Game system, game processing method, and game program

Abstract

To provide a game system, a game processing method, and a game program capable of suppressing occurrence of a situation in which the number of one's parties who perform multi-play is few.SOLUTION: A game apparatus is connected with a first other game apparatus group and draws a first virtual game space on the basis of a result of first matching processing. When play of a predetermined stage is selected during display of the first virtual game space, second matching processing is performed. In the second matching processing, a second other game apparatus group and the game apparatus is matched with one or more other game apparatus selected without being restricted by the first other game apparatus group matched by the first matching processing as the second other game apparatus group.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to matching processing in online multiplayer games. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in a game system for playing a multiplayer game, a waiting time for players has been There is a known technology that provides a virtual lobby as a meeting place. In the case where a player performs an operation to instruct the creation of a matching room, Set the area visible to other players at the character's current position, and When a player character enters the area, it is known who will match with the other player. It has been reported (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-037305 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In games like the ones mentioned above, matching only occurs between players in the lobby. In other words, the only people you could match with were those in the lobby. Therefore, there were times when there were not enough people to play multiplayer. If you try to include more people in a lobby to increase the number of people who can play, the network processing time will increase. This increases the processing load on the system, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

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

[0006] (Configuration 1) Configuration 1 includes a game device connected to a network, a plurality of The game system includes the other game devices and a server. In a first mode, the computer transmits a request for a first matching process to the server, Based on the result of the first matching process received from the server, the game device is matched with a first other game device. A player's own cage is connected to a group of devices and the movement of the cage is controlled based on the operation of the player of the game device. and data acquired from each of the other game devices included in the first other game device group. At least some of the characters of other players whose movements are controlled based on the data are controlled by the first The first virtual game space is displayed on the game device while the second virtual game space is being displayed. A stage in which a specific game stage is selected from multiple game stages according to the operation of the earphone. A stage selection process is executed, and the mode is changed to the second mode in response to the stage selection process being executed. Furthermore, the first game device, in the second mode, receives a request for a second matching process. and based on the result of the second matching process received from the server, The game device is connected to a group of second other game devices, and the player's character and the second other game device are connected to the group of second other game devices. The other player characters operated by the players of the other game devices included in the group of game devices At least a part of the data group is set to correspond to the stage selected by the stage selection process. The server computer then places and renders the game in a second virtual game space. In response to receiving a request for the first matching process from the device, the first matching process is performed. a first group of other game devices selected from a plurality of other game devices and the game device and transmits the result of the first matching process to the game device. In response to receiving a request for a second matching process from the device, a second matching process is performed. The first group of game devices is limited to the first group of other game devices matched by the first matching process. One or more other game devices selected from the plurality of other game devices are treated as second other game devices without the second group of other game devices and the game device are matched as the second group of other game devices; The result of the matching process in step 2 is transmitted to the game device.

[0007] According to the above configuration, for example, the first step of a "lobby" in an online multiplayer game can be In the virtual game space of 1, when a player selects a stage to play, Regarding matching of members who will play a stage in multiplayer, the first virtual game space This allows you to match with players not limited to those in the same group. This can prevent situations where there are not enough players to play with. This allows players to visually and easily see the presence of other players. Cut.

[0008] (Configuration 2) Configuration 2 is the above-mentioned configuration 1, in which, in a first virtual space, Move the player character to one of the multiple stage objects that are placed. By moving the cursor, the game stage associated with the stage object is selected. This may also be the case.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the player character moves to the stage object. This will determine which player selected which stage. This makes it easier to visually understand what is happening.

[0010] (Configuration 3) Configuration 3 is the above-mentioned configuration 1, in which when the mode is changed to the second mode, The connection with the first group of other game devices may be terminated.

[0011] According to the above configuration, every time a player selects to play a given stage, a matching This will increase the opportunities to meet a variety of players.

[0012] (Configuration 4) Configuration 4 is the above configuration 1, wherein in a first mode, a player of the game device and A predetermined player among the players of the other game devices included in the first other game device group The player and the player select the same stage, and the stage selection process for both players is performed in a predetermined manner. If the predetermined program is executed within the period, the game device performs the predetermined program in the second mode. The second group of other game devices may include game devices of a layer.

[0013] According to the above configuration, players who selected a given stage at similar times are ranked in the same category. This allows these players to be included in the communication group. The timing of the ray can be set closer to the timing of the stage. From the start of play, each player can be provided with the opportunity to act together with other players.

[0014] (Configuration 5) In the configuration 5, in the above configuration 1, the computer of the game device is If a predetermined stage end condition is satisfied, the mode may be changed to the first mode. When the game device transitions from the second mode to the first mode, the server computer a third other game device that may include another game device that is not included in the group of other game devices A first matching process is executed by treating the group as a matching target for the game device. The computer of the gaming device may then match a third group of other gaming devices. a new first group of other game devices determined by the first matching process that is the subject of the and the game device may be connected.

[0015] According to the above configuration, when the stage is ended, the first matching process is performed again, The game device is connected to a different game device group from the other game device group that was connected before the start of the stage. In this state, you can move to the first virtual game space. This provides you with the opportunity to meet various players. It can be increased.

[0016] (Configuration 6) A sixth aspect of the present invention relates to the above-mentioned fifth aspect, in which, in the second mode, a player of the game device and a first and a predetermined player among the players of other game devices included in the other game device group of 2. In the first mode, if the timing at which the stage is cleared falls within a certain period, In this case, the game device is a first other game device including the game device of the predetermined player. Connected to the group.

[0017] According to the above configuration, a plurality of players who have been playing the same stage can each If players cleared the game close together, they will be in the same communication group. As a result, the player and the other player can be moved to the same first virtual game space.

[0018] (Configuration 7) A seventh aspect of the present invention is the above-mentioned first aspect, wherein the game system is displayed as a first virtual game space. World information may be stored that defines multiple different virtual worlds that may be displayed. Furthermore, the computer of the game device generates a first virtual game space corresponding to the first virtual world. During the display of the first virtual world, in response to an operation of the player of the game device, A world transfer process may be executed to transfer to a second virtual world. When the field transfer process is executed, the first other game device group that is connected at that time is The connection is disconnected, and the result of the first matching process performed on the server in response to the world transfer process is Based on the result, a first virtual game space corresponding to the second world is displayed on another game device. Alternatively, the game device may be connected to a new first other game device group consisting of other game devices.

[0019] According to the above configuration, matching is performed every time a player moves between multiple worlds. This will provide an opportunity to meet a variety of players. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, the presence of other players is visually notified and the stage is played. This can prevent situations where there are not enough multiplayer opponents. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall view of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the game server 1 and the matching server 2 [Diagram 3] A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the game device 3. [Figure 4] An example of a stage screen [Diagram 5] An example of the world map screen [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the concept of a “room” in this embodiment. [Figure 7] An example of the world map screen [Figure 8] An example of a stage screen [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the concept of moving between "rooms" in this embodiment. [Figure 10] A diagram for explaining entry into a stage room [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining data exchange in the present embodiment. [Figure 12] A memory map showing an example of various data stored in the memory unit 12 of the game server 1. [Figure 13] An example of the data configuration of re-sale ticket data 307 [Figure 14] A memory map showing an example of various data stored in the memory unit 22 of the matching server 2. [Figure 15] A memory map showing an example of various data stored in the storage unit 32 of the game device 3. [Figure 16] An example of the data configuration of regular ticket data 356 [Figure 17] A flowchart showing details of the game processing executed by the game device 3. [Figure 18] Flowchart showing details of start processing [Figure 19] Flowchart showing details of world map processing [Figure 20] Flowchart showing details of stage entry processing [Figure 21] Flowchart showing details of world movement processing [Figure 22]Flowchart showing details of stage play processing [Figure 23] Flowchart showing details of stage exit processing [Figure 24] A flowchart showing details of the game server process executed by the game server 1. [Diagram 25] A flowchart showing details of a matching server process executed by the matching server 2. [Figure 26] A detailed flowchart of the matchmaking process DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows an information processing system according to the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall image of an information processing system (game system) according to the present embodiment. The game system includes a game server 1, a matching server 2, and a plurality of information processing terminals 3. The home server 1, the matching server 2, and the information processing terminal 3 are connected to a network such as the Internet. In this embodiment, the information is transmitted via the network 10. In the following, a game process will be described as an example of the information process. Specifically, a game program is installed on the information processing terminal 3, and Illustrated is a game process executed while communicating with the server 1 in accordance with the game information.

[0023] [Game server and matching server hardware configuration] Next, the hardware configuration of the game server 1 and the matching server 2 will be described. In this embodiment, the hardware configuration of the game server 1 and the matching server 2 is The hardware of the game server 1 and the matching server 2 is assumed to be the same. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the matching system. In the following, the game server 1 and the map server 2 are referred to as components. The processing servers 2 are sometimes collectively referred to as servers. The system includes at least a computer-readable storage device (21), a memory device (22), and a communication device (23). The processor executes various programs to control each server. The various programs executed by the processor and various data used are stored in the memory. The communication unit is connected to a network by wired or wireless communication, and communicates with the information processing terminal 3. In this embodiment, the game server transmits and receives predetermined data to and from the game server. Although the figure shows an example in which there is only one matching server 1 and one matching server 2, each server is a standalone server. The server may be a single server, or may be configured as a group of servers performing distributed processing.

