Entertainment system, entertainment method, and entertainment program

Abstract

To provide a new technique for allowing a user to become the character of a story and enjoy the story while creating it with AI.SOLUTION: An entertainment system 0 comprises a reception section, a transmission section, and a display processing section. The reception section receives input of words from a player via a player terminal. The transmission section transmits input and parameters of nonplayer characters to a generation device, and allows the generation device to generate a response to the nonplayer character corresponding to the development of a story. The display processing section performs displays and processes a response based on the generation result.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an entertainment system, an entertainment method, and an entertainment program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is technology to have conversations with robots (AI).

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique that enables a robot to share the content of a conversation with a user with other users. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-183261 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The role that users want AI to play varies from user to user. Some users want to become a character in a story and have AI play the role of the character's conversation partner and progress the story. However, while the technology in Patent Document 1 allows users to have conversations with AI, it does not allow the AI ​​to progress the story.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances described above, and aims to solve the problem of providing a new technology that allows users to become characters in a story and enjoy co-creating the story with AI. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] An entertainment system in which a story unfolds between players and non-player characters, the entertainment system includes a reception unit, a transmission unit, and a display processing unit; the receiving unit receives a word input from the player via a player terminal; the transmitting unit transmits the input and parameters of the non-player characters to a generation device, and causes the generation device to generate responses of the non-player characters corresponding to the development of the story; the display processing unit processes a display of a response based on the generation result. Entertainment system.

[0008]

[10] An entertainment method executed by an entertainment system that develops a story between a player and a non-player character, the entertainment system includes a reception unit, a transmission unit, and a display processing unit; the receiving unit receiving a word input from the player via a player terminal; the transmitting unit transmitting the input and parameters of the non-player characters to a generation device and causing the generation device to generate responses of the non-player characters corresponding to the development of the story; and a step in which the display processing unit displays a response based on the generated result. Entertainment method.

[0009]

[11] An entertainment program that develops a story between players and non-player characters, A computer is configured to function as a reception unit, a transmission unit, and a display processing unit; the receiving unit receives a word input from the player via a player terminal; the transmitting unit transmits the input and parameters of the non-player characters to the generation device, and causes the generation device to generate responses of the non-player characters corresponding to the development of the story; the display processing unit processes a display of a response based on the generation result. Entertainment program.

[0010] This configuration allows the player (user) to input words as a character in the story, and the player can become a character in the story and enjoy co-creating the story with non-player characters (such as AI (Artificial Intelligence)).

[0011] [2] The generating device includes a parameter calculation unit, an expansion determination unit, and a response generating unit; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player character based on the input; the deployment determination unit determines the deployment based on the parameters; the response generation unit generates a response for the non-player character based on the input. [1] The entertainment system according to [1].

[0012] With this structure, the story development is determined by the parameters, allowing the player to let the AI ​​take charge of the story's progression.

[0013] [3] The entertainment system includes a storage unit, The storage unit stores the image data in association with the expansion; The display processing unit processes the image data for display based on the determination. [1] or [2]. An entertainment system according to [1] or [2].

[0014] This type of structure allows the player to visually enjoy the development of the story through images.

[0015] [4] the receiving unit receives input of words from the plurality of players via player terminals; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player characters for each of the plurality of players based on inputs from the plurality of players; the development determination unit determines the development based on parameters for each of the plurality of players. [2] or [3]. An entertainment system according to [2] or [3].

[0016] This structure allows multiple players to enjoy co-creating the story at the same time.

[0017] [5] The entertainment system includes a creation unit, the receiving unit receives a word input from the player a plurality of times; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player character based on the input each time the input is received; the expansion determination unit determines the expansion based on the parameter each time the parameter is calculated; the response generation unit generates a response for the non-player character based on the input each time the input is received; the creation unit creates a series of stories based on the determined development and the generated responses and stores the stories in a storage unit. An entertainment system according to any one of [2] to [4].

[0018] By configuring it in this way, players can enjoy the series of stories they have created as media (manga, webtoon, comic, picture book) consisting of words (text or audio) and pictures (images).

[0019] [6] The entertainment system includes a selection unit, the display processing unit processes the display of a selection command for the player to select via the player terminal; the selection unit accepts a selection command from the player; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player character based on the input and selection; An entertainment system according to any one of [2] to [5].

[0020] With this configuration, the player can progress through the story by selecting selection commands instead of inputting words.

[0021] [7] The entertainment system includes a selection unit and a determination unit, the display processing unit processes display of selection commands for selection by the plurality of players; the selection unit accepts a selection command from the plurality of players; The determination unit determines each of the received selection commands, the development determination unit determines the development of the story based on the determination. An entertainment system according to any one of [2] to [6].

[0022] By configuring it in this way, if multiple players agree, they can have the characters in the story perform the same actions.

[0023] [8] The entertainment system includes an image generation unit, the image generation unit generates a story development image based on the parameters of the non-player characters; The entertainment system according to any one of [1] to [7].

[0024] This configuration makes it possible to generate images that are suited to the development of a story determined by the parameters.

[0025] [9] The display processing unit displays the parameters and the response on the same screen. An entertainment system according to any one of [1] to [8].

