Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To construct a game environment in which proxy rearing of a game object can be proactively used.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes: a proxy processing unit for executing processing to cause a second player to execute rearing of a target object of a first player; and a changing unit for subtracting the consumed quantity of a value consumed for proxy rearing of the target object by the second player from the possessed quantity of a value of the first player.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a game in which an object such as a character is raised is the game described in Patent Document 1. In the game described in Patent Document 1, a player acquires a racehorse character and raises it to improve its abilities. The player repeatedly raises the racehorse character multiple times to bring the racehorse character's abilities to a desired level, but the more times the racehorse character is raised, the more time and effort is required for operation, etc.

[0003] On the other hand, among games played by communicating with other players via a network, there are games in which a player can play an event in the game on behalf of another player, instead of the player playing that event. For example, in the game described in Patent Document 2, a player requesting a substitute player to play on his / her behalf specifies a mission and a reward in the game, and the player who accepts the request is granted the right to perform the mission on his / her behalf, and is provided with a predetermined reward if the mission is accomplished.

[0004] In a game in which an object is raised, if the play proxy system described in Patent Document 2 is applied, a player who owns an object to be raised can request another player to raise the object on his / her behalf, thereby saving the trouble of raising operations, etc. Also, by having a player who is good at raising raise his / her object, the object can be raised to have better abilities than if the player were to raise it himself / herself. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-198231 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-011632 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Generally, raising an object requires paying (spending) a predetermined amount of value, and in the game described in Patent Document 1, players spend medals, which are the in-game currency, when raising a racehorse character. When requesting a player to raise an object on their behalf, if the requested player is forced to bear the above-mentioned payment burden (cost), there is a risk that the player will lose motivation to accept the request. In such a situation, even if a game in which objects are raised allows for the use of a raising agent, there is a possibility that the use of a raising agent will not be actively utilized.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program for creating a game environment in which object raising proxy can be actively utilized. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by having a proxy processing unit that executes a process of having a second player act on behalf of a first player in raising a target object, and a change unit that subtracts the amount of value consumed by the second player in raising the target object from the amount of value possessed by the first player. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a game environment can be created in which object raising proxy can be actively utilized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen for selecting a training course. [Figure 2]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen for requesting a training proxy. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, and an example of a screen showing a list of trustee candidates. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen for confirming substitute training. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating a system including an information processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating functions of an information processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of player information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of racehorse information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the number of medals held stored in a storage unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of training proxy request information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of substitute training status information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention (part 1). [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention (part 2). [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention (part 3). [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating functions of an information processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen of a list of trustee candidates in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to several preferred embodiments (specifically, first to eighth embodiments). However, the embodiments described below are merely examples given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention, and the present invention may be modified or improved from the following embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0012] Furthermore, the examples of screens described in this specification and the drawings are merely examples, and the screen configuration and design, content of the displayed information, and GUI (Graphical User Interface), etc. can be freely designed according to the system design specifications and user preferences, and can also be changed as appropriate.

[0013] [Games to which this invention is applied] Before describing the information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention, we will first explain the game to which the present invention is applied (hereinafter referred to as the Game). The Game is a genre of game in which players raise objects in the game and use the raised objects to play events in the game.

[0014] "Objects" are virtual characters used by players of the Game to play through various events in the Game, and are the targets of player development in the Game. "Characters" include living things such as people, animals, and plants, machines such as vehicles and robots, non-mechanical objects, fictional characters such as monsters, or other similar characters. "Events" include, for example, accidents and other occurrences that occur during the game, quests, stages, and missions that are played to clear, and in-game competitions in which objects participate. "In-game competitions" include races in which participants compete for finishing position, and matches or battles in which participants compete for victory or defeat. In the following description, a "racehorse" will be given as an example of an object, but the present invention can also be applied to games in which objects other than racehorses are bred.

[0015] In this game, players can acquire racehorses by winning them in in-game lottery events, being given racehorses as game rewards, or by creating (giving birth to) a new horse through an event in which two previously acquired racehorses are mated as parent horses.

[0016] The player also trains the racehorses they acquire. Each racehorse has a set training period, and the player can train any racehorse that has a remaining training period. The training period is the number of days set as in-game time, for example, N weeks in the game (N is any natural number). Here, in-game time refers to time that passes within the game and passes at a faster rate than real time; for example, when the player performs a specific operation (hereinafter referred to as a weekly operation) once, one week will pass in the game, which is only a few minutes in real time. Although racehorses that have passed the breeding period cannot be bred, they can be used as parent horses to breed with other racehorses.

[0017] The player can train a racehorse through weekly operations, and the racehorse's parameters change as the horse is trained. Racehorse parameters are characteristics of the racehorse that relate to the progress of the game, i.e., the racehorse's abilities, evaluated using numerical values or symbols, and specifically include factors that affect the outcome of races, such as stamina, speed, and power. Racehorse parameters also include past racing performance (race history), such as the number of races the horse has participated in, the number of race wins, and the winning percentage.

[0018] In this game, one weekly task operation, i.e., one training session per week in game time, can be performed. Typically, the racehorse's parameters gradually increase as the number of weeks of training (hereinafter referred to as the number of training weeks) increases. Meanwhile, for example, an accident such as an injury may occur to a racehorse being trained in the game, and in that case, the racehorse's parameters may decrease or return to their pre-training state. The number of times that training can be performed in one weekly operation is not particularly limited, and training may be performed two or more times.

[0019] In this game, the methods of raising a horse are "training" and "racing." When training, a menu list ML related to training courses is displayed on the screen as shown in FIG. 1. A training course is an example of a training mode for a racehorse. In the game, multiple types of courses are prepared, and the training content changes depending on the type of course. The player selects one of the multiple training courses listed in the menu list ML and performs training. The type and amount of change of parameters changed by training vary depending on the specified training course; for example, "Course A" can focus on increasing stamina, and "Course B" can focus on increasing speed. It is not necessary for parameters to increase in a single training session; for example, if training is performed by specifying a certain type of development course, certain parameters may increase while other parameters may decrease.

[0020] In this game, the player owns a stable (hereinafter referred to as a farm) in which racehorses are kept and trained. Farms are assigned a grade (rank), and the higher the grade of the farm in which the racehorse being trained is kept, the greater the amount of parameter increase that occurs through training. The grade of the farm can be changed, and the player can upgrade their own farm by, for example, performing a predetermined operation (for example, paying a predetermined number of medals in the game, as described below).

[0021] When training in this game, the player consumes value possessed within the game. "Value" refers to a value that increases or decreases in the amount possessed within the game, specifically, currency that can be used within the game (in-game currency), or countable items that give an advantage in the game the more of them you possess. In-game currency is used, for example, to exchange for characters or other items, or to play certain events within the game, and specifically, it corresponds to items that have a monetary aspect within the game, such as medals. In the following description, "medals" will be used as an example of value. The "number of medals" in the following description corresponds to the "number of values" of the present invention.

[0022] The number of medals owned by a player can be increased by, for example, logging in to the game and starting the game, but can be decreased by training. The number of medals spent on training is determined according to the type of training course and the grade of the farm owned by the player. Furthermore, the user may be able to increase the number of medals consumed in one training session at their own will, and in that case, the amount of increase in parameters due to training may change according to the increase in the number of medals consumed.