[0024] [Game device hardware configuration] Next, the information processing terminal 3 will be described. The information processing terminal 3 is, for example, a smart Phones, stationary or portable game devices, tablet terminals, mobile phones, personal computers In this embodiment, the game device is a stationary game device (hereinafter, simply referred to as a hereinafter referred to as a game device) will be described as an example of the information processing terminal 3.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the game device 3 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 3, the game device 3 includes a processor 31. The processor 31 An information processing unit that executes various information processes executed in the home device 3, for example, It may consist of only a CPU (Central Processing Unit) CPU functions, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) functions, etc. It may be composed of a SoC (System-on-a-chip) including multiple functions. The processor 31 executes an information processing program (e.g., a game program) stored in the storage unit 32. The storage unit 32 executes various information processing by executing the program. For example, flash memory and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) The memory may be an internal storage medium such as a memory card (e.g., a memory card for storing data), or an external storage medium inserted in a slot (not shown). A configuration using a storage medium or the like is also possible.

[0026] In addition, the game device 3 performs wireless communication with other game devices 3 and the server. The wireless communication unit 33 is provided for wireless communication, for example, internet communication. or short-range wireless communication is used.

[0027] In addition, the game device 3 is configured to communicate with the controller 4 via wired or wireless communication. The controller 34 is provided for this purpose.

[0028] The game device 3 also receives a video signal from a display unit 5 (such as a television) via an image and sound output unit 35. The processor 31 generates (for example, by executing the above-mentioned information processing) The images and sounds are output to the display unit 5 via the image and sound output unit 35 .

[0029] Next, the controller 4 will be described. The controller 4 is an example of a directional input device. The analog stick 42 is The user can input a direction by using the analog input. By tilting the g-stick 42, a direction corresponding to the tilt direction can be input (and the tilt The controller 4 also has various operation buttons. For example, the controller 4 has a plurality of buttons on the main surface of the housing. There may be several operating buttons.

[0030] The controller 4 also includes an inertial sensor 44. Specifically, the controller 4 The inertial sensor 44 includes an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor. In the present embodiment, the acceleration sensor detects the magnitude of acceleration along three predetermined axial directions. In addition, the angular velocity sensor detects angular velocity around three predetermined axes.

[0031] The controller 4 also communicates with the controller communication unit 34 via wired or wireless communication. The controller 41 also includes a communication unit 41 for communicating with the analog stick 42 and the button section 42. The information indicating the pressing state of 43 and the various detection results by the inertial sensor 44 are appropriately The signal is repeatedly output to the communication unit 41 at the appropriate timing, and then transmitted to the game device 3.

[0032] [Overview of information processing in this embodiment] Next, an overview of the information processing operation according to this embodiment will be described. As an example, a player character object (hereinafter, a player character) existing in a virtual space The following description is based on the assumption that the game is played by a player operating a character. In this embodiment, a side-scrolling jump action game (hereinafter referred to as this game) is In this game, the main place of play is called a "stage." The stage has a starting point and a goal point. Between the starting point and the goal, there are various enemies, obstacles, and There are various gimmicks such as ramps and traps. A game where the player's character must reach the goal by defeating or avoiding characters. Depending on the game, the stage may be called a "course" or "round." Sometimes it gets discovered.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows an example of the game screen during the above stage (hereafter referred to as the stage screen). In the example shown in Figure 4, the stage is configured as a virtual space that is long horizontally as a whole. FIG. 4 shows a screen near the starting point, i.e., the screen of the relevant stage. This is an example of a screen immediately after starting to play Stage. In FIG. 4, the player character 201 and the enemy A character 202 is displayed. Various terrain objects such as blocks are also displayed. In this stage, the starting point is set near the left edge of the stage, and the The goal point is set near the right edge of the stage. The stage progresses by moving the player character 201 to the right of the screen. In such a stage screen, the player can select a player character 20 Operate 1 to move the player character towards the goal. A different part of the stage will be displayed as the stage screen. If the robot reaches the goal, the stage is cleared.

[0034] [About the World Map] In this game, there are multiple stages. Prior to the step (a), a screen having a function for allowing the player to select the stage to be played is displayed. The "World Map Screen" will be displayed. Figure 5 shows the World Map Screen. In Figure 5, a screen showing a bird's-eye view of the virtual world is displayed. The virtual space may be a two-dimensional space or a three-dimensional space. Furthermore, the drawing method and display style of the "world" and the "stage" may be different. For example, The stage is drawn using orthogonal projection from the front, and the world is shot from above in a bird's-eye view. The world may be drawn with a stage that acts as an entrance to the stage. In addition, as will be described later, the player can move to another world. There is also a portal object 205 for the purpose of In the game, a player character 201 is also displayed. The player operates the controller 4. By doing so, the player character 201 can be moved on the world map screen. Also, the player can move the stage object 204 in such a way that the player touches any of the stage objects 204. By moving the layer character 201, the stage object 204 corresponding to the layer character 201 is changed. Then, you can select a stage. By performing a stage start operation, the stage object 204 corresponding to the stage object 204 is started. Specifically, when you perform a stage start operation, a specific performance is displayed. After that, the player character 201 is placed at the start point of the stage. The screen switches to the previous screen.

[0035] [About the relationship between worlds and stages] In addition, the game also provides multiple worlds as mentioned above. In this game, for example, there are five worlds (World 1 to World 5). The world is assumed to have four stages. The world displayed will be one of the five worlds.

[0036] Here, each world is designed to have a worldview based on a specific theme. The stages in each world are also designed in the same way. For example, there are green worlds, fire worlds, ice worlds, etc. In the green world, The world map is designed with a green theme and features many objects. In the world, volcanoes and lava are placed, and the world map is designed mainly in red. be.

[0037] In addition, in this game, you can freely play all stages in all worlds from the beginning. However, at first, the worlds you can move around in and the stages you can play are limited. By clearing the playable stages, other stages will be unlocked. For example, at first, you can only play Stage 1 of World 1. However, once you clear Stage 1, Stage 2 of World 1 will be unlocked and you can play it. By clearing all stages in World 1, you can move on to the next World. World 2, which is pre-defined as follows, will be unlocked.

[0038] To move from one world to another, the player must first The player character 201 is moved onto the portal object 205 on the screen. Then, when the player performs a specific operation (hereinafter referred to as a world movement operation), the player moves to that position. Move the player character to another world associated with the virtual object 205. For example, on the world map screen of World 1, When a world movement operation is performed on the linked portal object 205, The unpleasant character will move to World 2 and the screen will switch to the world map screen for World 2.

[0039] For stages that have already been unlocked, you can play them as many times as you like by performing the above stage start operation. You can play the game over and over again. You can also move freely between worlds you have already unlocked. For example, it is possible to move from World 2 to World 1. .

[0040] In this example, the portal object 205 in the world that cannot be moved yet, and The stage object 204 of the stage that cannot be played yet is also on the world map. The character is displayed on the screen, and the player character 201 can be moved. In this case, the game will not accept any operations to move around the field or start a stage. In other embodiments, the unreleased portal object 205 and / or stage object 204 may be Regarding this, the player character 201 may be configured not to be able to move in the first place.

[0041] In this way, the basic flow of the game progresses on the world map screen. Select the stage you want to play and clear it to unlock the stage you have not yet unlocked. The goal is to clear all the stages in the world. Then, you can unlock the next world and clear the stages in each world to progress further. The goal is to unlock the final world and clear the final stage of the final world. It has become.

[0042] In the following explanation, when distinguishing between stages, the following terms are used: "stage" "world number" The format is "-"stage number". For example, stage 1 in World 1 is "Stage Stage 1 in World 2 is shown as "Stage 2-1", and Stage 1 in World 2 is shown as "Stage 2-2". vinegar.

[0043] [Online play elements] The basic game progression of this game is as described above, and it is basically a single-player game. In addition to the above elements, this game also features the above servers and It also has an online play element that allows connection to other game devices 3 for play.

[0044] Below, we will explain the online play elements of this game. First, the overall network The basic network configuration is shown in Figure 1 above. The structure is as shown in the figure. In this game, the so-called MO (Multiplayer Online) The present invention provides a game that utilizes the configuration of a communication group in an online game of this type. Specifically, there are communication groups (hereafter called world rooms) corresponding to the worlds mentioned above, and each stage A communication group corresponding to each stage (hereinafter referred to as a stage room) is generated and managed appropriately. In other words, a virtual space corresponding to each of the worlds and a virtual space corresponding to each of the stages can be created. A virtual space is prepared for each game, and a certain number of players can connect to each virtual space. In addition, the world room is sometimes called a "lobby" in other games. .

[0045] In addition, there is a maximum number of people that can enter each world room and stage room. For example, in this game, each world room can accommodate up to 30 people. Also, up to four people can enter one stage room. As shown above, rooms are divided by world and stage, but the world room and Each stage room can have multiple rooms in parallel. For the world room, the connection mode is via the server (client-server) For the stage room, the game is played using a P2P (Peer to Peer) communication method. It is assumed that a mode in which devices 3 are connected to each other is used.

[0046] Next, FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the above communication group, i.e., the world room and the stage room. In the example of FIG. 6, for World 1, World Room 1A, World Room 1 There are three world rooms: World Room 1C, World Room 2, and World Room 3. There are three world rooms: World Room 2A, World Room 2B, and World Room 2C. In addition, in Figure 6, the stage rooms are shown as Stage 1-1, 1-2, and 2 This shows that there are two rooms corresponding to -1 and 2-2. Stage room 1-1A and stage room 1-1B, which correspond to stage 1-1, Stage room 1-2A and stage room 1-2B, which correspond to stage 1- Stage room 2-1A and stage room 2-1B, corresponding to stage 1, corresponding to stage 2-2 Stage room 2-2A and stage room 2-2B, which are connected to the stage, coexist. In this example, there are a total of 6 world rooms and 8 stage rooms, which exist in parallel. This is the situation.