[0026] This configuration allows the player to consider their own input while viewing the parameters and responses of the non-player characters. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, a new technology can be provided that allows users to become characters in a story and enjoy co-creating the story with AI. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an entertainment system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functional components in the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 shows an example of a data configuration stored in a storage unit in this embodiment. [Figure 5] 3 shows an example of a data configuration stored in a storage unit in this embodiment. [Figure 6] 3 shows an example of a data configuration stored in a storage unit in this embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic image diagram of an entertainment system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 shows an example of transition of screen displays displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 shows an example of a screen display displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 shows an example of a screen display displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 shows an example of a screen display displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 shows an example of a screen display displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart of a process related to playing a story in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The entertainment system of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown, although the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0030] For example, although the configuration, operation, etc. of the entertainment system are described in this embodiment, similar effects can be achieved by the executed method (steps), device, computer program, etc. The program in this embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or the program may be started on an external computer to implement its functions on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0031] In addition, in this embodiment, the term "unit" may include, for example, a combination of hardware resources implemented by a circuit in the broad sense and software information processing that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In this embodiment, "information" is represented by, for example, the physical value of a signal value representing voltage or current, the high or low value of a signal value as a binary bit set consisting of 0 or 1, or quantum superposition (so-called quantum bits), and communication and calculation can be performed on a circuit in the broad sense.

[0032] A circuit in the broad sense is a circuit realized by appropriately combining a circuit, circuitry, processor, memory, etc. That is, it includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), etc.

[0033] <System Overview> Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an entertainment system in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the entertainment system 0 comprises an entertainment device 1, a player terminal 2, and a generation device 3. The entertainment device 1 is configured to be able to communicate with the player terminal 2 and the generation device 3 via a network NW. The entertainment device 1 operates as a server, and the player terminal 2 operates as a client terminal.

[0034] In this embodiment, the network NW is an IP (Internet Protocol) network, but there is no limitation on the type of communication protocol, and there is also no limitation on the type and scale of the network.

[0035] The entertainment device 1 receives input from a player (user) via a player terminal 2. The entertainment device 1 transmits the input received from the player and information to be stored in a memory unit to a generation device 3. The entertainment device 1 may determine the development of the story or generate responses from NPCs (non-player characters) based on the input received from the player.

[0036] A general-purpose server computer, a personal computer, etc. can be used as the entertainment device 1. It is also possible to configure the entertainment device 1 using a plurality of computers.

[0037] The player terminal 2 is a terminal that allows the player to control characters in the story as their own avatar. The player inputs the lines and facial expressions of the characters in the story via the player terminal 2. By making such inputs, the player can become a character in the story and experience (play) that story. Furthermore, by playing a story, the user can create their own original story.

[0038] The player terminal 2 can be a terminal device such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. There may be one or more player terminals 2. Furthermore, one player may use one player terminal, or multiple players may use one player terminal.

[0039] Based on the information received from the entertainment device 1, the generation device 3 calculates the parameters of the NPC, determines the development of the story, generates responses from the NPC, and so on.

[0040] The generation device 3 may be a server device that provides a natural language processing (NLP) model. The generation device 3 is preferably a server device that provides a large-scale language model (LLM). The natural language processing model is used to process data input as a natural language using a computer. In this embodiment, the type of natural language processing model employed is not limited, but examples include ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer).

[0041] A server device that provides a response generation model and / or an image generation model can be used as the generation device 3. The response generation model and / or the image generation model is a machine learning model such as a neural network, and it is considered that the response of an NPC in a story and an unfolding image are generated based on the information received by the generation device 3. A general-purpose server computer or a personal computer can also be used as the generation device 3. It is also possible to configure the generation device 3 using multiple devices.

[0042] In this invention, the number of players varies depending on the story prepared in advance (stored in the memory unit). The number of non-player characters (NPCs) also varies depending on the story prepared in advance. NPCs are AI, and players become characters in the story and can enjoy co-creating the story with the AI.

[0043] The Entertainment System 0 changes the parameters of the NPC based on the player's input. As will be explained in more detail later, the Entertainment System 0 changes the NPC's parameters regarding the player (such as how well the NPC likes the player) and parameters related to the NPC's own emotions (such as fear or distrust of others).

[0044] The entertainment system 0 then determines how the story will unfold based on the NPC parameters. The story unfolding includes the ending of the story, the middle of the story (other than the ending), etc. The user inputs words and the like as a character in the story, and the entertainment system 0 determines how the story will unfold, allowing the user to experience the story and even create their own original story.

[0045] In this embodiment, a mode in which there are two players will be described. However, in the present invention, the number of players may be one or three or more. Also, in this embodiment, a mode in which there is one NPC will be described. However, in the present invention, the number of NPCs may be two or more.

[0046] This invention allows multiple players to enjoy a story simultaneously. For example, it is possible to have AI act as the facilitator of a TRPG (Tabletop Role-Playing Game), which requires a facilitator, allowing players to become characters in the story and enjoy the story.

[0047] In addition, by distributing an AI among multiple players, players can enjoy a mystery-based story in which they must find the AI ​​among the other players. In this invention, by assigning the AI ​​various roles in the story (such as progression), players can become characters in the story and enjoy the story.

[0048] <Hardware configuration> Fig. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram. As shown in Fig. 2(a), the information processing device 10 (the entertainment device 1 and the generation device 3) has a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, and a communication unit 103, which are used to perform the functions of each unit and each process.

[0049] The control unit 101 includes one or more processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls the overall operation and processing of the information processing device 10 by executing the entertainment program of the present invention, an OS (Operating System), browser software, and other applications.

[0050] The storage unit 102 is a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc., and stores the entertainment program according to the present invention and data used when the control unit 101 executes processing based on the program. The control unit 101 executes processing based on the entertainment program stored in the storage unit 102, thereby realizing the functional configuration described below.