[0023] When training a racehorse to compete in a race, the player specifies the racehorse to be trained, registers it to run in the race in which the player wishes to compete, and on the race day in game time, the registered racehorse competes in that race. The outcome of the racehorse to be trained in the race is determined based on the parameters of each of the horses running in the race, including the racehorse, at the time of the race, the weather on the day of the race, and environmental conditions such as the surface condition of the racetrack.

[0024] If the racehorse being trained wins a race, i.e., if it finishes first in the race, a predetermined number of medals will be awarded to the player who trained that racehorse. The number of medals awarded as prize money is determined, for example, according to the type and title of the race entered.

[0025] The Game is a communication-play compatible game, and multiple players can play the Game together via a communication network such as the Internet or a mobile communication line. For example, in the Game, multiple players can compete with each other by entering their own racehorses in the same race.

[0026] In addition, in this game, a player can have another player act as a substitute for the breeding of a racehorse owned by another player. Breeding substitute means that the player requesting the breeding substitute grants the breeding authority for the racehorse owned by the player to the other player who undertakes (accepts) the breeding substitute, and the game process involves entrusting the racehorse to the other player's farm and changing the parameters of the entrusted racehorse based on the operation of the other player.

[0027] In the present game, the player who requested the training proxy is not able to train the racehorse for which he / she is being trained on behalf of the player during the training proxy period. In other words, the training authority for the racehorse for which he / she is being trained on behalf of the player is handed over from the player who requested the training proxy to another player who will take on the training proxy during the training proxy period, and the player who requested the training proxy is not able to perform any processing related to the training of the racehorse for which he / she is being trained on behalf of the player. However, this is not limited to this, and the player who requested the training proxy may be able to train the racehorse for which he / she is being trained on behalf of the player during the training proxy period. Furthermore, even if the player who requested the substitute training continues the game while the substitute training is in progress, the game progress does not affect the racehorse involved in the substitute training.

[0028] Below, we will explain the subject of racehorse training agency again. In the following, the player who requests the training agency will be called the "first player," the player who accepts the training agency will be called the "second player," and the racehorse for which the first player requests training agency will be called the "target horse." Here, the target horse corresponds to the "target object" of the present invention.

[0029] When requesting the substitution of a target horse for training, the first player specifies various request items through the game screen as shown in FIG. 2. The specified request items include the training period and training conditions. The training period is the period for which the first player requests substitution of the target horse, and is a period expressed in real time (more specifically, real dates) rather than in-game time. The training conditions are the conditions for the substitution of the target horse that the first player requests the second player to perform, and specifically, are the contents specified by the first player regarding the training mode during the substitution of the target horse. Examples of the training mode include the number of training weeks to be achieved during the substitution of the target horse, the training course, the type of parameter to be increased, the amount of increase or target value of the parameter, and the number of races to be entered or the number of race wins during the substitution of the target horse.

[0030] After specifying the requested items, the first player selects one of the multiple candidate recipients listed in the candidate recipient list JL shown in Figure 3. A candidate recipient is a player (strictly speaking, a player other than the first player) who has been registered in advance as someone willing to be entrusted with the training of the target horse. In addition to the player name or ID of the candidate recipient, the candidate recipient list JL should also list the number of times the candidate recipient has been entrusted with training to date as their training performance.

[0031] After a candidate for the horse is selected, the selected candidate player is notified of a request from the first player to act as a breeding agent. Upon receiving the notification, the player decides whether or not to accept the horse's training as a breeding agent through the confirmation screen CS shown in FIG. 4. The player who decides to accept the horse's training as a breeding agent acts as the second player and can raise the horse through their own operations during the training period specified by the first player, specifically by training the horse at their own farm and entering it in races.

[0032] When the second player has finished the substitute training, the substitute training authority set for the second player is cancelled / invalidated, and the authority to train the target horse is returned to the first player. In the game, the target horse that was kept at the farm of the second player is returned to the farm of the first player, so hereinafter, the return of the substitute training authority for the target horse from the second player to the first player is also referred to as "the target horse being returned to the first player."

[0033] After the substitute training is completed, the first player pays the second player a predetermined number of medals as a reward. The number of medals paid as a reward may vary depending on the results of the substitute training by the second player, specifically, the number of weeks of training during the substitute training or the amount of increase in parameters due to the substitute training. The reward is not limited to medals, and may be, for example, an item that can be used in the game, a racehorse, etc.

[0034] Incidentally, when the second player raises (strictly speaking, trains) the target horse during the substitution of the horse, the second player consumes a number of medals according to the contents of the raising, just as in normal raising, but in the present game, the first player bears the number of medals spent by the second player on behalf of the target horse. This is a feature of the present invention, which will be explained in detail in the following paragraphs.

[0035] [Configuration of information processing device and user terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention] Next, the configurations of an information processing device and a user terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to the first embodiment is configured by a game computer, specifically a server computer (hereinafter referred to as a server 10). As shown in FIG. 5, the server 10 is communicably connected to a user terminal 12 via a network 14, and together with the user terminal 12, forms an information processing system S for a game. The server 10 may be configured by one computer, or may be configured by a plurality of computers distributed in parallel.

[0036] As shown in Figure 5, the server 10 has a processor 21, memory 22, a communication interface 23, and storage 24, which are electrically connected via a bus 25. In addition, the server 10 has installed thereon, as software, an operating system (OS) and a dedicated program for processing information related to the game. These programs correspond to the "program" of the present invention. When the processor 21 operates in accordance with the program, the server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention and executes a series of processes related to the progress of the game.

[0037] The processor 21 may be configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), MCU (Micro Controller Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc. The memory 22 may be configured by semiconductor memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The communication interface 23 may be configured by, for example, a network interface card, a communication interface board, etc. The standard of data communication by the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited, and examples include communication by a wireless LAN based on Wi-fi (registered trademark), communication by a 3G to 5G or later generation mobile communication system, or communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution). Storage24 supports flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), CD The storage 24 may be configured by a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a Secure Digital card (SD card), a Universal Serial Bus memory (USB memory), or the like. The storage 24 may be built into the server 10 or may be attached to the server main body in an external format. The storage 24 may also be configured by an external computer (for example, a database server) communicably connected to the server main body. Note that a distributed ledger technology such as a blockchain may be used as a technology for recording various data in order to avoid unauthorized data tampering, etc.

[0038] The server 10 distributes information necessary for the progress of the game to each player, and also collects and stores information from each player. The information stored by the server 10 includes information regarding each player's play history of the game, such as the racehorses that each player has acquired to date and each racehorse's current parameters, the number of medals owned, and the number of times that the player has been entrusted with training. In addition, for players who have requested to train a racehorse on their behalf, information regarding the training agency, such as the training conditions and the current status of the training agency, is stored in the server 10.

[0039] In addition, the server 10 executes various information processes related to the progress of the game, including the processes described below. - Processing to change the parameters of racehorses related to their training -Processing to have the second player take over the training of the target horse of the first player -Processing for the second player to complete or discontinue the horse's training A process to identify the time (training time) during which the second player trained the target horse. A process for identifying the number of medals spent by the second player on the training of the target horse. -Processing to change the number of medals owned by each player - Processing to generate or hold various in-game events, including races - Processing to award prize money to players whose racehorses win races, etc.

[0040] The user terminal 12 is a client terminal operated by a player to play the game, and specifically comprises a personal computer, smartphone, mobile phone, tablet terminal, game console, television set capable of inputting information, wearable terminal, etc. For convenience of illustration, only two user terminals 12 are shown in FIG. 5, but the number of user terminals 12 may be any number equal to or greater than two.