[0047] The server controls the number of rooms depending on the number of people in the room. In response to the above world movement operations and stage start operations, the world room and stage part In addition, when the number of players in a room reaches 0, the world room will be automatically generated. and stage rooms will be erased as appropriate.

[0048] Next, taking into account the above-mentioned "room" elements, the stage play begins after the game starts. First, when the player starts the game, The specified login process is performed, and the save data is loaded. The player character "enters" a designated communication room. The first step is to join a gaming device and establish a connection with other gaming devices in the same communication group.

[0049] After entering a specific world room, the world map screen above will be displayed. The player can then move the player character 201 on the world map screen. In Figure 7, when you enter a world room that already has a certain number of players in it, In addition to the player character 201, the world map screen is also displayed. Player character objects operated by other players in the same world room Also, depending on the operation of other players, these other players The movement of the ear character object 211 on the world map is shown in real time. In the following explanation, if you are in the same room (World Room, Stage Room), The player character objects operated by other players are collectively called "remote The remote character is called a "character". You can display all remote characters, or only some of them. In this embodiment, the player character 201 and the remote controller 203 may be The characters are different enough in appearance to be recognizable as separate characters. If multiple characters with essentially the same appearance are displayed at the same time, , it becomes difficult to know which player character 201 the player is controlling. In this embodiment, a connection with other game devices is established and a predetermined world is created. After entering the room, the world map screen is displayed. The world map screen will be displayed without waiting for the connection to be established, and the remote control screen will be displayed after the connection is established. A character may be displayed. This allows the player to wait for the connection to be established. This improves the gaming experience since the player can start operating the player character without having to wait for a while.

[0050] [About entering the stage room] On such a world map screen, the player can select a specific stage to play. In this case, the player performs the above-mentioned stage start operation. Move the character 201 onto a specific stage object 204 and press a specific button. By performing this operation, the player will "leave" the world room they are currently in. This means that the game device is disconnected from the other game devices in the communication group to which it previously belonged. In this case, the connection with the other game devices in the same world room is terminated. The player enters a specific stage room that corresponds to the selected stage. The method for deciding which stage room to use will be explained later. After this, the screen will switch to the stage screen. A stage screen is displayed with the player character 201 placed at the starting point. Ray begins.

[0051] [Online elements in stage play] Next, we will explain the online elements in the stage play. And if a player enters a stage room where two other players are already in it, The explanation will be given assuming the above. Figure 8 shows the stage screen when entering such a stage room. This is an example. In this case, as in the case of the world map screen, the other players operate The remote character, which is another player's character, interacts with the game device operated by the player. In the example of FIG. 8, other than the player character 201, In addition, two remote characters 211 are displayed. Since the remote characters entered the room before the stage play started, is located a little further towards the goal than the starting point.

[0052] In this game, the remote characters displayed in the stage room are controlled by other players. The movement is reflected in the game, but it does not directly affect the gameplay being performed on the player's game device. Specifically, the game connected to a certain stage room will not be interfered with or affected. Basically, only the position information of each player character 201 is shared between the game devices 3. On the other hand, the status and position information of other objects such as enemy characters are not shared. For example, in each game device 3, a stage object in a stage play, etc. Regarding the collision determination process, only the player character 201 of each game device is The collision detection process is not performed for remote characters. Even if Yachara 201 overlaps with the position of a remote character, it will move through without colliding. Also, if the remote character overlaps with an enemy character, No collision detection is performed between the remote character and the enemy character. This results in the player character 201 moving through the obstacles. Even when the enemy character A is defeated, the state of this enemy character A is reflected in the other game devices 3. In the other game devices 3, other players of the other game devices If enemy character A has not been defeated, that enemy character A still exists. In other words, the progress of the stage play is managed individually on each game device. If a remote character exists, it will be displayed. Therefore, each player is basically influenced by the actions of the other players. The game can be played in the same way as single player without interfering with other players' actions. In other words, you can play the stage by playing the game alone while controlling the remote character. In other words, you can feel the presence of other players, and you can experience the gameplay. can be done.

[0053] Also, as mentioned above, each player can play the game independently without being influenced by other players. Therefore, you cannot start playing a stage unless you have four players. Even if there is only one player in the stage room, the stage play After that, other players can join in the game, up to four people in total. For example, when player A has progressed to about one-third of the stage, player B When Player B enters the room, Player B's character will start moving from the starting point. In other words, from the perspective of player B, player A is in a position some distance ahead. In this state, the stage play will start. Also, from the player A's point of view, The entrance of Ear B did not disrupt my play, and I continued to play. It can continue.

[0054] [About the cooperation elements] As mentioned above, basically, each player can play the game independently without being influenced by other players. However, this game has some cooperative play elements in the following ways: Specifically, this game is similar to other games in terms of "revival assistance" and "item delivery." It is possible to have influence between layers.

[0055] First, regarding "revival assistance," for example, if the player character comes into contact with an enemy character, If you are playing offline single player, it will be considered a "miss", for example Let's assume that you lose your remaining lives. In this case, you will be connected to the online game. If the player is laying, it is not immediately considered a mistake, but the player character will be During the specified period, the character will turn into a ghost-like character. The position of the remote character overlaps with the position of the "ghost" in question, i.e., the remote character If you come into contact with a spirit, it will not be considered a "miss" and you can revive the player character. Therefore, for example, if remote characters move together to some extent, This will allow you to play as if you were playing a single game, and it will be easier to recover from mistakes. There are advantages to using online games that are not available in the case of a completely single-player game. If you are playing single-player, becoming a ghost is treated as a "mistake" and This is when the ray stops, so it doesn't hinder the player's play. stomach.

[0056] Next, for "item delivery," the player character will You can "place" items you own on the stage. And the remote character can When the remote character touches the item, the remote character can obtain the item. It is possible to exchange certain items with remote characters. This allows you to play the game as if you were playing a single player, but you can also exchange useful items. This makes indirect cooperative play possible, such as helping a remote character by using a mobile phone.

[0057] By incorporating the above-mentioned cooperative play elements, players will have the opportunity to cooperate with other players in certain situations. This allows you to play the game as a single player while also If multiple players are in the stage room due to teamwork, they can cooperate with each other. It can create a situation where it becomes easier.

[0058] [About leaving the stage room] Next, we will explain how to exit the stage room. If the player character reaches the goal point, the stage is cleared. When the player (game device 3) reaches the goal, regardless of the progress of the other players, Leave the stage room and enter the designated world room. Details will be described later, but at this time You will not necessarily return to the world room you were in before starting stage play, but will instead return to the original world room. Although it is the same world as the world, it may be possible to enter a different world room. For example, if you move from World Room 1A to a specific stage room and clear the stage, If you leave the room, you may enter World Room 1A, or World Room 1B or World It is also possible that you may enter room 1C.

[0059] In addition, you can leave the stage room only when you clear the stage as mentioned above, or when you You can leave the room voluntarily from the game menu, or when a game over condition is met. Voluntary exit can be done by pressing the pause button to open the pause menu during stage play, for example. By selecting the "Retire" option in the menu, You can leave the stage room and move to the designated world room. For example, if you leave the room due to a crash, you will not be able to receive the above-mentioned revival assistance and your remaining lives will be reduced to 0. If a game over condition is met, such as by being thrown out of the stage, you will be forced to leave the stage room at that point. You will then enter the designated world room.

[0060] [About moving between worlds] Next, on the world map screen, when you move from the current world to another world, As described above, when the player character 20 is placed on the portal object 205, 1 to perform a world movement operation, the portal object 205 is related to the You can move your character to another world that is attached to the same world. In this case, You will first have to leave the world room you are in and then enter another world room. For example, if the player wants to move from World 1 to World 2, the player must When the player is in Room 1A and moves from World 1 to World 2, In this case, you will leave World Room 1A and enter World Room You may enter room 2A, or you may enter world room 2B. The method for determining the room will be described later.

[0061] The above-mentioned entry and exit patterns for each room can be summarized as shown in Figure 9. After the game starts, you will be entered into a specific world room based on your save data. When a world change operation is performed on the top screen, the player will exit the current world room. And entering the room of the destination world (hereafter, sometimes called world transfer) occurs. Also, when the player enters a stage on the world map screen, Leaving the world room and entering the designated stage room for the specified stage Also, when the conditions for exiting a stage are met, such as clearing the stage, , exiting a stage room, and entering a specific world related to the world to which the stage belongs. Entry into the room occurs.

[0062] [About matching process] As mentioned above, the player can enter the world room or the stage room by Depending on this operation, you may be placed in either the world room or the stage room. The process of entering the room is performed, and the game device 3 of the player is connected to the other game devices in the room. In this case, as described above, the same world In addition, multiple world rooms and stage rooms can exist in parallel for the same stage. Below is how to decide which world room and stage room to enter, in other words, how to decide which communication group to use. A method for determining which game devices (players) are included in the loop will be described below. The function of selecting the room to enter and entering the room in this state is called "matching." More precisely, as will become clear in the explanation below, we search for a given player who meets the conditions and play that player. If the user has already entered the room, the room is determined as the room to be entered. If the player is not in the room yet, create a new room and join it with that player. Control is then exercised so that both parties enter the room together.

