Computer system, program, and server

Abstract

To enable each player to enjoy a story without a sense of incongruity even when playing the same scenario regardless of a different game progress degree of each player.SOLUTION: A computer system that controls execution of a game at a plurality of player terminals, the computer system comprising a storage unit that stores player information or game play information of the game executed at the plurality of player terminals, an acquisition unit that acquires the player information or the game play information from the storage unit, a setting adjustment unit that adjusts setting information of a game event executed at a player terminal on the basis of the player information or the game play information, and a transmission unit that transmits the setting information to the player terminal, setting information includes first setting information set in common among players and second setting information adjusted for each player on the basis of player information or game play information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to a computer system, a program, a server, and a game control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Games in which a player controls a game character are known. The game has a set objective, such as defeating an enemy character or reaching a target point. Achieving the objective may be easy for a player who is proficient in the controls, but may be difficult for a player who is unfamiliar with the controls.

[0003] Games have been proposed that can be enjoyed by players regardless of attributes such as age and gender (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, players are required to input attribute information such as age and gender before playing the game, and the difficulty level of the game is determined from a difficulty level table based on the input information, and the game progresses.

[0004] There are also known games in which a game character controlled by a player (hereinafter referred to as a "player character") can be developed or strengthened. For example, a player can develop the player character by playing the game according to a set scenario, or the player can strengthen the player character by acquiring strengthening items, experience points, etc. through an item acquisition part such as a so-called "gasha" or "gacha" (hereinafter referred to as "gasha"), independent of the scenario. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-170062 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The growth or strengthening of a player character is one of the elements that increases the interest of a game. Generally, by using a grown or strengthened character, a player can advance through a scenario with an advantage.

[0007] However, if the player character is over-strengthened in a game part independent of the scenario, a mismatch between the player character's strength and the game scenario may occur, such as when the player easily defeats a boss character. Similarly, when a new scenario is provided to a game, depending on the player's progress in the game, the player character may grow too much or, conversely, not grow enough, resulting in a mismatch between the player character's strength and the game scenario. Such a mismatch may reduce the enjoyment of the game.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a computer system, a program, a server, and a game control method that enable each player to enjoy the story without feeling uncomfortable even when playing the same scenario, regardless of the different stages of progress of each player in the game. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, a first aspect of the present invention is a computer system that controls the execution of a game on a plurality of player terminals, the computer system comprising: a memory unit that stores player information or game play information of players of a game executed on the plurality of player terminals; an acquisition unit that acquires, from the memory unit, player information or game play information of players of the game executed on the player terminals; a setting adjustment unit that adjusts setting information of a game event executed on the player terminals based on the player information or game play information; and a transmission unit that transmits setting information to the player terminals, wherein the setting information includes first setting information that is set in common among players and second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on the player information or game play information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a computer system adjusts setting information for a game event based on player information or game play information of a player and transmits the adjusted setting information to a player terminal. Here, the setting information includes first setting information that is set commonly among players and second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on the player information or game play information. The player terminal executes a game event according to a predetermined scenario using the setting information adjusted based on each player's player information or game play information. This allows each player to seamlessly enjoy the same scenario even if they are at different stages of game progress.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a technique that allows players to enjoy a story without feeling uncomfortable even when playing the same scenario, regardless of the different stages of progress of each player in the game. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a game system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a server according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a player terminal according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an episode management table according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a game progress management table according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a character table according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a game image according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the server according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a game play information management table according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an appearance pattern table according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing details of the setting information adjustment processing operation among the operations shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of adjusting setting information according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game image in a multiplayer mode according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, elements that are identical or similar to elements already described will be designated by the same or similar reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will generally be omitted. For example, when there are multiple identical or similar elements, a common reference numeral may be used to describe each element without distinguishing between them, or a subnumber may be used in addition to the common reference numeral to describe each element distinctly.

[0014] [One embodiment] (1) Composition (1-1) Game System FIG. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a game system 1 according to an embodiment. The game system 1 includes a plurality of player terminals 100A, 100B, 100C, etc. (hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to as "player terminals 100" without any distinction between them), and a server 200. Each player terminal 100 can communicate with the server 200 via a network NW. Any number of player terminals 100 can be connected to the server 200, but for simplicity, the detailed configuration of only one player terminal 100 will be illustrated and described here.

[0015] The network NW is, for example, the Internet, and may include access networks such as a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a mobile communication network, a wired telephone network, FTTH (Fiber To The Home), and a CATV (Cable Television) network.

[0016] The player terminal 100 is used by a player (also referred to as a "user") of a game. The player terminal 100 is, for example, a computer such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a notebook personal computer. The player terminal 100 may also be a stationary computer such as a desktop personal computer. The player terminal 100 may also be a dedicated game terminal suitable for game play. In the following, as an example, the player terminal 100 will be described as being a smartphone equipped with a touch screen.

[0017] The server 200 is an example of a server according to an embodiment, and is a computer operated and managed by, for example, a game developer. The server 200 may be a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer. For example, the server 200 receives player or player terminal identification information, player information, game play information, and various requests from the player terminals 100 via the network NW, and transmits programs, related data, and the like to the player terminals 100 via the network NW. The server 200 is capable of simultaneously transmitting and receiving information to and from a plurality of player terminals 100. The server 200 does not have to be a single device, but may be realized by a plurality of devices capable of mutual data communication.

[0018] In one embodiment, the game is realized as a so-called client-server network game. A computer system according to one embodiment includes at least a portion of the configuration of the game system 1 and controls execution of the game on the player terminals 100. The computer system according to one embodiment includes: a storage unit that stores player information or game play information of players of a game executed on a plurality of player terminals 100; an acquisition unit that acquires, from the storage unit, player information or game play information of players of the game executed on the player terminals 100; a setting adjustment unit that adjusts setting information of a game event that is executed on the player terminals 100 according to a predetermined scenario, based on the player information or game play information; and a transmission unit that transmits the setting information to the player terminals 100. The setting information includes first setting information that is set in common among players and second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on the player information or game play information.

[0019] Here, the program for realizing the network game is sometimes called a "game program" to distinguish it from a program for realizing general computer functions. Game programs include game programs for the server 200 and game programs for the player terminals 100. When simply referring to a program, this can include both general programs and game programs.

[0020] (1-2) Hardware configuration (1-2-1) Server As shown in FIG. 1, the server 200 includes, as hardware, a processor 2001, a memory 2002, a storage 2003, a communication interface (communication I / F) 2004, and an input / output interface (input / output I / F) 2005, which are electrically connected to each other via a bus 2006.

[0021] The processor 2001 controls the overall operation of the server 200. The processor 2001 includes, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), or a graphics processing unit (GPU). The processor 2001 is not limited to a general-purpose processor, and may be a dedicated processor such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The memory 2002 is a main storage device and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage 2003 is an auxiliary storage device and includes a nonvolatile storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The storage 2003 stores programs executed by the processor 2001, setting data required for executing the programs, etc. Part of the programs may be stored in a ROM.

[0022] The processor 2001 can implement the processing functions described below by reading a program from the storage 2003, loading it into the memory 2002, and interpreting and executing the loaded program.

[0023] The communication interface (communication I / F) 2004 is a module for communicating with external devices such as the player terminal 100 via the network NW, and includes a signal processing circuit for transmission and reception, an optical connector, etc. The communication interface 2004 may include, for example, an optical communication module.

[0024] An input / output interface (input / output I / F) 2005 takes in operation data input by an operator via input devices such as a keyboard or mouse, and outputs output data to output devices such as a liquid crystal or organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display or speaker.

[0025] (1-2-2) Player terminal As shown in FIG. 1, the player terminal 100 includes, as hardware, a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a storage 1003, a sensor 1004, a communication interface (communication I / F) 1005, an input / output interface (input / output I / F) 1006, and a touch screen 1007, which are electrically connected to each other via a bus 1008.

[0026] The processor 1001 controls the overall operation of the player terminal 100. The processor 1001 includes, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, an MPU, or a GPU. The processor 1001 is also not limited to a general-purpose processor, and may be a dedicated processor such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The memory 1002 is a main storage device and includes a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The storage 1003 is an auxiliary storage device and includes an internal or external semiconductor memory (for example, a flash memory), etc. The storage 1003 stores programs executed by the processor 1001, setting data required for executing the programs, etc. Part of the programs may be stored in a ROM. The processor 1001 can implement the processing functions described below by reading a program from the storage 1003, loading it into the memory 1002, and interpreting and executing the loaded program.

[0027] The sensor 1004 is, for example, an image sensor, a sound sensor, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a GPS sensor, a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, etc. The sensor 1004 converts various sensed information into electrical signals and outputs them.