[0041] The user terminal 12 receives information necessary for the progress of the game from the server 10, displays images contained in the information on a screen such as a display, and outputs audio from a speaker, etc. The user terminal 12 also accepts operations performed by the player while playing the game, and transmits information corresponding to the operation to the server 10.

[0042] For example, when raising a racehorse in the game, the player performs a raising operation on the user terminal 12. The raising operation is an operation related to the raising of the racehorse, and is an operation for inputting information necessary for the raising, selecting from a plurality of items related to the raising, etc. For example, the player specifies a raising course in the menu list ML of FIG. 1, and performs an operation for entry registration to enter the racehorse in a desired race through a registration screen (not shown).

[0043] In addition, the player requesting the training of a racehorse, i.e., the first player, performs operations for requesting training on the user terminal 12, for example, specifying various request items on the training request screen IS of Figure 2, and selects one candidate from the candidate candidate list JL of Figure 3. The player who has accepted the training agency, i.e., the second player, can train the racehorse (target horse) for which he / she has been entrusted with training agency by indicating his / her intention to comply with the first player's request for training agency through the confirmation screen CS of Figure 4, and then performing the same training operations as usual on the user terminal 12.

[0044] In addition, during the training proxy, the first player can sequentially check the status of the second player's training proxy of the target horse through communication between the user terminal 12 and the server 10, and can view, for example, the number of weeks of training and the parameters of the target horse at each point during the training proxy on the screen of the user terminal 12.

[0045] [Functions of the information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention] The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to the first embodiment, will now be described from a functional perspective. As shown in Fig. 6, the server 10 has an operation reception unit 30, a distribution unit 40, a storage unit 50, and an information processing unit 60. Of these, the storage unit 50 is realized by the memory 22 or the storage 24, and the other functional units are realized by the cooperation of hardware devices constituting the server 10 and programs installed on the server 10. Each functional unit will be described in detail below.

[0046] (Operation reception section) The operation reception unit 30 receives operations performed by the player on the user terminal 12 while playing the game, and more specifically, receives data indicating the content of the operations from the user terminal 12. As shown in FIG. 6 , the operation reception unit 30 has a training operation reception unit 31, a request reception unit 32, a candidate selection reception unit 33, an acceptance confirmation reception unit 34, and a race registration reception unit 35.

[0047] The training operation receiving unit 31 receives racehorse training operations performed by the player. The training operations are operations for specifying the training of racehorses, or more precisely, for training, and the training operations specify the racehorse to be trained, the training course, the number of medals to be spent on training (number of medals consumed), etc. The training operation receiving unit 31 receives data indicating the above-mentioned specified details from the user terminal 12. The request receiving unit 32 receives a designation operation performed by the first player to request the training of a racehorse, specifically, an operation to specify the requested items such as the training period and training conditions mentioned above, and more specifically, receives data indicating the specified requested items from the user terminal 12.

[0048] The candidate selection receiving unit 33 receives an operation by the first player to select one candidate from the candidate receiver list JL when making a training proxy request, and more specifically, receives data indicating the selection result from the user terminal 12. The acceptance confirmation receiving unit 34 accepts the acceptance confirmation operation performed when the candidate player selected by the first player decides to accept the training agency through the confirmation screen CS of Figure 4, and more specifically, receives data indicating whether or not the acceptance has been accepted from the user terminal 12. The race registration acceptance unit 35 accepts registration operations performed by a player to enter a racehorse in a race of their choice. In the registration operation, the player specifies the race in which the player wants to enter, the date of the race, the racehorse to be entered, etc., and the race registration acceptance unit 35 receives data indicating these details from the user terminal 12.

[0049] (Distribution Department) The distribution unit 40 distributes information necessary for the progress of the game to each player's user terminal 12, and has an event information distribution unit 41 and an inquiry unit 42, as shown in FIG. 6. The event information distribution unit 41 distributes information related to various events such as races. On the user terminal 12 side that receives the information distributed by the event information distribution unit 41, video and audio of the event effects are output (displayed, played, etc.). The inquiry unit 42 delivers inquiry information regarding a predetermined matter to a predetermined player, for example, delivers inquiry information regarding whether or not to continue substitute training to the first player or the second player.

[0050] (Storage part) The memory unit 50 stores information necessary for the progress of the game, and as shown in Figure 6, has a player information memory unit 51, a racehorse information memory unit 52, a number of horses owned memory unit 53, a training agency request memory unit 54, and a training agency status memory unit 55.

[0051] The player information storage unit 51 stores player information for each player of the game. As shown in Fig. 7, the player information includes the name or ID of each player, the name of their game account, the total time they have played the game, the ID of their owned racehorse (owned horse ID), the grade of their owned farm, the number of times they have accepted training agency contracts, a training agency flag indicating whether they are currently requesting training agency contracts, and a candidate player flag indicating whether they are currently a candidate player. Note that the player information may also include information about players other than the above, such as the names or IDs of other players registered by the player as friends.

[0052] The racehorse information storage unit 52 stores, for each racehorse, racehorse information related to racehorses owned by each player. As shown in Fig. 8, the racehorse information includes the name of each racehorse, an identification ID, the account name of the player who owns the racehorse, current parameters (specifically, ability values such as stamina, speed, and power, as well as racing results such as the number of races entered and won in the past), the current number of weeks in training, and the number of weeks remaining in the training period. Note that the racehorse information may also include other information related to the racehorse, such as the name or ID of its parent horse. As shown in FIG. 9, the possession number storage unit 53 stores, for each player, the number of medals possessed at the present time by each player.

[0053] The training agency request storage unit 54 stores training agency request information relating to a training agency request for each request. As shown in Fig. 10, the training agency request information includes an ID for identifying the training agency request (request ID), the account name of the player who requested the training agency, the training period, an ID for identifying the racehorse for which the training agency is requested, training conditions (specifically, the number of training weeks to be achieved during the training agency, the training course, and the type of parameter to be increased by the training agency and its target value), and the account name of the player who has accepted the training agency.

[0054] The training proxy status storage unit 55 stores, for each training proxy, training proxy status information relating to the progress of the currently ongoing training proxy. As shown in Fig. 11, the training proxy status information includes a request ID, a training proxy start date in real time, the number of training weeks from the start of the training proxy to the present in game time, the current values of the desired training parameters, the number of medals given as the training budget, and the number of medals consumed for the training proxy up to the present. The number of medals given as the training budget will be described later.

[0055] (Information Processing Department) The information processing unit 60 executes information processing necessary for the progress of the game, and as shown in FIG. 6, has a parameter change unit 61, an agent processing unit 62, an agent completion unit 63, an agent interruption unit 64, an agent time determination unit 65, a possession number change unit 66, a consumption number determination unit 67, a race result determination unit 68, and a prize award unit 69.

[0056] When the training operation receiving unit 31 receives a training operation from the player, the parameter changing unit 61 executes processing to change the parameters of the racehorse to be trained stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52, specifically ability values such as stamina, speed, and power, in accordance with the content of the operation. At this time, the amount of change (amount of increase) of each parameter changes depending on the training course and number of medals inserted, etc., specified by the player in the training operation.