[0051] The communication unit 103 controls communication with the network NW, and performs inputs required to operate the information processing device 10 and outputs related to the operation results.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 2(b), the terminal device 9 (player terminal 2) has a control unit 91, a storage unit 92, a communication unit 93, an input unit 94, and an output unit 95, which are used to perform the functions of each unit and each process.

[0053] The control unit 91 of the terminal device 9 includes one or more processors such as a CPU, and controls the overall operation and processing of the terminal device 9. The storage unit 92 of the terminal device 9 is an HDD, SSD, ROM, RAM, or the like, and stores the above-mentioned applications and data used when the control unit 91 executes processing based on a program.

[0054] A communication unit 93 of the terminal device 9 controls communication with the network NW. An input unit 94 of the terminal device 9 is a mouse, keyboard, etc., and inputs operation requests from the user / provider to the control unit 91. An output unit 95 of the terminal device 9 is a display, etc., and displays the results of processing by the control unit 91, etc.

[0055] <Using a trained model> When the generation device 3 is a server device that provides a natural language processing model such as a large-scale language model (for example, a response generation model and / or an image generation model), the model may be trained in advance. The trained model may be a model trained using information on the data structure described below.

[0056] The transmission unit 13, which will be described later, transmits the words input received from the player and the NPC parameters to the generation device 3, causing the generation device 3 to generate a response from the NPC corresponding to the development of the story. The NPC parameters transmitted by the transmission unit 13 are parameters of the NPC during the progress of the story (parameters relating to the NPC's own emotions such as confusion, fear, joy, sadness, anger, guilt, distrust of people, etc.; parameters of the NPC towards the player such as liking for the player, suspicion, etc.; parameters relating to the NPC's own physical strength (life), etc.).

[0057] The generation device 3 calculates new parameters for the NPC based on input from the player. The generation device 3 also determines future story developments based on the calculated parameters. Furthermore, the generation device 3 generates responses from the NPC based on input from the player.

[0058] <Functional components> As shown in FIG. 3, the entertainment device 1 includes a reception unit 11, a display processing unit 12, a transmission unit 13, a creation unit 14, an encounter development aggregation unit 15, an initial parameter determination unit 16, a selection unit 17, and a time limit calculation unit 18.

[0059] Moreover, in this embodiment, the generation device 3 includes a parameter calculation unit 31, an expansion determination unit 32, a judgment unit 33, a response generation unit 34, a transmission unit 35, and an image generation unit 36. When the generation device 3 is a server device that provides a natural language processing model (e.g., a response generation model and / or an image generation model), the natural language processing model performs the processing of these functional components.

[0060] The arrangement of these functional components is an example, and some of the functional components of the entertainment apparatus 1 may be arranged in the player terminal 2, the generation device 3, and one or more devices configured to be able to communicate with the entertainment apparatus 1. Similarly, some of the functional components of the generation device 3 may be arranged in one or more devices configured to be able to communicate with the entertainment apparatus 1, the player terminal 2, and the generation device 3.

[0061] <Data structure> 4 to 6 show examples of data configurations stored in the storage unit in this embodiment. The storage unit of the entertainment device 1 stores story information, ending development information, facial expression command information, branching development information, player information, NPC setting information, and action command information.

[0062] Story information is information about the story that the player can experience (play) as a character. Story information includes information such as that shown in Figure 4(a) and is managed by a story ID for each story. Story information includes the number of players playing the story simultaneously, the number of NPCs appearing in the story, and the play time required to play the story.

[0063] The story information also includes the genre, situation, setting, etc. of the story. The story information also includes the number of player inputs from the player. The number of player inputs is the total number of words input by the player until the player finishes playing the story, and the story reaches its ending after receiving the number of player inputs.

[0064] For example, in Story ID: ST1, if two players input a total of eight words, the story will reach its ending. Since there are two players in Story ID: ST1, it is conceivable that the ending will be reached if each player inputs four words.

[0065] The ending development information is information for determining the development of the ending of the story, and includes conditions (development parameters) for determining the development of the ending. The ending development information includes information such as that shown in Figure 4(b) and is managed by a development ID.

[0066] As shown in Figure 4(b), the memory unit stores multiple types of endings linked to different development parameters, making it possible to determine the development of the story based on the NPC parameters and development parameters.

[0067] Ending development video is video (images, videos, etc.) related to the development of the ending of the story. If the ending development video is image data, the file format may be JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), PNG (Portable Network Graphics), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), etc., and there is no specification for the format. If the ending development video is video data, the file format may be MP4, MOV, etc., and there is no specification for the format.

[0068] The ending development explanation is an explanation of the development (scene) of the ending. By linking each ending development to an ending development explanation, the player can check the explanation of that ending.

[0069] By including a story ID in the ending development information, it is possible to manage which story the development relates to. Also, by including an END flag in the ending development information, it is possible to distinguish it from developments in the middle of the story (other than endings).

[0070] The facial expression command information is information about the facial expressions of the characters who are the player's alter egos, and includes facial expression command images that are images for changing the facial expressions of the characters. By inputting facial expression commands via the player terminal 2, the player can change the facial expressions of the characters who appear in the story.

[0071] The facial command information includes information such as that shown in Figure 4(c) and is managed by a facial command ID. If the facial command video is image data, the file format is JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc., and there is no specification for the format. If the facial command video is video data, the file format is MP4, MOV, etc., and there is no specification for the format.

[0072] Furthermore, the facial expression command information includes a facial expression command explanation that explains the facial expression. By associating a facial expression command explanation with each facial expression command video, the player can confirm the explanation of the facial expression command.

