Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program capable of increasing a player's convenience and increasing a user's game play satisfaction level.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes: a reception unit for receiving an instruction regarding organization of a deck from a player in a game to be played by organizing the deck including multiple game media; and a presentation unit for presenting a recommended deck based on a game medium included in a current deck currently selected by a player and a game medium included in a history deck when receiving an instruction from the player to use the history deck organized by the player in the past as a deck for playing a game.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, in computer games such as online games, a player creates a deck containing game media such as multiple characters and controls the characters included in the deck to play various quests provided in the game. In addition, in such games, a player can store a deck that the player has used in the past and use the same deck again to play a quest. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that stores a battle deck history used by a player for each stage, and when the player selects that stage again, the player can set a battle deck based on the stored battle deck history. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-195691 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, although it is possible to set a battle deck appropriate for the stage by reflecting the battle deck history, if the battle deck history is selected in the middle of organizing a battle deck, the battle deck in the middle of organizing is completely overwritten with the contents of the battle deck history, and the battle deck that was partly organized becomes useless. Also, if the player wants to organize a new battle deck using the battle deck history while including characters that are not included in the battle deck history (for example, newly acquired characters), the player must go to the trouble of individually resetting the settings.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can increase convenience for players and improve the players' gameplay satisfaction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention has a reception unit that receives instructions from a player regarding deck organization in a game in which a deck including multiple game media is organized and played, and a presentation unit that, when receiving an instruction from the player to use a historical deck that the player previously organized as a deck for playing the game, presents a recommended deck based on the game media included in the current deck currently selected by the player and the game media included in the historical deck. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, convenience for players can be improved, and the players' satisfaction with playing games can be enhanced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing system including an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a deck organization screen. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a deck organization screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a deck organization screen. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of functions of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of player information. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of deck information. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of character information. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of quest information. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the flow of deck organization processing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information processing device, an information processing method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described below is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. That is, the present invention may be modified or improved from the embodiment described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention also includes equivalents thereof.

[0010] 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 the player's preferences, etc., and can be changed as appropriate.

[0011] <About the game according to this embodiment> The communication system shown in Figure 1 (hereinafter referred to as information processing system S) is a communication system that includes an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as server 10) according to one embodiment of the present invention, and provides a game to a user (hereinafter referred to as a player) who is a player of the game.

[0012] A game is content that a player plays by operating a player terminal 12 while viewing a game screen on the player terminal 12 for game play, and in this embodiment, it is an online game (electronic game) provided using the information processing system S. Online games include browser games that use a web browser, social games provided on SNS (Social Networking Service), games that can be played by downloading dedicated application software such as mobile games, and regularly updated online games such as play-by-web (PBW). The genre (classification) of games is not particularly limited.

[0013] In this embodiment, when a player performs an operation for playing a game on the player terminal 12, the player terminal 12 receives data for progressing the game distributed from a server computer of the game provider, i.e., the server 10. The player terminal 12 outputs video and audio corresponding to the received data, and the player progresses through the game while checking the output video and audio. The player terminal 12 also transmits data indicating the player's operation to the server 10, and the server 10 transmits data for progressing the game corresponding to the player's operation. Such data transmission and reception between the server 10 and the player terminal 12 is repeated until the player finishes playing the game.

[0014] Within the game, players play game units called quests. A quest is played with the objective of clearing it (in other words, meeting the clearing conditions), and in this embodiment, multiple quests are set, with the content (for example, difficulty level, enemy characters that appear, etc.) varying for each quest. When a player clears a quest, he or she can obtain a clearing reward such as game media. In solo play, one player plays a quest, and in cooperative play, which will be described later, multiple players play the same quest together at the same time.

[0015] In a game, a player acquires (obtains) game media, possesses (owns) it, and uses or consumes the game media that they possess. Game media are in-game objects that the player uses to progress through the game, including quest play, such as in-game characters or items.

[0016] Characters include playing characters operated by the player and sub-characters (e.g., enemy characters or auxiliary characters) that are not operated by the player but move automatically according to the game settings, etc. The appearance of the characters is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, living things such as people, animals, and plants, machines such as vehicles and robots, non-machine objects, fictional characters such as monsters, or other characters similar to these. In the following, playing characters will be simply referred to as characters unless otherwise specified.

[0017] Each character (including enemy characters) has its own personality, and each character is assigned a name, attributes, appearance, and various parameters that indicate their abilities (values ​​related to level, stamina, attack power, defense power, luck, or special abilities, etc.). These parameters are indicators that affect the progress of the game, and include those expressed numerically, those expressed as ranks written in letters such as "A, B, C...", and those expressed by indicators such as gauges. In addition, some parameters change as the game progresses, while others remain constant and unchanging regardless of the progress of the game. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, parameters that change as the game progresses will be simply referred to as parameters.

[0018] The parameters of each character increase or decrease depending on the type of quest cleared using that character, the number of times the quest is cleared, the time period during which the quest is played, etc. In the game, parameters can be changed (strictly speaking, improved) by using, for example, an enhancement item or an enhancement character. In this embodiment, multiple parameters are set for each character, and each character has parameters for items that are common to all characters.

[0019] Items are used (consumed) by players and include supplies that help or hinder players in the game, as well as payment (in-game currency) that can be exchanged for other items or characters or consumed to play quests.

[0020] A player plays a quest using a designated character, and when playing a quest, the player designates two or more characters from among the characters available for quest play and organizes a deck that includes those designated characters. Characters that can be included in a deck, i.e., characters available for quest play, include characters owned by the player, characters that can be borrowed from other players, and characters that are available for a limited time.