[0063] First, let us explain the range of players that can be matched. When deciding which stage room to go to first, the same world room will be used as the matching target. Not only players, but also players in other world rooms related to the same world can participate in the matching. In other words, other players in the world room where the player who performed the stage start operation is located Not only the player, but all other players who selected the same stage in other world rooms Figure 10 shows the state of the stage room. An example of the matching result is shown in Figure 10. It is assumed that a stage start operation is performed to play stage 1-1. In the example of FIG. 10, there are four world rooms, World Room 1A to World Room 1D, Two stage rooms are shown: stage room 1-1A and 1-1B. Multiple players intending to play 1-1 will be spread across the four world rooms. Specifically, there are 3 people in World Room 1A and 2 people in World Room 1B. There is one player in World Room 1D and two players in World Room 1C. In this state, for example, each player performs a stage start operation for stage 1-1. In this case, for example, if we look at player A in world room 1A, Only players B and C in the same world room 1A will be matched. The match also includes players D to G in the other rooms in World 1. Similarly, for example, in world room 1C, player E and player Instead of matching only for player F, we matched all players A to G. As a result, in the example of Figure 10, stage room 1 -1A is Player A and Player C who were in World Room 1A, and Player C who was in World Room 1B. Player D, who was in World 1C, and Player F, who was in World 2C, were matched in the stage room. In addition, for stage room 1-1B, player B, who was in world room 1A, Player E in World Room 1C and Player G in World Room 1D were matched. It is a stage room.

[0064] As mentioned above, when matching for stage rooms, players in each world room The reason why players in other world rooms are also included in the matching instead of just those in the same room is as follows: First of all, in this game, you can feel the presence of other players as mentioned above. In order to provide a gaming experience that feels like playing in single player mode, each stage room Regarding this, there is an aspect of wanting to have as many four players as possible. On the other hand, there is a limit to the number of people who can enter the world room. In this example, the maximum number is 3. 0 people. Also, there can be multiple selectable stages in one world room. Therefore, if you want to limit the members playing a stage to players in one world room, If you try to choose only from the available options, it may be difficult to attract people to each stage room. For example, 10 players are in a world room with 5 selectable stages. In this case, it is sufficient for each player to select a different stage. It is possible, but then each stage room would be filled with four players. Therefore, in this embodiment, the stage room is matched. In this case, the matching will not only be done with players in the same world room, but also with players with the same status. Other players in other world rooms who have selected the page will also be eligible for matching. , you can create many stage rooms filled with four players.

[0065] Regarding the number of people allowed in a world room, the above 30 people are just an example. The limit may be set appropriately according to the nature of the game. In this example, multiple slots are allowed in one world. Since the world is structured to include stages, the number of people that can enter the world is determined by the stage. This is set to a number greater than the number of people who can enter a world room. The limit on the number of participants is set higher than the maximum number of participants for matching in the stage room.

[0066] Next, an overview of the matching control in this embodiment will be described. The matching is performed so that the result is as follows. Also, as mentioned above, the world is also a stage. There are multiple worlds and stages, and matching is done for each world and stage. (Priority 1) The same world or stage was selected as the destination at the time The room entry location is determined so that players who are relatively close to each other are more likely to be in the same room. (Priority 2) If you do not meet the above priority 1, you can enter the world room. Prioritize world rooms with a large number of participants. For stage rooms, select the room number when the stage starts. At the time of the operation, any other player has entered the room, and The room with the closest entry time is selected first.

[0067] Next, we will look at the timing of matching and the results of matching at each timing. This section outlines the contents.

[0068] [When entering the stage room] First, the stage room matching was done by performing the stage start operation on the world map screen. As mentioned above, the matching of the stage room is basically done by the master. Matching is not limited to players in the same world room. In this embodiment, a stage entry operation is performed for multiple players in the same world. Matching is done so that players who have joined the game at similar times are more likely to be placed in the same room. How do you determine that the timing of the stage entry operation is approaching? In this embodiment, the timing at which the stage start operation is performed is used to determine whether the If you do, the timing of leaving the world room (the timing of the matching request) Specifically, the timing difference is determined by the number of players within a certain period of time. Matching is done so that players are more likely to be in the same room. For example, Let us assume that there are two players, Player A and Player B. In this case, Player B is watching the world map screen to see the status of the remote character controlled by Player A. When I saw Player A enter the 1-1 room, I immediately joined the stage, intending to follow Player A. Let's assume that you have performed a stage start operation to 1-1. As a result of such an operation, After player A performs the stage start operation for stage 1-1, for example, within 3 seconds Suppose that player B has also performed the stage start operation for stage 1-1. In this case, both players have selected the same stage and have left the world room. The timing of the events is also quite close. During this period, both Player A and Player B performed the start operation of Stage 1-1. In this embodiment, when such a relationship is established, the player Matching is done so that players A and B are more likely to be in the same stage room. It only increases the chances of having the same stage room until the end, but does not guarantee that it will be the same room. For example, depending on the timing, the stage room that player A entered may Since the number of players is limited, even if the above relationship exists, It is possible that Ear B may be assigned to a different stage room.

[0069] Next, the above mentioned "timing of entering the stage" is close. A case where the combination is not established will be described. For example, in stage 1-1, player C Perform a stage start operation, and within 10 seconds of that operation, Let's assume that there was no other player who performed the start operation. In this case, we go back further in time. Then, search for other players who have recently entered the stage room and select the stage that the other player entered. Matching is done so that stage rooms are given priority as entry locations. Since the stage play by the specified player started, not much progress has been made yet. Matching is performed so that the Deaf stage room is given priority. By doing this, Make it easier to meet other players when you enter a stage room where other players are present In addition, in this embodiment, the control is also performed to gradually widen the retroactive period. Specifically, the first step is to check the timing of the stage start operation (more precisely, the match The judgment is made within the period from the time when the request was made to 10 seconds before the time when the request was made. If there is no "stage room with other players" within the time limit, the judgment is made within the last 60 seconds. If the time period is not found within this period, the time period up to 120 seconds ago is used for the judgment. There are three levels, and even if you look back 120 seconds, you can see that "the stage room where other players entered" If there was no ", matching would be performed without taking into account such time factors. Therefore, while taking into consideration the ease of meeting other players as mentioned above, It also prevents situations where you can't find a way forward.

[0070] Next, we will explain the world room matching in detail. In this game, there are three cases: World room matching will be done. (1) If you leave the stage room (2) When moving from one world to another (world transfer) (3) When you transition to the world map screen for the first time after starting the game

[0071] First, we will explain what happens when you leave the stage room. If the player character reaches the goal point in step B, the stage is cleared. When you leave the room, matching for a world room will be performed. Players who reached the goal close to each other are more likely to be in the same world room. This is the same as when you enter the stage room. In other words, we focus on the timing of the world room matching request. In other words, the timing when you leave the stage by clearing the stage is the same as when you leave the stage. This makes it easier for players who are close to each other to enter the same world room.

[0072] [About the World Room Joining Slot] As mentioned above, the number of people who can enter the world room is limited. Therefore, for example, if player A and player B leave the stage room at similar times, For example, if you leave a world room with only one room left, In this case, there is a player A in the world room. Only the first player will enter the room, and player B may choose a different world room as the entry point. Considering the above, in this embodiment, in the case where the two people leave the room at close timing as described above, To make it easier for the rooms to be in the same world room, the maximum number of people allowed in a world room is 30. For this, 20 people will be set as "normal slots" and 10 people will be set as "joining slots". And the basic In principle, if the number of people entering the room exceeds 20, it will be considered full and you will be excluded from matching. For example, if there is a world room with 18 people, Let's assume that four players leave the room at roughly the same time. Let's say that Player A selects a world room with 18 players as his or her destination. In such a case, two of the joining slots can be used, and the four players above can join the world room. The matchmaking will be done so that the four players have a higher chance of entering the room. If you enter a world room, the room will be in a state where 22 players are in the room. The world room will then be considered full and will remain in that state until the number of people entering the room drops to 19 or less. In this case, control is performed so that the target is excluded from matching.

[0073] [About moving between worlds] Next, a case of moving between worlds will be described. In this embodiment, When moving to a different world, world room matching will be performed each time. In this case, if the destination world is the same, and the world move operation is Players who have performed the same action close to each other will be selected to enter the same world room. Matching is done so that it is easy to find out. For example, in the room of World 1A, Then, when player B sees that player A has moved to world 2, he immediately moves to world 2. If you perform a world transfer operation, the room in World 2A will become the entry point for Player A and Player B. As a result, player B moves in pursuit of player A. This kind of thing is also possible.

[0074] [When you first enter the world room after starting the game] Next, a case where the game transitions to the world map screen for the first time after the game is started will be described. For example, when you log in and the world map screen is displayed first, Matching will be done so that world rooms with a large number of participants will be given priority. In this embodiment, the world to which the player first moves after starting the game is determined based on the save data. In other words, the world you were last in when you logged out will be used as the destination. The decision is made based on the above.

[0075] [Details of the matching control process of this embodiment] The game processing in this embodiment will be described in more detail below. In this embodiment, the basic mechanism of the matching process in the game mode will be described. From the device 3 (game application) and the game server 1 (game server program) A matching request is sent from the user to matching server 2. This request contains various data necessary for matching. The set of data required for matching is called a "ticket." For the sake of convenience, the ticket sent from the game device 3 is called a "normal ticket." The ticket sent from the group server 1 is called a "re-offered ticket."

[0076] [Regular tickets] First, a matching request from the game device 3 will be described. When you try to enter the world room or stage room in The normal ticket is sent to the matching server 2 as a matching request. The game server 2 receives the normal ticket included in the matching request from each game device 3. The matching process is performed using the game device 3, and the matching result is notified to each game device 3. Based on the notification, a process of establishing a connection with a predetermined game device or game server 1 is performed. That is, the process of entering the world room or stage room is performed. can be.

[0077] [About re-sale tickets] Next, a matching request from the game server 1 will be described. In this case, a matching request is also sent from game server 1 to matching server 2. This is because the game server 1 manages the world rooms and stage rooms. A request to add a player to a room that has already been created. For example, Let's say there is a world room with 10 people. In order to compensate for the number of people entering the room, the game server 1 sends a matching request to the above-mentioned re-recruitment. The re-requested ticket is sent to the matching server. In the following explanation, A room that is assigned to a player and wants to fill it is called a "re-recruiting room." The matching server will use the regular ticket and the re-recruitment ticket to perform the matching process. As a result, player compensation for the re-recruiting room is realized.

