Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can provide players participating in a competition with rewards based on their evaluation of their opponents. [Means for solving the problem] The information processing device includes an evaluation setting unit that sets evaluation information for each of several players, including the first player and the second player participating in the competition, based on the operation of the user watching the competition, and a reward granting unit that, if the first player wins against the second player in a match of the competition, grants the first player a first reward based on the evaluation information set for the second player.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in competitions such as e-sports, it is known to determine the winner by a tournament system and to determine the rewards given to players, such as prize money, based on the number of victories. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an online game tournament system that progresses by a tournament system and in which the prize money is determined by the number of wins, and an initial level and initial credit are given to participants who participate as players. When a game is played between opponents determined among the participants and the outcome is determined, a certain ratio of the loser's credit is transferred to the winner and the winner's level is raised by one level. After transferring credit to the winner, the loser's prize money is determined according to the current credit and the participation in the tournament is recorded as invalid.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a system such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, in the first round, when a player wins against a famous player such as a so-called championship candidate who has a high evaluation from viewers, etc., and when a player wins against an unknown player who has a low evaluation from viewers, etc., although the value of the victory is different, it has been difficult to give an appropriate reward according to the value to the player.

[0005] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to give a reward to a player participating in a competition according to the evaluation of the opponent. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an evaluation setting unit that sets evaluation information for each of a plurality of players, including a first player and a second player participating in a competition, based on the operation of a user watching the competition, and a reward granting unit that, when the first player wins against the second player in a match of the competition, grants the first player a first reward based on the evaluation information set for the second player. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, players participating in a competition can be rewarded according to their opponent's evaluation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an information processing system including an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This diagram shows an overview of the competition, with (a) illustrating the tournament situation at the start of the competition and (b) illustrating the situation after the first round. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing an example of a player selection screen. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing an example of the player details screen. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing an example of a match start screen. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the functions of an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of competition information. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of player information. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of user information. [Figure 10] This figure shows the information processing flow related to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing the flow of the evaluation information setting process. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart showing the reward distribution process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit it. That is, the present invention can be modified or improved upon from the embodiments described below, without departing from its spirit. Naturally, the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0010] Furthermore, the screen examples described in this specification and the drawings are merely examples, and the screen configuration and design, the content of the displayed information, and the GUI (Graphical User Interface), etc., can be freely designed and modified as appropriate according to the system design specifications and user preferences.

[0011] <Regarding the competition according to this embodiment> The communication system shown in Figure 1 (hereinafter referred to as the information processing system S) is a communication system that includes an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as the server 10) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Information processing system S is a computer system that handles all operations related to the conduct of the competition. It provides services related to the competition and other competition-related services to players (individuals or teams) who participate in the competition, and to users who do not participate as players but watch (spectate) the players' performance. Specifically, it provides players with an environment for playing the competition, and provides users with an environment for watching the competition and an environment for evaluating players.

[0012] A competition is a game in which players compete in terms of superiority or inferiority in skills or abilities according to certain rules, such as computer games or sports, and includes a tournament in which one or more matches are organized and held. When a tournament like this is organized and held with multiple matches, the method of determining the winner or ranking may be a knockout system (single-elimination tournament), a league system (round-robin tournament), a combination of the knockout system and the league system, or a derived method thereof, or any other method. In addition, a competition may be composed of a main selection and a preliminary selection (preliminary tournament) for selecting participants for the main selection. Further, when multiple matches are organized and held, it is not limited to the case of conducting multiple matches of one event, and multiple different events may be combined. In a competition, according to the final ranking, the match results of each match, or the content of the match, etc., prizes, secondary prizes, and other rewards are given to the players.

[0013] In this embodiment, as an example of a competition, a tournament of e-sports (electronic sports), which is a对战 game in which players compete in a computer game, will be described below (hereinafter referred to as a competition tournament). Note that the game genre of e-sports is not particularly limited and may be any game genre. For example, it may be a fighting game, a sports game, a shooting game, a racing game, a puzzle game, a word game, a card game, a board game, a role-playing game, or a simulation game, etc. Also, e-sports may be an individual battle or a team battle. Further, it may be a game in which humans play against each other as players, or a game in which a human plays against a computer (e.g., AI or robot, etc.).

[0014] The esports of this embodiment is an online game provided using the information processing system S. Specifically, when a player such as a professional gamer performs an operation (play operation) of playing esports, which is a competition, on the player terminal 11, the player terminal 11 receives data related to the progress of the competition distributed from a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10). On the player terminal 11, video and audio corresponding to the received data are output, and the player advances the competition while checking the output video and audio. Further, the player terminal 11 transmits data indicating the operation content of the player, such as a play operation, to the server 10, and the server 10 transmits data corresponding to the operation content to the player terminal 11. Such data transmission and reception between the server 10 and the player terminal 11 is repeatedly performed until the game played by the player ends.