[0021] A deck is a team / group consisting of n characters designated by the player before the start of a quest. A deck also includes a first slot and a second slot, with at least one character assigned to each slot. The number of characters comprising a deck, n, is a natural number greater than or equal to 2 and is not particularly limited. However, the following explanation uses the example of n=5 (four characters in the first slot, one character in the second slot).

[0022] The first slot is a slot in which a character must be assigned to play a quest. In this embodiment, four characters must be assigned. In other words, a player cannot play a quest unless four characters are assigned to the first slot. During quest play, the character assigned to the first slot directly attacks enemy characters or is directly attacked by enemy characters through the player's operation. That is, when attacking, the character inflicts damage on the enemy character based on parameters such as attack power, thereby reducing parameters such as stamina. When attacked, the character receives damage based on the enemy character's parameters such as attack power, thereby reducing parameters such as stamina. Furthermore, the characters assigned to the first slot are assigned an order according to the order in which they were designated. The character designated first is assigned the number 1, followed by the characters designated second, third, and fourth, in that order. Then, during quest play, the characters in the deck are used according to that order. For example, the character designated earliest attacks the enemy character in order from the youngest to the oldest.

[0023] The second slot is a slot with a different nature from the first slot, and allows a quest to be played without setting a character; in this embodiment, one character can be set therein. In other words, a player can play a quest without setting a character in the second slot. Characters assigned to the second slot are not directly attacked by enemy characters during quest play, but rather play a role in supporting the player in clearing the quest. They are also not involved in the defeat conditions for the quest. Characters assigned to the second slot exert an effect of changing the difficulty level of the game, as exemplified below, depending on the special ability (skill) set for each character, for example, at the timing specified by the player. Note that the effect of changing the difficulty level of the game referred to here generally refers to an effect that is advantageous to the player. (a) Change the character's parameters For example, the physical strength of the character assigned to the first slot may be restored, or the attack power, defense power, or movement power may be improved temporarily or for a predetermined period of time (for example, for 30 seconds or until N enemy characters are defeated). (b) Attack enemy characters For example, the strength of the enemy character may be reduced, or the attack power, defense power or movement power of the enemy character may be reduced temporarily or for a predetermined period of time.

[0024] Decks may be organized for each quest, or multiple decks may be registered in advance and one of the multiple decks may be selected when playing a quest. Furthermore, when organizing a deck, a deck (history deck) that the player previously organized and used to play a quest may be used. In particular, in this embodiment, if a currently selected deck exists, the player may use a recommended deck that is presented based on the current deck and the history deck.

[0025] The current deck refers to the deck that the player selects when organizing their deck. The current deck includes a deck selected from multiple decks that the player has registered in advance, as well as a new deck that the player is currently organizing. The current deck also includes, for example, a deck in which the first character has already been set (a deck that can be used for quest play), a deck in which some of the first characters have not been set (a deck that cannot be used for quest play), and a deck in which all of the first characters have not been set but the second character has been set (a deck that cannot be used for quest play).

[0026] A historical deck refers to a deck that a player has previously organized and used to play a quest. A historical deck may also be associated with a quest. Specifically, a historical deck may be limited to a deck that a player has previously used in a quest that is the same as or related to the quest that the player is currently selecting to play, or a deck that a player has previously used and successfully cleared the quest. Related quests include quests that, when played with a deck containing characters of the same or the same attributes, give the player an advantage in the game, i.e., make the quest easier to clear. A historical deck does not include decks in which some or all of the characters in the first slot are not set (decks that cannot be used for quest play), but does include decks in which the characters in the second slot are not set (decks that can be used for quest play).

[0027] A recommended deck is a deck that is automatically set based on the characters included in the historical deck and the characters included in the current deck, and is the deck that is recommended when playing a quest selected by the player, i.e., a deck that is predicted to give the player an advantage in the game if the quest is played with that deck. Note that historical decks used as recommended decks are not limited to decks that the player himself has organized and used to play quests in the past, but may also include decks that other players have organized and used to play quests in the past.

[0028] Specifically, the recommended deck includes at least one character selected from the characters included in the history deck and at least one pair of characters selected from the characters included in the current deck. For example, if a predetermined condition is met, such as when no character is set in the second slot of the history deck, the recommended deck may include, in the first slot, four characters selected from the characters included in the first slot of the history deck, and in the second slot, one character selected from the characters included in the second slot of the current deck. As another example, if the same predetermined condition is met, the recommended deck may include, in the first slot, two characters selected from the characters included in the first slot of the history deck and two characters selected from the characters included in the first slot of the current deck, and in the second slot, one character selected from the characters included in the second slot of the current deck.