[0073] Possible facial expressions for characters include a "normal" expression, an angry "angry" expression, a crying "crying" expression, a laughing "laughing" expression, an "inspired" expression when a brilliant idea has come to mind, an impatient "anxious" expression, a bewildered "confused" expression, and a resigned "resigned" expression. Other possible expressions include a "panic" expression when in a panic, a "confused" expression when confused, an "amazed" expression when amazed, a "still" expression when unable to say anything back, a "true" expression when someone has hit the nail on the head, and a "sigh" expression when there is nothing that can be done.

[0074] The branching development information is information for determining the development of a story midway, and includes conditions (development parameters) for determining the development midway. The branching development information includes information such as that shown in Figure 5(d) and is managed by a development ID.

[0075] Branching development video is video (images, videos, etc.) related to the development of a story midway. If the branching development video is image data, the file format can be JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc., and there is no specification for the format. If the branching development video is video data, the file format can be MP4, MOV, etc., and there is no specification for the format.

[0076] The branching development explanation is an explanation of the development (scene). By linking each development in the story with a branching development explanation, the player can check the explanation of the development of that branch. Furthermore, by transmitting the branching development explanation to the generation device 3, the generation device 3 can generate a response from the NPC based on the branching development explanation and the NPC parameters.

[0077] By including a story ID in the branch development information, it is possible to manage which story the development relates to. Also, by including an END flag in the branch development information, it is possible to distinguish the development from the ending of the story.

[0078] Player information includes the number of encounters the player has had so far and media related to the story the player has created so far, and is managed by player ID.

[0079] The number of encounters is information about the number of times a scene has been encountered by the player as a character in the story while playing the story. The number of encounters can be thought of as the number of times the player has encountered that scene while creating the story, as shown in Figure 5(e).

[0080] Media is information that allows players to view stories they have created up to now. Media may be stored in the storage unit as video (images, videos, etc.) files, or may store URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) for viewing the videos or paths (storage locations) to the video files.

[0081] NPC setting information is information about the settings of NPCs at the start of a story. NPC setting information includes information such as that shown in Figure 6(f) and is managed by an NPC setting ID. NPC setting information includes the (initial) parameters of the NPC at the start of the story, the story ID, the appearance probability, and the NPC's background setting.

[0082] The initial parameters are not the NPC's parameters for the player (such as how fond they are of the player), but rather parameters related to the NPC's own emotions. For example, emotional parameters related to confusion, fear, joy, sadness, anger, guilt, and distrust of people are possible.

[0083] By including a story ID in the NPC setting information, it is possible to manage which story the NPC setting information is set to. Also, by including an appearance probability in the NPC setting information, it is possible to manage the appearance probability of the NPC setting information at the start of the story.

[0084] The action command information is information about the selection (action) commands that the player can select. The action command information includes information such as that shown in Figure 6(g) and is managed by action command ID.

[0085] Furthermore, the action command information includes an action command explanation that explains the selected command. The action command explanation explains what action the character in the story will take if the player selects the selected command.

[0086] The placement of each piece of data is also an example, and some or all of the data stored in the memory unit of the entertainment device 1 may be placed on one or more devices configured to be able to communicate with the player terminal 2, the generation device 3, and the entertainment device 1.

[0087] <Overview> 7 is a schematic image diagram of the entertainment system according to this embodiment. Using this schematic image diagram, the creation of a story by two players in one session will be explained.

[0088] The player Pa inputs words (text or voice) via the player terminal 2a, and the player terminal 2a transmits the received words to the entertainment apparatus 1 and / or the player terminal 2b (see (A)).

[0089] The entertainment device 1 transmits the input (words and / or facial expressions) received via the player terminal 2a and the information stored in the memory unit (current NPC parameters during the progress of the story, development parameters for branching the story, etc.) to the generation device 3 (see (B)).

[0090] The generation device 3 changes the parameters of the NPC based on the input received from the entertainment device 1. Furthermore, the generation device 3 determines the development of the story based on the words received from the entertainment device 1 and / or the changed parameters of the NPC. Furthermore, the generation device 3 generates a response from the NPC based on the words received from the entertainment device 1 and / or the changed parameters of the NPC (see (C)).

[0091] The generating device 3 sends the changed parameters, the determined development and the generated response to the entertainment device 1 (see (D)).

[0092] The entertainment device 1 updates the current parameters of the NPC during the progress of the story to the parameters received from the generation device 3 (see (E)).

[0093] The entertainment device 1 transmits the development and response received from the generation device 3 to the player terminals 2a and 2b (see (F)).

[0094] The player Pb inputs words (text or voice) via the player terminal 2b, and the player terminal 2b transmits the received words to the entertainment apparatus 1 and / or the player terminal 2a (see (G)).

[0095] When there are two players in one story, one story is created by repeating the following sequence: (A) → (B) → (C) → (D) → (E) → (F) → (G) → (B) → (C) → (D) → (E) → (F). For example, if this sequence is repeated four times, the generation device 3 determines the ending as the development of the story at the eighth (C). In other words, if this sequence is repeated N times (N=1, 2, . . .), the generation device 3 determines the ending as the development of the story at the 2Nth (C).

[0096] If there are three or more players, a story is created in the same way. Also, if there is only one player, there is no player Pb or player terminal 2b, and the flow of (A) → (B) → (C) → (D) → (E) → (F) is repeated.