[0015] The competition tournament of this embodiment is a competition tournament in which a plurality of players participate, and a plurality of games are held within one competition tournament. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2(a), the competition tournament of this embodiment is a tournament in which 8 players (Player A to Player H) participate, and in a knockout tournament format, a total of 7 games in the first round, semi-final, and final are carried out. And the player who finally remains after winning the tournament battle 3 times wins, and the competition tournament ends. Note that a preliminary round (preliminary league or preliminary tournament) may be configured separately from this main selection (final tournament).

[0016] On the other hand, a user who is a viewer (spectator) is in a different position from the player, and does not participate in the competition tournament like the player and actually play the competition and conduct a game. On the user terminal 12, the user watches the game by viewing a video (play video) in which the state of the player playing the competition is reflected. Specifically, the user terminal 12 receives data related to the progress of the competition distributed from the server 10. On the user terminal 12, video and audio corresponding to the received data are output, and the user watches the output video and audio.

[0017] Furthermore, users can not only simply watch gameplay videos, but also specify any player and perform various user operations. Specifically, the user terminal 12 sends data indicating the various operations that the user will perform on a specified player to the server 10, and the server 10 sends data corresponding to those operations to the user terminal 12. This data transmission and reception between the server 10 and the user terminal 12 is repeated until the match or competition ends. Furthermore, the term "user" may include users who only perform user operations without watching the match, i.e., users other than viewers.

[0018] Designation refers to the user selecting one or more players from among several players participating in a competition or match. Player designation is performed on the player designation screen G1, as shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the Player Selection Screen G1 is a screen where the user can arbitrarily select a player, and it displays a list of information about multiple players participating in a competition or match. The Player Selection Screen G1 displays information that can identify each player, such as the player's name (or team name), an icon or other image, and evaluation information, which will be described later. The user can select a player by tapping the area on the Player Selection Screen G1 where the information of the desired player is displayed.

[0019] User operations, that is, various operations performed by the user by specifying a player, are operations that affect the settings of the evaluation information described later. User operations are operations that the user can perform before the end of a match in which the player specified by the user (hereinafter referred to as the specified player) is participating, specifically, before the start of the competition or each match (the match in which the player is participating), or during the competition or each match. User actions include, for example, watching a designated player's gameplay video, sending comments, stamps, or voice messages (cheers) to the designated player, making donations of a predetermined value such as money to the designated player, and voting by predicting the designated player's victory. Voting includes cases where a predetermined value such as money is wagered and a payout is received if the designated player wins, and cases where the user simply predicts the winner without wagering a predetermined value such as money (in which case no payout is received).

[0020] User operations include a first operation that can be performed by consuming a predetermined value, and a second operation that can be performed without consuming a predetermined value. For example, providing a predetermined value such as money or a predetermined game medium to a designated player as a donation, or betting on a designated player by wagering a predetermined value such as money or a predetermined game medium, are first operations. Also, when sending comments, comments that require the consumption of a predetermined value are first operations, while comments that can be sent without consuming a predetermined value are second operations. Note that second operations may have a limit on the number of times they can be performed, even if they do not require the consumption of a predetermined value. Furthermore, a first operation may be made possible by consuming a first value (an example of a predetermined value), and a second operation may be made possible by consuming a second value different from the first value. For example, the first value may be a paid medium, and the second value may be a free medium.

[0021] Furthermore, the first and second operations have a different degree of impact on the setting of the evaluation information, which will be discussed later. In other words, the first operation, which requires the consumption of a predetermined value, has a greater impact on the change in the evaluation information than the second operation, which does not require the consumption of a predetermined value, and the rate of change in the evaluation information is relatively larger.

[0022] Value that can be consumed as a predetermined value includes not only money, but also, for example, game media such as special currency and game items usable in games played in competitions or other games. Game media includes paid game media that must be purchased by making payments or other actions to obtain them, and free game media that can be obtained through login bonuses, etc., without making payments or other actions. Furthermore, the type and amount of predetermined value (or monetary amount in the case of money) consumed when performing the first operation may be determined by the user's choice, or it may be determined automatically or randomly regardless of the user's intention. In addition, the type and amount of predetermined value that can be consumed for each competition or match, or for each player, may be set in advance. For example, the amount of predetermined value required may be set relatively higher for high-ranking players who are strong contenders for the championship, players who have advanced to the finals and are close to winning, or players who already have high evaluation information as described later. Furthermore, it may vary depending on when the user designates a player or when the user performs an operation on a designated player. For example, the amount of predetermined value required may be set relatively lower before the start of a competition, during the preliminary rounds or first round, or before a player has advanced in the tournament. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, money will be used as an example of a given value.

[0023] User operations are performed on the player details screen G2, as shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the Player Details screen G2 is a screen where the user can perform operations on a designated player as illustrated above. In addition to information such as the designated player's name, image, and rating information, it also displays detailed information about the player, such as rank, attributes, and player profile information including battle record. The Player Details screen G2 also displays buttons that accept user operations that the user can select, such as normal comments (N comments), super comments (S comments), gifts, and votes. When the user taps a button indicating an arbitrary user operation on the Player Details screen G2, they are redirected to a comment input screen or an amount input screen (not shown), and can perform user operations on the designated player. Regarding comments, normal comments, which send a message without consuming a predetermined value, are considered a second operation. On the other hand, super comments, which users make by consuming a predetermined value to make their comments stand out, normal comments that use stamps obtained by consuming a predetermined value, gifts that provide a predetermined value to players, and votes that involve wagering a predetermined value are considered first operations.