[0029] The characters included in the recommended deck are selected according to the following rules: Note that the following rules may be combined to make a composite decision, or different rules may be applied to the first and second slots. (a) Prioritize characters that have a predetermined relationship with characters currently included in the deck. When a history deck contains multiple characters, characters that have a predetermined relationship with a character currently included in the deck (corresponding to the "predetermined game medium" of the present invention) are selected with priority, for example, characters that have a good compatibility with the character, such as the same attributes, and that, if included in the same deck, enable consecutive attacks or synergistically improve parameters such as attack power. This automatically sets a deck that is advantageous to the player. Note that this rule can also be applied when selecting characters from multiple history decks. (b) Prioritize characters currently included in the deck. If the current deck contains a character (corresponding to the "second game medium" of the present invention) that corresponds to a character (corresponding to the "first game medium" of the present invention) included in the history deck, i.e., if both the history deck and the current deck contain corresponding characters, the new character included in the current deck is selected in priority, regardless of parameters, etc. This allows the player to develop the new character and improve its parameters. Note that corresponding characters include the same character, characters with the same attributes, and character Y, which is the evolved form of character X. (c) Prioritize selection of characters with high parameters If the current deck contains a character that corresponds to a character included in the history deck, the character included in the history deck is selected as a general rule, and only if the parameter of the character included in the current deck is high, the character included in the current deck is selected preferentially. This automatically sets a deck that is advantageous to the player. (d) Prioritize the selection of characters whose parameters have been updated after a certain point in time. If the current deck contains a character corresponding to a character included in a history deck based on the play history at a predetermined point in time, priority is given to selecting a character included in the current deck whose parameters have been updated by leveling up or the like since that predetermined point in time. Note that a "predetermined point in time" refers to a certain point in time during game play, including, for example, the first or last time a quest is played using that history deck, or the first or last time a quest is cleared using that history deck. (e) Prioritize the selection of characters acquired by the player after a certain point in time. Characters currently included in the deck, which are not yet possessed by the player at the predetermined time, and which are newly acquired by the player after the predetermined time are given priority in selection. (f) Prioritize the selection of characters that are used frequently during a given period. If the current deck contains a character corresponding to a character included in the history deck, the character is selected based on its frequency of use over a predetermined period of time after a predetermined point in time, for example, from the predetermined point in time until the most recent quest play. Specifically, the character most frequently used is selected from the characters included in the current deck. Furthermore, if the frequency of use of a character included in the current deck is higher than the frequency of use of a character included in the history deck, the character included in the current deck is selected. Furthermore, the character most frequently used is selected from the characters included in the history deck and the characters included in the current deck (this may involve all characters included in the current deck or all characters included in the past deck). Here, the frequency of use may be either a relative value (compared to other characters) or an absolute value (whether or not it is above a threshold). For example, the number of times each character has been used may be counted and the top N characters may be selected, or the number of times each character has been used may be counted and the character that has been used N times may be selected. (g) Prioritize the selection of characters owned by the player. For example, if there is a character included in another player's history deck that the player does not own, that character is not selected, and that character is replaced with a character currently included in the deck. Also, for example, if there is a character included in a history deck based on a play history at a predetermined time, and that character has been given away (sold), and the player does not currently own that character, that character may not be selected, and that character may be replaced with a character currently included in the deck.

[0030] Here, the transition of the screens displayed on the player terminal 12 when the player organizes a deck will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figures 2 to 4 are examples of screens displayed on the player terminal 12 operated by the player before the start of quest play.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2 , the deck organization screen G1 has a current deck display area 50 (including a first-frame display area 51 and a second-frame display area 52), an organization button 53, a sortie button 54, and a history selection button 55, and displays the current deck (Deck A) currently selected by the player. The current deck display area 50 displays information about the characters currently included in the deck. Specifically, the first-frame display area 51 displays information about the characters currently assigned to the first frame in the deck (four characters A to D in this embodiment), and the second-frame display area 52 displays information about the character currently assigned to the second frame in the deck (one character Z in this embodiment). The organization button 53 is a button that is tapped, etc. to change the characters currently included in the deck. When the player taps the organization button 53, the characters currently included in the deck are swapped, etc. The sortie button 54 is a button that is tapped, etc. to start a quest play using the currently displayed deck. When the player taps the sortie button 54, etc., the screen transitions to a quest play screen (not shown). Furthermore, the history selection button 55 is a button that is tapped or the like to call up a history deck, and when the player taps or the like the history selection button 55, the screen transitions to the deck organization screen G2. Note that the deck organization screen G1 may also display other buttons (not shown) such as a button for returning to the previous screen.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the deck organization screen G2, which is transitioned from the deck organization screen G1, has a current deck display area 50 (including a first-frame display area 51 and a second-frame display area 52), a history deck display area 60 (including a first-frame display area 61 and a second-frame display area 62), and a history reflect button 63. The deck organization screen G2 displays a history deck (deck B) alongside the current deck currently selected by the player. The history deck display area 60 displays information about the characters included in the history deck. Specifically, the first-frame display area 61 displays information about the characters assigned to the first frame in the history deck (four characters E to H in this embodiment), and the second-frame display area 62 displays information about the character assigned to the second frame in the history deck (none in this embodiment). The history reflect button 63 is a button that is tapped, etc., to set a recommended deck based on the displayed history deck. When the player taps the history reflect button 63, the screen transitions to the deck organization screen G3. In addition, the deck organization screen G2 may also display a button (not shown) for returning to the previous screen.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the deck organization screen G3, which is displayed after transition from the deck organization screen G2, includes a recommended deck display area 70 (including a first frame display area 71 and a second frame display area 72), an organization button 73, and a sortie button 74. The recommended deck display area 70 displays information about the characters included in the recommended deck. Specifically, the first frame display area 71 displays information about the characters assigned to the first frame in the recommended deck (in this embodiment, the four characters E to H that were included in the first frame in the historical deck), and the second frame display area 72 displays information about the character assigned to the second frame in the recommended deck (in this embodiment, the one character Z that was included in the second frame in the current deck). The organization button 73 is a button that is tapped, etc., to change the characters included in the recommended deck. When the player taps the organization button 73, the characters included in the recommended deck are swapped, etc. The sortie button 74 is a button that is tapped or the like when starting a quest play using the displayed recommended deck, and when the player taps or the like on the sortie button 74, the screen transitions to a quest play screen (not shown). That is, in this case, the player starts quest play using a deck that includes characters E to H in the first slot and character Z in the second slot. Note that the deck organization screen G3 may also display other buttons (not shown) such as a button to return to the previous screen.