[0028] The communication interface (communication I / F) 1005 is a module for communicating with external devices such as the server 200 via the network NW, and includes a signal processing circuit for transmission and reception, an antenna, a LAN terminal, etc. The communication interface 1005 may include a module for mobile communication, a module for wireless / wired LAN, a module for short-range wireless communication, etc.

[0029] The input / output interface (input / output I / F) 1006 receives input data from an external device and outputs output data to an external device. The input / output interface 1006 may include, for example, physical buttons of the player terminal 100, a speaker built into the player terminal 100, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, etc.

[0030] The touch screen 1007 includes an input unit 1071 and a display unit 1072, and has the function of accepting input operations from the player and displaying various images to the player. The input unit 1071 is, for example, a capacitive or resistive touch panel. The input unit 1071 detects the contact position of the player's finger or touch pen (stylus pen), and generates coordinate information of the contact position. The display unit 1072 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and displays various images based on the display data. The display unit 1072 realizes a game screen by displaying game images.

[0031] The player terminal 100 can also accept player operations from external input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, or controller connected via the input / output interface 1006. The player terminal 100 can also acquire programs and related data from external storage devices such as memory cards connected via the input / output interface 1006. The player terminal 100 can also output display information to external output devices such as displays and speakers connected via the input / output interface 1006. The player terminal 100 can also use external storage devices such as memory cards connected via the input / output interface 1006 as the storage 1003. The player terminal 100 can also accept signals from the sensor 1004 as player operations.

[0032] (1-3) Functional configuration (1-3-1) Server 2 shows an example of the functional configuration of the server 200 according to an embodiment. Note that illustrations and descriptions of the functional configuration of a general computer and well-known configurations required to implement a game are omitted.

[0033] The server 200 includes a control unit 210 and a storage unit 220. The storage unit 220 is mainly realized by the storage 2003. Part of the storage unit 220 may be realized by the memory 2002. The storage unit 220 includes a game program storage unit 221, a game data storage unit 222, and a game play information storage unit 223.

[0034] The game program storage unit 221 stores game programs for the server, and may further store game programs for the player terminals.

[0035] The game data storage unit 222 stores various game data that is referenced when a game program is executed. The game data storage unit 222 can store game data for the server 200 and game data for the player terminals 100. The game data includes setting information related to game events. The game data storage unit 222 can store an episode management table 2221 and an appearance pattern table 2222, which will be described later.

[0036] The game play information storage unit 223 stores player information or game play information of players using the player terminal 100. The game play information storage unit 223 stores player information or game play information of each player, linked to the player's identification information or the player terminal 100's identification information. The player information or game play information is received from each player terminal 100 at any timing, such as when each player logs in, at regular intervals, or for each specified event. The player information may include a wide variety of information about the player. For example, the player information may include information such as the number of logins, the number of friends, and the player's own game level. The game play information may be any of a wide variety of information about the player's gameplay. The game play information may also be referred to as information about the game progress. The game play information may include, for example, parameters of game characters or game objects that change as the game progresses, the progress of the story, the completion status of game events, the acquisition status of in-game currency or items, the acquired score, the accumulated game play time or login time, etc. However, in this specification, there is no need to clearly distinguish between player information and game play information. Hereinafter, the term "game play information" may include player information. The game play information storage unit 223 may store only the latest player information or game play information for each player, or may store history data from multiple points in time. The game data storage unit 222 and the game play information storage unit 223 do not necessarily need to be distinguished. The game play information storage unit 223 may store a game play information management table 2231, which will be described later.

[0037] The control unit 210 is mainly realized by the processor 2001 and the memory 2002. The control unit 210 controls the overall functions of the server 200. By executing a game program stored in the game program storage unit 221, the control unit 210 can function as a game control unit 211, a game play information acquisition unit 212, a settings adjustment unit 213, and a settings transmission unit 214.

[0038] The game control unit 211 mainly controls the execution of the game in each player terminal 100. The game control unit 211 reads out the game program and related data required according to the game progress of each player from the storage unit 220 and transmits them to the player terminal 100. The game control unit 211 also receives the latest game play information from the player terminal 100 at any time and stores it in the game play information storage unit 223.

[0039] The game play information acquisition unit 212 acquires player information or game play information of a player of a game executed on the player terminal 100 from the game play information storage unit 223. The game play information acquisition unit 212 is an example of an acquisition unit according to an embodiment.

[0040] The setting adjustment unit 213 adjusts setting information for a game event executed in accordance with a predetermined scenario on the player terminal 100 based on player information or game play information. A game event is a part of a game executed on the player terminal 100. A game event may be, for example, an action part or a battle part in which a player controls a player character to perform an action. However, the game event is not limited to this, and may include any game event executed in accordance with a scenario. The setting information includes various settings related to the game event. The setting information includes first setting information that is set commonly among players and second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on the player information or game play information. The setting adjustment unit 213 reads default setting information stored in, for example, the game data storage unit 222 and performs the necessary adjustment. Details of the adjustment of the setting information will be described later. The setting adjustment unit 213 is an example of a setting adjustment unit according to an embodiment.

[0041] The setting transmission unit 214 controls transmission of the adjusted setting information to the player terminal 100. For example, the setting transmission unit 214 generates transmission data including the adjusted setting information and transmits it to the destination layer terminal 100 via the communication interface 2004. The setting transmission unit 214 is an example of a transmission unit according to an embodiment.

[0042] (1-3-2) Player terminal 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of a player terminal 100 according to an embodiment. Note that illustrations and descriptions of the functional configuration of a general computer and well-known configurations required to implement a game are omitted.

[0043] The player terminal 100 includes a control unit 110 and a storage unit 120 . The storage unit 120 is mainly realized by the storage 1003. Part of the storage unit 120 may be realized by the memory 1002. The storage unit 120 includes a game program storage unit 121, a game data storage unit 122, and a game play information storage unit 123.

[0044] The game program storage unit 121 stores a game program for a player terminal. The game program for a player terminal can be received from the server 200 at any timing, such as when an account is created, when a user logs in, or when an event occurs.

[0045] The game data storage unit 122 stores various game data that is referenced when a game program is executed. The game data can also be received at any time from the server 200. The game data includes setting information related to game events.

[0046] The game play information storage unit 123 stores game play information of players using the player terminal 100. The game play information storage unit 123 may include, for example, parameters of game characters or game objects that change as the game progresses, the progress of the story, the completion status of game events, the acquisition status of in-game currency or items, the acquired score, and the accumulated game play time or login time. The game play information storage unit 123 may store only the most recent game play information, or may store a history of game play information at multiple points in time. The game play information storage unit 123 may store game play information of multiple players using the player terminal 100, linked to each player's identification information (e.g., account information, etc.). The game data storage unit 122 and the game play information storage unit 123 do not necessarily need to be distinguished. The game play information storage unit 123 may store a game progress management table 1231 and a character table 1232, which will be described later.

[0047] The control unit 110 is mainly realized by the processor 1001 and memory 1002. The control unit 110 controls the overall functions of the player terminal 100. By executing a game program stored in the game program storage unit 121, the control unit 110 can function as a game progression unit 111, a game play information transmission unit 112, a setting reception unit 113, and a display control unit 114.

[0048] The game progression unit 111 is responsible for all processes that progress the game in accordance with the game program. For example, the game progression unit 111 changes characters or objects placed in the game space in response to player operations, calculates parameters, and updates the information stored in the memory unit 120.

[0049] The game play information transmitting unit 112 transmits the game play information stored in the game play information storage unit 123 to the server 200. For example, at a predetermined timing, the game play information transmitting unit 112 extracts game play information to be transmitted to the server 200 from the game play information storage unit 123, generates transmission data, and transmits the data to the server 200 via the communication interface 1005. The game play information transmitting unit 112 is configured to transmit the latest game play information to the server 200, for example, periodically (for example, every five minutes). Alternatively, the game play information transmitting unit 112 may be configured to transmit the latest game play information to the server 200 every time the player character levels up, every time the player character's combat power changes, or every time a chapter is cleared.

[0050] The setting receiving unit 113 receives the setting information transmitted from the server 200 via the communication interface 1005 .

[0051] The display control unit 114 generates game images according to the progress of the game and displays the game images on the display unit 1072. The game images may include images depicting the game space. The image depicting the game space may include images of multiple characters or objects arranged in the game space. The game images include still images or moving images. The game images may include images of UI (User Interface) components.

[0052] Some of the functions of the player terminal 100 may be provided in the server 200. Conversely, some of the functions of the server 200 may be provided in the player terminal 100.