[0024] In this embodiment, evaluation information is set for each player based on the user operations described above. The evaluation information is an indicator of how highly a player is regarded by users. The more views, comments or stamps, gifts, and votes predicting victory a player has, the higher the player is considered to be regarded by users, and the higher the evaluation information is set. Specifically, points are calculated based on the evaluation information set for each player, and these calculated points are awarded to each player as evaluation points. Furthermore, since user operations can be accepted before the end of a match, evaluation points may change even while a player is in the middle of a match. Note that evaluation points have exchange value for points earned, as described later, but do not have exchange value for rewards, as described later.

[0025] In this embodiment, seeding in the tournament is determined based on evaluation information set for each player before the start of the competition. Specifically, players with high evaluation information, i.e., players with many evaluation points, are given priority in seeding, and the tournament pairings are determined based on these seedings. For example, as shown in Figure 2(a), the first to fourth seeds are assigned in order of the highest evaluation points, and the first seed, Player A (4000 points), and the second seed, Player H (3200 points), will not play against each other until the final. Also, Player A, Player H, the third seed, Player E (2800 points), and the fourth seed, Player D (2400 points) will be in a favorable matchup in the first round, avoiding playing against other seeded players. Seeding also includes cases where opponents are given preferential treatment, as well as exemptions from qualifying rounds or the first round.

[0026] As the competition begins and the start time for each match approaches, information about the match pairings will be displayed on the match start screen G3, as shown in Figure 5. When the match start time arrives, the screen will switch to an unshown match screen (a video streaming screen of the gameplay) and the match will begin. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the match start screen G3, which is displayed at the start of a match, displays information to identify the match, information indicating the start time of the match, information that can identify each player competing, such as the player's name (or team name), an icon or other image, and evaluation information set for each player at the start of the match.

[0027] When the match ends, based on the match results, the winner, Player 1 (for example, Player B), will receive all or part of the evaluation points that were awarded to the loser, Player 2 (for example, Player A), as earned points (a broad definition of reward). In addition, the difference between the evaluation points awarded to Player 2 and the points awarded to Player 1 (the evaluation points remaining for Player 2) will be awarded to Player 2 as earned points. Furthermore, the amount of points awarded to the second player should be set to be less than the amount of points awarded to the first player. In other words, the following example shows that 75% of the evaluation points awarded to the second player are awarded to the first player as points, but it is preferable that this percentage be at least greater than 50%.

[0028] For example, if the first player is awarded 75% of the evaluation points that were awarded to the second player, then as shown in Figure 2(b), in the first match of the first round, player B, who becomes the first player, will be awarded 3000 points out of the 4000 evaluation points that were awarded to player A, who becomes the second player. On the other hand, player A, who becomes the second player, will be awarded 1000 points, which is the difference between the evaluation points they were awarded and the points awarded to the first player, and will be eliminated from the tournament and end their participation in the competition. Similarly, in the second to fourth matches of the first round, players D, E, and H, who were the first players, will each receive 75% of the evaluation points that were awarded to their respective opponents, players C, F, and G, who were the second players. On the other hand, players C, F, and G, who were the second players, will receive the difference between the points they received and those awarded to the first players, and will be eliminated from the tournament, ending their participation in the competition. Thus, even in the same first round, the points a winner can earn can differ depending on the evaluation of their defeated opponent. For example, Player B, who caused a major upset by defeating Player A, the top seed with a high user rating and considered a strong contender for the championship, can earn a lot of points, corresponding to the evaluation points given to Player A.

[0029] Once all matches are finished, a winner is determined, and the tournament concludes, the winner, Player 1 W, will be awarded points that have been converted from their evaluation points. Then, each player who participates in the competition will be awarded a monetary or other reward calculated based on the points they have earned. The method of calculating the reward here may be to set the reward amount according to the ranking of the points earned, or to allocate it proportionally according to the amount of points earned. For example, the total reward amount set for the entire competition may be allocated proportionally according to the points each player possesses to calculate the amount of reward to be given to each player. The rewards mentioned here include both the first reward, which is awarded exclusively to the winner, and the second reward, which may also be awarded to the loser. Specifically, the rewards based on points converted from the evaluation points of the second player defeated as an opponent correspond to the first and second rewards of this invention, while the rewards based on points converted from the evaluation points awarded to oneself correspond to the second reward of this invention.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a reward (corresponding to the third reward) based on the points earned by the designated player specified by the user is awarded to the user who designated the designated player. The reward here may be calculated and awarded as follows, for example, X yen for every 100 points earned by the designated player, or a fixed amount or a reward proportional to the points earned may be awarded when the points earned by the designated player exceed a predetermined threshold. In addition, the content of the reward is not limited to money, but may be anything that is beneficial to the user who designated the designated player, for example, it may enable direct communication such as direct messages with the player.