[0034] <About cooperative play> In this embodiment, not only can a player play alone (solo play), but also so-called multiplay (hereinafter referred to as cooperative play) is possible, in which multiple players operate their own player terminals 12 to simultaneously play a common game stage. Cooperative play is performed through the communication function of each player's player terminal 12, and once a cooperative relationship is formed, the progress of play is synchronized between the players playing cooperatively. Note that cooperative play may be of either type, such as a cooperative play game in which multiple players cooperate, or a competitive game in which players compete against each other.

[0035] In cooperative play, multiple players who will play cooperatively may be automatically matched, or a player who hosts the cooperative play and recruits friends (hereinafter referred to as the host) may be combined with players who respond to the recruitment and participate in the cooperative play (hereinafter referred to as the guest). The members of the cooperative play are not particularly limited, but for example, a cooperative play may be performed by players who are friends of a certain player and have mutually approved each other (hereinafter referred to as friends). Players can cooperate with their friends to progress through the game, and can, for example, borrow characters owned by their friends when editing their decks.

[0036] When cooperative play begins, a deck to be used in cooperative play is organized. The deck to be used in cooperative play is selected from the characters that each player can use to play the target quest. The number of characters n that make up the deck is the same as in normal solo play (i.e., four). However, each player specifies a number of characters out of the total n characters that corresponds to the number of players participating in the cooperative play. In other words, the number of characters that each player uses in cooperative play changes depending on the number of players participating in the cooperative play. When the target quest is cleared through cooperative play, each player who participated in the cooperative play is awarded a clearing reward.

[0037] <Configuration of the information processing device and player terminal according to this embodiment> Next, the configurations of an information processing device and a player terminal 12 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to this embodiment is configured by a computer for distributing game data, specifically a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10). The server 10 is an example of a computer, and as shown in FIG. 1, is communicatively connected to a plurality of player terminals 12 via a network 14, and together with the player terminals 12, forms an information processing system S for a game. The network 14 is a communication line network consisting of, for example, the Internet or a mobile communication network, and may include a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), an intranet, Ethernet (registered trademark), etc.

[0038] In the information processing system S of this embodiment, the server 10 and the player terminals 12 cooperate with each other in the above-described configuration to progress the game. Specifically, part of the game progress processing is performed on the server 10 side, and part of the graphics processing and the like is executed on the player terminals 12. For example, the server 10 side executes a program including certain rules, logic, and algorithms. Meanwhile, the player terminals 12 side synchronize with the server 10 and progress the game according to the same rules, logic, and algorithms as the program executed on the server 10.

[0039] During cooperative play, a communication path for cooperative play is established between each player terminal 12, and various data required for cooperative play is transmitted and received according to a known communication method. The data may be transmitted via a client-server method via the server 10, or via a P2P (peer-to-peer) method without the server 10. In the case of a P2P method, multiple player terminals 12 communicating with each other cooperate to form the information processing device of the present invention. The cooperative play method is classified into a fully synchronous type and an asynchronous type, and either method may be adopted. The fully synchronous type includes a key input synchronization method and a command input method, while the asynchronous type includes a server-centralized processing method and a client-distributed processing method.

[0040] The server 10 is an example of an "information processing device" of the present invention, and is a computer that executes various information processing related to the progress of the game, such as generating and transmitting and receiving data necessary for the progress of the game. More specifically, in this embodiment, the server 10 is an SNS server. The server 10 may be configured with a single computer or multiple computers distributed in parallel. The server 10 may also 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, a series of information processing steps related to the progress of the game (excluding input and display of information) are executed by the server 10, and therefore, the player terminals 12 only need to input information to be transferred to the server 10 and display information distributed from the server 10.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, the server 10 has, as hardware devices, a processor 21, a memory 22, a communication interface 23, and a 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 "programs" of the present invention. When the processor 21 operates in accordance with the programs, 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. The program of the present invention may be acquired by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or may be acquired (downloaded) via a network 14 such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0042] 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.

[0043] The memory 22 may be configured by semiconductor memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0044] 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).

[0045] The storage 24 may be configured with a flash memory, a hard disc drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disc (FD), a magneto-optical disc (MO disc), 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 with an external computer (e.g., 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.

[0046] 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 about each player (e.g., player identification information and information about the game play history, etc.), and information about the game (e.g., deck information, character information, quest information, etc.). The server 10 also executes various other information processes related to the progress of the game.

[0047] The player terminals 12 are client terminals operated by players to play the game, and are configured, for example, by personal computers, smartphones, mobile phones, tablet terminals, game consoles, television sets capable of inputting information, wearable terminals, etc. Note that, for convenience of illustration, four player terminals 12 are shown in FIG. 1, but of course, in reality, there will be as many player terminals 12 as there are players playing the game.

[0048] The player terminal 12 receives data for game progression from the server 10, displays images (video) represented by the data on the display of the player terminal 12 or on a display device such as a TV connected to the player terminal 12, and outputs audio from a speaker or the like. That is, in this embodiment, the player terminal 12 functions as a display unit and an audio output unit. For example, the player terminal 12 displays deck organization screens G1 to G3 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 in addition to a quest play screen (not shown).