[0078] In this embodiment, the world room can accommodate up to 30 people. For world rooms with 20 or more people, the "regular slots" are filled as described above, so As a member, the player will not be compensated. Re-recruitment tickets will not be sent. This is to allow the "merging slot" mentioned above to function.

[0079] FIG. 11 shows an example of data exchange in the matching process of this embodiment. In 11, the game device A and the game device B each start a game and then reach a predetermined stage. 1 shows an example of the flow of playing a game until completion.

[0080] First, a login process is performed on each game device, and then the save data is loaded. After that, a normal ticket containing its own information is sent to the matching server (P1-A, P1 -B). The normal ticket from each game device contains a map of the world room related to the same world. For example, both of them specify "World 1". Assume that we are requesting a specified matching.

[0081] In addition, the game server 1 manages and controls each of the above rooms, and if necessary, The above re-recruitment ticket is sent (P2). Here, the number of participants is 5. Assume that a re-recruitment ticket for the world room related to "1" has been sent.

[0082] Next, matching is performed by the matching server 2 (P3). As a result of the search, the world room related to the re-recruitment is matched with game device A and game device B. In other words, the above-mentioned re-advertising is performed as the entry destination of game device A and game device B. The result of the matching is as follows: The process for matching is carried out by the Matching This can be done when the log server receives a ticket, or periodically at a predefined interval. good.

[0083] Next, the game server 1 transmits the world part to the matched game devices A and B. The room status of the player currently in the world is sent (P4). , location information on the world map, etc.

[0084] Next, in each game device, the player character and the remote A world map screen with the game characters is generated and displayed. Operation information and world room status are appropriately transmitted and received between the game device and the game server 1. Game processing relating to the world map screen is executed (P5-A, P5-B, P6).

[0085] Next, assume that a stage start operation is performed on each game device (P7-A, P7-B). Here, game device A and game device B play the same stage at fairly close timing. In this case, first, a notice to leave the room is sent to each gate. In response to this, the game server 1 transmits the A process is executed to cause the players of game device A and game device B to leave the room ( P8).

[0086] Furthermore, regular tickets are sent to each game device (game application) via a matching service. The standard ticket in this case is sent to server 2, which requires matching of the stage room. The information included in the notice is as follows:

[0087] Next, the matching server 2 matches the stage rooms, and the results are The game device and the game server are then sent (P9). As mentioned above, the game will match not only the world room you were in, but also other players who are logged in. In this example, game device A and game device B are matched. Assume that the data is switched on.

[0088] Game server 1, which receives the stage room matching result, manages the stage room. Specifically, the room management data is updated (P10). etc. are executed.

[0089] In addition, a session is established between game device A and game device B that have received the matching result. In other words, when entering the stage room, Here, a new stage room (communication group) is generated. In this case, the player A's character and the player B's character will be Both characters will be shown on a stage screen like the one shown near the starting point. In other words, it will be as if everyone entered the same stage room at almost the same time. It becomes.

[0090] Next, a process related to stage play is executed while performing P2P communication between the game devices. (P12-A, P12-B). During this time, the game server 1 appropriately Re-recruitment tickets for the rooms may also be sent.

[0091] Next, when the stage is cleared, a stage end process is carried out in each game device (P Here, the stage is cleared at almost the same time. In this process, first, a notice of leaving the stage room is sent to the other game devices and the game server 1. The game server 1 will automatically restart the slot where the player left if necessary. For stage room management purposes, processes such as deleting stage rooms are also carried out (P14).

[0092] Once the player has left the stage room, each game device will send the regular ticket to the matching service. Send a message to the server requesting a world room match.

[0093] The matching server 2 performs world room matching, and the results are sent to each game device 3. , and is transmitted to game server 1 (P15).

[0094] After that, in the same way as above, you will be admitted to the world room based on the matching results. The game process related to the world map screen is executed (P16, P17-A, P17-B, P1 8).

[0095] In this embodiment, the process is roughly as follows: matching, world room, stage room The following is a list of the game devices 3, the game server 1, and the matching server 2. This section explains the various data used in each and the details of the processing performed in each.

[0096] [About the data used on Game Server 1] First, the data used in the game server 1 will be described. 1 is a memory map showing an example of various data stored in the storage unit 12 of the game server 1. The storage unit 12 of the first embodiment includes a game server program 301, a player database 302, World room management data 303, world room status data 304, stage room management data At least a request data 306 is stored.

[0097] The game server program 301 is a program for managing the world rooms and stage rooms. It is a program for executing game processing including processing.

[0098] The player database 302 stores information about each player who plays the game according to this embodiment. Each record in the database contains, for example, a player ID for identifying the game device 3 currently being used by each player, This includes the system device identification information, account information, etc.

[0099] The world room management data 303 is a database for managing the world rooms. The world room management data 303 includes an identification number of each world room. Children, number of players in the room, player IDs of players in the room, world maps of each player character This includes location information within the group, etc.

[0100] The world room status data 304 is used to display the status of each world room to each player who is in that room. This is data to be transmitted to the game device 3 related to the layer. For example, For each player's game device 3 in the World 1A room, Information indicating the position information of the camera, etc. may be transmitted as world room situation data 304.

[0101] The stage room management data 305 is a database for managing the stage rooms. The stage room management data 305 contains the world of each currently existing stage room. This information includes the name of the room, the number of players in the room, and the player IDs of the players in the room.

[0102] The request data 306 is sent from the game server 1 to the matching server 2. This is data used when making a request. The request data 306 includes multiple Contains re-recruitment ticket data 307.

[0103] FIG. 13 shows an example of the data structure of the re-offered ticket data 307. The data 307 includes a ticket header 308, a re-opening room identifier 314, and the number of people in the ticket 3 15, and ticket player information 316. Also, the ticket header 3 08 includes ticket ID 309, ticket type 310, request category 311, request The request includes at least a destination 312 and a request date and time 313 .

[0104] The ticket ID 309 is identification information for uniquely identifying the re-opened ticket. The ticket type 310 indicates whether the ticket is a regular ticket or a resale ticket. When a re-recruitment ticket is sent from game server 1, the ticket type 310 is set to indicate that it is a "re-recruitment ticket".

[0105] Request category 311 requests that the ticket match the stage room. This information indicates whether you are requesting a World Room or a World Room match. If you are sending a re-recruitment ticket to compensate for a player who has lost a player, please write " The information specifying the "World Room" is set. On the other hand, the player of the stage room is compensated If you are sending a re-recruitment ticket for the purpose of re-recruiting, please select "Stage Room" for request category 311. The information to that effect is set.

[0106] The request destination 312 is a request for a specific world or stage. In the case of a re-sale ticket, the information indicates whether the re-sale ticket is being requested. The world number of the room you want to re-recruit for the event, i.e. the room itself where you want to compensate the player. For example, to compensate the player for a room in world 1A, If you want to do this, we would like to compensate players for the rooms in "World 1" and World 1B. In this case, "World 1" is set as the request destination 312. If you want to compensate players for the "Stage 1-3C" room, "Stage 1-3" is the The quest destination is set to 312. Also, play the room "Stage 2-1B". If compensation for ya is desired, "Stage 2-1" is set in the request destination 312. .

[0107] At request date and time 313, game server 1 sends the re-recruitment ticket to matching server 2. This is set to the date and time when the request including the

[0108] The re-recruitment room identifier 314 is the identifier of the re-recruitment room itself related to the re-recruitment ticket. In this embodiment, the same world or the same stage, such as "World 1A" and "World 1B", Even in this stage, multiple rooms can exist in parallel, so information to identify each room is required. For example, the room in World 1B is used as the room identifier 314. If you want to make up for the lost room, enter the room identifier for "World 1B" in the re-recruitment room identifier 314. For example, the player is compensated for the room "Stage 1-3C". If you want to re-recruit, set the room identifier for "Stage 1-3C" in the re-recruitment room identifier 314. will be done.

[0109] The number of players in the ticket 315 is information indicating the number of players included in the ticket. In the case of a re-recruitment ticket, the information indicates the current number of people in the re-recruitment room. For example, If you are sending a re-recruitment ticket for a world room with 10 people, The number of people 315 is set to "10".

[0110] The ticket player information 316 is information about the player included in the ticket. In the case of a re-recruitment ticket, the information will be that of each player currently in the re-recruitment room. Therefore, the player information 316 in the ticket includes one or more pieces of player data 317. Each player data 317 may include a player ID 318, an exit room identifier 319, At least the exit date and time 320 is included. The player ID 318 is used to identify each player. The exit room identifier 319 is information for the last game in which the player (the game device 3 associated with the player) The exit date and time 320 is the date and time when the user exited the room. Details will be described later, but by using the exit room identifier 319 and the exit date and time 320, It is determined whether the timing of the exit is relatively close.

[0111] In this embodiment, if the re-recruiting room is a stage room, the re-recruiting room can accommodate up to three people. In the case of a world room, the player data 317 of up to 19 people is included. So, once the 20 "regular slots" are filled, we will not make any requests to compensate players. It is.

[0112] [Data used in Matching Server 2] Next, the data used by the matching server 2 will be described. 1 is a memory map showing an example of various data stored in the storage unit 22 of the data server 2. The memory unit 22 of the matching server 2 includes a matching program 331, a request queue 33 At least 2 are remembered.