[0031] <Configuration of the information processing device and user terminal according to this embodiment> Next, the configuration of the information processing device and various terminals according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to this embodiment consists of a computer, more precisely a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10), which distributes data related to the progress of the competition and is responsible for the operation of the competition. Server 10 is an example of a computer and, as shown in Figure 1, is connected to a plurality of player terminals 11 and user terminals 12 via a network 14 so as to be able to communicate with them, and together with the player terminals 11 and user terminals 12, it constructs an information processing system S. The network 14 is a communication network consisting of, for example, the Internet or a mobile communication network, and may include LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), and intranet.

[0032] In the information processing system S of this embodiment, the competition proceeds through the cooperation of the server 10, the player terminal 11, and the user terminal 12, as described above. Specifically, the server 10 performs part of the competition progress processing (including the progress processing of each match), while the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 perform part of the graphics processing, etc. For example, the server 10 executes a program that includes certain rules, logic, and algorithms. Meanwhile, the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 proceed with the competition in synchronization with the server 10, using the same rules, logic, and algorithms as the program executed on the server 10.

[0033] Server 10 is an example of the "information processing device" of the present invention, and is a computer that performs various information processing related to the progress of the competition, such as generating and sending / receiving data necessary for the progress of the competition. More specifically, in this embodiment, it is an SNS server. Server 10 may consist of a single computer or multiple computers that are distributed in parallel. Furthermore, Server 10 may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, a series of information processing steps related to the progress of the competition (excluding information input and display) are performed by Server 10, so the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 only need to input information to be handed over to Server 10 and display information distributed from Server 10.

[0034] As hardware, server 10 has a processor 21, memory 22, communication interface 23, and storage 24, as shown in Figure 1, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 25. Server 10 also has an operating system (OS) and a dedicated program for processing information related to the competition installed as software. These programs correspond to the "program" of the present invention. By operating the processor 21 according to the above program, server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention and executes a series of processes related to the progress of the competition. The program of the present invention may be obtained by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or it may be obtained (downloaded) via a network 14 such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0035] The processor 21 may consist of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc.

[0036] The memory 22 may be composed of semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0037] The communication interface 23 may be configured, for example, by a network interface card or a communication interface board. The data communication standard using the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited and may include communication via Wi-Fi® wireless LAN, communication via 3G to 5G or later generations of mobile communication systems, or communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0038] The storage 24 may consist of flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. The storage 24 may be built into the server 10 or attached to the server body as an external device. Furthermore, the storage 24 may consist of an external computer (e.g., a database server) connected to the server body in a communicative manner. In addition, distributed ledger technology such as blockchain may be used as the technology for recording various types of data to prevent unauthorized data tampering.

[0039] Server 10 distributes information necessary for the progress of the competition to each player and user, and also collects and stores information from each player and user. The information stored by Server 10 includes information about the competition, information about each player, and information about each user. In addition, Server 10 performs various other information processing related to the progress of the competition.

[0040] The player terminal 11 is a client terminal operated by the player to play the competition. The user terminal 12 is a client terminal operated by the user to watch the competition, rate the players, etc. The player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 are composed of, for example, personal computers, smartphones, mobile phones, tablet devices, game consoles, television receivers capable of inputting information, and wearable devices. Although Figure 1 shows two player terminals 11 and three user terminals 12 for illustrative purposes, in reality, there are, of course, the number of player terminals 11 and user terminals 12 corresponding to the number of players and users.

[0041] The player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 receive data from the server 10 and display the images (videos) indicated by the data on the display of the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12, or on a display device such as a TV connected to the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12, or output sound from a speaker or the like. In other words, in this embodiment, the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 function as a display unit and an audio output unit. For example, the player terminal 11 displays the match start screen G3 (Figure 5) and other match screens not shown. The user terminal 12 displays other match screens not shown, as well as the player selection screen G1 (Figure 3), the player details screen G2 (Figure 4), and the match start screen G3 (Figure 5).

[0042] Furthermore, the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 receive player or user operations performed during the competition and transmit information corresponding to those operations to the server 10. For example, a player performs play operations, etc., on the player terminal 11 to play the competition and transmits information based on those operations to the server 10. On the other hand, a user performs various user operations, etc., on the user terminal 12, specifying any player from among the multiple players participating in the competition, and transmits information based on those operations to the server 10. In addition to the operations described above, players and users may also perform operations on the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12 as necessary to enjoy the services provided by the information processing system S of this embodiment.

[0043] <Functions of an information processing device according to the present invention> The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to this embodiment, will be explained again in terms of its functionality. As shown in Figure 6, Server 10 includes a storage unit 30, an information acquisition unit 31, a display control unit 32, an evaluation setting unit 33, a seed setting unit 34, a point awarding unit 35, a reward awarding unit 36, and a competition control unit 37. Of these, the storage unit 30 is implemented by memory 22 or storage 24, and the other functional units are implemented through the cooperation of the hardware equipment constituting Server 10 and the program installed on Server 10. If Server 10 is composed of multiple computers, the above functions may be distributed so that each of the multiple computers performs a different function from the others. The following sections will provide a detailed explanation of each functional component.