[0049] Furthermore, the player terminal 12 accepts operations performed by the player while playing the game, and transmits information corresponding to the operation content to the server 10. For example, the player performs a deck organization operation to organize a deck on the player terminal 12, and transmits deck organization information based on the deck organization operation to the server 10. In addition to the above operations, the player also performs operations on the player terminal 12 related to cooperative play, such as an operation to select a play style (solo play or cooperative play), an operation to select a quest, an operation to play a quest, and an operation related to cooperative play, such as an operation to invite others to cooperative play, an operation to apply for cooperative play, and an operation to approve or deny the application.

[0050] <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 this embodiment, will now be described from a functional perspective. As shown in Fig. 5, the server 10 has a memory unit 30, an information acquisition unit 31, a display control unit 32, a deck compilation unit 33, a game progression unit 34, and a parameter change unit 35. Of these, the memory unit 30 is realized by the memory 22 or the storage 24, and the other functional units are realized by cooperation between the hardware devices that make up the server 10 and programs installed on the server 10. Note that when the server 10 is made up of multiple computers, the above functions may be distributed so that each of the multiple computers performs a different function. Each functional unit will be described in detail below.

[0051] (Storage part) The memory unit 30 stores information necessary for playing the game, specifically, information about the player, information about the deck organized by the player, information about characters that the player can use in quest play, information about quests, etc.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 6, information about players (player information) is stored for each player, with various pieces of information linked to identification information (such as an identification ID or a game account name) that identifies each player. For example, player information items include total game play time, the player's rank, owned characters, owned items, game progress such as status and completion history, and identification information of other players who are friends with the player. In addition, the player information may include information other than the above, such as personal information about the player such as contact information, login history (date and time of game play, date and time of last login, and number of game plays), payment history, total amount charged, etc.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 7 , information about decks organized by a player (deck information) is stored for each deck, with various information linked to identification information (such as an identification ID) that identifies each deck. For example, deck information items include the date and time of organization, identification information identifying each character set in the first slot (four characters numbered 1 to 4 in this embodiment), identification information identifying the character set in the second slot, quest use history, and quest completion history. If no character is set in the second slot, "NULL" is entered in the identification information identifying the character set in the second slot. The quest use history includes the number of times used, the quest used, and the last time and date of use. The quest completion history includes the number of times cleared, the cleared quest, and the last time and date of completion. In addition, deck information may include information other than the above, such as the number of updates and the number of times used by friends.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 8, information (character information) about characters that a player can use in quest play is stored for each character, with various information linked to identification information (such as an identification ID) that identifies each character. For example, items of character information include character name, attributes, appearance, abilities (parameters related to level, stamina, attack power, special abilities, etc.), and identification information that identifies characters with which a given relationship exists. Here, each parameter indicating ability includes a current value, as well as an initial value and an upper limit value. Furthermore, information other than the above, such as identification information that identifies the player who owns the character and information about the corresponding quest, may also be included in the character information.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 9, information about quests (quest information) is stored for each quest, with various pieces of information linked to identification information (such as an identification ID) that identifies each quest. For example, items in the quest information include attributes, difficulty level, play conditions, area information, the type, number, and placement of enemy characters that appear in the quest, and information about rewards for clearing the quest. Quest information may also include information other than the above, such as the quest duration and character information for the corresponding quest.

[0056] (Information acquisition department) The information acquisition unit 31 also corresponds to the "reception unit" of the present invention, and acquires information (data) based on operations performed by the player on the player terminal 12 while playing the game, by communicating with the player terminal 12. The information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 includes deck organization information based on deck organization operations performed by the player to organize a deck, as well as information based on operations for selecting a play style, operations for selecting a quest, operations for playing a quest, and operations related to cooperative play. In addition to the above information, the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 also includes information based on various selections, specifications, instructions, requests, commands, permission or denial, registration, and other input operations performed by the player at each stage of the game.

[0057] (Display control unit) During a game, the display control unit 32 controls the player terminal 12 of each player to display information for game progression on the screen of the player terminal 12. The display control unit 32, together with the deck compilation unit 33 described below, constitutes the "presentation unit" of the present invention. Specifically, the display control unit 32 generates data for displaying information and transmits the generated display data to the player terminal 12 via the network 14. For example, during deck compilation, the display control unit 32 causes the player terminal 12 to display screens (deck compilation screens G1 to G3) that reflect the results of information processing by the deck compilation unit 33. During quest play, the display control unit 32 causes the player terminal 12 to display the results of information processing by the game progression unit 34 (play status), etc. During collaborative play, the display control unit 32 causes the player terminal 12 of each player to display the status of collaborative play, etc.

[0058] (Deck Organization Department) The deck organization unit 33 executes information processing necessary for deck organization, and specifically organizes decks according to the deck organization information acquired by the information acquisition unit 40. The deck organization unit 33, together with the display control unit 32, constitutes the "presentation unit" of the present invention.

[0059] Specifically, the deck compilation unit 33 executes the following information processing. (a) The information acquisition unit 40 creates or selects a current deck (data) based on the deck organization information acquired. (b) Create a recommended deck (data) based on the characters included in the current deck and the characters included in the historical deck. Specifically, the deck organization unit 33 selects at least one character (e.g., a character to be assigned to the first slot) selected from among the characters included in the history deck, and selects at least one pair of characters (e.g., a character to be assigned to the second slot) selected from among the characters included in the current deck. At this time, if the history deck contains multiple characters, it prioritizes the selection of characters that have a predetermined relationship with characters included in the current deck. Furthermore, if the current deck contains a character corresponding to a character included in the history deck, it prioritizes the selection of characters included in the current deck, characters with high parameters, characters whose parameters have been updated since a predetermined point in time, characters newly acquired by the player since a predetermined point in time, characters that have been used frequently within a predetermined period of time, etc. (c) Set the organized deck (data) as the deck for quest play. (d) The organized deck (data) is stored in the storage unit 30.

