed, for example, to "restores the stamina of twelve members of the team" instead of the basic effect.

[0413] The above configuration is not limited to manager panels, and may be applied to other specific types of panels (for example, "green panels," "butcher" character panels, etc.). In other words, if a specific type of panel is landed on, the effect of the next specific type of panel may be higher than if the panel was not landed on. This makes it possible to increase the effect (or game value) of the next specific type of panel by landing on a specific type of panel, thereby improving the playability of the game.

[0414] Furthermore, the game system 1 may be configured to display, on the specific type of panel with an increased effect, information indicating that the effect of the next specific type of panel has increased as a result of the player landing on that specific type of panel last time. For example, characters, symbols, or illustrations may be displayed on the specific type of panel with an increased effect, or effect information (such as flashing or illuminating effects) may be added to highlight the specific type of panel. This prevents the user from missing the specific type of panel with an increased effect.

[0415] Furthermore, the more times a specific type of panel is landed on in succession, the more the effect that occurs when the next specific type of panel is landed on may be improved. This allows the user to actively aim for specific types of panels and land on them in succession, thereby increasing the effect (or game value) of the specific types of panels, thereby improving the playability of the game.

[0416] The game system 1 may also be configured to control the display of the number of consecutive times a specific type of panel has landed on the screen. For example, information on the number of consecutive times may be displayed on a specific type of panel whose effect is increasing. This allows the user to recognize how much the value of the specific type of panel has increased based on the information on the number of consecutive times.

[0417] Each special manager is associated with multiple manager events, but at least some of the manager events differ depending on the special manager (they may all differ). For example, the "Christmas" event and the "Valentine's Day" event are common manager events that all special managers have in common, and the other manager events can be unique events that only each special manager has. Although common manager events are shared by all the special managers, the effects they produce may differ depending on the special manager. For example, a "Christmas" event for one special manager may have the effect of improving the condition of several members of the team, while a "Christmas" event for another special manager may have the effect of restoring the stamina of everyone on the team.

[0418] The number of manager events may also differ depending on the special manager. For example, the higher the rarity of the special manager, the greater the number of manager events. As a variation, the number of manager events may also increase as the number of times the special manager's upper limit is released increases.

[0419] Figure 47 is a diagram showing an example of a manager details screen G1500 that displays bonus information for a specially-paid manager. When tab T1503 is selected, bonus information associated with the selected specially-paid manager is displayed in display area A1510. For convenience, some of the tabs and information displayed on the manager details screen G1500 are omitted in Figure 47, and only the essential parts are shown.

[0420] 47, the display area A1510 is provided with a display area A1550-n for displaying information on bonuses that have been applied (released) to the special manager, and a display area A1560-n for displaying information on bonuses that have not yet been released. The display area A1550-n and the display area A1560-n are displayed so as to be distinguishable from each other, for example, by differences in background color or the presence or absence of a key icon P761 (described later). The contents of the bonus are displayed in the upper section of the display area A1550-n and the display area A1560-n, and an explanation of the bonus is displayed in the lower section.

[0421] In the "Eikan Nine" mode, when a special manager participates in practice (see Figures 5 and 75), the practice players participating in that practice will receive either one or both of the manager effects of "trust increase" and "reduced stamina consumption." Each special manager is associated with the manager effects described above, and the manager effect associated with the special manager who participated in practice will be generated. Figure 5 shows an example of a special manager with the associated manager effect of "trust increase," and Figure 75 shows an example of a special manager with the associated manager effect of "reduced stamina consumption." Display area A1550-1 shows an example in which, when the manager effect of "reduced physical energy consumption" occurs, a bonus is displayed that reduces the physical energy consumption of players...

Claims

1. A computer that executes control of a game in which a training object is trained by changing or setting parameters of the training object based on a user's operation, a first parameter management unit that manages a first parameter that is associated with user identification information of the user and is necessary for executing the game in which the training target is trained; a game execution unit that executes the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that a required amount of the first parameter is consumed at at least one consumption timing provided after the start of training of the training object; A program that makes it work.