[0044] (Storage part) The memory unit 30 stores various information necessary for the progress of the competition. Specifically, it stores information related to the competition, information related to the players, and information related to the users. It also stores various other types of information.

[0045] As shown in Figure 7, information regarding competitions (competition information) is linked to various pieces of information that identify each competition (such as an identification ID), and is stored for each competition. For example, the competition information section includes information such as the name (title) of the competition, the duration of the event, prize money, rewards, competition details, players, viewers, and competition results. The prize money information includes information such as the amount of prize money awarded to players based on their ranking. The rewards information includes information such as the total amount of rewards awarded to players based on the points earned. The competition details information includes information to identify the competitions held in the event. The player information includes information to identify the players participating in the competition. The viewer information includes the number of viewers of the competition and information to identify the viewers. The competition results information includes information such as the winner of the competition, the winners and losers of each match, and the scores of each match (including interim results).

[0046] As shown in Figure 8, player information is stored for each player, with various pieces of information linked to identification information (such as an identification ID or account name) that identifies each player. For example, the player information section may include information such as the player's name, rank, team affiliation, match record, evaluation points, points earned, rewards, and prize money. Information showing match record may include information such as the number of tournaments participated in, the number of matches played, tournament results, and past competition history such as match results. Information showing evaluation points may include information such as the amount of points awarded based on user actions and the awarding history. Information showing points earned may include information such as the amount of points earned based on match results and the awarding history. Information showing rewards may include information such as the amount of rewards awarded based on points earned after the end of the competition and the awarding history. Prize money may include information showing the amount of prize money awarded based on ranking after the end of the competition. In addition, other information, such as personal information of the player, such as contact information, may also be included in the player information.

[0047] As shown in Figure 9, user information is stored for each user, with various pieces of information linked to identification information (such as an identification ID or account name) that identifies each user. For example, the user information fields include information such as attributes, viewing history, operation history, predetermined value, and rewards. Information showing viewing history includes information indicating the competitions or matches watched by the user. Information showing operation history includes information to identify a designated player specified by the user and information indicating the content of user operations performed on that designated player (including the amount of predetermined value consumed). Information showing predetermined value includes information indicating the type, amount, and consumption history of the predetermined value owned. Information showing rewards includes information indicating the type, amount, and award history of rewards awarded to the designated player based on the points earned after the competition. In addition, user information may also include other information, such as the user's personal information including contact information, and billing history showing the number of times and amount of charges made to obtain predetermined value.

[0048] (Information acquisition department) The information acquisition unit 31 corresponds to the reception unit of the present invention and acquires information (data) based on operations performed by the player and user on the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12 by communicating with the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12. The information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 includes, for example, information based on play operations performed by the player to play the competition, and information based on user operations performed by the user by specifying any player. Furthermore, the information based on user operations includes information based on a first operation that can be performed by consuming a predetermined value, and information based on a second operation that can be performed without consuming a predetermined value. In addition to the above information, the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 also includes information based on various selections, designations, instructions, requests, orders, permission or denial, registration, and other input operations performed by the player or user during and before / after the competition.

[0049] (Display Control Unit) The display control unit 32 controls the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12 and displays various information necessary for the progress of the competition on the screen of the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12. Specifically, the display control unit 32 generates display data to display the results of information processing by the evaluation setting unit 33, seed setting unit 34, point awarding unit 35, reward awarding unit 36, and competition control unit 37, etc., which will be described later, and transmits the generated display data to the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12 via the network 14. For example, the display control unit 32 distributes match video to the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12 by displaying the match start screen G3 (Figure 5) and match screen, etc., which reflect the results of information processing by the competition control unit 37, on the player terminal 11 and user terminal 12. It also displays the player selection screen G1 (Figure 3) and player details screen G2 (Figure 4), etc., on the user terminal 12.

[0050] (Evaluation setting department) The evaluation setting unit 33 sets evaluation information for each of the multiple players participating in the competition based on user operations. Specifically, it modifies the evaluation information set for each player based on the content and timing of the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 based on user operations, and stores the modified evaluation information in the storage unit 30, associating it with each player each time. In this case, if the user operation is a first operation performed by consuming a predetermined value, the impact on the evaluation information is made greater and the evaluation information is changed more significantly than in the case of a second operation performed without consuming a predetermined value.

[0051] (Seed setting section) The seed setting unit 34 sets the seeds for the tournament in the competition based on evaluation information set for multiple players. Specifically, before the start of the competition, it ranks or assigns players a ranking based on the evaluation information set for each player, and stores the ranking or assignment of the player in the storage unit 30. Then, it determines the tournament pairings based on the set seeds.

[0052] (Points Awarding Department) The point awarding unit 35 awards points (evaluation points) to multiple players based on evaluation information set for each of the multiple players. Specifically, it determines the amount of evaluation points to award based on the evaluation information set for each player, stores the determined evaluation points in the storage unit 30 in association with each player, and updates the player information to award evaluation points to the players.