[0060] (Game Progression Department) The game progression unit 34 executes information processing necessary for the progression of the game, and specifically, progresses the game based on various information acquired by the information acquisition unit 40. For example, the game progression unit 34 moves a character in a quest being played by a player in response to player operations, and performs effects in response to player operations. Furthermore, when cooperative play is being carried out, the game progression unit 34 executes processing to progress the game based on the operations of each player participating in the cooperative play.

[0061] (Parameter change section) The parameter change unit 35 changes the parameter settings of characters that the player can use in quest play in accordance with the progress of the game, etc. For example, while playing a quest using a certain character, or after clearing that quest, the parameter change unit 35 changes the parameter settings of that character (more specifically, the current state or current value, etc.) to reflect the results of processing executed by the game progression unit 34, etc. Furthermore, when a certain character is strengthened, the parameter change unit 35 changes the parameter settings of that character. Note that parameter setting changes made by the parameter change unit 35 are not limited to those that improve or enhance the current settings, but also include those that worsen or lower the current settings.

[0062] (Reward Division) The reward granting unit 36 ​​grants a clear reward associated with each quest to a player who has satisfied the clear achievement condition set for each quest, i.e., to a player who has cleared the quest. Specifically, the reward granting unit 36 ​​associates the game content granted as the clear reward with the player and stores the associated game content in the player information in the storage unit 30.

[0063] The above has described the configurations of the server 10 and the player terminal 12. Generally, the server 10 and the player terminal 12 have various functions other than those described above, but here, only the characteristic functions that produce the effects in the information processing system S of the present invention will be described, and illustrations and descriptions of other known functions will be omitted.

[0064] <Information processing flow according to one embodiment of the present invention> Next, the flow of information processing (hereinafter referred to as information processing flow) executed in the information processing system S configured as described above will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. The information processing flow employs the information processing method of the present invention and is realized by using the information processing system S functioning as a computer system. In other words, each step in the information processing flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. Note that the information processing flow described below is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the order in which steps are performed may be changed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0065] [Information processing flow] First, a basic information processing flow related to the progress of the game will be described. This information processing flow starts when a player logs in to the game, and progresses, for example, along the flow shown in FIG.

[0066] 10, first, through communication with the player terminal 12 operated by the player, the server 10, which is a computer, acquires information based on an operation to select a quest and accepts the quest selection (S101), acquires information based on an operation to select a play style and accepts the selection of the play style (S102), acquires deck composition information based on a deck composition operation and accepts instructions regarding deck composition (S103), and then executes deck composition processing (S104). Details of the deck composition processing will be described later.

[0067] Then, when the deck to be used in quest play has been set in the deck organization process, that is, when it is determined that deck organization has been completed (S105: YES), the server 10 acquires information based on quest play operations through communication with the player terminal 12 operated by the player (S106), and starts quest play as a trigger (S107). Note that the specific processing and processing flow after quest play begins are well known, and therefore will not be described here. On the other hand, if the server 10 determines that the deck organization is not complete (S105: NO), it again acquires deck organization information based on the deck organization operation, accepts instructions regarding the deck organization (S103), and executes the deck organization process (S104).

[0068] When the quest ends, the server 10 determines whether the player has cleared the quest (S108), and if it determines that the player has met the clearing conditions and cleared the quest (S108: YES), it grants a clearing reward to the player (S109) and ends the processing. On the other hand, if the server 10 determines that the player has not met the clearing condition, that is, has not been able to clear the quest (S108: NO), it ends the process without awarding the clearing reward. The above is an example of the information processing flow of the present invention.

[0069] [Deck composition processing] Next, an example of the deck compilation process will be described with reference to FIG. The deck organization process is a process executed by the server 10 (mainly the deck organization unit 33 and the display control unit 32, etc.), and is a process executed in step S104 of the information processing flow. Specifically, it is a process executed before the start of quest play, and is a process of organizing a deck for the player to play the quest in accordance with deck organization information based on the deck organization operation by the player.

[0070] 11, first, the server 10, which is a computer, selects a current deck based on instructions included in the deck organization information (S201). Next, the server 10 determines whether the deck organization information includes instructions to use a history deck (S202). If the deck organization information does not include instructions to use a history deck, that is, if it determines that an instruction to use a history deck has not been accepted (S202: NO), the server 10 sets the current deck as the deck to be used for quest play (quest play deck) (S203), and ends the process.

[0071] On the other hand, if the deck organization information includes an instruction to use a history deck, that is, if the server 10 determines that it has received an instruction to use a history deck (S202: YES), it further determines whether to overwrite the current deck with the history deck based on the instruction included in the deck organization information (S204). If the server 10 determines that the current deck should be overwritten with the history deck (S204: YES), it sets the history deck as the deck to be used for quest play (quest play deck) (S205) and ends the process.