[0113] The matching program 331 is a program for controlling matching according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the matching process by the matching program 331 is a predetermined For example, the matching process is executed every 3 seconds. The request queue 332 receives matching requests during the regular execution interval of the matching process. This is a memory area for temporarily storing matching requests sent to Server 2. be.

[0114] Although not shown in the figure, transmission data for transmitting the matching results and the like are also generated as appropriate. and can be stored in the storage unit 22.

[0115] [Data used in game device 3] Next, the data used in the game device 3 will be described. 10 is a memory map showing an example of various data stored in the storage unit 32 of the game device 3. The memory unit 32 stores a game program 351, player character data 352, world data, and data 353, stage data 354, character data 355, regular ticket data 35 6, room entry data 357, operation data 358, game mode flag 359, transmission data At least the data 360 for controlling a remote character and the data 361 for controlling a remote character are stored.

[0116] The game program 351 executes the game processing in this embodiment in the game device 3. This is the program to execute.

[0117] The player character data 352 is the player character 2 to be operated by the player. The player character data 352 includes the world map and the stage character. In the stage, data indicating the position of the player character 201 and It includes data indicating posture, etc.

[0118] World Data 353 is a collection of data used to create virtual worlds. Specifically, the world data 353 contains the images of each world. This includes image data and object data such as stage objects to be placed.

[0119] The stage data 354 includes data for constructing the above stages. Specifically, the stage data 354 includes the position information of the start point and the finish point for each stage. The data includes information about the appearance, placement position, and behavior patterns of various objects placed. can be.

[0120] Character data 355 is data related to various characters that appear in this game. For example, the appearance and model data of each character is included in the character data 355. The appearance of the remote character is displayed based on the character data 355. .

[0121] The regular ticket data 356 is sent from the game device 3 to the matching server 2. This is data for a regular ticket. FIG. 16 shows an example of the data structure of regular ticket data 356. In FIG. 16, the normal ticket data 356 includes a ticket header 308, The ticket includes at least the number of people in the ticket 315 and the player information in the ticket 316. The data structure of the ticket data 356 is the same as the re-sale ticket data shown in Figure 13 above, with some exceptions. Specifically, the ticket header 308 is the same as the re-opening ticket data 307. 7. Therefore, detailed explanation will be omitted, but the re-sale ticket data 30 Unlike 7, the ticket type 310 in the regular ticket data 356 is “Regular ticket In addition, the request destination 31 in the normal ticket is set. 2 is set to a value that specifies the world or stage the player wants to move to. For example, For example, if the player enters Stage 1-1 from World 1, "Stage 1-1" will be The request destination 312 is set. Also, when the player moves from World 1 to World 2, If the request destination 312 is changed to "World 2", the request destination 312 is set to "World 2".

[0122] Also, unlike the re-sale ticket data 307, the regular ticket data 356 includes the above The re-recruitment room identifier 314 is not included. It is assumed that there is only one player. Therefore, in the normal ticket data 356, The number of people in the ticket 315 is set to 1. Also, the player information in the ticket 316 is The game data 317 includes only the player data 317 of the player of the game device 3. In this respect, if two players play together on one game device, In such a case, the player information 316 in the ticket of the ticket data 356 is usually may contain information for two players.

[0123] Returning to FIG. 15, the entered room data 357 identifies the currently entered room (session). For example, if you are in a world room, the entry room data 3 57 contains the identifier of the world room, etc. Also, when entering a stage room In this case, the entry room data 357 includes the identifier of the stage room, etc.

[0124] The operation data 358 is data obtained from the controller 4 operated by the player. That is, it is data indicating the operation content performed by the player.

[0125] The game mode flag 359 indicates whether the player character is currently playing the game mode in the game process described below. This is a flag to distinguish whether you are in the world map or the stage. In this mode, information indicating either "World Map" or "Stage Play" is set. do.

[0126] The transmission data 360 transmits information about the player character to the game server or the same The data is data to be transmitted to other game devices 3 in the same room. The 360 ​​camera records the player's position within the world map or stage. In another embodiment, for example, the contents of the operation data 358 are It may be included in data 360.

[0127] The remote character control data 361 is used to control the world map screen or the stage screen. This is data for controlling the movements of remote characters operated by other players on the screen. On the world map screen, the world room status transmitted from the game server 1 is displayed. The data is generated based on the data 304. Also, on the stage screen, The remote controller 300 controls the remote controller 300 based on the transmission data 360 transmitted from the other game device. Character control data 361 is generated.

[0128] Next, the game processing in this embodiment will be described in detail. First, We will then explain the details of the processing in the game server 1 and the matching server 2. I will explain it below.

[0129] [Details of Processing Executed by Processor 31 of Game Device 3] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the details of the game device side process executed by the processor 31 of the game device 3. In this embodiment, one or more processors are stored in one or more memories. By loading and executing the above program, the following flowchart is realized. Note that the flowchart shown below is merely an example of the process. If the same results can be obtained, the order of the steps may be changed. The values ​​of the variables and the thresholds used in the decision steps are merely examples and may be changed as needed. may be adopted.

[0130] When the game process is started in the game device 3, first, in step S1, The controller 31 executes the start process. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the details of the start process. In FIG. 18, first, in step S11, the processor 31 Communication is performed and the login process is executed.

[0131] Next, in step S12, the processor 31 reads the save data from the storage unit 32 of the game device 3. The data is obtained and the game progress is reproduced.

[0132] Next, in step S13, the processor 31 receives a matching request for the world room. Specifically, the processor 31 transmits the normal ticket data 35 to the matching server. As for the content of 6, set "Normal Ticket" to ticket type 310 and set "World Room" In addition, the processor 31 sets the request destination 312 Set a specific world based on the saved data. For example, you can set the world to the one you saved last time. If the player is in World 3, then "World 3" is set as the request destination 312. Processor 31 sets the player ID of the player in player ID 318. In addition, since it is the time of login, the exit room identifier 319 and the exit date and time 320 are A null value is set to the ticket ID 309. A specified value is automatically generated for the ticket ID 309. Then, the processor 31 sets the transmission execution time in the request date and time 313. Then, the regular ticket data 356 is sent to the matching server 2 .

[0133] Next, in step S14, the processor 31 receives the matching result from the matching server 2. The matching result includes any world part related to the specified world. In the next step S15, the processor 31 Based on the result, the process of entering the world room is performed. A communication session is established relating to a predetermined world room indicated by the matching result.

[0134] Next, in step S16, the processor 31 sets the game mode flag 359 to “World Then, processor 31 ends the start process.

[0135] Returning to FIG. 17, next, in step S2, the processor 31 sets the game mode flag 359 Determine whether the map is a "World Map". If the result of this determination is "World Map", (YES in step S2), in step S3, processor 31 executes world map processing. On the other hand, if it is not the "World Map" (NO in step S2), In S4, processor 31 executes stage play processing. The process returns to step 100 and the process is repeated. The details will be explained.

[0136] [World Map Processing] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the details of the world map process. First, in step S21, the processor 31 receives the information on the room to be entered from the game server 1. The processor 31 receives the world room situation data 304. Based on the world room status data 304, a world map screen is generated and displayed on the display unit 5. Display.

[0137] Next, in step S22, the processor 31 acquires the operation data 358. In step S23, the processor 31 performs a stage start operation based on the operation data 358. If the result of the determination is that a stage start operation has been performed, In step S24, processor 31 executes a stage entrance process.

[0138] [Stage entry process] FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the details of the stage entry process. First, in step S41, processor 31 executes a process for exiting the world room in which the user currently resides. Specifically, the processor 31 transmits a notice of leaving to the game server 1 and The communication session with the home server 1 is terminated.

[0139] Next, in step S42, processor 31 starts the stage designated in the stage start operation. A matching request for the stage is sent to the matching server 2. Specifically, The processor 31 sets the following contents in the normal ticket data 356 and executes the matching service. First, the ticket type 310 is set to "normal ticket." The "Stage Room" is set in the EST category 311, and the stage room is set in the request destination 312. The stage specified in the start operation is set. For example, "Stage 1-1" or " Stage 1-3" can be set. Also, the player's own stage ID can be set in the player ID 318. The ID and the name of the world room that was just left are set in the exit room identifier 319. In addition, the date and time of the end of the communication session is set in the exit date and time 320. A predetermined value is automatically generated for the ticket ID 309. sets the request date and time 313 and sends the normal ticket data 356 to the game server 1 do.

[0140] Next, in step S43, the processor 31 receives the matching result from the matching server 2. The matching result includes the identifier of the stage room that has been determined as the entry destination. The information includes the network addresses of other game devices in the same room. In step S44, the processor 31 selects the determined stage part based on the matching result. That is, the communication session (P2P communication) related to the stage room is If you are the only person in the room, the game device you are playing on will This creates a communication session with only one device.

[0141] Next, in step S45, the processor 31 sets the game mode flag 359 to “STAGE After that, processor 31 ends the stage entry process.

[0142] Returning to FIG. 19, when the stage entry process is completed, the world map process ends.

[0143] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S23 is that the stage start operation has not been performed ( If NO in step S23, in step S25, processor 31 determines that a world movement operation has been performed. If the result of the determination is that a world movement operation has been performed (step If the answer is YES in step S25, processor 31 executes world movement processing in step S26. do.

[0144] [World transfer processing] FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing the details of the world movement process. First, in step S51, processor 31 executes Specifically, the game server 1 sends a notice of leaving the room to the game server 1, and Terminate the communication session.