[0053] Furthermore, if the first player defeats the second player, the point awarding unit 35 awards at least a portion of the evaluation points awarded to the second player as acquired points to the first player. Specifically, based on the match result, it releases some or all of the evaluation points associated with the second player, converts the released evaluation points into acquired points, and stores them in the memory unit 30, associated with the first player. Then, by updating the player information of the first and second players, it awards some or all of the evaluation points owned by the second player to the first player as acquired points. At this time, the amount of points transferred from the second player to the first player may be determined by the content of the match, or it may be determined for each competition or match. For example, if the match is decided by a large margin or in a short time, more points may be transferred. Also, more points may be transferred in the main tournament than in the preliminary rounds, in the semi-finals than in the first round, and in the finals than in the semi-finals.

[0054] Furthermore, if the first player defeats the second player and there are no further opponents for the first player among the multiple players, i.e., if the first player wins the competition, the point awarding unit 35 awards the evaluation points previously given to the first player as acquired points. Specifically, the evaluation points previously given to the first player are converted into acquired points, and the player information stored in the memory unit 30 is updated to award the acquired points to the first player.

[0055] Furthermore, if the first player defeats the second player, the point awarding unit 35 awards the second player the difference between the evaluation points awarded to the second player and the points earned by the first player from the evaluation points awarded to the second player. Specifically, based on the match result, the unit releases some or all of the evaluation points associated with the second player, transfers the released evaluation points to the first player, converts the remaining evaluation points into points earned, and updates the second player's player information stored in the memory unit 30, thereby awarding the points earned to the second player.

[0056] (Reward Distribution Department) The reward granting unit 36 ​​grants the first player a reward (corresponding to the first reward) based on the evaluation information set for the second player when the first player wins against the second player in a match of the competition. In this embodiment, as a result of the first player's victory against the second player, the reward calculated based on the points awarded to the first player by the second player is granted to the first player. Specifically, the amount of reward to be awarded (the amount in the case of money) is calculated based on the points awarded to each first player, and the calculated reward is associated with the first player and stored in the storage unit 30 to update the player information, thereby granting the reward to the first player. At this time, for example, the total amount of rewards to be awarded to all players participating in the entire competition may be determined in advance, and the amount of reward to be awarded to each player may be calculated by apportioning that total amount of rewards based on the points each player possesses.

[0057] Furthermore, the reward distribution unit 36 ​​distributes a reward (corresponding to the second reward) to each player, calculated based on the points earned by each player. In other words, even the second player who lost to the first player will be given a reward if they have earned points. Specifically, the amount of reward to be given is determined based on the points earned by each player, and the determined reward is associated with the player and stored in the memory unit 30, updating the player information and thereby granting the reward to the player. Alternatively, the amount of reward to be given to each player may be calculated by apportioning the total reward amount, as described above.

[0058] Furthermore, the reward granting unit 36 ​​grants a reward (corresponding to the third reward) calculated based on the points earned by the designated player specified by the user through user operation to the user who specified the designated player. Specifically, it determines the amount of reward to be given to the user who specified that player through user operation based on the points earned by each player, stores the determined reward in the storage unit 30 in association with the user, and updates the user information to grant the reward to the user.

[0059] (Competition Control Department) The competition control unit 37 performs information processing necessary for the progress of the competition, and proceeds with the competition according to the various information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31. Specifically, the competition control unit 37 starts the match and performs actions such as moving game media such as characters in response to the actions taken by the players during the match. It also changes the settings of the game media parameters according to the progress of the match. For example, if the competition is a fighting game, it controls the movement of the character controlled by the player and the attack of other characters based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31. If an attack by a character hits another character, it reduces parameters such as the health of the other character based on the attack power of the character and the defense power of the other character.

[0060] The configurations of the server 10, player terminal 11, and user terminal 12 have been described above. While the server 10, player terminal 11, and user terminal 12 generally possess various other functions, only the characteristic functions that contribute to the effectiveness of the information processing system S in this invention will be described here. Other known functions will not be illustrated or described.

[0061] <Information processing flow related to one embodiment of the present invention> Next, with reference to Figures 10 to 12, the flow of information processing performed in the information processing system S having the above configuration (hereinafter referred to as the information processing flow) will be described. The information processing flow employs the information processing method of the present invention and is realized by using the information processing system S, which functions as a computer system. In other words, each step in the information processing flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. Note that the information processing flow described below is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps added, or the order of execution of steps changed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0062] (Information processing flow) This information processing flow, which includes evaluation information setting processing and reward granting processing, is the core information processing of the present invention, and is initiated when a competition is held, and proceeds, for example, according to the flow shown in Figure 10. Here, the winner of each match will be referred to as Player 1, the loser as Player 2, and the winner of the tournament as Player 1 W. Furthermore, the following explanation uses the example of setting each player's evaluation information before the start of the tournament, but evaluation information can be set at any time before the matches in which the players participated have ended and the winners and losers of each match have been determined.

[0063] As shown in Figure 10, first, the computer server 10 performs an evaluation information setting process (S101), and determines each player's seed and tournament pairing based on the evaluation points assigned to each player as evaluation information (S102). Details of the evaluation information setting process will be described later.