[0072] On the other hand, if the server 10 determines not to overwrite the history deck with the current deck (S204: NO), it selects at least one character from the characters included in the history deck (S206) and at least one pair of characters from the characters included in the current deck (S207). For example, four characters set in the first slot are selected from the history deck, and one character set in the second slot is selected from the current deck. Alternatively, two characters set in the first slot are selected from the history deck, and two characters set in the first slot and one character set in the second slot are selected from the current deck. At this time, if the history deck contains multiple characters, characters that have a predetermined relationship with the characters included in the current deck are selected with priority. Furthermore, if the current deck contains a character corresponding to a character included in the history deck, characters with high parameters, characters whose parameters have been updated since a predetermined time point, characters newly acquired by the player since a predetermined time point, characters frequently used within a predetermined period, etc. are selected with priority.

[0073] The server 10 then creates a recommended deck including the character selected from the history deck and the character selected from the current deck (S208), and presents the recommended deck to the player by displaying information indicating the contents of the created recommended deck on the player terminal 12 through communication with the player terminal 12 operated by the player (S209). Specifically, deck organization screens G1 to G3 and the like as shown in Figures 2 to 4 are displayed on the player terminal 12.

[0074] Then, through communication with the player terminal 12 operated by the player, the server 10 acquires deck composition information based on the deck composition operation, specifically, information regarding whether or not to permit the use of a recommended deck, and receives instructions regarding deck composition (S210), and determines whether or not to use the recommended deck in quest play based on the instructions included in the deck composition information (S211). If the deck composition information includes instructions to use the recommended deck, that is, if the server 10 determines that an instruction to use the recommended deck has been received (S211: YES), the server 10 sets the recommended deck as the deck to be used in quest play (deck for quest play) (S212), and ends the process. On the other hand, if the deck composition information does not include instructions to use the recommended deck, i.e., if the server 10 determines that it has not received an instruction to use the recommended deck (S211: NO), it ends the processing without setting the deck (deck composition is not complete). The above is an example of the deck compilation process.

[0075] <Other embodiments> Up to this point, we have explained the information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention using specific examples, but the above embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and other embodiments may also be considered.

[0076] In the above 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 to this, and some of the functions of the server 10 may be provided in the player terminal 12. For example, some or all of the functions of the deck compilation unit 33 or the game progression unit 34 may be provided in the player terminal 12.

[0077] In the above embodiment, player information, etc. is stored in a server computer (i.e., server 10) for distributing game data, but it is also possible to provide a separate database server (not shown) and store all the information in that database server, or to store the information on the player terminal 12 side.

[0078] In the above embodiment, a quest in which a player controls a character to fight enemy characters is given as an example of a game. However, the content of the game is not limited to this, and any game in which a deck (team or group) is organized and played may be used. For example, the game may be a fighting game, a sports game, a shooting game, a racing game, a puzzle game, a card game, a board game, a role-playing game, or a simulation game. The game may be an individual game or a team game. The game may be one in which humans compete against each other as players, or one in which a human competes against a computer (e.g., AI or a robot).

[0079] In the above embodiment, players can generally enjoy all functions free of charge, but some functions may be limited and players may be able to use these limited functions by paying a predetermined fee. Furthermore, various conditions may be set for players who have paid a predetermined fee to give them an advantage in playing the game. This fee may be a pay-as-you-go system, or a one-time payment may be valid for the player for a certain period of time (e.g., one month or one year) (subscription).

[0080] <Summary> The main features of the information processing device, information processing method, and program according to the above-described embodiment are as follows.

[0081] [1] The information processing device of this embodiment has a reception unit that receives instructions from a player regarding deck composition in a game in which a deck including multiple game media is composed and played, and a presentation unit that, when receiving an instruction from the player to use a historical deck that the player previously composed as a deck for playing the game, presents a recommended deck based on the game media included in the current deck currently selected by the player and the game media included in the historical deck. According to the information processing device described above, by presenting recommended decks, it is possible to reduce the effort required for the player to compile a deck, and it is also possible to meet the needs of players who want to compile a deck suited to quest play by reflecting information on not only historical decks but also current decks, thereby improving convenience for players and increasing the player's satisfaction with gameplay.

[0082] [2] In the above information processing device, the presentation unit presents a recommended deck including at least one game medium selected from the current deck and at least one game medium selected from the history deck. This allows the recommended deck to contain a good balance of game content contained in the current deck and game content contained in the history deck, thereby better meeting the needs of players who want to organize decks suited to quest play by reflecting information from not only the history deck but also the current deck, thereby further increasing player convenience and improving player gameplay satisfaction.

[0083] [3] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the deck includes a first slot and a second slot to which a game medium can be assigned, and when a predetermined condition is met, the presentation unit presents a recommended deck including the game medium set in the first slot of the history deck and the game medium set in the second slot of the current deck. This allows the recommended deck to contain a good balance of game content from the current deck and game content from the history deck in the first and second slots, better meeting the needs of players who want to organize decks suited to quest play by reflecting information from not only the history deck but also the current deck, thereby further increasing convenience for players and further improving the player's gameplay satisfaction.

[0084] [4] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the second slot is a slot in which a game can be played without setting a game medium, and when a game medium is not set in the second slot of the history deck, the presentation unit presents a recommended deck including the game medium set in the first slot of the history deck and the game medium set in the second slot of the current deck. This allows players to create decks that are suitable for quest play by reflecting information from not only the historical deck but also the current deck, even when using a history deck that does not have game content set in the second slot, and thus further meets the needs of players who want to organize decks that are suitable for quest play by reflecting information from not only the history deck but also the current deck, and eliminates the worry of forgetting to set game content in the second slot. This further enhances player convenience and further improves the player's gameplay satisfaction.