[0057] When the acceptance confirmation accepting unit 34 accepts a response from the candidate acceptor selected by the first player that the horse breeding proxy will be accepted, the proxy processing unit 62 designates the acceptor as the second player and executes processing to have the second player act on behalf of the second player in raising the target horse. Specifically, the proxy processing unit 62 grants the second player the authority to raise the target horse, and stores the account name of the second player in the raising proxy request storage unit 54 in association with the request ID for the horse breeding proxy. During the substitute training, the first player can check the progress of the second player's substitute training of the target horse (for example, the evaluation value described below, and the target horse's current parameters, etc.). This allows the first player to check as needed whether the substitute training is progressing smoothly (whether the training quota can be achieved), and also whether it is okay to continue with the current substitute training conditions (for example, whether it would be better to change the training course, etc.).

[0058] The substitution completion unit 63 completes the substitution of the racehorse by the player who has accepted the substitution of the racehorse when the completion conditions for the substitution of the racehorse are met. The completion conditions are, for example, conditions that the conditions for the racehorse specified by the first player when requesting the substitution of the racehorse are met. In other words, the substitution completion unit 63 completes the substitution of the racehorse by the second player when the number of weeks of the substitution of the racehorse by the second player reaches the number of weeks of the substitution of the racehorse specified by the first player, or when the parameters of the racehorse increase to the target values specified by the first player. When the substitution completion unit 63 completes the substitution of the racehorse by the second player, the racehorse is returned from the second player to the first player.

[0059] When a suspension condition for the training substitution is satisfied, the substitution suspension unit 64 suspends the training substitution of a racehorse by the player who has been entrusted with the training substitution. The suspension condition is a condition related to the progress of the training substitution of the target horse, specifically, when the current progress of the training substitution does not meet a standard. For example, the substitution suspension unit 64 calculates an evaluation value at each point during the training substitution. The evaluation value is a value calculated based on the substitution time (specifically, the number of training weeks increased during the training substitution period) described below and the number of medals consumed for the training substitution, for example, the ratio of the number of medals consumed to the substitution time. Then, when the evaluation value satisfies the suspension condition, specifically, when the evaluation value falls below a standard value, the substitution suspension unit 64 suspends the second player's training substitution of the target horse at that time. Note that when the substitution suspension unit 64 suspends the second player's training substitution of the target horse, the target horse is returned from the second player to the first player.

[0060] The interruption condition is not limited to the above-mentioned conditions. For example, the interruption condition may be that the duration of the substitute training of the target horse falls below a predetermined time after a certain time has elapsed since the start of the substitute training of the target horse. Alternatively, the second player's substitute training of the target horse may be interrupted if the parameter values of the target horse that have been increased by the time a certain time has elapsed since the start of the substitute training of the target horse do not reach a reference value. Furthermore, as described above, during the substitute training period, the first player can check the progress of the second player's substitute training of the target horse, and can therefore appropriately determine whether the substitute training is proceeding smoothly. Therefore, if it is determined that the substitute training is not proceeding smoothly, the first player may be able to interrupt the second player's substitute training of the target horse by performing a predetermined interruption operation.

[0061] The substitution time determination unit 65 determines the in-game time spent on substitute training of a racehorse (hereinafter referred to as substitution time). The substitution time corresponds to, for example, the number of weeks of training from the start of substitute training to the present time. In other words, when determining the substitution time for the second player's substitute training of the target horse, the substitution time determination unit 65 determines the number of weeks of training that have occurred since the second player began substitute training of the target horse to the present time as the substitution time. The determined substitution time, i.e., the number of weeks of training, is used by the substitution interruption unit 64 as a reference when determining whether the interruption condition is met.

[0062] The possession number changing unit 66 corresponds to the "changing unit" of the present invention, and when the training operation receiving unit 31 receives a training operation from a player, changes the number of medals possessed stored in the possession number memory unit 53. For example, when a player trains a racehorse owned by the player, the possession number changing unit 66 subtracts the number of medals spent for training, more specifically, the number of medals inserted specified at the time of the training operation, from the number of medals possessed by the player.

[0063] Furthermore, when a second player acts as a substitute for the first player in raising a target horse, that is, when the substitute processing unit 62 has the second player act as a substitute for raising the target horse, the number-of-medals-possessed change unit 66 subtracts the number of medals consumed by the second player in the substitute raising of the target horse from the number of medals possessed by the first player. In other words, when another player acts as a substitute for the player requesting the substitute raising of a racehorse, the number of medals expended for the substitute raising is borne by the requester.

[0064] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the proxy processing unit 62 has a second player act as a proxy for raising the target horse of the first player, the possessed number change unit 66 subtracts a first number of medals determined as a training budget from the first player's possessed number of medals. The first number of medals corresponds to a "first value number." When the request receiving unit 32 receives a proxy training request for the target horse from the first player, the first number of medals is determined according to the number of training weeks, training course, desired parameter target values, and the like specified by the first player. In this case, the first number of medals includes the number of medals to be spent on the proxy training of the target horse, as well as the number of medals set as a reward for the training proxy (i.e., the second player). The number of medals as a reward may be a predetermined value or may be a value determined by the first player.

[0065] The possession count change unit 66 subtracts the first number of medals determined as the training budget from the number of medals possessed by the first player. Furthermore, when the acceptance confirmation receiving unit 34 receives a reply from the player who is the candidate entrusted with the training agency selected by the first player that he or she will accept the training agency, the possession count change unit 66 adds a number of medals corresponding to the first number of medals to the number of medals possessed by that player (i.e., the second player). In other words, the first number of medals is given to the second player who has accepted the training agency as the training budget. The second player can pay the costs of the training agency of the target horse (the number of medals consumed) from the given training budget. It is preferable that the number of medals held by the second player after the training budget has been handed over and added to the total be divided into the number of medals in the training budget and the number of other medals, and that the number of medals in the training budget be restricted so that it cannot be used for any purpose other than acting as a training agent.

[0066] The consumption number determination unit 67 corresponds to the value number determination unit and determines the number of medals spent on the training agency of a racehorse. For example, when the aforementioned completion condition is satisfied for the second player's training agency of a target horse, the consumption number determination unit 67 determines the number of medals spent up to the point in time when the completion condition is satisfied. The determined number of medals spent corresponds to the "second value number" and is hereinafter also referred to as the "second number of medals." Furthermore, the consumption number determination unit 67 can determine the number of medals spent on the training agency up to any point in time during the training agency, and hereinafter the number of medals spent determined at each point in time is also referred to as the "total number of medals consumed."

[0067] The race result determination unit 68 determines the outcome of each race in the game, i.e., the finishing order of each racehorse, and generates event presentation data according to the determined race results. The generated event presentation data is distributed by the event information distribution unit 41 to players who have entered their racehorses in the race.

[0068] The prize money awarding unit 69 corresponds to a value awarding unit, and awards a number of medals corresponding to the results of a race to a predetermined player as prize money. For example, if a second player enters a target horse in a race while acting as a breeding agent and wins the race, a predetermined number of medals is awarded as prize money. In this case, the prize money may be awarded to the second player acting as a breeding agent for the target horse, or to the first player who owns the target horse. When the prize money is awarded, the possession count changing unit 66 adds the number of medals equivalent to the prize money to the medal possession count of the player to whom the prize money is awarded, which is stored in the possession count storage unit 53.