[0064] Next, Server 10 starts the match according to the determined pairings (S103), and after the winner and loser of the match are determined and the match ends (S104), it performs the reward distribution process (S105). Details of the reward distribution process will be described later.

[0065] Then, if Server 10 determines that a winner has been determined and all matches constituting the tournament have finished (S106: YES), it ends the competition (S107) and terminates processing. On the other hand, if Server 10 determines that not all matches have finished yet (S106: NO), it returns to processing S103. The above is an example of the information processing flow of the present invention.

[0066] (Evaluation information setting process) Next, an example of the evaluation information setting process will be described based on Figure 11. The evaluation information setting process is an action performed on server 10 (mainly the evaluation setting unit 33 and the point awarding unit 35), and is the process performed in step S101 of the above information processing flow. Specifically, it is the process of setting evaluation information for each player participating in the competition based on user operations.

[0067] As shown in Figure 11, first, the server 10, which is a computer, generates display data to show information about players that the user can select from among the multiple players participating in the competition, and sends the generated display data to the user's terminal 12, thereby displaying the player selection screen G1 (Figure 3) on the user terminal 12 (S201). Then, through communication with the user terminal 12, the server 10 obtains information based on the operation performed by the user to select a player and accepts the selection of a player (S202). When the server 10 accepts the selection of a player, it generates display data to show detailed information about the selected player, and sends the generated display data to the user's terminal 12, thereby displaying the player details screen G2 (Figure 4) on the user terminal 12 (S203).

[0068] Next, if the server 10 determines that the user operation performed by the user on the player details screen G2 is a first operation (S204:YES), it causes the user to consume a predetermined value by releasing the association of a predetermined value stored in association with the user with the user or a predetermined amount of that value to be consumed in advance, thereby reducing the amount of predetermined value owned by the user (S205). On the other hand, if the server 10 determines that the content of the user operation is not a first operation (S204:NO), that is, if it determines that it is a second operation, it proceeds to the next process without consuming the predetermined value.

[0069] The server 10 then sets evaluation information for each player based on user operations (S206), and assigns evaluation points to each player by storing the amount of evaluation points determined based on the set evaluation information and associating it with each player (S207), and then terminates the process. The above is an example of the evaluation information setting process.

[0070] (Reward distribution process) Next, an example of a reward granting process will be explained based on Figure 12. The reward granting process is an action performed by server 10 (mainly the reward granting unit 36 ​​and the point granting unit 35), and is performed in step S105 of the above information processing flow. Specifically, it is the process of granting a reward to the first player who won against the second player in a competition match, based on the evaluation information set for the second player. It is also the process of granting rewards to the players who participated in the competition and the users who performed user operations, based on the results of the competition, when the competition has ended.

[0071] As shown in Figure 12, first, when the match ends and the first player wins against the second player, the computer server 10 releases some or all of the evaluation points associated with the second player, converts the released evaluation points into acquired points, and stores them in the storage unit 30 associated with the first player, thereby awarding at least a portion of the evaluation points given to the second player as acquired points (S301). Then, the server 10 converts the remaining evaluation points that are still associated with the second player into acquired points and stores them in the storage unit 30, thereby awarding the difference between the evaluation points given to the second player and the points awarded to the first player as acquired points to the second player (S302).

[0072] Then, if Server 10 determines that a winner has been determined and all matches constituting the tournament have finished (S303: YES), it converts the evaluation points awarded to the winner, Player 1, into acquired points and stores them in Memory Unit 30, thereby awarding the evaluation points to Player 1, Player 1, as acquired points (S304). If Server 10 determines that not all matches have finished yet (S303: NO), it terminates the process.

[0073] Next, the server 10 calculates the reward amount to be given to each player based on the points earned by each player (S305), and stores the calculated reward amount in the storage unit 30 in association with the first player, thereby giving the reward to each player (S306). The server 10 also calculates the reward amount to be given to the user who specified the designated player based on the points earned by the designated player specified by the user (S307), and stores the calculated reward amount in the storage unit 30 in association with the user, thereby giving the reward to the user (S308). The above is an example of a reward distribution process.

[0074] <Other Embodiments> To date, the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described with specific examples. However, the above embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments; other embodiments are also conceivable.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the server 10 functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this, and some of the functions of the server 10 may be provided on the user terminal 12. For example, some or all of the functions of the evaluation setting unit 33, the point awarding unit 35, the reward awarding unit 36, or the competition control unit 37 may be provided on the player terminal 11 or the user terminal 12.

[0076] In the above embodiment, competition information, player information, and user information are stored on the server 10. However, a separate database server (not shown) may be provided to store all the information in that database server, or the information may be stored on the player terminal 11 or user terminal 12.

[0077] In the above embodiment, users can, in principle, enjoy all functions free of charge. However, some functions may be limited, and users may be able to access those limited functions by paying a predetermined usage fee. Furthermore, various other conditions may be set for paying users to give them an advantage when watching the competition. For example, paying users may be able to view gameplay videos that are filmed from special angles (e.g., angles specialized for a designated player) or have special editing applied, depending on the amount they pay. This usage fee may be based on a pay-per-use system, or it may be a subscription-based system where a one-time payment is effective for a certain period (e.g., one month or one year) for the user.