[0053] (1-4) Game Overview The game realized by the game system 1 may be any game including game events executed according to a predetermined scenario. For example, the game may be a wide variety of games or parts of such games, such as a role-playing game (RPG), action game, adventure game, simulation game, development game, shooting game, sports game, music game, quiz game, puzzle game, etc. Similarly, the game events may be a wide variety of game events executed according to some predetermined scenario. The player can play the game and enjoy the scenario by operating the player character in the game events. The game events may also be interpreted as game parts, mini-games, etc.

[0054] In the following, as an example, a game realized by the game system 1 will be described as an action RPG that includes an element in which a player controls a player character to fight enemy characters and progress through a story, and an element in which the player character grows. The player character is a game object that can be controlled by the player. The enemy character is an NPC (Non-Player Character) that acts according to a program. The player character growing refers to a change in the parameters set for the player character in the game (generally, an increase in their values). The parameters set for the player character refer to numerical values ​​representing, for example, the level, stamina (HP), attack power, or defense power. For example, when the player character wins a battle against an enemy character in the game, the player character is considered to have grown, and the player character's parameters change according to the set conditions. In addition to battle, the player can strengthen the player character by acquiring in-game items such as weapons, armor, and costumes. Strengthening the player character also refers to a change in the parameters set for the player character (generally, an increase in their values). The terms growth and strengthening may be interpreted interchangeably as appropriate.

[0055] As an example, the game event is a battle part of the action RPG described above and includes multiple "episodes." Each episode includes a main character and a scenario related to the main character's story. In each episode, the player controls the main character as a player character and plays the game according to the scenario. Hereinafter, the player character who is the main character of each episode will also be referred to as the "playable character." The game system 1 may sequentially release new episodes. After playing an initial tutorial episode, the player can select a favorite episode from the released episodes, download the associated game program and game data from the server 200, and play the game. Each episode includes one or more chapters, and each chapter also progresses according to a scenario. Chapters and episodes may also be referred to as stages, quests, etc. In each episode, the chapters are played in a predetermined order, and the player must complete "Chapter 1" before being able to play the next "Chapter 2." Clearance conditions are set for each chapter. The clearing conditions include, for example, winning a battle against a boss character, eliminating enemy characters that appear in the game field, reaching a target point, etc. Different clearing conditions may be set for each chapter. A player may also replay a cleared chapter, for example, to acquire an item. The setting information for episodes and chapters is managed, for example, by the server 200 as an episode management table.

[0056] 4 shows an example of an episode management table according to one embodiment. The episode management table 2221 is stored, for example, in the game data storage unit 222 of the server 200. A portion of the episode management table 2221 is also downloaded from the server 200 and stored in the game data storage unit 122 of the player terminal 100.

[0057] In the illustrated example, the episode management table 2221 includes information regarding the playable character, chapter, companion character, enemy character, and initial setting values ​​of the enemy character, which are set for each episode.

[0058] Each episode is identified by information that identifies the episode, here simply "Episode 1", "Episode 2", etc. Each episode is assigned a playable character who is the main character of a story that follows a predetermined scenario. The playable character is identified by information that identifies the playable character, here simply "Character A", "Character B", etc. For example, "Character A" is assigned as the playable character in Episode 1, and "Character B" is assigned in Episode 2. The player can play the game by controlling the assigned playable character as the player character. The same playable character may be assigned to different episodes.

[0059] Each episode includes one or more chapters. Chapters are identified by information that identifies the chapter, here simply "1 (Chapter 1)," "2 (Chapter 2)," "3 (Chapter 3)," "4 (Chapter 4)," etc. As an example, Episode 1 includes four chapters (Chapters 1 to 4). Episode 2 also includes four chapters (Chapters 1 to 4). The number of chapters may vary depending on the episode.

[0060] A companion character may be assigned to each chapter. The companion character is identified by information identifying the companion character, here simply "Character B," "Character C," "Character D," etc. The companion character is an NPC that operates according to a program. The companion character is configured to perform actions that assist the playable character, such as attacking enemy characters or restoring the playable character's stamina. "Character B" is assigned as the companion character in Chapter 1 of Episode 1. Two companion characters, "Character B" and "Character C," are assigned to Chapter 2 of Episode 1. "Character B" and "Character D" are assigned to Chapter 3 of Episode 1, and "Character C" and "Character D" are assigned to Chapter 4. "Character B," assigned as the companion character in Chapter 1 of Episode 1, for example, is assigned as the playable character in Episode 2. In this way, a character that appears as a companion character in one episode may be assigned as the playable character in another episode. Similarly, a character that appears as the playable character in one episode may be assigned as the companion character in another episode. Hereinafter, the playable character and the companion character will be collectively referred to as the companion characters.

[0061] An enemy character may be set in each chapter. The enemy character is identified by information that identifies the enemy character, here simply "Enemy P," "Enemy Q," "Enemy R," etc. The enemy character is an NPC that acts according to a program. The enemy character is configured to perform actions that hinder the playable character, such as attacking the playable character or interfering with the playable character's actions. For example, "Enemy P" is set in Chapter 1 of Episode 1, "Enemy Q" is set in Chapter 2, and "Enemy R" is set in Chapter 3. Multiple enemy characters may be set in each chapter.

[0062] Each enemy character may be assigned a default parameter value. The default value is related to the enemy character's strength, which in turn affects the chapter difficulty. Here, the default values ​​include "attack power," "HP," and "experience points." "Attack power" is an indicator of the enemy character's ability to inflict damage on the playable character or allied characters; the higher the value, the stronger the attack power. "HP" is the enemy character's maximum physical strength and can be considered an indicator of the enemy character's ability to withstand damage; the higher the value, the more damage the enemy character can withstand. "Experience points" refer to the experience points the playable character gains when defeating that enemy character. The playable character grows (e.g., levels up and parameters change) according to the accumulated experience points gained. The higher the experience points assigned, the faster the playable character will grow when defeated. In the illustrated example, enemy P is assigned default values ​​of "attack power: 10, HP: 10, experience points: 10," and enemy Q is assigned default values ​​of "attack power: 15, HP: 5, experience points: 20." Note that enemy P, enemy Q, enemy R, etc. are not limited to a single enemy character. They may be a group of multiple enemy characters that appear in a chapter. An initial setting value may be set for each enemy character included in an enemy character group.

[0063] In the following description, it is assumed that the condition for clearing each chapter is to defeat the enemy character set in the chapter. The condition for clearing each chapter may be managed in the episode management table 2221. The player can start the battle part of the game by first selecting an episode on the player terminal 100, and then selecting a chapter if selectable. The progress of the player's game play is stored in the player terminal 100 as a game progress management table.

[0064] 5 shows an example of a game progress management table according to one embodiment. The game progress management table 1231 is stored in the game play information storage unit 123 of the player terminal 100, for example.

[0065] In the illustrated example, the game progress management table 1231 includes information identifying episodes, information identifying chapters, and information representing the progress status. The information identifying episodes and information identifying chapters are the same as those described with respect to the episode management table 2221 in FIG. 4. The information representing the progress status includes "Cleared," "Not (unplayed)," "Locked," "Suspended," etc. "Cleared" indicates that the clearing conditions set for the chapter have been met. "Not (unplayed)" indicates that the chapter is playable (selectable by the player) but has not yet been played. "Locked" indicates that the chapter is not playable (cannot be selected). "Suspended" indicates that the chapter has been played, but the clearing conditions have not been met.

[0066] In this example, for Episode 1, Chapters 1 and 2 are "Cleared," Chapter 3 is "Not Completed," and Chapter 4 is "Locked." Chapter 3 is playable (unlocked), but has not yet been played. Chapter 4 can only be played once Chapter 3 is cleared, so it is currently locked.

[0067] Also in this example, for Episode 2, Chapter 1 is "Cleared", Chapter 2 is "Paused", and Chapters 3 and 4 are "Locked". Chapter 2 is playable and has already been played, but not yet cleared. Because Chapter 2 has not been cleared, the next Chapter 3 is still locked.

[0068] The player character can grow through game play. Which parameters of the character change and under what conditions may be set arbitrarily by game developers, etc. As described above, the character may grow by winning battles against enemy characters in a chapter and gaining experience points, or the character may grow in response to other triggers such as clearing a chapter or acquiring an item. Information about the character that changes with game play is stored in the player terminal 100 as a character table.

[0069] 6 shows an example of a character table according to one embodiment. The character table 1232 is stored, for example, in the game play information storage unit 223 of the server 200, and at a certain timing, communication is performed between the server 200 and the player terminal 100, data referenced from the server is downloaded to the player terminal 100, and the data is stored in the game play information storage unit 123 of the player terminal 100. The timing may be, for example, whenever the data needs to be referenced or updated, or when the game is played in units of quests, chapters, or the like, or when the program is started.