[0069] [Information processing flow according to one embodiment of the present invention] Next, we will explain the flow related to training proxy (hereinafter referred to as training proxy flow) among the information processing flows by the information processing system S. The training proxy flow employs the information processing method of the present invention, in other words, each step in the training proxy flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. Below, we will use a specific case to explain the training agency flow in an easy-to-understand manner. The first player who requests the training agency will be referred to as Player X, the second player who accepts the training agency will be referred to as Player Y, and the racehorse (target horse) involved in the training agency will be referred to as Racehorse Z.

[0070] To execute the training proxy flow, players X and Y log in to the game and begin playing. In the game, players X and Y each own at least one racehorse and medals as in-game currency (value). That is, before the training proxy flow is executed, server 10 stores the number of medals owned by each of players X and Y in memory 22 or storage 24 (specifically, owned number storage unit 53). In addition, for the training proxy flow, multiple players including player Y (strictly speaking, multiple players other than player X) are registered in advance as trustee candidates.

[0071] 12 to 14, and begins with player X operating the user terminal 12 to specify the requested items regarding the substitution of the training of racehorse Z, specifically the training period and conditions (S001). The server 10 accepts player X's request for substitution of the training through communication with player X's user terminal 12, and acquires data indicating the requested items in detail (S002).

[0072] Next, the player X operates the user terminal 12 to select a trustee candidate (S003), and the server 10 accepts the selection result of the player X through communication with the user terminal 12 of the player X, and more specifically, acquires data indicating the trustee candidate selected by the player X (S004). Incidentally, in this case, the player Y corresponds to the selected trustee candidate.

[0073] Thereafter, the server 10 inquires of player Y, through communication with the user terminal 12 of player Y, whether or not to accept the training proxy requested by player X (S005). Player Y replies on the confirmation screen CS of FIG. 4 whether or not to accept the training proxy, and if he or she intends to accept, he or she replies to that effect (S006). The following steps will be explained assuming that player Y has replied that he or she will accept the training proxy.

[0074] The server 10 determines a training budget, i.e., a first number of medals, according to the training conditions specified by player X, subtracts the first number of medals from the number of medals owned by player X stored in the number-of-medals storage unit 53, and adds the same number of medals to the number of medals owned by player Y (S007). The first number of medals includes the number of medals spent to act as a training agent for racehorse Z under the training conditions specified by player X and the number of medals awarded to player Y as a reward for acting as a training agent, and more specifically, is the sum of these.

[0075] The server 10 also executes a process to have the player Y act as a substitute for raising the racehorse Z, that is, grants the player Y the authority to act as a substitute for raising the racehorse Z (S008). Thereby, the player Y can thereafter act as a substitute for raising the racehorse Z, in other words, the server 10 will be able to accept the raising operations of the player Y regarding the racehorse Z. In FIG. 12, the above step S008 is performed after step S007, which changes the number of medals of players X and Y, but the order of these steps may be reversed, or these steps may be performed simultaneously.

[0076] When player Y performs a training operation on the user terminal 12 to act as a substitute for training racehorse Z (S009), the server 10 accepts the training operation through communication with player Y's user terminal 12, and specifically receives data indicating the training course and the number of medals inserted (S010). In response to this, the server 10 (specifically, the parameter change unit 61) changes the parameters of racehorse Z stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52, specifically stamina, speed, power, etc. (S011). At this time, each parameter is changed according to the content of the training operation accepted from player Y, i.e., the training course and the number of medals inserted, etc.

[0077] The server 10 also subtracts the number of medals spent on raising racehorse Z from the number of medals owned by player Y stored in the number-of-medals storage unit 53 (S012). Note that in FIG. 13, step S012 is performed after step S011 of changing the parameters of racehorse Z, but the order of these steps may be reversed, or these steps may be performed simultaneously.

[0078] Furthermore, when player Y performs a registration operation on the user terminal to enter racehorse Z in a race during the training agency period (S013), the server 10 accepts the registration operation through communication with the user terminal 12 of player Y, and specifically, the desired race to enter, the racehorse to enter, The server 10 then receives data indicating the racehorse (i.e., racehorse Z) and the race date, etc. (S014). Then, when the race date arrives in in-game time (S015), the server 10 determines the outcome of the race based on the parameters of each racehorse, and awards a prize to the player of the winning racehorse (the horse that finished first) (S016). For example, if racehorse Z wins a race in which player Y entered racehorse Z, the server 10 adds the number of medals equivalent to the prize to the number of medals owned by a specific player (e.g., player X) stored in the medal possession number storage unit 53.

[0079] Although not shown in Figure 13, when a race is held, the server 10 performs a step of generating event presentation data according to the results of the race and distributing the generated data to each player who has entered a racehorse in the race.

[0080] During the substitute training period, the server 10 appropriately determines whether or not a completion condition is met for the substitute training of racehorse Z by player Y (S017). For example, the completion condition is met when the number of training weeks during the substitute training period reaches a value specified by player X, or when a parameter of racehorse Z desired by player X reaches a target value. When the completion condition is met, the server 10 (specifically, the substitution completion unit 63) completes the substitute training of racehorse Z by player Y (S018).

[0081] Furthermore, during the substitute training period, the server 10 appropriately determines whether or not a suspension condition is met for player Y's substitute training of racehorse Z (S019). For example, if the number of weeks of training falls below a predetermined number when a certain amount of time has elapsed since player Y began substitute training of racehorse Z, or if the parameters of racehorse Z up to that point (particularly the ability values that player X wants to increase) have not reached a reference value, the suspension condition is met. When the suspension condition is met, the server 10 (specifically, the substitution suspension unit 64) suspends player Y's substitute training of racehorse Z (S020).

[0082] The substitute training flow ends when player Y's substitute training of racehorse Z is completed or discontinued. With the end of the substitute training flow, player Y's substitute training authority for racehorse Z is cancelled, and racehorse Z is returned to player X with its parameters changed according to the substitute training up to that point. On the other hand, while neither the completion condition nor the interruption condition is satisfied, the aforementioned steps S009 to S016, S017, and S019 of the training proxy flow are repeatedly performed. In other words, as long as neither the completion condition nor the interruption condition is satisfied, player Y can repeatedly perform training operations and registration operations, can change the parameters of racehorse Z every time he performs a training operation, and can enter racehorse Z in a race every time he performs a registration operation.

[0083] [Regarding the second embodiment of the present invention] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 15 and 16. Note that the following mainly describes the differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment, and in Figure 15, functional units that are common to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment (i.e., the reference numerals shown in Figure 6).

[0084] As shown in Fig. 15, the server 10A according to the second embodiment further includes an acceptance conditions acceptance unit 36 in the operation acceptance unit 30. When a player who is willing to accept the entrustment of raising a racehorse is registered as a candidate acceptor, the acceptance conditions acceptance unit 36 accepts settings relating to the acceptance conditions for the raising of a racehorse from the player. The acceptance conditions are the conditions under which the candidate acceptor will act as an agent for raising a racehorse, and are presented by the candidate acceptor, and specifically include the grade of the farm that the candidate accepts and will use for the raising of a racehorse, or the number of medals required to act as an agent for raising a racehorse at a farm that the candidate accepts.

[0085] When the trustee conditions receiving unit 36 receives the settings of the trustee conditions from the players registered as trustee candidates, the trustee conditions of each trustee candidate, specifically the farm grade and the number of medals required for training on behalf of the player, are displayed in the trustee candidate list JL, as shown in Fig. 16. The first player requesting the training of a racehorse checks the trustee conditions of each trustee candidate and selects one of the multiple trustee candidates listed in the trustee candidate list JL.