[0145] Next, in step S52, the processor 31 moves the world specified in the world movement operation. The matching request for the field is sent to matching server 2. The processor 31 sets the following contents in the normal ticket data 356 to perform matching. First, the ticket type 310 is set to "normal ticket." The quest category 311 is set to "World Room", and the request destination 312 is set to "World Room". The world specified in the world movement operation is set. For example, "World 2" or "World In addition, the player's own play and I can be set in the player ID 318. D is set, and the identifier of the world room that was just exited is set to the exit room identifier 319. In addition, the date and time when the communication session was ended is set in the exit date and time 320. In addition, a predetermined value is automatically generated for the ticket ID 309. The quest date and time 313 is set and the normal ticket data 356 is sent to the game server 1 .

[0146] Next, in step S53, the processor 31 receives the matching result from the matching server 2. The matching result includes the identifier of the world room that has been determined as the destination. In the next step S54, the processor 31 determines based on the matching result, The process of entering the determined world room is performed. Then, the process of establishing a communication session with the game server 1 is performed. The processor 31 ends the world movement processing.

[0147] Returning to FIG. 19, when the world movement processing is completed, the world map processing ends.

[0148] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S25 above is that a world movement operation has not been performed ( If NO in step S25, in step S27, processor 31 moves the player character. As a result of the determination, it is determined whether or not a move operation (hereinafter, a move operation) has been performed. If the determination in step S27 is YES, the processor 31 The move control moves the player character within the world map based on the operation. If no operation is being performed (NO in step S27), in step S29, the processor 3 1 appropriately executes other game processes on the world map screen based on the operation content. For example, processing such as scrolling the screen and viewing stage information can be executed.

[0149] Next, in step S30, the processor 31 Then, the processor 31 generates transmission data 360 including the location information of the The credit data 360 is sent to the game server 1 .

[0150] Next, in step S31, the processor 31 executes a world entry process for the world room currently being entered. The processor 31 receives the field room status data 304 from the game server 1. Based on the received world room situation data 304, The data 361 is set and the motion of the remote character is controlled. The remote character's actions and the player character's actions are reflected in the A world map screen is generated and displayed on the display unit 5. After that, the process returns to step S22. and the process is repeated.

[0151] Next, the stage play process in step S4 will be described. 22 is a flowchart showing the details of the stage play process. At step S61, processor 31 generates a virtual space related to the stage to be played this time. Furthermore, the processor 31 moves the player character to a start point defined in the stage. If other players are in the room, they will also place their remote characters. Specifically, the processor 31 receives the transmission data 3 sent from the other game devices 3. 60 and generates remote character control data 361. Then, the processor 31 controls the remote character based on the position information included in the remote character control data 361. The stage character is placed at a predetermined position in the stage. Then, the processor 31 After that, it waits for the player's operation and A stage play relating to Layer begins.

[0152] Next, in step S62, the processor 31 acquires the operation data 358.

[0153] Next, in step S63, processor 31 controls player It controls the operation of the character 201.

[0154] Next, in step S64, processor 31 controls the movement of the remote character. Specifically, the transmission data 360 sent from the other game device 3 is received, and the remote Then, the processor 31 sets the remote character control data 361. Based on the control data 361, the remote character is moved. It is also determined whether or not a room exit notification has been received from the room device 3. If a room exit notification has been received, The game device is also disconnected from the communication session as appropriate.

[0155] Next, in step S65, processor 31 determines whether or not the action of other characters, such as enemy characters, In addition, the processor 31 controls various games based on the hit judgment and the result. Also executes processing.

[0156] Next, in step S66, processor 31 The condition is whether the player character 20 is at the goal point. When the number 1 is reached, the game is over, or the player leaves the room, If the result of the determination is that the room exit condition is not met (N in step S66), O) In step S67, processor 31 generates a stage image reflecting the above game processing. The surface is generated and displayed. After that, the process returns to step S62 and the process is repeated.

[0157] On the other hand, if the exit condition is met (YES in step S66), in step S68, Processor 31 executes a stage exit process. FIG. 23 shows the details of the stage exit process. In FIG. 23, first, in step S71, a processor 31 executes the process to exit the stage room in which it is currently located. A notice of leaving the stage room is sent to the other game devices 3 and the game server 1 in the stage room. The communication session relating to is terminated.

[0158] Next, in step S72, the processor 31 receives a request for matching for the world. Specifically, the processor 31 transmits the normal ticket data to the matching server 2. The following contents are set in the data 356 and sent to the matching server 2. In the request category 310, "Regular ticket" is set. In the request category 311, "World part" is set. The world to which the current stage belongs is set in the request destination 312. For example, if you exit "Stage 2-1", "World 2" will be set. In addition, the player's own play and ID are set in the player ID 318, and the exit room identifier The identifier of the stage room that was just exited is set in 319. The exit date and time 320 is also set. The date and time when the communication session ended is set in the ticket ID 309. The value is automatically generated. Then, the processor 31 sets the request date and time 313 and executes the normal The ticket data 356 is sent to the game server 1 .

[0159] Next, in step S73, the processor 31 receives the matching result from the matching server 2. The matching result includes the identifier of the world room that has been determined as the destination. In the next step S74, the processor 31 determines based on the matching result, The process of entering the determined world room is performed. The game server 1 executes a process of establishing a communication session with the game server 1 for the customer.

[0160] Next, in step S75, the processor 31 sets the game mode flag 359 to “World After that, processor 31 ends the stage exit process.

[0161] Returning to FIG. 22, when the stage exit process is completed, processor 31 starts stage play process. Exit.

[0162] This concludes the detailed description of the processing related to the game device 3.

[0163] [Game Server 1 Processing] Next, the details of the process executed by the game server 1 will be described. 24 is a flowchart showing the details of the process performed by the server 1. In S101, the processor 11 of the game server 1 performs a room management process. The processor 11 determines whether or not to replenish players for each room (request for re-recruitment). It also decides whether to create a new room if necessary, and when there are no players left. It also performs processes to manage each room, such as deleting rooms that have been added. The stage room management data 305 is updated as appropriate. In the embodiment, the number of people entering the world room with 1 to 19 people and the stage room with 1 to 3 people are re-recruited. The target is determined to be a target for a collection request.

[0164] Next, in step S102, the processor 11 performs the re-recruitment For rooms that are determined to be subject to a recruitment request, a request for re-recruitment is made. The processor 11 then stores the re-opening ticket data 307, which contains the information about the corresponding room, in the The processor 11 then generates the re-sale ticket data 307 for each The data is sent to the second processing server.

[0165] Next, in step S103, the processor 11 performs matching for each re-offered ticket. Then, in step S104, the processor 11 receives the matching result from the matching server 2. Based on the matching result, a communication center for a world room is established between three predetermined game devices. Furthermore, the processor 11 stores the matching result in the world room management data. The matching results are reflected in the stage room management data 303 and the stage room management data 305. For example, When a player is added to a specific world room, the world room management data 303 The information of players entering the corresponding world room is updated accordingly. Similarly, the stage room management data 305 is updated appropriately based on the matching result. can be.

[0166] Next, in step S105, the processor 11 calculates a world room shape for each world room. The status data 304 is updated based on the data transmitted from each game device 3. The processor 11 transmits the updated world room situation data 304 to each game device 3. That is, the processor 11 checks the number of players who are currently in each world room. The position information of the player is transmitted to the game devices 3 of the other players in the same room. The world map screen is synchronized between game devices connected to the same world room. become.

[0167] After that, the processor 11 returns to step S101 and repeats the process. This concludes the detailed explanation of the processing related to the game server 1.

[0168] [Matching server processing] Next, the details of the process executed by the matching server 2 will be described. 25 is a flowchart showing the details of the process in the matching server. First, in step S201, the processor 21 of the matching server 2 receives the game device 3 and A matching request sent from the game server 1 is received.

[0169] Next, in step S202, the processor 21 executes est in the request queue 332.

[0170] Next, in step S203, the processor 21 executes a matchmaking process described below. The matchmaking process determines whether a predetermined condition for matching is satisfied. It may be executed at regular intervals, or when a certain number of requests have been accumulated in the request queue. Therefore, in step S203, for example, Matchmaking process, such as determining whether a match has been received or not, and the number of requests in the request queue It is only necessary to determine whether a predetermined condition for executing the process is satisfied. It is also possible to configure the system so that the matchmaking process is executed every time a request arrives. In this case, Then, it is only necessary to determine whether a new request has been received. If the execution conditions for the make process are not met (NO in step S203), The process returns to step S201 and the process is repeated.

[0171] On the other hand, if the conditions for executing the matchmaking process are met (YES in step S203), In step S204, the processor 21 executes a matchmaking process. 26 is a flowchart showing the details of the matchmaking process. In step S211, the processor 21 retrieves the ticket data stored in the request queue 332. Furthermore, the processor 21 clears the request queue 332.

[0172] Next, in step S212, the processor 21 transmits the obtained ticket data to the Ticket to request matching of world map room based on EST division 311 The system categorizes the data into event data, which requests a stage room match, and ticket data, which requests a stage room match.