[0070] In the illustrated example, character table 1232 stores the latest information about characters as a record for each character. Each character, such as “Character A,” “Character B,” “Character C,” etc., corresponds to a playable character or a companion character described with reference to episode management table 2221.

[0071] The image of each character is identified by information that identifies the image, simply "Image A", "Image B", etc. The images are stored in the game data storage unit 122 and are read out when the display control unit 114 generates a game image. For example, the display control unit 114 reads "Image A" when generating a game image that includes "Character A". The image may be fixed, or may be set to change as the character grows.

[0072] The level indicates the latest level of each character. "Character A" is "Level 7" and "Character B" is "Level 5".

[0073] Equipment is identified by information identifying the equipment, simply referred to here as "Equipment A," "Equipment B," "Equipment C," etc. The information identifying the equipment is used, for example, to retrieve (from a memory unit, not shown) the parameter enhancement conditions set for each piece of equipment. Equipment is one of the in-game objects. Equipment is acquired as an item through gameplay in an episode, or in a game part independent of episodes, such as a gacha. A gacha is a game part in which items or characters are awarded to players by lottery. Note that this is not limited to lottery-based methods in which the player can confirm the contents after receiving the item, but may also include sales or exchange methods in which the player can confirm the contents before receiving the item. Gacha may include so-called paid gacha, which requires real-world or virtual currency, and free gacha, which does not require currency. Gacha may include gacha that require conditions, such as limited-time gacha, gacha as a login bonus, or gacha that is activated depending on play status. Equipment includes weapons, armor, costumes, accessories, etc. Each character is associated with one or more pieces of equipment, either automatically according to a program or by player selection, and exerts in-game effects according to the associated equipment. For example, an in-game effect may be that equipping a certain weapon increases attack power by a certain amount, or that equipping a certain outfit enables the use of a special technique. In the illustrated example, character A is associated with "equipment A" and "equipment B," and character B is associated with "equipment C."

[0074] "HP" represents the maximum physical strength of each character. When a playable character receives damage in the game, their remaining HP decreases, and when it reaches zero, they become uncontrollable. To clear a chapter, you must achieve the objective while keeping the playable character's HP. HP is automatically calculated for each playable character according to set conditions (for example, according to their level). In the example shown, character A has an HP value of "500," and character B has an HP value of "420."

[0075] "Attack power" is an indicator of each character's ability to inflict damage on enemy characters. Attack power is automatically calculated for each character according to set conditions (e.g., level and equipment). In the example shown, character A has an attack power value of "300," and character B has an attack power value of "260."

[0076] "Defense power" is an indicator of the ability to reduce damage. Defense power is automatically calculated for each playable character according to set conditions (e.g., level and equipment). In the example shown, character A has a defense power value of "200," and character B has a value of "170."

[0077] "Combat power" is an indicator of the playable character's strength in the game. Combat power is automatically calculated for each playable character according to set conditions. Combat power is automatically calculated, for example, as the sum of HP, attack power, and defense power. In the illustrated example, character A has a combat power value of "1,000." This value is the sum of HP value "500," attack power value "300," and defense power value "200" (=500+300+200=1,000). Similarly, character B has a combat power value of "850." This value is the sum of HP value "420," attack power value "260," and defense power value "170" (=420+260+170=850).

[0078] 7 shows an example of a game image according to one embodiment. The game image is generated by the game progression unit 111 and display control unit 114 working together to read out necessary information from the memory unit 120.

[0079] The game image 51 on the left corresponds to the chapter selection screen. For example, when a player selects an episode on an episode selection screen (not shown), the episode selection screen transitions to a chapter selection screen such as game image 51. In the example shown, game image 51 includes episode information 61, chapter selection buttons 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D, playable character information 63, a back button 64, and a playable character 71.

[0080] The episode information 61 indicates the currently selected episode (EPISODE) and includes text information for "EPISODE 1" in this example. The chapter selection buttons 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D are UI components that can be selected by the player. The chapter selection buttons 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D include text information for identifying the chapters, such as "CHAPTER 1," "CHAPTER 2," "CHAPTER 3," and "CHAPTER 4," respectively. These correspond to the information for episode 1 in the game progress management table 1231 illustrated in FIG. 5, and the chapter selection button 62D corresponding to chapter 4 includes a lock symbol. When the player selects any of the chapter selection buttons 62A, 62B, or 62C without a lock symbol (for example, by tapping the touch panel), the screen transitions to a gameplay screen for the selected chapter, and the game progresses. By selecting chapter selection button 62A or 62B, the player can replay the game in Chapter 1 or Chapter 2, which has already been cleared. By selecting chapter selection button 62C, the player can play the game in Chapter 3, which has not yet been played. The player cannot select chapter selection button 62D, which has a lock mark. If the player taps chapter selection button 62D, nothing happens, or an error message is displayed. For example, when chapter selection button 62C is selected, the game progression unit 111 updates the progress status of Episode 1 Chapter 3 in the game progress management table 1231 from "Not Completed" to "Paused." When the conditions for clearing Chapter 3 are met, the progress status of Episode 1 Chapter 3 is updated to "Cleared," and the progress status of Episode 1 Chapter 4 is updated from "Lock" to "Not Completed."

[0081] Each episode may be configured so that multiple chapters can be played through. For example, when episode information 61 is tapped, game play of episode 1 chapter 1 begins, and when chapter 1 is cleared, game play of chapter 2 begins without returning to the chapter selection screen such as game image 51.

[0082] The playable character information 63 includes information about the playable character set in the selected episode. In the example shown, the playable character information 63 includes the following information: character name "Character A," "Level: 7," "Combat power: 1,000," "HP: 500," "Attack power: 300," and "Defense power: 200." This information corresponds to the information about "Character A" in the character table 1232 shown in FIG. 6.

[0083] The playable character 71 indicates an image set for the character. In this example, it corresponds to "image A" set for "character A" in the character table 1232.

[0084] The back button 64 is a button for returning to the previous screen. For example, when the back button 64 is selected, the screen transitions to an episode selection screen.

[0085] The game image 52 on the right corresponds to a game play screen when the player selects any one of the chapter selection buttons 62A, 62B, or 62C in the game image 51. The game image 52 includes a playable character 71, a companion character 72, and an enemy character 91, all of which are arranged in a game field.

[0086] The playable character 71 corresponds to "Character A" shown in the game image 51 (here, an image of the playable character with their back turned is used). An HP gauge 73 indicating the remaining HP relative to the maximum HP is also shown near the playable character 71. The HP gauge 73 is an example of a game object. The ratio of the remaining HP to the maximum HP indicated by the HP gauge 73 increases or decreases as the game is played.

[0087] The companion characters 72 correspond to the companion characters set for each chapter in the episode management table 2221. Although only one companion character 72 is shown in the figure, multiple companion characters may be displayed. Here, the game will proceed taking into consideration only the attack power of the companion characters 72, without taking into consideration HP and the like.

[0088] The enemy character 91 corresponds to the enemy character set for each chapter in the episode management table 2221. An HP gauge 92 is also displayed near the enemy character 91. By inflicting damage on the enemy character 91 and reducing the remaining value of the HP gauge 92 of the enemy character 91 to zero, the enemy character 91 is considered to have been defeated.

[0089] In this anticipated game structure, the player's character grows through gameplay or is strengthened through gacha, a method independent of gameplay. Character growth or strengthening is one element that enhances the game's enjoyment. However, excessive character growth or strengthening can create a discrepancy with the difficulty level of the scenario set in newly released episodes, potentially making gameplay uninteresting. On the other hand, new players must play using default characters with low combat power, and cannot enjoy the latest episodes in the same way as experienced players until they have grown or strengthened their characters. Conventionally, to compensate for this difference in game progress between players, new players have been given special bonuses, such as level-ups, powerful equipment, or powerful skills. However, new players often feel confused when given powerful equipment early in the game, and this can diminish the interest of character growth and strengthening.

[0090] In one embodiment, the game event settings are adjusted so that players can start the game at any time and enjoy their favorite game events, allowing players to enjoy the story without feeling uncomfortable even when playing the same scenario at the same time, regardless of the progress of each player in the game.

[0091] (2) Operation Next, the operation of the server 200 according to one embodiment configured as described above will be described. The operation of the server 200 can be rephrased as the operation of a computer system according to one embodiment. When referring to a "server" below, it may be read as a "computer system" as appropriate.