[0086] When the candidate selection receiving unit 33 receives the selection result of the first player, the training proxy flow proceeds in the same manner as in the first embodiment. That is, the player who is the candidate selected by the first player is asked whether or not he or she will accept the training proxy. If the player replies that he or she will accept the training proxy, he or she becomes the second player, and the possession number changing unit 66 subtracts the first number of medals (i.e., the training budget) according to the conditions for acceptance set by the second player from the number of medals possessed by the first player and adds it to the number of medals possessed by the second player.

[0087] As described above, in the second embodiment, the second player who accepts the training agency presents the conditions for the agency, and the first player who requests the training agency contributes the number of medals according to the presented conditions as part of the training budget.

[0088] [Regarding the third embodiment of the present invention] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described, with the following mainly focusing on the differences between the third embodiment and the first embodiment.

[0089] In the third embodiment, if a second player who has been entrusted with the training of a target horse enters the target horse in a race as an in-game competition and the target horse wins the race, the number of medals awarded as prize money can be incorporated into the cost of the training agency. To explain in more detail, if the second player enters the target horse in a race during the training agency period and the target horse wins the race, the number of medals equivalent to the prize money will be secured for the training agency. In other words, the server 10 (specifically, the prize money awarding unit 69) adds the number of medals corresponding to the results of the race in which the target horse currently being trained participates to the first number of medals (training budget) and awards it to the second player. As a result, the number of medals owned by the second player is further increased by the number of medals corresponding to the results of the race.

[0090] As described above, in the third embodiment, the number of medals that can be allocated to the substitute training of the target horse is the sum of the first number of medals given to the second player as the training budget and the number of medals equivalent to the prize money won in races entered during the substitute training period. If the number of medals spent on the substitute training is within the range of the above-mentioned total number of medals, the surplus number of medals may be awarded as a reward to the second player who performed the substitute training. The number of medals equivalent to the prize money is not limited to being awarded when a race is won (i.e., finishing first), but may also be awarded according to the finishing position even if the result is second place or lower.

[0091] [Regarding the fourth embodiment of the present invention] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, the fourth embodiment will be mainly described with respect to the differences from the first embodiment. In addition, in the training proxy flow according to the fourth embodiment, steps S001 to S016 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described or illustrated.

[0092] In the fourth embodiment, of the first number of medals given to the second player as a training budget when the second player takes charge of the training of the target horse, any remaining medals at the time the second player completes the training of the target horse are returned to the first player. Specifically, in the training proxy flow according to the fourth embodiment, when a completion condition is met for the second player's training of the target horse, the server 10 (specifically, the proxy completion unit 63) completes the training proxy, as shown in FIG. 17 (S017, S018). In this case, the server 10 determines whether the first number of medals given to the second player as a training budget is larger than the number of medals consumed by the second player up until the completion condition for the training proxy by the second player is met, i.e., the second number of medals (S021).

[0093] If the second number of medals is smaller than the first number of medals, the server 10 (specifically, the possessed number changing unit 66) calculates the difference between the two medal counts and adds the number of medals corresponding to the difference to the number of medals possessed by the first player after the first number of medals has been subtracted (S022). Here, the "number of medals corresponding to the difference" may be the number of medals with the same value as the difference, or may be the number of medals obtained by subtracting the reward for the second player from the difference. Although not shown in Figure 17, in step S022, when the number of medals corresponding to the difference is returned to the first player, the server 10 (specifically, the possession count change unit 66) subtracts the same number of medals from the number of medals possessed by the second player.

[0094] [In the fifth embodiment of the present invention] In the fourth embodiment, when the completion condition is met and the second player's substitute training of the target horse is completed, the number of medals remaining at the time of completion of the substitute training, out of the first number of medals given to the second player as the training budget, are returned to the first player. However, this is not limited to this, and the second player may be allowed to continue substitute training of the target horse until the training budget is used up. Such a case will be described as the fifth embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 18. In the following, the fifth embodiment will be described with respect to the differences from the fourth embodiment. In addition, in the training proxy flow according to the fifth embodiment to be described, steps S001 to S016 are the same as those in the first and fourth embodiments, and therefore will not be described or illustrated.

[0095] In the substitute training flow according to the fifth embodiment, when the completion condition for the substitute training of the target horse by the second player is satisfied (S017), as shown in FIG. 18, the server 10 determines whether the first number of medals given to the second player as the training budget is larger than the number of medals consumed by the second player up to the point when the completion condition for the substitute training is satisfied, i.e., the second number of medals (S031). If the second number of medals is larger than the first number of medals, the server 10 (Specifically, the proxy completion unit 63) completes the fostering proxy (S018).

[0096] On the other hand, if the first medal count is greater than the second medal count, the server 10 (specifically, the inquiry unit 42) inquires of the first player who requested the horse's training substitution as to whether or not the horse will continue to be trained (S032). The first player operates the user terminal 12 to respond as to whether or not the horse will continue to be trained (S033).

[0097] If the first player responds that he or she will continue the substitute training, the server 10 (specifically, the substitute processing unit 62) allows the second player to continue the substitute training of the target horse until the training budget is used up (S034). In other words, if the first number of medals is greater than the second number of medals at the time the completion condition is met and the server 10 receives a response from the first player that he or she will continue the substitute training of the target horse, the server 10 allows the second player to continue the substitute training of the target horse until the number of medals spent on the substitute training of the target horse reaches the training budget (i.e., the first number of medals). As a result, the second player can continue to provide substitute training for the target horse from the time the completion condition is met, and can grow the target horse until the training budget is used up.

[0098] On the other hand, if the first player responds that he or she will not continue the substitute training, the server 10 completes the substitute training of the target horse by the second player and returns to the first player a number of medals corresponding to the difference between the first number of medals and the second number of medals (S035). In other words, if the first number of medals is greater than the second number of medals at the time the completion condition is met and the substitute training of the target horse by the second player is to be completed without being continued, the server 10 adds a number of medals corresponding to the difference to the number of medals owned by the first player.

[0099] [Regarding the sixth embodiment of the present invention] Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, the sixth embodiment will be mainly described with respect to the differences from the first embodiment. In addition, in the training proxy flow according to the sixth embodiment, steps S001 to S016 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described or illustrated.

[0100] In the sixth embodiment, of the first number of medals given to the second player as a training budget when the second player is acting as the training substitute for the target horse, any medals remaining at the time the second player's acting as the training substitute for the target horse are suspended are returned to the first player. Specifically, the training substitute flow according to the sixth embodiment is similar to that of the fourth embodiment described above. When a suspension condition is met for the second player's acting as the training substitute for the target horse, the server 10 (specifically, the agency suspension unit 64) suspends the agency training (S019, S020), as shown in FIG. 19 . In this case, the server 10 determines whether the first number of medals given to the second player as the training budget is larger or smaller than the total number of medals consumed up to the time the suspension condition was met (S041).

[0101] Then, if the total number of medals consumed is smaller than the first number of medals, the server 10 (specifically, the possession number change unit 66) adds a number of medals corresponding to the difference between the two numbers of medals to the number of medals possessed by the first player after the training budget has been subtracted (S042). Although not shown in Figure 19, in step S042, when the number of medals corresponding to the difference is returned to the first player, the server 10 (specifically, the possession count change unit 66) subtracts the same number of medals from the number of medals possessed by the second player.