[0097] By creating a story in this way, it becomes possible to change the words that the player inputs each time, and even if the story setting is the same, it is possible to create and enjoy a story with different content each time (developments in the middle, developments at the end, words that the player inputs, etc.).

[0098] <Example of screen display for player (user) input> Fig. 8 shows an example of the transition of screen displays displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. Figs. 9 to 12 show examples of screen displays displayed on a player terminal in this embodiment. In Fig. 8, in response to inputs from the player, the screen displayed on the player terminal 2 transitions in the order F1 (Fig. 9) → F2 (Fig. 10) → F3 (Fig. 11) → F4 (Fig. 12).

[0099] In F1 (Figure 9), the NPC's lines W81 are displayed, indicating that it is Player Pa's turn (Player Pa's turn to input). By displaying prompts such as W88 to input text and W89 to select a character's facial expression, Player Pa can visually recognize what he or she should input.

[0100] In F2 (Figure 10), player Pa is inputting via his / her own player terminal. Specifically, player Pa inputs the lines W82 of a character (his / her alter ego) following the lines W81 of an NPC in characters (text).

[0101] Furthermore, the player Pa may be able to input facial expressions of the characters via his / her own player terminal 2a. For example, by displaying facial expression commands (facial expression command explanations W83 and / or facial expression command images W84) on the player terminal 2, the player can select and input facial expression commands and change the facial expressions of the characters.

[0102] Furthermore, like in F1, the NPC's parameters W85 at the time of the NPC's dialogue (response) W81 may be displayed. The NPC's parameters may be parameters relating to the character's emotions or feelings toward the player. In addition, parameters relating to the character's favorability and / or suspicion toward the player may also be displayed.

[0103] By displaying the NPC's parameters and responses on the same screen, players can view the NPC's parameters while thinking about what the character will say following the NPC's response.

[0104] In F3 (FIG. 11), a frame after player Pa has made an input is displayed. After player Pa has made an input, the display processing unit 12 displays a frame such as W94 based on the characters and facial expression input by player Pa. Also, in F3, it is displayed that the NPC is generating a reply after player Pa has made an input. Furthermore, the shape of speech bubble W95 may be different based on player Pa's input. The display processing unit 12 may generate a speech bubble based on player Pa's input.

[0105] In F4 (FIG. 12), the NPC's lines (response) W91 are displayed after player Pa has made an input via his / her player terminal 2a. The NPC's parameters W92 at the time of the NPC's lines W91 may also be displayed. Furthermore, like W92, information indicating how the NPC's parameters have changed based on the player's input (for example, the increase or decrease in the NPC's parameters) may also be displayed.

[0106] <Story Selection> 13 is a flowchart of the processing related to playing a story in this embodiment. In step S1001, the reception unit 11 receives a story to be played by a player via the player terminal 2. The player can select the story that he or she wants to play.

[0107] As shown in Figure 4(a), the story ID is linked to the number of players, number of NPCs, play time, genre, situation, story setting, and number of player inputs, so the player can select the story they want to play based on this information. For example, when the player selects a story, information linked to the story ID may be displayed. Also, the player may be able to input the genre, etc., and search for stories by genre, etc.

[0108] <Input acceptance> In step S1002, the reception unit 11 receives input from the player via the player terminal 2. The reception unit 11 receives input from the player while the story is progressing. The reception unit 11 receives input such as words (text or voice), facial expression commands, and selection (action) commands from the player.

[0109] When there are multiple players, the reception unit 11 receives inputs such as words from the multiple players. Also, in order to advance the story, the reception unit 11 receives word inputs from the players multiple times. There may be a limit to the number of characters of words that the reception unit 11 can receive from a player at one time. When a player inputs more characters than the limit, the reception unit 11 may receive only the words up to the character limit.

[0110] In step S1003, the display processing unit 12 performs display processing on the frame W86 in FIG. 10 based on the words and / or expression commands received by the reception unit 11. Specifically, the display processing unit 12 adjusts the words received by the reception unit 11 so that they fit within the speech bubble W87 in FIG. 10 and performs display processing on the frame W86.

[0111] Also, when the reception unit 11 receives an expression command, the display processing unit 12 may change the face of the character appearing in the frame W86 and perform display processing. Further, when a player attempts to input more characters than the limit, the display processing unit 12 may perform display processing to indicate that the number of characters of the word the player is attempting to input exceeds the limit.

[0112] In step S1004, the transmission unit 13 transmits the information received by the reception unit 11 via the player terminal 2 and the information stored in the storage unit to the generation device 3. The transmission unit 13 transmits to the generation device 3 the words from the player received via the player terminal 2, the current parameters of the NPCs during the progress of the story, the ending development information, etc.

[0113] Furthermore, the transmission unit 13 may transmit to the generation device 3 the number of player inputs associated with the story ID and the information indicating which time the word is being transmitted to the generation device 3. The transmission unit 13 may transmit the branch development information to the generation device 3. Also, the transmission unit 13 may transmit the information regarding the expression command received by the reception unit 11.

[0114] <Calculation of NPC Parameters> The parameter calculation unit 31 calculates the parameters of the NPC based on input from the player (information received from the transmission unit 13). For example, the parameter calculation unit 31 calculates parameters related to the NPC's own emotions, such as confusion, fear, joy, sadness, anger, guilt, and distrust of people. Each time the reception unit 11 receives input from the player, the parameter calculation unit 31 calculates the NPC's parameters based on the input.

[0115] When there are multiple players, the parameter calculation unit 31 calculates the parameters of the NPC based on inputs from the multiple players. The parameter calculation unit 31 calculates the parameters of the NPC for each of the multiple players based on inputs from the multiple players.