[0092] 8 is a flowchart showing an example of information processing operation of the server 200. The operation is premised on the assumption that at least one player terminal 100 has been operated by a player and has successfully completed login authentication, and that transmission and reception of information between the server 200 and the player terminal 100 is possible.

[0093] In step S1, the server 200 acquires the player's game play information transmitted from the player terminal 100 via the game play information acquisition unit 212. This step is triggered by the player terminal 100 selecting a target chapter for game play. The selection of the target chapter includes, for example, the player selecting one of the chapter selection buttons 62A, 62B, or 62C as illustrated in the game image 51 of FIG. 7.

[0094] Here, a computer system according to one embodiment is configured to execute the operation of FIG. 8 only when a chapter with a progress status of "Not yet" or "Completed" is selected, and not execute the operation of FIG. 8 when a chapter with a progress status of "Paused" is selected. Only when a chapter with a progress status of "Not yet" or "Completed" is selected, the player terminal 100 transmits a notification indicating that the chapter has been selected to the server 200, together with information identifying the selected chapter. At this time, the player terminal 100 may also transmit the latest game play information to the server. The game play information includes information contained in the game progress management table 1231 and the character table 1232, or information for updating these. The notification transmitted from the player terminal 100 to the server 200 can also be considered a request for adjusting the setting information of the game event.

[0095] When the server 200 receives a request to adjust setting information from a player terminal 100, the game play information acquisition unit 212 acquires game play information from the game play information storage unit 223. If the adjustment request includes the latest game play information, the game play information may be acquired as is while being stored in the game play information storage unit 223. The type of game play information to be acquired, stored, and used in subsequent processing may be arbitrarily set by a game developer or the like. The game play information of each player is managed, for example, by the server 200 as a game play information management table. The game play information management table may also include a character table 1232.

[0096] 9 shows an example of a game play information management table according to an embodiment. The game play information management table 2231 is stored, for example, in the game play information storage unit 223 of the server 200. In the example shown, the game play information management table 2231 stores game play information as a record for each player. Here, the game play information includes information about characters, information about episodes, login times, etc.

[0097] The players are identified by information that identifies the players, here simply as "player 1," "player 2," "player 3," etc.

[0098] The information about the characters includes the parameter values ​​of each character. In the illustrated example, "Character A" of "Player 1" includes the information "Level: 7, Combat Power: 1,000, Equipment: A, B...". This corresponds to part of the information about "Character A" in the character table 1232 illustrated in FIG. 6. Similarly, "Character B" of "Player 1" includes the information "Level: 5, Combat Power: 850, Equipment: C...". This corresponds to part of the information about "Character B" in the character table 1232 illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0099] The information about episodes includes information about the progress status of each chapter. In the illustrated example, "Player 1" includes the information "Chapter 1: Cleared, Chapter 2: Cleared, Chapter 3: Not Completed, Chapter 4: Locked" for "Episode 1." This corresponds to the information about "Episode 1" in the game progress management table 1231 illustrated in FIG. 5. Similarly, "Player 1" includes the information "Chapter 1: Cleared, Chapter 2: Paused, Chapter 3: Locked, Chapter 4: Locked" for "Episode 2." This corresponds to the information about "Episode 2" in the game progress management table 1231 illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0100] The login time indicates the cumulative login time of each player. In the illustrated example, Player 1 has "50 hours," Player 2 has "2 hours," and Player 3 has "10 hours." The login time may be managed in minutes or seconds. The login time may be managed by the server 200 or by the player terminal 100. Instead of or in addition to the login time, the cumulative game play time related to the game event may be managed and used.

[0101] In step S2, the server 200 reads the setting information stored in the game data storage unit 222 using the setting adjustment unit 213, and adjusts the setting information based on the game play information acquired in step S1. The setting adjustment unit 213 adjusts the setting information based on, for example, parameters of a playable character used in game play. This is just one example, and the setting adjustment unit 213 may also adjust the setting information based on information about the player himself (for example, login time, game play time, number of logins, number of game plays in a particular episode or chapter, number of times Gasha is played, total number of items acquired, total experience points acquired, etc.).

[0102] In one embodiment, the setting information includes first setting information that is set commonly among players and second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on game play information. The specific contents of the first setting information and the second setting information may be arbitrarily set by a game developer or the like.

[0103] The first setting information may be set commonly for all players. In this case, the setting adjustment unit 213 does not perform any special processing on the first setting information. In one embodiment, the first setting information mainly includes information specifying objects that appear in a game event. The information specifying objects that appear in a game event can also be referred to as setting information related to game images or setting information related to the types of game elements. The first setting information includes, for example, information specifying the appearance pattern (e.g., type, appearance position, and number) of enemy characters that appear in a game event, attributes of rewards that can be obtained in a game event (e.g., experience points, currency, or item), etc. The attributes of rewards can also be referred to as reward types, reward properties, reward categories, etc. The first setting information is set, for example, for each chapter and managed in association with the episode management table 2221 shown in FIG. 4. The setting adjustment unit 213 reads the first setting information from the game data storage unit 222 based on the chapter identification information included in the adjustment request.

[0104] The first setting information may be set in common among players whose game progress is within a similar range. Players whose game progress is within a similar range are players whose game play information has similar values, such as players who fall into the same category when players are classified based on login time. In this case, the setting adjustment unit 213 can classify players based on login time, for example, and read out enemy character appearance patterns set according to the classification from the game data storage unit 222 as the first setting information. The enemy character appearance patterns are managed, for example, as an appearance pattern table by the server 200.

[0105] FIG. 10 shows an example of an appearance pattern table according to an embodiment. The appearance pattern table 2222 is stored in, for example, the game data storage unit 222. The appearance pattern table 2222 specifies the appearance pattern of enemy characters according to the player's login time. In the illustrated example, "appearance pattern X" is applied to a player whose login time is "0 to 10 hours," "appearance pattern Y" is applied to a player whose login time is "11 to 50 hours," and "appearance pattern Z" is applied to a player whose login time is "51 to 100 hours." The appearance patterns X, Y, Z... are, for example, setting information regarding the appearance positions and number of enemy characters specified in the episode management table 2221. The appearance patterns X, Y, Z... may add settings (e.g., attack frequency) to the type and initial setting values ​​of enemy characters specified in the episode management table 2221. The appearance patterns X, Y, Z... may also rewrite the type and initial setting values ​​of enemy characters specified in the episode management table 2221. Appearance pattern X may be designed so that even players unfamiliar with the controls can enjoy gameplay, for example, by having a smaller total number of enemy characters, enemy characters that move slower, enemy characters that attack less frequently, enemy characters that do not use special techniques, etc. compared to appearance pattern Z. According to appearance pattern table 2222, the first setting information is set in common for players whose game play time is within a predetermined range.

[0106] As the first setting information, reward attributes may be set according to player classification. Alternatively, the setting adjustment unit 213 may perform quantitative adjustment of the first setting information, such as halving the number of enemy characters that appear for a player whose login time is "10 hours or less" and doubling the number of enemy characters that appear for a player whose login time is "100 hours or more." The setting adjustment unit 213 may classify players based on other gameplay information, for example, parameters of the playable character (e.g., level or combat power) or player information (e.g., the number of times the player has played the game (including the number of times the player has logged in or the number of times a specific episode or chapter has been played)).

[0107] The second setting information is adjusted for each player based on the game play information. In one embodiment, the second setting information is setting information mainly related to calculation processing during game progress, and includes, for example, information specifying parameters of enemy characters appearing in game events, parameters of companion characters set in game events, or parameters of rewards that can be obtained in game events. Reward parameters here refer to numerical values ​​of reward values. The second setting information may also include parameters of the player character controlled by the player, or parameters related to items and special skills used by the player character. The second setting information may also be referred to as parameters of game objects related to game events.

[0108] FIG. 11 shows details of the setting information adjustment processing operation in step S2 of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 particularly shows a specific example of the adjustment processing related to the second setting information. Here, as an example, in step S2, the setting adjustment unit 213 uses the fighting power of the playable character as game play information, and adjusts the parameters of the enemy character and the parameters of the companion character as the second setting information based on the value of the fighting power of the playable character. Furthermore, as another example, the parameters of the enemy character include at least one of the attack power of the enemy character, the HP of the enemy character, or the experience points obtained when the enemy character is defeated.

[0109] In step S21, the setting adjustment unit 213 acquires the combat power of the corresponding playable character from the game play information acquired in step S1. For example, if the server 200 receives a notification in step S1 from the player terminal 100 of "player 1" that "chapter 3" of "episode 1" has been selected, the game play information acquisition unit 212 of the server 200 first determines that the playable character for "episode 1" is "character A" from the episode management table 2221 such as the one shown in Fig. 4, and then acquires the combat power value "1,000" of "character A" from the game play information of "player 1" acquired from the game play information management table 2231 in Fig. 9.