[0102] [Regarding the seventh embodiment of the present invention] Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 20. The following mainly describes the differences between the seventh embodiment and the first embodiment. Furthermore, of the training proxy flow according to the seventh embodiment, steps S001 to S008 and steps S017 to S020 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described or illustrated.

[0103] In the substitute training flow according to the seventh embodiment, as in the first embodiment, when the second player performs a training operation on the target horse during the substitute training period, the server 10 (specifically, the training operation receiving unit 31) receives the training operation (S009, S010). Thereafter, the server 10 (specifically, the consumption number determining unit 67) determines the total number of medals consumed by the second player from the start of the substitute training of the target horse to the present time, as shown in FIG. 20 (S010a). The server 10 then determines whether the determined total number of medals consumed is larger or smaller than the first number of medals given to the second player as a training budget (S010b).

[0104] If the total number of medals consumed is less than the first number of medals (i.e., within the training budget), the server 10 performs steps from S011 onwards to change the parameters of the target horse in accordance with the training operations of the second player, and then executes the subsequent processing. On the other hand, when the total number of medals consumed becomes greater than the first number of medals (i.e., exceeds the training budget), the server 10 (specifically, the proxy interruption unit 64) will interrupt the second player's proxy training of the target horse at that point (S010c).

[0105] As described above, in the seventh embodiment, the second player is made to act as a substitute for raising the target horse within the training budget, and the substitute training is suspended when the total number of medals consumed in the substitute training exceeds the training budget. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, when the total number of medals consumed exceeds the training budget, the second player may be required to pay the excess number of medals, and the excess number of medals may be subtracted from the number of medals owned by the second player. In this case, even if the second player has used up the training budget, the second player can continue to act as a substitute for raising the target horse.

[0106] The excess medals do not necessarily have to be borne by the second player, but may instead be borne by the first player who requested the training proxy, and the excess medals may be subtracted from the number of medals possessed by the first player. In this case, for example, the second player may request an additional budget for training proxy from the first player, and the server 10 may subtract the number of medals corresponding to the requested additional budget from the number of medals possessed by the first player, and add the number of medals equivalent to the additional budget to the number of medals possessed by the second player.

[0107] [Regarding the eighth embodiment of the present invention] In the above-described embodiment, when the second player begins to raise the target horse on behalf of the first player, the first number of medals as the raising budget is transferred from the first player to the second player. In other words, in the above-described embodiment, when the second player begins to raise the target horse on behalf of the first player, the number of medals to be spent on the raising is subtracted in one lump sum from the number of medals owned by the first player.

[0108] However, unlike the above-described embodiment, an embodiment is also conceivable in which the number of medals spent on one substitute training session is subtracted from the number of medals owned by the first player each time the second player substitutes for the target horse (in other words, each time the second player accepts a training operation related to the target horse during substitute training). This embodiment is described below as the eighth embodiment of the present invention. Note that the following mainly describes the differences between the eighth embodiment and the first embodiment.

[0109] In the eighth embodiment, when a training operation related to the training of a target horse is performed by the second player during the training substitution, the server 10 (specifically, the training operation receiving unit 31) receives the training operation. This triggers the server 10 (specifically, the possessed number changing unit 66) to subtract the number of medals for one training substitution from the number of medals possessed by the first player. Then, when the second player repeatedly performs training operations on the target horse multiple times during the training substitution, the server 10 (specifically, the possessed number changing unit 66) subtracts a predetermined number of medals from the number of medals possessed by the first player each time a training operation is received.

[0110] [summary] The information processing device of the present invention has a proxy processing unit 62 and a possession number changing unit 66, and the proxy processing unit 62 executes processing to have a second player act as a proxy for raising a target horse of a first player, and the possession number changing unit 66 subtracts the number of medals consumed by the second player in acting as a proxy for raising the target horse from the number of medals possessed by the first player. In other words, the cost of the second player acting as a proxy for raising the target horse, i.e., the number of medals consumed in acting as a proxy for raising the target horse, is borne by the first player who requested the proxy raising. In other words, the second player does not need to bear the cost of acting as a proxy for raising the target horse, which stimulates players who are willing to act as a proxy for raising the horse and encourages active use of the proxy raising system.

[0111] The information processing device of the present invention also has an operation reception unit 30 (more specifically, a training operation reception unit 31) that receives training operations from the second player regarding the training of the target horse. In this configuration, each time the operation reception unit 30 receives a training operation, the possession number change unit 66 may subtract the number of medals consumed in accordance with the training operation from the number of medals possessed by the first player. In this case, the number of medals consumed in accordance with the number of training operations performed by the second player is subtracted from the number of medals possessed by the first player, so that the first player can more accurately be responsible for the number of medals consumed for substitute training.

[0112] Furthermore, in the information processing device of the present invention, when the proxy processing unit 62 has the second player raise the target horse on behalf of the second player, the possession number change unit 66 may subtract a first number of medals determined as the training budget from the possession number of medals of the first player. In this case, it is not necessary to subtract the possession number of medals of the first player every time the second player performs a training operation, and therefore the information processing for changing the possession number of medals can be further simplified.

[0113] The information processing device of the present invention also includes a request receiving unit 32 that receives a substitute training request for a target horse from a first player, and the substitute training request may include details specified by the first player regarding the training mode of the target object to be applied during the substitute training. In this configuration, when the request receiving unit 32 receives the substitute training request from the first player, the possessed number change unit 66 preferably subtracts a first number of medals corresponding to the training mode specified by the first player from the possessed number of medals of the first player. More preferably, the possessed number change unit 66 adds a number of medals corresponding to the first number of medals to the possessed number of medals of the second player. According to the above configuration, the number of medals according to the training style specified by the first player can be transferred to the second player as a training budget, which makes it easier for the second player to act as a substitute for the first player in training the target horse in the training style specified by the first player.

[0114] The information processing device of the present invention may also include an acceptance condition receiving unit 36 that receives from a player settings regarding the conditions for the substitution of the subject horse. In this configuration, it is preferable that the possession count changing unit 66 subtracts a first number of medals according to the conditions set by the second player from the number of medals held by the first player. In this case, the second player can perform substitution of the racehorse under the conditions set by the second player. Furthermore, since the number of medals spent on substitution of the subject horse under the conditions set by the second player is borne by the first player, it becomes even easier for the second player to perform substitution of the subject horse.

[0115] The information processing device of the present invention may also include a substitution interruption unit 64 that interrupts the substitute training of the target horse when an interruption condition is met. In this configuration, it is preferable that, after the possession number change unit 66 subtracts the first number of medals as the training budget from the first player's possessed number of medals, when the substitution interruption unit 64 interrupts the second player's substitute training of the target horse, the possession number change unit 66 adds the number of medals corresponding to the interruption of the substitute training of the target horse to the first player's possessed number of medals. In this case, of the first number of medals given to the second player as the training budget, any remaining medals at the time the substitute training of the target horse is interrupted can be returned to the first player, allowing the remaining number of medals to be handled appropriately.