[0085] [5] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the presentation unit presents a recommended deck including a predetermined game medium included in the current deck and a game medium that has a predetermined relationship with the predetermined game medium among multiple game media included in one or more history decks. This means that the recommended deck will include game media that are more advantageous to the player, which better meets the player's needs to organize a deck that is suitable for quest play by reflecting information from not only historical decks but also current decks, and also eliminates the need for the player to take the time to research or consider the relationships between game media. This further increases convenience for players and further improves the player's gameplay satisfaction.

[0086] [6] In the above information processing device, when a second game medium corresponding to a first game medium included in the history deck is included in the current deck, the presentation unit presents a recommended deck that does not include the first game medium but includes the second game medium. This allows new game content included in the current deck to be included preferentially in the recommended deck, which better meets the needs of players who want to organize decks suited to quest play by reflecting information from not only historical decks but also current decks, and makes it easier for players to use new game content they want to strengthen. This further enhances player convenience and further improves the player's gameplay satisfaction.

[0087] [7] In the above-mentioned information processing device, when a second game medium corresponding to a first game medium included in the history deck is included in the current deck and the parameters of the second game medium are higher than the parameters of the first game medium, the presentation unit presents a recommended deck that does not include the first game medium but includes the second game medium. This means that the recommended deck will include game media that are more advantageous to the player, which better meets the player's needs to organize a deck that is suitable for quest play by reflecting information from not only historical decks but also current decks, and the player does not need to take the time to research or consider the parameters of the game media. This further increases convenience for players and further improves the player's gameplay satisfaction.

[0088] [8] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the history deck is a deck based on the play history at a predetermined point in time, and the presentation unit presents a recommended deck that includes game media currently included in the deck and whose parameters have been updated after the predetermined point in time. This allows the recommended deck to preferentially include game media whose parameters have been updated since a certain point in time, thereby better meeting the needs of players who want to organize decks suited to quest play by reflecting information from not only historical decks but also current decks, and also eliminates the need for players to bother researching or carefully considering the parameters of game media, thereby further increasing convenience for players and further improving the player's gameplay satisfaction.

[0089] [9] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the history deck is a deck based on the play history at a predetermined time, and the presentation unit presents a recommended deck including game media currently included in the deck, which the player did not own at the predetermined time, and which the player acquired after the predetermined time. This means that newly acquired game media included in the current deck will be given priority in the recommended deck, which better meets the needs of players who want to organize decks suited to quest play by reflecting information from not only historical decks but also current decks, and the use of new game media allows players to enjoy a slightly different game development than before, thereby further increasing convenience for players and further improving their gameplay satisfaction.

[0090]

[10] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the history deck is a deck based on the play history at a predetermined point in time, and the presentation unit presents a recommended deck including game media that are currently included in the deck and are determined based on the frequency of use of the game media in games during a predetermined period after the predetermined point in time. This means that the recommended deck will prioritize the inclusion of frequently used game media, which better meets the needs of players who want to organize decks suited to quest play by reflecting information from not only historical decks but also current decks, and allows players to enjoy the game using game media that are easy to use and preferred for them. This further enhances convenience for players and further improves the player's satisfaction with game play.

[0091]

[11] Furthermore, according to the information processing method of this embodiment, in a game in which a deck including multiple game media is organized and played, when a computer receives instructions from a player regarding the organization of the deck and receives instructions from the player to use a historical deck previously organized by the player as the deck for playing the game, the computer presents a recommended deck based on the game media included in the current deck currently selected by the player and the game media included in the historical deck. According to the information processing method described above, by presenting recommended decks, it is possible to reduce the effort required for the player to assemble a deck, and it is also possible to meet the needs of players who want to assemble a deck suited to quest play by reflecting information on not only historical decks but also current decks, thereby improving convenience for players and increasing the player's satisfaction with gameplay.

[0092]

[12] Furthermore, according to the program of this embodiment, in a game in which a deck including multiple game media is organized and played, the computer receives instructions from a player regarding the organization of the deck, and when the computer receives an instruction from the player to use a historical deck previously organized by the player as the deck for playing the game, the computer presents a recommended deck based on the game media included in the current deck currently selected by the player and the game media included in the historical deck. According to the program, by presenting recommended decks, the time and effort required for the player to assemble a deck can be reduced, and the player's needs for a deck suited to quest play can be met by reflecting information on not only historical decks but also current decks, thereby improving convenience for the player and enhancing the player's satisfaction with gameplay. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 10 Servers 12 Player terminal 14 Network 21 processors 22 Memory 23 Communication Interface 24 Storage 25 Bus 30 Storage section 31 Information Acquisition Department 32 Display control unit 33 Deck Organization Section 34 Game Progression Section 35 Parameter change section 36 Reward Division 50 Current deck display area 51 First frame display area 52 Second frame display area 53 Formation button 54 Deployment Button 55 History selection button 60 History deck display area 61 First frame display area 62 Second frame display area 63 History Confirmation Button 70 Recommended deck display area 71 First frame display area 72 Second frame display area 73 Sortie Button G1 Deck Creation Screen G2 Deck Creation Screen G3 Deck Creation Screen S Information Processing System

Claims

[Claim 1] In games where players create decks containing multiple game media, a reception unit that receives instructions from a player regarding deck organization; a presentation unit that, when receiving an instruction from a player to use a history deck that the player has previously organized as a deck for playing a game, presents a recommended deck based on game contents included in a current deck currently selected by the player and game contents included in the history deck; Information processing device.

Images