[0110] In step S22, the setting adjustment unit 213 adjusts the parameters of the enemy character based on the fighting power of the playable character acquired in step S21. The parameters of the enemy character are an example of second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on game play information.

[0111] For example, the setting adjustment unit 213 adjusts the value of the enemy character's parameter related to the difficulty level of the game event so that the higher the combat power of the playable character, the higher the value. The setting adjustment unit 213 can adjust at least one of the enemy character's attack power, HP, or experience points obtained, for example, according to the following formula: Adjusted value = (initial setting value) x (playable character's combat power) / (base combat power) Here, each enemy character is set with an initial setting of its attack power, HP, and experience value, based on the playable character's combat power of 500. The "standard combat power" in the above formula is the playable character's combat power of "500" assumed in the initial setting.

[0112] FIG. 12 shows an example of adjustment of setting information according to one embodiment. More specifically, the left side of FIG. 12 shows an example of initial setting values ​​for the parameters of an enemy character, and the right side of FIG. 12 shows an example of parameters after adjustment according to the fighting power of the playable character. As initial setting values, the attack power, HP, and experience points obtained of the enemy character, which correspond to the playable character's fighting power of 500 (reference fighting power = 500), are set for each enemy character (enemy P, enemy Q, enemy R, etc.). In the example shown, the attack power of "enemy P" is 10, the HP is 10, and the experience points obtained are 10, while the attack power of "enemy Q" is 15, the HP is 5, and the experience points obtained are 20. If the playable character's current fighting power is 1,000, the setting adjustment unit 213 calculates, using the above formula, Enemy P's adjusted attack power = 10 x 1,000 / 500 = 20 Enemy P's adjusted HP = 10 x 1,000 / 500 = 20 Enemy P's adjusted experience points = 10 x 1,000 / 500 = 20 Enemy Q's adjusted attack power = 15 x 1,000 / 500 = 30 Enemy Q's adjusted HP = 5 x 1,000 / 500 = 10 Enemy Q's adjusted experience points = 20 x 1,000 / 500 = 40 It is calculated as follows.

[0113] With this kind of adjustment, the higher the current combat power of the controlled character, the stronger the enemy characters will be and the more experience points will be gained, so the player can enjoy playing the game without worrying about the discrepancy between their own game progress and the difficulty of the episode. Therefore, even if players at different game progress levels play the same scenario at the same time, they can enjoy the story without feeling uncomfortable.

[0114] In step S23, the setting adjustment unit 213 may adjust the parameters of the companion character. The parameters of the companion character are another example of second setting information adjusted for each player based on game play information. As described above, here, it is assumed that the game event proceeds taking into consideration only the attack power of the companion character. The setting adjustment unit 213 adjusts the attack power of the companion character to be one-fifth of the combat power of the playable character, for example, according to the following formula: Adjusted companion character's attack power = (operated character's combat power) / 5 By making such adjustments, the attack power of the NPC allied characters also increases according to the current combat power of the operated character, allowing the player to enjoy gameplay with a good balance of the strengths of the allied characters. Step S23 may be omitted.

[0115] Needless to say, the setting adjustment unit 213 may adjust the setting information according to an equation or rule other than the above equation. For example, the setting adjustment unit 213 may also adjust the second setting information using a correspondence table such as the appearance pattern table 2222 illustrated in FIG.

[0116] 8, after the adjustment process by the setting adjustment unit 213, the server 200 transmits the setting information to the player terminal 100 via the setting transmission unit 214, and progresses the game event. The player terminal 100 stores the received setting information in association with information identifying the chapter, and executes the game event related to the chapter based on the received setting information.

[0117] As described above, in a computer system according to one embodiment, the above-described adjustment process is not performed for a "suspended" chapter. In a computer system according to one embodiment, the timing for adjusting the setting information can be the start of an unplayed chapter or a cleared chapter. In a case where episodes are played through as described above, the adjustment may be performed at the start of the first chapter. For example, when a target chapter for gameplay is selected, if the progress status of that chapter is "suspended," the player terminal 100 executes a game event related to that chapter using the setting information stored in the player terminal 100 without sending an adjustment request to the server 200. In other words, the player terminal 100 sends a setting information adjustment request to the server 200 only for game events that satisfy a predetermined condition.

[0118] Additionally, weapons, items, etc. that do not directly affect the parameters but enable special abilities may be set in the game. For example, a setting may be set such that by equipping a certain weapon, the playable character's combat power itself does not change, but the playable character can activate a "secret technique" such as a continuous attack. This allows an element of strength that is not quantified to be included in the game, and allows the player to experience the strength of the weapon even if the enemies become stronger by adjusting the setting information.

[0119] The adjustment of the setting information is not limited to the above specific examples. As described above, the enemy characters that appear may be common to all players, but the parameters of the enemy characters may be adjusted to be different for each player. As another example, the parameters of the player characters may be adjusted. For example, the enemy characters that appear may be common to all players, but the attack power of the player characters may be adjusted for each player. The second setting information is not limited to the attack power of the player characters, but may include a wide variety of parameters related to objects that appear in game events, such as the player characters' defensive power, movement speed, attack distance, available play time, the time until a player returns to play after becoming unable to play, the cost required to consume items or special skills, the number of items or characters that can be used in the game, or the effects of items used during the game.

[0120] (3) Effects As described above in detail, in one embodiment of the present invention, a computer system that controls the execution of a game on a player terminal 100 includes an acquisition unit that acquires game play information of a player of a game executed on the player terminal 100, a setting adjustment unit that adjusts setting information of a game event that is executed on the player terminal 100 according to a predetermined scenario based on the game play information, and a transmission unit that transmits the setting information to the player terminal 100. Here, the setting information includes first setting information that is set in common among players, and second setting information that is adjusted for each player based on the game play information.

[0121] As a result, the player terminal executes game events according to a predetermined scenario using setting information adjusted based on gameplay information. The difficulty level is adjusted by adjusting second setting information, such as enemy character parameters, allowing players to enjoy the story without feeling uncomfortable, regardless of their game progress or gameplay experience. Even when repeatedly playing the same game event (chapter) for the purpose of acquiring items, parameters are adjusted each time, eliminating the problem of the playable character becoming too strong and boring. Even if the playable character is over-strengthened through gacha, extreme situations such as defeating a boss character in one hit are reduced, and the dialogue set in the scenario (e.g., describing a difficult battle, defeating a formidable enemy, etc.) can be aligned with the difficulty experienced by the player. New players can play the latest episodes in the same way as experienced players, without having to take special measures such as increasing experience points or leveling up. Furthermore, since the playable character changes as the game progresses, as in the example above, even if a player is forced to play using a playable character they have not yet developed, there is no problem with game balance.

[0122] In one embodiment, the second setting information may adjust parameters of rewards obtainable in game events. This allows players who strengthen their characters by frequently using gacha to acquire more experience points. In conventional methods, strengthening a character through game parts such as gacha reduces the value of growth achieved through experience points acquired through scenario-based game parts. This is because, as a character grows and reaches a higher level, the experience points required to advance to the next level typically increase. If only a fixed amount of experience points can be acquired through a scenario, the motivation to play the scenario decreases the more the character is strengthened. For example, the value of 100 experience points is significantly different between a character with 10,000 accumulated experience points and a character with 100 accumulated experience points. However, by adopting a mechanism that adjusts the experience points acquired when defeating an enemy character, the amount of experience points acquired can be increased in conjunction with strengthening through gacha, etc. Even when playing the same chapter of the same episode, the play value obtained changes on the second, third, and so on playthroughs. This allows players to enjoy a balanced combination of gacha and scenario-based gameplay. This will encourage players to play gacha, which will also increase the opportunities for profits through gacha.

[0123] In one embodiment, in addition to adjusting parameters and the like for each player as the second setting information, the first setting information is set to be common for players at similar game progress levels. For example, enemy character appearance patterns are set to be common for players whose game play time is within a predetermined range. This allows for more detailed adjustment of the difficulty of game events. Even when a player repeatedly plays the same chapter, they can enjoy a variety of enemy character appearance patterns depending on their game progress level.