[0173] Next, in step S213, the processor 21 searches for matching of the world map room. The world matching process is performed on the ticket data for the quest. In theory, players who select the same world as their destination at a fairly close time will Matching is done so that players are more likely to be in the same room (priority 1 above). If no other players have selected the same world in the same time period, the world with the most players will be selected. Matching is performed so that a room in the same group is selected first (priority condition 2 above). As long as the first and second conditions are met, any method can be used for matching. For example, the above tickets can be sorted by the ID of the room that was left, the date and time of leaving, and the number of people in the re-opening room. Matching may be done based on the results of the search. The tickets will be arranged so that tickets with similar departure dates and times are next to each other. It is also possible to perform matching that utilizes this sorting order. Specifically, First, the processor 21 requests a world map room. The tickets to be est are sorted by the ID of the room they were leaving. Tickets with the same identifier are further sorted by the departure date and time. The tickets are arranged so that the tickets with the same exit date and time are adjacent to each other. Sa21 is based on the number of players in each ticket (315), and is ranked in order of the number of players in each ticket. Here, for normal tickets, the number of people in the ticket is 315, which is only one. As a result, tickets for the same room and with similar departure times will be adjacent to each other. However, the tickets will be arranged so that the re-recruitment tickets will be at the top. The Sessa 21 sorts the tickets in this way and randomly selects the first ticket in the sequence. The first ticket will be matched with the other regular tickets selected in the system. The number of people entering the world room related to the re-recruitment ticket is We will randomly select regular tickets and match them up until we reach 30 people. If that number is reached, the next ticket in the line will be re-listed in the same way, with 30 people. Until the slots are filled, randomly selected regular tickets will be matched. By performing this on a world-by-world basis, matching can be achieved that meets the above priority conditions 1 and 2. This process will be performed when the same world is selected as the destination. This will allow players with similar schedules to be matched together in the same room.

[0174] Next, in step S214, the processor 21 requests matching of a stage room. Stage matching is performed on the ticket data to be transferred. Players who selected the same stage as their destination at a relatively close time will be Matching is done to make it easier for the rooms to become stage rooms (priority 1 above). If no other players have selected the same stage within a short time, the stage start operation will be At the time of the call, any other player has entered the room, and that player has entered the room. Matching is performed to give priority to the room closest in time (see above priority conditions). 2) For the stage matching process, the above priority conditions 1 and 2 are also met. Any method can be used for matching, but for example, The results are sorted by the exit room identifier and the exit date and time, and are also sorted based on the time element described below. Specifically, matching may be performed using the following process: First, the processor 21 performs the above for the ticket requesting a stage room. As with the world rooms, sort by the room identifier and the time of leaving. Next, the processor 21 selects the first ticket in the list of tickets sorted in this way. The system evaluates whether the ticket matches with other randomly selected tickets. At this time, the processor 21 considers the following time factors as conditions for matching: In other words, players whose request dates and times 313 differ by a certain amount are matched with each other with priority. For example, first, it is determined whether the difference in the request date and time 313 is "within 10 seconds" or not. If the match is made within 10 seconds, the match is considered to have been made. If not, check whether the difference in the request date and time 313 is within 60 seconds. If the match is made within 60 seconds, the match is considered successful. Players who have been selected within 10 seconds of each other will be matched, and the corresponding player will be selected within 10 seconds. If there is no layer, the search for a matching target is expanded to 60 seconds. In this way, the difference (time range) between the request dates 313 is gradually widened, If there are no other players who fit the criteria even after expanding the field to a certain extent, the time factor will not be taken into consideration. Match the first ticket with the other randomly selected tickets For example, consider time factors up to three levels, such as within 10 seconds, within 60 seconds, and within 120 seconds. If no matching player is found within 120 seconds, the match may be extended to 120 seconds. If the time factor is not considered, the decision should be stopped at that point and the choice should be made at that time. Alternatively, a match may be established between the first ticket and other tickets in the list.

[0175] In this way, when matching stage rooms, the difference in request dates and times should be gradually increased. While doing so, it evaluates whether the first ticket and other tickets meet the conditions for matching. This allows players who enter the same stage at similar times to This will allow matching to be done so that people can easily enter the same room. Even if there is no player who has done the action, you will eventually be matched with someone, and the This can prevent you from ending up not being matched with anyone depending on the timing.

[0176] When the stage matching process is completed, the matchmaking process is completed.

[0177] Returning to FIG. 25, when the matchmaking process is completed, the process returns to step S201 and is repeated. It will be repeated.

[0178] This concludes the detailed description of the processing related to the matching server.

[0179] In this manner, in this embodiment, when deciding the entrance to the stage room, the matching object The elephant can be sent to players in other world rooms, not just other players in the world room the player is currently in. The matching process is performed for each layer, and the entrance is determined. It is possible to easily create a stage room with a layer in it. This can prevent a shortage of players during stage play.

[0180] In this embodiment, the same world or the same stage is selected as the destination. The room entry is decided so that players who are close to each other are more likely to be in the same room. Therefore, when playing a stage, the start timing of each player's stage play can be set. This allows the game to be as close as possible to the other players' perception. It makes it easier to provide the experience. Also, the timing for clearing the stage was close. Players can enter the same world room. This allows This provides the opportunity to continue to utilize the highly chance encounters that occur in the store. This can lead to the members continuing to play in other stage rooms.

[0181] In addition, even if there are no other players who entered the room at the same time, the stage When laying, the closest timing to the room where someone started the game before This means that rooms that start with a stage number are more likely to be selected as the entry point. The entry control is performed so that the start time of the ray is as close as possible to other players. This increases the chances of meeting other players on the stage and makes players aware of the presence of other players. This will make it easier to provide a personalized gaming experience. Also, it will not hinder the single play of each player. It is also possible to create an environment in which cooperation is more likely when it is possible.

[0182] In this embodiment, the match is arranged so that there are as many people as possible in one world room. This prevents the proliferation of world rooms with a small number of participants, Improved the liveliness of the world room, making it easier to feel the presence of remote players in the game We can provide experience.

[0183] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the stage play is basically It only shares and displays location information, with the exception of some cooperative play elements such as those mentioned above. This is an example of a game process that does not affect the game progress of other players. In terms of form, it is not an exceptional cooperative play element like the above, but rather a game where you play with other players from the beginning. The multiplayer game may be executed in a manner that may affect the progress of the game. In other words, the results of attacks on enemy characters made by other players are displayed on the game device of the player's own game device. It may also be game processing that is reflected in the game progress.

[0184] In addition, in the above embodiment, the stage room matching is performed using a time factor. In this respect, in other embodiments, for some special stages, Matching may be done without using the time element as described above. For example, An example would be a fixed screen with no starting or finishing point and no scrolling. This is a stage where multiple players cooperate to solve puzzle-like gimmicks. For such stages, matching is not based on time. In other words, depending on the content of the stage, the above-mentioned time elements may be controlled. It is possible to use time-based matching and time-independent matching. In stages where you clear the stage by moving from the start to the goal, When the layers become separated, it is unlikely that they will come close to each other again, so the time factor On the other hand, if you achieve certain conditions within a certain range, you can clear the game. In a stage where the distance between the player characters is temporarily increased, However, since it is likely that the two will approach each other again, it is also useful as a match that is not based on a time factor. good.

[0185] In the above embodiment, the results shown as "priority condition 1" and "priority condition 2" To achieve this, we have provided an example of a matching method for sorting "tickets" like the one above. In this regard, in other embodiments, a similar result may be achieved by, for example, It is also possible to provide "priority information" for players. Players who have left the room or are about to leave (including players who have already entered the re-recruitment room) The "priority information" may be set so that matching is performed preferentially. In the case of Matching Server 2, even if matching is performed based on this "priority information", good. [Explanation of symbols]

[0186] 1. Game System 2 Matching Server 3. Information processing terminal (game device) 4. Controller 31 Processors 32 Storage section 33 Wireless Communication Department 34 Controller communication section

Claims

1. A game system including a first information processing device and a server capable of communicating with a plurality of information processing devices including the first information processing device, The server In response to receiving a first request from the first information processing device, execute a matching process to determine another information processing device to be matched with the first information processing device, and transmit a result of the matching process to the first information processing device; The first information processing device receiving a result of the matching process from the server; When matching with a second information processing device that is executing a first game, executing the first game and communicating peer-to-peer with the second information processing device to transmit and receive information regarding the progress of the first game; if no match is made with any of the other information processing devices, execute the first game, and thereafter, in response to being matched with another information processing device, perform peer-to-peer communication with the other information processing device and transmit and receive information regarding the progress of the first game; Game system.

2. The server 2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein when matching the first information processing device with the second information processing device currently executing the first game, the second information processing device that has had a shorter elapsed time since execution of the first game began is preferentially matched.

3. The information relating to the progress of the first game includes position information within a game stage relating to the first game of a first character that is moved based on the operation of a player of the first information processing device, In the first game being executed on the second information processing device, the first character is displayed at a position based on position information included in the information about the situation; 2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the first game being executed on the second information processing device is controlled so that the game progresses without being affected by the first character.

4. A game processing method executed by a computer of a game system including a first information processing device and a server capable of communicating with a plurality of information processing devices including the first information processing device, The server, In response to receiving a first request from the first information processing device, execute a matching process to determine another information processing device to be a matching target for the first information processing device, and cause the result of the matching process to be transmitted to the first information processing device; The first information processing device, receiving a result of the matching process from the server; When matching with a second information processing device that is executing a first game, executing the first game and communicating peer-to-peer with the second information processing device to transmit and receive information regarding the progress of the first game; if no match is made with any of the other information processing devices, execute the first game, and then, in response to a match made with another information processing device, perform peer-to-peer communication with the other information processing device and transmit and receive information relating to the progress of the first game; Game processing method.

5. A game program to be executed on a computer of a game system including a first information processing device and a server capable of communicating with a plurality of information processing devices including the first information processing device, In the server computer, In response to receiving a first request from the first information processing device, execute a matching process to determine another information processing device to be a matching target for the first information processing device, and cause the result of the matching process to be transmitted to the first information processing device; a computer of the first information processing device; receiving a result of the matching process from the server; When matching with a second information processing device that is executing a first game, executing the first game and communicating peer-to-peer with the second information processing device, and transmitting and receiving information regarding the progress of the first game; if no match is made with any of the other information processing devices, execute the first game, and then, in response to a match made with another information processing device, perform peer-to-peer communication with the other information processing device and transmit and receive information relating to the progress of the first game; Game program.

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