[0116] For example, the parameter calculation unit 31 calculates parameters related to the NPC's level of favorability and / or suspicion toward player Pa based on verbal input from player Pa. The parameter calculation unit 31 calculates parameters related to the NPC's level of favorability and / or suspicion toward player Pb based on verbal input from player Pb. The parameter calculation unit 31 calculates parameters related to the NPC's level of favorability and / or suspicion toward players Pa and Pb based on verbal input from players Pa and Pb.

[0117] <Decision on deployment> The development determination unit 32 determines the development based on the parameters of the NPC. The development determination unit 32 determines the development of the story (the development of the ending of the story and / or the development during the story) based on the parameters of the NPC calculated by the parameter calculation unit 31 (parameters related to the emotions of the NPC itself, etc.) and the development information (ending development information and / or branching development information) received from the transmission unit 13. Every time the parameter calculation unit 31 calculates a parameter, the development determination unit 32 determines the development based on the parameter.

[0118] When there are multiple players, the development determination unit 32 determines the development of the story based on parameters for each of the multiple players. For example, the development determination unit 32 determines the development based on parameters related to the NPC's favorability and / or suspicion toward the players Pa and / or Pb.

[0119] Furthermore, the development determination unit 32 may determine the development based on an input from the player. Specifically, the development determination unit 32 may determine the development based on a specific keyword included in the input from the player. For example, if the input from the player includes the keyword "rock-paper-scissors," the development determination unit 32 determines that the development will be one in which the player and the NPC play "rock-paper-scissors."

[0120] By storing a specific keyword associated with a deployment ID in the storage unit, the deployment can be determined based on the keyword included in the input from the player. When the deployment is determined based on the keyword included in the input from the player, the deployment determination unit 32 does not need to refer to the parameters of the NPC.

[0121] In step S1005, the determination unit 33 determines whether the story is nearing the end based on the number of player inputs received from the transmission unit 13. If the number of player inputs matches the number of times words are sent to the generation device 3, the determination unit 33 determines that the story is nearing the end. For example, for story ID: ST1, if words are sent to the generation device 3 for the eighth time, the determination unit 33 determines that the story is nearing the end.

[0122] When the judgment unit 33 judges that the story is at the end, the development determination unit 32 judges the calculated NPC parameters and the development parameters such as those shown in Figure 4(b), and if the NPC parameters satisfy the development parameters linked to the development ID, it determines that the development of the story's ending will be the development of that development ID.

[0123] If the judgment unit 33 determines that the story is not at the end, the development determination unit 32 judges the calculated NPC parameters and the development parameters such as those shown in Figure 5(d), and if the NPC parameters satisfy the development parameters linked to the development ID, it may decide that the development in the middle of the story will be the development of that development ID.

[0124] Since the ending development information includes an END flag of 1 and the branching development information includes an END flag of 0, it is possible to distinguish between the development at the end of the story and the development in the middle of the story.

[0125] <Generate a response> The response generation unit 34 generates a response (a line) of the NPC based on the input from the player (information received from the transmission unit 13). The response may be in the form of text or voice. Each time the response generation unit 34 receives an input from the player, it generates a response of the NPC based on the input.

[0126] The response generator 34 may generate a response from the NPC based on the NPC's parameters and / or the development description (ending development description or branching development description). By doing so, the response generator 34 can generate different responses even for developments with the same development ID, allowing the player to enjoy stories with different responses even when encountering the same development.

[0127] For example, if the favorability rating for player Pa and player Pb is 80 when branching to development ID: SC1, the reply generator 34 may generate a reply in which the NPC apologizes in a normal apologetic manner. On the other hand, if the favorability rating for player Pa and player Pb is 100, the reply generator 34 may generate a reply in which the NPC apologizes in a more apologetic manner than normal (when the favorability rating is 80). In other words, the development explanation may be something like a prompt that prompts the reply generator 34 to generate a reply.

[0128] In addition, the reply generator 34 may generate speech bubbles for the lines of the NPC. When the reply generator 34 generates speech bubbles for the lines of the NPC, the shape of the speech bubble may differ based on the parameters of the NPC.

[0129] <Receive information from the generator (if the story is not at the end)> If step S1005: NO, the transmission unit 35 transmits the parameters calculated by the parameter calculation unit 31 and the response generated by the response generation unit 34 to the entertainment apparatus 1. In step S1006, the reception unit 11 receives the parameters and the response transmitted by the transmission unit 35.

[0130] The transmitting unit 35 may further transmit the intermediate development of the story determined by the development determining unit 32 to the entertainment device 1. The receiving unit 11 may further receive the intermediate development of the story transmitted by the transmitting unit 35.

[0131] In step S1007, the reception unit 11 updates (stores in the storage unit) the received parameters as the current parameters of the NPC during the progress of the story.

[0132] <Displaying replies (if the story is not at the end)> In step S1008, the display processing unit 12 performs display processing of the reply accepted by the accepting unit 11. Specifically, the display processing unit 12 adjusts the accepted reply so that it fits within the speech bubble W93 in FIG. 11 and displays the frame.

[0133] For example, if the received reply contains a punctuation mark, the display processing unit 12 starts a line break after the punctuation mark and adjusts the frame to fit within the speech bubble, and displays the frame. Alternatively, if the received reply contains a period, the display processing unit 12 may break the received reply down to the period, adjust the broken replies to fit within one speech bubble, and display the frame using multiple speech bubbles.