[0116] The information processing device of the present invention may also include a proxy time determination unit 65 that determines proxy time as in-game time spent on proxy training of the target horse, and a consumption number determination unit 67 that determines the total number of medals consumed by the second player in proxy training of the target horse. In this configuration, it is preferable that the proxy interruption unit 64 interrupt the second player's proxy training of the target horse when a value (specifically, an evaluation value) calculated based on the proxy time determined by the proxy time determination unit 65 and the total number of medals consumed by the consumption number determination unit 67 for the second player's proxy training of the target horse satisfies an interruption condition. In this case, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not to interrupt the proxy training of the target horse based on the proxy time and the total number of medals consumed. As a result, for example, if the proxy training situation is unfavorable, the second player's proxy training of the target horse can be interrupted, allowing the first player to have the second player handle the target horse's training with peace of mind.

[0117] The information processing device of the present invention may also include a substitution completion unit 63 that completes the substitute training of the target horse when a completion condition is met, and a consumption number determination unit 67 that determines the number of medals consumed by the second player in the substitute training of the target horse. The consumption number determination unit 67 may determine, as the number of medals consumed, a second number of medals consumed by the second player in the substitute training of the target horse up until the completion condition is met. In this configuration, if the first number of medals is greater than the second number of medals, the possession number change unit 66 preferably adds a number of medals corresponding to the difference between the first number of medals and the second number of medals to the number of medals possessed by the first player after the first number of medals has been subtracted. In this case, of the first number of medals given to the second player as the training budget, any remaining medals at the time the substitute training of the target horse is completed can be returned to the first player, allowing the remaining medals to be appropriately handled.

[0118] The information processing device of the present invention may also have an inquiry unit 42, which, when a completion condition is met, inquires of the first player as to whether or not the second player should continue to substitute-train the target horse. In this configuration, when the first number of medals is greater than the second number of medals and the inquiry unit 42 receives a response from the first player indicating that the second player will continue to substitute-train the target horse, the substitution processing unit 62 preferably allows the second player to continue to substitute-train the target horse until the number of medals consumed reaches the first number of medals. In this case, by continuing the substitute-training until the number of medals given to the second player as the training budget is used up, the target horse can be further developed, thereby increasing the entertainment value of the game.

[0119] The information processing device of the present invention may also have a proxy interruption unit 64 that interrupts the proxy raising of the object, and a consumption number determination unit 67 that determines the number of medals spent by the second player on the proxy raising of the target horse. In this configuration, it is preferable that the proxy interruption unit 64 interrupts the proxy raising of the target horse by the second player when the number of medals spent on the proxy raising of the target horse by the second player exceeds the first number of medals. In this case, the proxy raising of the target horse is interrupted when the number of medals given to the second player as the training budget has been used up, making it possible to avoid a situation in which the number of medals spent on the proxy raising exceeds the budget.

[0120] The information processing device of the present invention may also have a prize money awarding unit 69, which may add to the first number of medals a number of medals corresponding to the results of a race in which the target horse being trained on behalf of the second player participates. In this case, the prize money from the race can be used to cover training costs, so that if the second player, for example, enters the target horse in a race and wins the race, the second player can use the prize money to appropriately carry out training on behalf of the second player.

[0121] Furthermore, in the information processing device of the present invention, when the proxy processing unit 62 executes processing to have a second player act as a proxy in raising a target horse, the possession number change unit 66 may subtract a first number of medals, which includes the number of medals to be consumed for the proxy raising of the target horse and a number of medals set as a reward to the second player, from the number of medals possessed by the first player. In this case, since the first number of medals is determined to include the reward for the proxy raising, it is possible to transfer the training budget to the second player after securing the reward for the second player. This can further stimulate the second player's motivation to act as a proxy in raising the horse.

[0122] Furthermore, an information processing method of the present invention is characterized in that a computer executes a process of having a second player act on behalf of a first player in raising a target horse, and the computer subtracts the number of medals consumed by the second player in the substitute raising of the target horse from the number of medals owned by the first player. This information processing method makes it easier to accept the act of raising a racehorse in the game, and therefore encourages active use of racehorse raising substitutes.

[0123] The information processing method of the present invention can be realized by an information processing device alone or in combination with another terminal such as a user terminal. Here, the information processing device may be a server computer for an ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, the above-mentioned series of information processing (excluding information input and display) is executed by the server computer, so that the user terminal only needs to input information to be transferred to the server computer and display information distributed from the server computer.

[0124] The program of the present invention causes a computer to execute a process for having a second player act on behalf of a first player in raising a target horse, and causes the computer to subtract the number of medals consumed by the second player in raising the target horse from the number of medals owned by the first player. By having a computer execute this program, it becomes easier to accept the role of raising a racehorse on behalf of a first player, and a game environment is created in which racehorse raising on behalf of a first player can be actively utilized. The program of the present invention may be obtained by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or by obtaining (downloading) it via a network such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0125] [Other embodiments] Up to this point, the information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described using several specific examples, but the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may be considered.

[0126] In the above-described embodiment, a server computer for distributing game data (i.e., the server 10) functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but this is not limited thereto, and some of the functions of the server 10 may be provided in the user terminal 12. For example, the user terminal 12 may be provided with one or both of the functions of the proxy processing unit 62 and the possession number changing unit 66.

[0127] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when the second player accepts the substitution of the subject horse for raising the subject horse, a predetermined number of medals is subtracted from the first player's possessed medal count as a training budget, or each time the second player accepts an operation (training operation) to be performed by the second player for raising the subject horse for raising the subject horse, a predetermined number of medals is subtracted from the first player's possessed medal count. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, when the second player's substitution of the subject horse for raising the subject horse is completed or interrupted, the number of medals consumed up to that point may be identified, and a number of medals corresponding to the identified number of medals consumed may be subtracted from the first player's possessed medal count.

[0128] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first player who requested the substitution of the breeding of the target horse selects from among a plurality of candidate recipients, confirms with the selected candidate recipient his or her willingness to accept the substitution of the breeding, and if the selected candidate recipient replies that he or she will accept the substitution of the breeding, the candidate recipient is made the second player, and the second player is made to substitute for the breeding of the target horse. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the first player may specify the breeding conditions when requesting the substitution of the target horse, the candidate recipient player may set the conditions for acceptance, the two conditions may be compared, and the candidate recipient who set the conditions for acceptance that match the conditions for the breeding may be made the second player, and the second player may be made to substitute for the breeding of the target horse. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 10,10A Server 12 User terminal 14 Network 21 processors 22 Memory 23 Communication Interface 24 Storage 25 Bus 30 Operation reception section 31 Training operation reception desk 32 Request Reception Department 33 Candidate selection reception section 34. Acceptance Confirmation Reception Department 35 Race Registration Desk 36. Contract Terms Reception Department 40 Distribution Department 41 Event Information Distribution Department 42 Inquiry Department 50 Storage section 51 Player information storage unit 52 Racehorse information storage unit 53 Possession count memory section 54 Training proxy request memory unit 55 Training Substitute Status Memory Unit 60 Information Processing Department 61 Parameter change section 62 Substitute Processing Unit 63 Substitution Completion Section 64 Agency interruption part 65 Substitute Time Identification Department 66 Possession number change section 67 Consumption quantity specification part 68 Race Results Decision Department 69 Prize Awarding Department CS confirmation screen IS training agency request screen ML Menu List JL Trustee Candidate List S Information Processing System

Claims

[Claim 1] a proxy processing unit that executes a process of having a second player act on behalf of a first player in raising a target object; a change unit that subtracts the number of values consumed by the second player for raising the target object from the number of values possessed by the first player; An information processing device having the above.

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