[0124] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the timing of adjusting the setting information is limited to when a predetermined condition is met, such as at the start of a chapter, or at the start of the first chapter if an episode is played through. As a result, if the playable character grows during gameplay, only the playable character's parameters change without changing the enemy character's parameters, allowing the player to enjoy the growth of the playable character. Furthermore, if a player "pauses" a chapter without clearing it and plays another game part, such as a gacha, or another episode, adjustments are not made when the player resumes (reattempts) the interrupted chapter. As a result, a player who is having difficulty achieving the chapter's clearing conditions can temporarily pause the chapter, acquire powerful equipment through the gacha to strengthen the playable character, and then return to the chapter and reattempt, thereby increasing the chances of clearing the chapter. This allows the player to enjoy a balanced combination of gacha and scenario-based gameplay. If the enemy's strength were adjusted in real time when the playable character's level increased, the player would not be able to enjoy the benefits of leveling up. Therefore, according to one embodiment, the strength of the enemies does not change while the player is in the same chapter, even if the playable character has grown. When the player clears a chapter and moves on to the next chapter, the strength of the enemies is adjusted according to the playable character's level after the level-up.

[0125] By having the computer system perform these settings or adjustments, episode designers can design newly released episodes without having to consider each player's progress in the game or the level and equipment of the playable character, and can simply adjust the balance based on the initial equipment (initial combat power). Similarly, game developers do not need to prepare episodes of the same story at multiple difficulty levels. Furthermore, when a player replays a chapter they have already cleared to acquire an item, the settings are adjusted each time, so they are not forced to play at a level that is too easy or too difficult.

[0126] Thus, according to one embodiment, it is possible for each player to enjoy the story without feeling uncomfortable even when playing the same scenario, regardless of the different stages of progress of each player in the game.

[0127] [Variations] The above embodiment has been described assuming single-player mode in which a single player plays the game, but this is not limited thereto. The above embodiment can also be applied to multiplayer mode in which multiple players cooperate to achieve a clear condition. Multiplayer mode is realized, for example, by placing playable characters owned by multiple players in a common virtual space and allowing the multiple players to control their respective playable characters within the common virtual space via their respective player terminals 100. The server 200 reflects game data received from the player terminals 100, including operation results and calculation results, in the common virtual space, generates game data related to the reflected virtual space, and transmits it to all player terminals 100 involved in the multiplayer mode. However, this is not limited thereto and may be realized in other ways.

[0128] As a specific example of applying the above embodiment to multiplayer play, the first setting information can be set commonly among players participating in multiplayer play, and the second setting information can be adjusted for each player based on game play information. For example, by making the first setting information specifying the position, type, or number of enemy characters common, it is possible to realize the same or similar game screen display on the player terminal 100 of each player. On the other hand, by adjusting the second setting information specifying the enemy character's attack power, HP, or experience points to be obtained for each player, each player can seamlessly enjoy game events following a predetermined scenario in a common virtual space, regardless of the game progress (e.g., the combat power of the playable character).

[0129] 13 shows an example of a game image in a multiplayer mode according to one embodiment. The game image 53 assumes a multiplayer mode with two players. A game screen similar to the game image 53 is displayed on the player terminals 100 of each of the two players. The game image 53 includes a first playable character 75, a second playable character 76, their respective HP gauges 77 and 78, an enemy character 93, and its HP gauge 94.

[0130] The first playable character 75 and the second playable character 76 are each controlled by a different player. For example, the first playable character 75 is controlled by a first player via a first player terminal 100A, and the second playable character 76 is controlled by a second player via a second player terminal 100B. Each player controls the playable character 75 or 76 to perform an attack action against an enemy character 93, and the players cooperate to reduce the remaining value of the HP gauge 94 of the enemy character 93 to zero.

[0131] Here, with regard to the second setting information, the parameters of the enemy character 93 for the first player are adjusted according to the fighting power of the first playable character 75, and the parameters of the enemy character 93 for the second player are adjusted according to the fighting power of the second playable character 76. Each player terminal 100 performs calculations according to the progress of the game using the adjusted parameters. The server 200 can maintain consistency within the common virtual space by, for example, converting the adjustment results for the first player and the adjustment results for the second player mutually via the initial setting values ​​before adjustment. As an example, consider a case where the initial setting value of HP for the enemy character 93 is 10, the adjusted HP for the first player is 1,000, and the adjusted HP for the second player is 100. When the first playable character 75 inflicts 100 damage on the enemy character 93, the remaining HP of the enemy character 93 changes from 1,000 to 900 in the first player terminal 100A. When the first player terminal 100A transmits this information to the server 200, the server 200, upon receiving the information, changes the remaining HP of the enemy character 93 from 10 to 9 and generates information for the second player terminal 100B that the remaining HP of the enemy character 93 has decreased by 10. The second player terminal 100B receives the information from the server 200 and changes the remaining HP of the enemy character 93 from 100 to 90. Here, the HP gauge 94 of the enemy character 93 displayed on the game screen in both the first player terminal 100A and the second player terminal 100B is the ratio of the remaining HP to the maximum HP, so a common (identical or similar) display mode can be realized. Similarly, when an effect display is performed according to the magnitude of damage inflicted on the enemy character 93 (for example, a small flame is displayed if the damage inflicted on the enemy character 93 is less than 10% of the enemy's HP, and a large flame is displayed if the damage is 10% or more), the same effect display can be realized in the player terminals 100A and 100B.

[0132] In the case of multiplayer, it is also conceivable that the first player terminal 100A forms a multiplayer session as a host, including enemy data, and allows the second player terminal 100B to participate in the session as a guest. In this case, the first damage inflicted on the enemy character by the first player and the second damage inflicted on the enemy character by the second player are notified as information related to the session. In this case, regarding the display of the remaining HP of the enemy character, in one example, the second damage inflicted by the second player is adjusted based on (HP for the first player / HP for the second player), and the first damage and the adjusted second damage are displayed.

[0133] Similarly, when the attack power of the enemy character 93 is adjusted for each player as the second setting information, the consistency of the multiplay can be maintained by performing an appropriate conversion in the server 200. Note that the conversion process of the value to be reflected in the common virtual space may be executed in each player terminal 100.

[0134] As described above, even when applied to multiplayer games, the above-described embodiment can adjust the setting information for game events executed at each player's terminal based on each player's game play information. Because the first setting information is shared and the second setting information is adjusted for each player, even if the display format of the game image is shared, the internal parameters may differ for each player. As a result, the strength of the enemy character 93 perceived by the first player on the player terminal 100A is approximately the same as the strength of the enemy character 93 perceived by the second player on the player terminal 100B. On the other hand, even if the first and second players are at different game progress levels, the shared display format is used, so the excitement of multiplayer games, in which players cooperate to play a game in the same virtual space, is not diminished. Therefore, even if there are differences in the game progress levels between players participating in multiplayer games, resulting in differences in the combat power of the playable characters owned by each player, players can enjoy the multiplayer gameplay and storyline according to a pre-set scenario without worrying about the difference in combat power.

[0135] Other display modes may be adopted for game images in the case of multiplayer. As illustrated in game image 53 of FIG. 13, the first playable character 75 and the second playable character 76 may be displayed side by side. Alternatively, as illustrated in game image 52 of FIG. 7, on the game screen of the player terminal 100A of the first player, the first playable character 75 may be displayed large near the center like the playable character 71, and the second playable character 76 may be displayed small like the friend character 72. Alternatively, only the opponent's characters may be displayed from a first-person perspective, such that only the second playable character 76 is displayed on the game screen of the player terminal 100A of the first player and only the first playable character 75 is displayed on the game screen of the player terminal 100B of the second player.

[0136] Additionally or alternatively, the rewards obtained when defeating an enemy character 93 in multiplayer are set to be rewards of the same attribute for the first playable character 75 and the second playable character 76 by the first setting information. Rewards of the same attribute may be rephrased as rewards of the same type, such as experience points, in-game currency, or in-game items required to level up the playable characters. However, the specific values ​​(parameters) of the rewards are adjusted for each player by the second setting information. Therefore, for example, when the first playable character 75 and the second playable character 76 cooperate to defeat the enemy character 93, the first playable character 75 may obtain 100 experience points, while the second playable character 76 may obtain 10 experience points. This adjustment allows the first player and the second player to feel that they have obtained rewards commensurate with the effort they put into defeating the enemy.

[0137] In this way, according to this modification, players at different stages in the game can enjoy multiplayer, and can enjoy gameplay without feeling unfair in terms of contribution to the objective, such as defeating enemies, and in terms of rewards for achieving the objective. The rewards obtained upon completion are also adjusted based on the gameplay information, so players who work hard to complete a game can receive larger rewards, allowing them to enjoy gameplay according to a predetermined scenario. Furthermore, in such cases, even if the parameter values ​​themselves are different, by displaying them on a similar HP gauge, players can enjoy gameplay without losing the thrill of multiplayer.