[0134] In step S1008, the display processing unit 12 may perform display processing of the response received by the reception unit 11 and the ongoing development of the story. Specifically, the display processing unit 12 performs display processing based on the received response and branch development video (image data, etc.) linked to the development ID determined by the development determination unit 32.

[0135] The display processing unit 12 may display the parameters calculated by the parameter calculation unit 31 and the response generated by the response generation unit 34 on the same screen. Furthermore, the display processing unit 12 may display the facial expression command (facial expression command explanation and / or facial expression command video) together with the parameters and the response on the same screen.

[0136] <Receive information from the generator (if the story is nearing the end)> In step S1005, if the result is YES, the transmitting unit 35 transmits the response generated by the response generating unit 34 and the story ending development determined by the development determining unit 32 to the entertainment device 1. In step S1009, the receiving unit 11 receives the ending development and the response transmitted by the transmitting unit 35.

[0137] <Displaying replies (if the story is nearing the end)> In step S1010, the display processing unit 12 performs display processing of the response received by the receiving unit 11 and the development of the ending of the story. Specifically, the display processing unit 12 performs display processing based on the received response and the ending development video (image data, etc.) linked to the development ID determined by the development determination unit 32. The display processing unit 12 may adjust the received response to fit within the speech bubble and perform display processing of the frame.

[0138] <Media Creation> The creation unit 14 creates a series of stories based on the development determined by the development determination unit 32 and the responses generated by the response generation unit 34, and stores the stories in the storage unit. Specifically, the creation unit 14 creates media (manga, webtoon, comic, picture book) consisting of image data determined by the development determination unit 32 and characters generated by the response generation unit 34, and stores the media in the storage unit.

[0139] The creation unit 14 stores the created media in the storage unit, linked to the player ID, as shown in Figure 5(e). In this way, the player can later look back on the story he or she has experienced so far as a comic or the like.

[0140] <Count of deployments encountered> The encounter development counting unit 15 counts the number of developments that the player has encountered in the story that the player has played so far. The encounter development counting unit 15 stores the number of developments that the player has encountered as the number of encounters in the storage unit, linked to the player ID, as shown in FIG. 5(e).

[0141] <Generation of unfolded images> It is conceivable that the generation device 3 generates a part or all of the unfolding video. The image generation unit 36 ​​generates a part or all of the unfolding video of the story based on the response generated by the response generation unit 34.

[0142] Furthermore, if the storage unit stores unfolding images, the image generation unit 36 ​​may generate a portion of the image as the unfolding of the story and combine it with the unfolding images stored in the storage unit. If the storage unit does not store unfolding images, the image generation unit 36 ​​may generate images from scratch as the unfolding of the story.

[0143] The image generation unit 36 ​​may generate a story development image based on the NPC parameters and / or development description (ending development description or branching development description). By doing so, the response generation unit 34 can generate different development images even for developments with the same development ID, allowing the player to enjoy stories with different development images even when encountering the same development.

[0144] For example, if the favorability rating for players Pa and Pb is 80 when branching to deployment ID: SC1, the image generation unit 36 ​​may generate deployment video in which the NPC apologizes in a normal apologetic manner. On the other hand, if the favorability rating for players Pa and Pb is 100 when branching to deployment ID: SC1, the image generation unit 36 ​​may generate deployment video in which the NPC apologizes apologetically (more apologetically than normal) while kneeling. In other words, the deployment explanation may be something like a prompt that prompts the image generation unit 36 ​​to generate deployment video.

[0145] <Determining initial parameters> The initial parameter determination unit 16 determines the (initial) parameters of an NPC at the start of a story based on predetermined conditions (for example, randomly). As a player plays a story with the same story ID multiple times, the player may become aware of trends in the development of the story with that story ID and changes in NPC parameters. Therefore, it is necessary to assume that the player will play the same story multiple times and prevent the player from getting bored.

[0146] The initial parameter determination unit 16 may randomly determine the initial parameters of the NPC each time based on the NPC setting information as shown in Fig. 6(f). By linking the initial parameters to the probability of appearance of the parameters as shown in Fig. 6(f), the initial parameter determination unit 16 can determine different parameters as the parameters of the NPC at the start of the story.

[0147] The initial parameter determination unit 16 may also determine the initial parameters of an NPC based on player information. The player information includes basic information about the player (such as the player's age and gender). For example, the initial parameters of an NPC that allows the player to enjoy the story may differ depending on the player's age, etc.

[0148] Furthermore, the player information may include the results of a personality test on the player, the results of a questionnaire about the player's lifestyle, etc. For example, it is conceivable that the initial parameters of an NPC that allow the player to enjoy the story will differ depending on the player's personality, habits, etc. By having the initial parameter determination unit 16 determine the initial parameters of an NPC based on the player information, it is possible to determine the initial parameters of an NPC that will allow each player to enjoy the story more.

[0149] When the initial parameter determination unit 16 determines the initial parameters of an NPC, the display processing unit 12 may perform processing to display the background setting of the NPC linked to the NPC setting ID at the start of the story. By displaying the background setting of the NPC at the start of the story, the player can guess the initial parameters of the NPC, allowing the player to enjoy the story even more.

[0150] <Determine deployment using action (selection) commands> The display processing unit 12 may display selection commands for the player to select on the player terminal 2. By storing action command information such as that shown in Figure 6(g) in the storage unit in advance, the display processing unit 12 can display the selection commands.