2. The game execution unit progresses the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that the required amount of the first parameter is consumed at each of a plurality of consumption timings set during a period from the start of training of the training object to the completion of the training. The program according to claim 1.

3. The object to be developed is a group including a plurality of objects.

3. The program according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The group includes a first belonging object selected by the user from among the owned objects associated with the user identification information, and a second belonging object other than the owned object. The program according to claim 3.

5. The target of development is both the group and each of the objects included in the group. The program according to claim 3.

6. The game execution unit accepts a collective instruction operation for raising the plurality of belonging objects included in the group, and accepts an individual instruction operation for raising each of the plurality of belonging objects. The program according to claim 5.

7. The plurality of belonging objects includes belonging objects having different remaining periods until the completion of the development. The program according to claim 6.

8. a group registration unit that, after the development of the group is completed, registers the group as a group that can be used in a second game different from the first game in association with the user identification information; an object registration unit that, after completion of development of at least one of the plurality of belonging objects, registers the belonging object for which development has been completed as an object that can be used in the second game in association with the user identification information; and further causing the computer to function. The program according to claim 5.

9. The timing at which the group, for which development has been completed, is registered by the group registration unit is different from the timing at which the belonging object, for which development has been completed, is registered by the object registration unit. The program according to claim 8.

10. and making the computer further function as a management unit that, each time the development of the group including the plurality of belonging objects is completed, removes only a portion of the plurality of belonging objects from the group and adds a new belonging object to the group, thereby making it possible to repeatedly develop the group while partially replacing the plurality of belonging objects. The program according to claim 3.

11. and causing the computer to further function as a joining candidate processing unit that presents to the user a plurality of candidate objects that can be candidates for the new belonging object before the joining of the new belonging object, and determines a probability that a candidate object selected by the user from among the plurality of candidate objects can be the new belonging object. The program according to claim 10.

12. The first parameter managing unit recovers the first parameter to an upper limit over time when the first parameter is consumed.

3. The program according to claim 1 or 2.

13. causing the computer to further function as a second parameter management unit that manages a second parameter that can be improved as the game progresses by consuming the first parameter; The first parameter management unit restores the first parameter to a predetermined amount or an upper limit when the second parameter improves beyond a predetermined standard.

3. The program according to claim 1 or 2.

14. when it is determined that the second parameter will be improved beyond the standard if the first parameter is consumed at the consumption timing and the game progresses, the computer is further made to function as an advance processing unit that improves the second parameter beyond the standard, thereby recovering the first parameter to a predetermined amount or an upper limit, before the first parameter is consumed at the consumption timing. The program according to claim 13.

15. The first parameter management unit, when the first parameter before the second parameter is improved by the front-loading processing unit is insufficient for the required amount, causes the first parameter to be in a state of being consumed by the insufficient amount from the first parameter after it has been restored by the front-loading processing unit after the game progresses. The program according to claim 14.

16. A game control device that executes control of a game in which a training object is trained by changing or setting parameters of the training object based on a user's operation, a first parameter management unit that manages a first parameter that is associated with user identification information of the user and is necessary for executing the game in which the training target is trained; a game execution unit that executes the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that a required amount of the first parameter is consumed at at least one consumption timing provided after the start of training of the training object; 13. A game control device comprising:

17. A game system including a server and a terminal device capable of communicating with the server, the game system executing control of a game in which a target to be trained is trained by changing or setting parameters of the target to be trained based on a user's operation, a first parameter management unit that manages a first parameter that is associated with user identification information of the user and is necessary for executing the game in which the training target is trained; a game execution unit that executes the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that a required amount of the first parameter is consumed at at least one consumption timing provided after the start of training of the training object; A game system including:

18. A control method for controlling a computer that executes control of a game in which a training object is trained by changing or setting parameters of the training object based on a user's operation, comprising: a first parameter management step of managing a first parameter that is associated with the user identification information of the user and is necessary for executing the game in which the training target is trained; a game execution step of executing the game in which the training object is trained, on the condition that a required amount of the first parameter is consumed at at least one consumption timing provided after the start of training of the training object; A control method comprising:

Images