[0138] The above-described variations can also be applied to multiplayer games involving three or more players. The players participating in multiplayer games may include virtual players, such as ghost players, created based on the past gameplay data of other players. NPC companion characters may also be added to multiplayer games. Alternatively, in multiplayer games, the parameters (HP, attack power, defense power, etc.) of the first and second playable characters 75 and 76 may be adjusted based on gameplay information.

[0139] As another example of a multiplayer game, a computer system according to an embodiment may be configured to match players. For example, the computer system may match multiple players based on player information or gameplay information to create groups, and progress the multiplayer game in response to operations by each player in the created group. Even during such matching, adjusting the setting information described in the above embodiment can maintain the motivation of each player, even when players of different levels are matched.

[0140] More specifically, for example, a player who wishes to be matched with another player transmits a matching request to the server 200 via the player terminal 100. When the server 200 receives the matching request from the player terminal 100, the game control unit 211 can execute the matching in response to the matching request. For example, the game control unit 211 reads necessary information from the game play information storage unit 223 for multiple players who transmitted the matching request and matches the players according to predetermined matching conditions. The game control unit 211 further progresses the game as a multiplay game between the matched players. In this case, before the game starts, the game play information acquisition unit 212 acquires player information or game play information of the matched players from the game play information storage unit 223, and the setting adjustment unit 213 can adjust the setting information of each player based on the player information or game play information. Note that the players constituting the matched group may include players participating as spectators or viewers.

[0141] A wide variety of matching conditions may be set. For example, by setting matching conditions that mix high-level players with low-level players, it is possible to allow less experienced players to see the play of skilled players. Such matching can also motivate lower-level players to play multiplayer games, while providing higher-level players with different rewards than lower-level players, even though they fight the same enemies as lower-level players, thereby maintaining the motivation of the higher-level players. Players may be able to select their desired matching conditions from a variety of matching conditions. For example, a higher-level player can specify matching conditions that match higher-level players together, allowing them to play games with other higher-level players, or can specify matching conditions that include lower-level players, allowing players of different levels to enjoy games with each other.

[0142] As another modification, the above embodiment can also be applied to a music game. For example, in a music game in which a player inputs a melody or rhythm according to a presented score, the score is common to all players, but the time for accepting the player's input can be adjusted for each player. Also, the judgment range for determining whether the input melody or rhythm is appropriate can be adjusted for each player. Similarly, as an application example for a puzzle game or quiz game, the puzzle or quiz questions themselves can be common to all players, but the time for accepting the player's answer can be adjusted for each player.

[0143] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, as described above, a game event may be any event executed according to a predetermined scenario. The game play information used to adjust the setting information of a game event may be any information related to a player's gameplay. The specific examples of setting information described above are merely examples, and other setting information may be used. For example, the first setting information set commonly among players may include any of the enemy character parameters, companion character parameters, or reward parameters exemplified as the second setting information. Conversely, the second setting information adjusted for each player based on the game play information may include any of the enemy character appearance patterns or reward attributes exemplified as the first setting information. The first setting information or the second setting information may include other setting information related to the difficulty level of a game event, such as the time limit for the game event or the size of the virtual space related to the game event.

[0144] The game event to which the above embodiment is applied may be a pre-specified game event (for example, a specific episode or a specific chapter), or may be a time-limited event that is executed only on player terminals that are connected (logged in) to the server 200 within a specified period of time.

[0145] The functional units of server 200 may be distributed across multiple devices, and these devices may perform processing in cooperation with each other. Each functional unit may also be realized using a circuit. The circuit may be a dedicated circuit for realizing a specific function, or a general-purpose circuit such as a processor.

[0146] The player terminal 100 may be configured to synchronize the data stored in the storage unit 120 with the server 200 at any timing. The various data described above as being stored in the storage unit 120 of the player terminal 100 may be referenced by the server 200 at any timing.

[0147] Furthermore, the flow of each process described above is not limited to the procedures described, and the order of some steps may be changed, or some steps may be performed simultaneously in parallel. Also, the series of processes described above do not need to be performed consecutively, and each step may be performed at any timing. Some of the operations of the server 200 may be performed in the player terminal 100.

[0148] The above-described method can be stored as a program (software means) that can be executed by a computer on a recording medium (storage medium), such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, MO, etc.), or semiconductor memory (ROM, RAM, flash memory, etc.), or can be transmitted and distributed via a communication medium. The program stored on the medium also includes a configuration program that configures the software means (including not only execution programs but also tables and data structures) that the computer executes. The computer that realizes the above-described device reads the program stored on the recording medium and, in some cases, configures the software means using the configuration program, and executes the above-described processing by having the operation controlled by this software means. The term "recording medium" as used herein is not limited to a storage medium for distribution, but also includes a storage medium such as a magnetic disk or semiconductor memory installed inside the computer or in a device connected via a network.

[0149] It should be noted that this invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0150] 1...game system, 100...player terminal, 200...server, 1001...processor, 1002...memory, 1003...storage, 1004...sensor, 1005...communication interface, 1006...input / output interface, 1007...touch screen, 1071...input unit, 1072...display unit, 1008...bus, 2001...processor, 2002...memory, 2003...storage, 2004...communication interface, 2005...input / output interface, 2006...bus, 110...control unit, 111...game progression unit, 112...game play information transmission unit, 113...setting reception unit, 114...display control unit, 120...memory unit, 121...game program memory unit, 122...game data memory unit, 123...game play information memory unit 210...control unit, 211...game control unit, 212...game play information acquisition unit, 213...setting adjustment unit, 214...setting transmission unit, 220...memory unit, 221...game program memory unit, 222...game data memory unit, 223...game play information memory unit, 51, 52, 53...game images, 61...episode information, 62A, 62B, 62C, 62D...chapter selection buttons, 63...playable character information, 64...back button, 71...playable character, 72...companion character, 73...HP gauge, 75...first playable character, 76...second playable character, 77, 78...HP gauge, 91, 93...enemy character, 92, 94...HP gauge.

Claims

1. A computer system for controlling execution of a game on a plurality of player terminals, comprising: a storage unit for storing player information or game play information of players of a game executed on the plurality of player terminals; an acquisition unit that acquires player information of a game executed on the player terminal or game play information of a player from the storage unit; a setting adjustment unit that adjusts setting information of a game event executed on the player terminal based on the player information or the game play information; a transmitting unit that transmits the setting information to the player terminal; Equipped with The setting information is First setting information that is set in common among players; and second setting information adjusted for each player based on the player information or the game play information. Computer system.

2. the first setting information includes information specifying an object that appears in the game event; the second setting information includes information specifying parameters of the object; 10. The computer system of claim 1.

3. the first setting information includes information specifying an appearance pattern of enemy characters appearing in the game event or attributes of rewards that can be obtained in the game event; 3. The computer system of claim 2.

4. The game play information includes information regarding the duration or number of times the player has played the game; the first setting information is set commonly for players whose game play duration or number of times is within a predetermined range; A computer system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The game event is an event that is executed at the player terminal within a predetermined period of time. A computer system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a game control unit that executes matching of a plurality of players based on the player information or the game play information and progresses the game through multiplay by the matched plurality of players; the acquisition unit acquires player information or game play information of the matched players from the storage unit; the setting adjustment unit adjusts the setting information for each of the matched players. A computer system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The computer system according to claim 6 , wherein the game control unit receives a matching request from the player terminal and executes the matching.

8. the setting adjustment unit adjusts the setting information when receiving a request for adjusting setting information of a game event that satisfies a predetermined condition from the player terminal. A computer system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer that can communicate with the player terminal via a network, Acquire player information of the game being executed on the player terminal or game play information of the player; adjusting setting information for a game event executed at the player terminal based on the player information or the game play information; transmitting the setting information to the player terminal; A program that functions as follows: The setting information is First setting information that is set in common among players; and second setting information adjusted for each player based on the player information or the game play information. program.

10. A server capable of communicating with a player terminal via a network, an acquisition unit that acquires player information of a game executed on the player terminal or game play information of a player; a setting adjustment unit that adjusts setting information of a game event executed on the player terminal based on the player information or the game play information; a transmitting unit that transmits the setting information to the player terminal; Equipped with The setting information is First setting information that is set in common among players; and second setting information adjusted for each player based on the player information or the game play information. server.

11. A computer-implemented game control method, comprising: Acquiring player information or game play information of a player of a game executed on a player terminal; adjusting setting information of a game event executed on the player terminal based on the player information or the game play information; outputting the setting information to the player terminal; Equipped with The setting information is First setting information that is set in common among players; and second setting information adjusted for each player based on the player information or the game play information. Game control method.

Images