[0151] The selection unit 17 may receive a selection command from the player to allow the player to make a selection. The player may be able to input a selection command instead of inputting words. The transmission unit 13 transmits information about the selection command received by the selection unit 17 to the generation device 3. The parameter calculation unit 31 may calculate parameters of the NPC based on the selection received by the selection unit 17.

[0152] The display processing unit 12 may also display selection commands for multiple players to select from. Specifically, the display processing unit 12 may simultaneously display the same selection command on each of the terminals of multiple players in a certain development. By linking a development ID to an action command ID as shown in FIG. 6(g), the display processing unit 12 can display the selection command in a specific development.

[0153] The selection unit 17 may accept selection commands from multiple players. The determination unit 33 determines each of the selection commands accepted from the multiple players. Specifically, the determination unit 33 determines whether the information on the selection commands accepted from the multiple players is the same.

[0154] If the information regarding the selection command received by the determination unit 33 from multiple players is the same, the development determination unit 32 determines the development of the story to be the development related to that selection command. For example, as shown in Figure 6(g), if the selection command "storm into the captain's cabin" is the same, the development will be such that multiple characters storm into the captain's cabin.

[0155] <Input time limit display> When a player inputs a word or the like, a time limit for input may be set. The display processing unit 12 performs processing to display the time limit for input for each player on the player terminal 2. The time limit for input may or may not be the same for each player.

[0156] The time limit calculation unit 18 calculates the time limit for input for each player. Specifically, the time limit calculation unit 18 calculates the time limit for input for each player based on the parameters of the NPC.

[0157] For example, the time limit calculation unit 18 may calculate a longer time limit for input for a player who is at a disadvantage in terms of NPC parameters, and may calculate a shorter time limit for input for a player who is at an advantage in terms of NPC parameters.

[0158] <Changing the appearance of characters> The reception unit 11 may receive requests for changes to the appearance (for example, hair, glasses, beard) of the character that is the player's alter ego, and store the changes in the storage unit in association with the player ID. By allowing the player to change the appearance of the character that is the player's alter ego, the player can enjoy the story even more.

[0159] As described above, the configuration of the present invention can provide a new technology that allows a user to become a character in a story and enjoy co-creating the story with AI. [Explanation of symbols]

[0160] 0 Entertainment System 1. Entertainment equipment 11 Reception 12 Display processing section 13 Transmitter 14 Creation Department 15 Encounter Deployment Tallying Unit 16 Initial parameter determination section 17 Selection section 18 Time Limit Calculation Unit 2 Player terminal 3 Generator NW Network

Claims

1. An entertainment system in which a story unfolds between players and non-player characters, the entertainment system includes a reception unit, a transmission unit, and a display processing unit; the receiving unit receives a word input from the player via a player terminal; the transmitting unit transmits the input and parameters of the non-player characters to a generation device, and causes the generation device to generate responses of the non-player characters corresponding to the development of the story; the display processing unit processes a display of a response based on the generation result. Entertainment system.

2. the generating device includes a parameter calculation unit, an expansion determination unit, and a response generating unit; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player character based on the input; the deployment determination unit determines the deployment based on the parameters; the response generation unit generates a response for the non-player character based on the input. The entertainment system of claim 1 .

3. the entertainment system comprises a storage unit; The storage unit stores the image data in association with the expansion; The display processing unit processes the image data for display based on the determination. The entertainment system of claim 2 .

4. the receiving unit receives input of words from the plurality of players via player terminals; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player characters for each of the plurality of players based on inputs from the plurality of players; the development determination unit determines the development based on parameters for each of the plurality of players. The entertainment system of claim 2 .

5. the entertainment system comprises a creation unit; the receiving unit receives a word input from the player a plurality of times; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player character based on the input each time the input is received; the expansion determination unit determines the expansion based on the parameter each time the parameter is calculated; the response generation unit generates a response for the non-player character based on the input each time the input is received; the creation unit creates a series of stories based on the determined development and the generated responses and stores the stories in a storage unit. The entertainment system of claim 2 .

6. The entertainment system comprises a selection unit, the display processing unit processes the display of a selection command for the player to select via the player terminal; the selection unit accepts a selection command from the player; the parameter calculation unit calculates parameters of the non-player character based on the input and selection; The entertainment system of claim 2 .

7. the entertainment system comprises a selection unit and a determination unit; the display processing unit processes display of selection commands for selection by the plurality of players; the selection unit accepts a selection command from the plurality of players; The determination unit determines each of the received selection commands, the development determination unit determines the development of the story based on the determination.

5. The entertainment system of claim 4.

8. the entertainment system comprises an image generation unit; the image generation unit generates a story development image based on the parameters of the non-player characters; The entertainment system of claim 2 .

9. the display processing unit processes and displays the parameters and the response on the same screen.

9. The entertainment system according to claim 1.

10. An entertainment method executed by an entertainment system that develops a story between a player and non-player characters, the entertainment system includes a reception unit, a transmission unit, and a display processing unit; the receiving unit receiving a word input from the player via a player terminal; the transmitting unit transmitting the input and parameters of the non-player characters to a generation device and causing the generation device to generate responses of the non-player characters corresponding to the development of the story; and a step in which the display processing unit displays a response based on the generated result. Entertainment method.

11. An entertainment program in which a story unfolds between players and non-player characters, A computer is configured to function as a reception unit, a transmission unit, and a display processing unit; the receiving unit receives a word input from the player via a player terminal; the transmitting unit transmits the input and parameters of the non-player characters to a generation device, and causes the generation device to generate responses of the non-player characters corresponding to the development of the story; the display processing unit processes a display of a response based on the generation result. Entertainment program.

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