[0078] <Summary> The main features of the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program according to the embodiment described above are as follows.

[0079] [1] The information processing device according to this embodiment includes an evaluation setting unit that sets evaluation information for each of a plurality of players, including a first player and a second player participating in the competition, based on the operation of a user watching the competition, and a reward granting unit that, if the first player wins against the second player in a match of the competition, grants the first player a first reward based on the evaluation information set for the second player. According to the information processing device described above, the first player who defeats the second player is rewarded based on the second player's evaluation information, thus allowing players participating in the competition to be rewarded according to their opponent's evaluation.

[0080] [2] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the evaluation setting unit sets evaluation information based on the operation received before the end of the match. This allows for more appropriate rewards to be given to players participating in the competition, based on the evaluations received from their opponents by the end of the match.

[0081] [3] The above-mentioned information processing device has a receiving unit that can receive a first operation that can be performed by consuming a predetermined value from the user and a second operation that can be performed without consuming a predetermined value, and the evaluation setting unit increases the degree of influence on the evaluation information when the operation is the first operation compared to when it is the second operation. This makes it easier for user actions performed by consuming a predetermined value to be reflected in each player's evaluation information, allowing for more appropriate rewards to be given to players participating in the competition based on their opponent's evaluation.

[0082] [4] The competition is conducted in the form of a tournament, and the information processing device further includes a seed setting unit that sets the seed in the tournament based on evaluation information set for multiple players. This allows seeding to be determined based on user actions, enabling players to receive rewards based on their opponent's performance and further enhancing the excitement of the competition itself.

[0083] [5] The above-mentioned information processing device has a point awarding unit that awards points to multiple players based on evaluation information set for each of the multiple players, and if the first player wins against the second player, the point awarding unit awards at least a portion of the points awarded to the second player to the first player as acquired points. This clarifies the evaluation of each player and the rewards given to the winning player, allowing for more appropriate rewards to be given to players participating in the competition based on their opponent's evaluation.

[0084] [6] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if the first player has defeated the second player and there is no next opponent among the multiple players, the point awarding unit awards the points awarded to the first player as acquired points. As a result, the winning first player will receive points based on the second player's evaluation information, as well as points based on the first player's own evaluation information. This allows for more appropriate rewards to players participating in the competition, based on their opponent's evaluation, and can also improve players' motivation to compete.

[0085] [7] In the above-described information processing device, if the first player wins against the second player, the point awarding unit awards the second player the difference between the points awarded to the second player and the points awarded to the first player from the points awarded to the second player as points earned. This means that even if a player loses to a strong opponent, they may still be rewarded with points based on their own evaluation. This allows for more appropriate rewards to players based on their opponent's evaluation, and can also improve players' motivation to compete.

[0086] [8] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the reward granting unit grants the player a second reward based on the points earned by the player. This clarifies the rewards given to players, allowing for more appropriate rewards to be given to players participating in competitions, based on their performance against their opponents.

[0087] [9] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the reward granting unit grants a third reward to the user who designated the designated player, based on the points earned by the designated player who was designated by the user through an operation. This system allows users to potentially receive rewards depending on the match results of their designated players, thus motivating them to choose players. As a result, players receive objective evaluations that reflect the actions of many users. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide players participating in competitions with more appropriate rewards based on the evaluation of their opponents.

[0088]

[10] The information processing method according to this embodiment involves a computer setting evaluation information for each of several players, including a first player and a second player, who are participating in the competition, based on the actions of a user watching the competition, and if the first player wins against the second player in a match of the competition, the computer grants the first player a first reward based on the evaluation information set for the second player. According to the above information processing method, the first player who defeats the second player is rewarded based on the second player's evaluation information, thus allowing players participating in the competition to be rewarded according to their opponent's evaluation.

[0089]

[11] The program according to this embodiment causes the computer to set evaluation information for each of several players, including a first player and a second player participating in the competition, based on the actions of a user watching the competition, and if the first player wins against the second player in the competition match, the computer grants the first player a first reward based on the evaluation information set for the second player. According to the program described above, the first player who defeats the second player will receive a reward based on the second player's evaluation information, thus allowing players participating in the competition to receive rewards based on their opponent's evaluation. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 10 servers 11 Player terminals 12 User terminals 14 Networks 21 processors 22 memory 23 Communication Interfaces 24 storage 25 buses 30 Storage section 31 Information Acquisition Department 32 Display Control Unit 33 Evaluation Setting Section 34 Seed setting section 35 points awarded 36. Reward Distribution Department 37 Competition Control Department G1 Player Selection Screen G2 Player Details Screen G3 Match Start Screen S Information Processing System

Claims

[Claim 1] An evaluation setting unit sets evaluation information for each of the multiple players participating in the competition, including the first and second players, based on the actions of the user watching the competition. The system includes a reward granting unit that, when the first player defeats the second player in a competition match, grants the first player a first reward based on evaluation information set for the second player. Information processing device.

Images